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[ "Fox Broadcasting Company. The Fox Broadcasting Company ( often shortened to Fox and stylized as FOX ) is an American English language commercial broadcast television network that is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group subsidiary of 21st Century Fox . The network is headquartered at the 20th Century Fox studio lot on Pico Boulevard in the Century City section of Los Angeles , with additional major offices and production facilities at the Fox Television Center in nearby West Los Angeles and the Fox Broadcasting Center in the Yorkville neighborhood of Manhattan , New York City . It is the third largest major television network in the world based on total revenues , assets , and international coverage . Launched on October 9 , 1986 as a competitor to the Big Three television networks ( ABC , NBC and CBS ) , Fox went on to become the most successful attempt at a fourth television network . It was the highest-rated broadcast network in the 18 -- 49 demographic from 2004 to 2012 , and earned the position as the most-watched American television network in total viewership during the 2007 -- 08 season . Fox and its affiliated companies operate many entertainment channels in international markets , although these do not necessarily air the same programming as the U.S. network . Most viewers in Canada have access to at least one U.S.-based Fox affiliate , either over-the-air or through a pay television provider , although Fox 's National Football League telecasts and most of its prime time programming are subject to simultaneous substitution regulations for cable and satellite providers imposed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ( CRTC ) to protect rights held by domestically based networks . The network is named after sister company 20th Century Fox , and indirectly for producer William Fox , who founded one of the movie studio 's predecessors , Fox Film . Fox is a member of the North American Broadcasters Association and the National Association of Broadcasters .", "Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau ( -LSB- neɡ̊olaɪ̯ kʰʌsd̥ɐ ˈʋald̥ɑʊ̯ -RSB- ; born 27 July 1970 ) is a Danish actor , producer and screenwriter . He graduated from Danish National School of Theatre in Copenhagen in 1993 . Coster-Waldau 's breakthrough performance in Denmark was his role in the film Nightwatch ( 1994 ) . Since then he has appeared in numerous films in his native Scandinavia and Europe in general , including Headhunters ( 2011 ) and A Thousand Times Good Night ( 2013 ) . In the United States , his debut film role was in the war film Black Hawk Down ( 2001 ) , playing Medal of Honor recipient Gary Gordon . He then played Detective John Amsterdam in the short-lived Fox television series New Amsterdam ( 2008 ) , as well as appearing as Frank Pike in the 2009 Fox television film Virtuality , originally intended as a pilot . He became widely known to a broad audience for his current role as Ser Jaime Lannister , in the HBO series Game of Thrones . In 2017 , he became one of the highest paid actors on television and earned # 2 million per episode of Game of Thrones .", "Fox News. Fox News ( officially known as the Fox News Channel ) is an American basic cable and satellite news entertainment television channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group , a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox . The channel broadcasts primarily from studios at 1211 Avenue of the Americas , New York City , New York . The channel was created by Australian-American media mogul Rupert Murdoch , who hired former Republican Party media consultant and CNBC executive Roger Ailes as its founding CEO . It launched on October 7 , 1996 , to 17 million cable subscribers . Fox News grew during the late 1990s and 2000s to become a dominant cable news network in the United States . Rupert Murdoch is the current chairman and acting CEO of Fox News . Fox News Channel has been accused of biased reporting and promoting the Republican Party . Critics have cited the channel as detrimental to the integrity of news overall . Fox News employees have responded that news reporting operates independently of its opinion and commentary programming , and have denied bias in news reporting . The network has also been accused of permitting sexual harassment and racial discrimination by on-air hosts , executives , and employees , paying out millions of dollars in legal settlements . The company is currently under federal investigation for its harassment settlements and other alleged misconduct . As of February 2015 , approximately 94,700,000 US households ( 81.4 % of cable , satellite & telco customers ) receive the Fox News Channel .", "American Broadcasting Company. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC ) is an American English language commercial broadcast television network that is owned by the Disney -- ABC Television Group , a subsidiary of the Disney Media Networks division of The Walt Disney Company . The network is headquartered on Columbus Avenue and West 66th Street in Manhattan , New York City . There are additional major offices and production facilities elsewhere in New York City , as well as in Los Angeles and Burbank , California . Since 2007 , when ABC Radio ( also known as Cumulus Media Networks ) was sold to Citadel Broadcasting , ABC has reduced its broadcasting operations almost exclusively to television . The fifth-oldest major broadcasting network in the world and the youngest of the Big Three television networks , ABC is often nicknamed as `` The Alphabet Network '' , as its initialism also represents the first three letters of the English alphabet , in order . ABC originally launched on October 12 , 1943 , as a radio network , separated from and serving as the successor to the NBC Blue Network , which had been purchased by Edward J. Noble . It extended its operations to television in 1948 , following in the footsteps of established broadcast networks CBS and NBC . In the mid-1950s , ABC merged with United Paramount Theatres , a chain of movie theaters that formerly operated as a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures . Leonard Goldenson , who had been the head of UPT , made the new television network profitable by helping develop and greenlight many successful series . In the 1980s , after purchasing an 80 % interest in cable sports channel ESPN , the network 's corporate parent , American Broadcasting Companies , Inc. , merged with Capital Cities Communications , owner of several print publications , and television and radio stations . In 1996 , most of Capital Cities/ABC 's assets were purchased by The Walt Disney Company . The television network has eight owned-and-operated and over 232 affiliated television stations throughout the United States and its territories . Most Canadians have access to at least one U.S.-based ABC affiliate , either over-the-air ( in areas located within proximity to the Canada -- United States border ) or through a cable , satellite or IPTV provider , although most ABC programs are subject to simultaneous substitution regulations imposed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission that allow pay television providers to replace an American station 's signal with the feed of a Canadian broadcaster to protect domestic programming rights and advertising revenue . ABC News provides news and features content for select radio stations owned by Citadel Broadcasting , which purchased the ABC Radio properties in 2007 .", "Fox Entertainment Group. The Fox Entertainment Group is an American entertainment company that operates through four segments , mainly filmed entertainment , television stations , television broadcast networks , and cable network programming . The company is wholly owned and controlled by the American media conglomerate 21st Century Fox , which is owned and chaired by Rupert Murdoch , since the company acquired all the stock of Fox . The transaction was completed on March 12 , 2005 . The division was part of the renamed 21st Century Fox after it had spun off its publishing divisions into the newly formed `` New '' News Corporation in 2013 as part of a corporate re-organization . It is named after William Fox , born Wilhelm Fuchs , who created the original Fox Film Corporation . Jim Gianopulos is currently the chairman of Fox Entertainment Group , a position he shared with Tom Rothman until 2012 .", "Fox Music. Fox Music is the music arm of 20th Century Fox . It encompasses music publishing and licensing businesses , dealing primarily with Fox Entertainment Group television and film soundtracks . It is located inside the 20th Century Fox Film Corporation headquarters in Century City , California . During CEO Robert Kraft 's current tenure at Fox , dozens of Fox scores and soundtracks have become platinum or gold records . Highlights include the record-breaking soundtracks from Titanic , Waiting to Exhale , Moulin Rouge ! , Garden State , Romeo + Juliet , The Full Monty , Hope Floats , Dr. Dolittle , Bulworth , Anastasia , Walk the Line , the 1st Alvin and the Chipmunks film , Once , and Juno . Fox Music has also supervised the music for Twentieth Century Fox Television hits such as Ally McBeal and The X-Files , as well as current shows Family Guy , and The Simpsons . Since 1994 , television soundtracks from Fox Music have included the worldwide platinum albums from `` Ally McBeal '' and `` X-Files '' , plus hit compilations from Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Dark Angel , The Simpsons , Roswell and 24 . Since Kraft became chief executive in 1994 , Fox Music has been responsible for the worldwide sales of over 60 million albums , producing 3 Platinum , 6 Multi-Platinum and 6 Gold records . Fox Music has garnered 10 Academy Award nominations , winning 4 Academy Awards , 14 Golden Globe nominations ( including 4 Golden Globe Awards ) , 58 Emmy nominations with 11 wins , and 46 Grammy nominations including 12 Grammy Awards . Fox Music utilizes unaffiliated record companies for distribution . For example , Glee Cast albums are released by Columbia Records . Such recordings bear the 20th Century Fox TV Records imprint which was introduced in 2009 as a joint venture of 20th Century Fox and Sony Music .", "Fox Sports (United States). Fox Sports is the programming division of the Fox Broadcasting Company , owned by 21st Century Fox , that is responsible for sports broadcasts on the network , and its dedicated regional and national sports cable channels . The flagship entity of 21st Century Fox 's Fox Sports Media Group division , it was formed in 1994 with Fox 's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League ( NFL ) games . In subsequent years , it has televised the National Hockey League ( 1994 -- 1999 ) , Major League Baseball ( 1996 -- present ) , NASCAR ( 2001 -- present ) , Bowl Championship Series ( 2007 -- 2010 ) , Major League Soccer ( 2015 -- present ) , the USGA Championships ( 2015 -- present ) , NHRA ( 2016 -- present ) , the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women 's World Cup ( starting in 2015 ) .", "Fox Sports. Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels , broadcast divisions , programming , and other media around the world that are either controlled or partially owned by the family of Rupert Murdoch . These assets are held mainly by 21st Century Fox , with the exception of the operations in Australia , which are part of News Corp Australia . ( 21st Century Fox and News Corp are the two companies resulting from the breakup of the larger News Corporation in mid-2013 ; the Murdoch family retains voting control of both entities . ) The name originates from the Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States , which in turn was derived from the name of the Fox Film Corporation ( later 20th Century Fox ) . The Fox Sports name has since been used in 21st Century Fox 's and News Corp 's other sports media assets around the world .", "The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Company , commonly known as Disney , is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate , headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank , California . It is the world 's second largest media conglomerate in terms of revenue , after Comcast . Disney was founded on October 16 , 1923 -- by brothers Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney -- as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio , and established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into live-action film production , television , and theme parks . The company also operated under the names The Walt Disney Studio and then Walt Disney Productions . Taking on its current name in 1986 , it expanded its existing operations and also started divisions focused upon theater , radio , music , publishing , and online media . In addition , Disney has since created corporate divisions in order to market more mature content than is typically associated with its flagship family-oriented brands . The company is best known for the products of its film studio , Walt Disney Studios , which is today one of the largest and best-known studios in American cinema . Disney 's other three main divisions are Walt Disney Parks and Resorts , Disney Media Networks , and Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media . Disney also owns and operates the ABC broadcast television network ; cable television networks such as Disney Channel , ESPN , A+E Networks , and Freeform ; publishing , merchandising , music , and theatre divisions ; and owns and licenses 14 theme parks around the world . The company has been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since May 6 , 1991 . Mickey Mouse , an early and well-known cartoon creation of the company , is a primary symbol and mascot for Disney .", "21st Century Fox. Twenty-First Century Fox Inc. ( stylized as 21st Century Fox , simply known as Fox , and also called 21CF ) is an American multinational mass media corporation based in Midtown Manhattan , New York City . It was one of two companies formed from the 2013 spin-off of the publishing assets of News Corporation , as founded by Rupert Murdoch in 1979 . 21st Century Fox is the legal successor to News Corporation dealing primarily in the film and television industries and is currently the world 's fourth largest media conglomerate ( after Comcast , The Walt Disney Company and Time Warner ) . The other company , the `` new '' News Corporation , holds Murdoch 's print interests ( both owned by him and his family via a family trust with 39 percent controlling interest in each ) . The company 's assets include the Fox Entertainment Group -- owners of the 20th Century Fox film studio and Fox television network , and among other assets , pan-Asian pay channel operator STAR TV ; and on December 9 , 2016 , 21CF announced a bid for full control of United Kingdom-based Sky Plc , whose independent directors supported the deal .", "20th Century Fox. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation ( known as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation with a hyphen from 1935 until 1985 , professionally as 20th Century Fox , Twentieth Century Fox or simply known as Fox ) is an American film studio currently owned by 21st Century Fox . It is one of the Big Six major American film studios and is located in the Century City area of Los Angeles , just west of Beverly Hills . The studio was formerly owned by News Corporation . 20th Century Fox is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America . In 2015 , 20th Century Fox celebrated its 80th anniversary as a studio .", "New Amsterdam (TV series). New Amsterdam is an American television drama which aired for eight episodes in 2008 on Fox . The series starred Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as `` John Amsterdam '' ( real name Johann van der Zee ) , an immortal Dutch man born in 1607 , who has lived in New York City on and off since he was 14 years old , and who is a homicide detective in the present day . The series was nominated for an Emmy for Main Title Design .", "News Corporation. The original News Corporation or News Corp. was an American multinational mass media corporation headquartered in New York City . It was the world 's fourth-largest media group in 2014 in terms of revenue . Board members include prominent former Spanish prime minister José María Aznar . News Corporation was a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ . Formerly incorporated in Adelaide , South Australia , the company was re-incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law after a majority of shareholders approved the move on 12 November 2004 . News Corporation was headquartered at 1211 Avenue of the Americas , New York , in the newer 1960s -- 1970s corridor of the Rockefeller Center complex . On 28 June 2012 , Rupert Murdoch announced that , after concerns from shareholders in response to its recent scandals and to `` unlock even greater long-term shareholder value '' , News Corporation 's assets would be split into two publicly traded companies , one oriented towards media , and the other towards publishing . The split formally took place on 28 June 2013 ; where the present News Corp. was renamed 21st Century Fox and consists primarily of media outlets , while a new News Corp was formed to take on the publishing and Australian broadcasting assets . Its major holdings at the time of the split were News Limited ( a group of newspaper publishers in Murdoch 's native Australia ) , News International ( a newspaper publisher in the United Kingdom , whose properties include The Times , The Sun , and the now-defunct News of the World -- which was the subject of a phone hacking scandal that led to its closure in July 2011 ) , Dow Jones & Company ( an American publisher of financial news outlets , including The Wall Street Journal ) , the book publisher HarperCollins , and the Fox Entertainment Group ( owners of the 20th Century Fox film studio and the Fox Broadcasting Company -- one of the United States ' major television networks ) .", "NBC. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC ) is an American English language commercial broadcast television network that is a flagship property of NBCUniversal , a subsidiary of Comcast . The network is headquartered in the Comcast Building ( formerly known as the GE Building ) at Rockefeller Center in New York City , with additional major offices near Los Angeles ( at Universal City Plaza ) , Chicago ( at the NBC Tower ) and soon in Philadelphia at Comcast Innovation and Technology Center . The network is part of the Big Three television networks . NBC is sometimes referred to as the `` Peacock Network '' , in reference to its stylized peacock logo , which was originally created in 1956 for its then-new color broadcasts and became the network 's official emblem in 1979 . Founded in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America ( RCA ) , NBC is the oldest major broadcast network in the United States . In 1986 , control of NBC passed to General Electric ( GE ) -- which previously owned RCA and NBC until 1930 , when it was forced to sell the companies as a result of antitrust charges -- through its $ 6.4 billion purchase of RCA . Following the acquisition by GE ( which later liquidated RCA ) , Bob Wright served as chief executive officer of NBC , remaining in that position until his retirement in 2007 , when he was succeeded by Jeff Zucker . In 2003 , French media company Vivendi merged its entertainment assets with GE , forming NBC Universal . Comcast purchased a controlling interest in the company in 2011 , and acquired General Electric 's remaining stake in 2013 . Following the Comcast merger , Zucker left NBC Universal and was replaced as CEO by Comcast executive Steve Burke . NBC has thirteen owned-and-operated stations and nearly 200 affiliates throughout the United States and its territories , some of which are also available in Canada via pay-television providers or in border areas over-the-air ; NBC also maintains brand licensing agreements for international channels in South Korea and Germany .", "Fox Networks Group. Fox Networks Group is 21st Century Fox 's primary operating unit for TV and Cable . It produces and distributes 300 + entertainment , sports , `` factual '' and movie channels in 45 languages across Latin America , Europe , Asia and Africa , using several brands , including Fox , STAR India , Fox Sports , Fox Life , National Geographic Channel , Fox Movies Premium , STAR Movies , Baby TV , Star Plus , and STAR Gold . Their non-linear brands are Fox Play , Fox Play + and Nat Geo Play . These brands reach over 1.725 billion households around the world .", "Fox Sports Pty Limited. Fox Sports Australia Pty Limited ( formerly Premier Media Group Pty Limited ) is a subsidiary of News Corp Australia that owns sports-related television networks and digital properties . It owns Australian subscription TV channels Fox Sports , Fox Sports News and Fox Footy and a range of video , text and statistical content for television , mobile phone and online delivery . In February 2012 , Premier Media Group changed its name to Fox Sports , with CEO Patrick Delany explaining `` The change from Premier Media to Fox Sports provides a stronger reflection of the core business of the company in its name , which is , and will continue to be , sport . '' Fox Sports broadcasts an average of around 20 hours of live sport per day into 2.5 million homes around Australia on subscription television with six million potential viewers through Foxtel and Optus TV . The Fox Sports channels are also available in more than 5,100 hotels and licensed venues as well as 180,000 hotel rooms throughout Australia . Fox Sports currently has broadcast rights for the AFL , NRL , A-League , Socceroos , English Premier League , Super Rugby , Wallaby tests , domestic and international cricket , Golf Majors , Tennis Grand Slams , Basketball and Motorsport . On 2 November 2012 , News Corp. took control of Consolidated Media Holdings after a $ 2 billion merger was approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ( ACCC ) , Federal Court and Consolidated Media Holding shareholders , making News Corp. 100 % owner of Fox Sports Pty Ltd. .", "News Corp. News Corporation ( officially referred to as News Corp ; trading as News Corp ) is an American multinational mass media company , formed as a spin-off of the former News Corporation ( as founded by Rupert Murdoch in 1979 ) focusing on newspapers and publishing . It is one of two companies which succeeded the former News Corporation , alongside 21st Century Fox -- which consists of the old News Corporation 's broadcasting and media properties , such as Fox Entertainment Group . The spin out was structured so that 21st Century Fox would be the legal successor and continuation of the old News Corporation , with the new News Corp being an entirely new company formed by a stock split .", "Fox (channel). Fox is a brand name used by a number of different television channels throughout the world , all owned or licensed by 21st Century Fox .", "Time Warner. Time Warner Inc. is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered in New York City . It is currently the world 's third largest entertainment company in terms of revenue , after Comcast and The Walt Disney Company . It was also once the world 's largest media conglomerate . Time Warner was first founded in 1990 , with the merger of Time Inc. and Warner Communications . The current company consists largely of the assets of the former Warner Communications ( as well as HBO , a Time Inc. subsidiary prior to the merger ) , and the assets of Turner Broadcasting ( which was acquired by the company in 1996 ) . Time Warner currently has major operations in film and television , with a limited amount in publishing operations . Among its most popular assets are HBO , Turner Broadcasting System , The CW , Warner Bros. , CNN , DC Comics , and as of August 2016 , Hulu , owning 10 % . In the past , other major divisions of Time Warner included Time Inc. , AOL , Time Warner Cable , Warner Books and Warner Music Group . All of these operations were either sold to other investors or spun off as independent companies from 2004 to 2014 . On October 22 , 2016 , AT&T announced its intent to acquire Time Warner for $ 108.7 billion .", "Viacom. Viacom Inc. ( known professionally as Viacom ( -LSB- ˈvaɪəkɒm -RSB- ) and stylized as vıacom or b_viacom in YouTube ) is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in cinema and cable television . It is currently the world 's sixth largest broadcasting and cable company in terms of revenue -- behind Comcast , The Walt Disney Company , Time Warner , and CBS Corporation , but ahead of 21st Century Fox . Voting control of Viacom is held by National Amusements , Inc. , a privately owned theater company controlled by the billionaire Sumner Redstone . Redstone also holds -- via National Amusements -- a controlling stake in CBS Corporation . The current incarnation of Viacom was created on December 31 , 2005 as a spin-off from the original incarnation of Viacom , which was renamed as CBS Corporation after the spin-off . CBS Corporation currently retains control of the over-the-air broadcasting , TV production , subscription pay television ( with Showtime Networks ) and publishing assets ( with Simon & Schuster ) , which were previously owned by the original Viacom . Predecessor firms of the original Viacom included Gulf + Western ( which later became Paramount Communications ) and Westinghouse Electric Corporation . Comprising BET Networks , Viacom Media Networks and Paramount Pictures , the current Viacom operates approximately 170 networks , reaching approximately 700 million subscribers in approximately 160 countries .", "Hulu. Hulu ( stylized as hulu ) is an American subscription video on demand service owned by Hulu LLC , a joint venture with The Walt Disney Company ( through Disney -- ABC Television Group ) ( 30 % ) , 21st Century Fox ( through Fox Entertainment Group ) ( 30 % ) , Comcast ( through NBCUniversal ) ( 30 % ) , and as of August 10 , 2016 , Time Warner ( through Turner Broadcasting System ) ( 10 % , minority stake ) . It is primarily oriented towards television series , carrying current and past episodes of series from its owners ' respective television networks and other content partners . It was previously divided into free and paid tiers , with the free service limited in the amount of content accessible by users and accessible via PC only , and a paid service with a larger library of content and accessed via Hulu applications for various mobile and connected devices . The subscription service is , in turn , divided into advertising-supported and mostly ad-free tiers . In 2016 , Hulu spun out its free content into a joint venture with Yahoo! called Yahoo! View and launched a live television streaming service on May 3 , 2017 . Hulu is offered only to users in Japan and the United States and its overseas territories .", "20th Century Fox Television. Twentieth Century Fox Television ( TCFTV , stylized as 20th Century Fox Television ) is the television production subsidiary of 20th Century Fox , and a production arm of the Fox Television Group ( both are owned by Rupert Murdoch 's 21st Century Fox ) . 20th Television is the syndication and distribution arm of 20th Century Fox Television .", "ESPN. ESPN ( originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Networks ) is a U.S.-based global cable and satellite sports television channel owned by ESPN Inc. , a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company ( which operates the network ) and the Hearst Corporation ( which owns a 20 % minority share ) . ESPN broadcasts primarily from studio facilities located in Bristol , Connecticut . The network also operates offices in Miami , New York City , Seattle , Charlotte , and Los Angeles . John Skipper currently serves as president of ESPN , a position he has held since January 1 , 2012 . While ESPN is one of the most successful sports networks , there has been much criticism of ESPN , which includes accusations of biased coverage , conflict of interest , and controversies with individual broadcasters and analysts . , ESPN is available to approximately 94,396,000 paid television households ( 81.1 % of households with at least one television set ) in the United States . Nielsen has reported a much lower number in 2017 , below 90,000,000 subscribers , losing more than 10,000 a day . In addition to the flagship channel and its seven related channels in the United States , ESPN broadcasts in more than 200 countries , operating regional channels in Australia , Brazil , Latin America and the United Kingdom , and owning a 20 % interest in The Sports Network ( TSN ) as well as its five sister networks in Canada . In 2011 , ESPN 's history and rise was chronicled by These Guys Have All the Fun , a nonfiction book written by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales and published by Little , Brown and Company .", "Fox Film. The Fox Film Corporation was an American company that produced motion pictures , formed by William Fox on 1 February 1915 . It was the corporate successor to his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film Company . The company 's first film studios were set up in Fort Lee , New Jersey but in 1917 , William Fox sent Sol M. Wurtzel to Hollywood , California to oversee the studio 's new West Coast production facilities where a more hospitable and cost effective climate existed for filmmaking . On July 23 , 1926 , the company bought the patents of the Movietone sound system for recording sound on to film . After the Crash of 1929 , William Fox lost control of the company in 1930 , during a hostile takeover . Under new president Sidney Kent , the new owners merged the company with Twentieth Century Pictures to form 20th Century Fox in 1935 .", "Marshall Broadcasting. Marshall Broadcasting Group , Inc. is a television broadcasting company that owns three full power television stations in the United States . The company was founded in 2014 by Pluria Marshall , Jr. . All three of its television stations are affiliated with the Fox and are operated through shared services agreements by Nexstar Media Group . In 2014 , Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired the stock of television operators Grant Broadcasting , Communications Corporation of America , and White Knight Broadcasting . Due to FCC ownership limits , Nexstar sold former Grant station KLJB in Davenport , Iowa , and former ComCorp stations KPEJ-TV in Odessa , Texas and KMSS-TV in Shreveport , Louisiana , all three of which are Fox affiliates , to Marshall Broadcasting . Nexstar operates all three of the television stations owned by Marshall Broadcasting through a shared services agreement , providing non-programming resources to the stations such as master control , advertising sales , and engineering support .", "Fox Premium. Fox Premium App & TV is a group of premium pay-TV channels founded in 1997 by LAPTV under the name Moviecity , dedicated to the exhibition of movies by subscription Latin America . Fox Premium offers films in their original version , without censorship or dubbing . It is currently owned by Fox Networks Group and operated by Fox Networks Group Latin America , who also operates other signs of the basic service as Cinecanal and Film Zone . Transmitted from Atlanta , Georgia in the United States .", "NPR. National Public Radio ( usually shortened to NPR , stylized as npr ) is an American privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States . NPR produces and distributes news and cultural programming . Individual public radio stations are not required to broadcast all NPR programs that are produced . Most public radio stations broadcast a mixture of NPR programs , content from rival providers American Public Media , Public Radio International , Public Radio Exchange and WNYC Studios and locally produced programs . NPR 's flagships are two drive time news broadcasts , Morning Edition and the afternoon All Things Considered ; both are carried by most NPR member stations , and are two of the most popular radio programs in the country . NPR manages the Public Radio Satellite System , which distributes NPR programs and other programming from independent producers and networks such as American Public Media and Public Radio International . Its content is also available on-demand via the web , mobile , and podcasts .", "History of Fox News. The Fox News Channel ( FNC ) is an American basic cable and satellite news television channel that was founded by media mogul Rupert Murdoch in 1996 . Murdoch appointed Roger Ailes as permanent CEO of the news operation . FNC ( along with MSNBC ) was created as an alternative to CNN . In January 2002 , the ratings of the channel surpassed top-rated CNN to become the # 1 news cable channel . The network has since maintained its # 1 cable rating , with increasing viewership and international access helping it become a subject of controversy .", "Fox NFL. Fox NFL ( also known as The NFL on Fox ) is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League ( NFL ) games produced by Fox Sports and televised on the Fox Broadcasting Company ( Fox ) . Game coverage is usually preceded by the pre-game shows Fox NFL Kickoff and Fox NFL Sunday and is followed on most weeks by post-game show The OT . The latter two shows feature the same studio hosts and analysts for both programs , who also contribute to the former . In weeks when Fox airs a doubleheader , the late broadcast ( which typically airs nationwide in almost all markets , as there are typically only one or two games taking place at the time ) airs under the brand America 's Game of the Week . The network aired its inaugural NFL game telecast on August 12 , 1994 , with a preseason game between the Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park in San Francisco . Coverage formally began the following month on September 4 , with the premiere of Fox NFL Sunday , followed by a slate of six regionally televised regular season games on the first Sunday of the 1994 season .", "Repercussions of the 1994 United States broadcast TV realignment. The 1994 United States broadcast television realignment consisted of a series of network affiliation switches and other transactions that resulted from a multimillion-dollar deal between the Fox Broadcasting Company ( commonly known as simply Fox ) and New World Communications , a media group that -- in addition to its involvement in film and television production -- owned several VHF television stations affiliated with major broadcast networks , primarily CBS . The agreement between Fox and New World resulted not only in Fox affiliating with stations with histories as major network affiliates but also various other deals , most notably the buyout of CBS by Westinghouse , that caused several other broadcasting companies to reach affiliation deals that either extended ties with networks that were already aligned with some stations owned by the individual groups or created new relationships between at least one of the networks and the affected partner groups . The repercussions of this realignment were gradual but swift , with nearly 70 stations in 30 media markets throughout the United States changing affiliations between September 1994 and September 1996 . Fox ascended to the status of a major television network , comparable in influence to the Big Three television networks ( CBS , NBC and ABC ) , while CBS was dealt the major blows of losing both its partial broadcast rights to the National Football League ( NFL ) and key affiliates in several major markets to Fox . All three major networks also wound up affiliating with stations that broadcast on the UHF band in a few cases , the vast majority of which operated as either Fox affiliates or independent stations prior to the switches ; most of the new Big Three affiliates also created news departments from scratch or expanded their existing ones .", "Fox News (disambiguation). Fox News is a 24-hour cable and satellite news channel owned by Fox Entertainment Group . Fox News may also refer to : Fox News Radio , a syndicated radio service , a division of Fox News Channel Fox News Sunday , a weekly morning talk show broadcast by Fox Broadcasting Company stations and affiliates , and replayed during prime time on Fox News Channel Fox News Talk , a satellite radio service of Fox News Channel Fox Movietone News , a newsreel which began in 1928 in the United Kingdom and the United States Fox News ( 1919 -- 1930 ) , was a silent-era theatrical newsreel created by William Fox . Fox News is also a term used by some Fox stations and affiliates to brand their own local news operations .", "Foxtel. Foxtel is an Australian pay television company , operating a duopoly in cable television , a monopoly in direct broadcast satellite television , and IPTV catch-up services . It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between News Corporation ( now News Corp ; through News Limited , now News Corp Australia ) ( FOX ) and Telstra ( TEL ) . Both of the owning companies are 50 % shareholders . It shares many features with the Sky service in the United Kingdom , including iQ , the electronic program guide , a similar remote control , and Red Button Active ." ]

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[ "Roman Atwood. Roman Bernard Atwood ( born May 28 , 1983 ) is an American YouTube personality , comedian , vlogger and pranker . He is best known for his vlogs , where he posts updates about his life on a daily basis . His vlogging channel , `` RomanAtwoodVlogs '' , has a total of 3.3 billion views and 11.9 million subscribers . He also has another YouTube channel called `` RomanAtwood '' , where he posts pranks . His prank videos have gained over 1.4 billion views and 10.3 million subscribers . Both of these channels are in the top 100 most subscribed on YouTube , and he became the second YouTuber after Germán Garmendia to receive two Diamond Play Buttons for his two channels .", "Stack Overflow. Stack Overflow is a privately held website , the flagship site of the Stack Exchange Network , created in 2008 by Jeff Atwood and Joel Spolsky . It was created to be a more open alternative to earlier question and answer sites such as Experts-Exchange . The name for the website was chosen by voting in April 2008 by readers of Coding Horror , Atwood 's popular programming blog . It features questions and answers on a wide range of topics in computer programming . The website serves as a platform for users to ask and answer questions , and , through membership and active participation , to vote questions and answers up or down and edit questions and answers in a fashion similar to a wiki or Digg . Users of Stack Overflow can earn reputation points and `` badges '' ; for example , a person is awarded 10 reputation points for receiving an `` up '' vote on an answer given to a question , and can receive badges for their valued contributions , which represents a kind of gamification of the traditional Q&A site or forum . All user-generated content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribute-ShareAlike license . Closing questions is a main differentiation from Yahoo! Answers and a way to prevent low quality questions . The mechanism was overhauled in 2013 ; questions edited after being put `` on hold '' now appear in a review queue . Jeff Atwood stated in 2010 that duplicate questions are not seen as a problem but rather they constitute an advantage if such additional questions drive extra traffic to the site by multiplying relevant keyword hits in search engines . Stack Overflow has over 4,000,000 registered users , and it exceeded 10,000,000 questions in late August 2015 . Based on the type of tags assigned to questions , the top eight most discussed topics on the site are : Java , JavaScript , C# , PHP , Android , jQuery , Python and HTML . Stack Overflow also has a Jobs section to assist developers in finding their next opportunity . For employers , Stack Overflow provides tools to brand their business , advertise their openings on the site , and source candidates from Stack Overflow 's database of developers who are open to being contacted .", "Roman Empire. The Roman Empire ( Imperium Rōmānum -LSB- ɪmˈpɛ.ri.ũː roːˈmaː.nũː -RSB- Koine and Medieval Greek : Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων , tr . ) was the post-Roman Republic period of the ancient Roman civilization , characterized by government headed by emperors and large territorial holdings around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe , Africa and Asia . The city of Rome was the largest city in the world BC , with Constantinople ( New Rome ) becoming the largest around AD 500 , and the Empire 's populace grew to an estimated 50 to 90 million inhabitants ( roughly 20 % of the world 's population at the time ) . An average of figures from different sources as listed at the US Census Bureau 's Historical Estimates of World Population The 500-year-old republic which preceded it was severely destabilized in a series of civil wars and political conflict , during which Julius Caesar was appointed as perpetual dictator and then assassinated in 44 BC . Civil wars and executions continued , culminating in the victory of Octavian , Caesar 's adopted son , over Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC and the annexation of Egypt . Octavian 's power was then unassailable and in 27 BC the Roman Senate formally granted him overarching power and the new title Augustus , effectively marking the end of the Roman Republic . The imperial period of Rome lasted approximately 1,500 years compared to the 500 years of the Republican era . The first two centuries of the empire 's existence were a period of unprecedented political stability and prosperity known as the Pax Romana , or `` Roman Peace '' . Following Octavian 's victory , the size of the empire was dramatically increased . After the assassination of Caligula in AD 41 , the Senate briefly considered restoring the republic , but the Praetorian Guard proclaimed Claudius emperor instead . Under Claudius , the empire invaded Britannia , its first major expansion since Augustus . After Claudius ' successor , Nero , committed suicide in AD 68 , the empire suffered a series of brief civil wars , as well as a concurrent major rebellion in Judea , during which four different legionary generals were proclaimed emperor . Vespasian emerged triumphant in AD 69 , establishing the Flavian dynasty , before being succeeded by his son Titus , who opened the Colosseum shortly after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius . His short reign was followed by the long reign of his brother Domitian , who was eventually assassinated . The Senate then appointed the first of the Five Good Emperors . The empire reached its greatest extent under Trajan , the second in this line . A period of increasing trouble and decline began with the reign of Commodus . Commodus ' assassination in 192 triggered the Year of the Five Emperors , of which Septimius Severus emerged victorious . The assassination of Alexander Severus in 235 led to the Crisis of the Third Century in which 26 men were declared emperor by the Roman Senate over a fifty-year time span . It was not until the reign of Diocletian that the empire was fully stabilized with the introduction of the Tetrarchy , which saw four emperors rule the empire at once . This arrangement was ultimately unsuccessful , leading to a civil war that was finally ended by Constantine I , who defeated his rivals and became the sole ruler of the empire . Constantine subsequently shifted the capital to Byzantium , which was renamed `` Constantinople '' in his honour . It remained the capital of the east until its demise . Constantine also adopted Christianity which later became the official state religion of the empire . This eastern part of the empire ( modernly called `` Byzantine Empire '' ) remained one of the leading powers in the world alongside its arch-rival the Sassanid Empire , which had inherited a centuries-old Roman-Persian conflict from its predecessor the Parthians . Following the death of Theodosius I , the last emperor to rule a united Roman Empire , the dominion of the empire was gradually eroded by abuses of power , civil wars , barbarian migrations and invasions , military reforms and economic depression . The Sack of Rome in 410 by the Visigoths and again in 455 by the Vandals accelerated the Western Empire 's decay , while the deposition of the emperor , Romulus Augustulus , in 476 by Odoacer , is generally accepted to mark the end of the empire in the west . However , Augustulus was never recognized by his Eastern colleague , and separate rule in the Western part of the empire only ceased to exist upon the death of Julius Nepos , in 480 . The Eastern Roman Empire endured for another millennium , eventually falling to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 . The Roman Empire was among the most powerful economic , cultural , political and military forces in the world of its time . It was one of the largest empires in world history . At its height under Trajan , it covered 5 million square kilometres . It held sway over an estimated 70 million people , at that time 21 % of the world 's entire population . The longevity and vast extent of the empire ensured the lasting influence of Latin and Greek language , culture , religion , inventions , architecture , philosophy , law and forms of government on the empire 's descendants . Throughout the European medieval period , attempts were even made to establish successors to the Roman Empire , including the Empire of Romania , a Crusader state , and the Holy Roman Empire . By means of European colonialism following the Renaissance , and their descendant states , Greco-Roman and Judaeo-Christian culture was exported on a worldwide scale , playing a crucial role in the development of the modern world .", "Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation , informally known as Parks and Rec , is an American political comedy television sitcom starring Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope , a perky , mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks Department of Pawnee , a fictional town in Indiana . Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur , the series aired on NBC from April 9 , 2009 to February 24 , 2015 , for 125 episodes , over seven seasons . It was written by the same writers and uses the same filming style as The Office , with the same implication of a documentary crew filming everyone . The ensemble and supporting cast feature Rashida Jones as Ann Perkins , Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford , Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson , Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate , Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz , Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer , Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt , Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger , Jim O'Heir as Garry `` Jerry '' Gergich , Retta as Donna Meagle , and Billy Eichner as Craig Middlebrooks . The writers researched local California politics for the show , and consulted with urban planners and elected officials . Poehler 's character , Leslie Knope , underwent major changes after the first season , in response to audience feedback that she seemed unintelligent and `` ditzy '' . The writing staff incorporated current events into the episodes , such as a government shutdown in Pawnee inspired by the real-life global financial crisis of 2007 -- 2008 . Several guest stars , such as Jason Mantzoukas , Kathryn Hahn , Sam Elliott , Bill Murray , Louis C.K. , Paul Rudd , and Jon Hamm , have been featured in the show , and their characters often appear in multiple episodes . Parks and Recreation was part of NBC 's `` Comedy Night Done Right '' programming during its Thursday night prime-time block . The series received mixed reviews during its first season , but , after a re-approach to its tone and format , the second and subsequent seasons were widely acclaimed . Throughout its run , Parks and Recreation received several awards and nominations , including two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series , six Emmy nominations , a Golden Globe win for Poehler 's performance , and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Musical or Comedy . In TIMEs 2012 year-end lists issue , Parks and Recreation was named the number one television series of that year . In 2013 , after receiving four consecutive nominations in the category , Parks and Recreation won the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy .", "Reddit. Reddit ( stylized as reddit , -LSB- ˈrɛdɪt -RSB- ) is an American social news aggregation , web content rating , and discussion website . Reddit 's registered community members can submit content such as text posts or direct links . Registered users can then vote submissions up or down that determines their position on the page . Submissions with the most up-votes appear on the front page or the top of a category . Content entries are organized by areas of interest called `` subreddits '' . Subreddit topics include news , science , gaming , movies , music , books , fitness , food , image-sharing , and many others . The site prohibits harassment , and moderation requires substantial resources . As of 2017 , Reddit had 542 million monthly visitors ( 234 million unique users ) , ranking # 4 most visited web-site in US and # 9 in the world . Across 2015 , Reddit saw 82.54 billion pageviews , 73.15 million submissions , 725.85 million comments , and 6.89 billion upvotes from its users . Reddit was founded by University of Virginia roommates Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian in 2005 . Condé Nast Publications acquired the site in October 2006 . Reddit became a direct subsidiary of Condé Nast 's parent company , Advance Publications , in September 2011 . As of August 2012 , Reddit operates as an independent entity , although Advance is still its largest shareholder . Reddit is based in San Francisco , California . In October 2014 , Reddit raised $ 50 million in a funding round led by Sam Altman and including investors Marc Andreessen , Peter Thiel , Ron Conway , Snoop Dogg , and Jared Leto . Their investment saw the company valued at $ 500 million .", "The Walking Dead (TV series). The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series developed by Frank Darabont , based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman , Tony Moore , and Charlie Adlard . Andrew Lincoln plays the show 's lead character , sheriff 's deputy Rick Grimes , who awakens from a coma discovering a world overrun by zombies , commonly referred to as `` walkers '' . Grimes reunites with his family and becomes the leader of a group he forms with other survivors . Together they struggle to survive and adapt in a post-apocalyptic world filled with walkers and opposing groups of survivors , who are often more dangerous than the walkers themselves . Much of the series takes place in and around Atlanta , Georgia , and Alexandria , Virginia . The Walking Dead premiered in the United States on October 31 , 2010 , exclusively shown on cable television channel AMC and internationally on Fox International Channels . As a result of very favorable Nielsen ratings that rank the show unprecedentedly high for a cable series , AMC has renewed the series each year . Beginning with its third season , The Walking Dead attracts the most 18 - to 49-year-old viewers of any cable or broadcast television series . Its eighth season will debut in October 2017 . The series has been well received by critics and nominated for several awards , including the Writers Guild of America Award for New Series and the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama . An AMC companion series , Fear the Walking Dead , debuted on August 23 , 2015 .", "Rome. Rome ( -LSB- ˈroʊm -RSB- ; Roma -LSB- ˈroː.ma -RSB- , Rōma ) is a special comune ( named Comune di Roma Capitale ) and the capital of Italy . Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region . With 2,877,215 residents in 1285 km2 , it is also the country 's largest and most populated comune and fourth-most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits . It is the center of the Metropolitan City of Rome , which has a population of 4.3 million residents . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula , within Lazio ( Latium ) , along the shores of the Tiber . The Vatican City is an independent country geographically located within the city boundaries of Rome , the only existing example of a country within a city : for this reason Rome has been often defined as capital of two states . Rome 's history spans more than 2,500 years . While Roman mythology dates the founding of Rome at only around 753 BC , the site has been inhabited for much longer , making it one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in Europe . The city 's early population originated from a mix of Latins , Etruscans and Sabines . Eventually , the city successively became the capital of the Roman Kingdom , the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire , and is regarded as one of the birthplaces of Western civilisation and by some as the first ever metropolis . It was first called The Eternal City ( Urbs Aeterna La Città Eterna ) by the Roman poet Tibullus in the 1st century BC , and the expression was also taken up by Ovid , Virgil , and Livy . Rome is also called the `` Caput Mundi '' ( Capital of the World ) . After the fall of the Western Empire , which marked the beginning of the Middle Ages , Rome slowly fell under the political control of the Papacy , which had settled in the city since the 1st century AD , until in the 8th century it became the capital of the Papal States , which lasted until 1870 . Beginning with the Renaissance , almost all the popes since Nicholas V ( 1447 -- 55 ) pursued coherently along four hundred years an architectonic and urbanistic programme aimed to make of the city the world 's artistic and cultural centre . Due to that , Rome became first one of the major centres of the Italian Renaissance , and then the birthplace of both the Baroque style and Neoclassicism . Famous artists , painters , sculptors and architects made Rome the centre of their activity , creating masterpieces throughout the city . In 1871 Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy , and in 1946 that of the Italian Republic . Rome has the status of a global city . Rome ranked in 2016 as the 13th-most-visited city in the world , 3rd most visited in the European Union , and the most popular tourist attraction in Italy . Its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site . Monuments and museums such as the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum are among the world 's most visited tourist destinations with both locations receiving millions of tourists a year . Rome hosted the 1960 Summer Olympics and is the seat of United Nations ' Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ) . The city hosts the headquarters of many international business companies , such as Eni , Enel , TIM and national and international banks as UniCredit and BNL . Its business district , called EUR , is the base of many business companies involved in oil industry , pharmaceutical industry and finance services . So , Rome plays a leading role in the national economy . The city is also an important fashion and design center thanks to international brands such as Fendi , Bulgari , Renato Balestra and Salvatore Ferragamo . Rome 's Cinecittà Studios have been the set of many Academy Award-winning movies .", "Ancient Rome. Ancient Rome was originally an Italic settlement dating from the 8th century BC that grew into the city of Rome and which subsequently gave its name to the empire over which it ruled and to the widespread civilisation the empire developed . The Roman empire expanded to become one of the largest empires in the ancient world , though still ruled from the city , with an estimated 50 to 90 million inhabitants ( roughly 20 % of the world 's population ) and covering 5.0 million square kilometres at its height in AD 117 . In its many centuries of existence , the Roman state evolved from a monarchy to a classical republic and then to an increasingly autocratic empire . Through conquest and assimilation , it came to dominate the Mediterranean region and then Western Europe , Asia Minor , North Africa , and parts of Northern and Eastern Europe . It is often grouped into classical antiquity together with ancient Greece , and their similar cultures and societies are known as the Greco-Roman world . Ancient Roman civilisation has contributed to modern government , law , politics , engineering , art , literature , architecture , technology , warfare , religion , language and society . Rome professionalised and expanded its military and created a system of government called res publica , the inspiration for modern republics such as the United States and France . It achieved impressive technological and architectural feats , such as the construction of an extensive system of aqueducts and roads , as well as the construction of large monuments , palaces , and public facilities . By the end of the Republic ( 27 BC ) , Rome had conquered the lands around the Mediterranean and beyond : its domain extended from the Atlantic to Arabia and from the mouth of the Rhine to North Africa . The Roman Empire emerged with the end of the Republic and the dictatorship of Augustus Caesar . 721 years of Roman-Persian Wars started in 92 BC with their first war against Parthia . It would become the longest conflict in human history , and have major lasting effects and consequences for both empires . Under Trajan , the Empire reached its territorial peak . Republican mores and traditions started to decline during the imperial period , with civil wars becoming a prelude common to the rise of a new emperor . Splinter states , such as the Palmyrene Empire , would temporarily divide the Empire during the crisis of the 3rd century . Plagued by internal instability and attacked by various migrating peoples , the western part of the empire broke up into independent kingdoms in the 5th century . This splintering is a landmark historians use to divide the ancient period of universal history from the pre-medieval `` Dark Ages '' of Europe .", "Viacom. Viacom Inc. ( known professionally as Viacom ( -LSB- ˈvaɪəkɒm -RSB- ) and stylized as vıacom or b_viacom in YouTube ) is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in cinema and cable television . It is currently the world 's sixth largest broadcasting and cable company in terms of revenue -- behind Comcast , The Walt Disney Company , Time Warner , and CBS Corporation , but ahead of 21st Century Fox . Voting control of Viacom is held by National Amusements , Inc. , a privately owned theater company controlled by the billionaire Sumner Redstone . Redstone also holds -- via National Amusements -- a controlling stake in CBS Corporation . The current incarnation of Viacom was created on December 31 , 2005 as a spin-off from the original incarnation of Viacom , which was renamed as CBS Corporation after the spin-off . CBS Corporation currently retains control of the over-the-air broadcasting , TV production , subscription pay television ( with Showtime Networks ) and publishing assets ( with Simon & Schuster ) , which were previously owned by the original Viacom . Predecessor firms of the original Viacom included Gulf + Western ( which later became Paramount Communications ) and Westinghouse Electric Corporation . Comprising BET Networks , Viacom Media Networks and Paramount Pictures , the current Viacom operates approximately 170 networks , reaching approximately 700 million subscribers in approximately 160 countries .", "Deadwood (TV series). Deadwood is an American western television series created , produced , and largely written by David Milch , that aired on the premium cable network HBO from March 21 , 2004 to August 27 , 2006 , spanning 36 episodes and three seasons . The series , set in the 1870s in Deadwood , South Dakota , before and after the area 's annexation by the Dakota Territory , charts Deadwood 's growth from camp to town , incorporating themes ranging from the formation of communities to western capitalism . The show features a large ensemble cast , and many historical figures appear as characters , such as Seth Bullock , George Crook , Wyatt Earp , E. B. Farnum , George Hearst , Wild Bill Hickok , Calamity Jane , Jack McCall , Sol Star , Al Swearengen , and Charlie Utter . The plot lines involving these characters include historical truths as well as substantial fictional elements . Milch used actual diaries and newspapers from 1870s Deadwood residents as reference points for characters , events , and the look and feel of the show . Some of the characters are fully fictional , although they may have been based on actual persons . Deadwood received wide critical acclaim , particularly for Milch 's writing and Ian McShane 's co-lead performance , and is now regarded as one of the greatest TV dramas of all time . It also won eight Emmy Awards ( in 28 nominations ) and one Golden Globe . TV Guide ranked it # 8 on their 2013 list of 60 shows that were `` Cancelled Too Soon '' . There were initial plans to conclude the series with two TV films , but those plans never came to fruition . In 2015 , talks resumed between HBO and Milch , and in January 2016 , HBO green-lit a script to be written . In April 2017 , Ian McShane confirmed that the script was complete and now in the hands of HBO , and if it does not happen , `` blame them , '' he said . The show was produced by Red Board Productions and Roscoe Productions in association with HBO and Paramount Network Television ( CBS Paramount Network Television in season 3 ) .", "Roman Republic. The Roman Republic ( Res publica Romana -LSB- ˈreːs ˈpuːb.lɪ.ka roːˈmaː.na -RSB- ) was the era of ancient Roman civilization beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom , traditionally dated to 509 BC , and ending in 27 BC with the establishment of the Roman Empire . It was during this period that Rome 's control expanded from the city 's immediate surroundings to hegemony over the entire Mediterranean world . During the first two centuries of its existence , the Roman Republic expanded through a combination of conquest and alliance , from central Italy to the entire Italian peninsula . By the following century , it included North Africa , most of the Iberian Peninsula , and what is now southern France . Two centuries after that , towards the end of the 1st century BC , it included the rest of modern France , Greece , and much of the eastern Mediterranean . By this time , internal tensions led to a series of civil wars , culminating with the assassination of Julius Caesar , which led to the transition from republic to empire . The exact date of transition can be a matter of interpretation . Historians have variously proposed Julius Caesar 's crossing of the Rubicon River in 49 BC , Caesar 's appointment as dictator for life in 44 BC , and the defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC . However , most use the same date as did the ancient Romans themselves , the Roman Senate 's grant of extraordinary powers to Octavian and his adopting the title Augustus in 27 BC , as the defining event ending the Republic . Roman government was headed by two consuls , elected annually by the citizens and advised by a senate composed of appointed magistrates . As Roman society was very hierarchical by modern standards , the evolution of the Roman government was heavily influenced by the struggle between the patricians , Rome 's land-holding aristocracy , who traced their ancestry to the founding of Rome , and the plebeians , the far more numerous citizen-commoners . Over time , the laws that gave patricians exclusive rights to Rome 's highest offices were repealed or weakened , and leading plebeian families became full members of the aristocracy . The leaders of the Republic developed a strong tradition and morality requiring public service and patronage in peace and war , making military and political success inextricably linked . Many of Rome 's legal and legislative structures ( later codified into the Justinian Code , and again into the Napoleonic Code ) can still be observed throughout Europe and much of the world in modern nation states and international organizations .", "Star Trek. Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise based on the television series created by Gene Roddenberry . The first television series , simply called Star Trek and now referred to as The Original Series , debuted in 1966 and aired for three seasons on the television network NBC . It followed the interstellar adventures of Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) and his crew aboard the starship USS Enterprise , a space exploration vessel , built by the interstellar federal republic United Federation of Planets in the twenty-third century . The Star Trek canon of the franchise includes The Original Series , an animated series , four spin-off television series , its film franchise and an upcoming television series scheduled to debut in 2017 . In creating Star Trek , Roddenberry was inspired by the Horatio Hornblower novels , the satirical book Gulliver 's Travels , and by works of western genre such as the television series Wagon Train . These adventures continued in the short-lived Star Trek : The Animated Series and six feature films . Four spin-off television series were eventually produced : Star Trek : The Next Generation followed the crew of a new starship Enterprise set a century after the original series ; Star Trek : Deep Space Nine and Star Trek : Voyager set contemporaneously with The Next Generation ; and Star Trek : Enterprise set before the original series in the early days of human interstellar travel . The adventures of The Next Generation crew continued in four additional feature films . In 2009 , the film franchise underwent a `` reboot '' set in an alternate timeline , or `` Kelvin Timeline '' , entitled simply Star Trek . This film featured a new cast portraying younger versions of the crew from the original show ; their adventures were continued in the sequel film , Star Trek Into Darkness ( 2013 ) . The thirteenth film feature and sequel , Star Trek Beyond ( 2016 ) , was released to coincide with the franchise 's 50th anniversary . A new Star Trek TV series , entitled Star Trek : Discovery , is set to premiere on the digital platform CBS All Access . Star Trek has been a cult phenomenon for decades . Fans of the franchise are called Trekkies or Trekkers . The franchise spans a wide range of spin-offs including games , figurines , novels , toys , and comics . Star Trek had a themed attraction in Las Vegas that opened in 1998 and closed in September 2008 . At least two museum exhibits of props travel the world . The series has its own full-fledged constructed language , Klingon . Several parodies have been made of Star Trek . In addition , viewers have produced several fan productions . As of July 2016 , the franchise had generated $ 10 billion in revenue , making Star Trek one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time . Star Trek is noted for its cultural influence beyond works of science fiction . The franchise is also noted for its progressive civil rights stances . The Original Series included one of television 's first multiracial casts . Star Trek references may be found throughout popular culture from movies such as the submarine thriller Crimson Tide to the animated series South Park .", "Jurassic Park. Jurassic Park is an American science fiction media franchise centered on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park of cloned dinosaurs . It began in 1990 when Universal Studios bought the rights to the novel by Michael Crichton before it was even published . The book was successful , as was the 1993 film adaptation , which led to three sequels , although the third and fourth films were not based on novels as the first two were . The software developers Ocean Software , BlueSky Software , Sega of America , and Telltale Games have had the rights to develop video games ever since the 1993 film , and numerous games have been produced . The Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy was released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 25 , 2011 , in North America . The first film was re-released in 3D on April 5 , 2013 . Since 1996 , several water rides based on the series have been opened at various Universal theme parks . On June 1 , 2016 , the first three films in the franchise were added to the Netflix streaming service , but were removed on September 1 , 2016 . The fourth film , Jurassic World , was initially scheduled to be released in the summer of 2005 , but was delayed numerous times and was ultimately released in June 2015 . It has grossed more than $ 1.66 billion , making it the fourth highest-grossing film of all time . When adjusted for monetary inflation , however , this film is the second highest grossing in the franchise after Jurassic Park . A fifth film , Jurassic World 2 , is scheduled for a June 22 , 2018 , release date . As of 2000 , the franchise had generated $ 5 billion in revenue , making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time .", "The O.C.. The O.C. is an American teen drama television series created by Josh Schwartz that originally aired on the Fox network in the United States from August 5 , 2003 , to February 22 , 2007 , running a total of four seasons . `` O.C. '' is an abbreviation of `` Orange County . '' The series centers on Ryan Atwood , a troubled but tough young man from a broken home who is adopted by the wealthy and philanthropic Sandy and Kirsten Cohen . Ryan and his foster brother Seth , a socially awkward yet quick-witted teenager , deal with life as outsiders in the high-class world of Newport Beach . Ryan and Seth spend much time navigating their relationships with girl-next-door Marissa Cooper , Seth 's childhood crush Summer Roberts , and the fast-talking loner Taylor Townsend . Storylines deal with the culture clash between the idealistic Cohen family and the shallow , materialistic , and closed-minded community in which they reside . The series includes elements of postmodernism , and functions as a mixture of melodrama and comedy . The series premiered with high ratings and was one of the most popular new dramas of the 2003 -- 2004 television season . It was widely referred to as a pop cultural phenomenon and received mostly positive reception from critics . However , ratings declined as the show went on . The low ratings led to its cancellation in early 2007 , even after an online petition that gained over 700,000 signatures . The O.C. has been broadcast in more than fifty countries worldwide . The series has also been released on DVD , as well as on iTunes .", "Myspace. Myspace is a social networking website offering an interactive , user-submitted network of friends , personal profiles , blogs , groups , photos , music , and videos . It is headquartered in Beverly Hills , California . Myspace was acquired by News Corporation in July 2005 for $ 580 million . From 2005 to 2008 , Myspace was the largest social networking site in the world , and in June 2006 surpassed Google as the most visited website in the United States . In April 2008 , Myspace was overtaken by Facebook in the number of unique worldwide visitors , and was surpassed in the number of unique U.S. visitors in May 2009 , though Myspace generated $ 800 million in revenue during the 2008 fiscal year . Since then , the number of Myspace users has declined steadily in spite of several redesigns . As of March 2017 , Myspace was ranked 3,178 by total Web traffic , and 1,650 In the United States . Myspace had a significant influence on pop culture and music and created a gaming platform that launched the successes of Zynga and RockYou , among others . Despite an overall decline , in 2015 Myspace still had 50.6 million unique monthly visitors and has a pool of nearly 1 billion active and inactive registered users . In June 2009 , Myspace employed approximately 1,600 employees . In June 2011 , Specific Media Group and Justin Timberlake jointly purchased the company for approximately $ 35 million . On February 11 , 2016 it was announced that MySpace and its parent company had been bought by Time Inc. .", "Comedy (drama). A comedy is entertainment consisting of jokes intended to make an audience laugh . For ancient Greeks and Romans a comedy was a stage-play with a happy ending . In the Middle Ages , the term expanded to include narrative poems with happy endings and a lighter tone . In this sense Dante used the term in the title of his poem , La Divina Commedia . The phenomena connected with laughter and that which provokes it has been carefully investigated by psychologists and agreed upon the predominating characteristics are incongruity or contrast in the object , and shock or emotional seizure on the part of the subject . It has also been held that the feeling of superiority is an essential factor : thus Thomas Hobbes speaks of laughter as a `` sudden glory . '' Modern investigators have paid much attention to the origin both of laughter and of smiling , as well as the development of the `` play instinct '' and its emotional expression . Much comedy contains variations on the elements of surprise , incongruity , conflict , repetitiveness , and the effect of opposite expectations , but there are many recognized genres of comedy . Satire and political satire use ironic comedy used to portray persons or social institutions as ridiculous or corrupt , thus alienating their audience from the object of humor . Parody borrows the form of some popular genre , artwork , or text but uses certain ironic changes to critique that form from within ( though not necessarily in a condemning way ) . Screwball comedy derives its humor largely from bizarre , surprising ( and improbable ) situations or characters . Black comedy is defined by dark humor that makes light of so-called dark or evil elements in human nature . Similarly scatological humor , sexual humor , and race humor create comedy by violating social conventions or taboos in comedic ways . A comedy of manners typically takes as its subject a particular part of society ( usually upper class society ) and uses humor to parody or satirize the behavior and mannerisms of its members . Romantic comedy is a popular genre that depicts burgeoning romance in humorous terms , and focuses on the foibles of those who are falling in love .", "South Park. South Park is an American adult animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for the Comedy Central television network . The show revolves around four boys -- Stan Marsh , Kyle Broflovski , Eric Cartman , and Kenny McCormick -- and their bizarre adventures in and around the titular Colorado town . Much like The Simpsons , South Park uses a very large ensemble cast of recurring characters and became infamous for its profanity and dark , surreal humor that satirizes a wide range of topics towards a mature audience . Parker and Stone developed the show from The Spirit of Christmas , two consecutive animated shorts created in 1992 and 1995 . The latter became one of the first Internet viral videos , ultimately leading to South Park 's production . It debuted in August 1997 with great success , consistently earning the highest ratings of any basic cable program . Subsequent ratings have varied but it remains one of Comedy Central 's highest rated shows , and is slated to air in new episodes through 2019 . The pilot episode was produced using cutout animation , leading to all subsequent episodes being produced with computer animation that emulated the cutout technique . Parker and Stone perform most of the voice acting for the show 's male characters . Since 2000 , each episode has typically been written and produced in the week preceding its broadcast , with Parker serving as the primary writer and director . There have been a total of episodes over the course of the show 's 20 seasons . South Park has received numerous accolades , including five Primetime Emmy Awards , a Peabody Award , and numerous inclusions in various publications ' lists of greatest television shows . The show 's popularity resulted in a feature-length theatrical film , South Park : Bigger , Longer & Uncut which was released in June 1999 , less than two years after the show 's premiere , and became a commercial and critical success , even garnering a nomination for an Academy Award . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked South Park the tenth Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time .", "Ice Age (franchise). Ice Age is an American media franchise centering on a group of mammals surviving the Paleolithic ice age . It is produced by Blue Sky Studios , a division of 20th Century Fox , and featuring the voices of Ray Romano , John Leguizamo , Denis Leary , and Chris Wedge . Five films have been released in the series thus far with Ice Age in 2002 , Ice Age : The Meltdown in 2006 , Ice Age : Dawn of the Dinosaurs in 2009 , Ice Age : Continental Drift in 2012 , and Ice Age : Collision Course in 2016 . It has received some criticism for making no attempt to be scientifically accurate . As of April 2016 , the franchise had generated $ 6 billion in revenue , making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time .", "Star Wars. Star Wars is an American epic space opera franchise , centered on a film series created by George Lucas . It depicts the adventures of various characters `` a long time ago in a galaxy far , far away '' . The franchise began in 1977 with the release of the film Star Wars ( later subtitled Episode IV : A New Hope in 1981 ) , which became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon . It was followed by the successful sequels The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) ; these three films constitute the original Star Wars trilogy . A prequel trilogy was released between 1999 and 2005 , which received mixed reactions from both critics and fans . A sequel trilogy began in 2015 with the release of Star Wars : The Force Awakens . All seven films were nominated for Academy Awards ( with wins going to the first two films ) and have been commercial successes , with a combined box office revenue of over $ 7.5 billion , making Star Wars the third highest-grossing film series . Spin-off films include the animated Star Wars : The Clone Wars ( 2008 ) and Rogue One ( 2016 ) , the latter of which is the first in an upcoming series of anthology films . The series has spawned an extensive media franchise including books , television series , computer and video games , and comic books , all of which take place within the same continuity as the films , resulting in significant development of the series 's fictional universe , with the non-canonical works falling under the defunct Star Wars Legends label . Star Wars also holds a Guinness World Records title for the `` Most successful film merchandising franchise . In 2015 , the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated at USD $ 42 billion , making Star Wars the second highest-grossing media franchise of all time . In 2012 , The Walt Disney Company bought Lucasfilm for $ 4.06 billion and earned the distribution rights to all subsequent Star Wars films , beginning with the release of The Force Awakens in 2015 . The former distributor , 20th Century Fox , retains the physical distribution rights for the first two Star Wars trilogies , owns permanent rights for the original 1977 film and continues to hold the rights for the prequel trilogy and the first two sequels to A New Hope until May 2020 . Walt Disney Studios owns digital distribution rights to all the Star Wars films , excluding A New Hope .", "Closing credits. Closing credits or end credits are a list of the cast and crew of a particular motion picture , television program , or video game . Where opening credits appear at the beginning of a work , closing credits appear close to , or at the very end of a work . A full set of credits can include the cast and crew , but also production sponsors , distribution companies , works of music licensed or written for the work , various legal disclaimers , such as copyright and more . Some long-running productions list `` production babies '' . The closing credits are usually typed and appear in white lettering on a solid black background , featuring no sound effects or dialogue , only a musical background , sometimes the works ' theme music . Credits are either static and flip from page to page , or scroll as a single list from the bottom of the screen to the top . Occasionally closing credits will divert from this standard form to either scroll in another direction , include illustrations , extra scenes , bloopers , joke credits and post-credits scenes .", "Wine. Wine ( from Latin vinum ) is an alcoholic beverage made from grapes , generally Vitis vinifera , fermented without the addition of sugars , acids , enzymes , water , or other nutrients . Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide . Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts produce different styles of wine . These variations result from the complex interactions between the biochemical development of the grape , the reactions involved in fermentation , the terroir , and the production process . Many countries enact legal appellations intended to define styles and qualities of wine . These typically restrict the geographical origin and permitted varieties of grapes , as well as other aspects of wine production . Wines not made from grapes include rice wine and fruit wines such as plum , cherry , pomegranate and elderberry . Wine has been produced for thousands of years . The earliest known traces of wine are from China ( BC ) , Georgia ( BC ) , and Iran ( BC ) . The earliest known winery is the 6,100-year-old Areni-1 winery Armenia . Wine reached the Balkans by 4500 BC and was consumed and celebrated in ancient Greece , Thrace and Rome . Throughout history , wine has been consumed for its intoxicating effects . Wine has long played an important role in religion . Red wine was associated with blood by the ancient Egyptians and was used by both the Greek cult of Dionysus and the Romans in their Bacchanalia ; Judaism also incorporates it in the Kiddush and Christianity in the Eucharist .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Red Dead Redemption. Red Dead Redemption is an open world western action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games . It was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles in May 2010 . It is the second title in the Red Dead franchise , after 2004 's Red Dead Revolver . The game , set during the decline of the American Frontier in the year 1911 , follows John Marston , a former outlaw whose wife and son are taken hostage by the government in ransom for his services as a hired gun . Having no other choice , Marston sets out to bring the three members of his former gang to justice . Red Dead Redemption is played from a third-person perspective in an open world environment , allowing the player to interact with the game world at their leisure . The player can travel the virtual world , a fictionalized version of the Western United States and Mexico , primarily by horseback and on foot . Gunfights emphasize a gunslinger gameplay mechanic called `` Dead Eye '' that allows players to mark multiple shooting targets on enemies in slow motion . The game makes use of a morality system , by which the player 's actions in the game affect their character 's levels of honor and fame and how other characters respond to the player . An online multiplayer mode is included with the game , allowing up to 16 players to engage in both co-operative and competitive gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting . Upon its release , Red Dead Redemption was acclaimed by many reviewers , with praise directed at the game 's visuals , dynamically-generated music , voice acting , gameplay , and story . The game has shipped over 15 million copies and won year-end accolades , including Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications . It is widely considered one of the greatest video games of all time . After the game 's release , several downloadable content additions were released ; Red Dead Redemption : Undead Nightmare , later released as a standalone game , added a new single-player experience in which Marston searches for a cure for an infectious zombie plague that has swept across the Old West . A Game of the Year Edition containing all additional content was released in October 2011 . A sequel , Red Dead Redemption 2 , was announced in October 2016 , and is scheduled for release in Q2 2018 .", "Facebook. Facebook is an American for-profit corporation and an online social media and social networking service based in Menlo Park , California . The Facebook website was launched on February 4 , 2004 , by Mark Zuckerberg , along with fellow Harvard College students and roommates , Eduardo Saverin , Andrew McCollum , Dustin Moskovitz , and Chris Hughes . The founders had initially limited the website 's membership to Harvard students ; however , later they expanded it to higher education institutions in the Boston area , the Ivy League schools , and Stanford University . Facebook gradually added support for students at various other universities , and eventually to high school students as well . Since 2006 , anyone age 13 and older has been allowed to become a registered user of Facebook , though variations exist in the minimum age requirement , depending on applicable local laws . The Facebook name comes from the face book directories often given to United States university students . Facebook may be accessed by a large range of desktops , laptops , tablet computers , and smartphones over the Internet and mobile networks . After registering to use the site , users can create a user profile indicating their name , occupation , schools attended and so on . Users can add other users as `` friends '' , exchange messages , post status updates and digital photos , share digital videos and links , use various software applications ( `` apps '' ) , and receive notifications when others update their profiles or make posts . Additionally , users may join common-interest user groups organized by workplace , school , hobbies or other topics , and categorize their friends into lists such as `` People From Work '' or `` Close Friends '' . In groups , editors can pin posts to top . Additionally , users can complain about or block unpleasant people . Because of the large volume of data that users submit to the service , Facebook has come under scrutiny for its privacy policies . Facebook makes most of its revenue from advertisements which appear onscreen . Facebook , Inc. held its initial public offering ( IPO ) in February 2012 , and began selling stock to the public three months later , reaching an original peak market capitalization of $ 104 billion . On July 13 , 2015 , Facebook became the fastest company in the Standard & Poor 's 500 Index to reach a market cap of $ 250 billion . Facebook has more than 1.94 billion monthly active users as of March 31 , 2017 . As of April 2016 , Facebook was the most popular social networking site in the world , based on the number of active user accounts . Facebook classifies users from the ages of 13 to 18 as minors and therefore sets their profiles to share content with friends only .", "Entertainment. Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience , or gives pleasure and delight . It can be an idea or a task , but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousands of years specifically for the purpose of keeping an audience 's attention . Although people 's attention is held by different things , because individuals have different preferences in entertainment , most forms are recognisable and familiar . Storytelling , music , drama , dance , and different kinds of performance exist in all cultures , were supported in royal courts , developed into sophisticated forms and over time became available to all citizens . The process has been accelerated in modern times by an entertainment industry that records and sells entertainment products . Entertainment evolves and can be adapted to suit any scale , ranging from an individual who chooses a private entertainment from a now enormous array of pre-recorded products ; to a banquet adapted for two ; to any size or type of party , with appropriate music and dance ; to performances intended for thousands ; and even for a global audience . The experience of being entertained has come to be strongly associated with amusement , so that one common understanding of the idea is fun and laughter , although many entertainments have a serious purpose . This may be the case in the various forms of ceremony , celebration , religious festival , or satire for example . Hence , there is the possibility that what appears as entertainment may also be a means of achieving insight or intellectual growth . An important aspect of entertainment is the audience , which turns a private recreation or leisure activity into entertainment . The audience may have a passive role , as in the case of persons watching a play , opera , television show , or film ; or the audience role may be active , as in the case of games , where the participant/audience roles may be routinely reversed . Entertainment can be public or private , involving formal , scripted performance , as in the case of theatre or concerts ; or unscripted and spontaneous , as in the case of children 's games . Most forms of entertainment have persisted over many centuries , evolving due to changes in culture , technology , and fashion . Films and video games , for example , although they use newer media , continue to tell stories , present drama , and play music . Festivals devoted to music , film , or dance allow audiences to be entertained over a number of consecutive days . Some activities that were once considered entertaining , particularly public punishments , have been removed from the public arena . Others , such as fencing or archery , once necessary skills for some , have become serious sports and even professions for the participants , at the same time developing into entertainment with wider appeal for bigger audiences . In the same way , other necessary skills , such as cooking , have developed into performances among professionals , staged as global competitions and then broadcast for entertainment . What entertainment is for one group or individual may be regarded as work by another . The familiar forms of entertainment have the capacity to cross over different media and have demonstrated a seemingly unlimited potential for creative remix . This has ensured the continuity and longevity of many themes , images , and structures .", "Sexual content. In media discourse , sexual content is material depicting sexual behavior . The sexual behavior involved may be explicit , implicit sexual behavior such as flirting , or include sexual language and euphemisms . Sexual content is a large factor in most content rating systems , such as those used for television programs , films , and video games . Its increasing availability , especially the Internet , has increased people 's exposure to sexual content . Such exposure is not always wanted . Research has suggested that exposure to sexual content affects people 's thoughts and behavior , though there is disagreement as to the extent of the effect . Gert Martin Hald , a psychologist at the University of Copenhagen , who authored a study which found that watching `` sexually explicit media '' only accounted for 0.3 to 4.0 percent of behavior changes , said , `` Our data suggest that other factors such as personal dispositions -- specifically sensation-seeking -- rather than consumption of sexually explicit material may play a more important role in a range of sexual behaviors of adolescents and young adults . ''", "Netflix. Netflix is an American entertainment company founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph on August 29 , 1997 , in Scotts Valley , California . It specializes in and provides streaming media and video-on-demand online and DVD by mail . In 2013 , Netflix expanded into film and television production , as well as online distribution . As of 2017 , the company has its headquarters in Los Gatos , California . Netflix 's initial business model included DVD sales and rental , although Hastings jettisoned DVD sales about a year after Netflix 's founding to focus on the DVD rental by mail business . In 2007 , Netflix expanded its business with the introduction of streaming media , while retaining the DVD and Blu-ray rental service . The company expanded internationally , with streaming made available to Canada in 2010 and continued growing its streaming service from there ; by January 2016 , Netflix services operated in over 190 countries . Netflix entered the content-production industry in 2013 , debuting its first series , House of Cards . It has greatly expanded the production of both film and television series since then , offering `` Netflix Original '' content through its online library of films and television . Netflix released an estimated 126 original series or films in 2016 , more than any other network or cable channel . In April 2017 , Netflix reported having over 98 million subscribers worldwide , including more than 50 million in the United States .", "Rome (TV series). Rome is a British-American-Italian historical drama television series created by John Milius , William J. MacDonald , and Bruno Heller . The show 's two seasons were broadcast on HBO , BBC Two , and RaiDue between 2005 and 2007 . They were later released on DVD and Blu-ray . Rome is set in the 1st century BC , during Ancient Rome 's transition from Republic to Empire . The series features a sprawling cast of characters , many of whom are based on real figures from historical records , but the lead protagonists are ultimately two soldiers named Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo , who find their lives intertwined with key historical events . Rome was a ratings success for HBO and the BBC . The series received much media attention from the start , and was honored with numerous awards and nominations in its two-series run . The series was filmed in various locations , but most notably in the Cinecittà studios in Italy .", "Jeff Atwood. Jeff Atwood is an American software developer , author , blogger , and entrepreneur . He writes the computer programming blog Coding Horror . He co-founded the computer programming question-and-answer website Stack Overflow and co-founded Stack Exchange , which extends Stack Overflow 's question-and-answer model to subjects other than programming . Atwood 's most recent project as of 2012 is the development of Discourse , an open source Internet discussion platform .", "AT&T. AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate , headquartered at Whitacre Tower in downtown Dallas , Texas . AT&T is the world 's largest telecommunications company . AT&T is the second largest provider of mobile telephone services and the largest provider of fixed telephone services in the United States , and also provides broadband subscription television services through DirecTV . AT&T is the third-largest company in Texas ( the largest non-oil company , behind only ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips , and also the largest Dallas company ) . , AT&T is the 12th largest company in the world ( non-oil and overall ) as measured by a composite of revenues , profits , assets and market valuation . AT&T is the largest telecommunications company in the world by revenue . , it is also the 18th-largest mobile telecom operator in the world , with 134 million mobile customers . AT&T was ranked at # 4 on the 2017 rankings of the world 's most valuable brands published by Brand Finance . AT&T Inc. began its existence as Southwestern Bell Corporation , one of seven Regional Bell Operating Companies ( RBOCs ) created in 1983 in the divestiture of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company ( founded 1885 , later AT&T Corp. ) following the 1982 United States v. AT&T antitrust lawsuit . Southwestern Bell changed its name to SBC Communications Inc. in 1995 . In 2005 , SBC purchased former parent AT&T Corp. and took on its branding , with the merged entity naming itself AT&T Inc. and using the iconic AT&T Corp. logo and stock-trading symbol . The current AT&T reconstitutes much of the former Bell System and includes ten of the original 22 Bell Operating Companies , along with the original long distance division .", "Game of Thrones. Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss . It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire , George R. R. Martin 's series of fantasy novels , the first of which is A Game of Thrones . It is filmed at Titanic Studios in Belfast , on location in the United Kingdom , and in Canada , Croatia , Iceland , Malta , Morocco , Spain , and the United States . The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17 , 2011 , and its sixth season ended on June 26 , 2016 . The series was renewed for a seventh season , which is scheduled to premiere on July 16 , 2017 , and will conclude with its eighth season in 2018 . Set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos , Game of Thrones has several plot lines and a large ensemble cast . The first story arc follows a dynastic conflict among competing claimants for succession to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms , with other noble families fighting for independence from the throne . The second covers attempts to reclaim the throne by the exiled last scion of the realm 's deposed ruling dynasty ; the third chronicles the threat of the impending winter and the legendary creatures and fierce peoples of the North . Game of Thrones has attracted record viewership on HBO and has a broad , active , international fan base . It has been acclaimed by critics , particularly for its acting , complex characters , story , scope , and production values , although its frequent use of nudity and violence ( including sexual violence ) has attracted criticism . The series has received 38 Primetime Emmy Awards , including Outstanding Drama Series in 2015 and 2016 , more than any other primetime scripted television series . Its other awards and nominations include three Hugo Awards for Best Dramatic Presentation ( 2012 -- 2014 ) , a 2011 Peabody Award , and four nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama ( 2012 and 2015 -- 2017 ) . Of the ensemble cast , Peter Dinklage has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series ( 2011 and 2015 ) and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Series , Miniseries or Television Film ( 2012 ) for his performance as Tyrion Lannister . Lena Headey , Emilia Clarke , Kit Harington , Maisie Williams , Diana Rigg , and Max von Sydow have also received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for their performances in the series .", "Christian. A Christian ( -LSB- pronaudio = En-us-Christian . oggˈkɹɪʃtʃən -RSB- or -LSB- ˈkɹɪstjən -RSB- ) is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity , an Abrahamic , monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ . `` Christian '' derives from the Koine Greek word Christós , a translation of the Biblical Hebrew term mashiach . While there are diverse interpretations of Christianity which sometimes conflict , they are united in believing that Jesus has a unique significance . The term `` Christian '' is also used as an adjective to describe anything associated with Christianity , or in a proverbial sense `` all that is noble , and good , and Christ-like . '' According to a 2011 Pew Research Center survey , there were 2.2 billion Christians around the world in 2010 , up from about 600 million in 1910 . By 2050 , the Christian population is expected to exceed 3 billion . According to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey Christianity will remain the world 's largest religion in 2050 , if current trends continue . Today , about 37 % of all Christians live in the Americas , about 26 % live in Europe , 24 % live in sub-Saharan Africa , about 13 % live in Asia and the Pacific , and 1 % live in the Middle east and North Africa . About half of all Christians worldwide are Catholic , while more than a third are Protestant ( 37 % ) . Orthodox communions comprise 12 % of the world 's Christians . Other Christian groups make up the remainder . Christians make up the majority of the population in 158 countries and territories . 280 million Christian live as a minority . Christians have significantly influenced and contributed to human progress in many fields , including philosophy , ethics , literature , business and economics , fine arts and architecture , music , theatre and medicine , as well as science and technology , both historically and in modern times ." ]

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[ "History of art. The history of art is the history of any activity or product made by humans in a visual form for aesthetical or communicative purposes , expressing ideas , emotions or , in general , a worldview . Over time visual art has been classified in diverse ways , from the medieval distinction between liberal arts and mechanical arts , to the modern distinction between fine arts and applied arts , or to the many contemporary definitions , which define art as a manifestation of human creativity . The subsequent expansion of the list of principal arts in the 20th century reached to nine : architecture , dance , sculpture , music , painting , poetry ( described broadly as a form of literature with aesthetic purpose or function , which also includes the distinct genres of theatre and narrative ) , film , photography and graphic arts . In addition to the old forms of artistic expression such as fashion and gastronomy , new modes of expression are being considered as arts such as video , computer art , performance , advertising , animation , television and videogames . The history of art is a multidisciplinary branch of the arts and sciences , seeking an objective examination of art throughout time , classifying cultures , establishing periodizations , and observing the distinctive and influential characteristics of art . The study of the history of art was initially developed during the Renaissance , with its limited scope being the artistic production of Western civilization . However , as time has passed , it has imposed a broader view of artistic history , seeking a comprehensive overview of all the civilizations and analysis of their artistic production in terms of their own cultural values ( cultural relativism ) , and not just western art history . Today , art enjoys a wide network of study , dissemination and preservation of all the artistic legacy of mankind throughout history . The 20th century has seen the proliferation of institutions , foundations , art museums and galleries , in both the public and private sectors , dedicated to the analysis and cataloging of works of art as well as exhibitions aimed at a mainstream audience . The rise of media has been crucial in improving the study and dissemination of art . International events and exhibitions like the Whitney Biennial and biennales of Venice and São Paulo or the Documenta of Kassel have helped the development of new styles and trends . Prizes such as the Turner of the Tate Gallery , the Wolf Prize in Arts , the Pritzker Prize of architecture , the Pulitzer of photography and the Oscar of cinema also promote the best creative work on an international level . Institutions like UNESCO , with the establishment of the World Heritage Site lists , also help the conservation of the major monuments of the planet .", "Art. Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual , auditory or performing artifacts ( artworks ) , expressing the author 's imaginative or technical skill , intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power . In their most general form these activities include the production of works of art , the criticism of art , the study of the history of art , and the aesthetic dissemination of art . The oldest documented forms of art are visual arts , which include creation of images or objects in fields including painting , sculpture , printmaking , photography , and other visual media . Architecture is often included as one of the visual arts ; however , like the decorative arts , or advertising , it involves the creation of objects where the practical considerations of use are essential -- in a way that they usually are not in a painting , for example . Music , theatre , film , dance , and other performing arts , as well as literature and other media such as interactive media , are included in a broader definition of art or the arts . Until the 17th century , art referred to any skill or mastery and was not differentiated from crafts or sciences . In modern usage after the 17th century , where aesthetic considerations are paramount , the fine arts are separated and distinguished from acquired skills in general , such as the decorative or applied arts . Art may be characterized in terms of mimesis ( its representation of reality ) , expression , communication of emotion , or other qualities . During the Romantic period , art came to be seen as `` a special faculty of the human mind to be classified with religion and science '' . Though the definition of what constitutes art is disputed and has changed over time , general descriptions mention an idea of imaginative or technical skill stemming from human agency and creation . The nature of art and related concepts , such as creativity and interpretation , are explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics .", "The arts. The arts is a general term for the theory and physical expression of creativity found in human societies and cultures . Major constituents of the arts include literature -- including poetry , novels and short stories , and epic poetry ; performing arts -- among them music , dance , and theatre ; culinary arts such as baking , chocolatiering , and winemaking ; media arts like photography and cinematography , and visual arts -- including drawing , painting , ceramics , and sculpting . Some art forms combine a visual element with performance ( e.g. film ) or artwork with the written word ( e.g. comics ) . From prehistoric cave paintings to modern day films , art serves as a vessel for storytelling and conveying humankind 's relationship with its environment .", "Art history. Art history is the study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts , i.e. genre , design , format , and style . This includes the `` major '' arts of painting , sculpture , and architecture as well as the `` minor '' arts of ceramics , furniture , and other decorative objects . As a term , art history ( its product being history of art ) encompasses several methods of studying the visual arts ; in common usage referring to works of art and architecture . Aspects of the discipline overlap . As the art historian Ernst Gombrich once observed , `` the field of art history -LSB- is -RSB- much like Caesar 's Gaul , divided in three parts inhabited by three different , though not necessarily hostile tribes : ( i ) the connoisseurs , ( ii ) the critics , and ( iii ) the academic art historians '' . As a discipline , art history is distinguished from art criticism , which is concerned with establishing a relative artistic value upon individual works with respect to others of comparable style , or sanctioning an entire style or movement ; and art theory or `` philosophy of art '' , which is concerned with the fundamental nature of art . One branch of this area of study is aesthetics , which includes investigating the enigma of the sublime and determining the essence of beauty . Technically , art history is not these things , because the art historian uses historical method to answer the questions : How did the artist come to create the work ? , Who were the patrons ? , Who were his or her teachers ? , Who was the audience ? , Who were his or her disciples ? , What historical forces shaped the artist 's oeuvre , and How did he or she and the creation , in turn , affect the course of artistic , political , and social events ? It is , however , questionable whether many questions of this kind can be answered satisfactorily without also considering basic questions about the nature of art . Unfortunately the current disciplinary gap between art history and the philosophy of art ( aesthetics ) often hinders this inquiry . Art history is not only a biographical endeavor . Art historians often root their studies in the scrutiny of individual objects . They thus attempt to answer in historically specific ways , questions such as : What are key features of this style ? , What meaning did this object convey ? , How does it function visually ? , Did the artist meet their goals well ? , What symbols are involved ? , and Does it function discursively ? The historical backbone of the discipline is a celebratory chronology of beautiful creations commissioned by public or religious bodies or wealthy individuals in western Europe . Such a `` canon '' remains prominent , as indicated by the selection of objects present in art history textbooks . Nonetheless , since the 20th century there has been an effort to re-define the discipline to be more inclusive of non-Western art , art made by women , and vernacular creativity .", "Art: A History of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. Art : A History of Painting , Sculpture , and Architecture is a two volume collection of general art history written by Frederick Hartt . Volume I goes from the paleolithic cave paintings to late medieval art . Volume II starts at the Renaissance and ends with modern art . It was originally published in 1976 by Harry N. Abrams . Incorporated , New York , with 1,271 illustrations , including 157 in full color and 28 with gold , 34 maps created especially for this work . Six timelines , 3 in each volume , relate important historical and cultural events to the arts of their period .", "Arts and entertainment in India. Arts and entertainment in India have had their course shaped by a synthesis of indigenous and foreign influences that have consequently shaped the course of the arts of the rest of Asia , since ancient times . Arts refer to paintings , architecture , literature , music , dance , languages and cinema . In early India , most of the arts were derived Vedic influences . After the birth of contemporary Hinduism , Jainism , Buddhism , and Sikhism arts flourished under the patronage of kings and emperors . The coming of Islam spawned a whole new era of Indian architecture and art . Finally the British brought their own Gothic and Roman influences and fused it with the Indian style . They have a culture infusion in their art .", "Greek art. Greek art began in the Cycladic and Minoan civilization , and gave birth to Western classical art in the subsequent Geometric , Archaic and Classical periods ( with further developments during the Hellenistic Period ) . It absorbed influences of Eastern civilizations , of Roman art and its patrons , and the new religion of Orthodox Christianity in the Byzantine era and absorbed Italian and European ideas during the period of Romanticism ( with the invigoration of the Greek Revolution ) , until the Modernist and Postmodernist . Greek art is mainly five forms : architecture , sculpture , painting , pottery and jewelry making .", "Theatre. Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers , typically actors or actresses , to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place , often a stage . The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture , speech , song , music and dance . Elements of art , such as painted scenery and stagecraft such as lighting are used to enhance the physicality , presence and immediacy of the experience . The specific place of the performance is also named by the word `` theatre '' as derived from the Ancient Greek θέατρον ( théatron , `` a place for viewing '' ) , itself from θεάομαι ( theáomai , `` to see '' , `` to watch '' , `` to observe '' ) . Modern Western theatre comes , in large measure , from ancient Greek drama , from which it borrows technical terminology , classification into genres , and many of its themes , stock characters , and plot elements . Theatre artist Patrice Pavis defines theatricality , theatrical language , stage writing and the specificity of theatre as synonymous expressions that differentiate theatre from the other performing arts , literature and the arts in general . Modern theatre , broadly defined , includes performances of plays and musical theatre . There are connections between theatre and the art forms of ballet , opera ( which uses staged , costumed performances with singing and orchestral accompaniment ) and various other forms .", "Narrative. A narrative or story is a report of connected events , real or imaginary , presented in a sequence of written or spoken words , or still or moving images , or both . The word derives from the Latin verb narrare , `` to tell '' , which is derived from the adjective gnarus , `` knowing '' or `` skilled '' . Narrative can be organized in a number of thematic or formal categories : non-fiction ( such as definitively including creative non-fiction , biography , journalism , transcript poetry , and historiography ) ; fictionalization of historical events ( such as anecdote , myth , legend , and historical fiction ) ; and fiction proper ( such as literature in prose and sometimes poetry , such as short stories , novels , and narrative poems and songs , and imaginary narratives as portrayed in other textual forms , games , or live or recorded performances ) . Narrative is found in all forms of human creativity , art , and entertainment , including speech , literature , theatre , music and song , comics , journalism , film , television and video , radio , gameplay , unstructured recreation , and performance in general , as well as some painting , sculpture , drawing , photography , and other visual arts ( though several modern art movements refuse the narrative in favor of the abstract and conceptual ) , as long as a sequence of events is presented . Oral storytelling is the earliest method for sharing narratives . During most people 's childhoods , narratives are used to guide them on proper behavior , cultural history , formation of a communal identity , and values , as especially studied in anthropology today among traditional indigenous peoples . Narratives may also be nested within other narratives , such as narratives told by an unreliable narrator ( a character ) typically found in noir fiction genre . An important part of narration is the narrative mode , the set of methods used to communicate the narrative through a process narration ( see also `` Narrative Aesthetics '' below ) . Along with exposition , argumentation , and description , narration , broadly defined , is one of four rhetorical modes of discourse . More narrowly defined , it is the fiction-writing mode in which the narrator communicates directly to the reader .", "Sculpture. Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions . It is one of the plastic arts . Durable sculptural processes originally used carving ( the removal of material ) and modelling ( the addition of material , as clay ) , in stone , metal , ceramics , wood and other materials but , since Modernism , there has been an almost complete freedom of materials and process . A wide variety of materials may be worked by removal such as carving , assembled by welding or modelling , or molded , or cast . Sculpture in stone survives far better than works of art in perishable materials , and often represents the majority of the surviving works ( other than pottery ) from ancient cultures , though conversely traditions of sculpture in wood may have vanished almost entirely . However , most ancient sculpture was brightly painted , and this has been lost . Sculpture has been central in religious devotion in many cultures , and until recent centuries large sculptures , too expensive for private individuals to create , were usually an expression of religion or politics . Those cultures whose sculptures have survived in quantities include the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean , India and China , as well as many in South America and Africa . The Western tradition of sculpture began in ancient Greece , and Greece is widely seen as producing great masterpieces in the classical period . During the Middle Ages , Gothic sculpture represented the agonies and passions of the Christian faith . The revival of classical models in the Renaissance produced famous sculptures such as Michelangelo 's David . Modernist sculpture moved away from traditional processes and the emphasis on the depiction of the human body , with the making of constructed sculpture , and the presentation of found objects as finished art works .", "Art history (disambiguation). Art history may refer to : Art history , the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts Art History , an academic journal of the Association of Art Historians History of art , the history of the visual arts of painting , sculpture and architecture", "History of graphic design. Graphics ( from Greek -LSB- : wikt : γραφικός , γραφικός -RSB- , graphikos ) are the production of visual statements on some surface , such as a wall , canvas , pottery , computer screen , paper , stone or landscape . It includes everything that relates to creation of signs , charts , logos , graphs , drawings , line art , symbols , geometric designs and so on . Graphic design is the art or profession of combining text , pictures , and ideas in advertisements , publication , or website . At its widest definition , it therefore includes the whole history of art , although painting and other aspects of the subject are more usually treated as art history .", "Fine art. In European academic traditions , fine art is art developed primarily for aesthetics or beauty , distinguishing it from applied art that also has to serve some practical function , such as pottery or most metalwork . Historically , the five main fine arts were painting , sculpture , architecture , music and poetry , with performing arts including theatre and dance . Today , the fine arts commonly include additional forms , such as film , photography , video production/editing , design , sequential art , conceptual art , and printmaking . However , in some institutes of learning or in museums , fine art and frequently the term fine arts ( pl . ) as well , are associated exclusively with visual art forms . One definition of fine art is `` a visual art considered to have been created primarily for aesthetic and intellectual purposes and judged for its beauty and meaningfulness , specifically , painting , sculpture , drawing , watercolor , graphics , and architecture . '' In that sense , there are conceptual differences between the fine arts and the applied arts . As originally conceived , and as understood for much of the modern era , the perception of aesthetic qualities required a refined judgment usually referred to as having good taste , which differentiated fine art from popular art and entertainment . The word `` fine '' does not so much denote the quality of the artwork in question , but the purity of the discipline according to traditional Western European canons . This definition originally excluded the applied or decorative arts , and the products of what were regarded as crafts . In contemporary practice these distinctions and restrictions have become essentially meaningless , as the concept or intention of the artist is given primacy , regardless of the means through which this is expressed .", "Arts in Australia. The Arts in Australia refers to the art produced in the area of , on the subject of , or by the people of the Commonwealth of Australia and its preceding Indigenous and colonial societies . Indigenous Australian art , music and story telling attaches to a 40 -- 60,000-year heritage and continues to affect the broader arts and culture of Australia . During its early western history , Australia was a collection of British colonies , therefore , its literary , visual and theatrical traditions began with strong links to the broader traditions of English and Irish literature , British art and English and Celtic music . However , the works of Australian artists -- including Indigenous as well as Anglo-Celtic and multicultural migrant Australians -- has , since 1788 , introduced the character of a new continent to the global arts scene -- exploring such themes as Aboriginality , Australian landscape , migrant and national identity , distance from other Western nations and proximity to Asia , the complexities of urban living and the `` beauty and the terror '' of life in the Australian bush . Notable Australian writers have included the Nobel laureate Patrick White , the novelists Colleen McCullough and Henry Handel Richardson and the bush poets Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson . Leading Australian performing artists have included Robert Helpmann of the Australian Ballet , Joan Sutherland of Opera Australia and the humourist Barry Humphries . Prominent Australian musical artists have included the Australian country music singer Slim Dusty , rising star Cody Simpson , folk-rocker Paul Kelly , `` pop princess '' Kylie Minogue and rock n roll bands the Bee Gees , AC/DC , INXS and Powderfinger . Quintessentially Australian art styles include the Heidelberg School the Hermannsburg School and the Western Desert Art Movement . Australian cinema has a long tradition with a body of work producing popular classics such as Crocodile Dundee and The Man From Snowy River , and arthouse successes such as Picnic at Hanging Rock and Ten Canoes . Prominent Australian trained filmed artists include Errol Flynn , Mel Gibson , Nicole Kidman , Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett . Notable institutions for the arts include the UNESCO listed Sydney Opera House , the National Gallery of Victoria , the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra and the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney .", "Timeline for invention in the arts. Timelines of inventions display the development and progression of art , design , architecture , music and literature .", "Oxford History of Art. The Oxford History of Art is a monographic series about the history of art , design and architecture published by Oxford University Press . It combines volumes covering specific periods with thematic volumes . The history is divided into histories of Western Art , Western Architecture , World Art , Western Design , Photography , Western Sculpture , Themes and Genres , and a critical anthology of art writing . The entire work consists of over 30 volumes .", "Outline of theatre. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to theatre : Theatre ( also theater ) -- branch of the performing arts and a collaborative form of fine art involving live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event ( such as a story ) through acting before a live audience in a specific place . The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of speech , gesture , mime , puppets , music , dance , sound and spectacle -- indeed any one or more elements of the other performing arts . Elements of design and stagecraft are used to enhance the physicality , presence and immediacy of the experience .", "Indian art. Indian art consists of a variety of art forms , including plastic arts ( e.g. , pottery sculpture ) , visual arts ( e.g. , paintings ) , and textile arts ( e.g. , woven silk ) . Geographically , it spans the entire Indian subcontinent , including what is now India , Pakistan and Bangladesh . A strong sense of design is characteristic of Indian art and can be observed in its modern and traditional forms . The origin of Indian art can be traced to pre-historic Hominid settlements in the 3rd millennium BC . On its way to modern times , Indian art has had cultural influences ( e.g. , Indus Valley and Hellenistic ) , as well as religious influences such as Hinduism , Buddhism , Jainism and Islam . In spite of this complex mixture of religious traditions , generally the prevailing artistic style at any time and place has been shared by the major religious groups . In historic art , sculpture in stone and metal , mainly religious , has survived the Indian climate better than other media , and provides most of the best remains . Many of the most important ancient finds that are not in carved stone come from surrounding , drier regions rather than India itself . Indian funeral and philosophic traditions exclude grave goods , which are a main source of ancient art in other cultures .", "Dance. Dance is a performing art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement . This movement has aesthetic and symbolic value , and is acknowledged as dance by performers and observers within a particular culture . Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography , by its repertoire of movements , or by its historical period or place of origin . An important distinction is to be drawn between the contexts of theatrical and participatory dance , although these two categories are not always completely separate ; both may have special functions , whether social , ceremonial , competitive , erotic , martial , or sacred/liturgical . Other forms of human movement are sometimes said to have a dance-like quality , including martial arts , gymnastics , cheerleading , figure skating , synchronized swimming , marching bands , and many other forms of athletics .", "The Story of Art. The Story of Art , by E. H. Gombrich , is a survey of the history of art from ancient times to the modern era . First published in 1950 by Phaidon , the book is widely regarded both as a seminal work of criticism and as one of the most accessible introductions to the visual arts . It was originally intended for younger readers . Over seven million copies have been sold , making it the best selling art book of all time . It is currently in its 16th edition and has been translated into approximately 30 languages .", "Narrative art. Narrative art is art that tells a story , either as a moment in an ongoing story or as a sequence of events unfolding over time . Some of the earliest evidence of human art suggests that people told stories with pictures . However , without some knowledge of the story being told it is very hard to read ancient pictures because they are not organized in a systematic way like words on a page , but rather can unfold in many different directions at once . Static images in any artistic medium do not naturally lend themselves to telling stories as stories are told over time ( diachronic ) and pictures are seen all at once ( synchronic ) . Although there are some common features to all narrative art , different cultures have developed idiosyncratic ways to discern narrative action from pictures . Prior to the advent of literacy most narrative art was done in a simultaneous narrative style with very little overarching organization . Once literacy developed in different parts of the world pictures began to be organized along register lines , like lines on a page , that helped define the direction of the narrative . This method of linking scenes together led to other ways of telling stories in the 20th century , namely the newspaper , comic strips and comic books . In painting in traditional Western art since the Renaissance , the concept of history painting covers most narrative scenes . Narrative is generally easier to represent in painting and relief in sculpture than in sculpture in the round , where depicting several figures becomes complicated , though the Roman Sperlonga sculptures are a lavish exception .", "Visual arts. The visual arts are art forms such as ceramics , drawing , painting , sculpture , printmaking , design , crafts , photography , video , filmmaking , and architecture . Many artistic disciplines ( performing arts , conceptual art , textile arts ) involve aspects of the visual arts as well as arts of other types . Also included within the visual arts are the applied arts such as industrial design , graphic design , fashion design , interior design and decorative art . Current usage of the term `` visual arts '' includes fine art as well as the applied , decorative arts and crafts , but this was not always the case . Before the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain and elsewhere at the turn of the 20th century , the term ` artist ' was often restricted to a person working in the fine arts ( such as painting , sculpture , or printmaking ) and not the handicraft , craft , or applied art media . The distinction was emphasized by artists of the Arts and Crafts Movement , who valued vernacular art forms as much as high forms . Art schools made a distinction between the fine arts and the crafts , maintaining that a craftsperson could not be considered a practitioner of the arts . The increasing tendency to privilege painting , and to a lesser degree sculpture , above other arts has been a feature of Western art as well as East Asian art . In both regions painting has been seen as relying to the highest degree on the imagination of the artist , and the furthest removed from manual labour -- in Chinese painting the most highly valued styles were those of `` scholar-painting '' , at least in theory practiced by gentleman amateurs . The Western hierarchy of genres reflected similar attitudes .", "Opera. Opera ( -LSB- ˈɔːpera -RSB- ; English plural : operas ; Italian plural : opere -LSB- ˈɔːpere -RSB- ) is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text ( libretto ) and musical score , usually in a theatrical setting . In traditional opera , singers do two types of singing : recitative , a speech-inflected style and arias , a more melodic style , in which notes are sung in a sustained fashion . Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre , such as acting , scenery , and costumes and sometimes includes dance . The performance is typically given in an opera house , accompanied by an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble , which since the early 19th century has been led by a conductor . Opera is a key part of the Western classical music tradition . It started in Italy at the end of the 16th century ( with Jacopo Peri 's mostly lost Dafne , produced in Florence in 1598 ) and soon spread through the rest of Europe : Heinrich Schütz in Germany , Jean-Baptiste Lully in France , and Henry Purcell in England all helped to establish their national traditions in the 17th century . In the 18th century , Italian opera continued to dominate most of Europe ( except France ) , attracting foreign composers such as George Frideric Handel . Opera seria was the most prestigious form of Italian opera , until Christoph Willibald Gluck reacted against its artificiality with his `` reform '' operas in the 1760s . In the 2000s , the most renowned figure of late 18th-century opera is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , who began with opera seria but is most famous for his Italian comic operas , especially The Marriage of Figaro ( Le nozze di Figaro ) , Don Giovanni , and Così fan tutte , as well as The Magic Flute ( Die Zauberflöte ) , a landmark in the German tradition . The first third of the 19th century saw the high point of the bel canto style , with Gioachino Rossini , Gaetano Donizetti and Vincenzo Bellini all creating works that are still performed . It also saw the advent of Grand Opera typified by the works of Auber and Meyerbeer . The mid-to-late 19th century was a `` golden age '' of opera , led and dominated by Richard Wagner in Germany and Giuseppe Verdi in Italy . The popularity of opera continued through the verismo era in Italy and contemporary French opera through to Giacomo Puccini and Richard Strauss in the early 20th century . During the 19th century , parallel operatic traditions emerged in central and eastern Europe , particularly in Russia and Bohemia . The 20th century saw many experiments with modern styles , such as atonality and serialism ( Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg ) , Neoclassicism ( Igor Stravinsky ) , and Minimalism ( Philip Glass and John Adams ) . With the rise of recording technology , singers such as Enrico Caruso and Maria Callas became known to much wider audiences that went beyond the circle of opera fans . Since the invention of radio and television , operas were also performed on ( and written for ) these mediums . Beginning in 2006 , a number of major opera houses began to present live high-definition video transmissions of their performances in cinemas all over the world . In 2009 , an opera company offered an online download of a complete performance .", "Outline of painting history. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the history of painting : History of painting -- painting is the production of paintings , that is , the practice of applying paint , pigment , color or other medium to a surface ( support base , such as paper , canvas , or a wall ) ; the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other implements , such as knives , sponges , and airbrushes , can be used . The history of painting reaches back in time to artifacts from pre-historic humans , and spans all cultures . It represents a continuous , though periodically disrupted tradition from Antiquity .", "Lists of theatres. This is a list of theatre list articles on Wikipedia . Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place . The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture , speech , song , music , and dance . Elements of design and stagecraft are used to enhance the physicality , presence and immediacy of the experience .", "Outline of the visual arts. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the visual arts : Visual arts -- class of art forms , including painting , sculpture , photography , printmaking and others , that focus on the creation of works which are primarily visual in nature . Visual Arts that produce three-dimensional objects , such as sculpture and architecture , are known as plastic arts . The current usage of visual arts includes fine arts as well as crafts , but this was not always the case .", "Theatre of Australia. Theatre of Australia refers to the history of the performing arts in Australia , or produced by Australians . There are theatrical and dramatic aspects to a number of Indigenous Australian ceremonies such as the corroboree . During its colonial period , Australian theatrical arts were generally linked to the broader traditions of English literature and to British and Irish theatre . Australian literature and theatrical artists ( including Aboriginal as well as Anglo-Celtic and multicultural migrant Australians ) have over the last two centuries introduced the culture of Australia and the character of a new continent to the world stage . Individuals who have contributed to theatre in Australia and internationally include Sir Robert Helpmann , Dame Joan Sutherland , Barry Humphries , David Williamson , Cate Blanchett , Geoffrey Rush , Judy Davis , Jim Sharman , Tim Minchin and Baz Luhrmann . Notable theatrical institutions include the Sydney Opera House , and the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney .", "History of art criticism. The history of art criticism , as part of art history , is the study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts , i.e. genre , design , format , and style , which include aesthetic considerations . This includes the `` major '' arts of painting , sculpture , and architecture as well as the `` minor '' arts of ceramics , furniture , and other decorative objects . As a term , the history of art history ( also history of art ) encompasses several methods of studying and assessing the visual arts ; in common usage referring to works of art and architecture . Aspects of the discipline overlap . As the art historian Ernst Gombrich once observed , `` the field of art history -LSB- is -RSB- much like Caesar 's Gaul , divided in three parts inhabited by three different , though not necessarily hostile tribes : ( i ) the connoisseurs , ( ii ) the critics , and ( iii ) the academic art historians '' . As a discipline , the history of art criticism is distinguished from art criticism , which is concerned with establishing a relative artistic value upon individual works with respect to others of comparable style , or sanctioning an entire style or movement from the standpoint of its history and of its major scholars . It is also distinguished from art theory or `` philosophy of art '' , which is concerned with the fundamental nature of art . One branch of this area of study is aesthetics , which includes investigating the enigma of the sublime and determining the essence of beauty . Technically , art history is not these things , because the art historian uses historical method to answer the questions : How did the artist come to create the work ? , Who were the patrons ? , Who were his or her teachers ? , Who was the audience ? , Who were his or her disciples ? , What historical forces shaped the artist 's oeuvre , and How did he or she and the creation , in turn , affect the course of artistic , political , and social events ? It is , however , questionable whether many questions of this kind can be answered satisfactorily without also considering basic questions about the nature of art . Unfortunately the current disciplinary gap between art history and the philosophy of art ( aesthetics ) often hinders this . The history of art criticism is not only a biographical endeavor . The history of art criticism often roots its studies in the scrutiny of individual objects . It attempt to answer in historically specific ways , questions such as : What are key features of this style ? , What meaning did this object convey ? , How does it function visually ? , Did the artist meet their goals well ? , What symbols are involved ? , and Does it function discursively ? The historical backbone of the discipline is a celebratory chronology of beautiful creations commissioned by public or religious bodies or wealthy individuals in western Europe . Such a `` canon '' remains prominent , as indicated by the selection of objects present in art history textbooks . Nonetheless , since the 20th century there has been an effort to re-define the discipline to be more inclusive of non-Western art , art made by women , and vernacular creativity .", "Film. A film , also called a movie , motion picture , theatrical film , or photoplay , is a series of still images which , when shown on a screen , creates the illusion of moving images due to the phi phenomenon . This optical illusion causes the audience to perceive continuous motion between separate objects viewed rapidly in succession . The process of filmmaking is both an art and an industry . A film is created by photographing actual scenes with a motion picture camera ; by photographing drawings or miniature models using traditional animation techniques ; by means of CGI and computer animation ; or by a combination of some or all of these techniques and other visual effects . The word `` cinema '' , short for cinematography , is often used to refer to the industry of films and filmmaking or to the art of filmmaking itself . The contemporary definition of cinema is the art of simulating experiences to communicate ideas , stories , perceptions , feelings , beauty or atmosphere by the means of recorded or programmed moving images along with other sensory stimulations . Films were originally recorded onto plastic film through a photochemical process and then shown through a movie projector onto a large screen . The adoption of CGI-based special effects led to the use of digital intermediates . Most contemporary films are now fully digital through the entire process of production , distribution , and exhibition from start to finish . Films recorded in a photochemical form traditionally included an analogous optical soundtrack , which is a graphic recording of the spoken words , music and other sounds that accompany the images . It runs along a portion of the film exclusively reserved for it and is not projected . Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures . They reflect those cultures , and , in turn , affect them . Film is considered to be an important art form , a source of popular entertainment , and a powerful medium for educating -- or indoctrinating -- citizens . The visual basis of film gives it a universal power of communication . Some films have become popular worldwide attractions by using dubbing or subtitles to translate the dialog into the language of the viewer . Some have criticized the film industry 's glorification of violence and its potentially negative treatment of women . The individual images that make up a film are called frames . During projection of traditional films , a rotating shutter causes intervals of darkness as each frame , in turn , is moved into position to be projected , but the viewer does not notice the interruptions because of an effect known as persistence of vision , whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after the source has been removed . The perception of motion is due to a psychological effect called phi phenomenon . The name `` film '' originates from the fact that photographic film ( also called film stock ) has historically been the medium for recording and displaying motion pictures . Many other terms exist for an individual motion picture , including picture , picture show , moving picture , photoplay , and flick . The most common term in the United States is movie , while in Europe film is preferred . Terms for the field , in general , include the big screen , the silver screen , the movies , and cinema ; the latter is commonly used in scholarly texts and critical essays , especially by European writers . In early years , the word sheet was sometimes used instead of screen .", "Music. Music is an art form and cultural activity whose medium is sound organized in time . The common elements of music are pitch ( which governs melody and harmony ) , rhythm ( and its associated concepts tempo , meter , and articulation ) , dynamics ( loudness and softness ) , and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture ( which are sometimes termed the `` color '' of a musical sound ) . Different styles or types of music may emphasize , de-emphasize or omit some of these elements . Music is performed with a vast range of instruments and vocal techniques ranging from singing to rapping ; there are solely instrumental pieces , solely vocal pieces ( such as songs without instrumental accompaniment ) and pieces that combine singing and instruments . The word derives from Greek μουσική #Ancient Greek ( mousike ; `` art of the Muses '' ) . In its most general form , the activities describing music as an art form or cultural activity include the creation of works of music ( songs , tunes , symphonies , and so on ) , the criticism of music , the study of the history of music , and the aesthetic examination of music . Ancient Greek and Indian philosophers defined music as tones ordered horizontally as melodies and vertically as harmonies . Common sayings such as `` the harmony of the spheres '' and `` it is music to my ears '' point to the notion that music is often ordered and pleasant to listen to . However , 20th-century composer John Cage thought that any sound can be music , saying , for example , `` There is no noise , only sound . '' The creation , performance , significance , and even the definition of music vary according to culture and social context . Indeed , throughout history , some new forms or styles of music have been criticized as `` not being music '' , including Beethoven 's Grosse Fuge string quartet in 1825 , early jazz in the beginning of the 1900s and hardcore punk in the 1980s . There are many types of music , including popular music , traditional music , art music , music written for religious ceremonies and work songs such as chanteys . Music ranges from strictly organized compositions -- such as Classical music symphonies from the 1700s and 1800s , through to spontaneously played improvisational music such as jazz , and avant-garde styles of chance-based contemporary music from the 20th and 21st centuries . Music can be divided into genres ( e.g. , country music ) and genres can be further divided into subgenres ( e.g. , country blues and pop country are two of the many country subgenres ) , although the dividing lines and relationships between music genres are often subtle , sometimes open to personal interpretation , and occasionally controversial . For example , it can be hard to draw the line between some early 1980s hard rock and heavy metal . Within the arts , music may be classified as a performing art , a fine art or as an auditory art . Music may be played or sung and heard live at a rock concert or orchestra performance , heard live as part of a dramatic work ( a music theater show or opera ) , or it may be recorded and listened to on a radio , MP3 player , CD player , smartphone or as film score or TV show . In many cultures , music is an important part of people 's way of life , as it plays a key role in religious rituals , rite of passage ceremonies ( e.g. , graduation and marriage ) , social activities ( e.g. , dancing ) and cultural activities ranging from amateur karaoke singing to playing in an amateur funk band or singing in a community choir . People may make music as a hobby , like a teen playing cello in a youth orchestra , or work as a professional musician or singer . The music industry includes the individuals who create new songs and musical pieces ( such as songwriters and composers ) , individuals who perform music ( which include orchestra , jazz band and rock band musicians , singers and conductors ) , individuals who record music ( music producers and sound engineers ) , individuals who organize concert tours , and individuals who sell recordings and sheet music and scores to customers .", "Work of art. A work of art , artwork , art piece , piece of art or art object is an aesthetic physical item or artistic creation . Apart from `` work of art '' , which may be used of any work regarded as art in its widest sense , including works from literature and music , these terms apply principally to tangible , portable forms of visual art : An example of fine art , such as a painting or sculpture An object that has been designed specifically for its aesthetic appeal , such as a piece of jewelry An object that has been designed for aesthetic appeal as well as functional purpose , as in interior design and much folk art An object created for principally or entirely functional , religious or other non-aesthetic reasons which has come to be appreciated as art ( often later , or by cultural outsiders ) A non-ephemeral photograph , film or visual computer program , such as a video game or computer animation A work of installation art or conceptual art . Used more broadly , the term is less commonly applied to : A fine work of architecture or landscape design A production of live performance , such as theater , ballet , opera , performance art , musical concert and other performing arts , and other ephemeral , non-tangible creations . This article is concerned with the terms and concept as used in and applied to the visual arts , although other fields such as aural-music and written word-literature have similar issues and philosophies . The term objet d'art is reserved to describe works of art that are not paintings , prints , drawings or large or medium-sized sculptures , or architecture ( e.g. household goods , figurines , etc. , some purely aesthetic , some also practical ) . The term oeuvre is used to describe the complete body of work completed by an artist throughout a career .", "Media art history. Media art history is an interdisciplinary field of research that explores the current developments as well as the history and genealogy of new media art , digital art , and electronic art . On the one hand , media art histories addresses the contemporary interplay of art , technology , and science . On the other , it aims to reveal the historical relationships and aspects of the ` afterlife ' ( Aby Warburg ) in new media art by means of a historical comparative approach . This strand of research encompasses questions of the history of media and perception , of so-called archetypes , as well as those of iconography and the history of ideas . Morever , one of the main agendas of media art histories is to point out the role of digital technologies for contemporary , post-industrial societies and to counteract the marginalization of according art practices and art objects : ″ Digital technology has fundamentally changed the way art is made . Over the last forty years , media art has become a significant part of our networked information society . Although there are well-attended international festivals , collaborative research projects , exhibitions and database documentation resources , media art research is still marginal in universities , museums and archives . It remains largely under-resourced in our core cultural institutions . ″ The term new media art itself is of great importance to the field . New media art is an umbrella term that encompasses art forms that are produced , modified and transmitted by means of digital technologies or , in a broader sense , make use of ` new ' and emerging technologies that originate from a scientific , military or industrial context . The majority of authors that try to ` delineate ' the aesthetic object of new media art emphasize aspects of interactivity , processuality , multimedia , and real time . The focus of new media art lies in the cultural , political , and social implications as well as the aesthetic possibilities -- more or less its ` media-specificity ' -- of digital media . Consequently , scholars recognize the function of media technologies in New Media Art not only as a ` carrier ' of meaning , but instead as a means that fundamentally shapes the very meaning of the artwork itself . Furthermore , the field of new media art is increasingly influenced by new technologies that surmount a traditional understanding of ( art ) media . This becomes apparent in regards to technologies that originate from the field of biotechnology and life science and that are employed in artistic practices such as bio art , genetic art , and transgenic art . Consequently , the term new media art does not imply a steady ` genre ' of art production . Instead , it is a field that emphasizes new technologies ( in order to establish an explicit difference with traditional art media and genres ) . The list of genres that are commonly subsumed under the label of new media art illustrates its broad scope and includes , among others , virtual art . Software Art , Internet Art , Game Art , Glitch Art , Telematic Art , Bio Art / Genetic Art , Interactive Art , computer animation and graphics , and Hacktivism and Tactical Media . These latter two ` genres ' in particular have a strong focus on the interplay of art and ( political ) activism ." ]

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[ "Adrienne Bailon. Adrienne Eliza Houghton ( née Bailon ; born October 24 , 1983 ) is an American singer-songwriter , recording artist , actress , dancer and television personality . Adrienne Bailon first became publicly known when she rose to fame as one of the founding members and singer of both 3LW ( 1999 -- 2007 ) and Disney 's The Cheetah Girls ( 2003 -- 2008 ) . Bailon recorded a debut solo album which was later shelved . Since then , Bailon has stated that she plans to record a Spanish-language solo album . Aside from her work in 3LW and The Cheetah Girls , Bailon went on to develop her own acting career with roles in The Cheetah Girls films , Coach Carter and the MTV film All You 've Got . Aside from her work in film , she has also guest starred in numerous television series including the Disney Channel series That 's So Raven and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody . Bailon has established a solo music career , contributing two solo tracks , including `` What If '' , to The Cheetah Girls : One World soundtrack as well as the Confessions of a Shopaholic soundtrack , and numerous other guest musical ventures . Bailon co-stars alongside television personality , model and actress Julissa Bermudez in their own reality series , Empire Girls : Julissa and Adrienne which airs on the Style Network . Adrienne met Julissa on the set of the 2006 film All You 've Got . Currently , Bailon is one of the hosts of syndicated talk show The Real along with former fellow Disney Channel star Tamera Mowry , Jeannie Mai , and Loni Love , which premiered on July 15 , 2013 . Bailon 's career , spanning over 16 years with both 3LW and The Cheetah Girls , has helped her sell a combined 5.6 million recording albums worldwide .", "Bail. Bail is money or some form of property that is deposited or pledged to a court , in order to secure the release from custody or jail of a suspect who has been arrested , with the understanding that the suspect will return for their trial and required court appearances . Bail is a mechanism to release suspects from imprisonment pre-trial , while ensuring their return for trial . If the suspect does not return to court , the bail is forfeited , and the suspect may possibly be brought up on charges of the crime of failure to appear . If the suspect returns to make all their required appearances , bail is returned after the trial is concluded . In some cases , bail money may be returned at the end of the trial , if all court appearances are made , regardless of whether the person is found guilty or not guilty of the crime accused . Bail laws vary from country to country ; in the United States , bail practices vary by state . In some countries , granting bail is common . Even in such countries , however , bail may not be offered by some courts under some circumstances ; for instance , if the accused is considered likely not to appear for trial regardless of bail . Legislatures may also set out certain crimes to be not bailable , such as those that carry the penalty of capital punishment . Even for lesser crimes , bail will not be granted if it is deemed likely that the accused will flee , tamper with evidence , or commit the same offense before trial . Bail amounts may vary depending on the type and severity of crime the suspect is accused of ; practices for determining bail amounts vary . Some states in the United States , as well as the Philippines , allow a commercial bail bondsman to post bail on behalf of individuals ; the bondsman in turn charges a non-refundable fee for this service , often a percentage of the bail . This practice is illegal in the rest of the world .", "Credit score. A credit score is a numerical expression based on a level analysis of a person 's credit files , to represent the creditworthiness of an individual . A credit score is primarily based on a credit report information typically sourced from credit bureaus . Lenders , such as banks and credit card companies , use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt . Lenders use credit scores to determine who qualifies for a loan , at what interest rate , and what credit limits . Lenders also use credit scores to determine which customers are likely to bring in the most revenue . The use of credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a trusted system . Credit scoring is not limited to banks . Other organizations , such as mobile phone companies , insurance companies , landlords , and government departments employ the same techniques . Digital finance companies such as online lenders also use alternative data sources to calculate the creditworthiness of borrowers . Credit scoring also has much overlap with data mining , which uses many similar techniques . These techniques combine thousands of factors but are similar or identical .", "Credit (finance). Credit ( from Latin credit , '' ( he/she/it ) believes '' ) is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party where that second party does not reimburse the first party immediately ( thereby generating a debt ) , but instead promises either to repay or return those resources ( or other materials of equal value ) at a later date . In other words , credit is a method of making reciprocity formal , legally enforceable , and extensible to a large group of unrelated people . The resources provided may be financial ( e.g. granting a loan ) , or they may consist of goods or services ( e.g. consumer credit ) . Credit encompasses any form of deferred payment . Credit is extended by a creditor , also known as a lender , to a debtor , also known as a borrower . Credit does not necessarily require money . The credit concept can be applied in barter economies as well , based on the direct exchange of goods and services . However , in modern societies , credit is usually denominated by a unit of account .", "National Football League. The National Football League ( NFL ) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams , divided equally between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) . The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America , and the highest professional level of American football in the world . The NFL 's 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas , with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week . Following the conclusion of the regular season , six teams from each conference ( four division winners and two wild card teams ) advance to the playoffs , a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl , which is usually held in the first Sunday in February , and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC . The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association ( APFA ) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season . The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League ( AFL ) in 1966 , and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season ; the merger was completed in 1970 . Today , the NFL has the highest average attendance ( 67,591 ) of any professional sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States . The Super Bowl is among the biggest club sporting events in the world and individual Super Bowl games account for many of the most watched television programs in American history , all occupying the Nielsen 's Top 5 tally of the all-time most watched U.S. television broadcasts by 2015 . The NFL 's executive officer is the commissioner , who has broad authority in governing the league . The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen ( nine NFL titles before the Super Bowl era , and four Super Bowl championships afterwards ) ; the team with the most Super Bowl championships is the Pittsburgh Steelers with six . The current NFL champions are the New England Patriots , who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34 -- 28 in Super Bowl LI .", "Enron. Enron Corporation was an American energy , commodities , and services company based in Houston , Texas . It was founded in 1985 as the result of a merger between Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth , both relatively small regional companies in the U.S. Before its bankruptcy on December 2 , 2001 , Enron employed approximately 20,000 staff and was one of the world 's major electricity , natural gas , communications and pulp and paper companies , with claimed revenues of nearly $ 101 billion during 2000 . Fortune named Enron `` America 's Most Innovative Company '' for six consecutive years . At the end of 2001 , it was revealed that its reported financial condition was sustained by institutionalized , systematic , and creatively planned accounting fraud , known since as the Enron scandal . Enron has since become a well-known example of willful corporate fraud and corruption . The scandal also brought into question the accounting practices and activities of many corporations in the United States and was a factor in the enactment of the Sarbanes -- Oxley Act of 2002 . The scandal also affected the greater business world by causing the dissolution of the Arthur Andersen accounting firm . Enron filed for bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York in late 2001 and selected Weil , Gotshal & Manges as its bankruptcy counsel . It ended its bankruptcy during November 2004 , pursuant to a court-approved plan of reorganization . A new board of directors changed the name of Enron to Enron Creditors Recovery Corp. , and emphasized reorganizing and liquidating certain operations and assets of the pre-bankruptcy Enron . On September 7 , 2006 , Enron sold Prisma Energy International Inc. , its last remaining business , to Ashmore Energy International Ltd. ( now AEI ) .", "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The Hunger Games : Catching Fire is a 2013 American dystopian science fiction adventure film based on Suzanne Collins ' dystopian novel , Catching Fire ( 2009 ) , the second installment in The Hunger Games trilogy . The film is the sequel to The Hunger Games ( 2012 ) and the second installment in The Hunger Games film series , produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik , and distributed by Lionsgate . Francis Lawrence directed the film , with a screenplay by Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt . Adding to the existing cast , the supporting cast was filled out with Philip Seymour Hoffman , Jeffrey Wright , Jena Malone , Sam Claflin , Lynn Cohen , Amanda Plummer , Alan Ritchson , and Meta Golding . Filming began on September 10 , 2012 , in Atlanta , Georgia , before moving to Hawaii . The plot of Catching Fire takes place a few months after the previous installment ; Katniss Everdeen and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark have returned home safely after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games . Throughout the story , Katniss senses that a rebellion against the oppressive Capitol is simmering throughout the districts . The Hunger Games : Catching Fire was released on November 15 , 2013 , in Brazil ; November 20 in Finland , Sweden , and Norway ; November 21 in the United Kingdom ; and November 22 in IMAX , in the United States . The film set records for the biggest November opening weekend and biggest three - and five-day Thanksgiving box-office totals , surpassing the first film 's box office grosses . It ranks as the 14th highest-grossing film at the domestic box office and the highest-grossing film at the domestic box office of 2013 , becoming the first 2-D film since The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) to top the yearly box office , as well as having a lead female top the box office since The Exorcist ( 1973 ) . The film has grossed over $ 865 million worldwide and is the highest-grossing entry in The Hunger Games series . The film was followed by The Hunger Games : Mockingjay , a two-part sequel and finale of the franchise : Part 1 was released on November 21 , 2014 , in the United States , and Part 2 on November 20 , 2015 . Catching Fire received mostly positive reviews and is widely considered by critics to be an improvement over its predecessor , with the sentiment being that it 's `` a more-confident , more-polished movie '' ; praise also goes to Lawrence 's performance as Katniss . It 's the most critically acclaimed chapter in The Hunger Games series , according to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes . The film also received numerous nominations , with a nomination for the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Action Film and a Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film . For her performance , Lawrence was nominated a second time for the Empire Award for Best Actress as well as the Saturn Award and Broadcast Film Critics Association Award . The song `` Atlas '' was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song .", "Academy Award for Best Actress. The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the film industry . The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Janet Gaynor receiving the award for her roles in 7th Heaven , Street Angel , and Sunrise . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . In the first three years of the awards , actresses were nominated as the best in their categories . At that time , all of their work during the qualifying period ( as many as three films , in some cases ) was listed after the award . However , during the 3rd ceremony held in 1930 , only one of those films was cited in each winner 's final award , even though each of the acting winners had two films following their names on the ballots . The following year , this unwieldy and confusing system was replaced by the current system in which an actress is nominated for a specific performance in a single film . Starting with the 9th ceremony held in 1937 , the category was officially limited to five nominations per year . One actress has been nominated posthumously , Jeanne Eagels . Only three film characters have been nominated more than once in this category . Elizabeth I of England ( two times by Cate Blanchett ) , Leslie Crosbie in The Letter , and Esther Blodgett in A Star is Born . Six women on the list have received an Honorary Academy Award for their acting ; they are Greta Garbo , Barbara Stanwyck , Mary Pickford , Deborah Kerr , Gena Rowlands , and Sophia Loren . Since its inception , the award has been given to 74 actresses . Katharine Hepburn has won the most awards in this category , with four Oscars . Meryl Streep , who has a total of 20 Oscar nominations ( three wins ) , has been nominated in this category on 16 occasions , resulting in two awards . As of the 2017 ceremony , Emma Stone is the most recent winner in this category for her role as Mia Dolan in La La Land .", "Accounting. Accounting or accountancy is the measurement , processing and communication of financial information about economic entities such as businesses and corporations . The modern field was established by the Italian mathematician Luca Pacioli in 1494 . Accounting , which has been called the `` language of business '' , measures the results of an organization 's economic activities and conveys this information to a variety of users , including investors , creditors , management , and regulators . Practitioners of accounting are known as accountants . The terms `` accounting '' and `` financial reporting '' are often used as synonyms . Accounting can be divided into several fields including financial accounting , management accounting , external auditing , tax accounting and cost accounting . Accounting information systems are designed to support accounting functions and related activities . Financial accounting focuses on the reporting of an organization 's financial information , including the preparation of financial statements , to external users of the information , such as investors , regulators and suppliers ; and management accounting focuses on the measurement , analysis and reporting of information for internal use by management . The recording of financial transactions , so that summaries of the financials may be presented in financial reports , is known as bookkeeping , of which double-entry bookkeeping is the most common system . Accounting is facilitated by accounting organizations such as standard-setters , accounting firms and professional bodies . Financial statements are usually audited by accounting firms , and are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ( GAAP ) . GAAP is set by various standard-setting organizations such as the Financial Accounting Standards Board ( FASB ) in the United States and the Financial Reporting Council in the United Kingdom . As of 2012 , `` all major economies '' have plans to converge towards or adopt the International Financial Reporting Standards ( IFRS ) .", "Paranormal Activity. Paranormal Activity is a 2007 American horror film written , co-produced , photographed , edited , and directed by Oren Peli . It is the first ( chronologically , the third ) entry into the Paranormal Activity film series . The film centers on a young couple , Katie ( Katie Featherston ) and Micah Sloat , who plays a fictionalized version of himself ; they are haunted by a supernatural presence in their home . It is presented in the style of `` found footage '' , from cameras set up by the couple in an attempt to document what is haunting them . The film sets up found footage conventions that will be mirror in numerous films to follow . Originally developed as an independent feature and given film festival screenings in 2007 , the film was acquired by Paramount Pictures and modified , particularly with a new ending . It was given a limited U.S. release on September 25 , 2009 , and then a nationwide release on October 16 , 2009 . The film earned nearly $ 108 million at the U.S. box office and a further $ 85 million internationally for a worldwide total of $ 193 million . Paramount/DreamWorks acquired the U.S. rights for $ 350,000 . It is the most profitable film ever made , based on return on investment , although such figures are difficult to verify independently as this is likely to exclude marketing costs . A parallel sequel , Paranormal Activity 2 , was released on October 22 , 2010 . The success of the first two films would spawn additional films in the series : the prequel Paranormal Activity 3 , released on October 21 , 2011 , and sequel to the second installment , Paranormal Activity 4 , released on October 19 , 2012 , a spin-off titled Paranormal Activity : The Marked Ones released on January 3 , 2014 and Paranormal Activity : The Ghost Dimension released on October 23 , 2015 .", "New York City. The City of New York , often called New York City or simply New York , is the most populous city in the United States . With an estimated 2016 population of 8,537,673 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 sqmi , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the United States . Located at the southern tip of the state of New York , the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area , one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . A global power city , New York City exerts a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . Home to the headquarters of the United Nations , New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world . Situated on one of the world 's largest natural harbors , New York City consists of five boroughs , each of which is a separate county of New York State . The five boroughs -- Brooklyn , Queens , Manhattan , The Bronx , and Staten Island -- were consolidated into a single city in 1898 . The city and its metropolitan area constitute the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States , and as many as 800 languages are spoken in New York , making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world . New York City is home to more than 3.2 million residents born outside the United States , the world 's largest foreign-born population of any city . By 2016 estimates , the New York City metropolitan region remains by a significant margin the most populous in the United States , as defined by both the Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) , 20.2 million residents , and the Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , 23.7 million residents . In 2013 , the MSA produced a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of nearly US$ 1.39 trillion . In 2012 , the CSA generated a GMP of over US$ 1.55 trillion . NYC 's MSA and CSA GDP are higher than the GDPs of all but 11 and 12 countries , respectively . New York City traces its origin to its 1624 founding in Lower Manhattan as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626 . The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother , the Duke of York . New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790 . It has been the country 's largest city since 1790 . The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a symbol of the United States and its democracy . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known , and the city received a record of nearly 60 million tourists in 2015 , hosting three of the world 's ten most visited tourist attractions in 2013 . Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world . Times Square , iconic as the world 's `` heart '' and its `` Crossroads '' , is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District , one of the world 's busiest pedestrian intersections , and a major center of the world 's entertainment industry . The names of many of the city 's bridges , tapered skyscrapers , and parks are known around the world . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and the city is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization , the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Manhattan 's real estate market is among the most expensive in the world . Manhattan 's Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere , with multiple signature Chinatowns developing across the city . Providing continuous 24/7 service , the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive metro systems worldwide , with stations in operation . Over 120 colleges and universities are located in New York City , including Columbia University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "Audition. An audition is a sample performance by an actor , singer , musician , dancer or other performer . It typically involves the performer displaying their talent through a previously memorized and rehearsed solo piece or by performing a work or piece given to the performer at the audition or shortly before . In some cases , such as with a model or acrobat , the individual may be asked to demonstrate a range of professional skills . Actors may be asked to present a monologue . Singers will perform a song in a popular music context or an aria in a Classical context . A dancer will present a routine in a specific style , such as ballet , tap dance or hip-hop , or show his or her ability to quickly learn a choreographed dance piece . The audition is a systematic process in which industry professionals select performers , which is in some ways analogous to a job interview in the regular job market . In an audition , the employer is testing the ability of the applicant to meet the needs of the job and assess how well the individual will take directions and deal with changes . After some auditions , after the performer has demonstrated their abilities in a given performance style , the audition panel may ask a few questions that resemble those used in standard job interviews ( e.g. , regarding availability ) . Auditions are required for many reasons in the performing arts world . Often , employing companies or groups use auditions to select performers for upcoming shows or productions . An audition for a performing opportunity may be for a single performance ( e.g. , doing a monologue at a comedy club ) , for a series or season of performances ( a season of a Broadway play ) , or for permanent employment with the performing organization ( e.g. , an orchestra or dance troupe ) . Auditions for performing opportunities may be for amateur , school , or community organizations , in which case the performers will typically not be paid . As well , auditions are used to select or screen candidates for entry to training programs ( ballet school or circus school ) ; university programs ( B.Mus , M.Mus , MFA in Theater ) ; performance-related scholarships and grants ; or to be considered for representation by a talent agency or individual agent .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Adrien (1943 film). Adrien is a French comedy film , released in 1943 . Directed by Fernandel , the film stars Fernandel as Adrien Moulinet , a modest and unassuming bank clerk who invents a motorized rollerskate but needs the help of advertising agent Jules Petipas ( Paul Azaïs ) to help market it . The film 's cast also includes Paulette Dubost , Huguette Vivier , Dorette Ardenne , Jean Tissier , Jane Marken , Roger Duchesne and Georges Chamarat .", "Adrienne Goodson. Adrienne Goodson ( born October 19 , 1966 ) , also known as `` Goodie '' or `` Goody '' , is a former basketball player , a 6-foot forward noted for her exceptional rebounding ability , especially on the offensive glass . Her professional career in Brazil , the ABL , and the WNBA spanned 14 years .", "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 2 is a 2015 American dystopian science fiction adventure film directed by Francis Lawrence , with a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong . It is the fourth and final installment in The Hunger Games film series , and the second of two films based on the novel Mockingjay , the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy , by Suzanne Collins . Produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik , and distributed by Lionsgate , the film features an ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson , Elizabeth Banks , Julianne Moore , Philip Seymour Hoffman ( in his final film role ) , and Donald Sutherland . Principal photography on both parts of the film began on September 23 , 2013 in Atlanta , before moving to Paris for two weeks of back-to-back filming and officially concluding on June 20 , 2014 , in Berlin and at Babelsberg Studios , Germany . The story continues from The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 with Katniss Everdeen ( Jennifer Lawrence ) preparing to win the war against President Snow ( Donald Sutherland ) and the tyrannical Capitol . Together with Peeta , Gale , Finnick , and others she travels to the Capitol to kill Snow . However , President Coin ( Julianne Moore ) , the leader of District 13 and the rebellion , hides a bigger agenda that could not only jeopardize Katniss ' life , but the future of Panem . Mockingjay -- Part 2 was released on November 20 , 2015 in the United States , in 2D and IMAX , and internationally in 2D , 3D , RealD Cinema , and IMAX 3D in select territories ; it 's the only film in the series widely released in 3D . Falling below expectations internationally and domestically with a $ 102.7 million gross during its opening weekend in North America , the film had the sixth-biggest opening in 2015 , but held at number one at the international box-office for four consecutive weekends . The film grossed over $ 653 million worldwide , making it the lowest-grossing of the four films in the franchise , but still a commercial success . Part 2 was positively received by critics for its performances , screenplay , and action sequences , though it was criticized for splitting the final adaptation into two separate parts . The film had garnered a nomination for Best Fantasy Film at the 42nd Saturn Awards . For her part , Lawrence was awarded as the Favorite Movie Actress at the 2016 Kids ' Choice Awards and Best Hero at the 2016 MTV Movie Awards .", "Credit rating. A credit rating is an evaluation of the credit risk of a prospective debtor ( an individual , a business , company or a government ) , predicting their ability to pay back the debt , and an implicit forecast of the likelihood of the debtor defaulting . The credit rating represents an evaluation of a credit rating agency of the qualitative and quantitative information for the prospective debtor , including information provided by the prospective debtor and other non-public information obtained by the credit rating agency 's analysts . A credit reporting ( or credit score ) -- in distinction to a credit rating -- is a numeric evaluation of an individual 's credit worthiness , which is done by a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency .", "American Broadcasting Company. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC ) is an American English language commercial broadcast television network that is owned by the Disney -- ABC Television Group , a subsidiary of the Disney Media Networks division of The Walt Disney Company . The network is headquartered on Columbus Avenue and West 66th Street in Manhattan , New York City . There are additional major offices and production facilities elsewhere in New York City , as well as in Los Angeles and Burbank , California . Since 2007 , when ABC Radio ( also known as Cumulus Media Networks ) was sold to Citadel Broadcasting , ABC has reduced its broadcasting operations almost exclusively to television . The fifth-oldest major broadcasting network in the world and the youngest of the Big Three television networks , ABC is often nicknamed as `` The Alphabet Network '' , as its initialism also represents the first three letters of the English alphabet , in order . ABC originally launched on October 12 , 1943 , as a radio network , separated from and serving as the successor to the NBC Blue Network , which had been purchased by Edward J. Noble . It extended its operations to television in 1948 , following in the footsteps of established broadcast networks CBS and NBC . In the mid-1950s , ABC merged with United Paramount Theatres , a chain of movie theaters that formerly operated as a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures . Leonard Goldenson , who had been the head of UPT , made the new television network profitable by helping develop and greenlight many successful series . In the 1980s , after purchasing an 80 % interest in cable sports channel ESPN , the network 's corporate parent , American Broadcasting Companies , Inc. , merged with Capital Cities Communications , owner of several print publications , and television and radio stations . In 1996 , most of Capital Cities/ABC 's assets were purchased by The Walt Disney Company . The television network has eight owned-and-operated and over 232 affiliated television stations throughout the United States and its territories . Most Canadians have access to at least one U.S.-based ABC affiliate , either over-the-air ( in areas located within proximity to the Canada -- United States border ) or through a cable , satellite or IPTV provider , although most ABC programs are subject to simultaneous substitution regulations imposed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission that allow pay television providers to replace an American station 's signal with the feed of a Canadian broadcaster to protect domestic programming rights and advertising revenue . ABC News provides news and features content for select radio stations owned by Citadel Broadcasting , which purchased the ABC Radio properties in 2007 .", "National Basketball Association. The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is the major men 's professional basketball league in North America , and is widely considered to be the premier men 's professional basketball league in the world . It has 30 teams ( 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada ) , and is an active member of USA Basketball ( USAB ) , which is recognized by FIBA ( also known as the International Basketball Federation ) as the national governing body for basketball in the United States . The NBA is one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . NBA players are the world 's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player . The league was founded in New York City on June 6 , 1946 , as the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) . The league adopted the name National Basketball Association on August 3 , 1949 , after merging with its rival National Basketball League ( NBL ) . The league 's several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices located in the Olympic Tower at 645 Fifth Avenue in New York City . NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus , New Jersey .", "Accountant. An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy , which is the measurement , disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers , investors , tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resource ( s ) . In many jurisdictions , professional accounting bodies maintain standards of practice and evaluations for professionals . Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations ' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant , Chartered Certified Accountant or Certified Public Accountant . Such professionals are granted certain responsibilities by statute , such as the ability to certify an organization 's financial statements , and may be held liable for professional misconduct . Non-qualified accountants may be employed by a qualified accountant , or may work independently without statutory privileges and obligations . The Big Four auditors are the largest employers of accountants worldwide . However , most accountants are employed in commerce , industry and the public sector .", "Manhattan. Manhattan ( -LSB- mænˈhætən -RSB- , -LSB- mənˈhætən -RSB- ) is the most densely populated borough of New York City , its economic and administrative center , and the city 's historical birthplace . The borough is coextensive with New York County , founded on November 1 , 1683 , as one of the original counties of the U.S. state of New York . The borough consists mostly of Manhattan Island , bounded by the Hudson , East , and Harlem rivers ; several small adjacent islands ; and Marble Hill , a small neighborhood on the U.S. mainland physically connected to the Bronx and separated from the rest of Manhattan by the Harlem River . Manhattan is sometimes described as a financial and cultural capital and hosts the United Nations Headquarters . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and Manhattan is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization : the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Many multinational media conglomerates are based in the borough . It is historically documented to have been purchased by Dutch colonists from Native Americans in 1626 for 60 guilders which equals US$ today . Manhattan real estate has since become among the most expensive in the world , with the value of Manhattan Island , including real estate , estimated to exceed US$ 3 trillion in 2013 ; residential property sale prices in Manhattan typically exceeded US 1,400 $ / ft2 as of 2017 , and Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan commands the highest retail rents in the world , at US 3,000 $ / ft2 in 2017 . New York County is the United States ' second-smallest county by land area ( larger only than Kalawao County , Hawaii ) , and is also the most densely populated U.S. county . It is also one of the most densely populated areas in the world , with a census-estimated 2015 population of 1,644,518 living in a land area of 22.83 sqmi , or 72,033 residents per square mile ( 27,812 / km2 ) , higher than the density of any individual U.S. city . On business days , the influx of commuters increases that number to over 3.9 million , or more than 170,000 people per square mile ( 65,600 / km2 ) . Manhattan has the third-largest population of New York City 's five boroughs , after Brooklyn and Queens , and is the smallest borough in terms of land area . Many districts and landmarks in Manhattan have become well known , as New York City received a record of nearly 60 million tourists in 2015 , and Manhattan hosts three of the world 's 10 most-visited tourist attractions in 2013 : Times Square , Central Park , and Grand Central Terminal . The borough hosts many world-renowned bridges , such as the Brooklyn Bridge ; skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building , one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world ; and parks , such as Central Park . There are many historically significant places in Manhattan : Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere , and the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village is considered the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement . The City of New York was founded at the southern tip of Manhattan , and the borough houses New York City Hall , the seat of the city 's government . Numerous colleges and universities are located in Manhattan , including Columbia University , New York University , Weill Cornell Medical College , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "Chicago. Chicago ( -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɑːɡoʊ -RSB- or -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɔːɡoʊ -RSB- ) , officially the City of Chicago , is the third-most populous city in the United States . With over 2.7 million residents , it is also the most populous city in both the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States . It is the county seat of Cook County . The Chicago metropolitan area , often referred to as Chicagoland , has nearly 10 million people and is the third-largest in the U.S. Chicago has been called a global architecture capital . In terms of wealth and economy , Chicago is considered one of the most important business centers in the world . Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 , near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed , and grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century . Positioned along Lake Michigan , the city is an international hub for finance , commerce , industry , technology , telecommunications , and transportation : O'Hare International Airport is the second-busiest airport in the world when measured by aircraft traffic ; the region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and rail road freight . In 2012 , Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , and ranked seventh in the world in the 2016 Global Cities Index . Chicago has the third-largest gross metropolitan product in the United States -- about $ 640 billion according to 2015 estimates . The city has one of the world 's largest and most diversified economies with no single industry employing more than 14 % of the workforce . In 2016 , Chicago hosted over 54 million domestic and international visitors , a new record making it one of the top visited cities in the nation . Landmarks in the city include Millennium Park , Navy Pier , the Magnificent Mile , Art Institute of Chicago , Museum Campus , the Willis ( Sears ) Tower , Museum of Science and Industry , and Lincoln Park Zoo . Chicago 's culture includes the visual arts , novels , film , theater , especially improvisational comedy , and music , particularly jazz , blues , soul , hip hop , gospel and house music . There are many colleges and universities in the Chicago area ; among these , Northwestern University , University of Chicago , and the University of Illinois at Chicago are classified as `` highest research '' doctoral universities . Additionally , Chicago has professional sports teams in each of the major professional leagues . The city has many nicknames , the best-known being the Windy City .", "Business. A business ( also known as an enterprise , a company , or a firm ) is an organizational entity involved in the provision of goods and services to consumers . Businesses serve as a form of economic activity , and are prevalent in capitalist economies , where most of them are privately owned and provide goods and services allocated through a market to consumers and customers in exchange for other goods , services , money , or other forms of exchange that hold intrinsic economic value . Businesses may also be social non-profit enterprises or state-owned public enterprises operated by governments with specific social and economic objectives . A business owned by multiple private individuals may form as an incorporated company or jointly organise as a partnership . Countries have different laws that may ascribe different rights to the various business entities . The word `` business '' can refer to a particular organization or to an entire market sector ( for example : `` the financial sector '' ) or to the sum of all economic activity ( `` the business sector '' ) . Compound forms such as `` agribusiness '' represent subsets of the concept 's broader meaning , which encompasses all activity by suppliers of goods and services . Businesses aim to maximize sales to have their income exceed their expenditures , resulting in a profit , gain or surplus .", "Sense and Sensibility (film). Sense and Sensibility is a 1995 British-American period drama film directed by Ang Lee and based on Jane Austen 's 1811 novel of the same name . Actress Emma Thompson wrote the script and stars as Elinor Dashwood , while Kate Winslet plays Elinor 's younger sister Marianne . The story follows the Dashwood sisters , members of a wealthy English family of landed gentry , as they must deal with circumstances of sudden destitution . They are forced to seek financial security through marriage . Actors Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman play their respective suitors . The film was released on 13 December 1995 in the United States and on 23 February 1996 in the United Kingdom . Producer Lindsay Doran , a longtime admirer of Austen 's novel , hired Thompson to write the screenplay . The actress spent five years drafting numerous revisions , continually working on the script between other films as well as into production of the film itself . Studios were nervous that Thompson -- a first-time screenwriter -- was the credited writer , but Columbia Pictures agreed to distribute the film . Though initially intending to have another actress portray Elinor , Thompson was persuaded to take the role . Thompson 's screenplay exaggerated the Dashwood family 's wealth to make their later scenes of poverty more apparent to modern audiences . It also altered the traits of the male leads to make them more appealing to contemporary viewers . Elinor and Marianne 's different characteristics were emphasised through imagery and invented scenes . Ang Lee was selected as director , both due to his work in the 1993 film The Wedding Banquet and because Doran believed he would help the film appeal to a wider audience . Lee was given a budget of $ 16 million . A commercial success , the movie garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews upon release and received many accolades , including three awards and eleven nominations at the 1995 British Academy Film Awards . It earned seven Academy Awards nominations , including for Best Picture and Best Actress . Thompson received the Best Adapted Screenplay , becoming the only person to have won Academy Awards for both acting and screenwriting . Sense and Sensibility contributed to a resurgence in popularity for Austen 's works , and has led to many more productions in similar genres . It persists in being recognised as one of the best Austen adaptations of all time .", "Provitamin. A provitamin is a substance that may be converted within the body to a vitamin . The term previtamin is a synonym . For example , `` Provitamin B5 '' is a name for panthenol , which may be converted in the body to vitamin B5 ( pantothenic acid ) . The term `` provitamin '' is used when it is desirable to label a substance with little or no vitamin activity , but which can be converted to an active form by normal metabolic processes . For example , `` provitamin A '' is a name for β-carotene , which has only about 1/6 the biological activity of retinol ( vitamin A ) ; the body uses an enzyme to convert β-carotene to retinol . In other contexts , both β-carotene and retinol are simply considered to be different forms ( vitamers ) of vitamin A. Provitamin D2 is ergosterol , and provitamin D3 is 7-dehydrocholesterol . Menadione is a synthetic provitamin of vitamin K.", "Adrienne Shelly. Adrienne Levine ( June 24 , 1966 -- November 1 , 2006 ) , better known by the stage name Adrienne Shelly ( sometimes credited as Adrienne Shelley ) , was an American actress , film director and screenwriter . She became known for roles in independent films such as 1989 's The Unbelievable Truth and 1990 's Trust . She wrote , co-starred in , and directed the 2007-released film Waitress , which ultimately won five awards . In late 2006 Shelly was the married mother of an infant daughter and was waiting to see if Waitress would be accepted for the Sundance Film Festival . On November 1 , 2006 , Shelly was found dead , hanging in the shower of her Greenwich Village work studio apartment . The initial examination of the scene did not reveal any suspicious circumstances , and police apparently believed it to be a suicide . Her husband insisted she would never have taken her own life , and brought about a re-examination of the bathroom that disclosed a suspect footprint . Police arrested a construction worker , an illegal immigrant from Ecuador who confessed to killing Shelly and making it look as if she had committed suicide . Shelly 's husband established the Adrienne Shelly Foundation , which awards scholarships , production grants , finishing funds , and living stipends to artists . In her honor , the Women Film Critics Circle gives an annual Adrienne Shelly Award to the film that it finds `` most passionately opposes violence against women . ''", "Airline. An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight . Airlines utilize aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements . Generally , airline companies are recognized with an air operating certificate or license issued by a governmental aviation body . Airlines vary in size , from small domestic airlines to full-service international airlines . Airline services can be categorized as being intercontinental , domestic , regional , or international , and may be operated as scheduled services or charters . The largest airline currently is American Airlines Group .", "Midtown Manhattan. Midtown Manhattan , or Midtown , represents the central lengthwise portion of the borough and island of Manhattan in New York City . Midtown is home to some of the city 's most iconic buildings , including the Empire State Building , the Chrysler Building , and the headquarters of the United Nations , and it contains world-renowned commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center , Broadway , and Times Square . Along Manhattan 's north-south long axis , Midtown Manhattan separates Lower Manhattan from Upper Manhattan . Midtown Manhattan is the largest central business district in the world and ranks among the most expensive and intensely used pieces of real estate in the world , and Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan commands the world 's highest retail rents , at US 3,000 $ / ft2 in 2017 . While Lower Manhattan is the main financial center , Midtown is the country 's largest commercial , entertainment , and media center ; Midtown Manhattan is also a growing financial center , second in importance in the United States only to Lower Manhattan 's Financial District . The majority of New York City 's skyscrapers , including its tallest hotels and apartment towers , lie within Midtown . The area hosts commuters and residents working in its offices , hotels , and retail establishments ; many tourists , visiting residents , and students populate the district . Times Square , iconic as the world 's `` heart '' and its `` Crossroads '' , is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District , one of the world 's busiest pedestrian intersections , and a major center of the world 's entertainment industry.The Avenue of the Americas holds the headquarters of three of the four major U.S. television networks .", "Jennifer Aniston. Jennifer Joanna Aniston ( born February 11 , 1969 ) is an American actress , producer , and businesswoman . She is the daughter of Greek-born actor John Aniston and American actress Nancy Dow . Aniston gained worldwide recognition for portraying Rachel Green on the popular television sitcom Friends ( 1994 -- 2004 ) , a role which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award , a Golden Globe Award , and a Screen Actors Guild Award . The character was widely popular during the airing of the series and was later recognized as one of the 100 greatest female characters in United States television . Aniston has played the female protagonist in a number of comedies and romantic comedies . Her box office hits include Bruce Almighty ( 2003 ) , The Break-Up ( 2006 ) , Marley & Me ( 2008 ) , Just Go with It ( 2011 ) , Horrible Bosses ( 2011 ) , and We 're the Millers ( 2013 ) , each of which have grossed over 200 million in worldwide receipts . Her most critically acclaimed roles included the role of Olivia in Friends with Money ( 2006 ) , The Good Girl ( 2002 ) , for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead , and the drama Cake ( 2014 ) , for which she received nominations for the Golden Globe Award and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress . Her other films include Along Came Polly ( 2004 ) and He 's Just Not That Into You ( 2009 ) . In 2008 , she co-founded the production company Echo Films . In 2012 , Aniston received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . She is one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood , and as of 2014 , her net worth is estimated to be 150 million . She has also been included in magazines ' lists of the world 's most beautiful women . People magazine named Aniston `` The Most Beautiful Woman '' in 2004 and 2016 , and Men 's Health magazine voted her the `` Sexiest Woman of All Time '' in 2011 . Divorced from actor Brad Pitt , to whom she was married for five years , she has been married to actor Justin Theroux since 2015 .", "American Idol. American Idol is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller , produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment , and distributed by FremantleMedia North America . It began airing on Fox on June 11 , 2002 , and ended its first-run on April 7 , 2016 . In 2018 , the show will make its debut on ABC . It started off as an addition to the Idols format based on the British series Pop Idol , and became one of the most successful shows in the history of American television . The concept of the series involves discovering recording stars from unsigned singing talents , with the winner determined by the viewers in America through telephones , Internet , and SMS text voting . Winners chosen by viewers in its fifteen seasons were Kelly Clarkson , Ruben Studdard , Fantasia , Carrie Underwood , Taylor Hicks , Jordin Sparks , David Cook , Kris Allen , Lee DeWyze , Scotty McCreery , Phillip Phillips , Candice Glover , Caleb Johnson , Nick Fradiani , and Trent Harmon.American Idol employed a panel of judges who critiqued the contestants ' performances . The original judges were record producer and music manager Randy Jackson , pop singer and choreographer Paula Abdul and music executive and manager Simon Cowell . The judging panel for the final seasons consisted of country singer Keith Urban , singer and actress Jennifer Lopez , and jazz singer Harry Connick , Jr. . The first season was hosted by radio personality Ryan Seacrest and comedian Brian Dunkleman , with Seacrest as the sole master of ceremonies for the rest of the series . The success of American Idol has been described as `` unparalleled in broadcasting history '' . The series was also said by a rival TV executive to be `` the most impactful show in the history of television '' . It became a recognized springboard for launching the career of many artists as bona fide stars . According to Billboard magazine , in its first ten years , `` Idol has spawned 345 Billboard chart-toppers and a platoon of pop idols , including Kelly Clarkson , Carrie Underwood , Katharine McPhee , Chris Daughtry , Fantasia , Ruben Studdard , Jennifer Hudson , Clay Aiken , Adam Lambert and Jordin Sparks while remaining a TV ratings juggernaut . '' For an unprecedented eight consecutive years , from the 2003 -- 04 television season through the 2010 -- 11 season , either its performance or result show had been ranked number one in U.S. television ratings . The series concluded its original run on Fox after 15 seasons . American Idol will return for a sixteenth season -- its first on ABC -- in 2018 . The announcement was made official on Good Morning America '' on May 9 , 2017 .", "New York. New York is a state in the northeastern United States , and is the 27th-most extensive , fourth-most populous , and seventh-most densely populated U.S. state . New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut , Massachusetts , and Vermont to the east . The state has a maritime border in the Atlantic Ocean with Rhode Island , east of Long Island , as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the northwest . The state of New York , with an estimated 19.8 million residents in 2015 , is also referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City , the state 's most populous city and its economic hub . With an estimated population of 8.55 million in 2015 , New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . The New York Metropolitan Area is one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . New York City is a global city , exerting a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . The home of the United Nations Headquarters , New York City is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , as well as the world 's most economically powerful city . New York City makes up over 40 % of the population of New York State . Two-thirds of the state 's population lives in the New York City Metropolitan Area , and nearly 40 % lives on Long Island . Both the state and New York City were named for the 17th-century Duke of York , future King James II of England . The next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo , Rochester , Yonkers , and Syracuse , while the state capital is Albany . New York has a diverse geography . The southern part of the state consists of Long Island and several smaller associated islands , as well as New York City and the lower Hudson River Valley , most of which lie within the wider Atlantic Coastal Plain . The large region known as Upstate New York consists of several ranges of the wider Appalachian Mountains , including the Allegheny Plateau and Catskills along New York 's Southern Tier , and the Adirondack Mountains , Thousand Islands archipelago , and Saint Lawrence Seaway in the Northeastern lobe of the state . These more mountainous regions are bisected by two major river valleys -- the north-south Hudson River Valley and the east-west Mohawk River Valley , which forms the core of the Erie Canal . Western New York is considered part of the Great Lakes Region and straddles Lake Ontario and Lake Erie . Between the two lakes lies Niagara Falls . The central part of the state is dominated by the Finger Lakes , a popular vacation and tourist destination . New York had been inhabited by tribes of Algonquian and Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans for several hundred years by the time the earliest Europeans came to New York . The first Europeans to arrive were French colonists and Jesuit missionaries who arrived southward from settlements at Montreal for trade and proselytizing . In 1609 , the region was claimed by Henry Hudson for the Dutch , who built Fort Nassau in 1614 at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers , where the present-day capital of Albany later developed . The Dutch soon also settled New Amsterdam and parts of the Hudson Valley , establishing the colony of New Netherland , a multicultural community from its earliest days and a center of trade and immigration . The British annexed the colony from the Dutch in 1664 . The borders of the British colony , the Province of New York , were similar to those of the present-day state . Many landmarks in New York are well known to both international and domestic visitors , with New York State hosting four of the world 's ten most-visited tourist attractions in 2013 : Times Square , Central Park , Niagara Falls ( shared with Ontario ) , and Grand Central Terminal . New York is home to the Statue of Liberty , a symbol of the United States and its ideals of freedom , democracy , and opportunity . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . New York 's higher education network comprises approximately 200 colleges and universities , including Columbia University , Cornell University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "Friends. Friends ( stylized as F • R • I • E • N • D • S ) is an American television sitcom , created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman , which aired on NBC from September 22 , 1994 , to May 6 , 2004 , lasting ten seasons . With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer , the show revolves around six 20-30 something friends living in Manhattan . The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions , in association with Warner Bros. . Television . The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright , Marta Kauffman , and David Crane . Kauffman and Crane began developing Friends under the title Insomnia Cafe between November and December 1993 . They presented the idea to Bright , and together they pitched a seven-page treatment of the show to NBC . After several script rewrites and changes , including a title change to Six of One and Friends Like Us , the series was finally named Friends . Filming took place at Warner Bros. . Studios in Burbank , California . All ten seasons of Friends ranked within the top ten of the final television season ratings ; ultimately reaching the No. 1 spot with its eighth season . The series finale on May 6 , 2004 , was watched by around 52.5 million American viewers , making it the fifth most watched series finale in television history , and the most watched television episode of the 2000s decade . Friends received acclaim throughout its run , becoming one of the most popular television shows of all time . The series was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards , winning the Outstanding Comedy Series award in 2002 for its eighth season . The show ranked no. 21 on -LSB- -LSB- TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time | TV Guide '' 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time -RSB- -RSB- and no. 7 on Empire magazine 's The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 1997 , the episode `` The One with the Prom Video '' was ranked no. 100 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2013 , Friends '' ranked no. 24 on the Writers Guild of America 's 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time and no. 28 on TV Guide 's 60 Best TV Series of All Time ." ]

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[ "Homeland (TV series). Homeland is an American spy thriller television series developed by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa based on the Israeli series Prisoners of War ( Original title חטופים Hatufim , literally `` Abductees '' ) , which was created by Gideon Raff . The series stars Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison , a Central Intelligence Agency officer with bipolar disorder , and Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody , a U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper . Mathison had come to believe that Brody , who was held captive by al-Qaeda as a prisoner of war , was `` turned '' by the enemy and poses a threat to the United States . The series is broadcast in the U.S. on the cable channel Showtime , and is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios ( formerly Fox 21 ) . It premiered on October 2 , 2011 . The first episode was made available online , more than two weeks before the television broadcast , with viewers having to complete game tasks to gain access . On October 22 , 2013 , Showtime renewed Homeland for a fourth season , which premiered on October 5 , 2014 . On November 10 , 2014 , Showtime renewed the series for a 12-episode fifth season that premiered on October 4 , 2015 . On December 9 , 2015 , the series was renewed for a sixth season . The sixth season debuted on January 15 , 2017 . The series has also been renewed for a seventh and eighth season ; the eighth is planned to be the series ' final season by the creators . The series has received generally positive reviews , and has won several awards , including the 2012 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series , and the 2011 and 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama , as well as the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Damian Lewis and Claire Danes , respectively .", "Homeland (season 4). The fourth season of the American television drama series Homeland premiered on October 5 , 2014 , and concluded on December 21 , 2014 , on Showtime , consisting of 12 episodes . The series is loosely based on the Israeli television series Hatufim ( English : Prisoners of War ) created by Gideon Raff and is developed for American television by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa . The fourth season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 8 , 2015 , and became available for streaming on Hulu on August 1 , 2016 .", "Homeland (season 1). The first season of the American television drama series Homeland premiered on October 2 , 2011 on Showtime and concluded on December 18 , 2011 , consisting of 12 episodes . The series is loosely based on the Israeli television series Hatufim ( English : Prisoners of War ) created by Gideon Raff and is developed for American television by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa . The first season follows Carrie Mathison , a CIA operations officer who has come to believe that Nicholas Brody , a U.S. Marine Sergeant , who was held captive by al-Qaeda as a prisoner of war , was turned by the enemy and now poses a significant risk to national security . The season received universal acclaim , scoring a Metacritic rating of 91 out of 100 from 28 critics . TV Guide named it the best TV show of 2011 and highly applauded the performances by Damian Lewis and Claire Danes . Metacritic determined Homeland to be the second-best TV show of 2011 according to major TV critics , by aggregating the critics ' year-end top ten lists . The series won both the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series for this season . The original broadcast of the pilot episode on October 2 , 2011 received 1.08 million viewers , becoming Showtime 's highest-rated drama premiere in eight years . The episode received a total of 2.78 million viewers with additional broadcasts and on demand views . The finale episode of season one received 1.7 million viewers , making it the most-watched season finale of any first-year Showtime series . The series also performed well in the UK , where it aired on Channel 4 , with the pilot episode drawing 3.10 million viewers , and the finale drawing 4.01 million viewers .", "Homeland (season 6). The sixth season of the American television drama series Homeland premiered on January 15 , 2017 , and concluded on April 9 , 2017 , on Showtime , consisting of 12 episodes . The series is loosely based on the Israeli television series Hatufim ( English : Prisoners of War ) created by Gideon Raff and is developed for American television by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa .", "Homeland (season 5). The fifth season of the American television drama series Homeland , premiered on October 4 , 2015 , and concluded on December 20 , 2015 , on Showtime , consisting of 12 episodes . The series is loosely based on the Israeli television series Hatufim ( English : Prisoners of War ) created by Gideon Raff and is developed for American television by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa . The fifth season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on January 10 , 2017 . Set two years after the previous season , Carrie is no longer working for the CIA , and is working for a philanthropic foundation in Berlin , the Düring Foundation . The season includes several real world subjects in its storylines , including ISIS , Vladimir Putin , Bashar al-Assad , the Charlie Hebdo shooting , Edward Snowden , and the European migrant crisis .", "List of awards and nominations received by Homeland. Homeland is a drama/thriller series developed for American television by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa and based on the Israeli series Hatufim ( English title : Prisoners of War ) created by Gideon Raff . The series stars Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison , a Central Intelligence Agency officer and Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody , a U.S. Marine . Mathison has come to believe that Brody , who was held captive by Al-Qaeda as a prisoner of war , was turned by the enemy and now threatens the United States . The series is broadcast in the United States on the cable channel Showtime , and is produced by Fox 21 . It premiered on October 2 , 2011 . The first episode was made available online , more than two weeks before broadcast , with viewers having to complete some tasks to unlock access . The series has received critical acclaim , as well as several industry awards , including winning the 2012 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series , the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama , and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Damian Lewis and Claire Danes respectively . Showtime renewed the series for a second season of twelve episodes , which premiered on September 30 , 2012 .", "Gideon Raff. Gideon `` Gidi '' Raff ( גדעון '' גידי '' רף born 1973 ) is an Israeli film and television director , screenwriter , and writer . He is best known for the award-winning 2010 Israeli television drama series Prisoners of War ( which he created , wrote and directed ) and its acclaimed US adaptation , Homeland ( for which he won two Primetime Emmy Awards in 2012 ) .", "Homeland (season 2). The second season of the American television drama series Homeland premiered on September 30 , 2012 on Showtime and concluded on December 16 , 2012 , consisting of 12 episodes . The series is loosely based on the Israeli television series Hatufim ( English : Prisoners of War ) created by Gideon Raff and is developed for American television by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa .", "Prisoners of War (TV series). Prisoners of War ( original title in ) is an Israeli television drama series made by Keshet and originally aired on Israel 's Channel 2 from March to May 2010 . A second season aired in Israel from October to December 2012 , and a third season is planned . The series was created by Israeli director , screenwriter and producer Gideon Raff . In 2010 it won the Israeli Academy Award for Television for Best Drama Series . The programme was acquired by 20th Century Fox Television before it aired in Israel , and was adapted into the acclaimed series Homeland for Showtime in the United States . In India it was officially adapted as finite 126 episode television series P.O.W. - Bandi Yuddh Ke by Nikhil Advani in 2016 with Hatufim creator Gideon Raff consulting for the series .", "Homeland (season 3). The third season of the American television drama series Homeland premiered on September 29 , 2013 on Showtime , and concluded on December 15 , 2013 , consisting of 12 episodes . The series is loosely based on the Israeli television series Hatufim ( English : Prisoners of War ) created by Gideon Raff and is developed for American television by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa .", "List of Homeland episodes. Homeland is an American espionage thriller television series developed by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa , based on the Israeli series Prisoners of War created by Gideon Raff . The series stars Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison , a CIA operations officer who believes that an American prisoner of war , Nicholas Brody ( Damian Lewis ) was turned by the enemy , and now poses a significant risk to national security . It premiered in the United States on Showtime on October 2 , 2011 . The series was renewed for a sixth season that premiered on January 15 , 2017 . The series has also been renewed for a seventh and eighth season .", "Carrie Mathison. Carrie Anne Mathison , played by actress Claire Danes , is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American television drama/thriller series Homeland on Showtime , created by Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon . Carrie is a CIA officer who , while on assignment in Iraq , learned from a CIA asset that an American prisoner of war had been turned by al-Qaeda . After a U.S. Marine sergeant named Nicholas Brody is rescued from captivity , Mathison believes that he is the POW described to her . Carrie 's investigation of Brody is complicated by her bipolar disorder and results in an obsession with her suspect . For her performance as Mathison , Claire Danes has received several major acting awards , including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series , the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Drama , the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series , the Satellite Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Drama , and the TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama . She is the second actress to win all the five main TV acting awards for her performance in the Lead Drama Actress categories .", "Keshet International. Keshet International is the global distribution arm of Israeli media company Keshet Media Group . Keshet International was established in 2012 and is led by chief executive officer Alon Shtruzman . The company has established subsidiaries in the United States , United Kingdom , and Australia that develop and produce Keshet properties local talent . Keshet International is represented by William Morris Endeavor in the United States . In addition to distributing Keshet Media Group properties , Keshet International sells third party properties and develops and produces localized versions of popular television properties with Tender Productions . Programs distributed by Keshet International include Prisoners of War , the Israeli show that Emmy Award-winning show from which Homeland was adapted ; Master Class ; The A Word , which was sold to BBC One ; Rising Star ; False Flag ; The Gordin Cell , which was adapted in the United States as M.I.C.E. ( later Coercion ) and launched in January 2014 .", "Nicholas Brody. GySgt . Nicholas `` Nick '' Brody , played by actor Damian Lewis , is a fictional character on the American television series Homeland on Showtime , created by Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon . Brody was a USMC Sergeant who was held as a prisoner of war by al-Qaeda terrorists for eight years . Following his rescue and return home , Brody is hailed as a war hero and promoted to gunnery . However , a CIA officer , Carrie Mathison , suspects that Brody was turned by al-Qaeda , and tries to stop him from potentially committing a terrorist act . Between the first and second season , he was elected to Congress . In the third season , he was executed by Iranian authorities after completing a CIA plot against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard .", "Pilot (Homeland). `` Pilot '' is the first episode of the psychological thriller TV series Homeland . It originally aired on Showtime on October 2 , 2011 . The episode focuses on the return home of Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody ( Damian Lewis ) , rescued after eight years as a prisoner-of-war in Afghanistan . While Brody is celebrated as a hero , CIA officer Carrie Mathison ( Claire Danes ) believes Brody to actually be acting as a sleeper agent for al-Qaeda . The pilot was universally acclaimed by critics and was the highest-rated drama premiere on Showtime since 2003 .", "Hrach Titizian. Hrach Titizian ( Հրաչ Տիտիզյան born May 26 , 1979 ) is an Armenian American television , film and stage actor and producer . He is best known for his portrayal of CIA analyst Danny Galvez on the first two seasons of Showtime 's Homeland .", "Bridge of Spies (film). Bridge of Spies is a 2015 historical drama legal thriller film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg , written by Matt Charman , Ethan and Joel Coen and stars Tom Hanks , Mark Rylance , Amy Ryan and Alan Alda . Set during the Cold War , the film tells the story of lawyer James B. Donovan , who is entrusted with negotiating the release of Francis Gary Powers -- a U.S. Air Force pilot whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960 -- in exchange for Rudolf Abel , a convicted Soviet KGB spy held under the custody of the United States , whom he represented at trial . The name of the film refers to the Glienicke Bridge , which connects Potsdam with Berlin , where the prisoner exchange took place . The film was an international co-production of the United States and Germany . Bridge of Spies was shot under the working title of St. James Place . Principal photography began on September 8 , 2014 , in Brooklyn , New York City , and the production proceeded at Babelsberg Studios in Potsdam . The film was released by Touchstone Pictures on October 16 , 2015 , in the United States and distributed by 20th Century Fox in other territories . It was a box office success , grossing $ 165 million worldwide , and received positive reviews , garnering praise for its direction , screenplay , acting , score , and production merits . The film received six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay , and won Best Supporting Actor for Rylance .", "F. Murray Abraham. F. Murray Abraham ( born Murray Abraham ; October 24 , 1939 ) is an American actor . He became widely known during the 1980s after winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus ( 1984 ) . He has appeared in many roles , both leading and supporting , in films such as All the President 's Men ( 1976 ) , Scarface ( 1983 ) , The Name of the Rose ( 1986 ) , Last Action Hero ( 1993 ) , Star Trek : Insurrection ( 1998 ) , Finding Forrester ( 2000 ) , Inside Llewyn Davis ( 2013 ) and The Grand Budapest Hotel ( 2014 ) . He is also known for his television and theatre work and is now a regular cast member on the award-winning television series Homeland .", "Juval Aviv. Juval Aviv ( יובל אביב born Yuval Aviof ; February 24 , 1947 ) , also known as Yuval Aviv , is an Israeli-American security consultant and writer . He may be best known for his work with Mossad , the Israeli intelligence service , and for having conducted the counter-terrorist operation as detailed by George Jonas in his book , Vengeance ( 1984 ) . Since 2003 , Aviv has published four books related to security , two of which address notable mysteries . He writes under the nom-de-plume of Sam Green . Vengeance was adapted twice as films , which attracted considerable attention to Aviv and his role with Mossad . It was adapted in 1986 as the TV movie Sword of Gideon , directed by Michael Anderson and starring Steven Bauer and Michael York , and featuring Colleen Dewhurst as Prime Minister Golda Meir . The second adaptation was the 2005 feature film Munich , directed by Steven Spielberg , starring Eric Bana , Daniel Craig and Geoffrey Rush . Juval Aviv is currently the president of Interfor , a corporate investigations firm in New York City .", "Prisoners (2013 film). Prisoners is a 2013 American thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve from a screenplay written by Aaron Guzikowski . The film has an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman , Jake Gyllenhaal , Viola Davis , Maria Bello , Terrence Howard , Melissa Leo and Paul Dano . The plot focuses on the abduction of two young girls in Pennsylvania and the subsequent search for the suspected abductor by the police . After police arrest a young suspect and release him , the father of one of the missing girls kidnaps the suspect to interrogate and torture him . The film was a financial success and critical reviews were largely positive . At the 86th Academy Awards , the film was nominated for Best Cinematography .", "Timothée Chalamet. Timothée Chalamet ( -LSB- ˈtɪməθi_ˈʃæləmeɪ -RSB- born December 26 , 1995 ) is an American actor . He is known for playing Finn Walden in the drama series Homeland . In 2014 , he appeared in the films Men , Women & Children and Interstellar . He also had roles on the television series Law & Order and Royal Pains , and in the television film Loving Leah . In 2017 , he stars in the romance drama Call Me by Your Name .", "Israel. Israel ( -LSB- ˈɪzreiəl -RSB- ; ) , officially the State of Israel ( -LSB- mediˈnat jisʁaˈʔel -RSB- دَوْلَة إِسْرَائِيل -LSB- dawlat ʔisraːˈʔiːl -RSB- ) , is a country in the Middle East , on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea . It has land borders with Lebanon to the north , Syria to the northeast , Jordan on the east , the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip to the east and west , respectively , and Egypt to the southwest . The country contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area . Israel 's economy and technology center is Tel Aviv , while its seat of government and proclaimed capital is Jerusalem , although the state 's sovereignty over East Jerusalem is internationally unrecognized.The Jerusalem Law states that `` Jerusalem , complete and united , is the capital of Israel '' and the city serves as the seat of the government , home to the President 's residence , government offices , supreme court , and parliament . United Nations Security Council Resolution 478 ( 20 August 1980 ; 14 -- 0 , U.S. abstaining ) declared the Jerusalem Law `` null and void '' and called on member states to withdraw their diplomatic missions from Jerusalem . The United Nations and all member nations refuse to accept the Jerusalem Law ( see ) and maintain their embassies in other cities such as Tel Aviv , Ramat Gan , and Herzliya ( see the CIA Factbook and Map of Israel ) . The U.S. Congress subsequently adopted the Jerusalem Embassy Act , which said that the U.S. embassy should be relocated to Jerusalem and that it should be recognized as the capital of Israel . However , the US Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel concluded that the provisions of the act `` invade exclusive presidential authorities in the field of foreign affairs and are unconstitutional '' . Since passage of the act , all presidents serving in office have determined that moving forward with the relocation would be detrimental to U.S. national security concerns and opted to issue waivers suspending any action on this front . The Palestinian Authority sees East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state . The city 's final status awaits future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority ( see `` Negotiating Jerusalem , '' Palestine -- Israel Journal ) . See Positions on Jerusalem for more information . In 1947 , the United Nations adopted a Partition Plan for Mandatory Palestine recommending the creation of independent Arab and Jewish states and an internationalized Jerusalem . The plan was accepted by the Jewish Agency for Palestine , and rejected by Arab leaders . Next year , the Jewish Agency declared `` the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz Israel , to be known as the State of Israel . '' Israel has since fought several wars with neighboring Arab states , in the course of which it has occupied territories including the West Bank , Golan Heights and the Gaza Strip ( still considered occupied after 2005 disengagement ) . It extended its laws to the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem , but not the West Bank . Israel 's occupation of the Palestinian territories is the world 's longest military occupation in modern times . Efforts to resolve the Israeli -- Palestinian conflict have not resulted in peace . However , peace treaties between Israel and both Egypt and Jordan have successfully been implemented . The population of Israel , as defined by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , was estimated in to be people . It is the world 's only Jewish-majority state , with 74.8 % being designated as Jewish . The country 's second largest group of citizens are Arabs , at 20.8 % ( including the Druze and most East Jerusalem Arabs ) . The great majority of Israeli Arabs are Sunni Muslims , including significant numbers of semi-settled Negev Bedouins ; the rest are Christians and Druze . Other minorities include Arameans , Armenians , Assyrians , Black Hebrew Israelites , Circassians , Maronites and Samaritans . Israel also hosts a significant population of non-citizen foreign workers and asylum seekers from Africa and Asia , including illegal migrants from Sudan , Eritrea and other Sub-Saharan Africans . In its Basic Laws , Israel defines itself as a Jewish and democratic state . Israel is a representative democracy with a parliamentary system , proportional representation and universal suffrage . The prime minister is head of government and the Knesset is the legislature . Israel is a developed country and an OECD member , with the 35th-largest economy in the world by nominal gross domestic product . The country benefits from a highly skilled workforce and is among the most educated countries in the world with one of the highest percentage of its citizens holding a tertiary education degree . The country has the highest standard of living in the Middle East and the third highest in Asia , and has one of the highest life expectancies in the world .", "Homeland security. Homeland security is an American umbrella term for `` the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe , secure , and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests , aspirations , and ways of life can thrive to the national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States , reduce the vulnerability of the U.S. to terrorism , and minimize the damage from attacks that do occur . '' Homeland security is not constrained to terrorist incidents . Terrorism is one of many threats that endanger society . Within the U.S. , an all-hazards approach exists regarding homeland security endeavors . In this sense , homeland security encompasses both natural disasters and man-made events . Thus , the domain of homeland security must accommodate a plethora of situations and scenarios , ranging from natural disasters ( e.g. , Hurricane Katrina ) to acts of terrorism ( e.g. , Boston Marathon bombing ) . The term came about following enactment of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and reorganization of many U.S. government civil agencies effective March 1 , 2003 , to form the United States Department of Homeland Security after the September 11 attacks , and may be used to refer to the actions of that department , the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs , or the United States House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security . Homeland defense ( HD ) is the military protection of U.S. territory , sovereignty , domestic population , and critical infrastructure against external threats and aggression .", "Andrew Kaplan. Andrew Gary Kaplan is an American author , best known for his spy thriller novels . He was born in Brooklyn , New York on May 18 , 1941 . He went to Stuyvesant High School and Brooklyn College and after serving in the U.S. Army , he went to Europe and Africa , where he worked as a free-lance journalist and war correspondent for the International Herald Tribune in Paris . He served in the Israeli Army during the Six Day War of 1967 . As a student leader in Israel , he helped start what was initially called `` the University of the Negev '' ( today , Ben Gurion University of the Negev ) and the Israeli Olympic fencing team . After graduating in 1970 from Tel Aviv University , he earned his MBA at Oregon State University . He has been a technology businessman and is the author of eight international best-selling novels , which have been translated into 21 languages around the world : Hour of the Assassins , Scorpion , Dragonfire ( a main selection of the Book of the Month Club in Britain ) , War of the Raven and the other books of the Scorpion and Homeland series : `` Scorpion Betrayal '' , `` Scorpion Winter '' , `` Scorpion Deception '' , and `` Homeland : Carrie 's Run '' , a bestselling original novel prequel to the hit award-winning `` Homeland '' television series . His second book in the Homeland series , `` Homeland : Saul 's Game '' , won the 2015 Scribe Award for Best Original Media Tie-in Novel .", "Howard Gordon. Howard Gordon ( born March 31 , 1961 ) is an American television writer and producer . He is well known for his work on the Fox action series 24 alongside the Showtime thriller Homeland , which he co-developed with Alex Gansa and Gideon Raff , and for the FX political drama Tyrant , which he co-developed with Craig Wright . He also produced the NBC science fiction thriller Awake .", "Sword of Gideon. Sword of Gideon is a 1986 television film about Mossad agents hunting down terrorists associated with the 1972 Munich massacre . It was first shown on the CTV network in Canada as a four-hour miniseries and later on the HBO television network . Directed by Michael Anderson and written by Chris Bryant , the film stars Steven Bauer and Michael York . The film is based on the book Vengeance by George Jonas , an account of the incident which has been criticized by some intelligence personnel as fictional , though because of its covert nature is difficult to prove or disprove . In some countries the book was titled Vengeance : Sword of Gideon , from which the movie title is drawn . The story was retold in the 2005 film Munich by Steven Spielberg .", "Nimrat Kaur. Nimrat Kaur ( born 13 March 1982 ) is an Indian actress . She began her career as a print model and went on to act in theater . After brief appearances in a few films , Kaur starred in Anurag Kashyap 's production Peddlers , which was screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival . She followed it with her breakthrough role in The Lunchbox , a critically acclaimed drama co-starring Irrfan Khan , which was screened at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival . In 2015 , Kaur played the recurring role of Inter-Services Intelligence agent Tasneem Qureshi in the fourth season of the American television series Homeland . She then costarred with Akshay Kumar in the war thriller Airlift . In 2016 , Kaur began portraying Rebecca Yedlin in the second season of the American television series Wayward Pines .", "Into the Homeland. Into The Homeland is a 1987 made for TV crime drama that aired on HBO on December 26 , 1987 directed by Lesli Linka Glatter and starring Powers Boothe , C. Thomas Howell , Paul LeMat and Cindy Pickett . The screenplay was written by Anna Hamilton Phelan . In 1984 , Jack Swallow ( Boothe ) is a Los Angeles Police Department detective who was unable to prevent a child 's death during a drug raid . He leaves both the police force and his family to become a beach bum and surf shop owner of sorts in San Juan Capistrano . Three years later , his daughter turns up missing . He tracks her to her boyfriend ( Howell ) in rural Wyoming , whose father turns out to be the leader of a violent white power cult that kidnapped his daughter .", "Blind Spot (Homeland). `` Blind Spot '' is the fifth episode of the first season of the psychological thriller TV series Homeland . It originally aired on Showtime on October 30 , 2011 . The lone survivor of the al-Qaeda group that held Brody for eight years is captured . Saul and Carrie are to interrogate him , with Brody 's help .", "Allegiance (TV series). Allegiance is an American adaptation of the Israeli spy drama series The Gordin Cell . The series premiered on February 5 , 2015 , on NBC . On March 6 , 2015 , NBC canceled the series after five low rated episodes . On March 12 , 2015 , NBC confirmed that the series would move online , and a new episode premiered in the U.S. via Hulu and NBC.com . The final episode of the series was released on April 30 , 2015 .", "Raza Jaffrey. Raza Jaffrey ( born 28 May 1975 ) is a British actor and singer , who starred as Dr. Neal Hudson on the CBS TV medical drama Code Black . He is best known for playing Zafar Younis on the BBC One spy drama series Spooks . In 2014 , he played Pakistani Lieutenant Colonel Aasar Khan in season 4 of the Showtime series Homeland .", "America First (Homeland). `` America First '' is the sixth season finale of the American television drama series Homeland , and the 72nd episode overall . It premiered on Showtime on April 9 , 2017 ." ]

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[ "TD Garden. TD Garden , often called `` Boston Garden '' and `` The Garden '' , is a multi-purpose arena in Boston . It is named after its sponsor , TD Bank , a subsidiary of Canada 's Toronto-Dominion Bank . It opened in 1995 as a replacement for the original Boston Garden and has been known as Shawmut Center , FleetCenter , and TD Banknorth Garden . TD Garden is the home arena for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . It is owned by Delaware North , whose CEO , Jeremy Jacobs , also owns the Bruins . It is the site of the annual Beanpot college hockey tournament , and hosts the annual Hockey East Championships . The arena has also hosted many major national sporting events including the 1999 and 2003 NCAA Division I Men 's Basketball regional first and second rounds , the 2009 and 2012 Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight , the 1998 Frozen Four , the 2004 Frozen Four , the 2014 United States Figure Skating Championships , the 2006 Women 's Final Four , and the 2015 Frozen Four . It hosted games 3 , 4 , and 6 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals and the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals for the Bruins , and games 1 , 2 , and 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals and games 3 , 4 , and 5 of the 2010 NBA Finals for the Celtics . It is located directly above Boston 's North Station .", "Boston Celtics. The Boston Celtics ( -LSB- ˈsɛltɪks -RSB- ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston , Massachusetts . The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division . Founded in 1946 and one of eight NBA teams ( out of 23 total teams ) to survive the league 's first decade , the team is owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC . The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden , which they share with the National Hockey League ( NHL ) 's Boston Bruins . The franchise 's 17 championships are the most of any NBA team , and account for 24.3 percent of all NBA championships since the league 's founding in 1946 . As a percentage of championships won , the Celtics are the most successful franchise to date in the major four traditional North American professional sports leagues . The Celtics have played the Lakers a record 12 times in the finals , including their most recent appearances in 2008 and 2010 , where the Celtics have won nine meetings ( but only two since 1980 ) . Four Celtics players ( Bob Cousy , Bill Russell , Dave Cowens and Larry Bird ) have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for an NBA record total of 10 MVP awards . Their mascot ` Lucky the Leprechaun ' is a nod to the team 's Irish heritage and to Boston 's historically large Irish population . The Celtics rose again after struggling through the 1990s to win a championship in 2008 with the help of Kevin Garnett , Paul Pierce , and Ray Allen in what was known as the new `` Big Three '' era , following the original `` Big Three '' era of the 1980s that featured Larry Bird , Kevin McHale , and Robert Parish . After the end of the second `` Big Three '' era , general manager Danny Ainge began a rebuilding process with the help of new head coach Brad Stevens , who led the Celtics to a return to the playoffs in 2015 , 2016 , and 2017 . During the 2016 -- 17 season , the Celtics clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs .", "Boston Garden. Boston Garden was an arena in Boston , United States . Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard , who also built the third iteration of New York 's Madison Square Garden , it opened on November 17 , 1928 as `` Boston Madison Square Garden '' ( later shortened to just `` Boston Garden '' ) and outlived its original namesake by 30 years . It was above North Station , a train station which was originally a hub for the Boston and Maine Railroad and is now a hub for MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak trains . The Garden hosted home games for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) and the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as well as rock concerts , amateur sports , boxing and professional wrestling matches , circuses , and ice shows . It was also used as an exposition hall for political rallies such as the speech by John F. Kennedy in November 1960 . Boston Garden was demolished in 1998 , three years after the completion of its new successor arena , TD Garden .", "Sports in Boston. Boston , the capital city of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and largest city in the New England region of the northeastern United States , is home to several major league sports teams , including the Red Sox ( baseball ) , the Celtics ( basketball ) and the Bruins ( ice hockey ) . The New England Patriots ( American football ) and the New England Revolution ( soccer ) play at Gillette Stadium in nearby Foxborough , Massachusetts . Several Boston-area colleges and universities are also active in college athletics . Sports are a major part of the city 's culture ( as well as the culture of the Greater Boston area ) . Boston sports fans are known for their fanatical devotion to the Red Sox and knowledge of the team 's history . Fenway Park , home of the Red Sox , is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) and holds a legendary status among baseball fans . Boston is the only city in professional sports in which all facilities are privately owned and operated . The Patriots own Gillette Stadium , the Red Sox own Fenway Park , and TD Garden is owned by Delaware North , owner of the Bruins . The Celtics rent TD Garden from Delaware North . In the 2000s , Boston 's professional teams had arguably the most successful decade in sports history , winning ten championships ( five by the Patriots , three by the Red Sox and one each by the Celtics and Bruins ) . When the Bruins won the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals , the city of Boston became the first city in the 21st century to have all four of its major professional league teams win a league championship , and it is the only city ever to have championships in all four major professional leagues within a ten-year span ( from the Patriots ' victory in February 2002 to the Bruins ' in June 2011 ) . In just ten years , between February 2002 and June 2011 , Boston 's teams completed what Sports Illustrated dubbed as the `` Grand Slam of North American sports . '' With the Patriots ' victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX , the four major Boston-area sports teams completed a grand-slam in six years ( the 2008 Celtics , the 2011 Bruins , the 2013 Red Sox and the 2014 Patriots ) . Beyond that , several of the teams were league finalists : the Revolution four times , the Patriots twice and the Bruins and Celtics once apiece . With the Bruins reaching the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals , this allowed Boston to join Philadelphia as being the only cities to have had all of their teams play in each of the four major North American professional sports leagues ' title rounds since 2000 , following the Patriots in Super Bowls XXXVI in 2002 , XXXVIII in 2004 , XXXIX in 2005 , XLII in 2008 , XLVI in 2012 , XLIX in 2015 , and LI in 2017 and winning all of them , except Super Bowl XLII and XLVI , the Red Sox winning World Series titles in ( ending the Curse of the Bambino ) , , and , and the Celtics in the NBA Finals in and and winning in 2008 . In addition , Boston beat out Philadelphia for playing in all of the `` big '' league championship rounds in the shortest time in the new millennium , as it took 9 years for Philadelphia to achieve this feat ; Boston needed only three years and eight months . From 2004 to 2015 , all four Boston major league teams have each reached the championship rounds two times or more .", "History of the Boston Celtics. The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston . Founded in 1946 as a charter member of the Basketball Association of America , the Celtics then moved into the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) in 1949 , as said league was formed by the merger of the BAA merged with the National Basketball League . Currently playing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference , the Celtics have the most NBA titles with 17 championships . Eleven of those occurred between 1957 and 1969 , with a dynasty led by center Bill Russell and coach/general manager Red Auerbach . The Celtics won two more titles in the 1970s under coach Tom Heinsohn , and three more in the 1980s under the leadership of forward Larry Bird . After a 22-year drought , the Celtics got their latest title in 2008 .", "Boston Bruins. The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston , Massachusetts . They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . The team has been in existence since 1924 , and is the league 's third-oldest team and is the oldest in the United States . It is also an Original Six franchise , along with the Chicago Blackhawks , Detroit Red Wings , Montreal Canadiens , New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs . The Bruins have won six Stanley Cup championships , tied for fourth most of all-time with the Blackhawks and tied second-most of any American NHL team also with the Blackhawks ( behind the Red Wings , who have 11 ) . Their home arena is the TD Garden , where they have played since 1995 . The Bruins began play in the NHL on December 1 , 1924 . The first facility to host them was what was then known as the Boston Arena ( today 's Matthews Arena ) -- the world 's oldest ( built 1909 -- 10 ) indoor ice hockey facility still in use for the sport at any level of competition -- and following the Bruins ' departure from the Boston Arena , the team played its home games at the Boston Garden for 67 seasons , beginning in 1928 and concluding in 1995 .", "1985–86 Boston Celtics season. In 1985 -- 86 , the Boston Celtics won 67 games , going 40 -- 1 at home ( 37 -- 1 at the Boston Garden , 3 -- 0 at the Hartford Civic Center ) , which would be tied 30 years later by the San Antonio Spurs in 2016 , and were one win shy of tying their franchise record of 68 wins set in 1972 -- 73 . Larry Bird won his third consecutive MVP award and Bill Walton won the Sixth Man of the Year Award . McHale missed an 18-game stretch during the season due to injury , and during his absence the Celtics record was 15 -- 3 . They won their 16th championship and the last for 22 years , defeating the Houston Rockets in six games in the NBA Finals , and had won 82 combined regular season and playoff games , a record that stood until the Chicago Bulls did it 10 years later . The team 's season roster is featured in the video games NBA 2K16 and NBA 2K17 .", "New England Patriots. The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston region . The Patriots compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a member club of the league 's American Football Conference ( AFC ) East division . The team plays its home games at Gillette Stadium in the town of Foxborough , Massachusetts , which is located 21 mi southwest of downtown Boston and 20 mi northeast of downtown Providence , Rhode Island . The Patriots are also headquartered at Gillette Stadium . An original member of the American Football League ( AFL ) , the Patriots joined the NFL in the 1970 merger of the two leagues . The team changed its name from the original Boston Patriots '' ' after relocating to Foxborough in 1971 . The Patriots played their home games at Foxboro Stadium from 1971 to 2001 , then moved to Gillette Stadium at the start of the 2002 season . The Patriots ' rivalry with the New York Jets is considered one of the most bitter rivalries in the NFL . The Patriots have appeared in the Super Bowl nine times in franchise history , the most of any team , seven of them since the arrival of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady in 2000 . The Patriots have since become one of the most successful teams in NFL history , winning 14 AFC East titles in 16 seasons since 2001 , without a losing season in that period . The franchise has since set numerous notable records , including most wins in a ten-year period ( 126 , in 2003 -- 2012 ) , an undefeated 16-game regular season in 2007 , the longest winning streak consisting of regular season and playoff games in NFL history ( a 21-game streak from October 2003 to October 2004 ) , and the most consecutive division titles won by a team in NFL history ( won eight straight division titles from 2009 to 2016 ) . The team owns the record for most Super Bowls reached ( seven ) and won ( five ) by a head coach -- quarterback tandem . The Patriots are tied with the 49ers and Cowboys for the second most Super Bowl wins with five . The Steelers are in front with six .", "New York Knicks. The New York Knickerbockers , commonly referred to as the Knicks , are an American professional basketball team based in New York City . The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden , located in the borough of Manhattan . They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City ; the other is the Brooklyn Nets . The team , established by Ned Irish in 1946 , was one of the founding members of the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) , which became the NBA after merging with the rival National Basketball League ( NBL ) in 1949 . Along with the Boston Celtics , the Knicks are one of only two original NBA teams still located in its original city . The Knicks were successful during their early years and were constant playoff contenders under the franchise 's first head coach Joe Lapchick . Beginning in 1950 , the Knicks made three consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals , all of which were losing efforts . Lapchick resigned in 1956 and the team subsequently began to falter . It was not until the late 1960s when Red Holzman became head coach that the Knicks began to regain their former dominance . Holzman successfully guided the Knicks to two NBA championships , in 1970 and 1973 . The Knicks of the 1980s had mixed success that included six playoff appearances ; however , they failed to participate in the NBA Finals . The playoff-level Knicks of the 1990s were led by future Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing ; this era was marked by passionate rivalries with the Chicago Bulls , Indiana Pacers , and Miami Heat . During this time , they were known for playing tough defense under head coaches Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy . During this era , the Knicks made two appearances in the NBA Finals , in 1994 and 1999 , though they were unable to win an NBA championship . Since 2000 , the Knicks have struggled to regain their former glory . In 2012 -- 13 , the franchise won its first division title in 19 years , but was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Indiana Pacers . According to a 2016 Forbes report , the Knicks were the most-valuable NBA franchise , worth approximately $ 3 billion .", "1974–75 Boston Celtics season. The 1974 -- 75 Boston Celtics season was the 29th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Boston Celtics were one of a handful of teams to play home games in four arenas . Their main venue was Boston Garden , but three home games were played at the Hartford Civic Center , three at the Providence Civic Center and one at the Springfield Civic Center .", "Boston. Boston ( pronounced -LSB- ˈbɒstən -RSB- ) is the capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States . Boston is also the seat of Suffolk County , although the county government was disbanded on July 1 , 1999 . The city proper covers 48 mi2 with an estimated population of 667,137 in 2015 , making it the largest city in New England and the 23rd most populous city in the United States . The city is the economic and cultural anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area known as Greater Boston , a Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) home to a census-estimated 4.7 million people in 2014 and ranking as the tenth-largest such area in the country . Alternately , as a Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , this wider commuting region is home to some 8.1 million people , making it the sixth-largest as such in the United States . One of the oldest cities in the United States , Boston was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers from England . It was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution , such as the Boston Massacre , the Boston Tea Party , the Battle of Bunker Hill , and the Siege of Boston . Upon U.S. independence from Great Britain , it continued to be an important port and manufacturing hub as well as a center for education and culture . Through land reclamation and municipal annexation , Boston has expanded beyond the original peninsula . Its rich history attracts many tourists , with Faneuil Hall alone drawing over 20 million visitors per year . Boston 's many firsts include the United States ' first public school , Boston Latin School ( 1635 ) , first subway system , the Tremont Street Subway ( 1897 ) , and first public park , Boston Common ( 1634 ) . The area 's many colleges and universities make Boston an international center of higher education , including law , medicine , engineering , and business , and the city is considered to be a world leader in innovation and entrepreneurship , with nearly 2,000 startups . Boston 's economic base also includes finance , professional and business services , biotechnology , information technology , and government activities . Households in the city claim the highest average rate of philanthropy in the United States ; businesses and institutions rank among the top in the country for environmental sustainability and investment . The city has one of the highest costs of living in the United States as it has undergone gentrification , though it remains high on world livability rankings .", "Boston Red Sox. The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston , Massachusetts . The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) East division . The Red Sox have won eight World Series championships and have played in twelve . Founded in as one of the American League 's eight charter franchises , the Red Sox ' home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The `` Red Sox '' name was chosen by the team owner , John I. Taylor , around , following the lead of previous teams that had been known as the `` Boston Red Stockings '' , including the forerunner of the Atlanta Braves . Boston was a dominant team in the new league , defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in 1903 and winning four more championships by . However , they then went into one of the longest championship droughts in baseball history , dubbed the `` Curse of the Bambino '' after its alleged beginning with the Red Sox ' sale of Babe Ruth to the rival New York Yankees two years after their world championship in 1918 , an 86-year wait before the team 's sixth World Championship in . The team 's history during that period was punctuated with some of the most memorable moments in World Series history , including Enos Slaughter 's `` mad dash '' in , the `` Impossible Dream '' of , Carlton Fisk 's home run in , and Bill Buckner 's error in . Following their victory in the 2013 World Series , they became the first team to win three World Series trophies in the 21st century , including championships in 2004 and . Red Sox history has also been marked by the team 's intense rivalry with the Yankees , arguably the fiercest and most historic in North American professional sports . The Boston Red Sox are owned by Fenway Sports Group , which also owns the Liverpool F.C. of the Premier League in England . The Red Sox are consistently one of the top MLB teams in average road attendance , while the small capacity of Fenway Park prevents them from leading in overall attendance . From May 15 , 2003 to April 10 , 2013 , the Red Sox sold out every home game -- a total of 820 games ( 794 regular season ) for a major professional sports record . Neil Diamond 's `` Sweet Caroline '' has become an anthem for the Red Sox .", "2016–17 Boston Celtics season. The 2016 -- 17 Boston Celtics season was the 71st season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The team obtained the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2008 when they won the NBA title . At 53 -- 29 , they finished with the lowest winning percentage of a No. 1 seed since the Detroit Pistons in 2007 . In the playoffs , the Celtics defeated the Chicago Bulls in the First Round in six games , advancing to the Semifinals , where they then defeated the Washington Wizards in seven games , advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals , where they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games .", "The Sports Museum. The Sports Museum ( also known as The Sports Museum of New England ) is a non-profit museum currently located in the TD Garden in Boston , Massachusetts . The museum was founded in 1977 in nearby Cambridge , Massachusetts before eventually moving to Boston to the Garden , which has been home to Celtics and Bruins for twenty years . The museum 's exhibits focus on the history of various sports in the Boston area , including the Boston Bruins , Boston Celtics , Boston Red Sox , New England Patriots , Boston Marathon , New England Revolution , boxing , college sports , and others . The museum features diverse sports memorabilia , curiosities , and life-size sculptures of Bobby Orr , Larry Bird , Carl Yastrzemski and Ted Williams by Rhode Island sculptor Armand LaMontagne . The museum is normally open daily between 10 AM and 4 PM , but may close when an event or game is scheduled in the Garden . It is located on a subway stop . According to the museum 's mission statement : `` At The Sports Museum , we celebrate the character of Boston sports -- the unique brand of teamwork , determination , responsibility , courage , fairness , and other qualities of character possessed by our teams and athletes that make Boston `` The Greatest Sports City in America . '' Equally important , we use this distinctly rich heritage to help build character in kids so that they can stand strong in the face of drugs , violence , and other dangers . ''", "2014–15 Boston Celtics season. The 2014 -- 15 Boston Celtics season is the 69th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . On March 9 , 2015 , the Celtics passed the previous season 's win total of 25 with a 100 -- 90 win over the Miami Heat . On April 13 , 2015 , the Celtics qualified for the playoffs for the 7th time in the last 8 seasons and for the first time since 2012 -- 13 . Their season ended after being swept in the first round playoff series by the Cleveland Cavaliers .", "2015–16 Boston Celtics season. The 2015 -- 16 Boston Celtics season was the 70th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Celtics finished the year at 48 -- 34 , their best record since their 2011 -- 12 season and their first winning season since 2013 . Isaiah Thomas was voted to play in the 2016 NBA All-Star Game . For the second straight season under Brad Stevens , the Celtics qualified for the playoffs , this time as the number 5 seed . However , the Celtics once again did not make it out of the first round as they were stopped by the Atlanta Hawks in six games .", "List of Boston Celtics accomplishments and records. This is a comprehensive list of the accomplishments and records of the Boston Celtics . The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team currently playing in the National Basketball Association .", "Walter Brown Arena. Walter Brown Arena is a 3,806-seat multi-purpose arena in Boston , Massachusetts . It is home to the Boston University Terriers women 's ice hockey team and hosted the men 's team before they moved to Agganis Arena . It is named in honor of Walter A. Brown , the original owner of the Boston Celtics , former president of the Boston Bruins and second manager of the Boston Garden ( after his father ) . The arena is part of the Harold Case Physical Education Center , which includes Case Gym directly above the arena , as well as the former home of student recreation before the opening of the John Hancock Student Village . The building lies in the general area of the left field pavilion seats at the former Braves Field , whose right field pavilion and a portion of the field have been converted to neighboring Nickerson Field . It hosted the first rounds of the 2003 and 2004 America East Conference men 's basketball tournaments . It is also the practice rink for the three-time National Champion Boston University figure skating team ( 2009 , 2010 , and 2017 ) . While it is known as the home of four BU men 's hockey NCAA championships , one of its most famous ( and tragic ) events occurred in October 1995 , when Travis Roy , a 20-year-old freshman hockey player , lost his balance attempting to make a check eleven seconds into his first collegiate hockey shift versus North Dakota , breaking his neck at the fourth vertebra and paralyzing him from the neck down . In 1999 , his jersey number 24 became the first retired number in program history . The BU men 's hockey team returned to Walter Brown for the first time in nearly ten years on Dec. 19 , 2014 for an exhibition game against the United States men 's national junior ice hockey team .", "NBA Finals. The NBA Finals is the seasonal championship series of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The entrants are determined by the victors of the Eastern and Western conferences , who engage in a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion . The winners of the Finals are awarded the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy , which replaced the Walter A. Brown Trophy in 1983 . Prior to the 1949-50 season , the series was named the BAA Finals , before seeing alteration following the merger between the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) and the National Basketball League ( NBL ) which created the modern NBA . The competition oversaw further name changes to NBA World Championship Series from 1950 to 1982 , as well as a brief stint as the Showdown , before settling on NBA Finals in 1986 . The NBA Finals was initially structured to harbor a 2 -- 3 -- 2 format until 2013 , where the first and last two games of the series were played at the arena of the team who earned home court advantage by having the better record during the regular season . This was then altered as teams with home-court went 21 -- 8 in all Finals appearances . The competition is currently structured under a 2 -- 2 -- 1 -- 1 -- 1 format , where the first two games are played at home for the higher seeded team , and the following two at the home of the lower seeded team . The following three are played at each team 's home arena respectively . A total of 19 franchises have won the NBA Finals . The Boston Celtics hold the record for the most victories , having won the competition 17 times , as well as winning the competition the most times in a row , winning it eight times from 1959 to 1966 . The Los Angeles Lakers have been runners-up the most times , losing fifteen finals . The Eastern Conference has provided the most champions , with 38 wins from eight franchises , while the Western Conference have 32 , also from eight franchises . The current champions are the Cleveland Cavaliers , who beat the Golden State Warriors in seven games in the 2016 Finals .", "2013–14 Boston Celtics season. The 2013 -- 14 Boston Celtics season was the franchise 's 68th season in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Celtics made several major changes to the team , including hiring Brad Stevens as the new head coach and sending Kevin Garnett , Paul Pierce , and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets . The Celtics finished 25 -- 57 and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2007 .", "Celtics-Raptors rivalry. The Celtics -- Raptors rivalry is a National Basketball Association ( NBA ) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors . Over the last two full seasons , plus the first third of this one , the Raptors hold a 7-3 advantage over the Celtics . Last night the Raptors beat the Celtics after a stirring comeback in the second half . At one point Toronto was down 16 points ( in the second quarter ) ; later they faced a nine-point deficit in the fourth . There were stretches that looked mighty grim . Until , that is , a couple of Raptors -- mainly DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas , with an assist from Kyle Lowry -- decided to put the team on their metaphorical backs and save the day . Before the game , the word `` rivalry '' was tossed around -- mostly by reporters -- in relation to the nascent competitive grudge between Boston and Toronto . Both teams are in the Atlantic division ( which admittedly means nothing these days ) and both have been on similar ascendant timelines . The Raptors turnaround began in late 2013 , while the Celtics started their climb into relevance the following season . Both teams have respected and long ( ish ) tenured coaches -- Brad Stevens is in his fourth year in Boston , Dwane Casey working on his sixth in Toronto . Both , most importantly , have a solid identity and aspirations for greater success . ( And , it goes without saying , but : both have little chance of beating LeBron James and Cavaliers in any significant way as currently constructed . ) Category : Toronto Raptors Category : Boston Celtics", "Gillette Stadium. Gillette Stadium is a stadium located in Foxborough , Massachusetts , 24 mi southwest of downtown Boston and 20 mi northeast of downtown Providence , Rhode Island . It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for both the NFL 's New England Patriots football franchise and MLS 's New England Revolution soccer team . In 2012 , it also became the home stadium for the football program of the University of Massachusetts ( UMass ) , while on-campus Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium was undergoing renovations . Gillette will continue to host higher attended home games . The facility opened in 2002 , replacing the old Foxboro Stadium . The seating capacity is 68,756 , including 6,000 club seats and 87 luxury suites . The stadium is owned and operated by Kraft Sports Group , a subsidiary of The Kraft Group , the company through which businessman Robert Kraft owns the Patriots and Revolution . The stadium was originally known as CMGI Field before the naming rights were bought by Gillette after the `` dot-com '' bust . Although Gillette has since been acquired by Procter & Gamble , the stadium retains the Gillette name because P&G has continued to use the Gillette brand name and because the Gillette company was founded in the Boston area . Gillette and the Patriots jointly announced in September 2010 that their partnership , which includes naming rights to the stadium , will extend through the 2031 season . Additionally , uBid ( until April 2003 a wholly owned subsidiary of CMGI ) as of 2009 continues to sponsor one of the main entrance gates to the stadium . The Town of Foxborough approved plans for the stadium 's construction on December 6 , 1999 , and work on the stadium began on March 24 , 2000 . The first official event was a New England Revolution soccer game on May 11 , 2002 . The Rolling Stones played at Gillette Stadium on September 5 , 2002 on the band 's Licks Tour . Jeremiah Freed was the first band to play at the WBCN river rave on June 9 , 2002 making them the first band to ever play Gillette Stadium . Grand opening ceremonies were held four days later on September 9 when the Patriots unveiled their Super Bowl XXXVI championship banner before a Monday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers . Gillette Stadium is accessible by rail via the Providence/Stoughton and Franklin lines at the Foxboro MBTA station , but only during Patriot games . The Patriots have sold out every home game since moving to the stadium -- preseason , regular season , and playoffs . This streak dates back to the 1994 season , while the team was still at Foxboro Stadium . this streak was at 231 straight games .", "Massachusetts. Massachusetts -LSB- mæsəˈtʃuːsᵻts -RSB- or -LSB- ˌmæsəˈtʃuːzᵻts -RSB- ; officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , is the most populous state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east , the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south , New Hampshire and Vermont to the north , and New York to the west . The state is named for the Massachusett tribe , which once inhabited the area . The capital of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England is Boston . Over 80 % of Massachusetts ' population lives in the Greater Boston metropolitan area , a region influential upon American history , academia , and industry . Originally dependent on agriculture , fishing and trade , Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution . During the 20th century , Massachusetts ' economy shifted from manufacturing to services . Modern Massachusetts is a global leader in biotechnology , engineering , higher education , finance , and maritime trade . Plymouth was the site of the first colony in New England , founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims , passengers of the Mayflower . In 1692 , the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of America 's most infamous cases of mass hysteria , the Salem witch trials . In 1777 , General Henry Knox founded the Springfield Armory , which during the Industrial Revolution catalyzed numerous important technological advances , including interchangeable parts . In 1786 , Shays ' Rebellion , a populist revolt led by disaffected American Revolutionary War veterans , influenced the United States Constitutional Convention . In the 18th century , the Protestant First Great Awakening , which swept the Atlantic World , originated from the pulpit of Northampton preacher Jonathan Edwards . In the late 18th century , Boston became known as the `` Cradle of Liberty '' for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution . The entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts has played a powerful commercial and cultural role in the history of the United States . Before the American Civil War , Massachusetts was a center for the abolitionist , temperance , and transcendentalist movements . In the late 19th century , the sports of basketball and volleyball were invented in the western Massachusetts cities of Springfield and Holyoke , respectively . In 2004 , Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legally recognize same-sex marriage as a result of the decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court . Many prominent American political dynasties have hailed from the state , including the Adams and Kennedy families . Harvard University in Cambridge is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States , with the largest financial endowment of any university , and Harvard Law School has educated a contemporaneous majority of Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States . Kendall Square in Cambridge has been called `` the most innovative square mile on the planet '' , in reference to the high concentration of entrepreneurial start-ups and quality of innovation which have emerged in the vicinity of the square since 2010 . Both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , also in Cambridge , have been ranked among the most highly regarded academic institutions in the world . Massachusetts ' public school students place among the top nations in the world in academic performance .", "Madison Square Garden. Madison Square Garden , often called `` MSG '' or simply `` The Garden '' , is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan . Located in Midtown Manhattan between 7th and 8th Avenues from 31st to 33rd Streets , it is situated atop Pennsylvania Station . It is the fourth venue to bear the name `` Madison Square Garden '' , the first two ( 1879 and 1890 ) of which were located on Madison Square , on East 26th Street and Madison Avenue , with the third Madison Square Garden further uptown at Eighth Avenue and 50th Street . The Garden is used for professional basketball and ice hockey , as well as boxing , concerts , ice shows , circuses , professional wrestling and other forms of sports and entertainment . It is close to other midtown Manhattan landmarks , including the Empire State Building , Koreatown , and Macy 's at Herald Square . It is home to the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) and the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Garden opened on February 11 , 1968 , and is the oldest major sporting facility in the New York metropolitan area . It is the oldest arena in the National Hockey League and the second-oldest arena in the National Basketball Association . MSG is the fourth-busiest music arena in the world in terms of ticket sales , behind The O2 Arena , the Manchester Arena and The SSE Hydro in the United Kingdom . At a total construction cost of approximately $ 1.1 billion , MSG has been ranked as one of the 10 most expensive stadium venues ever built . It is part of the Pennsylvania Plaza office and retail complex . Several other operating entities related to the Garden share its name .", "Celtics–Knicks rivalry. The Celtics -- Knicks rivalry is a National Basketball Association ( NBA ) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks . The Celtics and Knicks are two of only three remaining charter franchises ( the other being the Golden State Warriors ) from the inaugural Basketball Association of America , which began operations in 1946 . The rivalry mirrors the fierce competition between the Boston and New York City sports teams , as evidenced by the Bruins-Rangers rivalry , Red Sox -- Yankees rivalry and Jets -- Patriots rivalry . Boston and New York City are only 190 miles apart , and both cities ' professional sports teams are among the most historic in professional sports history . The Celtics and Knicks were both established in 1946 as charter franchises of the Basketball Association of America , and are the two oldest teams still playing in their original city today .", "North Station. North Station is a major transportation hub located at Causeway and Nashua Streets in Boston , Massachusetts , United States . It is one of the city 's two inbound terminals for Amtrak and MBTA Commuter Rail trains , the other being South Station . The main concourse of North Station is located at the street level immediately below TD Garden , a major sports venue in Boston that is home to the Boston Bruins hockey team and the Boston Celtics basketball team . The arena is also used for rock concerts and other events , taking advantage of the extensive transportation connections at the site .", "2017–18 Boston Celtics season. The 2017 -- 18 Boston Celtics season will be the 72nd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . It would also mark the first time a team with a winning record would own the # 1 pick of an NBA draft since the 1994-95 Orlando Magic .", "San Antonio Spurs. The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio , Texas . The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Western Conference Southwest Division . The team plays its home games at the AT&T Center in San Antonio . The Spurs are one of four former American Basketball Association ( ABA ) teams to remain intact in the NBA after the 1976 ABA -- NBA merger and the only former ABA team to have won an NBA championship . The Spurs ' five NBA championships are the fourth most in history behind only the Boston Celtics ( 17 ) , Los Angeles Lakers ( 16 ) , and Chicago Bulls ( 6 ) . The Spurs currently rank first among active franchises for the highest winning percentage in NBA history , and have a winning head-to-head regular season record against every active NBA franchise . In their 40 NBA seasons since 1976 -- 77 , the Spurs have won 22 division titles . They have made the playoffs in 27 of the last 28 seasons ( since 1989 -- 90 ) and have only missed the playoffs four times since entering the NBA ; they have not missed the playoffs in the 19 seasons since Tim Duncan was drafted by the Spurs in 1997 . With their 50th win in the 2016 -- 17 season , the Spurs extended their record for most consecutive 50-win seasons to 18 ( the 1998 -- 99 season was shortened to 50 games because of a lockout and based on their win percentage of .740 , would have easily surpassed 50 wins in an 82-game season , and thus extend the record by 2 more seasons ) . Thus , since the 1997 -- 98 season , the Spurs have had 20 consecutive seasons with a winning percentage of .610 or greater during the regular season which is also an NBA record . Only the team 's current head coach , Gregg Popovich , who had been the team 's general manager before replacing Bob Hill in 1996 , has had a longer tenure with the Spurs .", "Brooklyn Nets. The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn . The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member club of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . The team plays its home games at Barclays Center . They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City ; the other are the New York Knicks . The team was established in 1967 as a charter franchise of the NBA 's rival league , the American Basketball Association ( ABA ) . They played in New Jersey as the New Jersey Americans during their first season , before moving to Long Island in 1968 and changing their name to the New York Nets . During this time , the Nets won two ABA championships ( in 1974 and 1976 ) . In 1976 , the ABA merged with the NBA , and the Nets were absorbed into the NBA along with three other ABA teams ( the San Antonio Spurs , Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets , all of whom remain in the league today ) . In 1977 , the team returned to New Jersey and played as the New Jersey Nets from 1977 to 2012 . During this time , the Nets won two consecutive Eastern Conference championships ( in the 2001 -- 02 and 2002 -- 03 seasons ) , but failed to win a league title . In the summer of 2012 , the team moved to Barclays Center , and took its current geographic name .", "Atlantic Division (NBA). The Atlantic Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The division consists of five teams , the Boston Celtics , the Brooklyn Nets , the New York Knicks , the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors . All teams , except the Raptors , are located on the East Coast of the United States . However , Toronto sports teams have over the years enjoyed rivalries with teams in the Northeastern United States ( particularly , Toronto teams also share divisions with Boston teams in Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League , with the former also containing a team in New York City ) . The division was created at the start of the 1970 -- 71 season , when the league expanded from 14 to 17 teams with the addition of the Buffalo Braves , the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers . The league realigned itself into two conferences , the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference , with two divisions in each conference . The Atlantic Division began with four inaugural members , the Celtics , the Braves , the Knicks and the 76ers . The Celtics , the Knicks and the 76ers all joined from the Eastern Division . The Celtics have won the most Atlantic Division titles with 21 . The 76ers have won the second most titles with five . Eight NBA champions came from the Atlantic Division . The Celtics won six championships , while the Knicks and the 76ers won one championship each . All of them , except the 1972 -- 73 Knicks , were division champions . In the 1983 -- 84 season , all five teams from the division qualified for the playoffs . In the 1982 -- 83 season , all teams in the division had winning percentages above 0.500 ( 50 % ) . The current division champion is the Toronto Raptors .", "Golden State Warriors. The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland , California . The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Western Conference Pacific Division . The team was established in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors based in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , a founding member of the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) . In 1962 , the franchise relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and was renamed the San Francisco Warriors . In 1971 , the team changed its geographic moniker to Golden State , California 's state nickname . Since 1971 , the team 's home court has been the Oracle Arena in Oakland . The team is nicknamed the `` Dubs . '' The Warriors have reached nine NBA Finals , winning four NBA championships in 1947 , 1956 , 1975 and most recently in 2015 when they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers . Golden State 's four NBA championships are the fifth most in history behind only the Boston Celtics ( 17 ) , Los Angeles Lakers ( 16 ) , Chicago Bulls ( 6 ) and San Antonio Spurs ( 5 ) . Wilt Chamberlain and Stephen Curry have both been named the NBA 's Most Valuable Player while playing for the Warriors , for a total of three MVP awards . Golden State holds the NBA record for best regular season with 73 -- 9 and most combined wins in a season ( regular season and postseason ) with 88 wins .", "TD Bank, N.A.. TD Bank , N.A. , is an American national bank chartered and supervised by the federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency . TD Bank offers banking , insurance , brokerage , and investment banking services in Connecticut , Delaware , Florida , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New York , North Carolina , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , South Carolina , Vermont , Virginia , and Washington , D.C. The bank is a successor to the Portland Savings Bank , which started in Portland , Maine , in 1852 , and later became Banknorth . The bank took its current name , TD Bank , N.A. , in 2008 , through the acquisition and renaming of Commerce Bank and its subsequent merger with TD Banknorth . In 2013 , TD Bank , N.A. centralized its headquarters in Cherry Hill , New Jersey , U.S. The company is a subsidiary of the Canadian multinational Toronto-Dominion Bank based in Toronto , Ontario . The bank 's `` TD '' initials , first popularized in Canada , are used officially for all American operations . The bank embraces a retail approach to banking ; its branches are called `` stores '' and have extended operation hours ." ]

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[ "The Ten Commandments (1956 film). The Ten Commandments is a 1956 American biblical epic film produced , directed , and narrated by Cecil B. DeMille , shot in VistaVision ( color by Technicolor ) , and released by Paramount Pictures . The film is based on Prince of Egypt by Dorothy Clarke Wilson , Pillar of Fire by J.H. Ingraham , On Eagle 's Wings by A.E. Southon , and the Book of Exodus . The Ten Commandments dramatizes the biblical story of the life of Moses , an adopted Egyptian prince who becomes the deliverer of his real brethren , the enslaved Hebrews , and therefore leads the Exodus to Mount Sinai , where he receives , from God , the Ten Commandments . The film stars Charlton Heston in the lead role , Yul Brynner as Rameses , Anne Baxter as Nefretiri , Edward G. Robinson as Dathan , Yvonne De Carlo as Sephora , Debra Paget as Lilia , and John Derek as Joshua ; and features Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Sethi , Nina Foch as Bithiah , Martha Scott as Yoshebel , Judith Anderson as Memnet , and Vincent Price as Baka , among others . Filmed on location in Egypt , Mount Sinai and the Sinai Peninsula , the film was DeMille 's last and most successful work . It is a partial remake of his 1923 silent film of the same title , and features one of the largest sets ever created for a film . The film was released to cinemas in the USA on 5 October 1956 and , at the time of its release , was the most expensive film ever made . In 1957 , the film was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture , winning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects ( John P. Fulton , A.S.C. ) . Charlton Heston was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture ( Drama ) for his role as Moses . Yul Brynner won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor for his role as Rameses and his other roles in Anastasia and The King and I . It is also one of the most financially successful films ever made , grossing approximately $ 122.7 million at the box office during its initial release ; it was the most successful film of 1956 and the second-highest-grossing film of the decade . According to Guinness World Records , in terms of theatrical exhibition it is the seventh most successful film of all-time when the box office gross is adjusted for inflation . In 1999 , the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' . In June 2008 , the American Film Institute revealed its `` Ten Top Ten '' -- the best ten films in ten American film genres -- after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community . The film was listed as the tenth best film in the epic genre . Network television has aired the film in prime time during the Passover/Easter season every year since 1973 . The last credited actor in the movie still alive is Joanna Merlin .", "The Ten Commandments: The Movie. The Ten Commandments is a Brazilian movie of 2016 released by Rede Record in association with Paris Filmes . The film is an adaptation of the eponymous television series presented by Rede Record in 2015 , with new footage and different developments of which were shown in its last chapter on television . The adaptation was written by Vivian de Oliveira and directed by Alexandre Avancini , with the same cast as the soap opera . The film was widely released by Universal Church of the Kingdom of God ( UCKG ) , but a news report in São Paulo showed empty screening rooms at the premiere of the film , despite the tickets sold at the box office . It was reported that in Recife a single buyer associated with the UCKG bought all the tickets for all showings of the film in its first two weeks , more than 20,700 tickets . UCKG officially denied the negative reports about the film . During pre-order the film broke several records . In two weeks more than 2 million tickets were sold , and it was also shown at more screens in Brazil , over 1,000 , than any previous film . However , it was poorly received by critics . The UCKG was criticised for heavily promoting the film at their services , and asking those attending for money to buy tickets for those who could not afford them ; pastors at church services distributed envelopes with the Ten Commandments logo , and asked for them to be filled with money and returned to help the `` cause '' , interspersed with stressing the importance of tithing 10 % of salary , plus extra donations , every month .", "The Ten Commandments (1923 film). The Ten Commandments is a 1923 American silent religious , epic film and produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille . Written by Jeanie MacPherson , the film is divided into two parts : a prologue recreating the biblical story of the Exodus and a modern story concerning two brothers and their respective views of the Ten Commandments . Lauded for its `` immense and stupendous '' scenes , use of Technicolor process 2 , and parting of the Red Sea sequence , the expensive film proved to be a box-office hit upon release . It is the first in DeMille 's biblical trilogy , followed by The King of Kings ( 1927 ) and The Sign of the Cross ( 1932 ) .", "The Ten Commandments (miniseries). The Ten Commandments is a 2006 miniseries that dramatizes the biblical story of Moses . It ran on the ABC TV network . The series was filmed in Egypt , Mount Sinai , and the Sinai Peninsula .", "Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments , also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical laws relating to ethics and worship , which play a fundamental role in Judaism , Christianity , and Islam . The commandments include instructions to worship only God , to honour one 's parents , and to keep the sabbath , as well as prohibitions against idolatry , blasphemy , murder , adultery , theft , dishonesty , and coveting . Different religious groups follow different traditions for interpreting and numbering them . The Ten Commandments appear twice in the Hebrew Bible , in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy . Modern scholarship has found likely influences in Hittite and Mesopotamian laws and treaties , but is divided over exactly when the Ten Commandments were written and who wrote them .", "Commandments (film). Commandments is a 1997 romantic comedy-drama which was written and directed by Daniel Taplitz and stars Aidan Quinn , Courteney Cox and Anthony LaPaglia . The executive producer was Ivan Reitman .", "The Ten Commandments (2007 film). The Ten Commandments is a 2007 American computer animated film directed by John Stronach and Bill Boyce . The film was released to theaters on October 19 , 2007 and on DVD on February 5 , 2008 .", "The Great Commandment. The Great Commandment is a 1939 American Christian film directed by Irving Pichel , which portrays the conversion to Christianity of a young Zealot , Joel , and the Roman soldier Longinus through the teachings of Jesus in his Parable of the Good Samaritan . It was co-produced by Rev. James K. Friedrich and released by Cathedral Films in 1939 . Its theatrical release was in 1941 by Twentieth Century Fox .", "Ten Commandments (disambiguation). The Ten Commandments are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship , which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity . Ten Commandments may also refer to :", "Cecil B. DeMille. Cecil Blount DeMille ( -LSB- 's ɛsəl_dəˈmɪl -RSB- August 12 , 1881 -- January 21 , 1959 ) was an American filmmaker . Between 1913 and 1956 , he made a total of 70 features , both silent and sound films . He is acknowledged as a founding father of the cinema of the United States and the most commercially successful producer-director in film history . His films were distinguished by their epic scale and by his cinematic showmanship . He made silent films of every genre : social dramas , comedies , Westerns , farces , morality plays , and historical pageants . DeMille began his career as a stage actor in 1900 . He later moved to writing and directing stage productions , some with Jesse Lasky , who was then a vaudeville producer . DeMille 's first film , The Squaw Man ( 1914 ) , was also the first feature film shot in Hollywood . Its interracial love story made it a phenomenal hit and it `` put Hollywood on the map . '' The continued success of his productions led to the founding of Paramount Pictures with Lasky and Adolph Zukor . His first biblical epic , The Ten Commandments ( 1923 ) , was both a critical and financial success ; it held the Paramount revenue record for twenty-five years . In 1927 he directed The King of Kings , a biography of Jesus of Nazareth , which was acclaimed for its sensitivity and reached more than 800 million viewers . The Sign of the Cross ( 1932 ) was the first sound film to integrate all aspects of cinematic technique . Cleopatra ( 1934 ) was his first film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture . After more than thirty years in film production , DeMille reached the pinnacle of his career with Samson and Delilah ( 1949 ) , a biblical epic which did `` an all-time record business . '' Along with biblical and historical narratives , he also directed films oriented toward `` neo-naturalism , '' which tried to portray the laws of man fighting the forces of nature . He went on to receive his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director for his circus drama The Greatest Show on Earth ( 1952 ) , which won the Academy Award for Best Picture . His last and most famous film , The Ten Commandments ( 1956 ) , is currently the sixth-highest-grossing film of all time , adjusted for inflation . In addition to his Best Picture Award , he received an Academy Honorary Award for his film contributions , the Palme d'Or ( posthumously ) for Union Pacific , a DGA Award for Lifetime Achievement , and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award . He was also the first recipient of the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award , which was later named in his honor .", "The Ten Commandments (1945 film). The Ten Commandments ( Italian : I dieci comandamenti ) is a 1945 Italian drama film directed by Giorgio Walter Chili . It features an ensemble of Italian actors in episodes based on the Ten Commandments . It was made during the German occupation of Rome , which brought a halt to all ongoing work at Italian film studios . Only two films made with Vatican support went into production at the time , providing employment for actors and technicians . The other film was Vittorio De Sica 's The Gates of Heaven . Their work on the films enabled them to refuse demands that they relocate north to work in the Venice-based film industry of the puppet Italian Social Republic . The lengthy production process meant that it was n't released until long after Rome had been liberated by Allied forces .", "Promenade Pictures. Promenade Pictures is a motion picture production company founded in 2003 by Frank Yablans , the former head of Paramount Pictures and of MGM/UA . The stated goal of the company is the creation of family-friendly films . In 2007 , the company released its first film , an animated version of The Ten Commandments . It is the first in their `` Epic Stories of the Bible '' series . The followup , which was scheduled for release in 2009 , Noah 's Ark : The New Beginning , has yet to be released and its status is unknown as of 2013 . Another film , Gideon 's Gift , based on the novel by Karen Kingsbury , was scheduled for release in 2008 . The Note , a made-for-television film , was broadcast on the Faith and Values Network in December 2007 . http://www.newsletterarchive.org/2007/10/20/244214-Faith-Friendly+Film+News:+%22A+New+Moses+Comes+to+Theaters+This+Week%22 Promenade partners with New Zealand-based Huhu Studios and Singapore-based iVL Animation . Promenade Pictures is also teamed with the Salem Radio Network to produce a weekly radio program based on Promenade 's CD Creator Kids . Yablans serves as Chief Executive Officer . The COO is Cindy Bond , former President of Wild Horse Entertainment .", "Christopher Nolan. Christopher Edward Nolan ( -LSB- ˈnoʊlən -RSB- born 30 July 1970 ) is an English-American film director , screenwriter and producer . He is one of the highest-grossing directors in history , and among the most successful and acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century . Having made his directorial debut with Following ( 1998 ) , Nolan gained considerable attention for his second feature , Memento ( 2000 ) , for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay . The acclaim garnered by his independent films gave Nolan the opportunity to make the big-budget thriller Insomnia ( 2002 ) and the mystery drama The Prestige ( 2006 ) . He found further popular and critical success with The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) ; Inception ( 2010 ) , for which he received a second Original Screenplay nomination and one for the Academy Award for Best Picture ; and Interstellar ( 2014 ) . His nine films have grossed over US$ 4.2 billion worldwide and garnered a total of 26 Oscar nominations and seven wins . Nolan has co-written several of his films with his younger brother , Jonathan , and runs the production company Syncopy Inc. with his wife , Emma Thomas . Nolan 's films are rooted in philosophical , sociological and ethical concepts , exploring human morality , the construction of time , and the malleable nature of memory and personal identity . His body of work is permeated by materialistic perspectives , labyrinthine plots , nonlinear storytelling , practical special effects , and analogous relationships between visual language and narrative elements .", "Commandment. Commandment may refer to : The Ten Commandments One of the 613 mitzvot of Judaism The Great Commandment The New Commandment Commandment ( album ) , a 2007 album by Six Feet Under Commandments ( film ) , a 1997 film starring Aidan Quinn", "Ten Commandments in Catholic theology. The Ten Commandments are a series of religious and moral imperatives that are recognized as a moral foundation in several of the Abrahamic religions , including Catholicism . As described in the Old Testament books Exodus and Deuteronomy , the Commandments form part of a covenant offered by God to the Israelites to free them from the spiritual slavery of sin . According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church -- the official exposition of the Catholic Church 's Christian beliefs -- the Commandments are considered essential for spiritual good health and growth , and serve as the basis for Catholic social justice . A review of the Commandments is one of the most common types of examination of conscience used by Catholics before receiving the sacrament of Penance . The Commandments appear in the earliest Church writings ; the Catechism states that they have `` occupied a predominant place '' in teaching the faith since the time of Augustine of Hippo ( AD 354 -- 430 ) . The Church had no official standards for religious instruction until the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 ; evidence suggests the Commandments were used in Christian education in the early Church and throughout the Middle Ages , but with inconsistent emphasis . The lack of instruction in them by some dioceses formed the basis of one of the criticisms launched against the Church by Protestant reformers . Afterward , the first Church-wide catechism in 1566 provided `` thorough discussions of each commandment '' , but gave greater emphasis to the seven sacraments . The most recent Catechism devotes a large section to interpret each of the commandments . Church teaching of the Commandments is largely based on the Old and New Testaments and the writings of the early Church Fathers . In the New Testament , Jesus acknowledged their validity and instructed his disciples to go further , demanding a righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees . Summarized by Jesus into two `` Great Commandments '' that teach love of God and love of neighbor , they instruct individuals on their relationships with both . The first three commandments demand respect for God 's name , observation of the Lord 's Day and prohibit the worship of other gods . The others deal with the relationships between individuals , such as that between parent and child ; they include prohibitions against lying , stealing , murdering , adultery and covetousness .", "Inception. Inception is a 2010 science fiction film written , co-produced , and directed by Christopher Nolan , and co-produced by Emma Thomas . The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a professional thief who steals information by infiltrating the subconscious , and is offered a chance to have his criminal history erased as payment for a seemingly impossible task : `` inception '' , the implantation of another person 's idea into a target 's subconscious . The ensemble cast additionally includes Ken Watanabe , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Marion Cotillard , Ellen Page , Tom Hardy , Dileep Rao , Cillian Murphy , Tom Berenger , and Michael Caine . After the 2002 completion of Insomnia , Nolan presented to Warner Bros. a written 80-page treatment about a horror film envisioning `` dream stealers '' based on lucid dreaming . Deciding he needed more experience before tackling a production of this magnitude and complexity , Nolan retired the project and instead worked on 2005 's Batman Begins , 2006 's The Prestige , and The Dark Knight in 2008 . The treatment was revised over 6 months and was purchased by Warner in February 2009 . Inception was filmed in six countries , beginning in Tokyo on June 19 and ending in Canada on November 22 . Its official budget was US$ 160 million , split between Warner Bros and Legendary . Nolan 's reputation and success with The Dark Knight helped secure the film 's $ 100 million in advertising expenditure . Inceptions première was held in London on July 8 , 2010 ; its wide release to both conventional and IMAX theaters began on July 16 , 2010 . A box office success , Inception grossed over $ 800 million worldwide . The home video market also had strong results , with $ 68 million in DVD and Blu-ray sales . Inception opened to acclaim from critics , who praised its story , score , and ensemble cast . It won four Academy Awards for Best Cinematography , Best Sound Editing , Best Sound Mixing , and Best Visual Effects , and was nominated for four more : Best Picture , Best Original Screenplay , Best Art Direction , and Best Original Score .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Les 11 commandements. Les 11 commandements ( or The 11 Commandments in English speaking countries ) is a French comedy film , made in 2004 , featuring Michaël Youn . It is comparable to the American film Jackass . It was theatrically released in France in February 2004 and led the French box office in its first week of release .", "Charlton Heston. Charlton Heston ( born John Charles Carter or Charlton John Carter ; October 4 , 1923 -- April 5 , 2008 ) was an American actor and political activist . As a Hollywood star , he appeared in 100 films over the course of 60 years . He played Moses in the epic film , The Ten Commandments ( 1956 ) , for which he received his first Golden Globe Award nomination . He also starred in Touch of Evil ( 1958 ) with Orson Welles , Ben-Hur ( 1959 ) , for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor , El Cid ( 1961 ) , and Planet of the Apes ( 1968 ) . He also starred in the films The Greatest Show on Earth ( 1952 ) , Secret of the Incas ( 1954 ) , and The Big Country ( 1958 ) . A supporter of Democratic politicians and civil rights in the 1960s , Heston later became a Republican , founding a conservative political action committee and supporting Ronald Reagan . Heston 's most famous role in politics came as the five-term president of the National Rifle Association , from 1998 to 2003 . After being diagnosed with Alzheimer 's disease in 2003 , he retired from both acting and the NRA presidency . Heston died on April 5 , 2008 , aged 84 , from pneumonia .", "Exodus: Gods and Kings. Exodus : Gods and Kings is a 2014 epic biblical drama film directed by Ridley Scott . An international co-production between the United States , the United Kingdom , and Spain , it was produced by Peter Chernin , Ridley Scott , Jenno Topping , Michael Schaefer and Mark Huffam with music by Alberto Iglesias and written by Adam Cooper , Bill Collage , Jeffrey Caine and Steven Zaillian . The film stars Christian Bale , Joel Edgerton , John Turturro , Aaron Paul , Ben Mendelsohn , María Valverde , Sigourney Weaver , Ghassan Massoud , Golshifteh Farahani and Ben Kingsley . It is inspired by the biblical episode of the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt as led by Moses and related in the Book of Exodus . The film was released theatrically on December 12 , 2014 by 20th Century Fox . Exodus : Gods and Kings received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and earned $ 268 million on a $ 140 million budget . The film was dedicated to Ridley 's director brother Tony Scott who committed suicide in August 2012 .", "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. `` Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image '' is an abbreviated form of one of the Ten Commandments which , according to the Book of Deuteronomy , were spoken by God to the Israelites and then written on stone tablets by the Finger of God . Although no single biblical passage contains a complete definition of idolatry , the subject is addressed in numerous passages , so that idolatry may be summarized as the worship of idols ( or images ) ; the worship of polytheistic gods by use of idols ( or images ) ; the worship of created things ( trees , rocks , animals , astronomical bodies , or another human being ) ; and the use of idols in the worship of God ( YHWH Elohim , the God of Israel ) . In the New Testament covetousness ( greed ) is defined as idolatry . When the commandment was given , opportunities to participate in the honor or worship of idols abounded , and the religions of Canaanite tribes neighboring the Israelites often centered on a carefully constructed and maintained cult idol . However , according to the book of Deuteronomy the Israelites were strictly warned to neither adopt nor adapt any of the religious practices of the peoples around them . Nevertheless , the story of the people of Israel until the Babylonian Captivity includes the violation of this commandment as well as the one before it , `` Thou shalt have no other gods before me '' . Much of biblical preaching from the time of Moses to the exile is predicated on the either -- or choice between exclusive worship of God and idols . The Babylonian exile seems to have been a turning point after which the Jewish people as a whole were strongly monotheistic and willing to fight battles ( such as the Maccabean Revolt ) and face martyrdom before paying homage to any other god . According to the psalmist and the prophet Isaiah , those who worship inanimate idols will be like them , that is , unseeing , unfeeling , unable to hear the truth that God would communicate to them . Paul the Apostle identifies the worship of created things ( rather than the Creator ) as the cause of the disintegration of sexual and social morality in his letter to the Romans . Although the commandment implies that the worship of God is not compatible with the worship of idols , the status of an individual as an idol worshiper or a God worshiper is not portrayed as predetermined and unchangeable in the Bible . When the covenant is renewed under Joshua , the Israelites are encouraged to throw away their foreign gods and `` choose this day whom you will serve '' . King Josiah , when he becomes aware of the terms of God 's covenant , zealously works to rid his kingdom of idols . According to the book of Acts , Paul tells the Athenians that though their city is full of idols , the true God is represented by none of them and requires them to turn away from idols .", "Watchmen (film). Watchmen is a 2009 American superhero film directed by Zack Snyder , based on the 1986 -- 87 DC Comics limited series of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons . It stars an ensemble cast of Malin Åkerman , Billy Crudup , Matthew Goode , Carla Gugino , Jackie Earle Haley , Jeffrey Dean Morgan , and Patrick Wilson . A dark satirical and dystopian take on the superhero genre , the film is set in an alternate history in the year 1985 at the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union , as a group of mostly retired American superheroes investigates the murder of one of their own before uncovering an elaborate and deadly conspiracy , while their moral limitations are challenged by the complex nature of the circumstances . From October 1987 until October 2005 , a live-action film adaptation of the Watchmen series became stranded in development hell ; producer Lawrence Gordon began developing the project at 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. , the parent company of Watchmen publisher DC Comics , with producer Joel Silver and director Terry Gilliam , with the latter eventually deeming the complex comic `` un-filmable '' . During the 2000s , Gordon and Lloyd Levin collaborated with Universal Studios and Paramount Pictures to produce a script by David Hayter ; Darren Aronofsky and Paul Greengrass were also attached to the project before it was cancelled over budget disputes ; and in October 2005 , the project returned to Warner Bros. , where Snyder was hired to direct ; Paramount remained as its international distributor whereas Warner Bros. would distribute the film in the United States . However , Fox sued Warner Bros. for copyright violation arising from Gordon 's failure to pay a buy-out in 1991 , which enabled him to develop the film at the other studios . Fox and Warner Bros. settled this before the film 's release , with Fox receiving a portion of the gross . Principal photography began in Vancouver , September 2007 . As with his previous film 300 , Snyder closely modelled his storyboards on the comic , but chose not to shoot all of Watchmen using green screens and opted for real sets instead . Following its world premiere at Odeon Leicester Square on February 23 , 2009 , the film was released in both conventional and IMAX theaters on March 6 , 2009 , and grossed $ 55 million on its opening weekend and over $ 185 million at the worldwide box office . The film 's reception has been very polarized , with many critics voicing strong negative views and vice versa . A DVD based on elements of the Watchmen universe was released , including an animated adaptation of the comic Tales of the Black Freighter within the story starring Gerard Butler , and the fictional biography Under the Hood , detailing the older generation of superheroes from the film 's back-story . A director 's cut with 24 minutes of additional footage was released in July 2009 . The `` Ultimate Cut '' edition incorporated the animated comic Tales of the Black Freighter into the narrative as it was in the original graphic novel , lengthening the runtime to 3 hours and 35 minutes , and was released on November 3 , 2009 .", "Exodus (1960 film). Exodus is a 1960 epic film on the founding of the modern State of Israel . It was made by Alpha and Carlyle Productions and distributed by United Artists . Produced and directed by Otto Preminger , the film was based on the 1958 novel Exodus by Leon Uris . The screenplay was written by Dalton Trumbo . The film features an ensemble cast , and its celebrated soundtrack music was written by Ernest Gold . Widely characterized as a `` Zionist epic '' , the film has been identified by many commentators as having been enormously influential in stimulating Zionism and support for Israel in the United States . While the Preminger film softened the anti-British and anti-Arab sentiment of the novel , the film remains controversial for its depiction of the Arab -- Israeli conflict . It would also become famous for Preminger openly hiring screenwriter Dalton Trumbo , who had been blacklisted for over a decade for being a communist and forced to work under assumed names . Together with Spartacus , also written by Trumbo , Exodus is credited with ending the Hollywood blacklist .", "The New Ten Commandments. The New Ten Commandments is a feature-length documentary film which premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2008 . The film was produced by Nick Higgins from Lansdowne Productions and Noémie Mendelle from the Scottish Documentary Institute and has 10 film-chapter directors for each of the 10 chapters of the film - Kenny Glenaan , Douglas Gordon , Nick Higgins , Irvine Welsh , Mark Cousins , Sana Bilgrami , Alice Nelson , Tilda Swinton , Doug Aubrey , David Graham Scott and Anna Jones . The film 's unifying theme is human rights in Scotland with each chapter illustrating one of the `` New Ten Commandments '' - 10 articles chosen from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights .", "K10C: Kids' Ten Commandments. Kids ' Ten Commandments ( often abbreviated as K * 10 * C ) was a direct-to-video , five-part series designed to teach the principles of the Ten Commandments to children . The series shows the life of a fictitious 11-year-old boy named Seth . He and his friends , including a group of animals , each with their own personality and perspective , interact with Biblical characters such as Moses . Each episode includes two songs , explains two commandments , and combines both 2-D animated characters and 3-D animated backgrounds . Along with the series on DVD and VHS , supplementary learning material was included for educational use at schools and churches , which included lesson plans , board games , puzzles , and music videos to help educators create character education curriculum utilizing the video programs . The series was directed by Richard Rich and written and produced by Emmy Award winning George Taweel and Rob Loos , who also produced the Award winning series McGee and Me ! . The series features the voice talents of award-winning stars including Tom Bosley , John Schneider , George Newbern , Lou Diamond Phillips , Rene Auberjonois , Peter Strauss and Tim Curry . K10C aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network . Each of the episodes and the series has won multiple awards including Parents ' Choice Award , Awards of Excellence from the Film Advisory Board , and fifteen Telly Awards .", "Ten Modern Commandments. Ten Modern Commandments was a 1927 American silent romantic comedy-drama film that starred Esther Ralston and was distributed through Paramount Pictures . It is based on an original screen story and was directed by Dorothy Arzner . The film is now considered lost film .", "The Devil and the Ten Commandments. Le Diable et les Dix Commandements ( The Devil and the Ten Commandments ) , is a French comedy-drama film from 1963 , directed by Julien Duvivier , written by David Alexander and Michel Audiard , starring Michel Simon and Louis de Funès ( uncredited ) . The cast list includes several famous French actors : Simon , de Funès , Fernandel , Danielle Darrieux , Lino Ventura , Jean-Claude Brialy , Charles Aznavour and a very young Alain Delon . According to Bosley Crowther only one from seven episodes tickled him , in which play Louis de Funes and Jean-Claude Brialy . The film offers a perspective on sin and salvation . A snake proclaims -- voice of Claude Rich -- that it is our old friend , the Devil .", "Screen Actors Guild Award. The Screen Actors Guild Award ( also known as the SAG Award ) is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists ( SAG-AFTRA ) to recognize outstanding performances in film and primetime television . The statuette given , a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy , is called `` The Actor '' . It is 16 in tall , weighs over 12 lb , is cast in solid bronze , and produced by the American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank , California . SAG Awards have been one of the major awards events in Hollywood since 1995 . Nominations for the awards come from two committees , one for film and one for television , each numbering 2100 members of the union , randomly selected anew each year , with the full membership ( 165,000 as of 2012 ) available to vote for the winners . It is considered an indicator of success at the Academy Awards . The awards have been telecast since 1998 on TNT , and since 2007 have been simulcast on TBS . The inaugural SAG Awards aired live on February 25 , 1995 from Universal Studios ' Stage 12 . The second SAG awards aired live from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium , while subsequent awards have been held at the Shrine Exposition Center .", "The Bible (miniseries). The Bible is a television miniseries based on the Bible . It was produced by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett and was broadcast weekly between March 3 and March 31 , 2013 on History channel . It has since been adapted for release to theaters as a feature film ( 138 minutes ) , the 2014 American epic biblical drama Son of God . Burnett , best known for producing prime-time hit reality shows , considers the scripted 10-hour series to be the `` most important '' project he has undertaken . The project was conceived by Burnett and Downey , who are married , after watching Cecil B. DeMille 's 1956 film The Ten Commandments for the first time since childhood . The series is Mark Burnett 's first scripted project . In addition to Burnett and Downey , executive producers include Richard Bedser and History 's Dirk Hoogstra and Julian P. Hobbs . The first episode of the mini-series was seen by 13.1 million viewers , the largest cable television audience of 2013 to date . The second installment continued `` to deliver blockbuster ratings '' for the network , attracting 10.8 million viewers . The third installment on March 17 , 2013 was once again the No. 1 show on all of Sunday night television with 10.9 million total viewers . In addition , the series garnered 4.2 million adults 25 -- 54 and 3.5 million adults 18 -- 49 . In total , with subsequent airings , ` The Bible ' has received more than 100 million cumulative views . The series received three Emmy Award nominations for best miniseries , and sound editing and sound mixing on July 18 , 2013 . Parts of the telecast -- including unaired footage -- have been turned into a feature film about the life of Jesus entitled Son of God . A sequel series with the title A.D. . The Bible Continues aired on NBC .", "The Ten Commandments of Dog Ownership. The Ten Commandments of Dog Ownership , also known as The Ten Commandments From a Pet 's Point of View , or simply Ten Commandments For Dog Owners is a set of pet ownership rules . It was created in 1993 by Stan Rawlinson , and is written from the point of view of a dog . This set of rules was used as the basis of the 2008 Japanese film 10 Promises to My Dog . The commandments convey the dog 's perspective to elicit empathy from humans in their role as owner . They are written from the dog 's viewpoint and they allude to principles assumed important to dogs . Commandments convey ideas of trust , tolerance , anger , hurt , pain , and forgiveness amongst others .", "The Prince of Egypt. The Prince of Egypt is a 1998 American animated epic musical drama film and the first traditional animated film produced and released by DreamWorks . The film is an adaptation of the Book of Exodus and follows the life of Moses from being a prince of Egypt to his ultimate destiny to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt . Directed by Brenda Chapman , Steve Hickner , and Simon Wells , the film features songs written by Stephen Schwartz and a score composed by Hans Zimmer . The voice cast consists of Val Kilmer in a dual role , Ralph Fiennes , Michelle Pfeiffer , Sandra Bullock , Jeff Goldblum , Danny Glover , Patrick Stewart , Helen Mirren , Steve Martin , and Martin Short . Jeffrey Katzenberg had frequently suggested an animated adaptation of the 1956 film The Ten Commandments while working for The Walt Disney Company , and he decided to put the idea into production after founding DreamWorks in 1995 . To make this inaugural project , DreamWorks employed artists who had worked for Walt Disney Feature Animation and the recently disbanded Amblimation , totaling a crew of 350 people from 34 different nations . The film has a blend of traditional animation and computer-generated imagery , created using software from Toon Boom Animation and Silicon Graphics . Theatrically released on December 18 , 1998 , and on home video on September 14 , 1999 , reviews were generally positive , with critics praising the animation , music , and voice work . The film went on to gross over $ 218 million worldwide in theaters , which made it the most successful non-Disney animated feature at the time . The film 's success led to the direct-to-video prequel Joseph : King of Dreams ( 2000 ) and the development of a stage adaptation . The song `` When You Believe '' became a commercially successful single in a pop version performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey , and went on to win Best Original Song at the 1999 Academy Awards .", "Martin Scorsese. Martin Charles Scorsese ( -LSB- skɔːrˈsɛsi -RSB- -LSB- skorˈseːze -RSB- ; born November 17 , 1942 ) is an American director , producer , screenwriter , and film historian , whose career spans more than 50 years . Scorsese 's body of work addresses such themes as Sicilian-American identity , Roman Catholic concepts of guilt and redemption , faith , machismo , modern crime , and gang conflict . Many of his films are also known for their depiction of violence and liberal use of profanity . Part of the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking , he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and influential filmmakers in cinematic history . In 1990 , he founded The Film Foundation , a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation , and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation . He is a recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to the cinema , and has won an Academy Award , a Palme d'Or , Cannes Film Festival Best Director Award , Silver Lion , Grammy Award , Emmys , Golden Globes , BAFTAs , and DGA Awards . He has directed works such as the crime film Mean Streets ( 1973 ) , the vigilante-thriller Taxi Driver ( 1976 ) , the biographical sports drama Raging Bull ( 1980 ) , the black comedy The King of Comedy ( 1983 ) , the religious epic drama The Last Temptation of Christ ( 1988 ) , the crime film Goodfellas ( 1990 ) , the psychological thriller Cape Fear ( 1991 ) and the crime film Casino ( 1995 ) , some of which he collaborated on with actor and close friend Robert De Niro . Scorsese has also been noted for his successful collaborations with actor Leonardo DiCaprio , having directed him in five films , beginning with Gangs of New York ( 2002 ) and most recently The Wolf of Wall Street ( 2013 ) . Their third film together , The Departed , won Scorsese the Academy Award for Best Director in addition to the film winning the award for Best Picture . Their collaborations have resulted in numerous Academy Award nominations for both as well as them winning several other prestigious awards . Scorsese 's other film work includes the concert film The Last Waltz ( 1978 ) , the black comedy After Hours ( 1985 ) , the biographical drama The Aviator ( 2004 ) , the psychological thriller Shutter Island ( 2010 ) , the historical adventure drama Hugo ( 2011 ) and the religious epic Silence ( 2016 ) . His work in television includes the pilot episode of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire and Vinyl , the latter of which he also co-created . He won the Academy Award for Best Director for the crime drama The Departed ( 2006 ) . With eight Best Director nominations , he is the most nominated living director and is tied with Billy Wilder for the second most nominations overall ." ]

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[ "Tetris. Tetris ( , pronounced -LSB- ˈtɛtrʲɪs -RSB- ) is a tile-matching puzzle video game , originally designed and programmed by Russian game designer Alexey Pajitnov . It was released on June 6 , 1984 , while he was working for the Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow . He derived its name from the Greek numerical prefix tetra - ( all of the game 's pieces contain four segments ) and tennis , Pajitnov 's favorite sport . Tetris was the first entertainment software to be exported from the USSR to the US , where it was published by Spectrum HoloByte for Commodore 64 and IBM PC . The Tetris game is a popular use of tetrominoes , the four-element special case of polyominoes . Polyominoes have been used in popular puzzles since at least 1907 , and the name was given by the mathematician Solomon W. Golomb in 1953 . However , even the enumeration of pentominoes is dated to antiquity . The game ( or one of its many variants ) is available for nearly every video game console and computer operating system , as well as on devices such as graphing calculators , mobile phones , portable media players , PDAs , Network music players and even as an Easter egg on non-media products like oscilloscopes . It has even inspired Tetris serving dishes and been played on the sides of various buildings . While versions of Tetris were sold for a range of 1980s home computer platforms as well as arcades , it was the hugely successful handheld version for the Game Boy launched in 1989 that established the game as one of the most popular ever . Electronic Gaming Monthly '' 's 100th issue had Tetris in first place as `` Greatest Game of All Time '' . In 2007 , Tetris came in second place in IGN 's `` 100 Greatest Video Games of All Time '' . In January 2010 , it was announced that the Tetris franchise had sold more than 170 million copies , approximately 70 million physical copies and over 100 million copies for cell phones , making it the best selling paid-downloaded game of all time . On 14 March 2014 , The Tetris Company announced a deal to bring Tetris '' to two of the latest hardware platforms , the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 , in partnership with Ubisoft ( publishing ) and SoMa Play ( development ) , to coincide with the franchise 's 30th anniversary .", "Tetris (Electronic Arts). Tetris is a puzzle video game developed by EA Mobile and published by Electronic Arts for the iOS , Android , BlackBerry OS , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation Portable and Windows Phone . It was first released on September 12 , 2006 . The game featured gameplay like other Tetris titles , but with a new soundtrack . The game had reached 100 million paid downloads by 2010 , at a price of $ 0.99 per download . As of 2014 , it reached 425 million paid downloads , making it the best-selling paid mobile game of all time .", "Tetris (Atari). Tetris ( styled TETЯIS ) is a puzzle game developed by Atari Games and originally released for arcades in 1988 . Based on Alexey Pajitnov 's Tetris , Atari 's version features the same gameplay as the computer editions of the game , as players must stack differently shaped falling blocks to form and eliminate horizontal lines from the playing field . The game features several difficulty levels and two-player simultaneous play . Atari later ported the game to the Nintendo Entertainment System ( NES ) and released an unlicensed NES version in 1989 under its Tengen brand . However , there were issues with the title 's publishing rights . After much legal wrangling , Nintendo itself ended up with the rights to publish console versions of Tetris , leaving Atari with only the rights to arcade versions . As a result , the Tengen game was only on the shelf for four weeks before Atari was legally required to recall the game and destroy any remaining inventory of its NES version . Nintendo produced its own version for the Game Boy as well as the NES . Both versions were commercially successful and Nintendo held the Tetris license for many years . With less than 100,000 copies known to exist , the Tengen release has since become a collector 's item , due to its short time on the market . Various publications have since noted that Tengen 's Tetris was in some ways superior to the official NES release , especially since the Tengen game featured a two-player simultaneous mode not available in Nintendo 's game .", "Tetris effect. The Tetris effect ( also known as Tetris Syndrome ) occurs when people devote so much time and attention to an activity that it begins to pattern their thoughts , mental images , and dreams . It takes its name from the video game Tetris . People who played Tetris for a prolonged amount of time could find themselves thinking about ways different shapes in the real world can fit together , such as the boxes on a supermarket shelf , the buildings on a street , or hallucinating pieces being generated and falling into place on an invisible layout . In this sense , the Tetris effect is a form of habit . They might also dream about falling tetrominos when drifting off to sleep or see images of falling tetrominos at the edges of their visual fields or when they close their eyes . In this sense , the Tetris effect is a form of hypnagogic imagery .", "Tetris (disambiguation). Tetris is the Soviet tile-matching puzzle video game released in June 1984 . Tetris may also refer to other variations of the 1984 game : Tetris ( Atari ) , 1988 version developed by Atari Games , released for arcade and the NES Tetris ( Game Boy ) , 1989 version released for the Game Boy Tetris ( Electronic Arts ) , 2006 version released by Electronic Arts for multiple platforms Tetris ( Nintendo 3DS ) , 2011 version also known as Tetris : Axis , released for the Nintendo 3DS", "Tetris DS. is a Touch ! Generations puzzle game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS . THQ announced Tetris DS before E3 2005 , and scheduled it to make an appearance at the show . However , the company decided to cancel the game , and Nintendo released their own make of Tetris DS in March 2006 . Part of the Tetris game series , the game supports up to ten players locally ( with just one Nintendo DS game cartridge ) and supported two or four player battle modes online with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service ( this service has since been discontinued for all Nintendo DS games as of May 2014 ) . Tetris DS features several new modes of play , each with a different Nintendo theme . Themes include Super Mario Bros. , The Legend of Zelda , Metroid , Balloon Fight , Donkey Kong , and Yoshi 's Cookie . Multiplayer gameplay also incorporates items to be used competitively .", "Tetris Ultimate. Tetris Ultimate is a puzzle video game developed by SoMa Play and published by Ubisoft . Ubisoft partnered with The Tetris Company to develop the game to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Tetris franchise .", "Tetris Online, Inc.. Tetris Online , Inc. is a video game developer and publisher based in Honolulu , Hawaii . The company is the exclusive online licensee of Tetris in North America and Europe . Founded in January 2006 by Nintendo of America founder and former president Minoru Arakawa , video game designer and publisher Henk Rogers and Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov , Tetris Online , Inc. is the developer of social games Tetris Battle and Tetris Friends . In March 2013 , it was revealed in a Newspaper article that Tetris Online had laid off 40 % of its staff .", "The Tetris Company. The Tetris Company , LLC ( TTC ) is based in Hawaii and is owned by Henk Rogers and Alexey Pajitnov . The company is the exclusive licensee of Tetris Holding LLC , the company that owns Tetris rights worldwide and the Tetris Company licenses the Tetris brand to third parties .", "Tetris (Game Boy). is a puzzle video game for the Game Boy released in 1989 . It is a portable version of Alexey Pajitnov 's original Tetris and it was bundled in the North American and European releases of the Game Boy itself . It was the first game compatible with the Game Link Cable , a pack-in accessory that allowed two Game Boys to link together for multiplayer purposes . A colorized remake of the game was released on the Game Boy Color entitled . A Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console version of Tetris was released in December 2011 and lacks the multiplayer functionality . It was delisted from the Nintendo eShop after December 31 , 2014 .", "3D Tetris. 3D Tetris is a puzzle video game developed by Technology and Entertainment Software and published by Nintendo . It was initially released for the Virtual Boy on March 22 , 1996 in North America only . The game allows players to control multiple falling blocks , rotating and positioning them to clear layers in a `` Well '' . The game is similar to other Tetris games , but uses a three-dimensional playing field as opposed to the traditional two-dimensional view . The game contains multiple modes and gametypes , as well as different difficulty settings and levels , which change different aspects of the gameplay . Parts of 3D Tetris , such as the blocks , are rendered as 3D wire-frame models . A version of the game entitled , meaning literally Polygonal Block , was to be released in February 1996 in Japanese markets , but never emerged . The game received a range of negative and positive reviews .", "Tetris 2 (1993 video game). Tetris 2 ( known in Japan as Tetris Flash テトリスフラッシュ ) is a video game published in 1993 and 1994 by Nintendo for the Game Boy , Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System .", "The New Tetris. The New Tetris is a puzzle video game for the Nintendo 64 . The game was developed by H2O Entertainment and published by Nintendo , based on the latter 's popular Tetris series . The game was originally released on July 31 , 1999 , in North America . The game is notable for showing scenic fly-bys of famous structures ( for examples the Sphinx , the Pantheon , Saint Basil 's Cathedral , a Mayan temple , and others ) rendered in realtime . This is relatively difficult for the Nintendo 64 hardware to accomplish at the quality that is achieved . The New Tetris also features a multiplayer mode with up to four players and an ethnically themed electronic dance music soundtrack by Neil Voss , who also composed the award-winning music for Tetrisphere .", "Tetris Worlds. Tetris Worlds is a version of the video game Tetris . Originally released in 2001 for Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance , it was later released for Xbox , GameCube , and PlayStation 2 in 2002 . In 2003 , an Xbox Live version and a single-disc compilation version ( which included this game and Star Wars : The Clone Wars ) were released for the Xbox . The latter was bundled with Xbox systems , however it is not forward compatible with the Xbox 360 . The platform-specific versions of Tetris Worlds were developed by three different companies . Blue Planet Software developed the PC and PlayStation 2 versions , Radical Entertainment developed the GameCube and Xbox versions , and 3d6 Games developed the Game Boy Advance version . All versions were published by THQ .", "Nintendo. Nintendo Co. , Ltd. is a Japanese multinational consumer electronics and video game company headquartered in Kyoto , Japan . Nintendo is one of the world 's largest video game companies by market capitalization . Founded on 23 September 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi , it originally produced handmade hanafuda playing cards . By 1963 , the company had tried several small niche businesses , such as cab services and love hotels . The word Nintendo can be roughly translated from Japanese to English as `` leave luck to heaven '' . Abandoning previous ventures in favor of toys in the 1960s , Nintendo then developed into a video game company in the 1970s , ultimately becoming one of the most influential in the industry and Japan 's third most-valuable company with a market value of over $ 85 billion . From 1992 until 2016 , Nintendo was also the majority shareholder of Major League Baseball 's Seattle Mariners . , Nintendo has cumulative sales of over 670.43 million hardware units and 4.23 billion software units . The company has created and released some of the best-known and top-selling video game franchises , such as Mario , The Legend of Zelda , and Pokémon .", "Tetris Friends. Tetris Friends is an online Tetris game developed by Tetris Online , Inc. . Registered users are able to compare their scores with their friends and with the entire community . It is the only official Flash implementation of Tetris made by the Tetris company itself . It at the time was the only official tetris platform that had advertisements played before a match Tetris Friends has over a million registered users . Tetris Friends features 6 single player modes and 5 multiplayer modes . Coins are earned for playing any of the games modes . The coins can be used to unlock new skins and Tetrimino styles . The version available on Facebook only has 4 of the modes available on the official website and it has no coin system , but it does feature a special mode available only on Facebook . All game modes except Tetris 1989 and N-Blox use the SRS rotational system , feature the hold function which allows players to save a block for future use , and have a four Tetrimino preview that allows players to see the next few upcoming blocks .", "List of best-selling video games. The best-selling video game of all-time is Tetris , a tile-matching puzzle video game designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov . Originally released in the Soviet Union in 1984 for the Electronika 60 , it was later popularised upon its release for the Game Boy in 1989 . The game has been ported to a wide range of platforms and sold in excess of 495 million units , 425 million of which are paid downloads on mobile phones . The Game Boy version of Tetris is the best-selling game on the platform , with more than 35 million units sold worldwide . Minecraft is the only other video game to have sold over 100 million units , with 122 million units sold as of February 2017 . Excluding mobile sales , the best-selling video game of all-time is Minecraft with 92 million units sold , while Tetris is the fourth best-selling with sales of 70 million units . Of the top 50 best-selling video games of all-time on all platforms , 21 were developed and/or published by Nintendo and originally released on a Nintendo platform , including six of the top ten . Other publishers with multiple entries in the top 50 include Activision ( seven titles , all in the Call of Duty franchise ) , Rockstar Games ( five titles , four of which are Grand Theft Auto releases ) and Electronic Arts ( three games in three different series ) . Aside from Nintendo internal development divisions , Game Freak is the developer with the most games in the top 50 , with eight titles from the Pokémon series included . The oldest game in the top 50 is Duck Hunt , which was originally released on April 21 , 1984 ; the newest games in the top 50 are Nintendo 3DS titles Pokémon Sun and Moon , both of which were released on November 18 , 2016 .", "Scrabble. Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by placing tiles , each bearing a single letter , onto a gameboard which is divided into a 15 × 15 grid of squares . The tiles must form words which , in crossword fashion , flow left to right in rows or downwards in columns . The words must be defined in a standard dictionary , or present in specified reference works ( e.g. , the Official Tournament and Club Word List , the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary ) , which provide a list of officially permissible words . The name Scrabble is a trademark of Hasbro , Inc. in the United States and Canada and has been sold by Hasbro 's Parker Brothers division since 1999 . Prior to 1999 , it was sold as a Milton Bradley game . Outside the United States and Canada , Scrabble is a trademark of Mattel . The game is sold in 121 countries and is available in 29 languages ; approximately 150 million sets have been sold worldwide and roughly one-third of American and half of British homes have a Scrabble set . There are around 4,000 Scrabble clubs around the world .", "TetriNET. TetriNET is a multiplayer online Tetris game for up to six people , developed by St0rmCat in 1997 that supports team play . The last official version is 1.13 . The game was originally developed for Windows and was later ported to other systems . St0rmCat released TetriNET 2 in 2000 , which features improved graphics , more types of special blocks , additional features ( such as hold piece and block shadows ) , and a master server .", "Minecraft. Minecraft is a sandbox video game created and designed by Swedish game designer Markus `` Notch '' Persson , and later fully developed and published by Mojang . The creative and building aspects of Minecraft enable players to build constructions out of textured cubes in a 3D procedurally generated world . Other activities in the game include exploration , resource gathering , crafting , and combat . Multiple gameplay modes are available , including a survival mode where the player must acquire resources to build the world and maintain health , a creative mode where players have unlimited resources to build with and the ability to fly , an adventure mode where players can play custom maps created by other players , and a spectator mode where players can fly around and clip through blocks , but can not place or destroy any . The PC version of the game is noted for its modding scene , where a dedicated community creates new gameplay mechanics , items , and assets for the game . Minecraft received praise from critics , and won numerous awards and accolades . , over 121 million copies have been sold across all platforms , making it the second best-selling video game of all time , only behind the various releases of Tetris . In September 2014 , Microsoft announced a deal to buy Mojang and the Minecraft intellectual property for 2.5 billion , with the acquisition being completed two months later .", "PlayStation. is a gaming brand that consists of four home video game consoles , as well as a media center , an online service , a line of controllers , two handhelds and a phone , as well as multiple magazines . It is created and owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment since December 3 , , with the launch of the original PlayStation in Japan . The original console in the series was the first video game console to ship 100 million units , 9 years and 6 months after its initial launch . Its successor , the PlayStation 2 , was released in 2000 . The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling home console to date , having reached over 155 million units sold as of December 28 , 2012 . Sony 's next console , the PlayStation 3 , was released in 2006 and has sold over 80 million consoles worldwide as of November 2013 . Sony 's latest console , the PlayStation 4 , was released in 2013 , selling 1 million consoles in its first 24 hours on sale , becoming the fastest selling console in history . The first handheld game console in the PlayStation series , the PlayStation Portable or PSP , sold a total of 80 million units worldwide by November 2013 . Its successor , the PlayStation Vita , which launched in Japan on December 17 , 2011 and in most other major territories in February 2012 , had sold over 4 million units by January 2013 . PlayStation TV is a microconsole and a non-portable variant of the PlayStation Vita handheld game console . Other hardware released as part of the PlayStation series includes the PSX , a digital video recorder which was integrated with the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 , though it was short lived due to its high price and was never released outside Japan , as well as a Sony Bravia television set which has an integrated PlayStation 2 . The main series of controllers utilized by the PlayStation series is the DualShock , which is a line of vibration-feedback gamepad having sold 28 million controllers as of June 28 , 2008 . The PlayStation Network is an online service with over 110 million users worldwide ( as of July 2013 ) . It comprises an online virtual market , the PlayStation Store , which allows the purchase and download of games and various forms of multimedia , a subscription-based online service known as PlayStation Plus and a social gaming networking service called PlayStation Home , which had over 41 million users worldwide at the time of its closure in March 2015 . PlayStation Mobile ( formerly PlayStation Suite ) is a software framework that provides PlayStation content on mobile devices . Version 1 . xx supports both PlayStation Vita , PlayStation TV and certain devices that run the Android operating system , whereas version 2.00 released in 2014 would only target PlayStation Vita and ( optionally ) PlayStation TV . Content set to be released under the framework consist of only original PlayStation games currently . 7th generation PlayStation products also use the XrossMediaBar , which is an award-winning graphical user interface . A touch screen-based user interface called LiveArea was launched for the PlayStation Vita , which integrates social networking elements into the interface . Additionally , the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 consoles also featured support for Linux-based operating systems ; Linux for PlayStation 2 and OtherOS respectively , though this has since been discontinued . The series has also been known for its numerous marketing campaigns , the latest of which being the `` Greatness Awaits '' commercials in the United States . The series also has a strong line-up of first-party titles due to Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios , a group of fifteen first-party developers owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment which are dedicated to developing first-party games for the series . In addition , the series features various budget re-releases of titles by Sony with different names for each region ; these include the Greatest Hits , Platinum , Essentials , Favorites and The Best ranges of titles .", "Atari. Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972 , currently by Atari Interactive , a subsidiary of the French publisher Atari , SA ( ASA ) . The original Atari , Inc. founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney was a pioneer in arcade games , home video game consoles , and home computers . The company 's products , such as Pong and the Atari 2600 , helped define the electronic entertainment industry from the 1970s to the mid-1980s . In 1984 , the original Atari Inc. was split due to its role in the video game crash of 1983 , and the arcade division was turned into Atari Games Inc. . Atari Games received the rights to use the logo and brand name with appended text `` Games '' on arcade games , as well as rights to the original 1972 -- 1984 arcade hardware properties . The Atari Consumer Electronics Division properties were in turn sold to Jack Tramiel 's Tramel Technology Ltd. , which then renamed itself to Atari Corporation . In 1996 , Atari Corporation reverse-merged with disk-drive manufacturer JT Storage ( JTS ) , becoming a division within the company . On November 6 , 1998 , Hasbro Interactive acquired all Atari Corporation related properties from JTS , creating a new subsidiary , Atari Interactive . Infogrames Entertainment ( IESA ) bought Hasbro Interactive in 2001 and renamed it to Infogrames Interactive , later Atari Interactive in 2003 , when Infogrames Inc. licensed the Atari name and logo from the latter and changed its name to Atari Inc. , a name used for a company founded in 1993 as GT Interactive , which IESA also renamed to Infogrames , Inc. and acquired a 62 % controlling interest in by 1999 . After IESA 's acquisition of Hasbro Interactive , Infogrames , Inc. intermittently published Atari branded titles for Infogrames Interactive . On October 11 , 2008 , Infogrames completed its acquisition of Atari , Inc. , making it a wholly owned subsidiary .", "Tetris Dekaris. Tetris Dekaris or Giant Tetris is an arcade game released in Japan by Sega that features a giant version of the classic game Tetris . The arcade cabinet features two giant vibrating joysticks with the right joystick being slightly lower than the left one . The playing field is 6 cells wide by 7 cells high as opposed to almost universal 10 cells wide by 20 high . The game can be played with up to two players . Category :2009 video games Category : Arcade games", "Wordtris. Wordtris , stylized as WORDTЯIS , is a Tetris offshoot designed by Alexey Pajitnov and published by Spectrum Holobyte in 1991 for the IBM PC platform . The game was later released for the Game Boy ( ported by Realtime Associates ) and Super NES in 1992 . The object of the game is to build words of three letters or more using the tiles that fall from the top of the playing area . Words can be constructed horizontally or vertically , and multiple words can overlap each other . If the player manages to construct the magic word at the top of the screen , the well will be cleared of all tiles and the player will receive a large bonus . Occasionally , a free tile ( denoted by a '' ? '' ) will drop . Its letter can be selected by the player ( either by typing it in the PC version , or scrolling through letters with a button on the console versions ) . If the player does not choose a letter , the block will become a random letter when it stops . Eraser blocks will fall and remove whatever letter that they land on ( in the SNES version , the eraser is replaced with bombs and vials of acid ) . In the Super NES version , players advance from levels `` A '' to `` J. '' There is no level after `` J. '' The background pictures ( except the title screen ) were taken from an earlier Tetris game by Spectrum Holobyte known as Super Tetris . The in-game music is composed by Paul Mogg who did the DOS version of Super Tetris with Ed Bogas .", "Video game. A video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device such as a TV screen or computer monitor . The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device , but as of the 2000s , it implies any type of display device that can produce two - or three-dimensional images . Some theorists categorize video games as an art form , but this designation is controversial . The electronic systems used to play video games are known as platforms ; examples of these are personal computers and video game consoles . These platforms range from large mainframe computers to small handheld computing devices . Specialized video games such as arcade games , in which the video game components are housed in a large , typically coin-operated chassis , while common in the 1980s in video arcades , have gradually declined due to the widespread availability of affordable home video game consoles ( e.g. , PlayStation 4 , Xbox One and Nintendo Wii U ) and video games on desktop and laptop computers and smartphones . The input device used for games , the game controller , varies across platforms . Common controllers include gamepads , joysticks , mouse devices , keyboards , the touchscreens of mobile devices , and buttons , or even , with the Kinect sensor , a person 's hands and body . Players typically view the game on a video screen or television or computer monitor , or sometimes on virtual reality head-mounted display goggles . There are often game sound effects , music and , in the 2010s , voice actor lines which come from loudspeakers or headphones . Some games in the 2000s include haptic , vibration-creating effects , force feedback peripherals and virtual reality headsets . In the 2010s , the video game industry is of increasing commercial importance , with growth driven particularly by the emerging Asian markets and mobile games , which are played on smartphones . As of 2015 , video games generated sales of USD 74 billion annually worldwide , and were the third-largest segment in the U.S. entertainment market , behind broadcast and cable TV .", "Tetris 2 (1990 video game). Tetris 2 is a 1990 video game by František Fuka ( Fuxoft ) . It is inspired by a Soviet game Tetris . It is considered to be the most successful game developed by Fuka .", "Nintendo 3DS. The Nintendo 3DS , abbreviated to 3DS , is a portable game console produced by Nintendo . It is capable of displaying stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or additional accessories . Nintendo announced the device in March 2010 and officially unveiled it at E3 2010 on June 15 , 2010 . The console succeeds the Nintendo DS , featuring backward compatibility with older Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi video games . Its primary competitor is the PlayStation Vita from Sony . The handheld offers new features such as the StreetPass and SpotPass tag modes , powered by Nintendo Network ; augmented reality , using its 3D cameras ; and Virtual Console , which allows owners to download and play games originally released on older video game systems . It is also pre-loaded with various applications including these : an online distribution store called Nintendo eShop , a social networking service called Miiverse ; an Internet Browser ; the Netflix , Hulu Plus and YouTube streaming video services ; Nintendo Video ; a messaging application called Swapnote ( known as Nintendo Letter Box in Europe and Australia ) ; and Mii Maker . The Nintendo 3DS was first released in Japan on February 26 , 2011 , and worldwide beginning in March 2011 . Less than six months later on July 28 , 2011 , Nintendo announced a significant price reduction from US$ 249 to US$ 169 amid disappointing launch sales . The company offered ten free Nintendo Entertainment System games and ten free Game Boy Advance games from the Nintendo eShop to consumers who bought the system at the original launch price . This strategy was considered a major success , and the console has gone on to become one of Nintendo 's most successfully sold handheld consoles in the first two years of its release . , the Nintendo 3DS family of systems combined have sold 66.12 million units . Several redesigns have been made since ; the Nintendo 3DS XL , a larger model , first released in Japan and Europe in July 2012 , featuring a 90 % larger screen . An `` entry-level '' version of the console , the Nintendo 2DS , with a fixed `` slate '' form factor and lacking autostereoscopic ( 3D ) functionality , was released in Western markets in October 2013 . The New Nintendo 3DS ( and XL ) features a more powerful CPU , a second analog stick called the C-Stick , additional buttons , an improved camera , and other changes , and was first released in Japan in October 2014 .", "PlayStation 4. PlayStation 4 ( PS4 ) is a line of home video game consoles developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment . Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 during a press conference on February 20 , 2013 , it was launched on November 15 in North America , November 29 in Europe , South America and Australia ; and February 22 , 2014 , in Japan . It competes with Nintendo 's Wii U and Microsoft 's Xbox One , as part of the eighth generation of video game consoles . Moving away from the more complex Cell microarchitecture of its predecessor , the console features an AMD Accelerated Processing Unit ( APU ) built upon the x86-64 architecture , which can theoretically peak at 1.84 teraflops ; AMD stated that it was the `` most powerful '' APU it had developed to date . The PlayStation 4 places an increased emphasis on social interaction and integration with other devices and services , including the ability to play games off-console on PlayStation Vita and other supported devices ( `` Remote Play '' ) , the ability to stream gameplay online or to friends , with them controlling gameplay remotely ( `` Share Play '' ) . The console 's controller was also redesigned and improved over the PlayStation 3 , with improved buttons and analog sticks , and an integrated touchpad among other changes . The console also supports HDR10 high-dynamic-range color and playback of 4K multimedia . Reception to the original PlayStation 4 model was positive , with critics praising Sony for acknowledging its consumers ' needs , embrace of independent game development , and for not imposing restrictive digital rights management schemes that Microsoft had previously announced for Xbox One prior to its release . Critics and third-party studios also praised the capabilities of the PlayStation 4 in comparison to its competitors ; developers described the performance difference between the console and Xbox One as being `` significant '' and `` obvious '' . Heightened demand also helped Sony top global console sales . By the end of 2016 , more than 53 million consoles have been sold worldwide , with more than 57 million shipped . On September 7 , 2016 , Sony unveiled two hardware revisions of PlayStation 4 ; a slim build of the console , and a `` Pro '' version with an upgraded GPU and higher CPU clock rate to support 4K gameplay on supported titles .", "List of Tetris variants. This a list of variants of the game Tetris . It includes officially licensed Tetris sequels , as well as unofficial clones .", "Tetris Plus. is a puzzle video game developed by Natsume and published by Jaleco for arcades exclusively in Japan in 1996 , and was ported to the Game Boy , Sega Saturn , and PlayStation later that year . The game would be followed by a sequel , Tetris Plus 2 , in 1997 . There was supposed to be a port on the Nintendo 64 , however that version was never released .", "Square Enix. is a Japanese video game developer , publisher , and distribution company that is best known for its role-playing video game franchises , which include Final Fantasy , Dragon Quest , and Kingdom Hearts . Several of its franchises have sold over 10 million copies , with the Final Fantasy franchise selling over 115 million , and the company as a whole made over ¥ 150 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2014 . The Square Enix headquarters are in the Shinjuku Eastside Square Building in Shinjuku , Tokyo , and the company employs over 3800 employees worldwide . The original Square Enix Co. , Ltd. was formed as the result of a statutory merger between Enix Corporation and Square Co. , Ltd. in April 2003 , with Enix legally absorbing Square . Each share of Square 's common stock was exchanged for 0.85 shares of Enix 's common stock . At the time , 80 % of Square Enix staff were made up of former Square employees . As part of the merger , former Square president Yoichi Wada was appointed president of the new corporation , while former Enix president Keiji Honda was named its vice president , and the founder of Enix , Yasuhiro Fukushima , the largest shareholder of the combined corporation , became its honorary chairman . As a result of the merger , Square Co. , Ltd. was dissolved and Enix was the surviving company . In October 2008 , Square Enix was restructured and became a holding company , renaming itself to Square Enix Holdings and forming a new company , Square Enix Co. , Ltd. , as a subsidiary in charge of its original video game operations . In addition to its flagship subsidiary , Square Enix Holdings owns the arcade gaming corporation Taito , known for games such as Space Invaders , Bubble Bobble , Arkanoid , Darius and Lufia . Square Enix Holdings also owns game publisher Eidos Interactive , which was absorbed into Square Enix Europe , who publishes all of Eidos 's intellectual property .", "Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters. Ecstasy of Order : The Tetris Masters is a 2011 American documentary film that follows the lives of several gamers from around the country as they prepare to compete in the 2010 Classic Tetris World Championship held in Los Angeles , California . It recounts the development and rise of Tetris as one of the most-played video games of all-time , the role it has played in shaping the lives of the gamers it chronicles , the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of former Nintendo World Champion Thor Aackerlund , and the conception and execution of the first ever Classic Tetris World Championship by gaming enthusiast Robin Mihara . The film was directed by Adam Cornelius and screened at over 15 film festivals both domestic and internationally , beginning with its World Premiere at the Austin Film Festival on October 21 , 2011 and including an appearance at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam , the largest film festival of its kind . It debuted on DVD and Video On Demand ( VOD ) on August 21 , 2012 . An expanded version of the film 's soundtrack from composer Chris Pickolick has also been released ." ]

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[ "Cyndi Lauper. Cynthia Ann Stephanie `` Cyndi '' Lauper ( born June 22 , 1953 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress and LGBTQ activist . Her career has spanned over 30 years . Her debut solo album She 's So Unusual ( 1983 ) was the first debut female album to chart four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100 -- `` Girls Just Want to Have Fun '' , `` Time After Time '' , `` She Bop '' , and `` All Through the Night '' -- and earned Lauper the Best New Artist award at the 27th Grammy Awards in 1985 . Her success continued with the soundtrack for the motion picture The Goonies and her second record True Colors ( 1986 ) . This album included the number one single `` True Colors '' and `` Change of Heart '' , which peaked at number 3 . Since 1989 , Lauper has released nine studio albums and participated in many other projects . In 2010 , Memphis Blues , became Billboard 's most successful blues album of the year , remaining at # 1 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart for 13 consecutive weeks . In 2013 , Lauper won the Tony Award for Best Original Score for composing the Broadway musical Kinky Boots , making her the first woman to win the category by herself . The musical was awarded five other Tonys including Tony Award for Best New Musical . In 2014 , Lauper was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for the cast recording . In 2016 , the West End production won Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards Lauper has established herself as a pop culture icon selling over 50 million records and 20 million singles . She has won awards at the Grammys , Emmys , Tonys , the New York 's Outer Critics Circle , MTV Video Music Awards ( VMAs ) , Billboard Awards , and American Music Awards ( AMAs ) . An inductee into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame , Lauper is one of the few singers to win three of the four major American entertainment awards ( EGOT ) . Lauper won the inaugural Best Female Video prize at the 1984 VMAs for Girls Just Want To Have Fun . This music video is recognized by MTV , VH1 and Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the greatest ever music videos of the era . She is featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum 's Women Who Rock exhibit . Her debut album is included in Rolling Stone '' 's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time , while Time After Time is included in Vh1 's list of the 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 years . VH1 has ranked Lauper No. 58 of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll '' . Lauper has been celebrated for her humanitarian work , particularly as an advocate for LGBT rights in the United States . Her charitable efforts were acknowledged in 2013 when the singer was invited as a special guest to attend US President Barack Obama 's second-term inaugural .", "She's So Unusual. She 's So Unusual is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Cyndi Lauper , released on October 14 , 1983 by Portrait Records . The album was re-released in 2014 to commemorate its 30th anniversary , and was called She 's So Unusual : A 30th Anniversary Celebration . The re-release contains demos and remixes of previously released material , as well as new artwork . In 1978 , Lauper formed the band Blue Angel . The band soon signed a recording contract with Polydor Records ; however , their debut album , Blue Angel , was a commercial failure . The band parted ways after firing their manager , who sued Lauper for $ 80,000 and forced her into bankruptcy . Lauper went on to sing in many New York night clubs , and caught the eye of David Wolf , who became her manager and subsequently got her signed to Portrait Records . The album is primarily new wave-based , with many of the songs being influenced by synthpop and pop rock . Upon its release , the album received positive reviews from music critics , who noted Lauper 's unique vocals . Lauper earned several awards and accolades for the album , including two Grammy Awards at the 27th Grammy Awards , one of which was for Best New Artist . She 's So Unusual peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 chart and stayed in the chart 's top forty for 65 weeks . It has sold over 6 million copies in the United States and 16 million copies worldwide . This makes it Lauper 's best-selling album to date and one of the best-selling albums of the 1980s . The album ranked at # 487 on Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2003 , and ranked at # 41 on Rolling Stone 's list of Women Who Rock : The 50 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2012 . Seven singles were released from the album , with `` Girls Just Want to Have Fun '' becoming a worldwide hit and her first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 . `` Time After Time '' became her first number-one hit on the chart and experienced similar success worldwide . Lauper found success with the next two singles as well , with both `` She Bop '' and `` All Through the Night '' peaking in the top five . This makes Lauper the first female singer to have four top five singles on the Hot 100 from one album . She 's So Unusual was promoted by the Fun Tour throughout 1983 and 1984 .", "Grammy Award for Best New Artist. The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959 . Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out , for records released in the previous year . The award was not presented in 1967 . The official guidelines are as follows : `` For a new artist who releases , during the Eligibility Year , the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist . '' Note that this is not necessarily the first album released by an artist . It is sometimes asserted , with varying degrees of sincerity , that winning the award is a curse , as several award winners ( particularly from the late 1970s and early 1980s ) were never able to duplicate the success they experienced in their debut year . This viewpoint was expressed by former Starland Vocal Band member Taffy Danoff in a 2002 interview for VH1 's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders : `` We got two of the five Grammys -- one was Best New Artist . So that was basically the kiss of death and I feel sorry for everyone who 's gotten it since . '' The category is also notable for being the only one of its kind in which a Grammy Award was vacated . This occurred in 1990 after it was revealed winners Milli Vanilli did not contribute their own vocals on their debut album . The award was revoked , but was not handed out to another artist . Of the 54 awards presented in the category since its inception , the honor has been presented to 25 solo female artists , 18 duos or groups , and 11 solo male artists . Between 1997 and 2003 , all the winners were solo female artists . Also , from 1993 to 2005 , no winner was a solo male artist . In 2006 , John Legend broke this trend , which started with Marc Cohn in 1992 . Only four artists have won both Best New Artist and Album of the Year in the same year : Bob Newhart in 1961 , Christopher Cross in 1981 , Lauryn Hill in 1999 and Norah Jones in 2003 . Of all the winners , only three have been country artists . In 1997 , LeAnn Rimes became the first country artist to win the award . She was followed by Carrie Underwood in 2007 and Zac Brown Band in 2010 . Additionally , 2017 marked the first time that two country artists were nominated in this category in the same year . 1984 marked the first time that all of the nominees were from outside of the United States ( Winner Culture Club , Eurythmics , and Musical Youth were from England , Big Country was from Scotland , and Men Without Hats were from Canada ) .", "True Colors (Cyndi Lauper album). True Colors is the second album by American pop singer Cyndi Lauper , released on September 15 , 1986 . The album produced several hits as `` True Colors '' , `` Change of Heart '' , and `` What 's Going On '' reached the top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100 , with the first two becoming top 5 hits . Upon its release , the album received generally positive reviews from music critics . The album earned Lauper several awards and accolades , including two nominations at the 29th Grammy Awards . True Colors peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 chart .", "List of awards and nominations received by Cyndi Lauper. This is a list of awards and nominations received by Cyndi Lauper . Among her numerous accolades , Lauper has won two Grammys ( 1985 , 2014 ) an Emmy ( 1995 ) and a Tony ( 2013 ) , which are three of the four major annual American entertainment awards ( EGOT ) .", "58th Annual Grammy Awards. The 58th Annual Grammy Awards was held on February 15 , 2016 , at the Staples Center in Los Angeles . The ceremony recognizes the best recordings , compositions and artists of the eligibility year , which was from October 1 , 2014 , to September 30 , 2015 . The `` pre-telecast '' ceremony , officially known as the Premiere Ceremony , in which the majority of awards were presented , was held at the nearby Microsoft Theater . It was the sixteenth Grammy ceremony to be held at the Staples Center , tying the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles for hosting the most Grammy ceremonies . It also marks the latest date for a Grammy ceremony since 2003 , which were held on February 23 . Unlike previous years , where it was held on a Sunday , the 2016 edition was held on a Monday for the first time to take advantage of the U.S. Presidents ' Day long weekend . The ceremony was televised in the United States by CBS ; for the first time , CBS affiliates in the western half of the country had the option of broadcasting the Grammys live from the East coast feed , in addition to an encore in local primetime . Nominations for the 58th Grammy Awards ceremony were announced on December 7 , 2015 , returning to the traditional format of an immediate press conference/release reveal of all nominees rather than the `` all-day event '' unveiling attempted by The Recording Academy and CBS over the previous few years . Kendrick Lamar received the most nominations with 11 . For the latter , he went on to pass Eminem as the rapper with the most nominations in a single night , and second overall behind Michael Jackson ( 12 nominations in 1984 ) . Taylor Swift and The Weeknd received seven nominations each . Producer Max Martin received the most nominations for a non-performing artist , with six . LL Cool J hosted for the fifth consecutive year . As part of a commercial break on the U.S. broadcast paid for by Target , Gwen Stefani also presented a live music video for her new single `` Make Me Like You '' . Kendrick Lamar led the winners with five trophies , including Best Rap Album for To Pimp a Butterfly . Taylor Swift won three awards , including Album of the Year for 1989 , becoming the first female artist to win Album of the Year twice as main credited artist . Alabama Shakes also won three including Best Alternative Music Album for Sound & Color . Ed Sheeran won two including Song of the Year for `` Thinking Out Loud '' . Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars ' `` Uptown Funk '' won for Record of the Year and Meghan Trainor won for Best New Artist .", "41st Annual Grammy Awards. The 41st Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 24 , 1999 at Shrine Auditorium , Los Angeles . They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1998 . Lauryn Hill was the main recipient , winning a total of 5 awards including Album of the Year and Best New Artist . Her album was the first Hip Hop act ever to win the coveted award . Also the ceremony was known as the `` Grammy Year of Women '' , every artist nominated for Album of the Year were all female ( including Garbage , with Shirley Manson as the headsinger ) . Madonna won four awards while musicians the Dixie Chicks , Vince Gill , Alanis Morissette & Shania Twain won two apiece . Celine Dion also received two awards both for `` My Heart Will Go On '' , which received a total of four awards . It is widely remembered for Ricky Martin 's performance of `` La Copa De La Vida '' / `` The Cup of Life '' .", "27th Annual Grammy Awards. The 27th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 26 , 1985 , at Shrine Auditorium , Los Angeles , and were broadcast live on American television . They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1984 .", "The Essential Cyndi Lauper. The Essential Cyndi Lauper is a compilation by American pop singer Cyndi Lauper . It was released as part of Sony BMG 's The Essential series in 2003 . The album has sold 15,000 copies in the United States , according to Nielsen SoundScan . Five year after its initial release , Sony Music Entertainment Japan reissued the album accompanied with bonus DVD which features four music videos . The expanded edition debuted at the number 29 on the Japan 's Oricon , and became her eighth top-40 charting album in the country .", "Grammy Award for Best New Classical Artist. The Grammy Award for Best New Classical Artist was an honor presented to classical artists at the 28th Grammy Awards in 1986 . The Grammy Awards , an annual ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards , are presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to `` honor artistic achievement , technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry , without regard to album sales or chart position '' . The equivalent award known as Most Promising New Classical Recording Artist was first presented to André Watts at the 6th Grammy Awards in 1964 . The honor was presented for additional years until being discontinued before the 1967 ceremony . The award category re-emerged in 1986 with the name Best New Classical Artist and was presented to Chicago Pro Musica . As of 2011 , the award has not been presented since 1986 .", "Bring Ya to the Brink. Bring Ya to the Brink is American singer Cyndi Lauper 's ninth studio album and was released on May 27 , 2008 in the United States , with a worldwide tour later that summer . The album is a dance-oriented collection featuring collaborations with Basement Jaxx , Richard Morel , Max Martin and Kleerup , amongst others . Regarded as Lauper 's strongest set of original material in recent years , the Songwriters Hall of Fame has regarded the album track ` High and Mighty ' as one of Lauper 's key songs , and the album received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronica Album in 2009 . The song `` Set Your Heart '' was released as a promo-only single in Japan in early 2008 and `` Same Ol' Story '' was the first official single released worldwide on May 6 , 2008 . `` Into the Nightlife '' was released as the album 's second official single . The album is Lauper 's last album to date for Epic Records , her label since the 1980s .", "55th Annual Grammy Awards. The 55th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 10 , 2013 , at the Staples Center in Los Angeles . The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the second time by LL Cool J . The `` Pre-Telecast Ceremony '' was streamed live from LA 's Nokia Theater at the official Grammy website . Nominations were announced on December 5 , 2012 on prime-time television as part of `` The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live ! -- Countdown to Music 's Biggest Night '' , a one-hour special co-hosted by LL Cool J & Taylor Swift and broadcast live on CBS from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville , Tennessee . Fun , Frank Ocean , Mumford & Sons , Jay-Z , Kanye West and Dan Auerbach received the most nominations with six each , all of whom were male artists . Gotye and Kimbra won the Record of the Year for `` Somebody That I Used to Know '' , becoming the second Australian and first New Zealand act to win the award . Mumford & Sons won the Album of the Year for Babel , and Fun won the Song of the Year ( with Jeff Bhasker ) for `` We Are Young '' as well as the Best New Artist . Kelly Clarkson won the Best Pop Vocal Album for Stronger , becoming the first and only artist to win the award twice . Dan Auerbach won the most number of awards during the ceremony , with five ( including three as part of The Black Keys ) ; followed by The Black Keys , Gotye , Jay-Z , Skrillex , Kanye West , with three each . Other multiple winners include : Chick Corea , Fun , Kimbra , Mumford & Sons , Frank Ocean , Matt Redman and Esperanza Spalding with two awards each . The Recording Academy introduced three new categories to the 78 awards previously presented at the 54th ceremony -- Best Classical Compendium , Best Latin Jazz Album , and Best Urban Contemporary Album , bringing it to a total of 81 awards . 70 of them were presented at the pre-telecast at the Nokia Theatre , with the remaining 11 were presented at the main ceremony . Bruce Springsteen received the MusiCares Person of the Year award on February 8 , 2013 at the 23rd Grammy Benefit Gala at the Los Angeles Convention Center , two nights prior to the main ceremony . The official poster was designed by Artist Erika Iris Simmons . The program producer is AEG Ehrlich Ventures , with Ken Ehrlich serving as executive producer , Louis J. Horvitz as director and David Wild and Ken Ehrlich as writers .", "50th Annual Grammy Awards. The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , on February 10 , 2008 . It honored musical achievement of 2007 in which albums were released between October 1 , 2006 through September 30 , 2007 . The primary ceremonies were televised in the US on CBS ; however , as has become the custom , most of the awards were handed out during a pre-telecast portion of the show held at the Los Angeles Convention Center and broadcast on XM Satellite Radio . Two nights prior to the show Aretha Franklin was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year . The year 's big winner was Amy Winehouse : the 24-year-old singer had recently entered a drug rehabilitation program and did not come to Los Angeles . American officials initially refused her a work visa ; they reversed the decision , but by then it was too late for her to make the trip from the UK . She became the fifth female solo artist to get five awards in one night , alongside Lauryn Hill , Norah Jones , Alicia Keys and Beyoncé . The golden anniversary of the Grammys and NARAS was noted in references and performances throughout this year 's ceremony . Alicia Keys was the evening 's opening musician , singing and playing piano alongside archived video and audio of Frank Sinatra . Other collaborative performances linking contemporary and past musicians included Beyoncé with Tina Turner , Rihanna with The Time , classical pianist Lang Lang with jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and inaugural Grammy winner Keely Smith with Kid Rock . Special recognition of the musical contributions of The Beatles also featured . The Foo Fighters won Best Rock Album , and performed their nominated song The Pretender in a highly collaborative performance that involved a social media selection of classical musicians ( the `` My Grammy Moment '' YouTube contest was won by violinist Ann Marie Calhoun ) .", "56th Annual Grammy Awards. The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26 , 2014 , at Staples Center in Los Angeles . The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J . The show was moved to January to avoid competing with the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi , as was the case in 2010 . The eligibility period for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards was October 1 , 2012 to September 30 , 2013 . The nominations were announced on December 6 , 2013 during a live televised concert on CBS , The Grammy Nominations Concert Live -- Countdown to Music 's Biggest Night . Jay Z received the most nominations with nine . Justin Timberlake , Kendrick Lamar , Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Pharrell Williams each received seven nominations . Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams were nominated twice for both Album of the Year and Record of the Year . Sound engineer Bob Ludwig received the most nominations by a non-performing artist , with five . Daft Punk won five awards , including Album of the Year for Random Access Memories and Record of the Year , with Pharrell Williams , for `` Get Lucky '' . Macklemore & Ryan Lewis won four trophies , including Best New Artist , and led an industry show of support for gay marriage with a performance of their song `` Same Love '' to accompany a mass wedding of gay and heterosexual couples , which was presided over by Queen Latifah . Lorde 's `` Royals '' received awards for Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year . Carole King was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year on January 24 , two days prior to the awards ceremony . On June 4 , 2013 , the Recording Academy approved a number of changes recommended by its Awards & Nominations Committee , including adding a new category for Best Americana Song to the American Music field . This songwriters ' award will encompass all the subgenres in this field such as Americana , bluegrass , blues , folk , and regional roots music . The Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance category was renamed Best Metal Performance and became a stand-alone category . Hard rock performances will now be screened in the Best Rock Performance category . The Music Video field will become the Best Music Video/Film field . Its two categories will be renamed : Best Short Form Music Video will now be known as Best Music Video and Best Long Form Music Video will change into Best Music Film . These changes bring the total number of categories at the 2014 Grammy Awards to 82 , up from 81 at the 2013 Grammy Awards .", "Whitney Houston (album). Whitney Houston is the debut studio album by American contemporary R&B and pop singer Whitney Houston . It was released on February 14 , 1985 , by Arista Records . The album initially had a slow commercial response , but began getting more popular in the summer of 1985 . It eventually topped the Billboard 200 for 14 weeks in 1986 , generating three number-one singles -- `` Saving All My Love for You '' , `` How Will I Know '' and `` Greatest Love of All '' ( a cover of `` The Greatest Love of All '' , originally recorded in 1977 by George Benson ) -- on the Billboard Hot 100 chart , which made it both the first debut album and the first album by a solo female artist to produce three number-one singles . The album topped the albums charts in many countries , including Canada , Australia , Norway and Sweden , peaking at number 2 in the United Kingdom , Germany , and Switzerland . The album was certified diamond for shipments of 10 million units or more on March 16 , 1999 , and later 13 × platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on July 29 , 1999 , making it one of the top 100 best-selling albums in the United States . It has sold over 30 million copies worldwide . In 1986 , at the 28th Grammy Awards , Whitney Houston received four nominations ; including Album of the Year and won one , Best Pop Vocal Performance , Female for `` Saving All My Love for You '' . For the 29th Grammy Awards of 1987 , the album earned one nomination for Record of the Year for `` Greatest Love of All '' . In 2003 , the album was ranked number 254 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . In honor of its 25th anniversary , the album was reissued as Whitney Houston -- The Deluxe Anniversary Edition on January 26 , 2010 , an expanded edition with five bonus tracks including the a cappella version of `` How Will I Know '' and the original 12-inch remixes , a booklet tracking the history of the original album , along with a DVD of live performances and interviews by Whitney Houston and Clive Davis .", "Money Changes Everything. `` Money Changes Everything '' is a song written by Tom Gray , frontman of the Brains , and was the band 's only underground hit . It was recorded by Cyndi Lauper for her debut album , She 's So Unusual and was released as a single in 1984 , peaking at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 . The song is about how money interferes with personal relationships .", "28th Annual Grammy Awards. The 28th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25 , 1986 , at Shrine Auditorium , Los Angeles . They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year , 1985 . Album of the Year went to Hugh Padgham and Phil Collins for No Jacket Required , and Song of the Year went to Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie for We Are the World . The night 's big winner was USA For Africa 's `` We Are The World '' , which won four awards , including Song of the Year . The latter was awarded to its songwriters , Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson . This was a sweet victory for both , as it marked the first time in their respective careers that they won the coveted Song of the Year category . For Richie , it was his sixth attempt in eight years . The other three awards for the charity single were not given to the performing artist ( as is usually the case ) , but to the song 's producer , Quincy Jones . These three Grammy 's brought his career total to 19 , just one shy of the ( then ) record holder in the popular genres , Henry Mancini . Another big winner was Phil Collins , whose No Jacket Required LP amassed three wins : Album of the Year , Producer of the Year and Best Pop Vocal ( Male ) . There were a number of remarkable wins in the classical field . The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra 's recording of Berlioz : Requiem won three awards , while a different recording by the same orchestra won the Best Orchestral Performance award . These four wins were the result of an unusually large number of nominations for the orchestra ( 12 in total ) , including four in the Best Classical Album category which normally holds five nominees ( the Recording Academy decided to add a number of nominations to this list to lessen the domination of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in this category ) . Several sources from the American classical community - including record labels - expressed their dismay with the situation , suggesting that this was the result of many members of the orchestra and other associates joining the Recording Academy in force to be able to vote on nominations and Grammy winners . Despite the controversy , the orchestra 's conductor Robert Shaw and their album producer ( and record label owner ) Robert Woods won three Grammy 's each . Another success story was that of the Manhattan Transfer and their album Vocalese . It had received twelve nominations , which was the second highest number of nominations ever for an album , three fewer than the then-record holder Thriller by Michael Jackson , which was nominated fifteen times in 1984 . Their twelve nominations eventually resulted in three Grammy wins , including two for the song `` Another Night in Tunisia '' ( performed and arranged on the album by guest vocalists Jon Hendricks and Bobby McFerrin ) Stevie Wonder finally managed to add another Grammy to his total . After winning fifteen awards in the mid-1970s , he won his first Grammy in nine years for his album In Square Circle . Songwriter Jimmy Webb had to wait even longer as his song `` Highwayman '' won him his first Grammy in 17 years ( after 1969 's Up , Up and Away ) . There was one posthumous Grammy , for orchestra leader and arranger Nelson Riddle , for his arrangements on Linda Ronstadt 's album Lush Life . There was one new category , Best Polka Recording . It would run until 2009 . Of the 24 winning albums , eighteen were made by polka legend Jimmy Sturr .", "Fun Tour. The Fun Tour was a concert tour by American recording artist Cyndi Lauper in support of her debut album She 's So Unusual . It was her first major headlining tour , with over 90 dates in various cities across North America . The tour kicked off in Poughkeepsie , New York on November 22 , 1983 and ended in St. Paul , Minnesota on December 9 , 1984 . Lauper also performed shows in Paris , London and Switzerland . The performance at the Summit in Houston in October , 1984 was filmed for a planned home video release in 1985 which fell through ; however , the promotional video for `` Money Changes Everything '' was taken from this footage . The show was also broadcast locally over the radio that evening . The show at The Palace in Hollywood in February , 1984 was filmed and , along with performances by Madness and Ultravox , aired as a show called Rock of the 80s on Showtime . The New Year 's Eve , 1983 performance at the Ritz aired on MTV that evening as a New Year 's Eve special .", "True Colors: The Best of Cyndi Lauper. True Colors : The Best of Cyndi Lauper is a 2009 compilation album by Cyndi Lauper , released exclusively in Australia and New Zealand as part of Sony Camden , a budget range of compilations by Sony Music . The set features two discs , both with 18 songs , spanning from the start of Lauper 's career ( 1983 's She 's So Unusual ) through to 1996 's Sisters of Avalon . All studio albums through the period are represented , and placed alongside most of the singles from this time are several album tracks . The songs are not placed in chronological order . All of the tracks from A Night to Remember ( bar `` Intro '' , `` A Night to Remember '' and `` Insecurious '' ) appear on the set . In fact ( excluding the latter two of the absent songs ) , tracks 6 through 13 on the second disc of this compilation are an exact replication of the track order on A Night to Remember . The cover of the album is the art originally used for her cover of Marvin Gaye 's `` What 's Going On '' . Sony Camden also released another Cyndi Lauper compilation in Australia in 2009 ; the single-disc Time After Time : The Best of Cyndi Lauper , variants of which have been released ( earlier ) worldwide .", "Grammy Award. A Grammy Award ( originally called Gramophone Award ) , or Grammy , is an honor awarded by The Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the mainly English-language music industry . The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent artists , and the presentation of those awards that have a more popular interest . It shares recognition of the music industry as that of the other performance awards such as the Emmy Awards ( television ) , the Tony Awards ( stage performance ) , and the Academy Awards ( motion pictures ) . The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held on May 4 , 1959 , to honor and respect the musical accomplishments by performers for the year 1958 . Following the 2011 ceremony , The Academy overhauled many Grammy Award categories for 2012 . The 59th Grammy Awards , honoring the best achievements from October 2015 to September 2016 , was held on February 12 , 2017 , at the Staples Center in Los Angeles .", "26th Annual Grammy Awards. The 26th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 28 , 1984 , at Shrine Auditorium , Los Angeles , and were broadcast live on American television . They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1983 . Michael Jackson won a record eight awards during the show . Album of the Year and Record of the Year went to Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson for Thriller , and Song of the Year went to Sting for `` Every Breath You Take '' .", "Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper song). `` Time After Time '' is a song by American singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper . It was recorded by Lauper for her debut studio album , She 's So Unusual ( 1983 ) , with Rob Hyman ( co-writer and founding member of the rock band The Hooters ) contributing backing vocals . The track was produced by Rick Chertoff and released as a single on January 27 , 1984 . It was the second single to be released from the album and became Lauper 's first # 1 hit in the U.S. . The song was written in the album 's final stages , after `` Girls Just Wan na Have Fun '' , `` She Bop '' and `` All Through the Night '' had been written . The writing began with the title , which Lauper had seen in TV Guide magazine , referring to the 1979 science fiction film Time After Time . `` Time After Time '' is composed of simple keyboard-synth chords , bright , jangly guitars , clock-ticking percussion , and elastic bassline , and lyrically is a love song of devotion . Most music critics gave the song positive reviews , with most commending the song for being a solid and memorable love song , as well as considering the track Lauper 's best song . The song has been selected as one of the Best Love Songs of All Time by many media outlets , including Rolling Stone , Nerve , MTV and many others . `` Time After Time '' was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the 1985 edition . The song was a success on the charts , becoming her first number-one single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 9 , 1984 , and remaining there for two weeks . Worldwide , the song is her most commercially successful single , after `` Girls Just Want to Have Fun '' , and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and number six on the ARIA Singles Chart . The song is also known for its numerous covers by a wide range of artists , including Miles Davis , who recorded an instrumental version for his 1985 album You 're Under Arrest , and Eva Cassidy , whose cover of the song appears on her posthumous album of the same name . R&B singer Lil Mo also covered the song for her 2001 debut album Based on a True Story . An acoustic version was sung by Lauper with Sarah McLachlan on her 2005 album The Body Acoustic . Lauper has performed the song live with Patti LaBelle twice in 1985 and 2004 and with Sarah McLachlan at the American Music Awards of 2005 , as well as with rapper Lil ' Kim in 2009 .", "52nd Annual Grammy Awards. The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31 , 2010 , at Staples Center in Los Angeles . Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year on January 29 , two days prior to the Grammy telecast . The show was moved to January to avoid competing against the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver . Only ten of the 109 awards were received during the broadcast . The remaining awards were given during the un-televised portion of the ceremony which preceded the broadcast . Beyoncé , who also received the most nominations , with ten , won a total of six awards breaking the record for most wins by a female artist in one night . Taylor Swift won four while The Black Eyed Peas , Jay-Z and Kings of Leon won three . Artists who won two awards include A. R. Rahman , Colbie Caillat , Eminem , Kanye West , Lady Gaga , Maxwell , Jason Mraz and Rihanna . Judas Priest , AC/DC , and Imogen Heap each won a Grammy for the first time in their careers . Taylor Swift 's Fearless was awarded the Grammy Award for Album of the Year , the youngest to win the award at age 20 . `` Use Somebody '' by rock band Kings of Leon won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year , while `` Single Ladies '' by songwriters Thaddis Harrell , Beyoncé Knowles , Terius Nash and Christopher Stewart , was honored with Grammy Award for Song of the Year . Zac Brown Band was presented with the Grammy Award for Best New Artist , becoming the fourth country music act to ever win the award . They follow behind LeAnn Rimes in 1997 , Shelby Lynne in 2001 and Carrie Underwood in 2007 .", "True Colors (Cyndi Lauper song). `` True Colors '' is a song written by American songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly . It was both the title track and the first single released from American singer Cyndi Lauper 's second album . It was the only original song on the album that Lauper did not help write . `` True Colors '' spent two weeks in the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 , and was the last single from Lauper to occupy the top of the chart . It received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance .", "44th Annual Grammy Awards. The 44th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 27 , 2002 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , California . The main recipient was Alicia Keys , winning five Grammys , including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for `` Fallin ' '' . U2 won four awards including Record of the Year and Best Rock Album .", "A Night to Remember (Cyndi Lauper album). A Night to Remember is the third studio album by American recording artist Cyndi Lauper . According to the book St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture ( Volume 3 ) , the album sold half a million copies in 1989 in the United States .", "47th Annual Grammy Awards. The 47th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13 , 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles . They were hosted by Queen Latifah , and televised in the United States by CBS . They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year . Ray Charles , whom the event was dedicated in memory of , posthumously won five Grammy Awards while his album , Genius Loves Company , won a total of eight . Usher received eight nominations and won three including Best Contemporary R&B Album for his diamond selling album Confessions . Britney Spears received her first Grammy of Best Dance Recording for her 2004 smash hit `` Toxic '' .", "Cyndi Lauper discography. American singer Cyndi Lauper has released eleven studio albums , six compilation albums , three video albums and forty-six singles . Worldwide , Lauper has sold approximately 50 million albums , singles and DVDs worldwide . Lauper was a founding member of Blue Angel , who released their debut album in 1980 on Polydor Records . The album was unsuccessful , causing the band to break up and Lauper to file for bankruptcy . In 1983 , Lauper obtained a contract with Portrait Records , and her debut solo album , She 's So Unusual , was released . The album was a major success , achieving platinum and gold certification around the world and spawning the hits `` Girls Just Want to Have Fun '' , `` Time After Time '' and `` She Bop '' . In 1985 , Lauper released `` The Goonies ` R ' Good Enough '' , a single from the soundtrack to The Goonies , and her second album , True Colors , was released in 1986 . True Colors was another successful album , along with the single of the same name and `` Change of Heart '' . A starring role in the film Vibes in 1988 led to the release of `` Hole in My Heart ( All the Way to China ) '' , which was a hit in Australia and New Zealand . Lauper 's third album , A Night to Remember , was released in 1989 . This album was less successful , despite the popularity of the first single , `` I Drove All Night '' . The following single , `` My First Night Without You '' managed to chart in the top 60 in the United States . In 1992 , Lauper appeared in the English version of Starmania , a French rock opera . She released a single from the musical , `` The World Is Stone '' , which was a major hit in several countries , particularly France . Her album Hat Full of Stars was released in 1993 on Epic Records , attaining gold certification in France and Japan . Lauper 's greatest hits compilation , Twelve Deadly Cyns ... and Then Some , was released in 1994 , with the re-recorded version of `` Girls Just Want to Have Fun '' reaching number four in the United Kingdom and New Zealand . A compilation of Lauper 's music videos and an interview was released at the same time on VHS . In 1996 , she released Sisters of Avalon , and an original album of Christmas songs , Merry Christmas ... Have a Nice Life in 1998 . These two albums were much less successful internationally than her previous releases , but both charted in Japan . Sisters of Avalon was also certified platinum in Japan . In 2001 , Lauper planned to release another album , Shine , but the record company folded . An extended play version of the album was released to counter Internet piracy , and the full album was released exclusively in Japan in 2004 . In 2003 , Lauper released her seventh studio album , At Last , and a live version in 2004 on DVD , Live ... At Last . At Last is a set of covers that reinvent classic songs , such as the title track `` At Last '' , `` Walk On By '' and `` Stay '' . The live DVD achieved gold certification in the United States . In 2005 , Lauper released The Body Acoustic , featuring new acoustic versions of her hits , such as a duet of `` Time After Time '' with Sarah McLachlan . Lauper 's 2008 album , Bring Ya to the Brink , was her first release in seven years containing original material , and met with considerable success . In December 2008 she recorded the duet `` A Christmas Duel '' with Swedish pop band The Hives , released in Sweden only , where it reached number 4 . Her most recent album is Memphis Blues , released in 2010 . It managed to be her highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 since True Colors in 1986 , spending 13 consecutive weeks at number-one on the Billboard Blues chart , becoming the highest selling blues album of the year . So far , it has sold 600,000 copies worldwide .", "Mary Chapin Carpenter. Mary Chapin Carpenter ( born February 21 , 1958 ) is an American singer , songwriter and musician . Carpenter spent several years singing in Washington , D.C. clubs before signing in the late 1980s with Columbia Records , who marketed her as a country singer . Carpenter 's first album , 1987 's Hometown Girl , did not produce any singles , although 1989 's State of the Heart and 1990 's Shooting Straight in the Dark each produced four Top 20 hits on the Billboard country singles charts . Carpenter 's most successful album to date remains 1992 's Come On Come On , which yielded seven charting country singles and was certified quadruple platinum in the U.S. for sales exceeding four million copies . She followed it with Stones in the Road ( 1994 ) and A Place in the World ( 1996 ) , which both featured hit singles . In the 2000s , Carpenter 's albums departed both thematically and musically from her early work , becoming less radio-friendly and more focused on societal and political issues . In 2007 , she released The Calling . She followed that with The Age of Miracles ( 2010 ) , Ashes and Roses ( 2012 ) and the orchestral album , Songs From the Movie ( 2014 ) . Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards and is the only artist to have won four consecutive Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance , which she received from 1992 to 1995 . As of 2005 , she had sold more than 12 million records . On October 7 , 2012 , Mary Chapin Carpenter was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame . Carpenter has performed on television shows such as Late Night with David Letterman and Austin City Limits and on radio shows such as The Diane Rehm Show . She also tours frequently , returning to Washington almost every summer to perform at the popular outdoor venue Wolf Trap . She is a direct descendant of Deacon Samuel Chapin and a fifth cousin of the late Harry Chapin ( along with his brothers Tom & Steve ) , `` Cat 's in the Cradle '' singer and humanitarian .", "53rd Annual Grammy Awards. The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13 , 2011 , at the Staples Center in Los Angeles . They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers . Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights prior to the telecast on February 11 . Nominations were announced on December 1 , 2010 and a total of 109 awards were presented . Most of the awards were presented during the pre-telecast , which took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center next to the Staples Center , where the main telecast took place . The eligibility period was September 1 , 2009 to September 30 , 2010 . For the third year , nominations were announced on prime-time television as part of `` The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live ! -- Countdown to Music 's Biggest Night '' a one-hour special broadcast live on CBS from Club Nokia at L.A. Live . Arcade Fire won Album of the Year for The Suburbs becoming the first indie act to do so , and surprising many viewers and critics . Baba Yetu composed and arranged by Christopher Tin won Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist ( s ) , is the first Grammy given to a piece of music written for a Video Game . Esperanza Spalding was awarded Best New Artist . Lady Antebellum won five awards including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for `` Need You Now '' . Other multiple winners include : David Frost , John Legend , Lady Gaga , Jay-Z , and Jeff Beck with three awards each . The Black Keys , Eminem , Herbie Hancock , Alicia Keys , The Roots , Christopher Tin and BeBe Winans won two awards each . The television broadcast of the 53rd Grammy Awards marked the last awards show for the Grammy 's executive producer , John Cossette , before his death on April 26 , 2011 .", "Memphis Blues (album). Memphis Blues is the tenth studio album by American singer Cyndi Lauper . Regarded as a continuation of her 2008 comeback the album was a nominee for the Grammy Awards 2010 and was released on June 22 , 2010 . According to the Brazilian daily newspaper O Globo , the album had sold 600,000 copies worldwide by November 2010 . Memphis Blues was voted the 7th best album of 2010 by the New York Post , and it went on to become Billboard 's biggest selling blues album of 2010 . To support the album , Lauper made her biggest tour ever , the Memphis Blues Tour , which had more than 140 shows and covered every continent of the world except , obviously , Antarctica .", "The Body Acoustic. The Body Acoustic is a compilation album released by American singer Cyndi Lauper in 2005 . It consists of ten previously released tracks which have been re-recorded and re-arranged acoustically , as well as two new songs . The album title is a play on Walt Whitman 's poem I Sing the Body Electric , with the word body in this case referring to Lauper 's body of work as a recording artist . The album features a number of guest artists , including Adam Lazzara , Shaggy , Sarah McLachlan , Jeff Beck , Vivian Green , Ani DiFranco , and Puffy AmiYumi . The original pressing of the album became the only album from Cyndi Lauper to be copy-protected using Sony 's controversial XCP technology . A DualDisc edition of the album was released which contained the entire album in enhanced stereo , four new videos directed by Lauper herself as well as a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of the album ." ]

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[ "The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a trilogy of young adult dystopian novels written by American novelist Suzanne Collins . The series is set in The Hunger Games universe , and follows young characters Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark . The novels in the trilogy are titled The Hunger Games ( 2008 ) , Catching Fire ( 2009 ) , and Mockingjay ( 2010 ) . The novels have all been developed into films , with the film adaptation of Mockingjay split into two parts . The first two books in the series were both New York Times best sellers , and Mockingjay topped all US bestseller lists upon its release . By the time the film adaptation of The Hunger Games was released in 2012 , the publisher had reported over 26 million Hunger Games trilogy books in print , including movie tie-in books . The Hunger Games universe is a dystopia set in Panem , a country consisting of the wealthy Capitol and 12 districts in varying states of poverty . Every year , children from the districts are selected to participate in a compulsory annual televised death match called The Hunger Games . The novels were all well received . In August 2012 , the series ranked second , beaten only by the Harry Potter series in NPR 's poll of the top 100 teen novels , which asked voters to choose their favorite young adult books . On August 17 , 2012 , Amazon announced The Hunger Games trilogy as its top seller , surpassing the record previously held by the Harry Potter series . , the trilogy has sold more than 65 million copies in the U.S. alone ( more than 28 million copies of The Hunger Games , more than 19 million copies of Catching Fire , and more than 18 million copies of Mockingjay ) . The Hunger Games trilogy has been sold into 56 territories in 51 languages to date .", "The Hunger Games (film). The Hunger Games is a 2012 American dystopian science fiction adventure film directed by Gary Ross and based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins . It is the first installment in The Hunger Games film series and was produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik , with a screenplay by Ross , Collins , and Billy Ray . The film stars Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson , Elizabeth Banks , Lenny Kravitz , Stanley Tucci , and Donald Sutherland . The story takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the nation of Panem , where boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 must take part in the Hunger Games , a televised annual event in which the `` tributes '' are required to fight to the death until there is only one survivor . Katniss Everdeen ( Lawrence ) volunteers to take her younger sister 's place . Joined by her district 's male tribute , Peeta Mellark ( Hutcherson ) , Katniss travels to the Capitol to train for the Hunger Games under the guidance of former victor Haymitch Abernathy ( Harrelson ) . Development of The Hunger Games began in March 2009 when Lions Gate Entertainment entered into a co-production agreement with Color Force , which had acquired the rights a few weeks earlier . Collins collaborated with Ray and Ross to write the screenplay . The screenplay expanded the character of Seneca Crane to allow several developments to be shown directly to the audience and Ross added several scenes between Crane and Coriolanus Snow . The main characters were cast between March and May 2011 . Principal photography began in May 2011 and ended in September 2011 , with filming taking place in North Carolina . The Hunger Games was shot entirely on film as opposed to digital . The film was released on March 21 , 2012 , in some European countries and in the US on March 23 , 2012 , in both conventional theaters and digital IMAX theaters . Japan received it last , on September 28 . When the film released , it set records for opening day ( $ 67.3 million ) and opening weekend for a non-sequel . At the time of its release , the film 's opening weekend gross ( $ 152.5 million ) was the third-largest of any movie in North America . It is the first film since Avatar to remain in first place at the North American box office for four consecutive weekends . The film was a massive box-office success by grossing over $ 694 million worldwide against its budget of $ 78 million , making it the third-highest-grossing film in the United States and ninth-highest-grossing worldwide of 2012 . It was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on August 18 , 2012 . With 7,434,058 units sold , the DVD was the best-selling DVD of 2012 . A sequel , The Hunger Games : Catching Fire , was released on November 22 , 2013 , in the United States . The Hunger Games received positive reviews from critics , with praise for its themes and messages , as well as Jennifer Lawrence 's portrayal of Katniss , though there was criticism of the film 's use of shaky cam in the action sequences . Like the novel , the film has been noted for its similarities to other works , such as Robert Sheckley 's short story `` Seventh Victim '' and its Italian film adaptation The 10th Victim , the Japanese novel Battle Royale and its film adaptation , and the Shirley Jackson short story `` The Lottery '' , with some criticizing The Hunger Games for being derivative of such works . Collins stated in an interview that her novel and screenplay drew on sources of inspiration such as the myth of Theseus , Roman gladiatorial games , reality television , and the desensitization of viewers to media coverage of real-life tragedy and war , not to think as just an audience member , `` Because those are real people on the screen , and they 're not going away when the commercials start to roll . '' The song `` Safe & Sound '' won a Grammy Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song . For her performance , Lawrence won the Saturn Award for Best Actress , the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie , the Empire Award for Best Actress and was also nominated for the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress .", "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The Hunger Games : Catching Fire is a 2013 American dystopian science fiction adventure film based on Suzanne Collins ' dystopian novel , Catching Fire ( 2009 ) , the second installment in The Hunger Games trilogy . The film is the sequel to The Hunger Games ( 2012 ) and the second installment in The Hunger Games film series , produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik , and distributed by Lionsgate . Francis Lawrence directed the film , with a screenplay by Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt . Adding to the existing cast , the supporting cast was filled out with Philip Seymour Hoffman , Jeffrey Wright , Jena Malone , Sam Claflin , Lynn Cohen , Amanda Plummer , Alan Ritchson , and Meta Golding . Filming began on September 10 , 2012 , in Atlanta , Georgia , before moving to Hawaii . The plot of Catching Fire takes place a few months after the previous installment ; Katniss Everdeen and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark have returned home safely after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games . Throughout the story , Katniss senses that a rebellion against the oppressive Capitol is simmering throughout the districts . The Hunger Games : Catching Fire was released on November 15 , 2013 , in Brazil ; November 20 in Finland , Sweden , and Norway ; November 21 in the United Kingdom ; and November 22 in IMAX , in the United States . The film set records for the biggest November opening weekend and biggest three - and five-day Thanksgiving box-office totals , surpassing the first film 's box office grosses . It ranks as the 14th highest-grossing film at the domestic box office and the highest-grossing film at the domestic box office of 2013 , becoming the first 2-D film since The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) to top the yearly box office , as well as having a lead female top the box office since The Exorcist ( 1973 ) . The film has grossed over $ 865 million worldwide and is the highest-grossing entry in The Hunger Games series . The film was followed by The Hunger Games : Mockingjay , a two-part sequel and finale of the franchise : Part 1 was released on November 21 , 2014 , in the United States , and Part 2 on November 20 , 2015 . Catching Fire received mostly positive reviews and is widely considered by critics to be an improvement over its predecessor , with the sentiment being that it 's `` a more-confident , more-polished movie '' ; praise also goes to Lawrence 's performance as Katniss . It 's the most critically acclaimed chapter in The Hunger Games series , according to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes . The film also received numerous nominations , with a nomination for the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Action Film and a Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film . For her performance , Lawrence was nominated a second time for the Empire Award for Best Actress as well as the Saturn Award and Broadcast Film Critics Association Award . The song `` Atlas '' was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song .", "The Hunger Games (film series). The Hunger Games film series consists of four science fiction dystopian adventure films based on The Hunger Games trilogy of novels , by the American author Suzanne Collins . Distributed by Lionsgate and produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik , it stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen , Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark , Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy , Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket , Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee , Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman , Donald Sutherland as President Snow and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne . Gary Ross directed the first film , while Francis Lawrence directed the next three films . The first three films set records at the box office . The Hunger Games ( 2012 ) set records for the opening day and the biggest opening weekend for a non-sequel film . The Hunger Games : Catching Fire ( 2013 ) set the record for biggest opening weekend in the month of November . The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 ( 2014 ) had the largest opening day and weekend of 2014 . The films , including The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 2 ( 2015 ) , received a positive reception from critics , with praise aimed at its themes and messages , as well as Jennifer Lawrence 's portrayal of the main protagonist , Katniss Everdeen . The Hunger Games is the 16th highest-grossing film franchise of all time , having grossed over US$ 2.9 billion worldwide .", "The Hunger Games (novel). The Hunger Games is a 2008 dystopian novel by the American writer Suzanne Collins . It is written in the voice of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen , who lives in the future , post-apocalyptic nation of Panem in North America . The Capitol , a highly advanced metropolis , exercises political control over the rest of the nation . The Hunger Games is an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12 -- 18 from each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle to the death . The book received mostly positive responses from major reviewers and authors . It was praised for its plot and character development . In writing The Hunger Games , Collins drew upon Greek mythology , Roman gladiatorial games , and contemporary reality television for thematic content . The novel won many awards , including the California Young Reader Medal , and was named one of Publishers Weeklys `` Best Books of the Year '' in 2008 . The Hunger Games was first published in hardcover on September 14 , 2008 , by Scholastic , featuring a cover designed by Tim O'Brien . It has since been released in paperback and also as an audiobook and ebook . After an initial print of 200,000 , the book had sold 800,000 copies by February 2010 . Since its release , The Hunger Games has been translated into 26 languages , and publishing rights have been sold in 38 territories . The novel is the first in The Hunger Games trilogy , followed by Catching Fire ( 2009 ) and Mockingjay ( 2010 ) . A film adaptation , directed by Gary Ross and co-written and co-produced by Collins herself , was released in 2012 .", "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 is a 2014 American dystopian science fiction adventure film directed by Francis Lawrence with a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong . It is the first of two films based on Suzanne Collins ' novel Mockingjay , the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy , and the third installment in The Hunger Games film series , produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik and distributed by Lionsgate . The film features an ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson , Elizabeth Banks , Julianne Moore , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Jeffrey Wright , Stanley Tucci , and Donald Sutherland . Principal photography for both parts of the film began on September 23 , 2013 , in Atlanta , before moving to Paris for two weeks of filming and officially concluding on June 20 , 2014 , in Berlin . The story continues to follow Katniss Everdeen ; having twice survived the Hunger Games , Katniss finds herself in District 13 . Under the leadership of President Coin and the advice of her trusted friends , Katniss reluctantly becomes the symbol of a mass rebellion against the Capitol and fights to save Peeta and a nation moved by her courage . It is the sequel to The Hunger Games : Catching Fire and was followed by the concluding entry , The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 2 . Mockingjay -- Part 1 was released on November 21 , 2014 in the United States . Like its predecessors , the film was a commercial success grossing $ 55 million on its opening day , making it the largest opening day of 2014 and the sixth-largest in November . The film went to the No. 1 spot during its opening weekend with a $ 273.8 million worldwide gross , becoming the biggest opening of 2014 and marking The Hunger Games film series as the only franchise to have three films earn over $ 100 million in a weekend . The film earned over $ 755 million worldwide , making it the second highest-grossing entry in The Hunger Games series . Part 1 received positive reviews from critics , who commended its acting and political subtext , but received criticism for its lack of action and for splitting the novel into two separate adaptations . It is the lowest-rated Hunger Games film of the franchise according to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes . The film had garnered a nomination for Best Science Fiction Film at the 41st Saturn Awards . For her performance , Lawrence received a nomination for Best Actress in an Action Movie at the 20th Critics ' Choice Awards and a Saturn Award nomination . The song `` Yellow Flicker Beat '' also received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards and Critics ' Choice Awards .", "List of accolades received by The Hunger Games film series. The Hunger Games film series consists of four science-fiction adventure films based on The Hunger Games novels by the American author Suzanne Collins . The four films , entitled The Hunger Games , The Hunger Games : Catching Fire , The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 and The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 2 , were released serially worldwide between March 2012 and 2015 . The first one was directed by Gary Ross , while the other three were directed by Francis Lawrence . Distributed by Lionsgate and produced by Nina Jacobson , it stars Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth as the three leading characters , Katniss Everdeen , Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne , respectively . Every film was a financial success and achieved blockbuster status . The Hunger Games grossed over $ 694 million worldwide against its budget of $ 78 million , making it the third-highest-grossing film in the United States , only behind The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises , and ninth-highest-grossing worldwide of 2012 . The Hunger Games : Catching Fire topped the highest-grossing film at the domestic box office of 2013 . It also grossed over $ 865 million worldwide and is currently the highest-grossing entry in The Hunger Games series . The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 ranked second at the domestic office of 2014 , grossing $ 337 million , while over $ 755 million worldwide . Part 2 has grossed $ 281 million in North America , with a total of $ 652 million worldwide . Overall , the film series received positive reception from critics . The Hunger Games scored a 84 % rating based on a sample of 277 reviews on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes with an average of 7.2 / 10 . The second entry performed even better with critics , garnering an approval rating of 89 % , with an average of 7.5 / 10 . The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 scored a 65 % rating based on 237 reviews , while Part 2 had a 70 % rating , with average of 6.5 / 10 , based on 231 reviews . The Hunger Games film series received awards and nominations in a variety of categories with particular praise for its direction , screenplay and the performances of Jennifer Lawrence . As of February 2016 , it has received a total of 55 awards from 140 nominations . The series won nine MTV Movie Awards out of twenty-six nominations , seven People 's Choice Awards out of eight nominations and received three Grammy Awards and Golden Globe Awards nominations , winning a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media for `` Safe & Sound '' .", "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 2 is a 2015 American dystopian science fiction adventure film directed by Francis Lawrence , with a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong . It is the fourth and final installment in The Hunger Games film series , and the second of two films based on the novel Mockingjay , the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy , by Suzanne Collins . Produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik , and distributed by Lionsgate , the film features an ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson , Elizabeth Banks , Julianne Moore , Philip Seymour Hoffman ( in his final film role ) , and Donald Sutherland . Principal photography on both parts of the film began on September 23 , 2013 in Atlanta , before moving to Paris for two weeks of back-to-back filming and officially concluding on June 20 , 2014 , in Berlin and at Babelsberg Studios , Germany . The story continues from The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 with Katniss Everdeen ( Jennifer Lawrence ) preparing to win the war against President Snow ( Donald Sutherland ) and the tyrannical Capitol . Together with Peeta , Gale , Finnick , and others she travels to the Capitol to kill Snow . However , President Coin ( Julianne Moore ) , the leader of District 13 and the rebellion , hides a bigger agenda that could not only jeopardize Katniss ' life , but the future of Panem . Mockingjay -- Part 2 was released on November 20 , 2015 in the United States , in 2D and IMAX , and internationally in 2D , 3D , RealD Cinema , and IMAX 3D in select territories ; it 's the only film in the series widely released in 3D . Falling below expectations internationally and domestically with a $ 102.7 million gross during its opening weekend in North America , the film had the sixth-biggest opening in 2015 , but held at number one at the international box-office for four consecutive weekends . The film grossed over $ 653 million worldwide , making it the lowest-grossing of the four films in the franchise , but still a commercial success . Part 2 was positively received by critics for its performances , screenplay , and action sequences , though it was criticized for splitting the final adaptation into two separate parts . The film had garnered a nomination for Best Fantasy Film at the 42nd Saturn Awards . For her part , Lawrence was awarded as the Favorite Movie Actress at the 2016 Kids ' Choice Awards and Best Hero at the 2016 MTV Movie Awards .", "Catching Fire. Catching Fire is a 2009 science fiction young adult novel by the American novelist Suzanne Collins , the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy . As the sequel to the 2008 bestseller The Hunger Games , it continues the story of Katniss Everdeen and the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem . Following the events of the previous novel , a rebellion against the oppressive Capitol has begun , and Katniss and fellow tribute Peeta Mellark are forced to return to the arena in a special edition of the Hunger Games . The book was first published on September 1 , 2009 , by Scholastic , in hardcover , and was later released in ebook and audiobook format . Catching Fire received mostly positive reviews , with reviewers praising Collins ' prose , the book 's ending , and the development of Katniss 's character . According to critics , major themes of the novel include survival , authoritarianism , rebellion and interdependence versus independence . The book has sold more than 19 million copies in the U.S. alone . A film adaptation , The Hunger Games : Catching Fire , was released on November 22 , 2013 .", "Mockingjay. Mockingjay is a 2010 science fiction novel by American author Suzanne Collins . It is the last installment of The Hunger Games , following 2008 's The Hunger Games and 2009 's Catching Fire . The book continues the story of Katniss Everdeen , who agrees to unify the districts of Panem in a rebellion against the tyrannical Capitol . The hardcover and audiobook editions of Mockingjay were published by Scholastic on August 24 , 2010 , six days after the ebook edition went on sale . The book sold 450,000 copies in the first week of release , exceeding the publisher 's expectations . It received a generally positive reaction from critics . The novel was adapted into two films , with The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 released in November 2014 and The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 2 released a year later .", "The Hunger Games (disambiguation). The Hunger Games is a trilogy of adventure novels by Suzanne Collins . The Hunger Games may also refer to : The Hunger Games ( novel ) , the first novel in the trilogy The Hunger Games ( film series ) , the film series based on the novels The Hunger Games ( film ) , the first film in the series The Hunger Games , the annual competition that is central subject of the series The Hunger Games universe , the fictional universe in which the trilogy is set", "Fictional universe of The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games universe is a fictional world appearing in The Hunger Games trilogy written by Suzanne Collins . It consists primarily of the fictional nation of Panem , its Capitol where the totalitarian government resides , and the outlying districts , numbered 1 to 12 , each with a different economy . In addition , there is the secretive District 13 , where a rebel force is building strength . The Hunger Games themselves are an annual event in which citizens from the districts , selected through a process called `` reaping '' , are forced to participate in a battle to the death . The universe also contains fictional flora and fauna , such as the Mockingjay , a bird whose mimicry is used as a plot device , and after whom the third book in the series is named .", "Suzanne Collins. Suzanne Collins ( born August 10 , 1962 ) is an American television writer and author , best known as the author of The New York Times best selling series The Underland Chronicles and The Hunger Games trilogy ( which consists of The Hunger Games , Catching Fire , and Mockingjay ) .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Jennifer Lawrence. Jennifer Shrader Lawrence ( born August 15 , 1990 ) is an American actress . Since 2015 , Lawrence has been the highest-paid actress in the world , and her films have grossed over $ 5.5 billion worldwide . She appeared in Time 100 most influential people in the world in 2013 and Forbes Celebrity 100 the following year and in 2016 . During her childhood , Lawrence performed in church plays and school musicals . When she was 14 , a talent scout spotted her in New York . She then moved to Los Angeles and began her acting career by playing guest roles in television shows . Her first major role came as a main cast member on the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show ( 2007 -- 2009 ) . Lawrence made her film debut with a supporting role in Garden Party ( 2008 ) , and had her breakthrough playing a poverty-stricken teenager in the independent drama Winter 's Bone ( 2010 ) . She achieved wider recognition for playing the mutant Mystique in X-Men : First Class ( 2011 ) , a role she reprised in later installments of the series . Lawrence 's fame continued to grow with her starring role as Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games film series ( 2012 -- 2015 ) , which established her as the highest-grossing action heroine of all time . She went on to earn various accolades from her collaborations with director David O. Russell . Her performance as a depressed widow in the romance film Silver Linings Playbook ( 2012 ) received an Academy Award for Best Actress , making her the second youngest Best Actress Oscar winner . Lawrence subsequently won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for playing a troubled wife in the black comedy American Hustle ( 2013 ) . She also received Golden Globe Awards for her roles in both of these films and for playing the eponymous inventor in the biopic Joy ( 2015 ) . Lawrence is known in the media for being a vocal advocate of feminism and gender equality , and is the founder of the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation through which she supports various charitable organizations .", "Peeta Mellark. Peeta Mellark is a fictional character from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins . He is portrayed by actor Josh Hutcherson in The Hunger Games film series . Peeta is the male tribute representing District 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games , alongside female tribute Katniss Everdeen ( portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence ) . Together , they defy the rule that the Games may only have one victor , unintentionally inciting a rebellion against the authoritarian government of Panem .", "Katniss Everdeen. Katniss Everdeen is a fictional character and the protagonist of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins . Her name comes from a plant with edible tubers called Sagittaria ( katniss ) , from Sagittarius the Archer , whose name means He that throws arrows in Latin . She is portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence in the film adaptations The Hunger Games , The Hunger Games : Catching Fire , The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 , and The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 2 . Katniss and her family come from District 12 , a coal-mining district that is the poorest and least populated district in the dystopian fictional autocratic nation of Panem . In the course of the first book , The Hunger Games , Katniss volunteers to replace her sister , Primrose `` Prim '' Everdeen , after she is reaped ( chosen ) to compete in the Hunger Games , a televised fight to the death . Katniss , following an alliance with Rue , a young tribute from District 11 who reminded Katniss of Prim but died in the arena , joins up with fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark . The pair compete in the Games together . Katniss uses her knowledge of hunting and archery to survive , and the two become the victors after defying the Capitol 's attempt to force one to kill the other . Throughout the next two novels , Catching Fire and Mockingjay , Katniss becomes a galvanizing symbol of rebellion against the oppressive Capitol .", "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The Hunger Games : Catching Fire -- Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the official soundtrack to the 2013 American science-fiction adventure film The Hunger Games : Catching Fire . The movie is an adaptation of the 2009 novel by Suzanne Collins and the sequel of The Hunger Games . The soundtrack was released through Republic Records on November 15 , 2013 . The album sold 151,000 copies in the US in 2013 , making it the seventh best-selling soundtrack album for the year .", "The Divergent Series. The Divergent Series is a feature film series based on the Divergent novels by the American author Veronica Roth . Distributed by Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate Films , the series consists of four science fiction films set in a dystopian society . They have been produced by Lucy Fisher , Pouya Shabazian , and Douglas Wick and star Shailene Woodley and Theo James as lead characters Beatrice Prior ( Tris ) and Tobias Eaton ( Four ) , respectively . The supporting cast includes Ansel Elgort , Zoë Kravitz and Miles Teller . The first film in the series was directed by Neil Burger , while the second and third films were directed by Robert Schwentke . Development began in 2011 following Summit 's acquisition of the film rights to the Divergent novel in partnership with production company Red Wagon Entertainment . The studios announced production on the sequel following the first film 's strong performance in Thursday late-night screenings , where it grossed $ 4.9 million . They acquired film rights to the Allegiant novel in December 2013 , deciding in April 2014 to split the third novel into a two-part film adaptation . The first installment , Divergent ( 2014 ) , grossed over $ 288 million worldwide , while the second installment , The Divergent Series : Insurgent ( 2015 ) , grossed over $ 297 million worldwide . Insurgent was also the first Divergent film to be released in IMAX 3D . The third installment , The Divergent Series : Allegiant ( 2016 ) , grossed $ 179 million . The first three films of the series have grossed over $ 765 million worldwide .", "Film series. A film series ( also referred to as a film franchise ) is a collection of related films in succession that share the same fictional universe , or are marketed as a series . Sometimes the work is conceived from the beginning as a multiple-film work , for example the Three Colours series , but in most cases the success of the original film inspires further films to be made . Individual sequels are relatively common , but are not always successful enough to spawn further installments . The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the highest grossing film series in unadjusted US Dollar figures surpassing the Harry Potter , Star Wars , James Bond , and Peter Jackson 's The Lord of the Rings series . However , `` Star Wars '' has the highest when adjusted for inflation .", "The Hunger Pains. The Hunger Pains is a 2012 New York Times bestselling novel by The Harvard Lampoon and a parody of Suzanne Collins 's The Hunger Games . It was first published on February 7 , 2012 through Touchstone Books , and a cinematic book trailer was released in March of the same year .", "Divergent (film). Divergent is a 2014 American science fiction action film directed by Neil Burger , based on the novel of the same name by Veronica Roth . The film is the first installment in The Divergent Series and was produced by Lucy Fisher , Pouya Shabazian , and Douglas Wick , with a screenplay by Evan Daugherty and Vanessa Taylor . It stars Shailene Woodley , Theo James , Ashley Judd , Jai Courtney , Ray Stevenson , Zoë Kravitz , Miles Teller , Tony Goldwyn , Ansel Elgort , Maggie Q and Kate Winslet . The story takes place in a dystopian and post-apocalyptic Chicago where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues . Beatrice Prior is warned that she is Divergent and thus will never fit into any one of the factions . She soon learns that a sinister plot is brewing in the seemingly perfect society . Development of Divergent began in March 2011 when Summit Entertainment picked up the film rights to the novel with Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher 's production company Red Wagon Entertainment . Principal photography began April 16 , 2013 , and concluded on July 16 , 2013 , with reshoots taking place from January 24 -- 26 , 2014 . Production mostly took place in Chicago . Divergent was released on March 21 , 2014 , in the United States . The film received mixed reviews from critics , with praise going towards its concepts and action , and criticism focused on its execution . Reviewers found the film to be generic and unoriginal , comparing it unfavorably to other young adult fiction adaptations . Despite this , the film was a financial success as it reached the # 1 spot at the box office during its opening weekend . After its release , the film earned over US$ 288 million worldwide against its budget of US$ 85 million . It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 5 , 2014 . A sequel , Insurgent , was released on March 20 , 2015 in the United States .", "Gregor and the Code of Claw. Gregor and the Code of Claw is a children 's novel by author Suzanne Collins , best known for her Hunger Games trilogy . It is the fifth and final book of The Underland Chronicles , and was published in 2007 . Scholastic has rated the book 's `` grade level equivalent '' as 4.5 and the book 's lexile score as 730L , making it reading-level-appropriate for the average fourth to sixth grader . The novel has been praised especially as a conclusion to The Underland Chronicles . In its description of the novel , as part of its `` Recommended Books '' award , the CCBC states , `` Although Gregor and the Code of Claw works as a stand-alone story , readers will want to start with book one and work their way through to this final volume . '' An audiobook version was released in 2008 , read by Paul Boehmer .", "The Starving Games. The Starving Games is a 2013 American parody film based on The Hunger Games and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer . The film stars Maiara Walsh , Cody Christian , Brant Daugherty , Lauren Bowles and Diedrich Bader . It is the first film in Friedberg and Seltzer 's long-running partnership to be distributed independently . It was released simultaneously in theaters and video on demand by distribution start-up Ketchup Entertainment . The film was released on November 8 , 2013 to a commercial and critical failure .", "The Underland Chronicles. The Underland Chronicles is a series of five epic fantasy novels by Suzanne Collins , first published between 2003 and 2007 . It tells the story of a boy named Gregor and his adventures in the `` Underland '' , a subterranean world located under New York City . The Underland is inhabited by humans who traveled below hundreds of years ago , along with various giant versions of creatures like bats , cockroaches , and rats . According to the author , the series involves many topics relating to war , including biological warfare , genocide , and military intelligence . While not as well known as the author 's subsequent Hunger Games trilogy , it has been reviewed favorably by many critics .", "Star Wars. Star Wars is an American epic space opera franchise , centered on a film series created by George Lucas . It depicts the adventures of various characters `` a long time ago in a galaxy far , far away '' . The franchise began in 1977 with the release of the film Star Wars ( later subtitled Episode IV : A New Hope in 1981 ) , which became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon . It was followed by the successful sequels The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) ; these three films constitute the original Star Wars trilogy . A prequel trilogy was released between 1999 and 2005 , which received mixed reactions from both critics and fans . A sequel trilogy began in 2015 with the release of Star Wars : The Force Awakens . All seven films were nominated for Academy Awards ( with wins going to the first two films ) and have been commercial successes , with a combined box office revenue of over $ 7.5 billion , making Star Wars the third highest-grossing film series . Spin-off films include the animated Star Wars : The Clone Wars ( 2008 ) and Rogue One ( 2016 ) , the latter of which is the first in an upcoming series of anthology films . The series has spawned an extensive media franchise including books , television series , computer and video games , and comic books , all of which take place within the same continuity as the films , resulting in significant development of the series 's fictional universe , with the non-canonical works falling under the defunct Star Wars Legends label . Star Wars also holds a Guinness World Records title for the `` Most successful film merchandising franchise . In 2015 , the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated at USD $ 42 billion , making Star Wars the second highest-grossing media franchise of all time . In 2012 , The Walt Disney Company bought Lucasfilm for $ 4.06 billion and earned the distribution rights to all subsequent Star Wars films , beginning with the release of The Force Awakens in 2015 . The former distributor , 20th Century Fox , retains the physical distribution rights for the first two Star Wars trilogies , owns permanent rights for the original 1977 film and continues to hold the rights for the prequel trilogy and the first two sequels to A New Hope until May 2020 . Walt Disney Studios owns digital distribution rights to all the Star Wars films , excluding A New Hope .", "Lionsgate Films. Lionsgate Films ( formerly known as Cinépix Film Properties ) is an American film production/distribution studio and a division of Lions Gate Entertainment . It is the largest and most successful mini-major film studio in North America . It focuses on foreign and independent films and has distributed various commercially successful film series , including The Twilight Saga ( partially , via the firm 's 2012 acquisition of Twilight distributor Summit Entertainment ) , The Hunger Games , The Divergent Series , Saw , Madea , and The Expendables .", "Harry Potter. Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling . The novels chronicle the life of a young wizard , Harry Potter , and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley , all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . The main story arc concerns Harry 's struggle against Lord Voldemort , a dark wizard who intends to become immortal , overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic , and subjugate all wizards and Muggles , a reference term that means non-magical people . Since the release of the first novel , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , on 26 June 1997 , the books have found immense popularity , critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide . The series has now been translated into multiple languages including French , Irish , Spanish , German and Swedish to name a few . They have attracted a wide adult audience as well as younger readers , and are often considered cornerstones of modern young adult literature . The series has also had its share of criticism , including concern about the increasingly dark tone as the series progressed , as well as the often gruesome and graphic violence it depicts . , the books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide , making them the best-selling book series in history , and have been translated into seventy-three languages . The last four books consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history , with the final instalment selling roughly eleven million copies in the United States within twenty-four hours of its release . The series was originally published in English by two major publishers , Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom and Scholastic Press in the United States . A play , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , based on a story co-written by Rowling , premiered in London on 30 July 2016 at the Palace Theatre , and its script was published by Little , Brown as the eighth book in the series . The original seven books were adapted into an eight-part film series by Warner Bros. . Pictures , which has become the second highest-grossing film series of all time . In 2016 , the total value of the Harry Potter franchise was estimated at $ 25 billion , making Harry Potter one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time . A series of many genres , including fantasy , drama , coming of age , friendship , and the British school story ( which includes elements of mystery , thriller , adventure , horror and romance ) , the world of Harry Potter explores numerous themes and includes many cultural meanings and references . According to Rowling , the main theme is death . Other major themes in the series include prejudice , corruption , and madness . The success of the books and films has ensured that the Harry Potter franchise continues to expand , with numerous derivative works , a travelling exhibition that premiered in Chicago in 2009 , a studio tour in London that opened in 2012 , a digital platform on which J.K. Rowling updates the series with new information and insight , and a pentalogy of spin-off films premiering in November 2016 , among many other developments . Most recently , themed attractions , collectively known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , have been built at several Universal Parks & Resorts amusement parks around the world .", "Josh Hutcherson. Joshua Ryan `` Josh '' Hutcherson ( born October 12 , 1992 ) is an American actor . A native of Kentucky , Hutcherson began his acting career in the early 2000s and appeared in several commercials and minor film and television roles before landing his first major role in 2002 in the pilot episode of House Blend . His first film role was in Miracle Dogs ( 2003 ) on Animal Planet , followed by a motion-capture performance in The Polar Express ( 2004 ) and a voice-acting role in Howl 's Moving Castle ( 2005 ) . Hutcherson 's other early film appearances include Little Manhattan , Zathura ( both 2005 ) , RV ( 2006 ) , Bridge to Terabithia ( 2007 ) , Journey to the Center of the Earth ( 2008 ) , and The Kids Are All Right ( 2010 ) . In 2011 , he landed the leading role of Peeta Mellark in the box office record-setting film series The Hunger Games , released annually from 2012 to 2015 , for which he won three MTV Movie Awards and a People 's Choice Award . During the same period he also played a lead role in Journey 2 : The Mysterious Island ( 2012 ) and a voice role in the animated film Epic ( 2013 ) . Throughout his career , Hutcherson has expressed an interest in directing and producing . He has served as an executive producer in Detention ( 2011 ) , The Forger ( 2012 ) and Escobar : Paradise Lost ( 2015 ) , while also playing a lead role in each film . He is also heavily involved in the gay -- straight alliance chapter called `` Straight But Not Narrow '' .", "The Giver. The Giver is a 1993 American young adult dystopian novel by Lois Lowry . It is set in a society which at first appears to be utopian but is revealed to be dystopian as the story progresses . The novel follows a 12-year-old boy named Jonas . The society has eliminated pain and strife by converting to `` Sameness '' , a plan that has also eradicated emotional depth from their lives . Jonas is selected to inherit the position of Receiver of Memory , the person who stores all the past memories of the time before Sameness , as there may be times where one must draw upon the wisdom gained from history to aid the community 's decision making . Jonas struggles with concepts of all the new emotions and things introduced to him : whether they are inherently good , evil , or in between , and whether it is even possible to have one without the other . The Community lacks any color , memory , climate , or terrain , all in an effort to preserve structure , order , and a true sense of equality beyond personal individuality . The Giver won the 1994 Newbery Medal along with 3 other novels and has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide as of 2014 . In Australia , Canada , and the United States , it is on many middle school reading lists , but it is also frequently challenged and it ranked number 11 on the American Library Association list of the most challenged books of the 1990s . A 2012 survey based in the U.S. designated it the fourth-best children 's novel of all time . In 2014 , a film adaptation was released , starring Jeff Bridges , Meryl Streep and Brenton Thwaites . The novel forms a loose quartet with three other books set in the same future era , known as The Giver Quartet : Gathering Blue ( 2000 ) , Messenger ( 2004 ) , and Son ( 2012 ) .", "Color Force. Color Force is an American studio founded in 2007 by producer Nina Jacobson . It is notable for producing films based on novels , particularly the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Hunger Games series . Color Force signed a three-year `` first-look '' production deal with DreamWorks in December 2006 . In 2012 , The Hunger Games grossed $ 155 million in the opening weekend . Its sequel , The Hunger Games : Catching Fire , grossed $ 158 million in the opening weekend making it the highest grossing film by Color Force to date .", "2012 Teen Choice Awards. The 2012 Teen Choice Awards ceremony , hosted by Demi Lovato and Kevin McHale , was held on July 22 , 2012 and broadcast on Fox . The awards celebrated the year 's achievements in music , film , television , sports , fashion , comedy , and the Internet , and were voted on by teenage viewers aged 13 through 19 . Over 134 million votes were cast . Taylor Swift had the most individual wins with five , including Choice Female Artist and Female Country Artist . Kristen Stewart obtained three awards , including the `` Ultimate Choice '' award which she shared with Twilight co-stars Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson . Although the actors received most awards , The Twilight Saga : Breaking Dawn -- Part 1 won four out of 11 nominations as a whole , including the `` Ultimate Choice '' , bringing the entire series ' Teen Choice Award totals to 41 . The Hunger Games won seven of its eight nominations , including Choice Book , Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie , and Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie Actor , for Josh Hutcherson 's work . The Vampire Diaries won six of its eight nominations , including Choice Fantasy/Sci-Fi TV Show , Actor : Fantasy/Sci-Fi TV Show and Male Hottie for its star , Ian Somerhalder . Pretty Little Liars won all five of their nominations , including Choice TV Drama ." ]

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[ "Ryan Gosling. Ryan Thomas Gosling ( born November 12 , 1980 ) is a Canadian actor and musician . He began his career as a child star on the Disney Channel 's Mickey Mouse Club ( 1993 -- 95 ) and went on to appear in other family entertainment programs including Are You Afraid of the Dark ? ( 1995 ) and Goosebumps ( 1996 ) . His first starring film role was as a Jewish neo-Nazi in The Believer ( 2001 ) , and he went on to star in several independent films , including Murder by Numbers ( 2002 ) , The Slaughter Rule ( 2002 ) , and The United States of Leland ( 2003 ) . Gosling came to the attention of a wider audience in 2004 with a leading role in the commercially successful romantic drama The Notebook . His performance as a drug-addicted teacher in Half Nelson ( 2006 ) was nominated for an Academy Award and his performance as a socially inept loner in Lars and the Real Girl ( 2007 ) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award . After a three-year acting hiatus , Gosling starred in the marital drama Blue Valentine ( 2010 ) , earning him a second Golden Globe nomination . Gosling co-starred in three mainstream films in 2011the romantic comedy-drama Crazy , Stupid , Love , the political drama The Ides of March , and the action thriller Driveand received two more Golden Globe nominations . Gosling 's directorial debut Lost River was released in 2014 to poor reviews . Greater success came to Gosling when he starred in two critically acclaimed filmsthe financial comedy-drama The Big Short ( 2015 ) and the musical La La Land ( 2016 ) . For the latter , he won a Golden Globe Award and received a second Oscar nomination . Gosling 's band , Dead Man 's Bones , released their self-titled debut album and toured North America in 2009 . He is a co-owner of Tagine , a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills , California . He is a supporter of PETA , Invisible Children and the Enough Project and has traveled to Chad , Uganda and eastern Congo to raise awareness about conflicts in the regions .", "South Africa. South Africa , officially the Republic of South Africa ( RSA ) , is the southernmost country in Africa . It is bounded on the south by 2,798 km of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans , on the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia , Botswana and Zimbabwe , and on the east and northeast by Mozambique and Swaziland , and surrounding the kingdom of Lesotho . South Africa is the 25th-largest country in the world by land area , and with close to 56 million people , is the world 's 24th-most populous nation . It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere . About 80 percent of South Africans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry , divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different Bantu languages , nine of which have official status . The remaining population consists of Africa 's largest communities of European ( white ) , Asian ( Indian ) , and multiracial ( coloured ) ancestry . South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures , languages , and religions . Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution 's recognition of 11 official languages , which is among the highest number of any country in the world . Two of these languages are of European origin : Afrikaans developed from Dutch and serves as the first language of most white and coloured South Africans ; English reflects the legacy of British colonialism , and is commonly used in public and commercial life , though it is fourth-ranked as a spoken first language . The country is one of the few in Africa never to have had a coup d'état , and regular elections have been held for almost a century . However , the vast majority of black South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994 . During the 20th century , the black majority sought to recover its rights from the dominant white minority , with this struggle playing a large role in the country 's recent history and politics . The National Party imposed apartheid in 1948 , institutionalising previous racial segregation . After a long and sometimes violent struggle by the African National Congress and other anti-apartheid activists both inside and outside the country , discriminatory laws began to be repealed or abolished from 1990 onwards . Since 1994 , all ethnic and linguistic groups have held political representation in the country 's democracy , which comprises a parliamentary republic and nine provinces . South Africa is often referred to as the `` Rainbow Nation '' to describe the country 's multicultural diversity , especially in the wake of apartheid . The World Bank classifies South Africa as an upper-middle-income economy , and a newly industrialised country . Its economy is the second-largest in Africa , and the 34th-largest in the world . In terms of purchasing power parity , South Africa has the seventh-highest per capita income in Africa . However , poverty and inequality remain widespread , with about a quarter of the population unemployed and living on less than US$ 1.25 a day . Nevertheless , South Africa has been identified as a middle power in international affairs , and maintains significant regional influence .", "Chicago. Chicago ( -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɑːɡoʊ -RSB- or -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɔːɡoʊ -RSB- ) , officially the City of Chicago , is the third-most populous city in the United States . With over 2.7 million residents , it is also the most populous city in both the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States . It is the county seat of Cook County . The Chicago metropolitan area , often referred to as Chicagoland , has nearly 10 million people and is the third-largest in the U.S. Chicago has been called a global architecture capital . In terms of wealth and economy , Chicago is considered one of the most important business centers in the world . Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 , near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed , and grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century . Positioned along Lake Michigan , the city is an international hub for finance , commerce , industry , technology , telecommunications , and transportation : O'Hare International Airport is the second-busiest airport in the world when measured by aircraft traffic ; the region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and rail road freight . In 2012 , Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , and ranked seventh in the world in the 2016 Global Cities Index . Chicago has the third-largest gross metropolitan product in the United States -- about $ 640 billion according to 2015 estimates . The city has one of the world 's largest and most diversified economies with no single industry employing more than 14 % of the workforce . In 2016 , Chicago hosted over 54 million domestic and international visitors , a new record making it one of the top visited cities in the nation . Landmarks in the city include Millennium Park , Navy Pier , the Magnificent Mile , Art Institute of Chicago , Museum Campus , the Willis ( Sears ) Tower , Museum of Science and Industry , and Lincoln Park Zoo . Chicago 's culture includes the visual arts , novels , film , theater , especially improvisational comedy , and music , particularly jazz , blues , soul , hip hop , gospel and house music . There are many colleges and universities in the Chicago area ; among these , Northwestern University , University of Chicago , and the University of Illinois at Chicago are classified as `` highest research '' doctoral universities . Additionally , Chicago has professional sports teams in each of the major professional leagues . The city has many nicknames , the best-known being the Windy City .", "Mali. Mali ( -LSB- ˈmɑːli -RSB- -LSB- maˈli -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Mali ( République du Mali ) , is a landlocked country in West Africa . Mali is the eighth-largest country in Africa , with an area of just over 1240000 sqkm . The population of Mali is 14.5 million . Its capital is Bamako . Mali consists of eight regions and its borders on the north reach deep into the middle of the Sahara Desert , while the country 's southern part , where the majority of inhabitants live , features the Niger and Senegal rivers . The country 's economy centers on agriculture and fishing . Some of Mali 's prominent natural resources include gold , being the third largest producer of gold in the African continent , and salt . About half the population lives below the international poverty line of $ 1.25 ( U.S. ) a day . A majority of the population ( 90 % ) are Muslims . Present-day Mali was once part of three West African empires that controlled trans-Saharan trade : the Ghana Empire , the Mali Empire ( for which Mali is named ) , and the Songhai Empire . During its golden age , there was a flourishing of mathematics , astronomy , literature , and art . At its peak in 1300 , the Mali Empire covered an area about twice the size of modern-day France and stretched to the west coast of Africa . In the late 19th century , during the Scramble for Africa , France seized control of Mali , making it a part of French Sudan . French Sudan ( then known as the Sudanese Republic ) joined with Senegal in 1959 , achieving independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation . Shortly thereafter , following Senegal 's withdrawal from the federation , the Sudanese Republic declared itself the independent Republic of Mali . After a long period of one-party rule , a coup in 1991 led to the writing of a new constitution and the establishment of Mali as a democratic , multi-party state . In January 2012 , an armed conflict broke out in northern Mali , in which Tuareg rebels took control of by April and declared the secession of a new state , Azawad . The conflict was complicated by a military coup that took place in March and later fighting between Tuareg and Islamist rebels . In response to Islamist territorial gains , the French military launched Opération Serval in January 2013 . A month later , Malian and French forces recaptured most of the north . Presidential elections were held on 28 July 2013 , with a second round run-off held on 11 August , and legislative elections were held on 24 November and 15 December 2013 .", "La La Land (film). La La Land is a 2016 American romantic musical film written and directed by Damien Chazelle , and starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as a musician and an aspiring actress who meet and fall in love in Los Angeles . The film 's title refers both to the city of Los Angeles and to Lalaland for being out of touch with reality . Chazelle wrote the screenplay in 2010 but did not find a studio willing to finance the production without changes to his design . Following the success of his 2014 film Whiplash , the project was picked up by Summit Entertainment . La La Land was premiered at the Venice Film Festival on August 31 , 2016 , and was released in the United States on December 9 , 2016 . It grossed $ 442 million worldwide on a production budget of $ 30 million . La La Land received critical acclaim and was regarded as one of the best films of 2016 . Critics praised Chazelle 's screenplay and direction , Gosling and Stone 's performances , Justin Hurwitz 's score and the film 's musical numbers . It won in every category it was nominated for at the 74th Golden Globe Awards , with a record-breaking seven wins , and received 11 nominations at the 70th British Academy Film Awards , winning five . It received 14 nominations at the 89th Academy Awards , tying the record for most nominations with Titanic ( 1997 ) and All About Eve ( 1950 ) , and won 6 Academy Awards for Best Director , Best Actress ( Stone ) , Best Cinematography , Best Original Score , Best Original Song ( `` City of Stars '' ) and Best Production Design .", "United Nations. The United Nations ( UN ) is an intergovernmental organization to promote international co-operation and to create and maintain international order . A replacement for the ineffective League of Nations , the organization was established on 24 October 1945 after World War II in order to prevent another such conflict . At its founding , the UN had 51 member states ; there are now 193 . The headquarters of the UN is in Manhattan , New York City , and experiences extraterritoriality . Further main offices are situated in Geneva , Nairobi , and Vienna . The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states . Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security , promoting human rights , fostering social and economic development , protecting the environment , and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine , natural disaster , and armed conflict . The UN is the largest , most familiar , most internationally represented and most powerful intergovernmental organisation in the world . The UN Charter was drafted at a conference between April -- June 1945 in San Francisco , and was signed on 26 June 1945 at the conclusion of the conference ; this charter took effect 24 October 1945 , and the UN began operation . The UN 's mission to preserve world peace was complicated in its early decades by the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union and their respective allies . The organization participated in major actions in Korea and the Congo , as well as approving the creation of the state of Israel in 1947 . The organization 's membership grew significantly following widespread decolonization in the 1960s , and by the 1970s its budget for economic and social development programmes far outstripped its spending on peacekeeping . After the end of the Cold War , the UN took on major military and peacekeeping missions across the world with varying degrees of success . The UN has six principal organs : the General Assembly ( the main deliberative assembly ) ; the Security Council ( for deciding certain resolutions for peace and security ) ; the Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC ; for promoting international economic and social co-operation and development ) ; the Secretariat ( for providing studies , information , and facilities needed by the UN ) ; the International Court of Justice ( the primary judicial organ ) ; and the UN Trusteeship Council ( inactive since 1994 ) . UN System agencies include the World Bank Group , the World Health Organization , the World Food Programme , UNESCO , and UNICEF . The UN 's most prominent officer is the Secretary-General , an office held by Portuguese António Guterres since 2017 . Non-governmental organizations may be granted consultative status with ECOSOC and other agencies to participate in the UN 's work . The organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 , and a number of its officers and agencies have also been awarded the prize . Other evaluations of the UN 's effectiveness have been mixed . Some commentators believe the organization to be an important force for peace and human development , while others have called the organization ineffective , corrupt , or biased .", "Guinea. Guinea -LSB- ˈɡɪni -RSB- , officially the Republic of Guinea ( République de Guinée ) , is a country on the West coast of Africa . Formerly known as French Guinea ( Guinée française ) , the modern country is sometimes referred to as Guinea-Conakry in order to distinguish it from other parts of the wider region of the same name , such as Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea . Guinea has a population of 10.5 million and an area of 245,860 km2 . Guinea is a republic . The president is directly elected by the people and is head of state and head of government . The unicameral Guinean National Assembly is the legislative body of the country , and its members are also directly elected by the people . The judicial branch is led by the Guinea Supreme Court , the highest and final court of appeal in the country . The country is named after the Guinea region . Guinea is a traditional name for the region of Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea . It stretches north through the forested tropical regions and ends at the Sahel . The English term Guinea comes directly from the Portuguese word Guiné , which emerged in the mid-15th century to refer to the lands inhabited by the Guineus , a generic term for the black African peoples below the Senegal River , as opposed to the ` tawny ' Zenaga Berbers , above it , whom they called Azenegues or Moors . Guinea is a predominantly Islamic country , with Muslims representing 85 percent of the population . Guinea 's people belong to twenty-four ethnic groups . French , the official language of Guinea , is the main language of communication in schools , in government administration , and the media , but more than twenty-four indigenous languages are also spoken . Guinea 's economy is largely dependent on agriculture and mineral production . It is the world 's second largest producer of bauxite , and has rich deposits of diamonds and gold . The country was at the core of the 2014 Ebola outbreak . Human rights in Guinea remain a controversial issue . In 2011 the United States government claimed that torture by security forces , and abuse of women and children ( e.g. female genital mutilation ) were ongoing abuses of human rights .", "Angola. Angola -LSB- æŋˈɡoʊlə -RSB- , officially the Republic of Angola ( República de Angola -LSB- ɐ̃ˈɡɔlɐ -RSB- ; Kikongo , Kimbundu and Umbundu : Repubilika ya Ngola ) , is a country in Southern Africa . It is the seventh-largest country in Africa and is bordered by Namibia to the south , the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north , Zambia to the east , and the Atlantic Ocean to west . The exclave province of Cabinda has borders with the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo . The capital and largest city of Angola is Luanda . Although its territory has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era , what is now the modern country of Angola was influenced by Portuguese colonisation , which began with , and was for centuries limited to , coastal settlements and trading posts established beginning in the 16th century . In the 19th century , European settlers slowly and hesitantly began to establish themselves in the interior . As a Portuguese colony , Angola did not encompass its present borders until the early 20th century , following resistance by groups such as the Cuamato , the Kwanyama and the Mbunda . Independence was achieved in 1975 under a Marxist-Leninist one party state , backed by the Soviet Union and Cuba after a protracted anti-colonial struggle . However , the country soon descended into an even lengthier civil war that lasted until 2002 . It has since become a relatively stable unitary presidential republic . Angola has vast mineral and petroleum reserves , and its economy is among the fastest growing in the world , especially since the cessation of the civil war . In spite of this , the standard of living remains low for the majority of the population , and life expectancy in Angola is among the lowest in the world , while infant mortality rates are among the highest . Angola 's economic growth is highly uneven , with the majority of the nation 's wealth concentrated in a disproportionately small sector of the population . Angola is a member state of the United Nations , OPEC , African Union , the Community of Portuguese Language Countries , and the Southern African Development Community . A highly multiethnic country , Angola 's 25.8 million people span various tribal groups , customs , and traditions . Angolan culture reflects centuries of Portuguese rule , namely in the predominance of the Portuguese language and the Catholic Church , combined with diverse indigenous influences .", "Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria -LSB- naɪˈdʒɪəriə -RSB- , commonly referred to as Nigeria , is a federal republic in West Africa , bordering Benin in the west , Chad and Cameroon in the east , and Niger in the north . Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean . It comprises 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory , where the capital , Abuja is located . Nigeria is officially a democratic secular country . Modern-day Nigeria has been the site of numerous kingdoms and tribal states over the millennia . The modern state originated from British colonial rule beginning in the 19th century , and the merging of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1914 . The British set up administrative and legal structures whilst practising indirect rule through traditional chiefdoms . Nigeria became a formally independent federation in 1960 , and plunged into a civil war from 1967 to 1970 . It has since alternated between democratically elected civilian governments and military dictatorships , until it achieved a stable democracy in 1999 , with the 2011 presidential elections considered the first to be reasonably free and fair . Nigeria is often referred to as the `` Giant of Africa '' , owing to its large population and economy . With approximately 184 million inhabitants , Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world . Nigeria has one of the largest populations of youth in the world . The country is viewed as a multinational state , as it is inhabited by over 500 ethnic groups , of which the three largest are the Hausa , Igbo and Yoruba ; these ethnic groups speak over 500 different languages , and are identified with wide variety of cultures . The official language is English . Nigeria is divided roughly in half between Christians , who live mostly in the southern part of the country , and Muslims in the northern part . A minority of the population practise religions indigenous to Nigeria , such as those native to the Igbo and Yoruba ethnicities . , Nigeria is the world 's 20th largest economy , worth more than $ 500 billion and $ 1 trillion in terms of nominal GDP and purchasing power parity respectively . It overtook South Africa to become Africa 's largest economy in 2014 . The 2013 debt-to-GDP ratio was 11 percent . Nigeria is considered to be an emerging market by the World Bank ; it has been identified as a regional power on the African continent , a middle power in international affairs , and has also been identified as an emerging global power . Nigeria is a member of the MINT group of countries , which are widely seen as the globe 's next `` BRIC-like '' economies . It is also listed among the `` Next Eleven '' economies set to become among the biggest in the world . Nigeria is a founding member of the African Union and a member of many other international organizations , including the United Nations , the Commonwealth of Nations and OPEC .", "Africa. Africa is the world 's second-largest and second-most-populous continent . At about 30.3 million km2 ( 11.7 million square miles ) including adjacent islands , it covers 6 % of Earth 's total surface area and 20.4 % of its total land area . With 1.2 billion people as of 2016 , it accounts for about 16 % of the world 's human population . The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north , both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast , the Indian Ocean to the southeast , and the Atlantic Ocean to the west . The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagos . It contains 54 fully recognized sovereign states ( countries ) , nine territories and two de facto independent states with limited or no recognition . Africa 's population is the youngest amongst all the continents ; the median age in 2012 was 19.7 , when the worldwide median age was 30.4 . Algeria is Africa 's largest country by area , and Nigeria by population . Africa , particularly central Eastern Africa , is widely accepted as the place of origin of humans and the Hominidae clade ( great apes ) , as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and their ancestors , as well as later ones that have been dated to around seven million years ago , including Sahelanthropus tchadensis , Australopithecus africanus , A. afarensis , Homo erectus , H. habilis and H. ergaster -- with the earliest Homo sapiens ( modern human ) found in Ethiopia being dated to circa 200,000 years ago . Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas ; it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones . Africa hosts a large diversity of ethnicities , cultures and languages . In the late 19th century European countries colonized most of Africa . Africa also varies greatly with regard to environments , economics , historical ties and government systems . However , most present states in Africa originate from a process of decolonization in the 20th century . African nations have attempted to cooperate through the establishment of the African Union , which is headquartered in Addis Ababa .", "Niger. Niger or the Niger ( -LSB- ˈnaɪdʒər -RSB- or -LSB- niːˈʒɛər -RSB- -LSB- niʒɛʁ -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of the Niger , is a landlocked country in Western Africa , named after the Niger River . Niger is bordered by Libya to the northeast , Chad to the east , Nigeria and Benin to the south , Burkina Faso and Mali to the west , and Algeria to the northwest . Niger covers a land area of almost 1,270,000 km2 , making it the largest country in West Africa , with over 80 percent of its land area covered by the Sahara Desert . The country 's predominantly Islamic population of about 19 million is mostly clustered in the far south and west of the country . The capital city is Niamey , located in the far-southwest corner of Niger . Niger is a developing country , and is consistently one of the lowest-ranked in the United Nations ' Human Development Index ( HDI ) ; it was ranked last at 188th for 2014 . Much of the non-desert portions of the country are threatened by periodic drought and desertification . The economy is concentrated around subsistence and some export agriculture clustered in the more fertile south , and the export of raw materials , especially uranium ore . Niger faces serious challenges to development due to its landlocked position , desert terrain , inefficient agriculture , high fertility rates and resulting overpopulation without birth control , poor education and poverty of its people , lack of infrastructure , poor health care , and environmental degradation . Nigerien society reflects a diversity drawn from the long independent histories of its several ethnic groups and regions and their relatively short period living in a single state . Historically , what is now Niger has been on the fringes of several large states . Since independence , Nigeriens have lived under five constitutions and three periods of military rule . Following a military coup in 2010 , Niger has become a democratic , multi-party state . A majority live in rural areas , and have little access to advanced education .", "Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Democratic Republic of the Congo ( -LSB- ˈkɒŋɡəʊ -RSB- -LSB- kɔ̃ɡo -RSB- ; République démocratique du Congo ) , also known as DR Congo , DRC , DROC , Congo-Kinshasa or simply the Congo , is a country located in Central Africa . The DRC borders the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north ; Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi and Tanzania to the east ; Zambia and Angola to the south ; the Republic of the Congo to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest . It is the second-largest country in Africa by area and eleventh largest in the world . With a population of over 80 million , the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the most populated officially Francophone country , the fourth most-populated nation in Africa and the eighteenth most populated country in the world . The territory of the DR Congo was first settled by humans around 90,000 years ago . Bantu peoples began migrating into the region in the 5th century and again in the 10th century . In the West of the region the Kingdom of Kongo ruled from the 14th to 19th centuries , while in the centre and East of the region the kingdoms of Luba and Lunda ruled from the 16th and 17th centuries to the 19th century . In the 1870s , before the onset of the Scramble for Africa , European exploration of the Congo was carried out , first led by Sir Henry Morton Stanley under the sponsorship of King Leopold II of Belgium . Leopold formally acquired rights to the Congo territory at the Conference of Berlin in 1885 and made the land his private property . He named it the Congo Free State . During the Free State the colonial military unit , the Force Publique , forced the local population into producing rubber , and from 1885 to 1908 millions of Congolese died as a consequence of disease and exploitation . In 1908 Belgium , despite initial reluctance , formally annexed the Free State from Leopold , which became the Belgian Congo . The Belgian Congo achieved independence on 30 June 1960 under the name Republic of the Congo ( Léopoldville ) . Congolese nationalist Patrice Lumumba was elected the first Prime Minister , while Joseph Kasa-Vubu became the first President . Conflict arose over the administration of the territory which became known as the Congo Crisis . The provinces of Katanga , under Moïse Tshombe , and South Kasai attempted to secede from the Congo . On 5 September 1960 , Kasa-Vubu dismissed Lumumba from office , encouraged by the United States and Belgium after Lumumba turned to the Soviet Union for assistance in the crisis . On 14 September , with U.S. and Belgian support , Lumumba was arrested by forces loyal to Army Chief of Staff Joseph-Désiré Mobutu , who had gained de facto control over the country through a coup d'état the same day , and on 17 January 1961 Lumumba was handed over to Katangan authorities and executed by Belgian-led Katangese troops . In 1965 Joseph-Désiré Mobutu , who later renamed himself Mobutu Sese Seko , officially came into power through a second coup . In 1971 he renamed the country Zaire . The country was run as a one-party state with his Popular Movement of the Revolution as the sole legal party . Mobutu 's government received considerable support from the United States for its anti-communist stance during the Cold War . By the early 1990s Mobutu 's government began to weaken . Disenfranchisement of the eastern Congolese Tutsi population led to a 1996 invasion led by Tutsi-ruled Rwanda , which began the First Congo War . On 17 May 1997 Laurent-Désiré Kabila , a leader of Tutsi forces from the province of South Kivu , became President , bringing about the end of Mobutu 's 32-year rule . Tensions between President Kabila and the Rwandan and Tutsi presence in the country led to the Second Congo War from 1998 to 2003 . Ultimately , nine African countries and around twenty armed groups became involved in the war , which resulted in the deaths of 5.4 million people . The two wars together devastated the country . President Laurent-Désiré Kabila was assassinated by one of his bodyguards on 16 January 2001 and was succeeded eight days later as President by his son Joseph Kabila . The Democratic Republic of Congo is extremely rich in natural resources but has had political instability , a lack of infrastructure , issues with corruption and centuries of both commercial and colonial extraction and exploitation with little holistic development . Besides the capital Kinshasa , the two next largest cities Lubumbashi and Mbuji-Mayi are both mining communities . DR Congo 's largest export is raw minerals , with China accepting over 50 % of DRC 's exports in 2012 . , according to the Human Development Index ( HDI ) , DR Congo 's level of human development ranks 176 out of 187 countries .", "Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe ( -LSB- zɪmˈbɑːbweɪ -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Zimbabwe , is a landlocked country located in southern Africa , between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers . It is bordered by South Africa to the south , Botswana to the west and southwest , Zambia to the northwest , and Mozambique to the east and northeast . Although it does not border Namibia , less than 200 metres of the Zambezi River separates it from that country . The capital and largest city is Harare . A country of roughly 13 million people , Zimbabwe has 16 official languages , with English , Shona , and Ndebele the most commonly used . Since the 11th century , present-day Zimbabwe has been the site of several organised states and kingdoms as well as a major route for migration and trade . The British South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes first demarcated the present territory during the 1890s ; it became the self-governing British colony of Southern Rhodesia in 1923 . In 1965 , the conservative white minority government unilaterally declared independence as Rhodesia . The state endured international isolation and a 15-year guerrilla war with black nationalist forces ; this culminated in a peace agreement that established universal enfranchisement and de jure sovereignty in April 1980 . Zimbabwe then rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations -- which it withdrew from in 2003 . It is a member of the United Nations , the Southern African Development Community ( SADC ) , the African Union ( AU ) , and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa ( COMESA ) . Robert Mugabe became Prime Minister of Zimbabwe in 1980 , when his ZANU-PF party won the elections following the end of white minority rule ; he has been the president of Zimbabwe since 1987 . Under Mugabe 's authoritarian regime , the state security apparatus has dominated the country and been responsible for widespread human rights violations . Mugabe has maintained the revolutionary socialist rhetoric from the Cold War era , blaming Zimbabwe 's economic woes on conspiring Western capitalist countries , while still executing conservative policies . Burnished by his anti-imperialist credentials , contemporary African political leaders have been reluctant to criticise Mugabe , though Archbishop Desmond Tutu has called him `` a cartoon figure of an archetypal African dictator '' .", "Botswana. Botswana ( -LSB- bɒtˈswɑːnə -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Botswana ( Lefatshe la Botswana ) , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa . The citizens refer to themselves as Batswana ( singular : Motswana ) . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland , Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966 . Since then , it has maintained a strong tradition of stable representative democracy , with a consistent record of uninterrupted democratic elections . Botswana is topographically flat , with up to 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert . It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast , Namibia to the west and north , and Zimbabwe to the northeast . Its border with Zambia to the north near Kazungula is poorly defined but at most is a few hundred metres long . A mid-sized country of just over 2 million people , Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated nations in the world . Around 10 percent of the population lives in the capital and largest city , Gaborone . Formerly one of the poorest countries in the world -- with a GDP per capita of about US$ 70 per year in the late 1960s -- Botswana has since transformed itself into one of the fastest-growing economies in the world . The economy is dominated by mining , cattle , and tourism . Botswana boasts a GDP ( purchasing power parity ) per capita of about $ 18,825 per year , which is one of the highest in Africa . Its high gross national income ( by some estimates the fourth-largest in Africa ) gives the country a modest standard of living and the highest Human Development Index of continental Sub-Saharan Africa . Botswana is a member of the African Union , the Southern African Development Community , the Commonwealth of Nations , and the United Nations . The country has been among the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic . The death rate due to AIDS or AIDS-related causes has fallen sharply ( 57 % ) from 2005 to 2013 , and the number of new infections in children has also fallen . Despite the success in programmes to make treatments available to those infected , and to educate the populace in general about how to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS , the number of people with AIDS rose from 290,000 in 2005 to 320,000 in 2013 . As of 2014 , Botswana has the third-highest prevalence rate for HIV/AIDS .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Republic of the Congo. The Republic of the Congo ( République du Congo ) , also known as the Congo Republic , West Congo , Congo-Brazzaville or simply Congo , is a country located in Central Africa . It is bordered by five countries : Gabon and the Atlantic Ocean to the west ; Cameroon to the northwest ; the Central African Republic to the northeast ; the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the east and south ; and the Angolan exclave of Cabinda to the southwest . The region was dominated by Bantu-speaking tribes , who built trade links leading into the Congo River basin . Congo-Brazzaville was formerly part of the French colony of Equatorial Africa . Upon independence in 1960 , the former colony of French Congo became the Republic of the Congo . The People 's Republic of the Congo was a Marxist -- Leninist one-party state from 1970 to 1991 . Multi-party elections have been held since 1992 , although a democratically elected government was ousted in the 1997 Republic of the Congo Civil War and President Denis Sassou Nguesso has ruled for 26 of the past 36 years . The political stability and development of hydrocarbon production made the Republic of the Congo the fourth largest oil producer in the Gulf of Guinea , providing the country with relative prosperity despite instability in some areas and unequal distribution of oil revenue nationwide . This country has the largest net export saldo as share of GDP in the world ( 47 % ) .", "Central African Republic. The Central African Republic ( CAR ; Sango : Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka ; République centrafricaine -LSB- ʁepyblik sɑ̃tʁafʁikɛn -RSB- , or Centrafrique -LSB- sɑ̃tʀafʁik -RSB- ) is a landlocked country in Central Africa . It is bordered by Chad to the north , Sudan to the northeast , South Sudan to the east , the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the south , the Republic of the Congo to the southwest and Cameroon to the west . The CAR covers a land area of about 620,000 km2 and had an estimated population of around 4.7 million . Most of the CAR consists of Sudano-Guinean savannas , but the country also includes a Sahelo-Sudanian zone in the north and an equatorial forest zone in the south . Two thirds of the country is within the Ubangi River basin ( which flows into the Congo ) , while the remaining third lies in the basin of the Chari , which flows into Lake Chad . What is today the Central African Republic has been inhabited for millennia ; however , the country 's current borders were established by France , which ruled the country as a colony starting in the late 19th century . After gaining independence from France in 1960 , the Central African Republic was ruled by a series of autocratic leaders ; by the 1990s , calls for democracy led to the first multi-party democratic elections in 1993 . Ange-Félix Patassé became president , but was later removed by General François Bozizé in the 2003 coup . The Central African Republic Bush War began in 2004 and , despite a peace treaty in 2007 and another in 2011 , fighting broke out between various factions in December 2012 , leading to ethnic and religious cleansing of the Muslim minority and massive population displacement in 2013 and 2014 . Despite its significant mineral deposits and other resources , such as uranium reserves , crude oil , gold , diamonds , cobalt , lumber , and hydropower , as well as significant quantities of arable land , the Central African Republic is among the ten poorest countries in the world . , according to the Human Development Index ( HDI ) , the country had the lowest level of human development , ranking 188th out of 188 countries .", "Zambia. Zambia ( -LSB- ˈzæmbiə -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Zambia , is a landlocked country in Southern Africa , neighbouring the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north , Tanzania to the north-east , Malawi to the east , Mozambique , Zimbabwe , Botswana and Namibia to the south , and Angola to the west . The capital city is Lusaka , in the south-central part of Zambia . The population is concentrated mainly around Lusaka in the south and the Copperbelt Province to the northwest , the core economic hubs of the country . Originally inhabited by Khoisan peoples , the region was affected by the Bantu expansion of the thirteenth century . After visits by European explorers in the eighteenth century , Zambia became the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia towards the end of the nineteenth century . For most of the colonial period , Zambia was governed by an administration appointed from London with the advice of the British South Africa Company . On 24 October 1964 , Zambia became independent of the United Kingdom and prime minister Kenneth Kaunda became the inaugural president . Kaunda 's socialist United National Independence Party ( UNIP ) maintained power from 1964 until 1991 . Kaunda played a key role in regional diplomacy , cooperating closely with the United States in search of solutions to conflicts in Rhodesia ( Zimbabwe ) , Angola , and Namibia . From 1972 to 1991 Zambia was a one-party state with the UNIP as the sole legal political party under the motto `` One Zambia , One Nation '' . Kaunda was succeeded by Frederick Chiluba of the social-democratic Movement for Multi-Party Democracy in 1991 , beginning a period of social-economic growth and government decentralisation . Levy Mwanawasa , Chiluba 's chosen successor , presided over Zambia from January 2002 until his death in August 2008 , and is credited with campaigns to reduce corruption and increase the standard of living . After Mwanawasa 's death , Rupiah Banda presided as Acting President before being elected President in 2008 . Holding office for only three years , Banda stepped down after his defeat in the 2011 elections by Patriotic Front party leader Michael Sata . Sata died on 28 October 2014 , the second Zambian president to die in office . Guy Scott served briefly as interim president until new elections were held on 20 January 2015 , in which Edgar Lungu was elected as the sixth President . In 2010 , the World Bank named Zambia one of the world 's fastest economically reformed countries . The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa ( COMESA ) is headquartered in Lusaka .", "Uganda. Uganda ( -LSB- juːˈɡændə -RSB- or -LSB- juːˈɡɑːndə -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Uganda , is a landlocked country in East Africa . It is bordered to the east by Kenya , to the north by South Sudan , to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo , to the south-west by Rwanda , and to the south by Tanzania . The southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria , shared with Kenya and Tanzania . Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region . Uganda also lies within the Nile basin , and has a varied but generally a modified equatorial climate . Uganda takes its name from the Buganda kingdom , which encompasses a large portion of the south of the country , including the capital Kampala . The people of Uganda were hunter-gatherers until 1,700 to 2,300 years ago , when Bantu-speaking populations migrated to the southern parts of the country . Beginning in 1894 , the area was ruled as a protectorate by the British , who established administrative law across the territory . Uganda gained independence from Britain on 9 October 1962 . The period since then has been marked by intermittent conflicts , including a lengthy civil war against the Lord 's Resistance Army in the Northern Region , which has caused hundreds of thousands of casualties . The official languages are English and Swahili , although `` any other language may be used as a medium of instruction in schools or other educational institutions or for legislative , administrative or judicial purposes as may be prescribed by law . '' Luganda , a central language , is widely spoken across the country , and several other languages are also spoken including Runyoro , Runyankole , Rukiga , and Luo . The president of Uganda is Yoweri Museveni , who came to power in January 1986 after a protracted six-year guerrilla war .", "Rwanda. Rwanda ( -LSB- ɹuːˈɑːndə -RSB- or -LSB- ɹuːˈændə -RSB- ; U Rwanda -LSB- u.ɾɡwanda -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Rwanda ( Repubulika y' u Rwanda République du Rwanda ) , is a sovereign state in Central and East Africa and one of the smallest countries on the African mainland . Located a few degrees south of the Equator , Rwanda is bordered by Uganda , Tanzania , Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo . Rwanda is in the African Great Lakes region and is highly elevated ; its geography is dominated by mountains in the west and savanna to the east , with numerous lakes throughout the country . The climate is temperate to subtropical , with two rainy seasons and two dry seasons each year . The population is young and predominantly rural , with a density among the highest in Africa . Rwandans are drawn from just one cultural and linguistic group , the Banyarwanda , although within this group there are three subgroups : the Hutu , Tutsi and Twa . The Twa are a forest-dwelling pygmy people descended from Rwanda 's earliest inhabitants . Scholars disagree on the origins of and differences between the Hutu and Tutsi ; some believe differences are derived from former social castes within a single people , while others believe the Hutu and Tutsi arrived in the country separately , and from different locations . Christianity is the largest religion in the country ; the principal language is Kinyarwanda , spoken by most Rwandans , with English and French serving as official languages . Rwanda has a presidential system of government . The president is Paul Kagame of the Rwandan Patriotic Front ( RPF ) , who took office in 2000 . Rwanda today has low corruption compared with neighbouring countries , although human rights organisations report suppression of opposition groups , intimidation and restrictions on freedom of speech . The country has been governed by an ordered administrative hierarchy since pre-colonial times ; there are five provinces delineated by borders drawn in 2006 . Rwanda is one of only two countries with a female majority in the national parliament . Hunter gatherers settled the territory in the stone and iron ages , followed later by Bantu peoples . The population coalesced first into clans and then into kingdoms . The Kingdom of Rwanda dominated from the mid-18th century , with the Tutsi kings conquering others militarily , centralising power and later enacting anti-Hutu policies . Germany colonised Rwanda in 1884 as part of German East Africa , followed by Belgium , which invaded in 1916 during the First World War . Both European nations ruled through the kings and perpetuated a pro-Tutsi policy . The Hutu population revolted in 1959 . They massacred numerous Tutsi and ultimately established an independent , Hutu-dominated state in 1962 . The Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front launched a civil war in 1990 . Social tensions erupted in the 1994 genocide , in which Hutu extremists killed an estimated 500,000 to 1.3 million Tutsi and moderate Hutu . The RPF ended the genocide with a military victory . Rwanda 's economy suffered heavily during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide , but has since strengthened . The economy is based mostly on subsistence agriculture . Coffee and tea are the major cash crops for export . Tourism is a fast-growing sector and is now the country 's leading foreign exchange earner . Rwanda is one of only two countries in which mountain gorillas can be visited safely , and visitors pay for gorilla tracking permits . Music and dance are an integral part of Rwandan culture , particularly drums and the highly choreographed intore dance . Traditional arts and crafts are produced throughout the country .", "Ryanair. Ryanair Ltd. . is an Irish low-cost airline headquartered in Swords , Dublin , Ireland , with its primary operational bases at Dublin and London Stansted airports . In 2016 , Ryanair was the largest European airline by scheduled passengers flown , and carried more international passengers than any other airline . Ryanair operates 390 Boeing 737-800 aircraft , with a single 737-700 used primarily as a charter aircraft , but also as a backup plane and for pilot training . The airline has been characterised by its rapid expansion , a result of the deregulation of the aviation industry in Europe in 1997 and the success of its low-cost business model . Ryanair 's route network serves 34 countries in Europe , Africa ( Morocco ) , and the Middle East ( Israel ) .", "Senegal. Senegal ( -LSB- sɛnᵻˈɡɔːl , _ - ˈɡɑːl -RSB- Sénégal ) , officially the Republic of Senegal ( -LSB- ʁepyblik dy seneɡal -RSB- ) , is a country in West Africa . Senegal is bordered by Mauritania in the north , Mali to the east , Guinea to the southeast , and Guinea-Bissau to the southwest . Senegal also borders The Gambia , a country occupying a narrow sliver of land along the banks of the Gambia River , which separates Senegal 's southern region of Casamance from the rest of the country . Senegal also shares a maritime border with Cape Verde . Senegal 's economic and political capital is Dakar . It is the westernmost country in the mainland of the Old World , or Afro-Eurasia , and owes its name to the Senegal River , which borders it to the east and north . The name `` Senegal '' comes from the Wolof `` Sunuu Gaal '' , which means `` Our Boat '' . Senegal covers a land area of almost 197000 km2 and has an estimated population of about 15 million . The climate is Sahelian , but there is a rainy season .", "The Place Beyond the Pines. The Place Beyond the Pines is a 2012 American crime drama film directed by Derek Cianfrance and written by Cianfrance , Ben Coccio , and Darius Marder . It stars Ryan Gosling , Bradley Cooper , Eva Mendes , Emory Cohen and Dane DeHaan , with Ben Mendelsohn , Rose Byrne , Mahershala Ali , Bruce Greenwood , Harris Yulin , and Ray Liotta in supporting roles . The film reunites Cianfrance and Gosling , who worked together on 2010 's Blue Valentine . The film was scored by Mike Patton and also featured previously written music by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt . The title is the English meaning of the city of Schenectady , New York , which is derived loosely from a Mohawk word for `` place beyond the pine plains . ''", "List of awards and nominations received by Ryan Gosling. The following is a list of awards and nominations received by Canadian actor and musician Ryan Gosling . Gosling first came to public attention as a child star on the Disney Channel 's Mickey Mouse Club ( 1993 -- 95 ) and went on to appear in other family entertainment programs including Are You Afraid of the Dark ? ( 1995 ) , Goosebumps ( 1996 ) , Breaker High ( 1997 -- 98 ) and Young Hercules ( 1998 -- 99 ) . His first serious role was as a Jewish neo-Nazi in The Believer ( 2001 ) , and he then built a reputation for playing misfits in independent films such as Murder by Numbers ( 2002 ) , The Slaughter Rule ( 2002 ) , The United States of Leland ( 2003 ) and Stay ( 2005 ) . Gosling came to the attention of a wider audience in 2004 with a leading role in the romantic drama The Notebook , for which he won four Teen Choice Awards and an MTV Movie Award . His performance as a drug-addicted teacher in Half Nelson ( 2006 ) was nominated for an Academy Award and his performance as a socially inept loner in Lars and the Real Girl ( 2007 ) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award . In 2007 , he starred in the courtroom thriller Fracture . After a three-year acting hiatus , Gosling starred in both Blue Valentine and All Good Things in 2010 . The former performance as a frazzled husband earned him a second Golden Globe nomination . 2011 proved to be a landmark year for the actor as he appeared in three mainstream films -- the romantic comedy Crazy , Stupid , Love , the thriller Drive and the political drama The Ides of March -- and received two Golden Globe nominations . In 2016 , Gosling starred in the musical comedy-drama La La Land , playing a struggling jazz pianist . His performance earned him a Golden Globe , and nominations for an Academy Award , a BAFTA Award , and a Screen Actors Guild Award .", "FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup , often simply called the World Cup , is an international association football competition contested by the senior men 's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association ( FIFA ) , the sport 's global governing body . The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930 , except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War . The current champion is Germany , which won its fourth title at the 2014 tournament in Brazil . The current format of the competition involves a qualification phase , which currently takes place over the preceding three years , to determine which teams qualify for the tournament phase , which is often called the World Cup Finals . 32 teams , including the automatically qualifying host nation ( s ) , compete in the tournament phase for the title at venues within the host nation ( s ) over a period of about a month . The 20 World Cup tournaments have been won by eight different national teams . Brazil have won five times , and they are the only team to have played in every tournament . The other World Cup winners are Germany and Italy , with four titles each ; Argentina and inaugural winner Uruguay , with two titles each ; and England , France and Spain , with one title each . The World Cup is the most prestigious association football tournament in the world as well as the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world , exceeding even the Olympic Games ; the cumulative audience of all matches of the 2006 FIFA World Cup was estimated to be 26.29 billion with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the final match , a ninth of the entire population of the planet .", "Seychelles. Seychelles ( -LSB- seɪˈʃɛlz -RSB- ; French : -LSB- sɛʃɛl -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Seychelles ( République des Seychelles Creole : Repiblik Sesel ) , is an archipelago and country in the Indian Ocean . The 115-island country , whose capital is Victoria , lies 1500 km east of mainland East Africa . Other nearby island countries and territories include Comoros , Mayotte ( region of France ) , Madagascar , Réunion ( region of France ) and Mauritius to the south . With a population of roughly 92,000 , it has the smallest population of any sovereign African country ; however , it does have a larger population than the British overseas territory Saint Helena , Ascension and Tristan da Cunha . Seychelles is a member of the African Union , the Southern African Development Community , the Commonwealth of Nations , and the United Nations . After proclamation of independence from the United Kingdom in 1976 , Seychelles has developed from a largely agricultural society to a market-based diversified economy , with agriculture being supplanted by rapidly rising service and public sectors as well as tourism . Since 1976 , per capita output has increased nearly sevenfold . In recent years , the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade these sectors . Today , Seychelles boasts the highest nominal per capita GDP in Africa , excluding the French regions . It is one of only a handful of countries in Africa with high Human Development Index . Despite the country 's new found economic prosperity , poverty remains widespread due to very high level of income inequality , one of the highest in the world , and low wealth distribution .", "The Nice Guys. The Nice Guys is a 2016 American neo-noir action comedy film directed by Shane Black and written by Black and Anthony Bagarozzi . The film stars Russell Crowe , Ryan Gosling , Angourie Rice , Matt Bomer , Margaret Qualley , Keith David and Kim Basinger . Set in Los Angeles , 1977 , the film focuses on a private eye ( Gosling ) and a tough enforcer ( Crowe ) who team up to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl . The Nice Guys premiered on May 15 , 2016 , at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and was released by Warner Bros. . Pictures in the United States on May 20 , 2016 . It received positive reviews from critics but grossed just $ 57 million against its $ 50 million budget .", "Liberia. Liberia -LSB- laɪˈbɪəriə -RSB- , officially the Republic of Liberia , is a country on the West African coast . It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its west , Guinea to its north and Ivory Coast to its east . It covers an area of 111369 km2 and has a population of 4,503,000 people . English is the official language and over 20 indigenous languages are spoken , representing the numerous tribes who make up more than 95 % of the population . The country 's capital and largest city is Monrovia . Forests on the coastline are composed mostly of salt-tolerant mangrove trees , while the more sparsely populated inland has forests opening onto a plateau of drier grasslands . The climate is equatorial , with significant rainfall during the May -- October rainy season and harsh harmattan winds the remainder of the year . Liberia possesses about forty percent of the remaining Upper Guinean rainforest . It was an important producer of rubber in the early 20th century . The Republic of Liberia began as a settlement of the American Colonization Society ( ACS ) , who believed blacks would face better chances for freedom in Africa than in the United States . The country declared its independence on July 26 , 1847 . The U.S. did not recognize Liberia 's independence until during the American Civil War on February 5 , 1862 . Between January 7 , 1822 and the American Civil War , more than 15,000 freed and free-born blacks , who faced legislated limits in the U.S. , and 3,198 Afro-Caribbeans , relocated to the settlement . The black settlers carried their culture with them to Liberia . The Liberian constitution and flag were modeled after those of the U.S. On January 3 , 1848 , Joseph Jenkins Roberts , a wealthy , free-born African American from Virginia who settled in Liberia , was elected as Liberia 's first president after the people proclaimed independence . Liberia is the only African republic to have self-proclaimed independence without gaining independence through revolt from any other power , and is Africa 's first and oldest modern republic . Liberia retained its independence during the Scramble for Africa . During World War II , Liberia supported the United States war efforts against Germany and in turn the U.S. invested in considerable infrastructure in Liberia to help its war effort , which also aided the country in modernizing and improving its major air transportation facilities . In addition , President William Tubman encouraged economic changes . Internationally , Liberia was a founding member of the League of Nations , United Nations and the Organisation of African Unity . Political tensions from the rule of William R. Tolbert resulted in a military coup in 1980 that overthrew his leadership soon after his death , marking the beginning of years-long political instability . Five years of military rule by the People 's Redemption Council and five years of civilian rule by the National Democratic Party of Liberia were followed by the First and Second Liberian Civil Wars . These resulted in the deaths and displacement of more than half a million people and devastated Liberia 's economy . A peace agreement in 2003 led to democratic elections in 2005 , in which Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected President . Recovery proceeds but about 85 % of the population live below the international poverty line . Liberia 's economic and political stability was threatened in the 2010s by an Ebola virus epidemic ; it originated in Guinea in December 2013 , entered Liberia in March 2014 , and was declared officially ended on May 8 , 2015 .", "Kenya. Kenya ( -LSB- ˈkɛnjə -RSB- -LSB- ˈkɛɲa -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Kenya , is a country in Africa and a founding member of the East African Community ( EAC ) . Its capital and largest city is Nairobi . Kenya 's territory lies on the equator and overlies the East African Rift covering a diverse and expansive terrain that extends roughly from Lake Victoria to Lake Turkana ( formerly called Lake Rudolf ) and further south-east to the Indian Ocean . It is bordered by Tanzania to the south and southwest , Uganda to the west , South Sudan to the north-west , Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the north-east . Kenya covers 581309 km2 , and had a population of approximately 48 million people in January 2017 . Kenya has a warm and humid tropical climate on its Indian Ocean coastline . The climate is cooler in the savannah grasslands around the capital city , Nairobi , and especially closer to Mount Kenya , which has snow permanently on its peaks . Further inland are highlands in Central and Rift Valley regions where tea and coffee are grown as cash crops which are major foreign revenue earners . In the West are Nyanza and Western regions , there is an equatorial , hot and dry climate which becomes humid around Lake Victoria , the largest tropical fresh-water lake in the world . This gives way to temperate and forested hilly areas in the neighbouring western region . The north-eastern regions along the border with Somalia and Ethiopia are arid and semi-arid areas with near-desert landscapes . Kenya is known for its world class athletes in track and field and rugby . Thanks to its diverse climate and geography , expansive wildlife reserves and national parks such as the East and West Tsavo National Park , Amboseli National Park , Maasai Mara , Lake Nakuru National Park , Aberdares National Park and white sand beaches at the Coastal region , Kenya is home to the modern safari and has several world heritage sites such as Lamu and numerous beaches , including in Diani , Bamburi and Kilifi , where international yachting competitions are held every year . The African Great Lakes region , which Kenya is a part of , has been inhabited by humans since the Lower Paleolithic period . By the first millennium AD , the Bantu expansion had reached the area from West-Central Africa . The borders of the modern state consequently comprise the crossroads of the Niger-Congo , Nilo-Saharan and Afroasiatic areas of the continent , representing most major ethnolinguistic groups found in Africa . Bantu and Nilotic populations together constitute around 97 % of the nation 's residents . European and Arab presence in coastal Mombasa dates to the Early Modern period ; European exploration of the interior began in the 19th century . The British Empire established the East Africa Protectorate in 1895 , which starting in 1920 gave way to the Kenya Colony . Kenya obtained independence in December 1963 . Following a referendum in August 2010 and adoption of a new constitution , Kenya is now divided into 47 semi-autonomous counties , governed by elected governors . The capital , Nairobi , is a regional commercial hub . The economy of Kenya is the largest by GDP in East and Central Africa . Agriculture is a major employer ; the country traditionally exports tea and coffee and has more recently begun to export fresh flowers to Europe . The service industry is also a major economic driver . Additionally , Kenya is a member of the East African Community trading bloc .", "Saving Private Ryan. Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic war drama film set during the Invasion of Normandy in World War II . Directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat , the film is notable for its graphic portrayal of war , and for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes , which includes a depiction of the Omaha Beach assault during the Normandy landings . It follows United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller ( Tom Hanks ) and a squad ( Tom Sizemore , Edward Burns , Barry Pepper , Giovanni Ribisi , Vin Diesel , Adam Goldberg , and Jeremy Davies ) as they search for a paratrooper , Private First Class James Francis Ryan ( Matt Damon ) , who is the last-surviving brother of four servicemen . The film received critical acclaim , winning several awards for film , cast , and crew , as well as earning significant returns at the box office . The film grossed US$ 481.8 million worldwide , making it the second-highest-grossing film of the year . The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards ; Spielberg 's direction won his second Academy Award for Best Director , with four more awards going to the film . Saving Private Ryan was released on home video in May 1999 , earning another $ 44 million from sales . In 2014 , the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress , being deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant . ''", "Equatorial Guinea. Equatorial Guinea ( Guinea Ecuatorial , Guinée équatoriale , Guiné Equatorial ) , officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( República de Guinea Ecuatorial , République de Guinée équatoriale , República da Guiné Equatorial ) , is a country located in Central Africa , with an area of 28000 km2 . Formerly the colony of Spanish Guinea , its post-independence name evokes its location near both the Equator and the Gulf of Guinea . Equatorial Guinea is the only sovereign African state in which Spanish is an official language . , the country had an estimated population of 1,222,245 . Equatorial Guinea consists of two parts , an insular and a mainland region . The insular region consists of the islands of Bioko ( formerly Fernando Pó ) in the Gulf of Guinea and Annobón , a small volcanic island south of the equator . Bioko Island is the northernmost part of Equatorial Guinea and is the site of the country 's capital , Malabo . The island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe is located between Bioko and Annobón . The mainland region , Río Muni , is bordered by Cameroon on the north and Gabon on the south and east . It is the location of Bata , Equatorial Guinea 's largest city , and Oyala , the country 's planned future capital . Rio Muni also includes several small offshore islands , such as Corisco , Elobey Grande , and Elobey Chico . The country is a member of the African Union , Francophonie , OPEC and the CPLP . Since the mid-1990s , Equatorial Guinea has become one of sub-Saharan Africa 's largest oil producers . It is the richest country per capita in Africa , and its gross domestic product ( GDP ) adjusted for purchasing power parity ( PPP ) per capita ranks 43rd in the world ; However , the wealth is distributed very unevenly and few people have benefited from the oil riches . The country ranks 144th on the UN 's 2014 Human Development Index . The UN says that less than half of the population has access to clean drinking water and that 20 % of children die before reaching the age of five . The country 's authoritarian government has one of the worst human rights records in the world , consistently ranking among the `` worst of the worst '' in Freedom House 's annual survey of political and civil rights . Reporters Without Borders ranks President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo among its `` predators '' of press freedom . Human trafficking is a significant problem , with the U.S.Trafficking in Persons Report , 2012 , stating that `` Equatorial Guinea is a source and destination for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking . '' The report rates Equatorial Guinea as a `` Tier 3 '' country , the lowest ( worst ) ranking : `` Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so . ''", "Gabon. Gabon ( -LSB- ɡəˈbɒn -RSB- -LSB- ɡabɔ̃ -RSB- ) , officially the Gabonese Republic ( République gabonaise ) , is a sovereign state on the west coast of Central Africa . Located on the equator , Gabon is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest , Cameroon to the north , the Republic of the Congo on the east and south , and the Gulf of Guinea to the west . It has an area of nearly 270000 sqkm and its population is estimated at 1.5 million people . Its capital and largest city is Libreville . Since its independence from France in 1960 , Gabon has had three presidents . In the early 1990s , Gabon introduced a multi-party system and a new democratic constitution that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and reformed many governmental institutions . Gabon was also a temporary member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2010 -- 2011 term . Abundant petroleum and foreign private investment have helped make Gabon one of the most prosperous countries in Sub-Saharan Africa , with the 4th highest HDI and the third highest GDP per capita ( PPP ) ( after Equatorial Guinea and Botswana ) in the region . GDP grew by more than 6 % per year from 2010 to 2012 . However , because of inequality in income distribution , a significant proportion of the population remains poor ." ]

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[ "Stranger Things. Stranger Things is an American science fiction-horror web television series created , written , directed and co-executive produced by the Duffer Brothers , as well as co-executive-produced by Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen . The first season stars Winona Ryder , David Harbour , Finn Wolfhard , Millie Bobby Brown , Gaten Matarazzo , Caleb McLaughlin , Natalia Dyer , Charlie Heaton , Cara Buono , and Matthew Modine , with Noah Schnapp and Joe Keery in recurring roles . The second season will see Schnapp and Keery promoted to series regulars , along with the addition of Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery . Set in the fictional town of Hawkins , Indiana in the 1980s , the first season focuses on the investigation into the disappearance of a young boy by his friends , older brother and traumatized mother and the local police chief , amid supernatural events occurring around the town including the appearance of a psychokinetic girl who helps the missing boy 's friends in their own search . The second season is set a year after the first , and deals with attempts of the characters to return to normal and consequences from that season . The Duffer Brothers developed the series as a mix of investigative drama alongside supernatural elements with childlike sensibilities , establishing its time frame in the 1980s and creating a homage #Noun to pop culture of that decade . Several themes and directorial aspects were inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Steven Spielberg , John Carpenter , and Stephen King , among others . The series was released on Netflix on July 15 , 2016 . It received critical acclaim for its characterization , pacing , atmosphere , acting , soundtrack , directing , writing and homages to 1980s genre films . The series has received several industry nominations and awards , including winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2016 . On August 31 , 2016 , Netflix renewed the series for a second season of nine episodes , which is set to be released on October 31 , 2017 .", "Bloomington, Indiana. Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana . It is the seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside the Indianapolis metropolitan area . According to the Monroe County History Center , Bloomington is known as the `` Gateway to Scenic Southern Indiana . '' The city was established in 1818 by a group of settlers from Kentucky , Tennessee , the Carolinas and Virginia who were so impressed with `` a haven of blooms '' that they called it Bloomington . The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census . The city 's population was estimated at 84,067 as of July 2016 by the U.S. Census Bureau . Bloomington is the home to Indiana University Bloomington . Established in 1820 , IU Bloomington has 42,630 students , as of September 2014 , and is the original and largest campus of Indiana University . Most of the campus buildings are built of Indiana limestone . Bloomington is also the home of the Indiana University School of Education , Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs , Indiana University Maurer School of Law , the Jacobs School of Music , Indiana University Press , the Kelley School of Business , the Kinsey Institute , the Indiana University School of Optometry , the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute , and the Indiana University School of Informatics . Bloomington has been designated a Tree City for 32 years , as of 2015 . The city was also the location of the Academy Award-winning 1979 movie Breaking Away , featuring a reenactment of Indiana University 's annual Little 500 bicycle race . Monroe County 's famous limestone quarries are also featured in the movie .", "Bloomington, Minnesota. Bloomington is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota . It is located in Hennepin County on the north bank of the Minnesota River , above its confluence with the Mississippi River . Bloomington lies 10 mi south of downtown Minneapolis . The city 's population is 88,299 , according to the 2016 Metropolitan Council estimates . Established as a post -- World War II housing boom suburb connected to the urban street grid of Minneapolis and serviced by two major freeways , Interstate 35W and Interstate 494 , Bloomington 's residential areas include upper-tier households in the western Bush Lake area and traditional middle-class families in its rows of single-family homes in the central to eastern portions . Large-scale commercial development is concentrated along the Interstate 494 corridor . Besides an extensive city park system , with over 1000 sqft of parkland per capita , Bloomington is also home to Hyland Lake Park Reserve in the west and Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in the southeast . Bloomington has more jobs per capita than either Minneapolis or Saint Paul , due to the United States ' largest enclosed shopping center , the Mall of America . The headquarters of Ceridian , Donaldson Company , HealthPartners and Toro , and major operations of Express Scripts , Seagate Technologies and Wells Fargo Bank are also based in the city . The city was named after Bloomington , Illinois .", "Indiana. Indiana -LSB- ɪndiˈænə -RSB- is a U.S. state located in the midwestern and Great Lakes regions of North America . Indiana is the 38th largest by area and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States . Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis . Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th U.S. state on December 11 , 1816 . Before becoming a territory , varying cultures of indigenous peoples and historic Native Americans inhabited Indiana for thousands of years . Since its founding as a territory , settlement patterns in Indiana have reflected regional cultural segmentation present in the Eastern United States ; the state 's northernmost tier was settled primarily by people from New England and New York , Central Indiana by migrants from the Mid-Atlantic states and from adjacent Ohio , and Southern Indiana by settlers from the Southern states , particularly Kentucky and Tennessee . Indiana has a diverse economy with a gross state product of $ 298 billion in 2012 . Indiana has several metropolitan areas with populations greater than 100,000 and a number of smaller industrial cities and towns . Indiana is home to several major sports teams and athletic events including the NFL 's Indianapolis Colts , the NBA 's Indiana Pacers , the WNBA 's Indiana Fever , the Indianapolis 500 , and Brickyard 400 motorsports races .", "Bloomington. Bloomington is the name of some places in the United States of America , most notably : Bloomington , Minnesota Bloomington , Illinois Bloomington , Indiana and also : Bloomington , California Bloomington , Idaho Bloomington , Kansas Bloomington , Maryland Bloomington , Missouri Bloomington , Nebraska Bloomington , Ohio Bloomington , South Dakota Bloomington , Texas Bloomington , Utah Bloomington ( Louisa , Virginia ) , a historic house Bloomington , Wisconsin Bloomington ( town ) , Wisconsin Bloomington Township , McLean County , Illinois Bloomington Township , Indiana Bloomington Township , Decatur County , Iowa Bloomington Township , Muscatine County , Iowa Bloomington Township , Kansas Bloomington Township , Minnesota Bloomington Township , Missouri New Bloomington , Ohio and in Canada : Bloomington , Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry , Ontario Bloomington , York Region , Ontario Bloomington , Nova Scotia", "Indiana University Bloomington. Indiana University Bloomington ( abbreviated `` IU Bloomington '' and colloquially referred to as `` IU '' or simply `` Indiana '' ) is a public research university located in Bloomington , Indiana , United States . With over 48,000 students , IU Bloomington is the flagship institution of the Indiana University system and its largest university . It is a member of the Association of American Universities and has numerous schools and programs , including the Jacobs School of Music , the School of Informatics and Computing , the Kelley School of Business , the School of Public Health , the School of Nursing , the School of Optometry , the School of Public and Environmental Affairs , the Maurer School of Law , the School of Education , the Media School , and the School of Global and International Studies . As of Fall 2015 , 48,514 students attend Indiana University . While 55.2 % of the student body was from Indiana , students from 49 of the 50 states , Washington D.C. , and 165 foreign nations were also enrolled . The university is home to an extensive student life program , with more than 750 student organizations on campus and with more than 17 percent of undergraduates joining the Greek system . Indiana athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are known as the Indiana Hoosiers . The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference . Among IU Bloomington 's many graduate-level programs are the Kelley School of Business , School of Education , School of Public and Environmental Affairs and Maurer School of Law . Indiana 's law school has a program with a first-year team-based approach , a diversion from the typical legal education . Notable Indiana alumni include composer and songwriter Hoagy Carmichael , who penned `` Georgia on My Mind '' ; John Chambers , executive chairman and former CEO of Cisco Systems ; and Mark Cuban , billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks , Landmark Theatres , and Magnolia Pictures . In terms of academics and other criteria , IU Bloomington ranks in top 100 national universities in the United States and the top 50 public universities in the country . The school 's sports teams are notorious competitors in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference , and , since Indiana University does not have a mascot , all teams are known simply as Hoosiers . There are more than 650 student organizations on campus , and more than 5,000 students go Greek in the school 's large community of fraternities and sororities .", "Bloomington metropolitan area, Indiana. The Bloomington , Indiana , Metropolitan Statistical Area , as defined by the United States Census Bureau , is an area comprising three counties ( Monroe , Greene , and Owen ) in south-central Indiana . The city of Bloomington in Monroe County is the area 's principal municipality and its anchor . At the 2010 United States census , the MSA had a population of 192,714 .", "Indianapolis. Indianapolis ( pronounced -LSB- ˌɪndi.əˈnæpəlᵻs -RSB- ) , is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County . It is in the East North Central region of the Midwestern United States . With an estimated population of 855,164 in 2016 , Indianapolis is the third most populous city in the Midwest and 15th most populous in the U.S. . The city is the economic and cultural center of the Indianapolis metropolitan area , home to 2 million people , the 34th most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. Its combined statistical area ranks 27th , with 2.38 million inhabitants . Indianapolis covers 372 sqmi , making it the 16th largest city by land area in the U.S. Founded in 1821 as a planned city for the new seat of the government of Indiana , Indianapolis was platted by Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham on a 1 sqmi grid adjacent to the White River . The city grew beyond the Mile Square , as completion of the National Road and advent of the railroad solidified the city 's position as a manufacturing and transportation hub . Indianapolis is within a single-day drive of 70 percent of the nation 's population , lending to one of its nicknames as the `` Crossroads of America '' . Anchoring the 26th largest economic region in the U.S. , the city 's economy is based primarily on business services , transportation and logistics , education , financial services , hospitality and tourism , and distribution services . Indianapolis has developed niche markets in amateur sports and auto racing . The city is perhaps best known for annually hosting the world 's largest single-day sporting event , the Indianapolis 500 . Led by the Lilly Endowment , the city 's philanthropic community has been instrumental in the development of its cultural institutions , such as The Children 's Museum of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Museum of Art . The city is notable as headquarters for the American Legion and home to a significant collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and war dead , the most in the U.S. outside of Washington , D.C. . Since the 1970 city-county consolidation , known as Unigov , local government administration has operated under the direction of an elected 25-member city-county council headed by the mayor . Indianapolis is considered a `` high sufficiency '' global city .", "Bloomington, Illinois. Bloomington is a city in Illinois , United States and the county seat of McLean County . It is adjacent to Normal , and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area . The 2010 census showed the city had a population of 76,610 , making it the 12th most populated city in Illinois , and the fifth-most populous city in the state outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area . Combined with Normal , the twin cities have a population of roughly 130,000 .", "Minneapolis. Minneapolis ( -LSB- mɪniˈæpəlɪs -RSB- ) is the county seat of Hennepin County , and the larger of the Twin Cities , the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the United States . As of 2015 , Minneapolis is the largest city in the state of Minnesota and 46th-largest in the United States with a population of 410,939 . Minneapolis and Saint Paul anchor the second-largest economic center in the Midwest , after Chicago . Minneapolis lies on both banks of the Mississippi River , just north of the river 's confluence with the Minnesota River , and adjoins Saint Paul , the state 's capital . The city is abundantly rich in water , with thirteen lakes , wetlands , the Mississippi River , creeks and waterfalls , many connected by parkways in the Chain of Lakes and the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway . It was once the world 's flour milling capital and a hub for timber . The city and surrounding region is the primary business center between Chicago and Seattle , with Minneapolis proper containing America 's fifth-highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies . As an integral link to the global economy , Minneapolis is categorized as a global city . Noted for its strong music and performing arts scenes , Minneapolis is home to both the award-winning Guthrie Theater and the historic First Avenue nightclub . Reflecting the region 's status as an epicenter of folk , funk , and alternative rock music , the city served as the launching pad for several of the 20th century 's most influential musicians , including Bob Dylan and Prince . The name Minneapolis is attributed to Charles Hoag , the city 's first schoolteacher , who combined mni , a Dakota Sioux word for water , and polis , the Greek word for city .", "Evansville, Indiana. Evansville is a city in and the county seat of Vanderburgh County , Indiana , United States . The population was 117,429 at the 2010 census . As the state 's third-largest city and the largest city in Southern Indiana , it is the commercial , medical , and cultural hub of Southwestern Indiana and the Illinois-Indiana-Kentucky tri-state area , home to over 911,000 people . The 38th parallel crosses the north side of the city and is marked on Interstate 69 . Situated on an oxbow in the Ohio River , the city is often referred to as the `` Crescent Valley '' or `` River City '' . As testament to the Ohio 's grandeur , early French explorers named it La Belle Riviere ( `` The Beautiful River '' ) . The area has been inhabited by various cultures for millennia , dating back at least 10,000 years . Angel Mounds was a permanent settlement of the Mississippian culture from 1000 AD to around 1400 AD . The city was founded in 1812 . Four NYSE companies ( Accuride , Berry Global , Springleaf , and Vectren ) are headquartered in Evansville , along with the global operations center for NYSE company Mead Johnson . Three other companies traded on the NASDAQ ( Escalade , Old National Bank , and Shoe Carnival ) are also headquartered in Evansville . The city is home to public and private enterprise in many areas , as Evansville serves as the region 's economic hub . A tourist destination , Evansville is home to Tropicana Evansville , the state 's first casino , Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden , one of the state 's oldest and largest zoos , and sports tourism industry . The city has several educational institutions . The University of Evansville is a small private school on the city 's east side , while the University of Southern Indiana is a larger public institution just outside the city 's westside limits . Other local educational institutions include nationally ranked Signature School and the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library . In 2008 , Evansville was voted the best city in the country in which `` to live , work , and play '' by the readers of Kiplinger , and in 2009 the 11th best .", "Austin, Texas. Austin ( -LSB- audio = En-us-Austin . ogaˈɒstᵻn , _ ˈɔː - -RSB- ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County , although portions extend into Hays and Williamson counties . It is the city in the U.S. and the in Texas . It is the fastest growing large city in the United States and the second most populous capital city after Phoenix , Arizona . As of the U.S. Census Bureau 's July 1 , 2015 estimate , Austin has a population of 931,830 . Located in in the foothills of Texas Hill Country , the city is home to numerous lakes , rivers , and waterways including Lady Bird Lake , Barton Springs , McKinney Falls , the Colorado River , Lake Travis , and Lake Walter E. Long . It is the cultural and economic center of the metropolitan area , which had an estimated population of 2,056,405 as of July 1 , 2016 . In the 1830s , pioneers began to settle the area in central Austin along the Colorado River . In 1839 , the site was officially chosen to replace Houston as the new capital of the Republic of Texas and was incorporated under the name `` Waterloo . '' Shortly thereafter , the name was changed to `` Austin '' in honor of Stephen F. Austin , the `` Father of Texas '' and the republic 's first secretary of state . The city subsequently grew throughout the 19th century and became a center for government and education with the construction of the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas at Austin . After a lull in growth from the Great Depression , Austin resumed its development into a major city and , by the 1980s , it emerged as a center for technology and business . A number of Fortune 500 companies have headquarters or regional offices in Austin , including Amazon.com , Apple Inc. , Cisco , eBay , Google , IBM , Intel , Oracle Corporation , Texas Instruments , 3M , and Whole Foods Market . Dell 's worldwide headquarters is located in nearby Round Rock , a suburb of Austin . Residents of Austin are known as Austinites . They include a diverse mix of government employees , college students , musicians , high-tech workers , blue-collar workers , and a vibrant LGBT community . The city 's official slogan promotes Austin as `` The Live Music Capital of the World , '' a reference to the many musicians and live music venues within the city , as well as the long-running PBS TV concert series Austin City Limits . The city also adopted `` Silicon Hills '' as a nickname in the 1990s due to a rapid influx of technology and development companies . In recent years , some Austinites have also adopted the unofficial slogan `` Keep Austin Weird , '' which refers to the desire to protect small , unique , and local businesses from being overrun by large corporations . In the late 19th century , Austin was known as the `` City of the Violet Crown '' because of the colorful glow of light across the hills just after sunset . Even today , many Austin businesses use the term `` Violet Crown '' in their name . Austin is known as a `` clean-air city '' for its stringent no-smoking ordinances that apply to all public places and buildings , including restaurants and bars . The FBI ranked Austin as the second-safest major city in the U.S. for the year 2012 . U.S. News & World Report named Austin the best place to live in the U.S. in 2017 .", "Melbourne. Melbourne ( -LSB- ˈmɛlbərn -RSB- ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria , and the second-most populous city in Australia and Oceania . The name `` Melbourne '' refers to an urban agglomeration spanning 9900 km2 , which comprises the broader metropolitan area , as well as being the common name for its city centre . The metropolis is located on the large natural bay of Port Phillip and expands into the hinterlands towards the Dandenong and Macedon mountain ranges , Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley . Melbourne consists of 31 municipalities . It has a population of 4,641,636 , and its inhabitants are called Melburnians . Founded by free settlers from the British Crown colony of Van Diemen 's Land on 30 August 1835 , in what was then the colony of New South Wales , it was incorporated as a Crown settlement in 1837 . It was named `` Melbourne '' by the Governor of New South Wales , Sir Richard Bourke , in honour of the British Prime Minister of the day , William Lamb , 2nd Viscount Melbourne . It was officially declared a city by Queen Victoria , to whom Lord Melbourne was close , in 1847 , after which it became the capital of the newly founded colony of Victoria in 1851 . During the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s , it was transformed into one of the world 's largest and wealthiest cities . After the federation of Australia in 1901 , it served as the nation 's interim seat of government until 1927 . Melbourne rates highly in education , entertainment , health care , research and development , tourism and sport , making it the world 's most liveable city -- for the sixth year in a row in 2016 , according to the Economist Intelligence Unit . It is a leading financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region , and ranks among the top 30 cities in the world in the Global Financial Centres Index . Referred to as Australia 's `` cultural capital '' , it is the birthplace of Australian impressionism , Australian rules football , the Australian film and television industries , and Australian contemporary dance . It is recognised as a UNESCO City of Literature and a major centre for street art , music and theatre . It is home to many of Australia 's largest and oldest cultural institutions such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground , the National Gallery of Victoria , the State Library of Victoria and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building . It was the host city of the 1956 Summer Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games . The main passenger airport serving the metropolis and the state is Melbourne Airport ( also called Tullamarine Airport ) , the second busiest in Australia . The Port of Melbourne is Australia 's busiest seaport for containerised and general cargo . Melbourne has an extensive transport network . The main metropolitan train terminus is Flinders Street Station , and the main regional train and coach terminus is Southern Cross Station . Melbourne is also home to Australia 's most extensive freeway network and has the world 's largest urban tram network .", "Chicago. Chicago ( -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɑːɡoʊ -RSB- or -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɔːɡoʊ -RSB- ) , officially the City of Chicago , is the third-most populous city in the United States . With over 2.7 million residents , it is also the most populous city in both the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States . It is the county seat of Cook County . The Chicago metropolitan area , often referred to as Chicagoland , has nearly 10 million people and is the third-largest in the U.S. Chicago has been called a global architecture capital . In terms of wealth and economy , Chicago is considered one of the most important business centers in the world . Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 , near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed , and grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century . Positioned along Lake Michigan , the city is an international hub for finance , commerce , industry , technology , telecommunications , and transportation : O'Hare International Airport is the second-busiest airport in the world when measured by aircraft traffic ; the region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and rail road freight . In 2012 , Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , and ranked seventh in the world in the 2016 Global Cities Index . Chicago has the third-largest gross metropolitan product in the United States -- about $ 640 billion according to 2015 estimates . The city has one of the world 's largest and most diversified economies with no single industry employing more than 14 % of the workforce . In 2016 , Chicago hosted over 54 million domestic and international visitors , a new record making it one of the top visited cities in the nation . Landmarks in the city include Millennium Park , Navy Pier , the Magnificent Mile , Art Institute of Chicago , Museum Campus , the Willis ( Sears ) Tower , Museum of Science and Industry , and Lincoln Park Zoo . Chicago 's culture includes the visual arts , novels , film , theater , especially improvisational comedy , and music , particularly jazz , blues , soul , hip hop , gospel and house music . There are many colleges and universities in the Chicago area ; among these , Northwestern University , University of Chicago , and the University of Illinois at Chicago are classified as `` highest research '' doctoral universities . Additionally , Chicago has professional sports teams in each of the major professional leagues . The city has many nicknames , the best-known being the Windy City .", "Stranger Things (film). Stranger Things is a 2010 American-British drama film directed by Eleanor Burke and Ron Eyal . It details the bond that grows between Mani , a homeless vagrant , and Oona , a lonely woman who allows him to stay in her garden shed . Critical reaction to the film has been positive , with The New York Times calling it `` unexpectedly profound '' .", "Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan . The show originally aired on the AMC network for five seasons , from January 20 , 2008 , to September 29 , 2013 . It tells the story of Walter White ( Bryan Cranston ) , a struggling high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer . Together with his former student Jesse Pinkman ( Aaron Paul ) , White turns to a life of crime , producing and selling crystallized methamphetamine to secure his family 's financial future before he dies , while navigating the dangers of the criminal world . The title is from a Southern colloquialism meaning to `` raise hell '' . Breaking Bad is set and was filmed in Albuquerque , New Mexico . Walter 's family consists of his wife Skyler ( Anna Gunn ) and children , Walter , Jr. ( RJ Mitte ) and Holly ( Elanor Anne Wenrich ) . The show also features Skyler 's sister Marie Schrader ( Betsy Brandt ) , and her husband Hank ( Dean Norris ) , a Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) agent . Walter hires lawyer Saul Goodman ( Bob Odenkirk ) , who connects him with private investigator and fixer Mike Ehrmantraut ( Jonathan Banks ) and in turn Mike 's employer , drug kingpin Gus Fring ( Giancarlo Esposito ) . The final season introduces the characters Todd Alquist ( Jesse Plemons ) and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle ( Laura Fraser ) . Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time . By the time the series finale aired , the series was among the most-watched cable shows on American television . The show received numerous awards , including sixteen Primetime Emmy Awards , eight Satellite Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two Peabody Awards , two Critics ' Choice Awards , and four Television Critics Association Awards . For his leading performance , Cranston won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times , while Aaron Paul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times ; Anna Gunn won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series twice . In 2013 , Breaking Bad entered the Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed show of all time .", "Stranger Things (disambiguation). Stranger Things is a 2016 American science fiction horror Netflix series . Stranger Things may also refer to :", "Bloomington, Kansas. Bloomington is an unincorporated community in Osborne County , Kansas , in the United States .", "New York. New York is a state in the northeastern United States , and is the 27th-most extensive , fourth-most populous , and seventh-most densely populated U.S. state . New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut , Massachusetts , and Vermont to the east . The state has a maritime border in the Atlantic Ocean with Rhode Island , east of Long Island , as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the northwest . The state of New York , with an estimated 19.8 million residents in 2015 , is also referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City , the state 's most populous city and its economic hub . With an estimated population of 8.55 million in 2015 , New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . The New York Metropolitan Area is one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . New York City is a global city , exerting a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . The home of the United Nations Headquarters , New York City is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , as well as the world 's most economically powerful city . New York City makes up over 40 % of the population of New York State . Two-thirds of the state 's population lives in the New York City Metropolitan Area , and nearly 40 % lives on Long Island . Both the state and New York City were named for the 17th-century Duke of York , future King James II of England . The next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo , Rochester , Yonkers , and Syracuse , while the state capital is Albany . New York has a diverse geography . The southern part of the state consists of Long Island and several smaller associated islands , as well as New York City and the lower Hudson River Valley , most of which lie within the wider Atlantic Coastal Plain . The large region known as Upstate New York consists of several ranges of the wider Appalachian Mountains , including the Allegheny Plateau and Catskills along New York 's Southern Tier , and the Adirondack Mountains , Thousand Islands archipelago , and Saint Lawrence Seaway in the Northeastern lobe of the state . These more mountainous regions are bisected by two major river valleys -- the north-south Hudson River Valley and the east-west Mohawk River Valley , which forms the core of the Erie Canal . Western New York is considered part of the Great Lakes Region and straddles Lake Ontario and Lake Erie . Between the two lakes lies Niagara Falls . The central part of the state is dominated by the Finger Lakes , a popular vacation and tourist destination . New York had been inhabited by tribes of Algonquian and Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans for several hundred years by the time the earliest Europeans came to New York . The first Europeans to arrive were French colonists and Jesuit missionaries who arrived southward from settlements at Montreal for trade and proselytizing . In 1609 , the region was claimed by Henry Hudson for the Dutch , who built Fort Nassau in 1614 at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers , where the present-day capital of Albany later developed . The Dutch soon also settled New Amsterdam and parts of the Hudson Valley , establishing the colony of New Netherland , a multicultural community from its earliest days and a center of trade and immigration . The British annexed the colony from the Dutch in 1664 . The borders of the British colony , the Province of New York , were similar to those of the present-day state . Many landmarks in New York are well known to both international and domestic visitors , with New York State hosting four of the world 's ten most-visited tourist attractions in 2013 : Times Square , Central Park , Niagara Falls ( shared with Ontario ) , and Grand Central Terminal . New York is home to the Statue of Liberty , a symbol of the United States and its ideals of freedom , democracy , and opportunity . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . New York 's higher education network comprises approximately 200 colleges and universities , including Columbia University , Cornell University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "Stranger Things (Yuck album). Stranger Things is the third studio album by UK-based indie rock band Yuck , released on Mamé Records on 26 February 2016 . The album was recorded over a period of several months in 2015 in frontman Max Bloom 's parents ' house in London . Stranger Things was self-produced by the band . The album 's release was preceded by three singles : `` Hold Me Closer '' ; `` Hearts in Motion '' ; and `` Cannonball '' .", "Mall of America. Mall of America ( MOA ) is a shopping mall located in Bloomington , Minnesota ( a suburb of the Twin Cities ) , southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77 , north of the Minnesota River and across the Interstate from the Minneapolis -- St. Paul International Airport . Opened in 1992 , it is the largest mall in the United States in terms of number of stores and total floor area . The mall is managed by the Triple Five Group ( which in turn is owned by Canada 's Ghermezian family , along with the West Edmonton Mall ) . 80 percent of visitors to the Mall of America are from Minnesota , Wisconsin , Iowa , the Dakotas , Illinois , Ohio , and Canada .", "Star Trek. Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise based on the television series created by Gene Roddenberry . The first television series , simply called Star Trek and now referred to as The Original Series , debuted in 1966 and aired for three seasons on the television network NBC . It followed the interstellar adventures of Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) and his crew aboard the starship USS Enterprise , a space exploration vessel , built by the interstellar federal republic United Federation of Planets in the twenty-third century . The Star Trek canon of the franchise includes The Original Series , an animated series , four spin-off television series , its film franchise and an upcoming television series scheduled to debut in 2017 . In creating Star Trek , Roddenberry was inspired by the Horatio Hornblower novels , the satirical book Gulliver 's Travels , and by works of western genre such as the television series Wagon Train . These adventures continued in the short-lived Star Trek : The Animated Series and six feature films . Four spin-off television series were eventually produced : Star Trek : The Next Generation followed the crew of a new starship Enterprise set a century after the original series ; Star Trek : Deep Space Nine and Star Trek : Voyager set contemporaneously with The Next Generation ; and Star Trek : Enterprise set before the original series in the early days of human interstellar travel . The adventures of The Next Generation crew continued in four additional feature films . In 2009 , the film franchise underwent a `` reboot '' set in an alternate timeline , or `` Kelvin Timeline '' , entitled simply Star Trek . This film featured a new cast portraying younger versions of the crew from the original show ; their adventures were continued in the sequel film , Star Trek Into Darkness ( 2013 ) . The thirteenth film feature and sequel , Star Trek Beyond ( 2016 ) , was released to coincide with the franchise 's 50th anniversary . A new Star Trek TV series , entitled Star Trek : Discovery , is set to premiere on the digital platform CBS All Access . Star Trek has been a cult phenomenon for decades . Fans of the franchise are called Trekkies or Trekkers . The franchise spans a wide range of spin-offs including games , figurines , novels , toys , and comics . Star Trek had a themed attraction in Las Vegas that opened in 1998 and closed in September 2008 . At least two museum exhibits of props travel the world . The series has its own full-fledged constructed language , Klingon . Several parodies have been made of Star Trek . In addition , viewers have produced several fan productions . As of July 2016 , the franchise had generated $ 10 billion in revenue , making Star Trek one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time . Star Trek is noted for its cultural influence beyond works of science fiction . The franchise is also noted for its progressive civil rights stances . The Original Series included one of television 's first multiracial casts . Star Trek references may be found throughout popular culture from movies such as the submarine thriller Crimson Tide to the animated series South Park .", "Seattle. Seattle ( -LSB- siˈætəl -RSB- ) is a seaport city on the west coast of the United States and the seat of King County , Washington . With an estimated 704,352 residents , Seattle is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America . In July 2013 , it was the fastest-growing major city in the United States and remained in the Top 5 in May 2015 with an annual growth rate of 2.1 % . In July 2016 , Seattle was again the fastest-growing major U.S. city , with a 3.1 % annual growth rate . The city is situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound ( an inlet of the Pacific Ocean ) and Lake Washington , about 100 mi south of the Canada -- United States border . A major gateway for trade with Asia , Seattle is the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling . The Seattle area was previously inhabited by Native Americans for at least 4,000 years before the first permanent European settlers . Arthur A. Denny and his group of travelers , subsequently known as the Denny Party , arrived from Illinois via Portland , Oregon , on the schooner Exact at Alki Point on November 13 , 1851 . The settlement was moved to the eastern shore of Elliott Bay and named `` Seattle '' in 1852 , after Chief Si'ahl of the local Duwamish and Suquamish tribes . Logging was Seattle 's first major industry , but by the late-19th century , the city had become a commercial and shipbuilding center as a gateway to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush . Growth after World War II was partially due to the local Boeing company , which established Seattle as a center for aircraft manufacturing . The Seattle area developed as a technology center beginning in the 1980s , with companies like Microsoft becoming established in the region . In 1994 , Internet retailer Amazon was founded in Seattle . The stream of new software , biotechnology , and Internet companies led to an economic revival , which increased the city 's population by almost 50,000 between 1990 and 2000 . Seattle has a noteworthy musical history . From 1918 to 1951 , nearly two dozen jazz nightclubs existed along Jackson Street , from the current Chinatown / International District , to the Central District . The jazz scene developed the early careers of Ray Charles , Quincy Jones , Ernestine Anderson , and others . Seattle is also the birthplace of hip-hop sensation Neema , rock musician Jimi Hendrix , origin of the bands Nirvana , Pearl Jam , Soundgarden , Alice in Chains and the alternative rock subgenre grunge .", "Indiana, Pennsylvania. Indiana is a borough in and the county seat of Indiana County in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . The population was 13,975 at the 2010 census , and since 2013 has been part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area after being a long time part of the Pittsburgh Media Market . Indiana is also the principal city of the Indiana , PA Micropolitan Statistical Area . The borough and the region as a whole promotes itself as the `` Christmas Tree Capital of the World '' because the national Christmas Tree Grower 's Association was founded there . There are still a large number of Christmas tree farms in the area . The largest employer in the borough today is Indiana University of Pennsylvania , the largest of 14 PASSHE schools in the state .", "Philadelphia. Philadelphia ( -LSB- ˌfɪləˈdɛlfi.ə -RSB- ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States , with an estimated population of 1,567,872 and more than 6 million in the seventh-largest metropolitan statistical area , . Philadelphia is the economic and cultural anchor of the Delaware Valleya region located in the Northeastern United States at the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers with 7.2 million people residing in the eighth-largest combined statistical area in the United States . In 1682 , William Penn , an English Quaker , founded the city to serve as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony . Philadelphia played an instrumental role in the American Revolution as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States , who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787 . Several other key Philadelphia events during the Revolution include the First and Second Continental Congress , the preservation of the Liberty Bell , the Battle of Germantown , the Siege of Fort Mifflin , and the Philadelphia Convention . Philadelphia was one of the nation 's capitals in the Revolutionary War , and served as temporary U.S. capital while Washington , D.C. , was under construction . In the 19th century , Philadelphia became a major industrial center and railroad hub that grew from an influx of European immigrants . The majority of European immigrants have come from Ireland , Italy and Germany -- the three largest reported ancestry groups in the city . The city became a prime destination for African Americans during the Great Migration of the 20th century , as well as Puerto Ricans , surpassing two million occupants by 1950 . The area 's many universities and colleges make Philadelphia a top international study destination , as the city has evolved into an educational and economic hub . With a gross domestic product of $ 388 billion , Philadelphia ranks ninth among world cities and fourth in the nation . Philadelphia is the center of economic activity in Pennsylvania and is home to seven Fortune 1000 companies . The Philadelphia skyline is growing , with a market of almost 81,900 commercial properties in 2016 including several nationally prominent skyscrapers . The city is known for its arts , culture , and rich history , attracting over 41 million domestic tourists alone in 2015 . Philadelphia has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city . Fairmount Park , when combined with the adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed , is one of the largest contiguous urban park areas in the United States . The 67 National Historic Landmarks in the city helped account for the $ 10 billion generated by tourism . Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps , and is also the home of many U.S. firsts , including the first library ( 1731 ) , first hospital ( 1751 ) and medical school ( 1765 ) , first Capital ( 1777 ) , first stock exchange ( 1790 ) , first zoo ( 1874 ) , and first business school ( 1881 ) . Philadelphia is the only World Heritage City in the United States .", "Smallville. Smallville is an American television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar , based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster . The series , initially broadcast by The WB , premiered on October 16 , 2001 . After Smallvilles fifth season , The WB and UPN merged to form The CW , the series ' later United States broadcaster . Smallville , which ended its tenth and final season on May 13 , 2011 , follows Clark Kent ( Tom Welling ) in the fictional town of Smallville , Kansas , before he becomes known as Superman . The first four seasons focus on Clark and his friends in high school . After season five Smallville ventures into adult settings , eventually focusing on his career at the Daily Planet and introducing other DC comic-book superheroes and villains . Before the series ' production , Bruce Wayne , chronicling the young protagonist 's journey toward Batman , was proposed first . Although that series failed to generate interest , it inspired Smallville . Series developers Gough and Millar pitched their `` no tights , no flights '' rule to the president of Warner Bros. . Television , reducing Superman to the bare essentials and examining what led Clark Kent to become the Man of Steel . After seven seasons with the show , Gough and Millar departed with little explanation . Smallville was primarily filmed in and around Vancouver , British Columbia , with local businesses and buildings substituting for Smallville locations . Most of the music for the first six seasons was composed by Mark Snow , who incorporated elements of John Williams ' musical score from the Superman film series . In season seven , Louis Febre ( who worked with Snow from the beginning ) became the series ' primary composer . Smallville was generally positively received when it began . Former Superman star Christopher Reeve expressed approval for the series , making two guest appearances before his death . The pilot episode set a ratings record for a WB debut , with 8.4 million viewers . Over ten seasons the series averaged about 4.34 million viewers per episode , with season two the highest-rated at 6.3 million . By the end of its run , Smallville passed Stargate SG-1 as the longest-running North American science-fiction series . Since its first season , the series received accolades ranging from Emmys to Teen Choice Awards . Smallville spawned a series of young-adult novels , a DC Comics bimonthly comic book , soundtrack recordings and series-related merchandise . All ten seasons are available on DVD in regions 1 , 2 and 4 . In April 2012 , it continued in comic-book form with a storyline resuming shortly after the series finale , and ended in November 2014 .", "Bloomington, Idaho. Bloomington is a city in Bear Lake County , Idaho , United States . The population was 206 at the 2010 census . It was first settled in 1864 .", "Fort Wayne, Indiana. Fort Wayne is a city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Allen County . Located in northeastern Indiana , the city is 18 mi west of the Ohio border and 50 mi south of the Michigan border . With an estimated population of 260,326 in 2015 , Fort Wayne is the 77th most populous city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana , after Indianapolis . It is the principal city of the Fort Wayne metropolitan area , consisting of Allen , Wells , and Whitley counties , a combined population of 419,453 as of 2011 . In addition to the three core counties , the combined statistical area ( CSA ) includes Adams , DeKalb , Huntington , Noble , and Steuben counties , with an estimated population of 615,077 . Under the direction of American Revolutionary War statesman Anthony Wayne , the United States Army built Fort Wayne last in a series of forts near the Miami tribe village of Kekionga in 1794 . Named in Wayne 's honor , the European-American settlement developed at the confluence of the St. Joseph , St. Marys , and Maumee rivers as a trading post for pioneers . The village was platted in 1823 and underwent tremendous growth after completion of the Wabash and Erie Canal and advent of the railroad . Once a booming manufacturing town located in what became known as the Rust Belt , Fort Wayne 's economy in the 21st century is based upon distribution , transportation and logistics , healthcare , professional and business services , leisure and hospitality , and financial services . The city is a center for the defense industry which employs thousands . Fort Wayne was an All-America City Award recipient in 1982 , 1998 , and 2009 . The city also received an Outstanding Achievement City Livability Award by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 1999 .", "Nottingham. Nottingham ( -LSB- ˈnɒtɪŋəm -RSB- ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire , England , located 128 mi north of London , in the East Midlands . Nottingham has links to the legend of Robin Hood and to the lace-making , bicycle ( notably Raleigh bikes ) and tobacco industries . It was granted its city charter in 1897 as part of Queen Victoria 's Diamond Jubilee celebrations . Nottingham is a tourist destination ; in 2011 , visitors spent over # 1.5 billion -- the thirteenth highest amount in England 's 111 statistical territories . In 2015 , Nottingham had an estimated population of 321,550 with the wider urban area , which includes many of the city 's suburbs , having a population of 915,977 . Its urban area is the largest in the east Midlands and the second largest in the Midlands . The population of the Nottingham/Derby metropolitan area is estimated to be 1,610,000 . Its metropolitan economy is the seventh largest in the United Kingdom with a GDP of $ 50.9 bn ( 2014 ) . The city is also ranked as a sufficiency-level world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Nottingham has an award-winning public transport system , including the largest publicly owned bus network in England and is also served by Nottingham railway station and the modern Nottingham Express Transit tram system . It is also a major sporting centre , and in October 2015 was named ` Home of English Sport ' . The National Ice Centre , Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre , and Trent Bridge international cricket ground are all based in or around the city , which is also the home of two professional league football teams ; the world 's oldest professional league club Notts County , and Nottingham Forest , famously two-time winners of the UEFA European Cup under Brian Clough in 1979 and 1980 . The city also has professional rugby , ice hockey and cricket teams , and the Aegon Nottingham Open , an international tennis tournament on the ATP and WTA tours . This accolade came just over a year after Nottingham was named as the UK 's first City of Football . On 11 December 2015 , Nottingham was named a `` City of Literature '' by UNESCO , joining Norwich , Melbourne , Prague and Barcelona as one of only a handful in the world . The title reflects Nottingham 's literary heritage , with Lord Byron , D. H. Lawrence and Alan Sillitoe having links to the city . It has two universities , the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University , which are attended by over 70,610 students -- with 43,765 at the University of Nottingham , and Nottingham Trent University having 26,845 , according to the respective University websites .", "Bloomington Educational Cable Television. Bloomington Educational Cable Television or BEC-TV as it is commonly referred to as is the Educational-access television branch of the City of Bloomington , Minnesota 's Public , educational , and government access ( PEG ) cable TV stations . It is currently available to Comcast Cable subscribers in the City of Bloomington , on channel 15 . They also provide programming on the shared channel ( channel 14 ) known as The Bloomington Channel", "Baltimore. Baltimore ( -LSB- ˈbɔːltᵻˌmɔːr -RSB- , locally : -LSB- - allˈbɔɫ.mɔɻ -RSB- ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maryland , and the 29th-most populous city in the country . It was established by the Constitution of Maryland and is not part of any county ; thus , it is the largest independent city in the United States , with a population of 621,849 as of 2015 . As of 2016 , the population of the Baltimore metropolitan area was estimated to be just under 2.8 million making it the 21st largest metropolitan area in the country . Founded in 1729 , Baltimore is the second-largest seaport in the Mid-Atlantic . Baltimore 's Inner Harbor was once the second leading port of entry for immigrants to the United States and a major manufacturing center . After a decline in major manufacturing , industrialization and rail transportation , Baltimore shifted to a service-oriented economy , with the Johns Hopkins Hospital ( founded 1889 ) , and Johns Hopkins University ( founded 1876 ) , now the city 's top two employers . With hundreds of identified districts , Baltimore has been dubbed `` a city of neighborhoods '' . Famous residents have included the writers Edgar Allan Poe , Edith Hamilton , Frederick Douglass , and H.L. Mencken ; jazz musician James `` Eubie '' Blake ; singer Billie Holiday ; actor and filmmaker John Waters ; and baseball player Babe Ruth . In the War of 1812 , Francis Scott Key wrote The Star-Spangled Banner , later the American national anthem , in Baltimore . Baltimore has more public monuments per capita than any other city in the country and is home to some of the earliest National Register historic districts in the nation , including Fell 's Point ( 1969 ) , Federal Hill ( 1970 ) and Mount Vernon Place ( 1971 ) . More than 65,000 properties , or roughly one in three buildings in the city , are listed on the National Register , more than any other city in the nation .", "Minnesota. Minnesota ( -LSB- -LSB- ˌmɪnəˈso̞ɾɐ -RSB- help = no -RSB- ) is a state in the midwestern and northern regions of the United States . Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state on May 11 , 1858 , created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory . The state has a large number of lakes , and is known by the slogan `` Land of 10,000 Lakes '' . Its official motto is L'Étoile du Nord ( French : Star of the North ) . Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 21st most populous of the U.S. states ; nearly 60 percent of its residents live in the Minneapolis -- Saint Paul metropolitan area ( known as the `` Twin Cities '' ) , the center of transportation , business , industry , education , and government and home to an internationally known arts community . The remainder of the state consists of western prairies now given over to intensive agriculture ; deciduous forests in the southeast , now partially cleared , farmed and settled ; and the less populated North Woods , used for mining , forestry , and recreation . Minnesota is known for its progressive political orientation and its high rate of civic participation and voter turnout . Until European settlement , Minnesota was inhabited by the Dakota and Ojibwe/Anishinaabe . During the 19th and early 20th centuries , a large number of European settlers entered the state who had mainly emigrated from Scandinavia and Germany . The state remains today a center of Scandinavian American and German American culture . In recent decades , immigration from Asia , the Horn of Africa , and Latin America has broadened its historic demographic and cultural composition . Minnesota 's standard of living index is among the highest in the United States , and the state is also among the best-educated and wealthiest in the nation ." ]

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[ "Ryan Seacrest. Ryan John Seacrest ( born December 24 , 1974 ) is an American radio personality , television host and producer . He is best known for hosting the talent competition show American Idol , as well as the syndicated countdown program American Top 40 and the KIIS-FM morning radio show On Air with Ryan Seacrest . Seacrest began co-hosting Live with Kelly and Ryan on a permanent basis May 1 , 2017 . He received Emmy Award nominations for American Idol , and won an Emmy for producing Jamie Oliver 's Food Revolution .", "On Air with Ryan Seacrest. On Air with Ryan Seacrest is an American syndicated radio program hosted by Ryan Seacrest . As of 2017 , the daily morning radio show airs on Los Angeles top 40 station KIIS-FM ; it was launched at the same time as the television show with the same name , although Seacrest had hosted a similar show in afternoon drive on sister station KYSR from 1995 until 2003 . The TV series ran for several months in 2004 , but nationwide syndication of the radio program would not start until 2008 , where a majority of its affiliates air it in the middays or afternoons . The radio show is broadcast from the KIIS-FM studios in Burbank , California . On Air with Ryan Seacrest is also syndicated through Premiere Networks on over 130 radio stations nationwide and in Canada . Although Seacrest began working in New York on May 1 , 2017 , as co-host of the Live with Kelly & Ryan on ABC , the KIIS-FM radio program will continue to air live from 6am to 10am Pacific Time , with Seacrest using a Manhattan studio .", "On Air with Ryan Seacrest (TV series). On Air with Ryan Seacrest was an American syndicated television talk show , which ran from January 12 , 2004 through September 17 , 2004 . It was distributed in the United States and Canada by Twentieth Television .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "American Top 40. `` American Top 10 '' redirects here . It is not to be confused with America 's Top 10 . American Top 40 ( commonly abbreviated to AT40 ) is an internationally syndicated , independent song countdown radio program created by Casey Kasem , Don Bustany , Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs . The program is currently hosted by Ryan Seacrest and presented as an adjunct to his weekday radio program , On Air with Ryan Seacrest . Originally a production of Watermark Inc. ( later a division of ABC Radio known as ABC Watermark , now Cumulus Media Networks ) , AT40 is now distributed by Premiere Networks in the United States , Canada , Australia , the United Arab Emirates , Singapore , China , India , Sri Lanka , Indonesia and several other territories worldwide . It can also be heard on both the iHeartRadio application and the AT40 Mobile application on mobile smartphones and tablets as well as on Xbox 360 , Xbox One consoles and the Armed Forces Network . Co-creator Casey Kasem hosted the original AT40 from its inauguration on July 4 , 1970 until August 6 , 1988 . Shadoe Stevens took over the program on August 13 , 1988 and hosted until January 28 , 1995 when the original program came to an end . Three years later , Kasem teamed up with Premiere 's predecessor AMFM Radio Networks to relaunch AT40 . Kasem , who spent nine years hosting his own countdown for Westwood One , returned to hosting his creation on March 28 , 1998 . Seacrest took over AT40 on January 10 , 2004 following Kasem 's retirement from the series . Currently , AT40 with Seacrest airs in two different formats , with one distributed to Contemporary Hit Radio ( Top 40 ) stations and the other to Hot Adult Contemporary stations . However , there is no distinction made between the two shows on air . There are also two classic editions of the original AT40 distributed every weekend , featuring past Kasem-hosted shows from the 1970s and 1980s . In its early years , the AT40 used the Billboard charts to compile the countdown , touting it as `` the only source '' . The program subsequently switched to being based on Radio and Records airplay data upon its late 1990s return . The current source for the AT40 charts are an unpublished mainstream Top 40 and hot adult contemporary charts compiled by Mediabase .", "American Idol. American Idol is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller , produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment , and distributed by FremantleMedia North America . It began airing on Fox on June 11 , 2002 , and ended its first-run on April 7 , 2016 . In 2018 , the show will make its debut on ABC . It started off as an addition to the Idols format based on the British series Pop Idol , and became one of the most successful shows in the history of American television . The concept of the series involves discovering recording stars from unsigned singing talents , with the winner determined by the viewers in America through telephones , Internet , and SMS text voting . Winners chosen by viewers in its fifteen seasons were Kelly Clarkson , Ruben Studdard , Fantasia , Carrie Underwood , Taylor Hicks , Jordin Sparks , David Cook , Kris Allen , Lee DeWyze , Scotty McCreery , Phillip Phillips , Candice Glover , Caleb Johnson , Nick Fradiani , and Trent Harmon.American Idol employed a panel of judges who critiqued the contestants ' performances . The original judges were record producer and music manager Randy Jackson , pop singer and choreographer Paula Abdul and music executive and manager Simon Cowell . The judging panel for the final seasons consisted of country singer Keith Urban , singer and actress Jennifer Lopez , and jazz singer Harry Connick , Jr. . The first season was hosted by radio personality Ryan Seacrest and comedian Brian Dunkleman , with Seacrest as the sole master of ceremonies for the rest of the series . The success of American Idol has been described as `` unparalleled in broadcasting history '' . The series was also said by a rival TV executive to be `` the most impactful show in the history of television '' . It became a recognized springboard for launching the career of many artists as bona fide stars . According to Billboard magazine , in its first ten years , `` Idol has spawned 345 Billboard chart-toppers and a platoon of pop idols , including Kelly Clarkson , Carrie Underwood , Katharine McPhee , Chris Daughtry , Fantasia , Ruben Studdard , Jennifer Hudson , Clay Aiken , Adam Lambert and Jordin Sparks while remaining a TV ratings juggernaut . '' For an unprecedented eight consecutive years , from the 2003 -- 04 television season through the 2010 -- 11 season , either its performance or result show had been ranked number one in U.S. television ratings . The series concluded its original run on Fox after 15 seasons . American Idol will return for a sixteenth season -- its first on ABC -- in 2018 . The announcement was made official on Good Morning America '' on May 9 , 2017 .", "Live with Kelly and Ryan. Live with Kelly and Ryan is an American syndicated morning talk show , hosted by Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest . Executive produced by Michael Gelman , the show has aired since 1983 locally on WABC-TV in New York City and 1988 nationwide . As of 2016 , it is produced by WABC . With roots in A.M. Los Angeles and A.M. New York , Live began as The Morning Show , hosted by Regis Philbin and Cyndy Garvey ; the show rose to national prominence as Live with Regis and Kathie Lee , when Philbin was joined by Kathie Lee Gifford . That incarnation of the program ran for 12 years and continuing as Live with Regis and Kelly for another decade before Ripa , after hosting with guest co-hosts for nearly a year , was paired with former NFL star Michael Strahan . The franchise has had longstanding success and has won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show and Outstanding Talk Show Hosts . On January 19 , 2016 , the show was renewed through the 2019 -- 20 season . On February 12 , 2016 , a special episode focused on Ripa 's 15 years as part of the program . On April 18 , 2016 , Strahan and ABC announced that he was leaving the show to join ABC 's Good Morning America full-time . On May 1 , 2017 , it was announced that Ryan Seacrest will join Ripa as her new permanent co-host , succeeding Strahan . On April 10 , 2017 , it was announced that the series had been renewed until 2020 .", "Knock Knock Live. Knock Knock Live is an American reality television series starring Ryan Seacrest that debuted on Fox as an entry in the 2015 -- 16 television season . It premiered on Tuesday , July 21 , 2015 live at 9pm ET , tape delayed at 9pm PT . In the show , Seacrest and guest celebrities would visit the homes of ordinary people who have done something special and give them a prize such as cash or a new car . Some would meet their celebrity crushes , or a random game would take place in their front yard or on their street . Seacrest said : `` We 've tailored all of our responses to hopefully put a smile on people 's faces and change their life a little bit . The fun thing about it , for me , is that this is a live show , so we do n't have an idea of what 's gon na happen . '' On July 30 , 2015 , Fox canceled the show after two episodes due to low ratings .", "America's Got Talent. America 's Got Talent ( sometimes abbreviated as AGT ) is an American reality television series on the NBC television network , and part of the global Got Talent franchise . It is a talent show that features singers , dancers , magicians , comedians , and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of one million dollars . The show debuted in June 2006 for the summer television season . From season three ( 2008 ) onwards , the prize includes the one million dollars , payable in a financial annuity over 40 years , and a chance to headline a show on the Las Vegas Strip . Among its significant features is that it gives an opportunity to talented amateurs or unknown performers , with the results decided by an audience vote . The format is a popular one and has often been reworked for television in the United States and the United Kingdom . This incarnation was created by Simon Cowell , and was originally due to be a 2005 British series called Paul O'Grady 's Got Talent but was postponed due to O'Grady 's acrimonious split with broadcaster ITV ( later launching as Britain 's Got Talent in 2007 ) . As such , the U.S. version became the first full series of the franchise . The original judging panel consisted of David Hasselhoff , Brandy Norwood , and Piers Morgan . Sharon Osbourne replaced Norwood in season two ( 2007 ) , and Howie Mandel replaced Hasselhoff in season five ( 2010 ) . Howard Stern replaced Morgan in season seven ( 2012 ) . Mel B replaced Osbourne in season eight ( 2013 ) , while Heidi Klum joined as a fourth judge . Simon Cowell replaced Stern for season eleven ( 2016 ) . Regis Philbin was the original host ( season one ) , followed by Jerry Springer for two seasons ( 2007 -- 2008 ) , followed by Nick Cannon for eight seasons ( 2009 -- 2016 ) . Supermodel and host Tyra Banks replaced Cannon for the twelfth season . On August 2 , 2016 , NBC renewed the series for a twelfth season , which premiered on May 30 , 2017 .", "The Million Second Quiz. The Million Second Quiz is an American game show which was hosted by Ryan Seacrest and broadcast by NBC . The series aired from September 9 to September 19 , 2013 . For a titular million seconds ( 11 days , 13 hours , 46 minutes , and 40 seconds ) , contestants attempted to maintain control of a `` money chair '' by winning trivia matches against other contestants , earning money for every second they occupied the chair . At any given moment , the four highest-scoring contestants other than the one in the chair were sequestered together . When time ran out , the four top scorers received the money they had accumulated and competed in a stepladder playoff for a top prize of $ 2,000,000 . Executive produced by Stephen Lambert , Eli Holzman , and David Hurwitz , The Million Second Quiz was positioned as a live , multi-platform television event , which Lambert dubbed `` the Olympics of quiz '' , that would help to promote NBC 's lineup for the 2013 -- 14 television season . The series was cross-promoted through a number of NBCUniversal properties , and NBC broadcast a live prime time show for each night of the competition ( except for September 15 , due to Sunday Night Football ) and a two-hour finale . Additionally , through a mobile app , viewers could play the game against others and potentially earn a chance to appear as a contestant during the prime time episodes . Outside of the prime time episodes , the program was also webcast throughout the competition by means of the Million Second Quiz app and NBC.com . Critics argued that the confusing format of The Million Second Quiz , along with its lack of drama and technical issues with the show 's app during the first days of the series , caused viewers to lose interest in watching it on air . Although peaking at 6.52 million viewers for its premiere , ratings steadily dropped during the show 's run before rising again near the finale .", "Celebrity. Celebrity refers to the fame and public attention accorded by the mass media to individuals or groups or , occasionally , animals , but is usually applied to the persons or groups of people ( celebrity couples , families , etc. ) themselves who receive such a status of fame and attention . Celebrity status is often associated with wealth ( commonly referred to as fame and fortune ) , while fame often provides opportunities to earn revenue . Successful careers in sports and entertainment are commonly associated with celebrity status ; while political leaders often become celebrities . People may also become celebrities due to media attention on their lifestyle , wealth , or controversial actions , or for their connection to a famous person .", "Publicity. Publicity ( from French publicité , from public ` public ' ) is the movement of information to the general public from the media . The subjects of publicity includes people ( for example , politicians and performing artists ) , goods and services , organizations , and works of art or entertainment . Publicity is gaining public visibility or awareness for a product , service or your company via the media . It is the publicist that carries out publicity , while PR is the strategic management function that helps an organization communicate , establishing and maintaining communication with the public . This can be done internally , without the use of media . From a marketing perspective , publicity is one component of promotion and marketing . The other elements of the promotional mix are advertising , sales promotion , direct marketing and personal selling . Examples of promotional tactics include : Announce an appointment Arrange a speech or talk Arrange for a testimonial Art people Conduct a poll or survey Event sponsorship Invent then present an award Issue a commendation Issue a report Make an analysis or prediction Organize a tour of your business or projects Stage a debate Take a stand on a controversial subject The advantages of publicity are low cost and credibility ( particularly if the publicity is aired in between news stories like on evening TV news casts ) . New technologies such as weblogs , web cameras , web affiliates , and convergence ( phone-camera posting of pictures and videos to websites ) are changing the cost-structure . The disadvantages are lack of control over how your releases will be used , and frustration over the low percentage of releases that are taken up by the media . Publicity draws on several key themes including birth , love , and death . These are of particular interest because they are themes in human lives which feature heavily throughout life . In television series , several couples have emerged during crucial ratings and important publicity times as a way to make constant headlines . Also known as a publicity stunt , the pairings may or may not be according to the fact . `` Publicity is not merely an assembly of competing messages : it is a language in itself which is always being used to make the same general proposal , '' writes the art critic John Berger . `` It proposes to each of us that we transform ourselves , or our lives by buying . . publicity is not paid for something more . '' Publicity is often referred to as the result of public relations in terms of providing favourable information to media and any third party outlets ; these may including bloggers , mainstream media , as well as new media forms such as podcasts . All this is done to provide a message to consumers without having to pay for direct time or space . This in return creates awareness and carries out more credibility as well . After the message has been distributed , the publicist in charge of the information will lose control on how the message is used and interpreted , much different to the way it works in advertising . According to Grunig , public relations is often reduced to publicity . He also states how publicity is a form of activity in which should be associated with the sales promotion effort of a company , in order to help aid advertising and personal salesmanship as well . Kent also stated that the doing of publicity can help attract attention whilst also supplying information regarding a specific organization or individual client and any event , activity or attribute associated with them . The use of publicity is also known to be an important strategic element and promotional tool due to its effect of intentional exposure over a consumer , this helps publicity gain a beneficial advantage over other marketing aspects such as Advertising alongside its high credibility . Favourable publicity is also created through reputation management in which organizations try strive to control via the web . Furthermore , despite the fact that publicity , both good or bad , can be beneficial for an organization , company or client , much of it is paid for despite claims that publicity is often free . Despite publicity being an influential benefit within the marketing sector , one disadvantage which highly affects publicity , is the lack of ability in which publicity can not be repeated as such compared to advertising .", "Reddit. Reddit ( stylized as reddit , -LSB- ˈrɛdɪt -RSB- ) is an American social news aggregation , web content rating , and discussion website . Reddit 's registered community members can submit content such as text posts or direct links . Registered users can then vote submissions up or down that determines their position on the page . Submissions with the most up-votes appear on the front page or the top of a category . Content entries are organized by areas of interest called `` subreddits '' . Subreddit topics include news , science , gaming , movies , music , books , fitness , food , image-sharing , and many others . The site prohibits harassment , and moderation requires substantial resources . As of 2017 , Reddit had 542 million monthly visitors ( 234 million unique users ) , ranking # 4 most visited web-site in US and # 9 in the world . Across 2015 , Reddit saw 82.54 billion pageviews , 73.15 million submissions , 725.85 million comments , and 6.89 billion upvotes from its users . Reddit was founded by University of Virginia roommates Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian in 2005 . Condé Nast Publications acquired the site in October 2006 . Reddit became a direct subsidiary of Condé Nast 's parent company , Advance Publications , in September 2011 . As of August 2012 , Reddit operates as an independent entity , although Advance is still its largest shareholder . Reddit is based in San Francisco , California . In October 2014 , Reddit raised $ 50 million in a funding round led by Sam Altman and including investors Marc Andreessen , Peter Thiel , Ron Conway , Snoop Dogg , and Jared Leto . Their investment saw the company valued at $ 500 million .", "Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Keeping Up with the Kardashians ( often abbreviated KUWTK ) is an American reality television series that airs on the E! cable network . The show focuses on the personal and professional lives of the Kardashian -- Jenner blended family . Its premise originated with Ryan Seacrest , who also serves as an executive producer . The series debuted on October 14 , 2007 and has subsequently become one of the longest-running reality television series in the country ; the thirteenth season of the show premiered on March 12 , 2017 . The series focuses mainly on sisters Kim , Kourtney , Khloé Kardashian , and their half-sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner . It also features their parents Kris and Caitlyn Jenner ( previously known as Bruce Jenner ) , and brother Rob Kardashian . The significant others of the Kardashian sisters have also appeared on the show , including Kourtney 's boyfriend Scott Disick and Khloé 's ex-husband Lamar Odom . Caitlyn 's son Brody made cameo appearances in the early seasons before joining the show to appear regularly , along with his brother Brandon , and Brandon 's wife , Leah . Kim 's friend Jonathan Cheban and Khloé 's friend Malika Haqq have also been part of the show . Keeping Up with the Kardashians has received very poor critical reviews since its premiere . It is often criticized for the high degree of emphasis on the `` famous for being famous '' concept , and for appearing to fabricate some aspects of its storylines . Several critics also noted the show 's lack of intelligence , and described the family as `` self-absorbed '' and `` desperate '' for fame . However , some critics recognized the reality series as a `` guilty pleasure '' and acknowledged the family 's success . Despite the negative reviews , Keeping Up with the Kardashians has attracted high viewership ratings , becoming one of the network 's most successful shows and winning several audience awards . The series ' success has led additionally to the creation of numerous spin-off series , including : Kourtney and Kim Take Miami , Kourtney and Kim Take New York , Khloé & Lamar , Kourtney and Khloé Take The Hamptons , Dash Dolls , Rob & Chyna and soon , Life of Kylie . The network has also broadcast several television specials featuring special events involving members of the family .", "Billboard 200. The Billboard 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States , published weekly by Billboard magazine . It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists . Often , a recording act will be remembered by its `` number ones '' , those of their albums that outperformed all others during at least one week . The chart is based mostly on sales ( both at retail and digital ) of albums in the United States . The weekly sales period was originally Monday to Sunday when Nielsen started tracking sales in 1991 , but since July 2015 , tracking week begins on Friday ( to coincide with the Global Release Date of the music industry ) and ends on Thursday . A new chart is published the following Tuesday with an issue post-dated to the Saturday of the following week . The chart 's streaming schedule is also tracked from Friday to Thursday . Example : Friday January 1 -- sales tracking week begins Thursday January 7 -- sales tracking week ends Tuesday January 12 -- new chart published , with issue date of Saturday January 23 . New product is released to the American market on Fridays . Digital downloads of albums are also included in Billboard 200 tabulation . Albums that are not licensed for retail sale in the United States ( yet purchased in the U.S. as imports ) are not eligible to chart . A long-standing policy which made titles that are sold exclusively by specific retail outlets ( such as Walmart and Starbucks ) ineligible for charting , was reversed on November 7 , 2007 , and took effect in the issue dated November 17 . Beginning with the December 13 , 2014 issue , Billboard updated the methodology of their album chart to also include on-demand streaming and digital track sales ( as measured by Nielsen SoundScan ) by way of a new algorithm , utilizing data from all of the major on-demand audio subscription and online music sales services in the United States . As of the issue dated June 10 , 2017 , the number-one album on the Billboard 200 is One More Light by Linkin Park .", "Myspace. Myspace is a social networking website offering an interactive , user-submitted network of friends , personal profiles , blogs , groups , photos , music , and videos . It is headquartered in Beverly Hills , California . Myspace was acquired by News Corporation in July 2005 for $ 580 million . From 2005 to 2008 , Myspace was the largest social networking site in the world , and in June 2006 surpassed Google as the most visited website in the United States . In April 2008 , Myspace was overtaken by Facebook in the number of unique worldwide visitors , and was surpassed in the number of unique U.S. visitors in May 2009 , though Myspace generated $ 800 million in revenue during the 2008 fiscal year . Since then , the number of Myspace users has declined steadily in spite of several redesigns . As of March 2017 , Myspace was ranked 3,178 by total Web traffic , and 1,650 In the United States . Myspace had a significant influence on pop culture and music and created a gaming platform that launched the successes of Zynga and RockYou , among others . Despite an overall decline , in 2015 Myspace still had 50.6 million unique monthly visitors and has a pool of nearly 1 billion active and inactive registered users . In June 2009 , Myspace employed approximately 1,600 employees . In June 2011 , Specific Media Group and Justin Timberlake jointly purchased the company for approximately $ 35 million . On February 11 , 2016 it was announced that MySpace and its parent company had been bought by Time Inc. .", "Saving Private Ryan. Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic war drama film set during the Invasion of Normandy in World War II . Directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat , the film is notable for its graphic portrayal of war , and for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes , which includes a depiction of the Omaha Beach assault during the Normandy landings . It follows United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller ( Tom Hanks ) and a squad ( Tom Sizemore , Edward Burns , Barry Pepper , Giovanni Ribisi , Vin Diesel , Adam Goldberg , and Jeremy Davies ) as they search for a paratrooper , Private First Class James Francis Ryan ( Matt Damon ) , who is the last-surviving brother of four servicemen . The film received critical acclaim , winning several awards for film , cast , and crew , as well as earning significant returns at the box office . The film grossed US$ 481.8 million worldwide , making it the second-highest-grossing film of the year . The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards ; Spielberg 's direction won his second Academy Award for Best Director , with four more awards going to the film . Saving Private Ryan was released on home video in May 1999 , earning another $ 44 million from sales . In 2014 , the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress , being deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant . ''", "ESPN. ESPN ( originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Networks ) is a U.S.-based global cable and satellite sports television channel owned by ESPN Inc. , a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company ( which operates the network ) and the Hearst Corporation ( which owns a 20 % minority share ) . ESPN broadcasts primarily from studio facilities located in Bristol , Connecticut . The network also operates offices in Miami , New York City , Seattle , Charlotte , and Los Angeles . John Skipper currently serves as president of ESPN , a position he has held since January 1 , 2012 . While ESPN is one of the most successful sports networks , there has been much criticism of ESPN , which includes accusations of biased coverage , conflict of interest , and controversies with individual broadcasters and analysts . , ESPN is available to approximately 94,396,000 paid television households ( 81.1 % of households with at least one television set ) in the United States . Nielsen has reported a much lower number in 2017 , below 90,000,000 subscribers , losing more than 10,000 a day . In addition to the flagship channel and its seven related channels in the United States , ESPN broadcasts in more than 200 countries , operating regional channels in Australia , Brazil , Latin America and the United Kingdom , and owning a 20 % interest in The Sports Network ( TSN ) as well as its five sister networks in Canada . In 2011 , ESPN 's history and rise was chronicled by These Guys Have All the Fun , a nonfiction book written by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales and published by Little , Brown and Company .", "Review. A review is an evaluation of a publication , service , or company such as a movie ( a movie review ) , video game ( video game review ) , musical composition ( music review of a composition or recording ) , book ( book review ) ; a piece of hardware like a car , home appliance , or computer ; or an event or performance , such as a live music concert , play , musical theater show , dance show , or art exhibition . In addition to a critical evaluation , the review 's author may assign the work a rating to indicate its relative merit . More loosely , an author may review current events , trends , or items in the news . A compilation of reviews may itself be called a review . The New York Review of Books , for instance , is a collection of essays on literature , culture , and current affairs . National Review , founded by William F. Buckley , Jr. , is an influential conservative magazine , and Monthly Review is a long-running socialist periodical .", "Metacritic. Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of media products : music albums , games , movies , TV shows , DVDs , and formerly , books . For each product , the scores from each review are averaged . Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz , Marc Doyle , and Julie Doyle Roberts . The site provides an excerpt from each review and hyperlinks to its source . A color of Green , Yellow or Red summarizes the critics ' recommendations and therefore the general appeal of the product to reviewers and , to a lesser extent , the public . It is regarded as the video game industry 's foremost review aggregator . Metacritic 's scoring converts each review into a percentage , either mathematically from the mark given , or which the site decides subjectively from a qualitative review . Before being averaged , the scores are weighted according to the critic 's fame , stature , and volume of reviews .", "Backstreet Boys. The Backstreet Boys ( often abbreviated as BSB ) are an American vocal group , formed in Orlando , Florida in 1993 . The group consists of AJ McLean , Howie D. , Nick Carter , Kevin Richardson , and Brian Littrell . The group rose to fame with their debut international album , Backstreet Boys ( 1996 ) . In the following year they released their second international album Backstreet 's Back ( 1997 ) , and their U.S. debut album which continued the group 's success worldwide . They rose to superstardom with their third studio album Millennium ( 1999 ) and its follow-up album , Black & Blue ( 2000 ) . After a two-year hiatus , they regrouped and released a comeback album Never Gone ( 2005 ) . After the conclusion of the Never Gone Tour in 2006 , Richardson left the group to pursue other interests . The group then released two albums as a quartet : Unbreakable ( 2007 ) and This Is Us ( 2009 ) . In 2012 , the group announced that Richardson had rejoined them permanently . In the following year they celebrated their 20th anniversary and released their first independent album , In a World Like This ( 2013 ) . The group also released their first documentary movie , titled Backstreet Boys : Show 'Em What You 're Made Of in January 2015 . The Backstreet Boys have sold over 130 million records worldwide , making them the best-selling boy band in history , and one of the world 's best-selling music artists . They are the first group since Sade to have their first nine albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200 , and the only boy band to do so . They also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 22 , 2013 .", "The Voice (U.S. TV series). The Voice is an American reality television singing competition broadcast on NBC . Based on the original The Voice of Holland , the concept of the series is to find currently unsigned singing talent ( solo or duets , professional and amateur ) contested by aspiring singers , age 13 or over , drawn from public auditions . The winner is determined by television viewers voting by telephone , Internet , SMS text , and iTunes Store purchases of the audio-recorded artists ' vocal performances . They receive US$ 100,000 and a record deal with Universal Music Group for winning the competition . The winners of the twelve seasons have been : Javier Colon , Jermaine Paul , Cassadee Pope , Danielle Bradbery , Tessanne Chin , Josh Kaufman , Craig Wayne Boyd , Sawyer Fredericks , Jordan Smith , Alisan Porter , Sundance Head , and Chris Blue . The series employs a panel of four coaches who critique the artists ' performances and guide their teams of selected artists through the remainder of the season . They also compete to ensure that their act wins the competition , thus making them the winning coach . Members of the coaching panel include Adam Levine , Blake Shelton , Christina Aguilera ( seasons 1 -- 3 , 5 , 8 , 10 ) , CeeLo Green ( seasons 1 -- 3 , 5 ) , Shakira ( season 4 , 6 ) , Usher ( season 4 , 6 ) , Gwen Stefani ( season 7 , 9 , 12 ) , Pharrell Williams ( seasons 7 -- 10 ) , Miley Cyrus ( season 11 ) , and Alicia Keys ( seasons 11 -- 12 ) . The Voice began airing on April 26 , 2011 , as a spring TV season program . The show proved to be a hit for NBC and was subsequently expanded into the fall cycle when season three premiered on September 10 , 2012 . The series premiered its twelfth season on February 27 , 2017 . On October 18 , 2016 , NBC renewed the series through its thirteenth season . On May 10 , 2017 , NBC renewed the series for a fourteenth series , along with announcing Jennifer Hudson as a new coach in the thirteenth season . The following day , it was announced that Kelly Clarkson would be a new coach in the fourteenth season , sitting alongside Adam Levine , Blake Shelton , and Jennifer Hudson .", "Ryanhood. Ryanhood is a two-man band based in Tucson , Arizona , founded in 2004 . The Arizona Daily Star has described them as a `` Simon-and-Garfunkel like group . '' In 2009 they won the award `` TAMMIES band of the year '' in Tucson . The TAMMIES are an annual public-choice music award sponsored by the Tucson Weekly . The band received standing ovations while touring with Jason Mraz on his Mr. A-Z Tour and they 've opened shows for American Authors , Train , Five For Fighting , Lifehouse , Mat Kearney , Plain White T 's , NEEDTOBREATHE , Tyrone Wells,Jay-Z and Kelly Clarkson . In 2009 , Ellen DeGeneres tweeted about the group , stating that she hoped to have them on the show . In November 2011 the band released an album called `` After Night Came Sun '' . The band was named `` Best Group/Duo '' in the 2014 International Acoustic Music Awards for their song `` Sickbed Symphony '' from their album `` Start Somewhere '' .", "Hollywood Records. Hollywood Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group , distributed by the Universal Music Group . The label focuses in pop , rock , alternative , hip hop , and country genres , as well as specializing in mature recordings not suitable for the flagship Walt Disney Records label . Founded in 1989 , its current roster includes artists such as Jordan Fisher , Zella Day , Demi Lovato , Queen , Zendaya , Ocean Park Standoff , Dreamers , Bea Miller , Martina Stoessel , Breaking Benjamin , Jorge Blanco , Sabrina Carpenter , R5 , The Young Wild , Olivia Holt , Sofia Carson , Forever in Your Mind , Grace Potter and the Nocturnals , Boy Epic , and Joywave . The label also releases Marvel Studios 's soundtrack and compilation albums in conjunction with Marvel Music .", "Superstar. Superstar is a term used to refer to some one who has great popular appeal and is widely known , prominent , or successful in some field . Celebrities referred to as `` superstars '' may include individuals who work as actors , actresses , musicians , athletes , and other media-based professions .", "Brian Dunkleman. Brian Dunkleman ( born September 25 , 1971 ) is an American comedian and actor . He is best known as being co-host with Ryan Seacrest on the first season of American Idol '' , in 2002 .", "Meg Ryan. Meg Ryan ( born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra ; November 19 , 1961 ) is an American actress , director , and producer . Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles , before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982 . Subsequently , she began to appear in supporting roles in films during the mid-1980s , achieving recognition in independent movies such as Promised Land ( 1988 ) before her performance in the Rob Reiner-directed romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally ... ( 1989 ) brought her widespread attention and her first Golden Globe nomination . Ryan subsequently established herself , both nationally and internationally , as one of the most successful actresses in the 1990s and early 2000s , particularly in romantic comedy films such as Sleepless in Seattle ( 1993 ) , French Kiss ( 1995 ) , You 've Got Mail ( 1998 ) , and Kate & Leopold ( 2001 ) . Her other films include The Doors ( 1991 ) , When a Man Loves a Woman ( 1994 ) , Courage Under Fire ( 1996 ) , Addicted to Love ( 1997 ) , City of Angels ( 1998 ) , Proof of Life ( 2000 ) , and The Women ( 2008 ) . In 2015 , she made her directorial debut with Ithaca , a film in which she also acted .", "Google. Google is an American multinational technology company specializing in Internet-related services and products . These include online advertising technologies , search , cloud computing , software , and hardware . Google was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University , in California . Together , they own about 14 percent of its shares , and control 56 percent of the stockholder voting power through supervoting stock . They incorporated Google as a privately held company on September 4 , 1998 . An initial public offering ( IPO ) took place on August 19 , 2004 , and Google moved to its new headquarters in Mountain View , California , nicknamed the Googleplex . In August 2015 , Google announced plans to reorganize its various interests as a conglomerate called Alphabet Inc. . Google , Alphabet 's leading subsidiary , will continue to be the umbrella company for Alphabet 's Internet interests . Upon completion of the restructure , Sundar Pichai became CEO of Google , replacing Larry Page , who became CEO of Alphabet . Rapid growth since incorporation has triggered a chain of products , acquisitions , and partnerships beyond Google 's core search engine ( Google Search ) . It offers services designed for work and productivity ( Google Docs , Sheets and Slides ) , email ( Gmail/Inbox ) , scheduling and time management ( Google Calendar ) , cloud storage ( Google Drive ) , social networking ( Google + ) , instant messaging and video chat ( Google Allo/Duo/Hangouts ) , language translation ( Google Translate ) , mapping and turn-by-turn navigation ( Google Maps ) , video sharing ( YouTube ) , notetaking ( Google Keep ) , and photo organizing and editing ( Google Photos ) . The company leads the development of the Android mobile operating system , the Google Chrome web browser , and Chrome OS , a lightweight operating system based on the Chrome browser . Google has moved increasingly into hardware ; from 2010 to 2015 , it partnered with major electronics manufacturers in the production of its Nexus devices , and in October 2016 , it released multiple hardware products ( including the Google Pixel smartphone , Home smart speaker , Wifi mesh wireless router , and Daydream View virtual reality headset ) . The new hardware chief , Rick Osterloh , stated : `` a lot of the innovation that we want to do now ends up requiring controlling the end-to-end user experience '' . Google has also experimented with becoming an Internet carrier . In February 2010 , it announced Google Fiber , a fiber-optic infrastructure that was installed in Kansas City ; in April 2015 , it launched Project Fi in the United States , combining Wi-Fi and cellular networks from different providers ; and in 2016 , it announced the Google Station initiative to make public Wi-Fi around the world , which had already been deployed in India . Alexa , a company that monitors commercial web traffic , lists Google.com as the most visited website in the world . Several other Google services also figure in the top 100 most visited websites , including YouTube and Blogger . Google has been the second most valuable brand in the world for 4 consecutive years , but has received significant criticism involving issues such as privacy concerns , tax avoidance , antitrust , censorship , and search neutrality . Google 's mission statement , from the outset , was `` to organize the world 's information and make it universally accessible and useful '' , and its unofficial slogan was `` Do n't be evil '' . In October 2015 , the motto was replaced in the Alphabet corporate code of conduct by the phrase `` Do the right thing '' .", "Ultimate Revenge. Ultimate Revenge is a reality TV program about fulfilling the fantasy of anyone who wants to seek revenge on their nearest and dearest . Elaborate practical jokes were played on family and friends instigated by their own relatives and friends . It was hosted by Ryan Seacrest . Several episodes featured current radio talk show host Karel . It was shown on The New TNN from 2001 to 2003 . Ultimate Revenge premiered August 21 , 2001 .", "Stack Overflow. Stack Overflow is a privately held website , the flagship site of the Stack Exchange Network , created in 2008 by Jeff Atwood and Joel Spolsky . It was created to be a more open alternative to earlier question and answer sites such as Experts-Exchange . The name for the website was chosen by voting in April 2008 by readers of Coding Horror , Atwood 's popular programming blog . It features questions and answers on a wide range of topics in computer programming . The website serves as a platform for users to ask and answer questions , and , through membership and active participation , to vote questions and answers up or down and edit questions and answers in a fashion similar to a wiki or Digg . Users of Stack Overflow can earn reputation points and `` badges '' ; for example , a person is awarded 10 reputation points for receiving an `` up '' vote on an answer given to a question , and can receive badges for their valued contributions , which represents a kind of gamification of the traditional Q&A site or forum . All user-generated content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribute-ShareAlike license . Closing questions is a main differentiation from Yahoo! Answers and a way to prevent low quality questions . The mechanism was overhauled in 2013 ; questions edited after being put `` on hold '' now appear in a review queue . Jeff Atwood stated in 2010 that duplicate questions are not seen as a problem but rather they constitute an advantage if such additional questions drive extra traffic to the site by multiplying relevant keyword hits in search engines . Stack Overflow has over 4,000,000 registered users , and it exceeded 10,000,000 questions in late August 2015 . Based on the type of tags assigned to questions , the top eight most discussed topics on the site are : Java , JavaScript , C# , PHP , Android , jQuery , Python and HTML . Stack Overflow also has a Jobs section to assist developers in finding their next opportunity . For employers , Stack Overflow provides tools to brand their business , advertise their openings on the site , and source candidates from Stack Overflow 's database of developers who are open to being contacted .", "YouTube. YouTube is an American video-sharing website headquartered in San Bruno , California . The service was created by three former PayPal employees -- Chad Hurley , Steve Chen , and Jawed Karim -- in February 2005 . Google bought the site in November 2006 for US$ 1.65 billion ; YouTube now operates as one of Google 's subsidiaries . The site allows users to upload , view , rate , share , add to favorites , report and comment on videos , subscribe to other users , and it makes use of WebM , H. 264/MPEG -4 AVC , and Adobe Flash Video technology to display a wide variety of user-generated and corporate media videos . Available content includes video clips , TV show clips , music videos , short and documentary films , audio recordings , movie trailers and other content such as video blogging , short original videos , and educational videos . Most of the content on YouTube has been uploaded by individuals , but media corporations including CBS , the BBC , Vevo , and Hulu offer some of their material via YouTube as part of the YouTube partnership program . Unregistered users can only watch videos on the site , while registered users are permitted to upload an unlimited number of videos and add comments to videos . Videos deemed potentially offensive are available only to registered users affirming themselves to be at least 18 years old . YouTube earns advertising revenue from Google AdSense , a program which targets ads according to site content and audience . The vast majority of its videos are free to view , but there are exceptions , including subscription-based premium channels , film rentals , as well as YouTube Red , a subscription service offering ad-free access to the website and access to exclusive content made in partnership with existing users . , there are more than 400 hours of content uploaded to YouTube each minute , and one billion hours of content is watched on YouTube every day . , the website is ranked as the second most popular site in the world by Alexa Internet , a web traffic analysis company .", "Hawaii. Hawaii ( -LSB- langpronaudio = en-us-Hawaii . ogghəˈwaɪ.i , _ - ji , _ - ʔi -RSB- ; Hawai -LSB- - hawhəˈvɐjʔi -RSB- ) is the 50th and most recent state to have joined the United States of America , having received statehood on August 21 , 1959 . Hawaii is the only U.S. state located in Oceania and the only one composed entirely of islands . It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia , occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean . Hawaii is the only U.S. state not located in the Americas . The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian archipelago , which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1500 mi . At the southeastern end of the archipelago , the eight main islands are -- in order from northwest to southeast : Niihau , Kauai , Oahu , Molokai , Lānai , Kahoolawe , Maui , and the Island of Hawaii . The last is the largest island in the group ; it is often called the `` Big Island '' or `` Hawaii Island '' to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago . The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania . Hawaii 's diverse natural scenery , warm tropical climate , abundance of public beaches , oceanic surroundings , and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists , surfers , biologists , and volcanologists . Because of its central location in the Pacific and 19th-century labor migration , Hawaii 's culture is strongly influenced by North American and Asian cultures , in addition to its indigenous Hawaiian culture . Hawaii has over a million permanent residents , along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel . Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oahu . Hawaii is the 8th-smallest and the 11th-least populous , but the 13th-most densely populated of the fifty U.S. states . It is the only state with an Asian plurality . The state 's coastline is about 750 mi long , the fourth longest in the U.S. after the coastlines of Alaska , Florida , and California ." ]

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[ "Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico ( Spanish for `` Rich Port '' ) , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico , `` Free Associated State of Puerto Rico '' ) and briefly called Porto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeast Caribbean Sea . It is an archipelago that includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller ones such as Mona , Culebra , and Vieques . The capital and most populous city is San Juan . Its official languages are Spanish and English , though Spanish predominates . The island 's population is approximately 3.4 million . Puerto Rico 's rich history , tropical climate , diverse natural scenery , traditional cuisine , and attractive tax incentives make it a popular destination for travelers from around the world . Originally populated by the indigenous Taíno people , the island was claimed in 1493 by Christopher Columbus for the Crown of Castile , and it later endured invasion attempts from the French , Dutch , and British . Four centuries of Spanish colonial government transformed the island 's ethnic , cultural and physical landscapes primarily with waves of African slaves , and Canarian , and Andalusian settlers . In the Spanish imperial imagination , Puerto Rico played a secondary , but strategic role when compared to wealthier colonies like Peru and Mexico . Such a distant administrative control continued right up until the end of the 19th century helping to produce a distinctive creole Hispanic culture and language that combined elements from the Natives , Africans , and Iberian people . In 1898 , following the Spanish -- American War , the United States appropriated Puerto Rico together with most former Spanish colonies under the terms of the Treaty of Paris . Puerto Ricans are considered natural-born citizens of the United States . However , Puerto Rico does not have a vote in the United States Congress , which governs the territory with full jurisdiction under the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950 . As a U.S. territory , American citizens residing on the island are disenfranchised at the national level and may not vote for president and vice president of the United States . However , Congress approved a local constitution , allowing U.S. citizens on the territory to elect a governor . A 2012 referendum showed a majority ( 54 % of those who voted ) disagreed with `` the present form of territorial status '' , with full statehood as the preferred option among those who voted for a change of status , although a significant number of people did not answer the second question from the referendum . A fifth referendum will be held in June 2017 , and `` Statehood '' and `` Independence/Free Association '' were initially the only available options . However , at the recommendation of the Department of Justice , a `` current territorial status '' option will be added . In early 2017 , the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis posed serious problems for the government . The outstanding bond debt had climbed to $ 70 billion at a time with 12.4 % unemployment . The debt had been increasing during a decade long recession . This was the second major financial crisis to affect the island after the Great Depression when the U.S. government , in 1935 , provided relief efforts through the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration . On May 3 , 2017 , Puerto Rico 's financial oversight board in the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico filed the debt restructuring petition which was made under Title III of PROMESA .", "Puerto Rico (disambiguation). Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States in the Caribbean Sea . Puerto Rico may also refer to :", "Unincorporated territories of the United States. Under United States law , an unincorporated territory is an area controlled by the United States government which is not part of ( i.e. , `` incorporated '' in ) the United States . In unincorporated territories the U.S. Constitution applies only partially . In the absence of an organic law a territory is classified as unorganized . In unincorporated territories `` fundamental rights apply as a matter of law , but other constitutional rights are not available '' . Selected constitutional provisions apply depending on congressional acts and judicial rulings according to U.S. constitutional practice , local tradition and law . There are five inhabited US territories which are either organized or self-governing , but unincorporated . These are Puerto Rico , Guam , Northern Mariana islands , U.S. Virgin islands and American Samoa . There are also nine uninhabited US possessions , of which only Palmyra Atoll is incorporated . ( See Territories of the United States , Unorganized territory and insular area . )", "Outline of Puerto Rico. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Puerto Rico : The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States of America located in the northeastern Caribbean , east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands . The commonwealth comprises an archipelago that includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller islands and keys , the largest of which are Vieques , Culebra , and Mona . The main island of Puerto Rico is the least extensive but the third most populous of the four Greater Antilles : Cuba , Hispaniola , Jamaica , and Puerto Rico . Puerto Ricans often call the island Borinquen , from Borikén , its indigenous Taíno name . The terms boricua and borincano derive from Borikén and Borinquen respectively , and are commonly used to identify someone of Puerto Rican heritage . The island is also popularly known as `` La Isla del Encanto '' , which translated means `` The Island of Enchantment . ''", "Political status of Puerto Rico. The current political status of Puerto Rico is the result of various political activities within both the United States and Puerto Rican governments . Politically , Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States , which according to the U.S. Supreme Court 's Insular Cases is `` a territory appurtenant and belonging to the United States , but not a part of the United States within the revenue clauses of the Constitution . '' The basic question regarding this issue is whether Puerto Rico should remain a U.S. territory , become a U.S. state or become an independent country . American and Puerto Rican political activities regarding the status question have revolved around three sets of initiatives : presidential executive orders , bills in the U.S. Congress , and referenda held in Puerto Rico . U.S. Presidents have issued three executive orders on the subject , and Congress has considered four major bills on Puerto Rico 's political status . Puerto Rican status referenda have been held four times to determine the desired political status of Puerto Rico in relation to the United States of America . At the November 6 , 2012 , non-binding referendum on the status question , 54 % of respondents voted to reject the current status under the territorial clause of the U.S. Constitution , while in a second question 61 % favored statehood as the preferred alternative . The Puerto Rican status referendum , 2017 will be held on June 11 , 2017 . Voters will have three options : `` Statehood '' , `` Independence/Free Association '' and the choice to remain as a Commonwealth . In 2009 , 2011 , and most recently in 2016 , The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization called for the United States to expedite the process to allow self-determination in Puerto Rico . Internationally , the people of Puerto Rico are often considered to be a Caribbean nation with their own national identity . More specifically , the Special Committee 's June 2016 report called for the United States '' ... to allow the Puerto Rican people to take decisions in a sovereign manner , and to address their urgent economic and social needs , including unemployment , marginalization , insolvency and poverty '' .", "Puerto Rican status referendum, 2012. A referendum on the political status of Puerto Rico was held in Puerto Rico on November 6 , 2012 . It was the fourth referendum on status to be held in Puerto Rico and the first in which a majority voted for statehood . Puerto Rico has been an unincorporated territory of the United States since the Spanish -- American War in 1898 . Puerto Rican voters were asked two questions : ( 1 ) whether they agreed to continue with Puerto Rico 's territorial status and ( 2 ) to indicate the political status they preferred from three possibilities : statehood , independence , or a sovereign nation in free association with the United States . 970,910 ( 54.00 % ) voted `` No '' on the first question , expressing themselves against maintaining the current political status , and 828,077 ( 46.00 % ) voted `` Yes '' , to maintain the current political status . Of those who answered on the second question 834,191 ( 61.11 % ) chose statehood , 454,768 ( 33.34 % ) chose free association , and 74,895 ( 5.55 % ) chose independence . The governor-elect Alejandro García Padilla of the Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) and several other leaders who favor the present status had recommended voting `` Yes '' to the first question , and leaving the second question blank as a protest to what they said was `` an anti-democratic process '' and `` a trap '' . Puerto Rico 's nonvoting Resident Commissioner , Pedro Pierluisi , has said that he will `` defend the people 's decision '' in Washington , D.C. . He plans to introduce legislation in Congress to admit Puerto Rico to the Union . Although García Padilla questioned the validity of the results , he stated that he planned to go forward with what President Barack Obama had suggested , and convene a constituent assembly to resolve the status issue . Such an assembly was not ultimately held under García Padilla 's governorship . Previous referendums had been held on the island to decide on the political status of Puerto Rico , most recently in 1998 .", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "Commonwealth (U.S. insular area). In the terminology of the United States insular areas , a Commonwealth is a type of organized but unincorporated dependent territory . There are currently two United States insular areas with the status of commonwealth , the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico . The definition of `` Commonwealth '' according to current U.S. State Department policy ( as codified in the department 's Foreign Affairs Manual ) reads : `` The term ` Commonwealth ' does not describe or provide for any specific political status or relationship . It has , for example , been applied to both states and territories . When used in connection with areas under U.S. sovereignty that are not states , the term broadly describes an area that is self-governing under a constitution of its adoption and whose right of self-government will not be unilaterally withdrawn by Congress . ''", "Proposed political status for Puerto Rico. The proposed political status for Puerto Rico encompasses the different schools of thought on whether Puerto Rico , currently a Commonwealth of the United States , should change its current political status . Although there are many differing points of view , there are four that emerge in principle : that Puerto Rico maintains its current status , becomes a state of the United States , becomes fully independent , or becomes a freely associated state . Even though Puerto Rico was granted local autonomy in 1952 , it remains a territory of the United States . Its ambiguous status continues to spark political debates which dominate Puerto Rican society . The debate over Puerto Rico has been discussed at various UN hearings where it has been declared a colony of the United States by the UN Special Committee on Decolonization . Various Presidents of the United States have expressed themselves in favor of statehood but ultimately left the decision to Puerto Rico . President 's Task Force on Puerto Rico 's Status were published in 2005 , 2007 and 2011 . Non-binding referendums regarding Puerto Rico 's status have been held in 1967 , 1993 , 1997 and 2012 . The results of the referendums have favored the commonwealth status until the Puerto Rican status referendum , 2012 , when for the first time , the majority ( 54 % ) of Puerto Ricans voted against it . Full statehood was the preferred option of those who wanted a change . The results were highly controversial : many ballots were left blank and the results were criticized by several parties . The federal government took no action except to provide funding for a subsequent referendum . The Puerto Rican status referendum , 2017 will be the fifth , and it will be held on June 11 , 2017 .", "Territories of the United States. Territories of the United States are sub-national administrative divisions directly overseen by the United States federal government ( unlike U.S. states , which share sovereignty with the federal government ) . These territories are classified by whether they are incorporated ( part of the United States proper ) and whether they have an organized government through an Organic Act passed by the U.S. Congress . Currently , the United States has sixteen territories , five of which are permanently inhabited : Puerto Rico , Guam , the Northern Mariana Islands , the U.S. Virgin Islands , and American Samoa . They are classified as unincorporated territories . They are organized , self-governing territories with locally elected governors and territorial legislatures . Each also elects a non-voting member ( or resident commissioner ) to the U.S. House of Representatives . Eleven territories are small islands , atolls and reefs , spread across the Caribbean and Pacific , with no native or permanent populations . These are Palmyra Atoll , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , Midway Islands , Bajo Nuevo Bank , Navassa Island , Serranilla Bank and Wake Island , which are claimed by the United States under the Guano Islands Act of 1856 . The status of some are disputed by Colombia , Haiti , Honduras , Jamaica , Nicaragua , and the Marshall Islands . The Palmyra Atoll is the only territory currently incorporated . Historically , territories were created to govern newly acquired land while the borders of the United States were still evolving . Most territories eventually attained statehood . Other territories administered by the United States went on to become independent countries , such as the Philippines , Micronesia , Marshall Islands and Palau . Micronesia , Marshall Islands and Palau gained independence under the Compact of Free Association ( COFA ) , which allows the U.S. full authority over aid and defense in exchange for continued access to U.S. health care , government services such as the FCC and United States Postal Service , and the right for COFA citizens to work freely in the United States and vice versa . Many organized incorporated territories of the United States existed from 1789 to 1959 ( the first being the Northwest and the Southwest territories , the last being the Alaska Territory and the Hawaii Territory ) , through which 31 territories applied for and were granted statehood . In the process of organizing and promoting territories to statehood , some areas of a territory demographically lacking sufficient development and population densities were temporarily orphaned from parts of a larger territory at the time a vote was taken petitioning Congress for statehood rights . For example , when a portion of the Missouri Territory became the state of Missouri , the remaining portion of the territory , consisting of the present states of Iowa , Nebraska and the Dakotas , most of Kansas , Wyoming , and Montana , and parts of Colorado and Minnesota , effectively became an unorganized territory .", "San Juan, Puerto Rico. San Juan ( -LSB- ˌsæn_ˈhwɑːn -RSB- -LSB- saŋ ˈxwan -RSB- , Saint John ) is the capital and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , an unincorporated territory of the United States . As of the 2010 census , it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of the United States . San Juan was founded by Spanish colonists in 1521 , who called it Ciudad de Puerto Rico ( `` Rich Port City '' ) . Puerto Rico 's capital is the second oldest European-established capital city in the Americas , after Santo Domingo , in the Dominican Republic . Several historical buildings are located in San Juan ; among the most notable are the city 's former defensive forts , Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristóbal , and La Fortaleza , the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas . Today , San Juan is Puerto Rico 's most important seaport , and is the island 's manufacturing , financial , cultural , and tourism center . The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area , including San Juan and the municipalities of Bayamón , Guaynabo , Cataño , Canóvanas , Caguas , Toa Alta , Toa Baja , Carolina and Trujillo Alto , is about 2 million inhabitants ; thus , about half the population of Puerto Rico now lives and works in this area . San Juan is also a principal city of the San Juan-Caguas-Fajardo Combined Statistical Area . The city has been the host of events within the sports community , including the 1979 Pan American Games , 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games , events of the 2006 , 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classics , the Caribbean Series and the Special Olympics and MLB San Juan Series in 2010 .", "Bills in U.S. Congress regarding the political status of Puerto Rico. The Territories Clause of the United States Constitution ( Art . IV , Sec . 3 , cl . 2 ) allows for Congress to `` dispose of '' Puerto Rico and allow it to become independent of the U.S. ( in the same way as the Philippines did in 1945 ) or , under the authority of the Admissions Clause ( Art . IV , Sec . 3 , cl . 1 ) for it to be admitted as a state of the United States ( with a vote of Congress in the same way that Alaska and Hawaii were admiited in 1958 and 1959 respectively ) . Since Congress must approve of any political status change for Puerto Rico , some argue that `` congressional agreement to the options -LSB- on a ballot -RSB- , prior to a plebiscite would save the people of Puerto Rico the grief of an emotionally draining and politically divisive vote that might result in a status not acceptable to Congress . '' Former Resident Commissioner and Former Governor Carlos Romero Barceló echoed this sentiment when he recalled , at a 1997 congressional hearing , that both '' -LSB- Representatives -RSB- Young and Miller were clear in stating -LSB- in their March 3 , 1997 , letter to the presidents of the three political parties in Puerto Rico -RSB- that there was no purpose in presenting the people of Puerto Rico a status definition which does not represent an option that the Congress will be willing to ratify should it be approved in a plebiscite . '' A catalyst for the legislative activity taking place in Congress was the release in December 2005 of the presidential task force 's report . Per United States v. Sanchez , 992 F. 2d 1143 , 1152 -- 53 ( 11th Cir . 1993 ) , `` Congress continues to be the ultimate source of power -LSB- over Puerto Rico -RSB- pursuant to the Territory Clause of the Constitution . '' ( quoting United States v. Andino , 831 F. 2d 1164 , 1176 ( 1st Cir . 1987 ) ( Torruella , J. , concurring ) , cert . denied , 486 U.S. 1034 ( 1988 ) ) , cert . denied , 510 U.S. 11 10 ( 1994 ) .9 An Act of Congress , thus , is ultimately required to modify the current political status of Puerto Rico . Four major bills regarding the political status of Puerto Rico have come before Congress , H.R. 856 ( 1997 ) , H.R. 900 ( 2007 ) , H.R. 2499 ( 2009 ) , and H.R. 2000 ( 2013 ) .", "Puerto Rican status referendum, 2017. A referendum on the political status of Puerto Rico will be held in Puerto Rico on June 11 , 2017 . Previous referendums have been held on the island to decide on its political status . Puerto Rico has been an unincorporated territory of the United States since the conclusion of the Spanish -- American War in 1898 . Four referendums about the possibility of changing Puerto Rico 's status have been held , the most recent in 2012 . The fifth is to be held in June 2017 . While initially the referendum would only have the options of statehood and independence/free association , a letter from the Trump administration recommended to add the Commonwealth , the current status , in the plebiscite . The option had been removed from this plebiscite in response to the results of the plebiscite in 2012 which asked whether to remain in the current status and No had won . However , the Trump administration cited changes in demographics during the past 5 years to add the option once again . Amendments to the plebiscite bill were adopted making ballot wording changes requested by the Department of Justice , as well as adding a `` current territorial status '' option . It is not certain what would happen if any of the options win or how the U.S. Congress would interpret the results . Previous plebiscites have discussed the margins of the win to result in a mandate with some arguing for a 50 % +1 or sometimes a higher percentage to initiate congressional action on the will of Puerto Rico . Previous plebiscites with the three options have resulted in a close race between statehood and commonwealth but with neither option breaking 50 % . Congressional hearings on Puerto Rico have discussed scenarios where a second round could be held on the options that win the first but that has not been discussed by the government of Puerto Rico .", "Status quo movement in Puerto Rico. The status quo movement in Puerto Rico refers to initiatives throughout the history of Puerto Rico aimed at maintaining the current political status of Puerto Rico , that of a commonwealth of the United States . Puerto Rico is currently a territory of the United States . As a Commonwealth , Puerto Rico receives less in federal funding than the states . Residents are US citizens and can vote in elections but do not have the right to vote in presidential elections . They receive lower Social Security and Medicare benefits . Neither the Commonwealth or municipal governments of Puerto Rico can file for bankruptcy ; that is currently prohibited . In the Puerto Rican status referendum , 2012 , 54 % of the ballots cast were against the continuation of the island 's status as a territory of the US . Of the votes for new status , a 61.1 % majority chose statehood . This was by far the most successful referendum for statehood advocates . In all earlier referenda , votes for statehood were matched almost equally by votes for remaining an American territory , with the remainder for independence . Support for U.S. statehood has risen in each successive popular referendum . On December 11 , 2012 , the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico enacted a concurrent resolution to request the President and the Congress of the United States , to respond diligently and effectively , and to act on the demand of the people of Puerto Rico , as freely and democratically expressed in the plebiscite held on November 6 , 2012 , to end , once and for all , its current form of territorial status and to begin the process of admission of Puerto Rico as a State . The government did not take steps to meet this request , but provided funding for a fifth referendum . The Puerto Rican status referendum , 2017 will be held on June 11 , 2017 and will offer two options : `` Statehood '' and `` Independence/Free Association . '' It will be the first referendum not to offer the choice of retaining the current status as a Commonwealth . Regardless of the outcome of this fifth referendum , action by the United States Congress would be necessary to implement changes to the status of Puerto Rico under the Territorial Clause of the United States Constitution .", "Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico -LSB- esˈtaðo ˈliβɾe asoˈsjaðo ðe ˈpweɾto ˈriko -RSB- is the official name of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico . Literally translated , it means `` Associated Free State of Puerto Rico '' . The official name was adopted in 1952 . Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States . Some authorities have stated that the official name Estado Libre Asociado constitutes an euphemism , that is , a term intended to give positive appearances to negative events or even mislead entirely , and have charged that the official name in English of `` Commonwealth '' constitutes a fig leaf , i.e. , a term used figuratively and associated with the covering up of an act that is actually embarrassing or distasteful with something of innocuous appearance .", "List of companies of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeast Caribbean Sea . It is an archipelago that includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller ones such as Mona , Culebra , and Vieques . The capital and most populous city is San Juan . Its official languages are Spanish and English , though Spanish predominates . The island 's population is approximately 3.4 million . Puerto Rico 's rich history , tropical climate , diverse natural scenery , renowned traditional cuisine , and attractive tax incentives make it a popular destination for travelers from around the world .", "Unincorporated. Unincorporated may refer to : Unincorporated area , land not governed by a local municipality Unincorporated entity , a type of organization Unincorporated territories of the United States , territories under U.S. jurisdiction , to which Congress has determined that only select parts of the U.S. Constitution apply Unincorporated association , also known as voluntary association , groups organized to accomplish a purpose", "Politics of Puerto Rico. The politics of Puerto Rico take place in the framework of a republican democratic form of government that is under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United States as an organized unincorporated territory . As a republican form of government , the government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is divided into three branches : executive , legislative and judicial , as established by the Constitution of Puerto Rico . The executive power is exercised by the executive branch , which is headed by the Governor , advised by a cabinet of secretaries that are independent of the legislature . Legislative power is vested upon the Legislature . Judicial power is exercised by the judiciary , consisting of the Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico , the Tribunal de Apelaciones ( English : Court of Appeals ) , and Tribunal de Primera Instancia ( English : Courts of First Instance ) . There is also a Federal Court to hear cases of a federal nature or with federal jurisdiction . Puerto Rico 's governor , who is the head of government , and the members of the legislature are elected every four years by popular vote . Puerto Rico 's legislature is a bi-cameral body consisting of a Senate and a Camara de Representantes . The members of the judicial branch are appointed by the Governor with the approval of the Senate to serve until they reach age 70 . Due to the status of Puerto Rico as a territory of the United States , its residents can not vote in the U.S. presidential elections . Politics in Puerto Rico revolve around a multi-party political system . The politics of Puerto Rico are dominated by three political parties : the Partido Nuevo Progresista ( PNP ) , the Partido Popular Democratico ( PPD ) , and the Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño ( PIP ) . Since the 1898 invasion of Puerto Rico by the Americans during the Spanish -- American War , politics in Puerto Rico have been significantly shaped by its status as territory of the United States . The nature of Puerto Rico 's political relationship with the United States is the subject of ongoing debate in Puerto Rico , in the United States , the United Nations and the International Community .", "Insular area. An insular area is a territory of the United States of America that is neither a part of one of the fifty U.S. states nor the U.S. federal district of Washington , D.C. . Such areas are called `` insular '' from the Latin word insula ( `` island '' ) because they were once administered by the War Department 's Bureau of Insular Affairs , now the Office of Insular Affairs at the Department of the Interior . The term insular possession is also sometimes used . Congress has extended citizenship rights by birth to all inhabited territories except American Samoa , and these citizens may vote and run for office in any U.S. jurisdiction in which they are residents . The people of American Samoa are U.S. nationals by place of birth , or they are U.S. citizens by parentage , or naturalization after residing in a State for three months . Nationals are free to move around and seek employment within the United States without immigration restrictions but can not vote or hold office outside of American Samoa . Residents of insular areas do not pay U.S. federal income taxes but are required to pay other U.S. federal taxes such as import/export taxes , federal commodity taxes , social security taxes , etc. . Individuals working for the federal government pay federal income taxes while all residents are required to pay federal payroll taxes ( Social Security and Medicare ) . The U.S. State Department uses the term insular area to refer not only to these territories under the sovereignty of the United States , but also those independent nations that have signed a Compact of Free Association with the United States . While these nations participate in many otherwise domestic programs , they are legally distinct from the United States and their inhabitants are not United States citizens or nationals . U.S. insular areas can be incorporated territories ( i.e. , incorporated within all provisions of the U.S. Constitution ) or unincorporated territories ( areas in which the U.S. Constitution applies partially ) . From the organization of the Northwest Territory in 1789 , all areas not admitted as States were under the direct control of Congress as organized incorporated territories , with some political autonomy at the local level . Since the admission of Hawaii to the Union in 1959 , there have been no incorporated territories other than the uninhabited Palmyra Atoll ( formerly part of the Hawaii Territory , it was excluded from the act of admission ) . Several overseas unincorporated territories are now independent countries including the Philippines , the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau . Unlike within the states , sovereignty over insular areas rests not with the local people , but in Congress . In most areas , Congress has granted considerable self-rule through an Organic Act which functions as a local constitution . The Northwest Ordinance grants territories the right to send a non-voting delegate to the U.S. Congress . The United States government is part of several international disputes over the disposition of certain maritime and insular sovereignties some of which would be considered territories . See International territorial disputes of the United States .", "Puerto Rico political status plebiscites. Three main alternatives are generally presented to Puerto Rican voters in status plebiscites : full independence , maintenance or enhancement of commonwealth status , and full statehood into the American Union . The exact expectations for each of these status formulas are a matter of debate by a given position 's adherents and detractors . Puerto Ricans have proposed positions that modify the alternatives above , such as ( a ) indemnified independence with phased-out US subsidy , ( b ) expanded political but not fiscal autonomy , and ( c ) statehood with a gradual phasing out of federal tax exemption . Contrary to common misconception , residents of Puerto Rico do pay U.S. federal taxes : customs taxes , import/export taxes , federal commodity taxes , social security taxes , etc. . Most residents do not pay federal income taxes , but all residents must pay federal payroll taxes ( Social Security and Medicare ) and all other federal taxes . Most experts downplay the importance of all recent plebiscites . For example , Roberto Barreto wrote in the Marxist International Socialist Review that `` all the recent plebiscite proposals have been colonial ones , leaving the final decision in the hands of Congress . By defining the plebiscite as ` non-binding , ' the electoral exercise , far from being an act of self-determination , turns into a mere survey . These plebiscites are essentially opinion polls to be considered or ignored by the body that reserves for itself all decision-making powers , the U.S. Congress . ''", "U.S. state. A U.S. state is a constituent political entity of the United States of America . There are 50 states , which are bound together in a union with each other . Each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a defined geographic territory , and shares its sovereignty with the United States federal government . Due to the shared sovereignty between each state and the federal government , Americans are citizens of both the federal republic and of the state in which they reside . State citizenship and residency are flexible , and no government approval is required to move between states , except for persons covered by certain types of court orders ( e.g. , paroled convicts and children of divorced spouses who are sharing custody ) . States range in population from just under 600,000 ( Wyoming ) to over 39 million ( California ) , and in area from 1214 sqmi ( Rhode Island ) to 663268 sqmi ( Alaska ) . Four states use the term commonwealth rather than state in their full official names . States are divided into counties or county-equivalents , which may be assigned some local governmental authority but are not sovereign . County or county-equivalent structure varies widely by state . State governments are allocated power by the people ( of each respective state ) through their individual constitutions . All are grounded in republican principles , and each provides for a government , consisting of three branches : executive , legislative , and judicial . States possess a number of powers and rights under the United States Constitution ; among them ratifying constitutional amendments . Historically , the tasks of local law enforcement , public education , public health , regulating intrastate commerce , and local transportation and infrastructure have generally been considered primarily state responsibilities , although all of these now have significant federal funding and regulation as well . Over time , the U.S. Constitution has been amended , and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed . The general tendency has been toward centralization and incorporation , with the federal government playing a much larger role than it once did . There is a continuing debate over states ' rights , which concerns the extent and nature of the states ' powers and sovereignty in relation to the federal government and the rights of individuals . States and their residents are represented in the federal Congress , a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives . Each state is represented in the Senate by two senators , and is guaranteed at least one Representative in the House . Representatives are elected from single-member districts ; seats in the House are distributed among the states in proportion to the most recent constitutionally mandated decennial census . Each state is also entitled to select a number of electors to vote in the Electoral College , the body that elects the President of the United States , equal to the total of representatives and senators from that state . The Constitution grants to Congress the authority to admit new states into the Union . Since the establishment of the United States in 1776 , the number of states has expanded from the original 13 to 50 . Alaska and Hawaii are the most recent states admitted , both in 1959 . The Constitution is silent on the question of whether states have the power to secede ( withdraw ) from the Union . Shortly after the Civil War , the U.S. Supreme Court , in Texas v. White , held that a state can not unilaterally do so .", "Guam. Guam ( -LSB- ˈɡwɑːm -RSB- or -LSB- ˈɡwɒm -RSB- Chamorro : Guåhån -LSB- ˈɡʷɑhɑn -RSB- formally the Territory of Guam ) is an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States . Located in the western Pacific Ocean , Guam is one of five American territories with an established civilian government . The capital city is Hagåtña and the most populous city is Dededo . In 2015 , 161,785 people resided on Guam . Guamanians are American citizens by birth . Guam has an area of 210 sq mi ( 544 km ² ) and a population density of 770/sq mi ( 297/km ² ) . It is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands and the largest island in Micronesia . Among its municipalities , Mongmong-Toto-Maite has the highest density at 3,691 / sq mi ( 1,425 / km ² ) , whereas Inarajan and Umatac have the lowest density at 119/sq mi ( 47/km ² ) . The highest point is Mount Lamlam at 406 m above sea level . The Chamorros , Guam 's indigenous people , settled the island approximately 4,000 years ago . Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to visit the island on March 6 , 1521 . Guam was colonized in 1668 with settlers , like Diego Luis de San Vitores , a Catholic missionary . Between the 16th century and the 18th century , Guam was an important stopover for the Spanish Manila Galleons . During the Spanish -- American War , the United States captured Guam on June 21 , 1898 . Under the Treaty of Paris , Spain ceded Guam to the United States on December 10 , 1898 . Guam is among the seventeen Non-Self-Governing Territories of the United Nations . Before World War II , Guam and four other territories -- American Samoa , Hawaii , Wake Island , and the Philippines -- were the only American jurisdictions in the Pacific Ocean . On December 7 , 1941 , hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor , Guam was captured by the Japanese , who occupied the island for thirty months . During the occupation , Guamanians were subjected to beheadings , forced labor , rape , and torture . Guam endured hostilities when American forces recaptured the island on July 21 , 1944 ; Liberation Day commemorates the victory . Since the 1960s , the economy has been supported by two industries : tourism and the United States Armed Forces .", "Geography of the United States. The term `` United States '' , when used in the geographical sense , is the contiguous United States , the state of Alaska , the island state of Hawaii , the five insular territories of Puerto Rico , Northern Mariana Islands , U.S. Virgin Islands , Guam , and American Samoa , and minor outlying possessions . The United States shares land borders with Canada and Mexico and maritime borders with Russia , Cuba , and the Bahamas in addition to Canada and Mexico .", "United States territory. United States territory is any extent of region under the sovereign jurisdiction of the federal government of the United States , including all waters ( around islands or continental tracts ) and all U.S. naval vessels . The United States asserts sovereign rights for exploring , exploiting , conserving , and managing its territory . This extent of territory is all the area belonging to , and under the dominion of , the United States federal government ( which includes tracts lying at a distance from the country ) for administrative and other purposes . The United States total territory includes a subset of political divisions .", "Foreign and intergovernmental relations of Puerto Rico. The foreign and intergovernmental relations of Puerto Rico are governed by the Commerce and Territorial Clause of the Constitution of the United States . Because of this , they are subject to the plenary powers of Congress . Nonetheless , Puerto Rico has established relations with foreign nations , particularly with Hispanic American countries such as Colombia and Panamá . The establishment of such relations , however , requires permission from the U.S. Department of State or Congress itself . Still , most relations are already set by existent laws or trade agreements established beforehand by the United States that supersede the relation pursued by Puerto Rico . At the local level , Puerto Rico established through a domestic law that its foreign affairs must be managed by the Department of State of Puerto Rico , an executive department . The executive officer of this department is known as the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico , currently Víctor Suárez Meléndez , an attorney and veteran public servant , and member of the Popular Democratic Party and of the Democratic Party of the United States . In a similar fashion , the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration , along with the Office of the Resident Commissioner , manage all the intergovernmental affairs of Puerto Rico before entities of , or in , the United States . These entities include the federal government of the United States , local and state governments of the United States , and public or private entities in the United States . Both offices frequently assist the Department of State of Puerto Rico in engaging with Washington , D.C.-based ambassadors and federal agencies that handle Puerto Rico 's foreign affairs , such as the U.S. Department of State and the Agency for International Development ( USAID ) . In terms of leadership , the Administration is headed by a director while the Office is headed by the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico . Juan Eugenio Hernández Mayoral currently heads the administration , a former senator in the Puerto Rican legislature , and a member of the Popular Democratic and of the Democratic Party . Politically , the resident commissioner possesses a higher rank as he is the delegate elected by Puerto Ricans to represent them upon Congress , specifically within the U.S. House of Representatives . His rank stems from the right to serve on congressional committees , a right he exercises in every aspect like that of any other legislator , except being denied a vote on the final disposition of all legislations on the House floor . Today , the post is held by Pedro Pierluisi , an attorney and veteran public servant , and a member of the New Progressive Party and of the Democratic Party .", "Government of Puerto Rico. The Government of Puerto Rico is a republican form of government with separation of powers , subject to the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United States . Article I of the Constitution of Puerto Rico defines the government and its political power and authority pursuant to U.S. . Said law mandated the establishment of a local constitution due to Puerto Rico 's political status as a commonwealth of the United States . Ultimately , the powers of the government of Puerto Rico are all delegated by Congress and lack full protection under the U.S. Constitution . Because of this , the head of state of Puerto Rico is the President of the United States . Structurally , the government is composed of three branches : the executive , legislative , and judicial branch . The executive branch is headed by the governor , currently Ricky Rosselló , who is also the head of government . The legislative branch consists of a bicameral legislature , namely the Legislative Assembly , composed by the Senate as its upper house and by the House of Representatives as its lower house . The governor and legislators are elected by popular vote every four years . The judicial branch is headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico , currently Liana Fiol Matta . The legal system is a mix of the civil law and the common law systems . Members of the judicial branch are appointed by the governor with advice and consent from the Senate .", "Contiguous United States. The contiguous United States consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states plus Washington , D.C. ( federal district ) , on the continent of North America . The term excludes the non-contiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii and all off-shore United States territories and possessions , which include American Samoa , Guam , the Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico , and the U.S. Virgin Islands . The greatest distance ( on a great circle route ) entirely within the 48 contiguous states is 2,802 miles ( 4,509 km , between Florida and the state of Washington ) ; the greatest north-south line is 1,650 miles ( 2,660 km ) . Together , the 48 contiguous states and Washington , D.C. occupy a combined area of 3,119,884.69 sqmi , which is 1.58 % of the total surface area of Earth . Of this area , 2,959,064.44 sqmi is land , composing 83.65 % of U.S. land area , similar to the area of Australia . Officially , 160,820.25 sqmi is water area , composing 62.66 % of the nation 's total water area . The contiguous United States would be placed 5th in the list of sovereign states and dependencies by area ; the total area of the country , including Alaska and Hawaii , ranks fourth . Brazil is the only country that is larger in total area than the contiguous United States , but smaller than the entire United States , while Russia , Canada and China are the only three countries larger than both . The 2010 census population of this area was 306,675,006 , comprising 99.33 % of the nation 's population , and a density of 103.639 inhabitants/sq mi ( 40.015 / km2 ) , compared to 87.264 / sq mi ( 33.692 / km2 ) for the nation as a whole .", "Implications of Puerto Rico's current political status. The current political status of Puerto Rico has ramifications into many spheres of Puerto Rican life , and there are limits to the level of autonomy the Puerto Rican government has . For example , the Island 's government is not fully autonomous , and the level of federal presence in the Island is common place , including a branch of the United States Federal District Court . There are also implications relative to the American citizenship carried by people born in Puerto Rico . Specifically , although people born in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are natural born US citizens , they are not Article 14 citizens . Puerto Ricans are also covered by a group of `` fundamental civil rights '' but , since Puerto Rico is not a state , Puerto Ricans are not covered by the full American Bill of Rights . As for taxation and representation , Puerto Ricans pay all U.S. federal taxes , although most bona fide residents of the island are not required to file federal income tax returns . Representation-wise , Puerto Ricans have no voting representative in the U.S. Congress , but do have a Resident Commissioner who has a voice in Congress ( but no vote except for committee-level voting ) . Puerto Ricans must also serve in the United States military with the same duties as a US citizen residing in the other 50 states .", "Puerto Ricans. Puerto Ricans ( Puertorriqueños or boricuas ) are the inhabitants or citizens of Puerto Rico . It is home to people of many different national origins .", "Statehood movement in Puerto Rico. The statehood movement in Puerto Rico comprises initiatives throughout the history of Puerto Rico aimed at changing the political status of Puerto Rico from its current territorial status to becoming a federated state . Other groups demand full independence . The movement is not limited to one group of individuals or one single organization , but represents the events and activities of groups , organizations , and individuals that share the common goal of advocating , supporting , or seeking Puerto Rico 's admission to the status of a U.S. state . The population of Puerto Rico was 3,474,182 on 1 July 2015 , a 6.75 % decrease since the 2010 United States Census . In spite of the decline , the Commonwealth has a larger population than 21 of the states . In November 2012 , a referendum , the fourth as of that date , was held . A full 54.00 % voted `` No '' to maintaining the current political status . Of those who voted against remaining a Commonwealth , 61.11 % chose statehood , 33.34 % chose free association , and 5.55 % chose independence . On December 11 , 2012 , the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico enacted a concurrent resolution requesting the President and the Congress of the United States to respond diligently and effectively on the demand of the people of Puerto Rico to end its current political status and to begin the transition of Puerto Rico to become a state of the union . In 2014 , resolutions were introduced in both houses of the United States Congress ( H.R. 2000 ; S. 2020 ) to hold a yes-or-no referendum among the residents of Puerto Rico on statehood . Should a `` yes '' majority prevail , the President of the US should submit legislation to Congress enacting Puerto Rican statehood . Both resolutions died in committee . The fifth referendum is due to be held on June 11 , 2017 .", "Puerto Rican status referendum, 1998. A referendum on the political status of Puerto Rico was held on 13 December 1998 . Voters were given the choice between statehood , independence , free association , being a territorial commonwealth , or none of the given options . A majority voted for the latter , with a turnout of 71.3 % . Five alternatives were listed on the ballot : `` limited self-government '' ; `` free association '' ; `` statehood '' ; `` sovereignty '' ; and `` none of the above . '' Disputes arose as to the definition of each of the ballot alternatives ; and commonwealth advocates , among others , reportedly urged a vote for `` none of the above . '' They asserted that the commonwealth definition on the ballot `` failed to recognize both the constitutional protections afforded to our U.S. citizenship and the fact that the relationship is based upon the mutual consent of Puerto Rico and the United States . '' In the end , a slim majority of voters in that plebiscite selected `` none of the above '' ( 50.3 % ) .", "Unincorporated area. In law , an unincorporated area or unincorporated community is a region of land that is not governed by its own local municipal corporation , but rather is administered as part of larger administrative divisions , such as a township , parish , borough , county , city , canton , state , province or country . Occasionally , municipalities dissolve or disincorporate , which may happen if they become fiscally insolvent , and services become the responsibility of a higher administration . In some countries , such as in Brazil , Japan , France or the United Kingdom , all parts of the country are incorporated ." ]

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[ "Doctor Strange (soundtrack). Doctor Strange ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) is the film score to the Marvel Studios film Doctor Strange composed by Michael Giacchino . Hollywood Records released the album digitally on October 21 , 2016 , with a physical release on November 18 , 2016 .", "Doctor Strange (film). Doctor Strange is a 2016 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the fourteenth film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film is directed by Scott Derrickson , who wrote the film with Jon Spaihts and C. Robert Cargill , and stars Benedict Cumberbatch , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Rachel McAdams , Benedict Wong , Michael Stuhlbarg , Benjamin Bratt , Scott Adkins , Mads Mikkelsen , and Tilda Swinton . In Doctor Strange , surgeon Stephen Strange learns the mystic arts from the Ancient One after a career-ending car accident . Various incarnations of a Doctor Strange film had been in development since the mid-1980s , until Paramount Pictures acquired the film rights in April 2005 , on behalf of Marvel Studios . Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer were brought on board in June 2010 to write a screenplay . In June 2014 , Derrickson and Spaihts were hired to direct and re-write the film , respectively . Cumberbatch was chosen for the eponymous role in December 2014 , necessitating a schedule change to work around his other commitments . This gave Derrickson time to work on the script himself , for which he brought Cargill on to help . The film began principal photography in November 2015 in Nepal , before moving to the United Kingdom , Hong Kong , and concluding in New York City in April 2016 . Doctor Strange held its world premiere in Hong Kong on October 13 , 2016 , and was released in the United States on November 4 , 2016 , in 3D and IMAX 3D . The film has grossed over $ 677 million worldwide , and was met with positive reviews from critics . It also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects .", "Michael Giacchino. Michael Giacchino ( -LSB- dʒakˈkiːno -RSB- ; born October 10 , 1967 ) is an American composer of music for films , television and video games . He composed the scores to the television series Lost , Alias and Fringe , the video ' game series Medal of Honor and Call of Duty and many films such as The Incredibles , Ratatouille , Up , Mission : Impossible - Ghost Protocol , Dawn of the Planet of the Apes , Jurassic World , Inside Out , Star Trek Beyond , Doctor Strange , Rogue One and Spider-Man : Homecoming . Giacchino has received an Emmy Award and multiple Grammy Awards , as well as a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for his work on Up .", "Doctor Strange. Stephen Vincent Strange , M.D. is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Created by artist Steve Ditko and writer Stan Lee , the character first appeared in Strange Tales # 110 ( cover-dated July 1963 ) . Doctor Strange serves as the Sorcerer Supreme , the primary protector of Earth against magical and mystical threats . Inspired by stories of black magic and Chandu the Magician , Strange was created during the Silver Age of Comics to bring a different kind of character and themes of mysticism to Marvel Comics . The character 's origin story relates that he was once a brilliant but egotistical surgeon . After a car accident severely damages his hands and hinders his ability to perform surgery , he searches the globe for a way to repair them and encounters the Ancient One . After becoming one of the old Sorcerer Supreme 's students , he becomes a practitioner of both the mystical arts as well as martial arts . Along with knowing many powerful spells , he has a costume with two mystical objects -- the Cloak of Levitation and Eye of Agamotto -- which give him added powers . Strange is aided along the way by his friend and valet , Wong , and a large assortment of mystical objects . He takes up residence in a mansion called the Sanctum Sanctorum , located in New York City . Later , Strange takes the title of Sorcerer Supreme . In 2008 , Doctor Strange was ranked 83rd in Wizards `` 200 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time '' list , and in 2012 was ranked 33rd in IGN 's list of `` The Top 50 Avengers '' . He was also ranked 38th on IGN 's list of `` Top 100 Comic Book Heroes '' . The character was first portrayed in live-action by Peter Hooten in the 1978 television film Dr. Strange . Benedict Cumberbatch stars as the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , first appearing in the role in the 2016 film Doctor Strange .", "James Newton Howard. James Newton Howard ( born June 9 , 1951 ) is an American composer , conductor , music producer and musician . He has scored over 100 films and is the recipient of a Grammy Award , Emmy Award , and eight Academy Award nominations . His film scores include Pretty Woman ( 1990 ) , The Prince of Tides ( 1991 ) , The Fugitive ( 1993 ) , The Devil 's Advocate ( 1997 ) , The Sixth Sense ( 1999 ) , Dinosaur ( 2000 ) , Atlantis : The Lost Empire ( 2001 ) , Treasure Planet ( 2002 ) , Signs ( 2002 ) , The Village ( 2004 ) , King Kong ( 2005 ) , Batman Begins ( 2005 ) , I Am Legend ( 2007 ) , Blood Diamond ( 2006 ) , The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) , The Bourne Legacy ( 2012 ) , The Hunger Games series ( 2012 -- 2015 ) , Nightcrawler ( 2014 ) and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ( 2016 ) . He has collaborated with directors M. Night Shyamalan , having scored nine of his films since The Sixth Sense , and Francis Lawrence , having scored all of his films since I Am Legend .", "Guardians of the Galaxy (film). Guardians of the Galaxy ( retroactively referred to as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 1 ) is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the tenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by James Gunn , who wrote the screenplay with Nicole Perlman , and features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt , Zoe Saldana , Dave Bautista , Vin Diesel , Bradley Cooper , Lee Pace , Michael Rooker , Karen Gillan , Djimon Hounsou , John C. Reilly , Glenn Close , and Benicio del Toro . In Guardians of the Galaxy , Peter Quill forms an uneasy alliance with a group of extraterrestrial misfits who are fleeing after stealing a powerful artifact . Perlman began working on the screenplay in 2009 . Producer Kevin Feige first publicly mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film in 2010 and Marvel Studios announced it was in active development at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2012 . Gunn was hired to write and direct the film that September . In February 2013 , Pratt was hired to play Peter Quill / Star-Lord , and the supporting cast members were subsequently confirmed . Principal photography began in July 2013 at Shepperton Studios in England , with filming continuing in London before wrapping up in October 2013 . Post-production was finished on July 7 , 2014 . The film premiered in Hollywood on July 21 , 2014 . It was released in theaters on August 1 , 2014 in the United States in the 3D and IMAX 3D formats . The film became a critical and commercial success , grossing $ 773.3 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing superhero film of 2014 , as well as the third highest-grossing film in North America of 2014 . The film garnered praise for its humor , action , soundtrack , visual effects , direction , musical score , and acting . A sequel , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2 , was released on May 5 , 2017 , with a third film , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3 , planned .", "The Avengers (2012 film). Marvel 's The Avengers ( classified under the name Marvel Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom and Ireland ) , or simply The Avengers , is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Hemsworth , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Tom Hiddleston , Clark Gregg , Cobie Smulders , Stellan Skarsgård , and Samuel L. Jackson . In the film , Nick Fury , director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D. , recruits Iron Man , Captain America , the Hulk , and Thor to form a team that must stop Thor 's brother Loki from subjugating Earth . The film 's development began when Marvel Studios received a loan from Merrill Lynch in April 2005 . After the success of the film Iron Man in May 2008 , Marvel announced that The Avengers would be released in July 2011 . With the signing of Johansson in March 2009 , the film was pushed back for a 2012 release . Whedon was brought on board in April 2010 and rewrote the original screenplay by Zak Penn. . Production began in April 2011 in Albuquerque , New Mexico , before moving to Cleveland , Ohio , in August and New York City in September . The film was converted to 3D in post-production . The Avengers premiered on April 11 , 2012 , at Hollywood 's El Capitan Theatre and was released theatrically in the United States on May 4 , 2012 . The film received positive reviews from critics , as well as numerous awards and nominations including Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for achievements in visual effects . It has set or tied numerous box office records , including the biggest opening weekend in North America . The Avengers grossed over $ 1.5 billion worldwide , and became the third-highest-grossing film during its theatrical run -- as well as the first Marvel production to generate $ 1 billion in ticket sales . The film was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on September 25 , 2012 . A sequel , titled Avengers : Age of Ultron , was released on May 1 , 2015 , while two additional sequels , Avengers : Infinity War and an untitled sequel , are currently in development , with Infinity War scheduled for a May 4 , 2018 release date , and its sequel scheduled to be released on May 3 , 2019 .", "Stranger Things. Stranger Things is an American science fiction-horror web television series created , written , directed and co-executive produced by the Duffer Brothers , as well as co-executive-produced by Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen . The first season stars Winona Ryder , David Harbour , Finn Wolfhard , Millie Bobby Brown , Gaten Matarazzo , Caleb McLaughlin , Natalia Dyer , Charlie Heaton , Cara Buono , and Matthew Modine , with Noah Schnapp and Joe Keery in recurring roles . The second season will see Schnapp and Keery promoted to series regulars , along with the addition of Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery . Set in the fictional town of Hawkins , Indiana in the 1980s , the first season focuses on the investigation into the disappearance of a young boy by his friends , older brother and traumatized mother and the local police chief , amid supernatural events occurring around the town including the appearance of a psychokinetic girl who helps the missing boy 's friends in their own search . The second season is set a year after the first , and deals with attempts of the characters to return to normal and consequences from that season . The Duffer Brothers developed the series as a mix of investigative drama alongside supernatural elements with childlike sensibilities , establishing its time frame in the 1980s and creating a homage #Noun to pop culture of that decade . Several themes and directorial aspects were inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Steven Spielberg , John Carpenter , and Stephen King , among others . The series was released on Netflix on July 15 , 2016 . It received critical acclaim for its characterization , pacing , atmosphere , acting , soundtrack , directing , writing and homages to 1980s genre films . The series has received several industry nominations and awards , including winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2016 . On August 31 , 2016 , Netflix renewed the series for a second season of nine episodes , which is set to be released on October 31 , 2017 .", "Dr. Strange (film). Dr. Strange is a 1978 television film based on the Marvel Comics fictional character of the same name , created by Steve Ditko . Philip DeGuere directed the film and wrote it specifically for television , and produced the film along with Alex Beaton and Gregory Hoblit . Stan Lee served as a consultant on the film , which was created as a pilot for a proposed television series . Dr. Strange stars Peter Hooten in the title role , along with Jessica Walter , Eddie Benton , Clyde Kusatsu , Philip Sterling and John Mills . The film aired on September 6 , 1978 , in a two-hour block from 8pm to 10pm on CBS , the same network that , at that time , aired The Amazing Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk ; CBS did not pick up Dr. Strange as a series .", "Alternative versions of Doctor Strange. Doctor Stephen Strange ( commonly known as Doctor Strange ) is a fictional character , a superhero who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko , and first appeared in Strange Tales # 110 ( July 1963 ) . Debuting in the Silver Age of comics , the character has featured in several self-titled series and Marvel-endorsed products including arcade and video games ; animated television series ; a direct-to-DVD film ; and merchandise such as trading cards . In addition to his mainstream incarnation , Doctor Strange has had been depicted in other fictional universes .", "Michael Marcuzzi. Michael Marcuzzi is a visual effects artist . He won a 2017 Annie Award in Outstanding Achievement , Animated Effects in a Live Action Production for his work on Doctor Strange . Marcuzzi won the award along with Georg Kaltenbrunner , Thomas Bevan , Andrew Graham and Jihyun Yoon .", "X-Men: The Last Stand. X-Men : The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film , based on the X-Men superhero team introduced in Marvel Comics . The film , distributed by 20th Century Fox , is the sequel to 2003 's X2 and the third installment in the X-Men film series . It was directed by Brett Ratner , written by Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn , and features an ensemble cast , including Hugh Jackman , Halle Berry , Ian McKellen , Famke Janssen , Anna Paquin , Kelsey Grammer , James Marsden , Rebecca Romijn , Shawn Ashmore , Aaron Stanford , Vinnie Jones , and Patrick Stewart . The film 's script is loosely based on two X-Men comic book story arcs : `` The Dark Phoenix Saga '' by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne , and `` Gifted '' by writer Joss Whedon and artist John Cassaday , with a plot that revolves around a `` mutant cure '' that causes serious repercussions among mutants and humans , and on the resurrection of Jean Grey . Bryan Singer , who had directed the two previous films , X-Men ( 2000 ) and X2 , decided to leave to work on Superman Returns , as he had not even defined the storyline for a third film . Matthew Vaughn , who was initially hired as the new director , left due to personal and professional issues , and was replaced with Ratner . Filming took place from August 2005 to January 2006 with a budget of $ 210 million , and was consequently the most expensive film at the time of its release . It had extensive visual effects created by 11 different companies . X-Men : The Last Stand was released on May 26 , 2006 , to commercial success . It grossed approximately $ 459 million worldwide , becoming the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2006 ; it was at the time the highest-grossing film in the series and currently the fourth-highest-grossing film of the franchise . Critical reception was mixed , with the acting and the action scenes receiving positive notice , and criticism directed at the screenplay , and overuse of characters and style .", "Strange Magic (film). Strange Magic is a 2015 American computer-animated musical fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Gary Rydstrom , produced by Lucasfilm , with feature animation by Lucasfilm Animation and Industrial Light & Magic . The film 's screenplay was written by Rydstrom , David Berenbaum , and Irene Mecchi , from a story by George Lucas inspired by William Shakespeare 's A Midsummer Night 's Dream . The film stars Alan Cumming , Evan Rachel Wood , Kristin Chenoweth , Maya Rudolph , and Alfred Molina . The score was composed by Marius de Vries and includes contemporary songs , such as `` Love Is Strange '' . Lucas had been working on developing the project for 15 years before production began . The film is the first Lucasfilm production to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios , after the parent company 's purchase of the studio in 2013 . Touchstone Pictures released the film on January 23 , 2015 . The film grossed $ 13.6 million worldwide .", "Tangled. Tangled is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated musical fantasy-comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures . Loosely based on the German fairy tale `` Rapunzel '' in the collection of folk tales published by the Brothers Grimm , it is the 50th Disney animated feature film . Featuring the voices of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi , the film tells the story of a lost , young princess with long magical hair who yearns to leave her secluded tower . Against her mother 's wishes , she accepts the aid of a handsome intruder to take her out into the world which she has never seen . Before the film 's release , its title was changed from Rapunzel to Tangled , reportedly to market the film as gender-neutral . Tangled spent six years in production at a cost that has been estimated at $ 260 million , which if accurate , would make it the most expensive animated film ever made and the fifth most-expensive film of all time . The film employed a unique artistic style by blending together features of computer-generated imagery ( CGI ) and traditional animation while using non-photorealistic rendering to create the impression of a painting . Composer Alan Menken , who had worked on prior Disney animated features , returned to score Tangled . Tangled premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on November 14 , 2010 , and went into general release on November 24 . The film was well received by critics and audiences alike . The film earned $ 591 million in worldwide box office revenue , $ 200 million of which was earned in the United States and Canada . The film was nominated for a number of awards , including Best Original Song at the 83rd Academy Awards . The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 29 , 2011 ; a short film , Tangled Ever After , was released later in 2012 and a television series premiered in 2017 .", "Music of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The music of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) is the film and television scores composed by various composers for the films and television series of that franchise . Ramin Djawadi provided the first MCU music with his original score for Iron Man in 2008 . Alan Silvestri was the first composer to work on multiple MCU films after he transitioned from scoring Captain America : The First Avenger ( 2011 ) to Marvel 's The Avengers ( 2012 ) , while Brian Tyler was the first composer to reference the work of another MCU composer when he quoted Silvestri 's `` Captain America March '' in his score for Thor : The Dark World ( 2013 ) . Original music has also been composed for the Marvel One-Shots short film series , and other related projects of the MCU , including the fanfares for the two Marvel Studios logos , composed by Tyler and Michael Giacchino , respectively . Additionally , original songs have been created specifically for use in the franchise , including `` Make Way For Tomorrow , Today '' by Richard M. Sherman and `` Star Spangled Man '' by Alan Menken and David Zippel , both of which have been used in multiple MCU projects . The scores for every MCU film and television series have received album releases , and several compilation albums featuring existing songs used in the films have also been released . Critical response to the MCU 's music has been mixed-to-negative , with focus placed on a lack of memorable , identifiable themes that are comparable to other large media franchises , and on the lack of continuity between works . Despite this , some critics have shown appreciation for the individual work of some of the more traditional composers like Silvestri , and for Tyler 's efforts in attempting to establish a consistent tone for the franchise and some thematic continuity between his scores and Silvestri 's work .", "Benedict Cumberbatch. Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch CBE ( born 19 July 1976 ) is an English actor who has performed in film , television , theatre and radio . He is the son of actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham . Cumberbatch graduated from the University of Manchester and continued his training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art , obtaining a Master of Arts in Classical Acting . He first performed at the Open Air Theatre , Regent 's Park in Shakespearean productions and made his West End debut portraying George Tesman in Richard Eyre 's revival of Hedda Gabler in 2005 . Since then he has starred in the Royal National Theatre productions After the Dance ( 2010 ) and Frankenstein ( 2011 ) . In 2015 , he played William Shakespeare 's Hamlet at the Barbican Theatre . Cumberbatch 's television work includes appearances in Silent Witness ( 2002 ) and Fortysomething ( 2003 ) before playing Stephen Hawking in the television film Hawking in 2004 . He has starred as Sherlock Holmes in the series Sherlock since 2010 . He has also headlined Tom Stoppard 's adaptation of Parade 's End ( 2012 ) and The Hollow Crown : The Wars of the Roses ( 2016 ) . In film , he has starred in Amazing Grace ( 2006 ) as William Pitt the Younger , Star Trek Into Darkness ( 2013 ) as Khan , 12 Years a Slave ( 2013 ) as William Prince Ford , The Fifth Estate ( 2013 ) as Julian Assange and The Imitation Game ( 2014 ) as Alan Turing . From 2012 to 2014 , through voice and motion capture , he played the characters of Smaug and the Necromancer in The Hobbit film series . Cumberbatch portrays the Marvel Comics character Dr. Stephen Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , first appearing in the film Doctor Strange ( 2016 ) . Cumberbatch has received numerous awards and nominations for acting including three Laurence Olivier Award nominations , winning Best Actor in a Play for Frankenstein . He has also received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations , winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for Sherlock . His performance in The Imitation Game earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor . In addition , he has received six BAFTA nominations , five Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and two Golden Globe Award nominations among others . In 2014 , Time magazine included him in its annual Time 100 as one of the `` Most Influential People in the World '' . He was appointed a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II in June 2015 for his services to the performing arts and to charity .", "Film score. A film score ( also sometimes called background score , background music , movie soundtrack , film music or incidental music ) is original music written specifically to accompany a film . The score forms part of the film 's soundtrack , which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects , and comprises a number of orchestral , instrumental , or choral pieces called cues , which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to enhance the dramatic narrative and the emotional impact of the scene in question . Scores are written by one or more composers , under the guidance of , or in collaboration with , the film 's director or producer and are then usually performed by an ensemble of musicians -- most often comprising an orchestra or band , instrumental soloists , and choir or vocalists -- and recorded by a sound engineer . Film scores encompass an enormous variety of styles of music , depending on the nature of the films they accompany . The majority of scores are orchestral works rooted in Western classical music , but many scores are also influenced by jazz , rock , pop , blues , new-age and ambient music , and a wide range of ethnic and world music styles . Since the 1950s , a growing number of scores have also included electronic elements as part of the score , and many scores written today feature a hybrid of orchestral and electronic instruments . Since the invention of digital technology and audio sampling , many modern films have been able to rely on digital samples to imitate the sound of live instruments , and many scores are created and performed wholly by the composers themselves , by using sophisticated music composition software . Songs are usually not considered part of the film 's score , although songs do also form part of the film 's soundtrack . Although some songs , especially in musicals , are based on thematic ideas from the score ( or vice versa ) , scores usually do not have lyrics , except for when sung by choirs or soloists as part of a cue . Similarly , pop songs which are `` needle dropped '' into a specific scene in film for added emphasis are not considered part of the score , although occasionally the score 's composer will write an original pop song based on their themes , such as James Horner 's `` My Heart Will Go On '' from Titanic , written for Celine Dion .", "The Incredibles (film score). The Incredibles is the soundtrack album to the 2004 Disney-Pixar film of the same name composed by Michael Giacchino . The Incredibles is the first Pixar film to be scored by Michael Giacchino . Brad Bird was looking for a specific sound as inspired by the film 's design -- the future as seen from the 1960s . John Barry was the first choice to do the film 's score , with a trailer of the film given a rerecording of Barry 's theme to On Her Majesty 's Secret Service . However , Barry did not wish to duplicate the sound of some of his earlier soundtracks ; the assignment was instead given to Michael Giacchino . The complete orchestral score was released on November 2 , 2004 , three days before the film opened in theaters . It won numerous awards for Best Score and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media . Music used for the film 's trailers but not available on the soundtrack album includes `` On Her Majesty 's Secret Service '' , from the Propellerheads album Decksandrumsandrockandroll , as well as excerpts from the David Arnold project Shaken and Stirred : The David Arnold James Bond Project . The animated short Jack-Jack Attack , which accompanied the film 's DVD release also features the `` Alla Turca '' movement from Mozart 's Piano Sonata No. 11 , 4th movement of Eine kleine Nachtmusik and Dies irae from Requiem .", "The Incredibles. The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated superhero film written and directed by Brad Bird , produced by Pixar Animation Studios , and released by Walt Disney Pictures . The film follows a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers and live a quiet suburban life . Mr. Incredible 's desire to help people draws the entire family into a battle with his longtime enemy -- Syndrome , who was once his fan and now plots to wipe out every single superhuman being on Earth with his killer robot . Bird , who was Pixar 's first outside director , developed the film as an extension of 1960s comic books and spy films from his boyhood and personal family life . He pitched the film to Pixar after the box office disappointment of his first feature , The Iron Giant ( 1999 ) , and carried over much of its staff to develop The Incredibles . The animation team was tasked with animating an all-human cast , which required creating new technology to animate detailed human anatomy , clothing and realistic skin and hair . Michael Giacchino composed the film 's orchestral score . The film premiered on October 27 , 2004 , at the BFI London Film Festival and had its general release in the United States on November 5 , 2004 . The film performed well at the box office , grossing $ 633 million worldwide during its original theatrical run . The Incredibles was met with high critical acclaim , garnering high marks from professional critics , and provoking commentary on its themes . The film received the 2004 Annie Award for Best Animated Feature , along with two Academy Awards . It became the first entirely animated film to win the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation . A sequel , The Incredibles 2 , is scheduled for release on June 15 , 2018 .", "Alexandra Byrne. Alexandra Byrne ( born c. 1962 ) is an English costume designer . Much of her career has focused on creating costumes for historical period dramas . These films include Persuasion ( 1995 ) , Hamlet ( 1996 ) , Elizabeth ( 1998 ) , Captain Corelli 's Mandolin ( 2001 ) , Finding Neverland ( 2004 ) , The Phantom of the Opera ( 2004 ) , and Elizabeth : The Golden Age ( 2007 ) . Byrne 's costume design work has earned her four Academy Award nominations , and she won the award for Elizabeth : The Golden Age . Since 2011 , Byrne has also designed the costumes for many films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , including Thor ( 2011 ) , The Avengers ( 2012 ) , Guardians of the Galaxy ( 2014 ) , and Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) . Her latest film , Doctor Strange , was released in 2016 .", "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. 13 Hours : The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi ( also known simply as 13 Hours ) is a 2016 American biographical war drama-thriller film directed and co-produced by Michael Bay and written by Chuck Hogan , based on Mitchell Zuckoff 's 2014 book 13 Hours . The film follows six members of a security team who fight to defend the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi , Libya after waves of terrorist attacks on September 11 , 2012 . The film stars James Badge Dale , John Krasinski , Max Martini , Pablo Schreiber and Toby Stephens . Filming began on April 27 , 2015 in Malta and Morocco . The film was released on January 15 , 2016 , by Paramount Pictures . Upon release , 13 Hours received generally mixed reviews from critics and audiences , with many claiming the script and storytelling were lame and unoriginal , however the film also gained praise for its action sequences , stunts , acting , direction and effects . The film grossed just $ 69 million worldwide against a budget of $ 50 million , becoming Bay 's lowest-grossing film to-date . The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Sound Mixing at 89th Academy Awards .", "Doctor Strange: The Oath. Doctor Strange : The Oath is a 2007 comic book limited series written by Brian K. Vaughan , drawn by Marcos Martin , published by Marvel Comics and starring the superhero Doctor Strange . The story follows Doctor Strange as he searches for the person who tried to kill him , while he also looks for a stolen magical elixir that will cure the terminal cancer of Wong , his faithful servant . Doctor Strange finds himself facing another disciple of the Ancient One , who has learned about the elixir and is determined to destroy it .", "X-Men (film). X-Men is a 2000 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is the first installment in the X-Men film series , followed by X2 in 2003 and X-Men : The Last Stand in 2006 . The film , directed by Bryan Singer and written by David Hayter , features an ensemble cast that includes Hugh Jackman , Patrick Stewart , Ian McKellen , Halle Berry , Famke Janssen , James Marsden , Bruce Davison , Rebecca Romijn-Stamos , Ray Park , Tyler Mane , and Anna Paquin . It depicts a world in which a small proportion of people are mutants , whose possession of superhuman powers makes them distrusted by normal humans . The film focuses on the mutants Wolverine and Rogue as they are brought into a conflict between two groups that have radically different approaches to bringing about the acceptance of mutant-kind : Professor Xavier 's X-Men , and the Brotherhood of Mutants , led by Magneto . Development for X-Men began as far back as 1984 with Orion Pictures . At one point James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow were in discussions . The film rights went to 20th Century Fox in 1994 and various scripts and film treatments were commissioned from Andrew Kevin Walker , John Logan , Joss Whedon , and Michael Chabon . Singer signed to direct in 1996 , with further rewrites by Ed Solomon , Singer , Tom DeSanto , Christopher McQuarrie and Hayter in which Beast and Nightcrawler were deleted over budget concerns from Fox . X-Men marks the Hollywood debut of actor Hugh Jackman , who was a last-second choice for Wolverine , cast three weeks into filming . Filming took place from September 22 , 1999 to March 3 , 2000 , primarily in Toronto . X-Men was released to positive reviews and was a financial success , starting the X-Men film franchise and spawning a reemergence of superhero films .", "There's No Place Like Home. `` There 's No Place Like Home , Parts 1 , 2 & 3 '' is the season finale of the American Broadcasting Company 's fourth season of the serial drama television series Lost , consisting of the 12th through 14th episodes . They are also the 84th through 86th episodes of the show overall . The three constituent episodes were split into two broadcasts ; `` Part 1 '' first aired on May 15 , 2008 , and `` Part 2 '' , serving as the two-hour season finale of the fourth season , first aired on May 29 , 2008 , on ABC in the United States and on CTV in Canada . The episodes were written by executive producers/show runners Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof ; `` Part 1 '' was directed by co-executive producer Stephen Williams , while executive producer Jack Bender directed `` Part 2 '' . The episode 's title is a reference to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . The narrative takes place in late December 2004 , 100 days after the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 . The survivors of the crash team up with the Others , natives of the island where the plane crashed , to confront the mercenaries from the freighter Kahana , who have come to the island . Following this , some of the survivors escape the island , which is afterwards moved by Ben Linus ( Michael Emerson ) . Flashforwards show the first actions of the Oceanic Six , those who are rescued , after returning home in January 2005 , and their lives in late 2007 . The cliffhanger from the previous season finale , `` Through the Looking Glass , '' is resolved by revealing John Locke ( Terry O'Quinn ) to be dead and in the coffin that Jack Shephard ( Matthew Fox ) visits in that episode . Production and broadcast of the fourth season were interrupted by the 2007 -- 2008 Writers Guild of America strike and following its resolution , the writers were unable to compress the remainder of season four into the five allotted episodes and the season finale was extended by one hour . Subsequently , the production schedule was compressed and post-production work was completed in three weeks , instead of the usual two months . The second part was watched by 12 million Americans , making Lost the most watched show of the week , for the first time in the show 's history . Both parts were met with critical acclaim . Matthew Fox 's acting in his flashforward scenes was praised , as was Michael Giacchino 's musical score . The episode 's editing was nominated for both a Primetime Emmy Award and Eddie Award .", "Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media. The Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media ( and its many previous names ) is an honor presented to a composer or composers for an original score created for a film , TV show or series , video games or other visual media at the Grammy Awards , a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards . Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to `` honor artistic achievement , technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry , without regard to album sales or chart position '' . It has been awarded since the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1960 . Until 2001 , the award was presented to the composer of the music alone . From 2001 to 2006 , the producer and engineers shared in this award . In 2007 , the award reverted to a composer-only award .", "Up (film score). Up is the original score album , featured on the 2009 film of the same name composed by Michael Giacchino . This is his third feature film for Pixar after The Incredibles and Ratatouille . Giacchino wrote a character theme-based score that the filmmakers felt enhanced the story of the film . Up received positive reviews from music critics and won major awards . Despite being well regarded , Up was not released as a compact disc ( CD ) until 2011 , when it became available via Intrada Records . The score album was nominated to multiple awards . It earned two Grammy Awards : Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture , Television or Other Visual Media and Best Instrumental Composition for `` Married Life '' , at the 2010 ceremony . The score also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score at 67th Golden Globe Awards , the Academy Award for Best Original Score at the 82nd Academy Awards , and the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music . Up was the first Disney film since Pocahontas to win the Academy Award for Best Original Score , spanning a gap of 14 years , and the first Pixar film to win the award . It also became one of few scores to win an Oscar , a Golden Globe , a BAFTA , and a Grammy .", "Cheers. Cheers is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from September 30 , 1982 to May 20 , 1993 , with a total of 270 half-hour episodes spanning over eleven seasons . The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association with Paramount Network Television . The show was created by the team of James Burrows , Glen Charles , and Les Charles . The show is set in a bar named Cheers in Boston , Massachusetts , where a group of locals meet to drink , relax , and socialize . The show 's main theme song , written and performed by Gary Portnoy lent its refrain `` Where Everybody Knows Your Name '' as the show 's tagline . After premiering on September 30 , 1982 , it was nearly canceled during its first season when it ranked almost last in ratings for its premiere ( 74th out of 77 shows ) . Cheers , however , eventually became a highly rated television show in the United States , earning a top-ten rating during eight of its eleven seasons , including one season at number one . The show spent most of its run on NBC 's Thursday night `` Must See TV '' lineup . Its widely watched series finale was broadcast on May 20 , 1993 , and the show 's 270 episodes have been successfully syndicated worldwide . Nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series for all eleven of its seasons on the air , it earned 28 Primetime Emmy Awards from a record of 117 nominations . The character Frasier Crane ( Kelsey Grammer ) was featured in his eponymous spin-off show , which aired until 2004 and included guest appearances by virtually all of the major and minor Cheers characters . During its run , Cheers became one of the most popular series of all time and has received critical acclaim . In 1997 , the episodes `` Thanksgiving Orphans '' and `` Home Is the Sailor '' , aired originally in 1987 , were respectively ranked No. 7 and No. 45 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2002 , Cheers was ranked No. 18 on TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America ranked it as the eighth best written TV series and TV Guide ranked it # 11 on their list of the 60 Greatest Shows of All Time .", "Doctor Who. Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme produced by the BBC since 1963 . The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called `` The Doctor '' , an extraterrestrial being from the planet Gallifrey . He explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS . Its exterior appears as a blue British police box , which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired . Accompanied by a number of companions , the Doctor combats a variety of foes , while working to save civilisations and help people in need . The show is a significant part of British popular culture , and elsewhere it has gained a cult following . It has influenced generations of British television professionals , many of whom grew up watching the series . The programme originally ran from 1963 to 1989 . There was an unsuccessful attempt to revive regular production in 1996 with a backdoor pilot , in the form of a television film titled Doctor Who . The programme was relaunched in 2005 , and since then has been produced in-house by BBC Wales in Cardiff . Doctor Who has also spawned numerous spin-offs , including comic books , films , novels , audio dramas , and the television series Torchwood ( 2006 -- 2011 ) , The Sarah Jane Adventures ( 2007 -- 2011 ) , K-9 ( 2009 -- 2010 ) , and Class '' ( 2016-present ) , and has been the subject of many parodies and references in popular culture . Twelve actors have headlined the series as the Doctor . The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation -- an idea introduced in 1966 to allow the show to continue after the departure of original lead William Hartnell who was becoming very ill at the time . The concept is that this is a Time Lord trait through which the character of the Doctor takes on a new body and personality to recover from a severe injury or anything that would otherwise kill a normal person . Each actor 's portrayal differs , but all represent stages in the life of the same character and form a single narrative . The time-travelling feature of the plot means that different incarnations of the Doctor occasionally meet . The current lead , Peter Capaldi , took on the role after Matt Smith 's exit in the 2013 Christmas special `` The Time of the Doctor '' . In 2017 , Capaldi confirmed he would be leaving at the end of the tenth series , with his final appearance being the 2017 Christmas Special .", "The Nightmare Before Christmas. The Nightmare Before Christmas ( also known as Tim Burton 's The Nightmare Before Christmas ) is a 1993 American stop-motion animated dark fantasy musical film directed by Henry Selick , and produced and conceived by Tim Burton . It tells the story of Jack Skellington , a resident from `` Halloween Town '' who stumbles through a portal to `` Christmas Town '' and decides to celebrate the holiday , with some dastardly and comical consequences . Danny Elfman wrote the songs and score , and provided the singing voice of Jack . The principal voice cast also includes Chris Sarandon , Catherine O'Hara , William Hickey , Ken Page , Paul Reubens and Glenn Shadix . The Nightmare Before Christmas originated in a poem written by Tim Burton in 1982 , while he was working as an animator at Walt Disney Feature Animation . With the success of Vincent in the same year , Walt Disney Studios began to consider developing The Nightmare Before Christmas as either a short film or 30-minute television special . Over the years , Burton 's thoughts regularly returned to the project , and in 1990 , he made a development deal with Disney . Production started in July 1991 in San Francisco ; Disney released the film through its Touchstone Pictures banner because the studio believed the film would be `` too dark and scary for kids '' . The film was met with both critical and financial success , grossing over $ 76 million during its initial run . It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects , a first for an animated film . The film has since been reissued by Walt Disney Pictures , and was re-released annually in Disney Digital 3-D from 2006 until 2009 , making it the first stop-motion animated feature to be entirely converted to 3D .", "M. Night Shyamalan. Manoj `` M. Night '' Shyamalan ( -LSB- ˈʃɑːməlɑːn -RSB- born 6 August 1970 ) is an Indian American film director , screenwriter , author , producer , and actor known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots and surprise endings . His most praised films include the supernatural horror thriller The Sixth Sense ( 1999 ) , the superhero drama thriller Unbreakable ( 2000 ) , the science fiction thriller Signs ( 2002 ) , the found footage horror The Visit ( 2015 ) and the psychological horror Split ( 2016 ) . His other films include The Village ( 2004 ) , Lady in the Water ( 2006 ) , The Happening ( 2008 ) , The Last Airbender ( 2010 ) , and After Earth ( 2013 ) . He is also known for producing Devil ( 2010 ) , as well as being instrumental in the creation of the Fox science fiction series '' Wayward Pines . Shyamalan is also known for filming and setting his films in and around Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , where he was raised . Most of his commercially successful films were co-produced and released by the Walt Disney Studios ' Touchstone and Hollywood film imprints . In 2008 , Shyamalan was awarded the Padma Shri by the government of India .", "Dormammu. Dormammu ( -LSB- dərˈmɑːmuː -RSB- ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character first appeared in Strange Tales # 126 ( November 1964 ) , and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko . Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books , Dormammu has appeared in six decades of Marvel publications , featuring prominently in the Doctor Strange titles and limited series as a recurring enemy of the mystic hero . The character has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including films , animated television series , toys , trading cards , and video games . In 2009 , Dormammu was ranked as IGN 's 56th-Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time . The character made his film debut in the 2016 film Doctor Strange , voiced by and performed through motion capture by Benedict Cumberbatch , blended in with an unidentified British actor .", "John Carpenter. John Howard Carpenter ( born January 16 , 1948 ) is an American film director , screenwriter , producer , musician , editor and composer . Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres , he is most commonly associated with horror , action and science fiction films from the 1970s and 1980s . Most films in Carpenter 's career were initially commercial and critical failures , with the notable exceptions of Halloween ( 1978 ) , The Fog ( 1980 ) , Escape from New York ( 1981 ) , and Starman ( 1984 ) . However , many of Carpenter 's films from the 1970s and the 1980s have come to be viewed as cult classics , and he has been acknowledged as an influential filmmaker . Cult classics that Carpenter directed include : Dark Star ( 1974 ) , Assault on Precinct 13 ( 1976 ) , The Thing ( 1982 ) , Christine ( 1983 ) , Big Trouble in Little China ( 1986 ) , Prince of Darkness ( 1987 ) , They Live ( 1988 ) and In the Mouth of Madness ( 1995 ) . Carpenter is also notable for having composed or co-composed most of the music of his films ; some of them are now considered cult as well , with the main theme of Halloween being considered a part of popular culture . He released his first studio album Lost Themes in 2015 , and also won a Saturn Award for Best Music for Vampires ( 1998 ) ." ]

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[ "Stranger than Fiction (2006 film). Stranger than Fiction is a 2006 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Marc Forster , produced by Lindsay Doran , and written by Zach Helm . The film stars Will Ferrell , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Dustin Hoffman , Queen Latifah , and Emma Thompson . The main plot follows Harold Crick ( portrayed by Ferrell ) , a nondescript white-collar worker who begins hearing a disembodied voice narrating his life as it happens -- seemingly the text of a novel in which it is stated that he will soon die -- and he frantically seeks to somehow prevent that ending . The film was shot on location in Chicago , and has been praised for its innovative , intelligent story and fine performances . Ferrell , who came to prominence playing brash comedic parts , garnered particular attention for offering a restrained performance in his first starring dramatic role .", "Stranger than Fiction. Stranger than Fiction may refer to :", "Stranger than Fiction (soundtrack). Stranger than Fiction : Music From The Motion Picture is the soundtrack to the 2006 film Stranger than Fiction which was directed by Marc Forster and written by Zach Helm . A fantasy comedy-drama film .", "Stranger than Fiction (2000 film). Stranger Than Fiction is a 2000 comedy-thriller film directed by Eric Bross and starring Mackenzie Astin .", "Stranger than Fiction: True Stories. Stranger Than Fiction : True Stories ( published in the United Kingdom & Australia as Nonfiction ) is a non-fiction book by Chuck Palahniuk , published in 2004 . It is a collection of essays , stories , and interviews written for various magazines and newspapers . Some of the pieces had also been previously published on the internet . The book is divided into three sections : `` People Together '' , articles about people who find unique ways of achieving togetherness ; `` Portraits '' , interviews and short essays mostly about famous people ; and `` Personal '' , autobiographical pieces . An abridged audiobook version read by the author was released at the same time as the print edition . An unabridged version co-read by Dennis Boutsikaris was released later .", "Stranger than Fiction (compilation album). Stranger Than Fiction is an album by various performers , most of whom are professional writers and amateur singers , released in 1998 on Kathi Kamen Goldmark 's `` Do n't Quit Your Day Job '' Records . This album is an offshoot of the Rock Bottom Remainders , aka the Wrockers ( `` writer '' + `` rocker '' ) . The artists on Stranger Than Fiction include not only many of the Remainders , such as bestselling authors Stephen King , Amy Tan and Dave Barry , but also rock critics Dave Marsh , Ben Fong-Torres and Greil Marcus , film critic Leonard Maltin and such literary heavyweights as Norman Mailer and Maya Angelou . Warren Zevon contributed liner notes and a variety of famous musicians played on the tracks , including Zevon , Jeff `` Skunk '' Baxter of the Doobie Brothers , and Jerry Jeff Walker . Proceeds from this project were contributed to a variety of charities promoting literature and literacy .", "Biographical film. A biographical film , or biopic ( -LSB- ˈbaɪəʊpɪk -RSB- abbreviation for biographical motion picture ) , is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people . Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character 's real name is used . They differ from films `` based on a true story '' or `` historical drama films '' in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a single person 's life story or at least the most historically important years of their lives . Because the figures portrayed are actual people , whose actions and characteristics are known to the public ( or at least historically documented ) , biopic roles are considered some of the most demanding of actors and actresses . Ben Kingsley , Johnny Depp , Jim Carrey , and Jamie Foxx all gained new-found respect as dramatic actors after starring in biopics : Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi ( 1982 ) , Depp as Ed Wood in Ed Wood ( 1994 ) , Carrey as Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon ( 1999 ) , and Foxx as Ray Charles in Ray ( 2004 ) . In rare cases , sometimes called auto biopics , the subject of the film plays himself or herself : Jackie Robinson in The Jackie Robinson Story ; Muhammad Ali in The Greatest ; Audie Murphy in To Hell and Back ; Patty Duke in Call Me Anna ; Bob Mathias in The Bob Mathias Story , Arlo Guthrie in Alice 's Restaurant ; and Howard Stern in Private Parts . Biopic scholars include George F. Custen of the College of Staten Island and Dennis P. Bingham of Indiana University -- Purdue University Indianapolis . Custen , in Bio/Pics : How Hollywood Constructed Public History ( 1992 ) , regards the genre as having died with the Hollywood studio era , and in particular , Darryl F. Zanuck . On the other hand , Bingham 's 2010 study Whose Lives Are They Anyway ? The Biopic as Contemporary Film Genre shows how it perpetuates as a codified genre using many of the same tropes used in the studio era that has followed a similar trajectory as that shown by Rick Altman in his study , Film/Genre . Bingham also addresses the male biopic and the female biopic as distinct genres from each other , the former generally dealing with great accomplishments , the latter generally dealing with female victimization . Ellen Cheshire 's Bio-Pics : a life in pictures ( 2014 ) examines UK/US films from the 1990s and 2000s . Each chapter reviews key films linked by profession and concludes with further viewing list . Christopher Robé has also written on the gender norms that underlie the biopic in his article , `` Taking Hollywood Back '' in the 2009 issue of Cinema Journal . Roger Ebert defended The Hurricane and distortions in biographical films in general , stating `` those who seek the truth about a man from the film of his life might as well seek it from his loving grandmother . ... The Hurricane is not a documentary but a parable . '' Some biopics purposely stretch the truth . Confessions of a Dangerous Mind was based on game show host Chuck Barris ' widely debunked yet popular memoir of the same name , in which he claimed to be a CIA agent . Kafka incorporated both the life of author Franz Kafka and the surreal aspects of his fiction . The Errol Flynn film They Died with Their Boots On tells the story of Custer but is highly romanticized . The Oliver Stone film The Doors , mainly about Jim Morrison , was highly praised for the similarities between Jim Morrison and actor Val Kilmer , look-wise and singing-wise , but fans and band members did not like the way Oliver Stone portrayed Jim Morrison , and a few of the scenes were even completely made up . Casting can be controversial for biographical films . Casting is often a balance between similarity in looks and ability to portray the characteristics of the person . Anthony Hopkins felt that he should not have played Richard Nixon in Nixon because of a lack of resemblance between the two . The casting of John Wayne as Genghis Khan in The Conqueror was objected to because of the American Wayne being cast as the Mongol warlord . Egyptian critics criticized the casting of Louis Gossett , Jr. , an African American actor , as Egyptian president Anwar Sadat in the 1982 TV miniseries Sadat . Also , some objected to the casting of Jennifer Lopez in Selena because she is a New York City native of Puerto Rican descent while Selena was Mexican-American .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Stranger than Fiction (Kevin Gates album). Stranger Than Fiction is the debut commercial mixtape by the American rapper Kevin Gates . It was published on July 16 , 2013 . The release peaked at number 37 on the U.S. Billboard 200 , selling 8,000 copies in the first week . The album was a contractual obligation with Breadwinners Records , after Gates had signed with Atlantic Records earlier in the year .", "Fiction. Fiction is the classification for any story or similar work derived from imagination -- in other words , not based strictly on history or fact . Fiction can be expressed in a variety of formats , including writings , live performances , films , television programs , animations , video games , and role-playing games , though the term originally and most commonly refers to the narrative forms of literature ( see literary fiction ) , including the novel , novella , short story , and play . Fiction does not refer to a specific mode or genre , unless used in its narrowest sense to mean a `` literary narrative '' . Fiction is traditionally regarded as the opposite of non-fiction , whose creators assume responsibility for presenting only the historical and factual truth ; however , the distinction between fiction and non-fiction can be blurred , for example , in postmodern literature . A work of fiction is an act of creative invention ; its total faithfulness to reality is not typically assumed by its audience , and so it is not expected to present only characters who are actual people or descriptions that are factually accurate . Instead , the context of fiction is generally open to interpretation , due to fiction 's freedom from adhering exactly to the real world . </ref> Characters and events within a fictional work may even be openly set in their own context entirely separate from the known universe : a fictional universe .", "Truth Stranger Than Fiction. Truth Stranger Than Fiction is a 1915 drama film featuring Harry Carey .", "Stranger Things (film). Stranger Things is a 2010 American-British drama film directed by Eleanor Burke and Ron Eyal . It details the bond that grows between Mani , a homeless vagrant , and Oona , a lonely woman who allows him to stay in her garden shed . Critical reaction to the film has been positive , with The New York Times calling it `` unexpectedly profound '' .", "Stranger Things. Stranger Things is an American science fiction-horror web television series created , written , directed and co-executive produced by the Duffer Brothers , as well as co-executive-produced by Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen . The first season stars Winona Ryder , David Harbour , Finn Wolfhard , Millie Bobby Brown , Gaten Matarazzo , Caleb McLaughlin , Natalia Dyer , Charlie Heaton , Cara Buono , and Matthew Modine , with Noah Schnapp and Joe Keery in recurring roles . The second season will see Schnapp and Keery promoted to series regulars , along with the addition of Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery . Set in the fictional town of Hawkins , Indiana in the 1980s , the first season focuses on the investigation into the disappearance of a young boy by his friends , older brother and traumatized mother and the local police chief , amid supernatural events occurring around the town including the appearance of a psychokinetic girl who helps the missing boy 's friends in their own search . The second season is set a year after the first , and deals with attempts of the characters to return to normal and consequences from that season . The Duffer Brothers developed the series as a mix of investigative drama alongside supernatural elements with childlike sensibilities , establishing its time frame in the 1980s and creating a homage #Noun to pop culture of that decade . Several themes and directorial aspects were inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Steven Spielberg , John Carpenter , and Stephen King , among others . The series was released on Netflix on July 15 , 2016 . It received critical acclaim for its characterization , pacing , atmosphere , acting , soundtrack , directing , writing and homages to 1980s genre films . The series has received several industry nominations and awards , including winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2016 . On August 31 , 2016 , Netflix renewed the series for a second season of nine episodes , which is set to be released on October 31 , 2017 .", "Stranger than Fiction (Bad Religion album). Stranger than Fiction is the eighth full-length studio album ( tenth release overall ) by Bad Religion , released in 1994 ( see 1994 in music ) .", "Non-fiction. Non-fiction or nonfiction is content ( sometimes , in the form of a story ) whose creator , in good faith , assumes responsibility for the truth or accuracy of the events , people , or information presented . In contrast , a story whose creator explicitly leaves open if and how the work refers to reality is usually classified as fiction . Nonfiction , which may be presented either objectively or subjectively , is traditionally one of the two main divisions of narratives ( and , specifically , prose writing ) , the other traditional division being fiction , which contrasts with nonfiction by dealing in information , events , and characters expected to be partly or largely imaginary . Nonfiction 's specific factual assertions and descriptions may or may not be accurate , and can give either a true or a false account of the subject in question . However , authors of such accounts genuinely believe or claim them to be truthful at the time of their composition or , at least , pose them to a convinced audience as historically or empirically factual . Reporting the beliefs of others in a nonfiction format is not necessarily an endorsement of the ultimate veracity of those beliefs , it is simply saying it is true that people believe them ( for such topics as mythology ) . Nonfiction can also be written about fiction , typically known as literary criticism , giving information and analysis on these other works . Nonfiction need not necessarily be written text , since pictures and film can also purport to present a factual account of a subject .", "Stranger than Fiction (Bad Religion song). `` Stranger than Fiction '' is a song by American punk rock band Bad Religion , featured on their 1994 album with the same title . It was also the album 's third single and is widely considered to be one of their best known songs . More than a decade after its release , `` Stranger Than Fiction '' remains one of the band 's concert staples . The live version also appears on their 2006 live DVD Live at the Palladium . At a Bad Religion concert in 1996 , frontman Greg Graffin sang `` I wan na know why Gurewitz cracked , sometimes truth is stranger than fiction '' , referring to then-former and now-current guitarist Brett Gurewitz , as opposed to `` I want to know why Hemingway cracked , sometimes truth is stranger than fiction '' .", "Film. A film , also called a movie , motion picture , theatrical film , or photoplay , is a series of still images which , when shown on a screen , creates the illusion of moving images due to the phi phenomenon . This optical illusion causes the audience to perceive continuous motion between separate objects viewed rapidly in succession . The process of filmmaking is both an art and an industry . A film is created by photographing actual scenes with a motion picture camera ; by photographing drawings or miniature models using traditional animation techniques ; by means of CGI and computer animation ; or by a combination of some or all of these techniques and other visual effects . The word `` cinema '' , short for cinematography , is often used to refer to the industry of films and filmmaking or to the art of filmmaking itself . The contemporary definition of cinema is the art of simulating experiences to communicate ideas , stories , perceptions , feelings , beauty or atmosphere by the means of recorded or programmed moving images along with other sensory stimulations . Films were originally recorded onto plastic film through a photochemical process and then shown through a movie projector onto a large screen . The adoption of CGI-based special effects led to the use of digital intermediates . Most contemporary films are now fully digital through the entire process of production , distribution , and exhibition from start to finish . Films recorded in a photochemical form traditionally included an analogous optical soundtrack , which is a graphic recording of the spoken words , music and other sounds that accompany the images . It runs along a portion of the film exclusively reserved for it and is not projected . Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures . They reflect those cultures , and , in turn , affect them . Film is considered to be an important art form , a source of popular entertainment , and a powerful medium for educating -- or indoctrinating -- citizens . The visual basis of film gives it a universal power of communication . Some films have become popular worldwide attractions by using dubbing or subtitles to translate the dialog into the language of the viewer . Some have criticized the film industry 's glorification of violence and its potentially negative treatment of women . The individual images that make up a film are called frames . During projection of traditional films , a rotating shutter causes intervals of darkness as each frame , in turn , is moved into position to be projected , but the viewer does not notice the interruptions because of an effect known as persistence of vision , whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after the source has been removed . The perception of motion is due to a psychological effect called phi phenomenon . The name `` film '' originates from the fact that photographic film ( also called film stock ) has historically been the medium for recording and displaying motion pictures . Many other terms exist for an individual motion picture , including picture , picture show , moving picture , photoplay , and flick . The most common term in the United States is movie , while in Europe film is preferred . Terms for the field , in general , include the big screen , the silver screen , the movies , and cinema ; the latter is commonly used in scholarly texts and critical essays , especially by European writers . In early years , the word sheet was sometimes used instead of screen .", "Fictional film. Fictional film , fiction film or narrative film is a film that tells a fictional or fictionalized story , event or narrative . In this style of film , believable narratives and characters help convince the audience that the unfolding fiction is real . Lighting and camera movement , among other cinematic elements , have become increasingly important in these films . Great detail goes into the screenplays of narratives , as these films rarely deviate from the predetermined behaviours and lines of the classical style of screenplay writing to maintain a sense of realism . Actors must deliver dialogue and action in a believable way , so as to persuade the audience that the film is real life .", "Steven Soderbergh. Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( -LSB- ˈsoʊdərbɜrɡ -RSB- born January 14 , 1963 ) is an American film producer , director , screenwriter , cinematographer and editor . His indie drama Sex , Lies , and Videotape ( 1989 ) won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival , and became a worldwide commercial success , making the then-26-year-old Soderbergh the youngest director to win the festival 's top award . Film critic Roger Ebert dubbed Soderbergh the `` poster boy of the Sundance generation '' . He is best known for directing critically acclaimed commercial Hollywood films including the crime comedy Out of Sight ( 1998 ) , the biographical film Erin Brockovich ( 2000 ) , the crime drama film Traffic ( 2000 ) ( for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director ) , the 2001 remake of the comedy heist film Ocean 's 11 and its two sequels -- known collectively as the Ocean 's Trilogy , the medical thriller Contagion ( 2011 ) and the comedy-drama Magic Mike ( 2012 ) . He has also directed smaller , less conventional works , such as the mystery thriller Kafka ( 1991 ) ; the experimental comedy film Schizopolis ( 1996 ) , which has a non-linear narrative ; Bubble ( 2005 ) , which uses no script and non-professional actors ; the experimental drama film The Girlfriend Experience ( 2009 ) , which starred the then-active pornographic actress Sasha Grey ; and the biopic about Marxist revolutionary Ernesto `` Che '' Guevara , Che ( 2008 ) . Soderbergh also directed , photographed and edited all episodes of the television drama The Knick . In addition , he has produced numerous film and television programs , and provided cinematography and editing on various projects .", "Marc Forster. Marc Forster ( born 30 November 1969 ) is a German-born filmmaker and screenwriter . He is best known for directing the films Monster 's Ball , Finding Neverland , Stranger than Fiction , The Kite Runner , Quantum of Solace , and World War Z.", "Michael Keaton. Michael John Douglas ( born September 5 , 1951 ) , known professionally as Michael Keaton , is an American actor , producer and director . He first rose to fame for his comedic film roles in Night Shift ( 1982 ) , Mr. Mom ( 1983 ) , Johnny Dangerously ( 1984 ) and Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , and he earned further acclaim for his dramatic portrayal of the title character in Tim Burton 's Batman ( 1989 ) and Batman Returns ( 1992 ) . Since then , he has appeared in a variety of films ranging from dramas and romantic comedies to thriller and action films ; such as Clean and Sober ( 1988 ) , The Dream Team ( 1989 ) , Pacific Heights ( 1990 ) , Much Ado About Nothing ( 1993 ) , My Life ( 1993 ) , The Paper ( 1994 ) , Multiplicity ( 1996 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Herbie : Fully Loaded ( 2005 ) , The Other Guys ( 2010 ) , Need for Speed ( 2014 ) , RoboCop ( 2014 ) , Spotlight ( 2015 ) and The Founder ( 2016 ) , and he has also provided voices for characters in animated films such as Cars ( 2006 ) , Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) and Minions ( 2015 ) . In 2017 , Keaton will play the role of Marvel Comics supervillain the Vulture in Spider-Man : Homecoming . Keaton 's lead performance in Birdman or ( The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance ) ( 2014 ) earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy , the Critics ' Choice Award for Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy , and nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award , British Academy Film Award , and Academy Award for Best Actor . He previously received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance in Live from Baghdad ( 2002 ) and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for The Company ( 2007 ) . Keaton was awarded a Career Achievement Award from both the Hollywood Film Festival and Zurich Film Festivals . On January 18 , 2016 , he was named Officer of Order of Arts and Letters in France . He is also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University . </span>", "Stranger Than.... Stranger Than ... is a series of thought-provoking books which fall into the non-fiction and autobiography genres . It was published by Harper Perennial in 2007 .", "Stranger than Fiction (Ultra Nate album). Stranger than Fiction is the fourth album by singer-songwriter , Ultra Nate . This album was released on April 24 , 2001 on the label , Strictly Rhythm .", "Zach Helm. Zach Helm ( born January 21 , 1975 in Santa Clara , California ) is an American writer , director , and producer . The son of school teachers , Helm was raised in a town of less than 50 citizens in the Sierra Nevadas of California . He first became known for his screenplay for Stranger Than Fiction , which garnered attention and notoriety for Helm , including the National Board of Review and PEN award for Best Screenplay . He is best known internationally for his acclaimed stage play Good Canary , which has been translated and produced around the world , garnering multiple awards and accolades . He is also known for the film Mr. Magorium 's Wonder Emporium ( which Helm also directed ) and his one-man performance pieces , most notably his revival of Spalding Gray 's Interviewing The Audience . Helm has also spent much time developing his own `` open input '' approach to drama , a collaborative process focused on helping artists mine narrative material from the real world . Using interviews , physical research , devised theater techniques and dramaturgy , the egalitarian approach has been used by Helm to help artists around the world , from primary school children to amateur filmmakers .", "Judd Apatow. Judd Apatow ( -LSB- ˈæpətaʊ -RSB- born December 6 , 1967 ) is an American film producer , writer , director , actor , and comedian . He is the founder of Apatow Productions , through which he produced and developed the television series Freaks and Geeks , Undeclared , Girls , Love , Crashing and directed the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin ( 2005 ) , Knocked Up ( 2007 ) , Funny People ( 2009 ) , This Is 40 ( 2012 ) , and Trainwreck ( 2015 ) . Apatow 's work has won numerous awards including a Primetime Emmy Award ( for The Ben Stiller Show ) , a Hollywood Comedy Award , and an AFI Award for Bridesmaids ( 2011 ) . His films have also been nominated for Grammy Awards , PGA Awards , Golden Globe Awards , and Academy Awards . Also known for producing hit films such as The Cable Guy ( 1996 ) , Anchorman : The Legend of Ron Burgundy ( 2004 ) , Talladega Nights : The Ballad of Ricky Bobby ( 2006 ) , Superbad ( 2007 ) , Forgetting Sarah Marshall ( 2008 ) , Step Brothers ( 2008 ) , Pineapple Express ( 2008 ) , Get Him to the Greek ( 2010 ) , Bridesmaids ( 2011 ) , The Five-Year Engagement ( 2012 ) , and Anchorman 2 : The Legend Continues ( 2013 ) .", "IMDb. The Internet Movie Database ( abbreviated IMDb ) is an online database of information related to films , television programs and video games , including cast , production crew , fictional characters , biographies , plot summaries , trivia and reviews , operated by IMDb.com , Inc. , a subsidiary of Amazon . Launched in 1990 by computer programmer Col Needham , the company was incorporated in the UK as Internet Movie Database Ltd in 1996 with revenue generated through advertising , licensing and partnerships . In 1998 it became a subsidiary of Amazon Inc. , who were then able to use it as an advertising resource for selling DVDs and videotapes . , IMDb has approximately million titles ( including episodes ) and million personalities in its database , as well as 75 million registered users . The site enables registered users to submit new material and edits to existing entries . Although all data is checked before going live , the system has been open to abuse and occasional errors are acknowledged . Users are also invited to rate any film on a scale of 1 to 10 , and the totals are converted into a weighted mean-rating that is displayed beside each title , with online filters employed to deter ballot-stuffing . The site also featured message boards which stimulate regular debates and dialogue among authenticated users . IMDb shutdown the message boards permanently on February 20 , 2017 . Anyone with an internet connection can view the movie and talent pages of IMDb . A registration process is necessary however , to contribute info to the site . A registered user chooses a site name for themselves , and is given a profile page . This profile page also shows how long a registered user has been a member , as well as personal movie ratings ( should the user decide to display them ) , and is also awarded badges representing how many contributions any particular registered user has submitted . These badges range from total contributions made , to independent categories such as photos , trivia , bios , etc. . If a registered user or visitor happens to be in the entertainment industry , and has an IMDb page , that user/visitor can add photos to that page by enrolling in IMDbPRO .", "Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American black comedy neo-noir crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino , from a story by Tarantino and Roger Avary . Directed in a highly stylized manner , Pulp Fiction connects the intersecting storylines of Los Angeles mobsters , fringe players , small-time criminals , and a mysterious briefcase . The film 's title refers to the pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th century , known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue . The screenplay of Pulp Fiction was written in 1992 and 1993 , and incorporated some scenes originally written by Avary for True Romance . Its plot , as in many of Tarantino 's other works , is presented out of chronological order . The film is also self-referential from its opening moments , beginning with a title card that gives two dictionary definitions of `` pulp '' . Considerable screen time is devoted to monologues and casual conversations with eclectic dialogue revealing each character 's perspectives on several subjects , and the film features an ironic combination of humor and strong violence . Its script was reportedly turned down by Columbia TriStar as `` too demented '' . Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein was instantly enthralled with it , however , and the film became the first that Miramax fully financed . Pulp Fiction won the Palme d'Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival , and was a major critical and commercial success upon its U.S. release . It revitalized the careers of John Travolta ( who received an Academy Award nomination ) , Samuel L. Jackson , and Uma Thurman . It was also nominated for seven Oscars , including Best Picture ; Tarantino and Avary won for Best Original Screenplay . The nature of its development , marketing , and distribution -- and its consequent profitability -- had a sweeping effect on the field of independent cinema . Since its release , Pulp Fiction has been widely regarded as Tarantino 's masterpiece , with particular praise singled out for its screenwriting . The film 's self-reflexivity , unconventional structure , and extensive use of homage and pastiche have led critics to describe it as a touchstone of postmodern film . It is often considered a cultural watershed , with a strong influence felt not only in later movies that adopted various elements of its style , but in several other media as well . A 2008 Entertainment Weekly poll named it the best film since 1983 , and the work has appeared on many critics ' lists of the greatest films ever made . In 2013 , Pulp Fiction was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .", "Stranger by the Lake. Stranger by the Lake ( L'Inconnu du lac ) is a 2013 French drama-thriller film written and directed by Alain Guiraudie . The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival where Guiraudie won the award for Best Director . The film also won the Queer Palm award , and was mentioned on multiple top ten lists of the best films of 2014 .", "Stranger Than Paradise. Stranger Than Paradise is a 1984 American absurdist/deadpan comedy film , written and directed by Jim Jarmusch and starring jazz musician John Lurie , former Sonic Youth drummer-turned-actor Richard Edson , and Hungarian-born actress Eszter Balint . The film features a minimalist plot in which the main character , Willie , has a cousin from Hungary named Eva . Eva stays with him for ten days before going to Cleveland . Willie and his friend Eddie eventually go to Cleveland to visit Eva . This film is shot entirely in single long takes with no standard coverage .", "Quentin Tarantino. Quentin Jerome Tarantino ( -LSB- ˌtærənˈtiːnoʊ -RSB- born March 27 , 1963 ) is an American director , writer , and actor . His films are characterized by nonlinear storylines , satirical subject matter , an aestheticization of violence , extended scenes of dialogue , ensemble casts consisting of established and lesser-known performers , references to popular culture , soundtracks primarily containing songs and score pieces from the 1960s to the 1980s , and features of neo-noir film . He is widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation . His career began in the late 1980s , when he wrote and directed My Best Friend 's Birthday , the screenplay of which formed the basis for True Romance . In the early 1990s , he began his career as an independent filmmaker with the release of Reservoir Dogs in 1992 ; regarded as a classic and cult hit , it was called the `` Greatest Independent Film of All Time '' by Empire . Its popularity was boosted by his second film , Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , a black comedy crime film that was a major success both among critics and audiences . Judged the greatest film from 1983 -- 2008 by Entertainment Weekly , many critics and scholars have named it one of the most significant works of modern cinema . For his next effort , Tarantino paid homage to the blaxploitation films of the 1970s with Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , an adaptation of the novel Rum Punch . Kill Bill , a highly stylized `` revenge flick '' in the cinematic traditions of Kung fu films , Japanese martial arts , Spaghetti Westerns and Italian horror , followed six years later , and was released as two films : Volume 1 in 2003 and Volume 2 in 2004 . Tarantino directed Death Proof ( 2007 ) as part of a double feature with friend Robert Rodriguez , under the collective title Grindhouse . His long-postponed Inglourious Basterds , which tells the fictional alternate history story of two plots to assassinate Nazi Germany 's political leadership , was released in 2009 to positive reviews . After that came 2012 's critically acclaimed Django Unchained , a Western film set in the antebellum era of the Deep South . It became the highest-grossing film of his career so far , making over $ 425 million at the box office . His eighth film , the mystery Western The Hateful Eight , was released in its roadshow version December 25 , 2015 , in 70 mm film format , complete with opening `` overture '' and halfway-point intermission , after the fashion of big-budget films of the 1960s and early 1970s . Tarantino 's films have garnered both critical and commercial success . He has received many industry awards , including two Academy Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two BAFTA Awards and the Palme d'Or , and has been nominated for an Emmy and a Grammy . He was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time in 2005 . Filmmaker and historian Peter Bogdanovich has called him `` the single most influential director of his generation '' . In December 2015 , Tarantino received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry .", "Brad Pitt. William Bradley Pitt ( born December 18 , 1963 ) is an American actor and producer . He has received multiple awards and nominations including an Academy Award as producer under his own company Plan B Entertainment . Pitt first gained recognition as a cowboy hitchhiker in the road movie Thelma & Louise ( 1991 ) . His first leading roles in big-budget productions came with the dramas A River Runs Through It ( 1992 ) and Legends of the Fall ( 1994 ) , and Interview with the Vampire ( 1994 ) . He gave critically acclaimed performances in the crime thriller Seven and the science fiction film 12 Monkeys ( both 1995 ) , the latter earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination . Pitt starred in the cult film Fight Club ( 1999 ) and the heist film Ocean 's Eleven ( 2001 ) and its sequels , Ocean 's Twelve ( 2004 ) and Ocean 's Thirteen ( 2007 ) . His greatest commercial successes have been Troy ( 2004 ) , Mr. & Mrs. Smith ( 2005 ) , and World War Z ( 2013 ) . Pitt received his second and third Academy Award nominations for his leading performances in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ( 2008 ) and Moneyball ( 2011 ) . He produced The Departed ( 2006 ) and 12 Years a Slave ( 2013 ) , both of which won the Academy Award for Best Picture , and also The Tree of Life , Moneyball , and The Big Short ( 2015 ) , all of which garnered Best Picture nominations . As a public figure , Pitt has been cited as one of the most influential and powerful people in the American entertainment industry , as well as the world 's most attractive man , by various media outlets . His personal life is also the subject of wide publicity . Divorced from actress Jennifer Aniston , to whom he was married for five years , he has been married to actress Angelina Jolie since 2014 . They have six children together , three of whom were adopted internationally . In September 2016 , Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt .", "True crime. True crime is a non-fiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people . The crimes most commonly include murder , with tales of serial killers dominating the genre ( about 40 % in a 2002 survey ) , but true crime works have also focused on other subjects , for instance policemen memoirs , and more recently reality police TV shows . Depending on the writer , true crime can adhere strictly to well-established facts in journalistic fashion , or can be highly speculative . Some true crime works are `` instant books '' produced quickly to capitalize on popular demand ; these have been described as `` more than formulaic '' and hyper-conventional . Others may reflect years of thoughtful research and inquiry and may have considerable literary merit . Still others revisit historic crimes ( or alleged crimes ) and propose solutions , such as books examining political assassinations , well-known unsolved murders , or the deaths of celebrities . Helter Skelter ( 1974 ) , the true story of the Manson murders by Vincent Bugliosi , is the biggest selling true crime book in publishing history ; Truman Capote 's In Cold Blood ( 1966 ) is number two ." ]

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[ "Chris Hemsworth. Chris Hemsworth ( born 11 August 1983 ) is an Australian actor . He is known for playing Kim Hyde in the Australian TV series Home and Away ( 2004-07 ) and Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2011 . Hemsworth has also appeared in the science fiction action film Star Trek ( 2009 ) , the thriller adventure A Perfect Getaway ( 2009 ) , the horror comedy The Cabin in the Woods ( 2012 ) , the dark-fantasy action film Snow White and the Huntsman ( 2012 ) , the war film Red Dawn ( 2012 ) , and the biographical sports drama film Rush ( 2013 ) . In 2015 , he starred in the action thriller film Blackhat , had a comedic role in the fifth installment of National Lampoon 's Vacation series , Vacation , and headlined the biographical thriller film In the Heart of the Sea . The following year , Hemsworth had a supporting role in Sony 's reboot of Ghostbusters . Hemsworth will reprise his role as George Kirk in the upcoming Star Trek sequel .", "Thor (film). Thor is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures . It is the fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by Kenneth Branagh , written by Ashley Edward Miller & Zack Stentz and Don Payne , and stars Chris Hemsworth , Natalie Portman , Tom Hiddleston , Stellan Skarsgård , Colm Feore , Ray Stevenson , Idris Elba , Kat Dennings , Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins . The film sees Thor , the crown prince of Asgard , banished to Earth and stripped of his powers after he reignites a dormant war . As his brother , Loki , plots to take the throne for himself , Thor must prove himself worthy and reclaim his hammer Mjolnir . Sam Raimi first developed the concept of a film adaptation of Thor in 1991 , but soon abandoned the project , leaving it in `` development hell '' for several years . During this time , the rights were picked up by various film studios until Marvel Studios signed Mark Protosevich to develop the project in 2006 , and planned to finance it and release it through Paramount Pictures . Matthew Vaughn was originally assigned to direct the film for a tentative 2010 release . However , after Vaughn was released from his holding deal in 2008 , Branagh was approached and the film 's release was rescheduled into 2011 . The main characters were cast in 2009 , and principal photography took place in California and New Mexico from January to May 2010 . The film was converted to 3D in post-production . Thor premiered on April 17 , 2011 , in Sydney , Australia and was released on May 6 , 2011 , in the United States . The film was a financial success and received positive reviews from film critics . The DVD and Blu-ray sets were released on September 13 , 2011 . A sequel , Thor : The Dark World , was released on November 8 , 2013 . A third film , Thor : Ragnarok is set to be released on November 3 , 2017 .", "Vacation (2015 film). Vacation is a 2015 American comedy film written and directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley ( in their directorial debuts ) . It stars Ed Helms , Christina Applegate , Skyler Gisondo , Steele Stebbins , Leslie Mann , Chris Hemsworth , Beverly D'Angelo , and Chevy Chase . It is the fifth installment of the Vacation film series serving as both a modernized reboot and a sequel to the original four films . It is also the second not to carry the National Lampoon name after Vegas Vacation , and was released by New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. on July 29 , 2015 . the film has received negative reviews from critics but it was a box office success , earning $ 104.9 million on a $ 31 million budget .", "A Perfect Getaway. A Perfect Getaway is a 2009 American adventure psychological thriller film , written and directed by David Twohy , that stars Timothy Olyphant , Milla Jovovich , Kiele Sanchez , and Steve Zahn . The film was originally shot in Puerto Rico and Hawaii and was released on August 7 , 2009 , in the United States and on August 12 in the United Kingdom . The film was a modest financial success .", "Hemsworth. Hemsworth is a small town and civil parish on the edge of West Yorkshire , England . Historically within the West Riding of Yorkshire , it forms part of the City of Wakefield , and has a population of 13,311 , increasing to 15,350 for the ward in the City of Wakefield Council at the 2011 Census . It was a one-industry town , where coal mining employed the vast majority of residents , and the closure of the pits during the 1980s led to huge levels of unemployment and deprivation in the area . Hemsworth , along with nearby villages such as Ackworth , Fitzwilliam , Havercroft , Ryhill , South Elmsall and South Kirkby was made into a special regeneration area , and fortunes have improved as a result . The Hemsworth constituency is famous for being the place where Labour votes were said to be `` weighed rather than counted '' during the 1960s and 1970s , but the town is not even so heavily Labour-voting as it once was . The town 's Member of Parliament is Jon Trickett , a former leader of Leeds council . In May 2005 , the Office for National Statistics estimated that unemployment in Hemsworth was just 2.8 % . This marks progress from periods in the previous two decades when it could reach as high as 50 % . Also in Hemsworth is the Hemsworth Water Park , situated on the outskirts of Hemsworth . Hemsworth Water Park has two lakes ; the largest lake is available for pedalo rides and has a man-made sandy beach ; the smallest lake is in a more secluded area to attract wildlife . Both lakes are stocked for fishing which is available all year round . There are also plenty of grassed areas for picnics and games . In the water park , there is also Playworld , an outdoor adventure playground , which is suitable for children of all ages with a tower slide , climbing frames , a toddlers ' sandpit area and a miniature railway . A new kiosk and toilet facilities were opened in March 2006 . New equipment was introduced in 2008 . A new restaurant , which opened in 2011 , is situated adjacent to the larger of the two fishing lakes , and serves hot and cold meals , drinks and snacks . The local newspaper for the area is the Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express , which gives local residents the ability to voice their opinions on local topical concerns , provides local , regional , nationwide and world news . Along with the neighbouring village of Kinsley it is mentioned in the Domesday Book which was commissioned in 1085 by William the Conqueror . The name in the Domesday Book is Hamelsworde being the ` worth ' or enclosure of a possible Saxon , named Hamel . Hemsworth was used in an episode of the Top Gear series : Series 4 episode 2 . Robert Holgate , a native of Hemsworth ( 1481 ? -- 1555 ) was consecrated Archbishop of York in January 1545 . There are many different schools including Grove Lea Primary School , West End Academy , Sacred Hearts , St Helens Primary School and Hemsworth Arts and Community Academy .", "The Getaway (1994 film). The Getaway is a 1994 crime film directed by Roger Donaldson . The screenplay was written by Walter Hill and Amy Holden Jones , based on the Jim Thompson novel of the same name . The film stars Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger , with Michael Madsen , James Woods , and Jennifer Tilly in supporting roles .", "Retreat (film). Retreat is an 2011 British horror-thriller film and the directorial debut of former film editor Carl Tibbets . The film stars Cillian Murphy , Jamie Bell , and Thandie Newton as three people isolated from the rest of the world on a remote island . Two of them are told they are survivors of a fatal airborne disease that is sweeping over the entire world ; however , their induced isolation may be the result of a lie , and it may be that they are being held at the whim of a madman . The film has had mainly positive reviews .", "Thor: The Dark World. Thor : The Dark World is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2011 's Thor and the eighth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by Alan Taylor , with a screenplay by Christopher Yost and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely . It stars Chris Hemsworth , Natalie Portman , Tom Hiddleston , Anthony Hopkins , Stellan Skarsgård , Idris Elba , Christopher Eccleston , Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje , Kat Dennings , Ray Stevenson , Zachary Levi , Tadanobu Asano , Jaimie Alexander , and Rene Russo . In Thor : The Dark World , Thor teams up with Loki to save the Nine Realms from the Dark Elves led by the vengeful Malekith , who intends to plunge the universe into darkness . Development of Thor : The Dark World began in April 2011 , when producer Kevin Feige announced plans for a sequel to follow the crossover film The Avengers . In July 2011 , Kenneth Branagh , the director of Thor , withdrew from the project . Brian Kirk and Patty Jenkins were considered to direct the film before Taylor was hired in January 2012 . The supporting cast filled out in August 2012 , with the hiring of Eccleston , Dennings , and Akinnuoye-Agbaje . Principal photography began in September 2012 in Surrey , England with filming continuing in Iceland and London , before wrapping up in December 2012 . Thor : The Dark World was converted to 3D in post-production . Thor : The Dark World premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on October 22 , 2013 . It was released internationally on October 30 , 2013 , and on November 8 , 2013 , in the United States . The film received mixed reviews , but was a commercial success , grossing over $ 644 million worldwide . A third film , Thor : Ragnarok , is set for release on November 3 , 2017 .", "Thor: Ragnarok. Thor : Ragnarok is an upcoming American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is intended to be the sequel to 2011 's Thor and 2013 's Thor : The Dark World and the seventeenth film installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film is directed by Taika Waititi with a screenplay by Eric Pearson , and stars Chris Hemsworth , Tom Hiddleston , Cate Blanchett , Idris Elba , Jeff Goldblum , Tessa Thompson , Karl Urban , Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins . In Thor : Ragnarok , Thor must defeat the Hulk in a gladiatorial duel in time to save Asgard from Hela and the coming Ragnarök . A third Thor film was confirmed in January 2014 , with the title and involvement of Hemsworth and Hiddleston announced that October . Waititi joined the film as director the next October , after Alan Taylor chose not to return from the second film , and Ruffalo joined the cast , crossing over the character Hulk from other MCU films . With the Hulk 's inclusion , elements from the 2006 comic storyline `` Planet Hulk '' were adapted for Ragnarok . The rest of the cast was confirmed the next May , with Pearson revealed to be involved with the film at the start of filming in July 2016 . Principal photography took place from July to October , 2016 , in Queensland and Sydney , Australia , with the film having exclusive use of Village Roadshow Studios in Oxenford . Thor : Ragnarok is scheduled to be released on November 3 , 2017 , in IMAX .", "Getaway (film). Getaway is a 2013 American action thriller film starring Ethan Hawke , Selena Gomez and Jon Voight . Directed by Courtney Solomon and written by Gregg Maxwell Parker and Sean Finegan , the film is distributed by Warner Bros. , the last Dark Castle Entertainment film to be released by Warner Bros. , as Universal Studios took Dark Castle over in 2013 . Though originally reported to be a remake of the 1972 film The Getaway , the film is actually an original story . This is the first film directed by Solomon in eight years , with his last being 2005 's An American Haunting .", "Passengers (2016 film). Passengers is a 2016 American science fiction film directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Jon Spaihts . It stars Jennifer Lawrence , Chris Pratt , Michael Sheen , and Laurence Fishburne . The story depicts three people who are awakened some 90 years too soon from an induced hibernation on a spaceship bound for a new planet . The film was released in the United States on December 21 , 2016 , in 2D and RealD 3D by Columbia Pictures . It grossed $ 303 million worldwide . The film was nominated for Best Original Score and Best Production Design at the 89th Academy Awards .", "The Getaway (1972 film). The Getaway is a 1972 American neo-noir crime film directed by Sam Peckinpah . The screenplay by Walter Hill was based on the 1958 novel of the same name by Jim Thompson . Starring Steve McQueen , Ali MacGraw , Ben Johnson , Al Lettieri , Sally Struthers , Jack Dodson , and Slim Pickens , the film tells the story of convicted robber Carter `` Doc '' McCoy ( McQueen ) , who orders corrupt politician Jack Beynon ( Johnson ) a release from prison through his wife , Carol McCoy ( MacGraw ) . In exchange , Doc masterminds a bank heist organized by Beynon . A series of double-crosses ensues , and the McCoys attempt to flee from their pursuers to Mexico . The film marks the second collaboration between McQueen and Peckinpah after Junior Bonner , also released the same year . Jim Thompson was originally tapped by McQueen and producer David Foster to write the film adaptation of his book ; he wrote the script in four months . Due to creative differences , however , McQueen replaced him with Walter Hill ; he wrote the script in six weeks . Filming commenced on February 7 , 1972 , and was shot on location in Texas . During production , McQueen and MacGraw began an affair . Likewise , McQueen and Peckinpah would get involved in heated arguments due to the latter 's increasing alcohol intake . Originally scored by longtime collaborator Jerry Fielding , Peckinpah became unimpressed with Fielding 's soundtrack and he hired Quincy Jones to rescore it . Jones was then nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score for his workthe only nomination the film has received . The Getaway was released on December 13 , 1972 . A box office hit earning over $ 36 million in the United States alone , the film was one of the most financially successful productions of Peckinpah 's and McQueen 's careers , notwithstanding generally negative reception from critics upon its premiere . The film was remade in 1994 , with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger in the starring roles .", "Timothy Olyphant. Timothy David Olyphant ( -LSB- ˈɔːlʌfɪnt -RSB- ; born May 20 , 1968 ) is an American actor and producer . He made his acting debut in Off-Broadway theater in 1995 in The Monogamist , winning the Theatre World Award for his performance , and then originated David Sedaris ' The Santaland Diaries in 1996 . Following this he branched out to film ; in the early years of his career , he was often cast in supporting villainous roles , most notably in Scream 2 ( 1997 ) , Go ( 1999 ) , A Man Apart ( 2003 ) and The Girl Next Door ( 2004 ) . He came to the attention of a wider audience with his portrayal of Sheriff Seth Bullock in HBO 's western Deadwood ( 2004 -- 2006 ) . He then had starring roles in the romantic comedy Catch and Release ( 2006 ) , the action film Hitman ( 2007 ) , the thriller A Perfect Getaway ( 2009 ) and the horror film The Crazies ( 2010 ) . He was a villain in Live Free or Die Hard ( 2007 ) and was a recurring guest star in season two of the FX legal thriller Damages ( 2009 ) . The best-known performance of Olyphant 's career to date has been as Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in FX 's modern-day Kentucky western Justified ( 2010 -- 2015 ) . He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2011 . He later had guest appearances in numerous television sitcoms including The Office ( 2010 ) , The Mindy Project ( 2013 ) and The Grinder ( 2015 -- 2016 ) , for which he won a Critics Choice Award . Olyphant currently stars with Drew Barrymore in the Netflix comedy Santa Clarita Diet ( 2017 ) , and is also an executive producer on the show .", "Couples Retreat. Couples Retreat is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Billingsley marking his directorial debut , and written by Jon Favreau , Vince Vaughn , Dana Fox , Curtis Hanson , and Greg Beeman . Vaughn and Favreau star with Jason Bateman , Faizon Love , Kristin Davis , Malin Åkerman , Kristen Bell , and Jean Reno . It was released on October 9 , 2009 , in the United States . The film was shot mostly on the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora . This film has been rated PG-13 .", "The Cabin in the Woods. The Cabin in the Woods is a 2012 American horror comedy film directed by Drew Goddard in his directorial debut , produced by Joss Whedon , and written by Whedon and Goddard . The film stars Kristen Connolly , Chris Hemsworth , Anna Hutchison , Fran Kranz , Jesse Williams , Richard Jenkins , and Bradley Whitford . The plot follows a group of college students who retreat to a remote forest cabin where they fall victim to backwoods zombies and the two technicians who manipulate the ongoing events from an underground facility . Goddard and Whedon , having worked together previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel , wrote the screenplay in three days , describing it as an attempt to `` revitalize '' the slasher film genre and as a critical satire on torture porn . The special effects , monster costumes , special makeup , and prosthetic makeup for the movie were done by veteran horror film actress Heather Langenkamp , her husband David LeRoy Anderson , and their company AFX Studio . Filming took place in Vancouver , British Columbia from March to May 2009 on an estimated budget of $ 30 million . The film was originally slated for release on February 5 , 2010 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and United Artists , but was indefinitely shelved due to ongoing financial difficulties . In 2011 , Lionsgate picked up the distribution rights . The film premiered on March 9 , 2012 at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin , Texas and was released in the United States on April 13 , 2012 , grossing over $ 66 million worldwide .", "Avengers: Age of Ultron. Avengers : Age of Ultron is a 2015 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2012 's The Avengers and the eleventh film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Hemsworth , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Evans , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Don Cheadle , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Elizabeth Olsen , Paul Bettany , Cobie Smulders , Anthony Mackie , Hayley Atwell , Idris Elba , Stellan Skarsgård , James Spader , and Samuel L. Jackson . In Avengers : Age of Ultron , the Avengers fight Ultron , an artificial intelligence obsessed with causing human extinction . The sequel was announced in May 2012 , after the successful release of The Avengers . Whedon , the director of the first film , was brought back on board in August and a release date was set . By April 2013 , Whedon had completed a draft of the script , and casting began in June with the re-signing of Downey . Second unit filming began in February 2014 in South Africa with principal photography taking place between March and August 2014 . The film was primarily shot at Shepperton Studios in Surrey , England , with additional footage filmed in Italy , South Korea , Bangladesh , New York City , and various locations around England . While in post production , the film was converted to 3D and over 3,000 visual effects shots were added . Avengers : Age of Ultron premiered in Los Angeles on April 13 , 2015 , and was released on May 1 , 2015 , in North America , in 3D and IMAX 3D . The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $ 1.4 billion worldwide , making it the seventh-highest-grossing film in history and the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2015 . A sequel , Avengers : Infinity War , is scheduled to be released on May 4 , 2018 , and another untitled sequel is scheduled for May 3 , 2019 .", "The Avengers (2012 film). Marvel 's The Avengers ( classified under the name Marvel Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom and Ireland ) , or simply The Avengers , is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Hemsworth , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Tom Hiddleston , Clark Gregg , Cobie Smulders , Stellan Skarsgård , and Samuel L. Jackson . In the film , Nick Fury , director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D. , recruits Iron Man , Captain America , the Hulk , and Thor to form a team that must stop Thor 's brother Loki from subjugating Earth . The film 's development began when Marvel Studios received a loan from Merrill Lynch in April 2005 . After the success of the film Iron Man in May 2008 , Marvel announced that The Avengers would be released in July 2011 . With the signing of Johansson in March 2009 , the film was pushed back for a 2012 release . Whedon was brought on board in April 2010 and rewrote the original screenplay by Zak Penn. . Production began in April 2011 in Albuquerque , New Mexico , before moving to Cleveland , Ohio , in August and New York City in September . The film was converted to 3D in post-production . The Avengers premiered on April 11 , 2012 , at Hollywood 's El Capitan Theatre and was released theatrically in the United States on May 4 , 2012 . The film received positive reviews from critics , as well as numerous awards and nominations including Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for achievements in visual effects . It has set or tied numerous box office records , including the biggest opening weekend in North America . The Avengers grossed over $ 1.5 billion worldwide , and became the third-highest-grossing film during its theatrical run -- as well as the first Marvel production to generate $ 1 billion in ticket sales . The film was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on September 25 , 2012 . A sequel , titled Avengers : Age of Ultron , was released on May 1 , 2015 , while two additional sequels , Avengers : Infinity War and an untitled sequel , are currently in development , with Infinity War scheduled for a May 4 , 2018 release date , and its sequel scheduled to be released on May 3 , 2019 .", "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a 2011 British comedy-drama film , directed by John Madden . The screenplay , written by Ol Parker , is based on the 2004 novel These Foolish Things , by Deborah Moggach , and features an ensemble cast consisting of Judi Dench , Celia Imrie , Bill Nighy , Ronald Pickup , Maggie Smith , Tom Wilkinson and Penelope Wilton , as a group of British pensioners moving to a retirement hotel in India , run by the young and eager Sonny , played by Dev Patel . The movie was produced by Participant Media and Blueprint Pictures on a budget of $ 10 million . Producers Graham Broadbent and Peter Czernin first saw the potential for a film in Deborah Moggach 's novel with the idea of exploring the lives of the elderly beyond what one would expect of their age group . With the assistance of screenwriter Ol Parker , they came up with a script in which they take the older characters completely out of their element and involve them in a romantic comedy . Principal photography began on 10 October 2010 in India , and most of the filming took place in the Indian state of Rajasthan , including the cities of Jaipur and Udaipur . Ravla Khempur , an equestrian hotel which was originally the palace of a tribal chieftain in the village of Khempur , was chosen as the site for the film hotel . The film was released in the United Kingdom on 24 February 2012 and received critical acclaim ; The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel opened to strong box-office business in the United Kingdom and continued to build worldwide . It became a surprise box-office hit following its international release , eventually grossing nearly $ 137 million worldwide . It was ranked among the highest-grossing 2012 releases in Australia , New Zealand and the United Kingdom , and as one of the highest-grossing speciality releases of the year . A sequel , The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel , began production in India in January 2014 , and was released on 26 February 2015 .", "Thor (Marvel Comics). Thor Odinson is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character , based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name , is the Asgardian god of thunder and possesses the enchanted hammer Mjolnir , which grants him the ability of flight and weather manipulation amongst his other superhuman attributes . Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books , the character first appeared in Journey into Mystery # 83 ( Aug. 1962 ) and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee , scripter Larry Lieber , and penciller-plotter Jack Kirby . He has starred in several ongoing series and limited series , and is a founding member of the superhero team the Avengers , appearing in each volume of that series . The character has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including animated television series , clothing , toys , trading cards , video games , and movies . The character was first portrayed in live action by Eric Allan Kramer in the 1988 television movie The Incredible Hulk Returns . Chris Hemsworth portrays Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor , The Avengers , Thor : The Dark World and Avengers : Age of Ultron and will reprise his role in Thor : Ragnarok , Avengers : Infinity War , and its untitled sequel . Thor placed 14th on IGN 's list of `` Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time '' in 2011 , and first in their list of `` The Top 50 Avengers '' in 2012 .", "Interstellar (film). Use mdy dates | date = May 2016 -RCB- Interstellar is a 2014 British-American epic science fiction film directed , co-written , and co-produced by Christopher Nolan . The film stars Matthew McConaughey , Anne Hathaway , Jessica Chastain , Bill Irwin , Casey Affleck , Ellen Burstyn , John Lithgow , and Michael Caine . Set in a dystopian future where humanity is struggling to survive , it follows a group of astronauts who travel through a wormhole in search of a new home for humanity . Brothers Christopher and Jonathan Nolan wrote the screenplay , which has its origins in a script Jonathan developed in 2007 . Nolan produced the film with his wife Emma Thomas through their production company Syncopy and with Lynda Obst through Lynda Obst Productions . Caltech theoretical physicist Kip Thorne , whose work inspired the film , was an executive producer and acted as scientific consultant . Later , he also wrote a tie-in book , The Science of Interstellar . Paramount Pictures , Warner Bros. , and Legendary Pictures co-financed the film . Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema shot the film on 35 mm in anamorphic format and IMAX 70 mm . Principal photography commenced in late 2013 in Alberta , Iceland and Los Angeles . The film utilized extensive practical and miniature effects , while the company Double Negative created additional digital effects . Interstellar premiered on October 26 , 2014 in Los Angeles . In the United States , it was first released on film stock , expanding to venues using digital projectors . The film was successful at the box office , with a worldwide gross of over $ 675 million , and received positive reviews , particularly in regards to its science fiction themes , visual effects , musical score , and the cast 's performances . It received several awards and nominations ; at the 87th Academy Awards , the film won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects , and was nominated for Best Original Score , Best Sound Mixing , Best Sound Editing , and Best Production Design .", "The Getaway (Red Hot Chili Peppers album). The Getaway is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers , released through Warner Bros. on June 17 , 2016 . This is the band 's first studio album since 2011 's I 'm with You . It was produced by Danger Mouse , who replaced Rick Rubin after twenty-five years and six albums as the band 's producer , making it the first non-Rubin produced album since 1989 's Mother 's Milk , while its release makes the current lineup of the band only the second in the group 's history to record more than one album together . The Getaway made its debut at number one in ten different countries while reaching number two in the band 's home country of the United States along with the United Kingdom and Canada . Since its release , the album has received mostly favorable reviews . The album was preceded by the first single `` Dark Necessities '' on May 5 , 2016 . `` Dark Necessities '' became the band 's 13th number-one single on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart , a record they have held since 2006 's `` Snow ( ( Hey Oh ) ) '' and currently hold over Linkin Park ( 11 ) . It was also their 25th top-ten single on the Alternative Songs chart , a record they hold over U2 ( 23 ) . `` Dark Necessities '' became only the fourth song ever to top the Mainstream Rock , Alternative Songs and Adult Alternative charts at the same time . The album 's title track received radio airplay in the UK despite never being released as an official single . `` Go Robot '' was released as the album 's second single on September 8 , 2016 , peaking at number 12 on the Alternative Songs Chart , while `` Sick Love '' was released as the third single on December 4 , 2016 however it failed to chart . `` Goodbye Angels '' was released as the album 's fourth single on April 4 , 2017 .", "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. I 'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here ! is a British made reality TV series in which up to 12 celebrities live together in a jungle environment for three weeks . They have no luxuries , and compete to be crowned king or queen of the jungle . The first episode aired in August 2002 and a 16th UK series was aired in November 2016 , with another one due to air at the same time the following year . The show was originally created in the United Kingdom by the Manchester-based Granada Television and developed by its London subsidiary LWT for ITV . It is now produced by ITV Studios and has been licensed globally to countries including the United States , Germany , France , Hungary , Sweden , the Netherlands , Denmark , Romania , Australia and India . As of 2016 , the UK , German and Australian versions are still in production .", "Kristen Bell. Kristen Anne Bell ( born July 18 , 1980 ) is an American actress and singer . She began her acting career starring in stage productions and attended the Tisch School of Arts in New York . In 2001 , she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and starred in the Broadway revival of The Crucible the following year . In 2004 , she had a supporting role in the film Spartan and received praise for her first leading performance in Gracie 's Choice . Bell gained critical acclaim for her first major role as the title character in the teen noir drama television series Veronica Mars ( 2004 -- 07 ) . For her performance she was awarded a Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television . She reprised the eponymous role in the 2014 film continuation of the series . During her time on Veronica Mars , Bell appeared as Mary Lane in the film Reefer Madness : The Movie Musical ( 2005 ) , a reprise of the role she had played in the New York musical upon which the film was based . In 2007 , Bell joined the cast of the sci-fi series Heroes , playing the character Elle Bishop , for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award . In 2008 , she had her breakout film role as the title character in Forgetting Sarah Marshall . She has since appeared in a number of comedy films , such as Couples Retreat ( 2009 ) , When in Rome ( 2010 ) , You Again ( 2010 ) , and The Boss ( 2016 ) . Bell garnered further recognition for voicing Princess Anna in the Disney film Frozen ( 2013 ) , the short film Frozen Fever ( 2015 ) , and the upcoming Frozen 2 . She also starred as the female lead on the Showtime series House of Lies . Since 2016 , she has starred in the main role of Eleanor Shellstrop on the NBC comedy series The Good Place . Bell married actor Dax Shepard in 2013 , with whom she has two daughters .", "The Getaway (video game). The Getaway is an action-adventure open world video game developed by Team Soho and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2 . The Getaway is the first in the series and is said to have been inspired by British gangland films Get Carter and Snatch . Initially , the release of the game was to coincide with the launch of the PlayStation 2 in 2000 , but was delayed by 27 months due to the difficulty of re-creating large areas of London in high resolution . The game focuses on two characters each with their own plot settings , being an ex-bank robber , Mark Hammond and a police officer in service with the Flying Squad , Detective Constable Frank Carter with both plots running parallel and intersecting before concluding in the finale of the game . A sequel entitled The Getaway : Black Monday was released in 2004 .", "Kirsten Dunst. Kirsten Caroline Dunst ( -LSB- ˈkɪərstən -RSB- born April 30 , 1982 ) is an American actress . She made her film debut in Woody Allen 's short film Oedipus Wrecks for the anthology film New York Stories ( 1989 ) . At the age of twelve , Dunst gained widespread recognition as Claudia in Interview with the Vampire ( 1994 ) , a role for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress . She appeared in Little Women the same year and in Jumanji the following year . After a recurring role in the third season of the NBC medical drama ER ( 1996 -- 97 ) as Charlie Chemingo and starring in films such as Wag the Dog ( 1997 ) , Small Soldiers ( 1998 ) , the 1998 English dub of Kiki 's Delivery Service ( 1989 ) , and The Virgin Suicides ( 1999 ) , Dunst began making romantic comedies and comedy-dramas , starring in Drop Dead Gorgeous ( 1999 ) , Bring It On ( 2000 ) , Get Over It and Crazy/Beautiful ( both released in 2001 ) . Dunst achieved fame for her portrayal of Mary Jane Watson in Sam Raimi 's Spider-Man trilogy ( 2002 -- 07 ) . Since then , her films have included the romantic comedy Wimbledon ( 2004 ) , the science fiction romantic comedy-drama Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ( 2004 ) and Cameron Crowe 's romantic tragicomedy Elizabethtown ( 2005 ) . She played the title role in Sofia Coppola 's biographical film Marie Antoinette ( 2006 ) and starred in the comedy film How to Lose Friends & Alienate People ( 2008 ) . She won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival and the Saturn Award for Best Actress for her performance in Lars von Trier 's Melancholia ( 2011 ) . She starred in the second season of the television series Fargo in 2015 , playing the role of Peggy Blumquist , a hairdresser who gets mixed up in a war between two crime families . Her performance garnered widespread critical acclaim , leading to her winning the Critics ' Choice Television Award for Best Actress and being nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie . In 2001 , Dunst made her singing debut in the film Get Over It , in which she performed two songs . She also sang the jazz song `` After You 've Gone '' for the end credits of the film The Cat 's Meow ( 2001 ) .", "The Getaway (Chris de Burgh album). The Getaway is singer Chris de Burgh 's sixth original album , released on A&M Records in 1982 . It was the first studio album of de Burgh 's to chart in the UK , following the compilation Best Moves a year earlier . The album peaked at 30 in the UK and spent 16 weeks on the chart .", "Tom Hiddleston. Thomas William Hiddleston ( born 9 February 1981 ) is an English actor , producer and musical performer . At the beginning of his career , he appeared in West End theatre productions of Cymbeline ( 2007 ) and Ivanov ( 2008 ) . He won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Play for his role in Cymbeline and was also nominated for the same award for his role as Cassio in Othello . He came to wider public attention when cast as Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , appearing in Thor ( 2011 ) , The Avengers ( 2012 ) , Thor : The Dark World ( 2013 ) , and Thor : Ragnarok ( 2017 ) . In 2011 , he won the Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer and was nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star Award . Hiddleston has also appeared in Steven Spielberg 's War Horse ( 2011 ) , The Deep Blue Sea ( 2011 ) , Woody Allen 's romantic comedy Midnight in Paris ( 2011 ) , the 2012 BBC series Henry IV and Henry V , and the romantic vampire film Only Lovers Left Alive ( 2013 ) . In late 2013 and early 2014 , Hiddleston starred as the title character in the Donmar Warehouse production of Coriolanus , winning the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor . In 2015 , he starred in Guillermo del Toro 's Crimson Peak , Ben Wheatley 's High Rise , and played the troubled country music singer Hank Williams in the biopic I Saw The Light . In 2016 , he starred in and was an executive producer of the AMC / BBC limited series The Night Manager , for which he received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie and Outstanding Limited Series , and won his first Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Film .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Gwyneth Paltrow. Gwyneth Kate Paltrow ( -LSB- ˈɡwɪnᵻθ_ˈpæltroʊ -RSB- born September 27 , 1972 ) is an American actress , singer , comedian and food writer . She gained early notice for her work in films such as the thriller Seven ( 1995 ) and the period drama Emma ( 1996 ) . Following starring roles in the romantic comedy-drama Sliding Doors ( 1998 ) and the thriller A Perfect Murder ( 1998 ) , Paltrow garnered worldwide recognition through her performance in Shakespeare in Love ( 1998 ) , for which she won an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards . Paltrow has portrayed supporting , as well as lead roles , in films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley ( 1999 ) , The Royal Tenenbaums ( 2001 ) , Shallow Hal ( 2001 ) , and Proof ( 2005 ) , for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination . Since 2008 , Paltrow has portrayed Pepper Potts , the female lead of the Iron Man franchise in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , in Iron Man ( 2008 ) , Iron Man 2 ( 2010 ) , The Avengers ( 2012 ) , and Iron Man 3 ( 2013 ) . She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011 for her role as Holly Holliday on the Fox television series Glee , her first and so far only foray into television acting . She reprised the role several other times throughout the series ' run . Paltrow has been the face of Estée Lauder 's Pleasures perfume since 2005 . She is also the face of American fashion brand Coach , owner of a lifestyle company ( GOOP ) , and author of two cookbooks .", "Viggo Mortensen. Viggo Peter Mortensen Jr. ( -LSB- ˈviːɡoʊ_ˈmɔrtənsən -RSB- -LSB- ʋiːɡ̊o ˈmɒːd̥n̩sn̩ -RSB- ; born October 20 , 1958 ) is a Danish-American actor , author , musician , photographer , poet and painter . He made his film debut in Peter Weir 's 1985 thriller Witness , and appeared in many notable films of subsequent years , including The Indian Runner ( 1991 ) , Carlito 's Way ( 1993 ) , Crimson Tide ( 1995 ) , Daylight ( 1996 ) , The Portrait of a Lady ( 1996 ) , G.I. Jane ( 1997 ) , A Perfect Murder ( 1998 ) , A Walk on the Moon ( 1999 ) , and 28 Days ( 2000 ) . Mortensen received international attention in the early 2000s with his role as Aragorn in the epic film trilogy The Lord of the Rings . In 2005 , Mortensen won critical acclaim for David Cronenberg 's crime thriller A History of Violence . Two years later , another Cronenberg film Eastern Promises ( 2007 ) earned him further critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor . A third teaming with Cronenberg in A Dangerous Method ( 2011 ) resulted in a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture . Other well-received films have included Appaloosa ( 2008 ) , adapted from a Robert B. Parker novel , and Far from Men , an adaptation of Albert Camus ' short story The Guest . He received a second Best Actor nomination in 2017 at the 89th Academy Awards for his role in Captain Fantastic . Aside from acting , his other artistic pursuits include fine arts , photography , poetry , and music . In 2002 , he founded the Perceval Press to publish the works of little-known artists and authors .", "Everest (2015 film). Everest is a 2015 British-American biographical adventure film directed and co-produced by Baltasar Kormákur , co-produced by Tim Bevan , Eric Fellner , Nicky Kentish Barnes , Tyler Thompson and Brian Oliver and written by William Nicholson and Simon Beaufoy , adapted from Beck Weathers ' memoir Left for Dead : My Journey Home from Everest ( 2000 ) . It stars an ensemble cast of Jason Clarke , Josh Brolin , John Hawkes , Robin Wright , Michael Kelly , Sam Worthington , Keira Knightley , Emily Watson , and Jake Gyllenhaal . It is based on the real events of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster , and focuses on the survival attempts of two expedition groups , one led by Rob Hall ( Clarke ) and the other by Scott Fischer ( Gyllenhaal ) . The film opened the 72nd Venice International Film Festival on 2 September 2015 , and was released theatrically on 18 September 2015 . It was first released in IMAX 3D on 11 September 2015 , in the UK and in IMAX 3D , RealD 3D , and 2D internationally , and exclusively in IMAX 3D , 18 September 2015 as a limited release in the United States and Canada , and along 36 other countries . It began a wide release in the United States on 25 September 2015 . The film was a commercial blockbuster , grossing $ 203 million worldwide over a $ 55 million budget and received positive reviews from critics . Kormákur , Universal , Walden Media , Cross Creek and Working Title dedicated the 3D film to the late British actress Natasha Richardson .", "Game of Thrones. Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss . It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire , George R. R. Martin 's series of fantasy novels , the first of which is A Game of Thrones . It is filmed at Titanic Studios in Belfast , on location in the United Kingdom , and in Canada , Croatia , Iceland , Malta , Morocco , Spain , and the United States . The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17 , 2011 , and its sixth season ended on June 26 , 2016 . The series was renewed for a seventh season , which is scheduled to premiere on July 16 , 2017 , and will conclude with its eighth season in 2018 . Set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos , Game of Thrones has several plot lines and a large ensemble cast . The first story arc follows a dynastic conflict among competing claimants for succession to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms , with other noble families fighting for independence from the throne . The second covers attempts to reclaim the throne by the exiled last scion of the realm 's deposed ruling dynasty ; the third chronicles the threat of the impending winter and the legendary creatures and fierce peoples of the North . Game of Thrones has attracted record viewership on HBO and has a broad , active , international fan base . It has been acclaimed by critics , particularly for its acting , complex characters , story , scope , and production values , although its frequent use of nudity and violence ( including sexual violence ) has attracted criticism . The series has received 38 Primetime Emmy Awards , including Outstanding Drama Series in 2015 and 2016 , more than any other primetime scripted television series . Its other awards and nominations include three Hugo Awards for Best Dramatic Presentation ( 2012 -- 2014 ) , a 2011 Peabody Award , and four nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama ( 2012 and 2015 -- 2017 ) . Of the ensemble cast , Peter Dinklage has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series ( 2011 and 2015 ) and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Series , Miniseries or Television Film ( 2012 ) for his performance as Tyrion Lannister . Lena Headey , Emilia Clarke , Kit Harington , Maisie Williams , Diana Rigg , and Max von Sydow have also received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for their performances in the series ." ]

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[ "Selena. Selena Quintanilla-Pérez ( -LSB- seˈlena kintaˈniʝa ˈpeɾes -RSB- or -LSB- seˈlena kintaˈniʎa ˈpeɾeθ -RSB- April 16 , 1971 -- March 31 , 1995 ) was an American singer , songwriter , spokesperson , model , actress , and fashion designer . Called the Queen of Tejano music , her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century . Billboard magazine named her the `` top Latin artist of the '90s '' and the `` best selling Latin artist of the decade '' . Media outlets called her the `` Tejano Madonna '' for her clothing choices . She also ranks among the most influential Latin artists of all-time and is credited for catapulting a music genre into the mainstream market . The youngest child of the Quintanilla family , she debuted on the music scene in 1980 as a member of the band Selena y Los Dinos , which also included her elder siblings A.B. Quintanilla and Suzette Quintanilla . Selena began recording professionally in 1982 . In the 1980s , she was often criticized and was refused bookings at venues across Texas for performing Tejano music -- a male-dominated music genre . However , her popularity grew after she won the Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year in 1987 , which she won nine consecutive times . Selena signed with EMI Latin in 1989 and released her self-titled debut album the same year , while her brother became her principal music producer and songwriter . Selena released Entre a Mi Mundo ( 1992 ) , which peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart for 19 nonconsecutive weeks . The album 's commercial success led music critics to call the album the `` breakthrough '' recording of her musical career . One of its singles , `` Como La Flor '' , became one of her most popular signature songs . Live ! ( 1993 ) won Best Mexican/American Album at the 1994 Grammy Awards , becoming the first recording by a Tejano artist to do so . In 1994 , Selena released Amor Prohibido , which became one of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States . It was critically acclaimed as being responsible for Tejano music 's first marketable era as it became one of the most popular Latin music subgenres at the time . Selena began recording English-language songs for her crossover album . Aside from music , Selena was active in her community and donated her time to civic causes . Coca-Cola appointed her its spokesperson in Texas . Selena became a sex icon ; she was often criticized for wearing suggestive outfits in light of her comments about being a role model for young women . Selena and her guitarist , Chris Pérez , eloped in April 1992 after her father raised concerns over their relationship . On March 31 , 1995 , Selena was shot dead by Yolanda Saldívar , her friend and former employee of her Selena Etc. boutiques . Saldívar was cornered by police when she attempted to flee , and threatened to kill herself , but was convinced to give herself up and was sentenced to life in prison with a possible parole after 30 years . Saldívar is currently incarcerated at the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville , Texas . Two weeks later , George W. Bush -- governor of Texas at the time -- declared Selena 's birthday Selena Day in Texas . Her posthumous crossover album , Dreaming of You ( 1995 ) , debuted atop the Billboard 200 , making Selena the first Latin artist to accomplish this feat . In 1997 , Warner Bros. released Selena , a film about her life and career , which starred Jennifer Lopez as Selena and Lupe Ontiveros as Saldívar . , Selena has sold over 60 million albums worldwide .", "Selena (album). Selena is the self-titled debut studio album by American Tejano singer Selena , released on October 17 , 1989 by EMI Latin . Its music incorporates a range of contemporary genres with a mix of cumbia and regional styles of Mexican music . The album was released after EMI Latin president Jose Behar 's request for a crossover album was denied by the heads of EMI Records ' pop division . The majority of the recordings were composed by A.B. Quintanilla -- Selena 's brother and principal record producer and songwriter . Aside from A.B. , Selena worked with two Mexican songwriters , Alejandro Montealegre and Reinaldo Ornelas . Selena peaked at number seven on the U.S. Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart . The recording led Selena to win Female Vocalist of the Year and Female Entertainer of the Year at the 1990 Tejano Music Awards . The album was more successful than her local independent label albums . It outsold other female Tejano singers albums at the time of its release , and as a result increased the singer 's popularity . Selena became a sex icon after the album 's release . Selena had a mixture of music genres , which became her trademark . The lead single `` Contigo Quiero Estar '' peaked at number eight on the U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Tracks . Two other singles released from the album -- `` Mentiras '' and `` Sukiyaki '' -- were commercially less successful .", "Selena (film). Selena is a 1997 American biographical musical drama film written and directed by Gregory Nava about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena , a recording artist well known in the Mexican American and Hispanic communities in the United States and Mexico before she was murdered by Yolanda Saldívar , the president of her fan club , at the age of 23 . The film stars Jennifer Lopez in her breakout role as Selena . Her father Abraham Quintanilla Jr. ( who served as the producer in the film ) is played by Edward James Olmos and Constance Marie plays Selena 's mother Marcella Quintanilla . Selena was released on March 21 , 1997 in the United States to positive reviews from critics and audiences .", "Lo Mejor de...Selena. Lo Mejor de ... Selena ( The Best of ... Selena ) is a double disc compilation album by American singer Selena . It was released posthumously in the United States on March 31 , 2015 by EMI Latin and Universal Music Latin Entertainment . The album was released after the commercial and chart success of Enamorada de Ti ( 2012 ) , which featured several Latin music acts lending their voices for the remix album . The recording features six number one United States Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart singles by the singer -- `` Buenos Amigos '' , `` Donde Quiera Que Estés '' , `` Amor Prohibido '' , `` Bidi Bidi Bom Bom '' , `` No Me Queda Más '' , `` Fotos y Recuerdos '' , and the U.S. Billboard Latin Pop Airplay chart single `` I Could Fall in Love '' . The album debuted and peaked at number two on the U.S Billboard Top Latin Albums . A year after its release , the recording peaked at number one on the Latin Pop Albums chart , giving Selena her first number one album in four years . Lo Mejor de ... Selena also debuted and peaked at number 102 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart , her highest charting album since 1999 's All My Hits/Todos Mis Exitos . The recording earned the singer the Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year , Female . As of July 2016 , the album has sold 42,000 album-equivalent units .", "Selena Live!. Live ! or Selena Live ! is a live album by American Tejano pop singer Selena , which was released on May 4 , 1993 by EMI Latin . The album was re-released on September 22 , 2002 as being part of the Selena : 20 Years of Music collection ; which included spoken liner notes by her family , friends and her former band members Selena y Los Dinos . Live ! includes three cumbia-influenced studio tracks , while the rest of the album consists of live versions of previously released songs . The album was recorded during a free concert at the Memorial Coliseum in Corpus Christi , Texas , on February 7 , 1993 . It was certified gold ( Latin type ) by the Recording Industry Association of America in its first year , double platinum ( Latin type ) in 1995 , and gold ( standard ) in 2002 . Live ! led Selena to win a Grammy Award for Best Mexican/American Album at the 36th Grammy Awards , the first Tejano musician to do so . It had won two awards from the 1994 Billboard Latin Music Awards , and three awards at the 1994 Tejano Music Awards . Live ! peaked at number one on the US Regional Mexican Albums , number two on the Top Latin Albums and number 79 on the Billboard 200 . Soon after the release of Live ! , the album received mostly positive reviews from music critics who claimed the album was `` foreshadowing '' Amor Prohibido ( 1994 ) , and that Selena was the Mexican equivalent of Madonna . The album spawned three singles , which were simultaneously in the top five positions on the Hot Latin Tracks chart .", "Dreaming of You (Selena album). Dreaming of You is the fifth and final studio album by American singer Selena . Released posthumously on July 18 , 1995 by EMI Latin and EMI Records , it was an immediate commercial and critical success , debuting atop the United States Billboard 200 -- the first predominately Spanish-language album to do so . It sold 175,000 copies on its first day of release in the U.S. -- a then-record for a female vocalist . With first week sales of 331,000 units , it became the second-highest first-week sales for a female musician since Nielsen Soundscan began monitoring album sales in 1991 . Billboard magazine declared it a `` historic '' event , while Time said the recording elevated Selena 's music to a wider audience . It won Album of the Year at the 1996 Tejano Music Awards and Female Pop Album of the Year at the 2nd annual Billboard Latin Music Awards . After signing a recording contract with EMI Latin in 1989 , the label denied Selena a requested crossover after she made three demonstration recordings . After her Grammy Award nomination for Live ( 1993 ) was announced , Selena signed with SBK Records to begin recording her crossover album , which was front-page news in Billboard magazine . In March 1994 , she released Amor Prohibido ; in interviews she said her English-language album was still being developed . Recording sessions for Dreaming of You began in December 1994 ; Selena recorded four tracks slated for the album . On March 31 , 1995 , she was shot dead by Yolanda Saldívar , the former manager of her Selena Etc. boutiques over a dispute about claims of embezzlement . The album contains some previously released material , as well as some unreleased English and Spanish-language tracks that were recorded between 1992 and 1995 . The tracks are a mixture of American pop and Latin music , with the first half of Dreaming of You containing R&B and pop ballads , while the latter half profiles Selena 's Latin-themed repertoire . Six tracks from the album were released as singles . The first four singles , `` I Could Fall in Love '' , `` Tú Sólo Tú '' , `` Techno Cumbia '' , and `` Dreaming of You '' , charted within the top ten on the U.S. charts . The title track became Selena 's highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 single of her career , peaking at number twenty-two and was named the eighty-eight Hot 100 single of all-time . Dreaming of You was among the top ten best-selling debuts for a musician , best-selling debut by a female act , and the fastest-selling U.S. album of 1995 . It has since been ranked among the best and most important recordings produced during the rock and roll era . Media outlets have since ranked the recording among the best posthumous releases . When Dreaming of You peaked at number one , Tejano music entered the mainstream market . Music critics said the general population of the U.S. would not have known about Tejano or Latin music had it not been for Dreaming of You . The Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) certified the album 35 × platinum ( Latin field ) , for shipping 3.5 million units in the U.S. . The album was eventually certified gold by Music Canada and by Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas ( AMPROFON ) . As of January 2015 , the album has sold five million copies worldwide , and remains the best-selling Latin album of all-time in the U.S.", "List of songs recorded by Selena. American recording artist Selena had recorded songs for her five studio albums and one live album and has collaborated with other recording artists for vocal duets and featured songs on their respective albums . Her six independently released LP records -- Mis Primeras Grabaciones ( 1984 ) , Alpha ( 1986 ) , Munequito de Trapo ( 1987 ) , And the Winner Is ... ( 1987 ) , Preciosa ( 1988 ) , and Dulce Amor ( 1988 ) contained recordings which were written by Selena 's father and manager Abraham Quintanilla , Jr. and by several Mexican songwriters from Freddie Records and Manny Guerra Productions . After signing a contract in 1989 with EMI Latin , a division of then Capitol EMI ( now Universal Music Group ) , 18-year-old Selena released the double A-side single `` Contigo Quiero Estar '' / `` Quiero Ser '' and began to record tracks for her debut studio album , Selena ( 1989 ) . Her brother A.B. Quintanilla III , became her principal record producer and songwriter beginning with Selena . Selena released her second studio album , Ven Conmigo , in 1990 . The tracks `` Aunque No Salga el Sol '' and `` La Tracalera '' were re-recorded for the album , they were originally recorded in 1985 under Cara Records . In 1991 , Salvadoran singer-songwriter Álvaro Torres wrote `` Buenos Amigos '' and asked Selena to be his love interest in the song . Following Entre a Mi Mundo ( 1992 ) , all songs were written by Selena y Los Dinos band members , including A.B. , who wrote `` Como la Flor '' , which became Selena 's most popular signature song . In Selena Live ! , three out of the 11 tracks were studio recordings ; `` No Debes Jugar '' , `` La Llamada '' and `` Tú Robaste Mi Corazón '' ( a duet with American singer Emilio Navaira ) were all written by A.B. and co-written by Pete Astudillo and Ricky Vela . On Amor Prohibido ( 1994 ) , the three number one US singles , `` No Me Queda Más '' , `` Bidi Bidi Bom Bom '' and the title track became Selena 's most popular recordings and were all written and co-written by A.B. , Astudillo , Vela and Selena . While the rest , excluding `` Cobarde '' , were all written and co-written by Selena y Los Dinos band members . `` Fotos y Recuerdos '' , which sampled American rock band the Pretenders 1982 song , `` Back on the Chain Gang '' , was written by their lead vocalist Chrissie Hynde with translation in Spanish by Vela . Selena was featured on the Barrio Boyzz ' 1994 single `` Donde Quiera Que Estés '' , which was written by K. C. Porter , Miguel Flores and Desmond Child . On March 31 , 1995 , Selena was shot and killed by her friend and former employee , Yolanda Saldívar . At the time of her death , Selena was working on releasing a cross over album that would propel her into mainstream English-language markets and expand her fan base , particularly among her English-language fans . `` I Could Fall in Love '' , the lead single from her crossover attempt , was written and produced by Keith Thomas , while `` Dreaming of You '' was written by Franne Golde and Tom Snow . The track `` I 'm Getting Used to You '' was written by Diane Warren , while Kit Hain wrote `` Captive Heart '' . Two Spanish-language covers , `` Tú Sólo Tú '' ( a Pedro Infante cover ) and `` El Toro Relajo '' , were written by Felipe Valdés Leal and Felipe Bermejo , respectively . The soundtrack album to the biographical film Selena , included the ballad `` Where Did the Feeling Go ? '' , `` Is It the Beat ? '' and the `` Disco Medley '' . The former , which is a cover version written by Norman Saleet for Australian singer Russell Hitchcock . `` Is It the Beat ? '' , written by A.B. and Pamela Phillips Oland , and the `` Disco Medley '' were cover songs written by Frederick Perren , Dino Fekaris , Steve Greenberg , Paul Jabara , Van McCoy , Donna Summer , and Giorgio Moroder . Selena 's charity effort , `` A Boy Like That '' , which was a cover from the 1961 film adaptation of the West Side Story , was recorded to help raise funds for AIDS patients . For the medley ballad , `` Con Tanto Amor Medley '' , A.B. mash-up `` Como la Flor '' , `` Amor Prohibido '' and `` Si Una Vez '' , which was added to the track listing for Ones ( 2002 ) . Selena 's last known recording , `` Puede Ser '' , a duet with Puerto Rican/Dominican singer Nando `` Güero '' Dominguez , was written by Selena 's widower Chris Perez and A.B. . In Through the Years/A Traves de los Años ( 2007 ) , EMI Latin released `` Feelings '' , a 1978 song Selena recorded when she was six years old .", "Selena y Los Dinos. Selena y Los Dinos ( Selena and the Guys ) was the band in which Tejano music singer Selena performed , until her murder on March 31 , 1995 . Selena fronted the band since 1980 , started by her father Abraham Quintanilla , Jr. . When Selena was signed with EMI Latin , EMI president José Behar told Selena that the world wanted Selena , not Los Dinos . Selena then began releasing her studio albums under her own logo title Selena and not Selena y Los Dinos . Before Selena was signed with EMI , the band had sold more than 80,000 copies in the state of Texas alone , with the Tejano labels GP , Cara Records , Manny , and Freddie Records before 1989 .", "Selena: Greatest Hits. Selena : Greatest Hits , is a 2003 American music film starring Jennifer Lopez , which is a tribute to Selena 's music . It was released on August 5 , 2003 and both English and Spanish are used . It is set in Joshua Tree , California .", "Anthology (Selena album). Anthology is a three-disc/three-cassette box set that provides a comprehensive overview of Selena 's brief career . The set is divided into three parts -- a disc of mariachi , a disc of cumbia and a disc of pop recordings , many of which are in English . Most but not all are either Remix , Club Remix , or different style , and version of all songs listed here .", "Revival (Selena Gomez album). Revival is the second studio album by American singer Selena Gomez . It was released on October 9 , 2015 , by Interscope and Polydor Records . Gomez began planning the project in 2014 , at which time she left her previous label Hollywood Records and subsequently joined Interscope and Polydor , and continued work into 2015 . The record was inspired by the work of a range of artists , especially Christina Aguilera 's second studio album Stripped ( 2002 ) , and Gomez 's trip to Mexico , where she defined the album 's sound . Working with a handful of songwriters , Gomez co-wrote twelve out of the sixteen tracks that made the album 's track lists . The album reflects her journey since 2013 , including the media scrutiny on her personal life . As executive producers , Gomez , Danny D , and Tim Blacksmith collaborated with producers including Hit-Boy , Rock Mafia , and Stargate to achieve her desired new sound . Their efforts resulted in a primarily pop record , being the genre showcased in form of dance-pop and midtempo electropop , connected by a tropical beach sound and lyrics that discuss love and confidence . Revival was included on several year-end lists of best albums . The record debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week earnings of 117,000 units , of which 85,000 were pure album sales . In doing so , it became Gomez 's second consecutive number-one album , after Stars Dance ( 2013 ) . It was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , denoting one million album-equivalent units ( including albums sales , streaming and track-equivalent units ) sold in the United States . With its singles `` Good for You '' ( featuring rapper A$ AP Rocky ) and `` Same Old Love '' both reaching number five and `` Hands to Myself '' charting at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 , Revival is further distinguished as Gomez 's first record to house multiple top 10 singles in the United States ; all of which became her first three number-one singles on the Mainstream Top 40 chart . Gomez promoted the album with several televised performances and embarked on her Revival Tour in May 2016 , which visited North America , Asia and Oceania . However , for health reasons , it was canceled in August .", "Selena Gomez. Selena Marie Gomez ( -LSB- səˈliːnə_məˈɹiː_ˈɡoʊmɛz -RSB- ; -LSB- seˈlena ˈɣomes -RSB- ; born July 22 , 1992 ) is an American actress and singer . Having appeared in the children 's television series Barney & Friends while growing up , she rose to fame playing the role of Alex Russo on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place ( 2007 -- 2012 ) . In 2008 , she signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records and formed her band Selena Gomez & the Scene . The band released three studio albums and produced four top 30 singles by 2011 . Gomez also formed her own production company in 2008 , July Moon Productions ; she serves as an executive producer on the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why , which released in March 2017 . Between 2009 and 2011 , Gomez starred in films such as Princess Protection Program , Ramona and Beezus , and Monte Carlo , and took on a more mature role in Spring Breakers ( 2013 ) . Gomez also took her singing career in a different direction , with the release of her first solo album Stars Dance ( 2013 ) ; the album debuted atop the Billboard 200 in the United States and included the top ten single `` Come & Get It . '' Gomez released a compilation album in 2014 as her fifth and final release through Hollywood Records , which was preceded by her second top ten single `` The Heart Wants What It Wants '' , and signed a new recording contract with Interscope Records . In 2015 , she released her second solo album , Revival , which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 , while the first three singles , `` Good for You , '' `` Same Old Love , '' and `` Hands to Myself , '' all topped the Mainstream Top 40 chart in the United States . Gomez has also starred in the films The Fundamentals of Caring ( 2016 ) , In Dubious Battle ( 2016 ) , and in the Hotel Transylvania films . Since the start of her singing career , she has gone on to sell over 7 million albums and 22 million singles worldwide , according to Billboard . Gomez has earned a number of awards and nominations for her work as an actress and singer , and has won a Billboard Women in Music award , an MTV Video Music Award , an American Music Award , and fifteen Teen Choice Awards . As of November 2016 , Gomez is the most-followed Instagram user in the world .", "Selena (soundtrack). Selena : The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the film Selena , starring Jennifer Lopez and featuring unreleased songs by Selena , including `` Where Did the Feeling Go ? '' , `` Only Love '' , `` Is It the Beat ? '' and `` Disco Medley '' . Although this is the official soundtrack of the film , it does not feature most of the songs heard throughout the film from artists like Depeche Mode , Guns N ' Roses , John Waite and Yuri .", "List of awards and nominations received by Selena. Selena was an American Tejano pop singer-songwriter . She has been called the `` Queen of Tejano music '' by many media outlets including Entertainment Weekly , Billboard magazine , Los Angeles Magazine and Vibe . The singer had released eleven albums , six with her band Selena y Los Dinos and five without them : Mis Primeras Grabaciones ( 1984 ) , Alpha ( 1986 ) , Muñequito de Trapo ( 1987 ) , And the Winner Is ... ( 1987 ) , Preciosa ( 1988 ) , Dulce Amor ( 1988 ) , Selena ( 1989 ) , Ven Conmigo ( 1990 ) , Entre a Mi Mundo ( 1992 ) , Selena Live ! ( 1993 ) , Amor Prohibido ( 1994 ) and Dreaming of You ( 1995 ) . They have sold more than 60 million copies worldwide . Her 10 award-winning songs include `` Como La Flor '' , `` Amor Prohibido '' , `` Bidi Bidi Bom Bom '' , `` Techno Cumbia '' , `` Si Una Vez '' , `` Tú Sólo Tú '' , `` I Could Fall in Love '' , `` Dreaming of You '' , `` Siempre Hace Frio '' and `` No Quiero Saber '' . Selena was nominated for 86 awards , with 67 wins . She won 36 Tejano Music Awards , 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards , 10 Lo Nuestro Awards , five BMI Awards and one award from the American Society of Composers , Authors and Publishers . In 1995 , she was inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame . The Spirit of Hope Award was created in Selena 's honor in 1996 , and was awarded to Latin artists who participated in humanitarian and civic causes . By 1998 , Selena and Proyecto Uno were the first artists to have won a Billboard Latin Music Award in two different genres .", "Selena (disambiguation). Selena ( Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , 1971 -- 1995 ) was an American singer . Selena may also refer to :", "Murder of Selena. Selena Quintanilla-Pérez ( April 16 , 1971 -- March 31 , 1995 ) was an American singer who achieved international fame as a member of Selena y Los Dinos and for her subsequent solo career . Her father and manager , Abraham Quintanilla Jr. , appointed Yolanda Saldívar president of Selena 's fan club in 1991 after Saldívar had repeatedly asked permission to start one . In January 1994 , Saldívar was promoted to manager of the singer 's boutiques . Selena 's employees , fashion designer , and cousin began complaining about Saldívar 's management style . In January 1995 , Quintanilla , Jr. began receiving telephone calls and letters from angry fans who had sent membership payments and had received nothing in return . He began investigating their complaints and found evidence that Saldívar had embezzled $ 60,000 from the fan club and the boutiques using forged checks . After the Quintanilla family confronted her , Saldívar bought a gun , lured Selena to a motel room , and shot her in the back . Although doctors tried to revive Selena , she was pronounced dead from loss of blood and cardiac arrest . The Latino community was deeply affected by the news of Selena 's death ; some people traveled thousands of miles to visit her house , boutiques , and the crime scene , while churches with large congregations of Latinos held prayers in her name . All major television networks in the United States interrupted their regular programming to break the news . The public 's reaction to Selena 's death was compared to those that followed the deaths of John Lennon , Elvis Presley , and John F. Kennedy . Some Americans who were unaware of the singer and her popularity criticized the attention she and her murder received from both the media and the Latino community . Radio personality Howard Stern mocked Selena 's murder , burial , and her mourners and criticized her music , playing her songs with gunshots in the background , causing an uproar among the Latino population . On April 12 , 1995 -- two weeks after her death -- then-Texas governor George W. Bush declared her birthday Selena Day in Texas . Some Americans were offended because Selena Day that year coincided with Easter . At the time of Selena 's death , Tejano music was one of the most popular Latin music subgenres in the United States . She was called the `` Queen of Tejano music '' and became the first Latino artist to have a predominantly Spanish-language album -- Dreaming of You ( 1995 ) -- debut and peak at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart . After her death , the popularity of Tejano music waned . During Saldívar 's trial for the murder -- called the `` trial of the century '' and the most important trial for the Latino population -- she said she accidentally shot Selena while attempting suicide . Saldívar was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment . Jennifer Lopez was cast as Selena in a 1997 biopic film about her life and became famous after the film 's release . Spanish-language networks in the U.S. often broadcast documentaries about Selena on the anniversary of her death ; they are among the most-watched programs in the history of American television and often score high ratings .", "Selena (given name). Selena is a given name . Notable people with the name include : Selena ( Selena Quintanilla-Pérez ; 1971 -- 1995 ) , American Tejano singer Selena ( Dutch singer ) ( Selena Brons ; born 1965 ) , Dutch singer Selena Barajas ( born 1982 ) , Mexican female volleyball player Selena Sloan Butler ( 1872 -- 1964 ) American founder and president of parent-teacher organizations Selena Coppa ( born 1983 ) , military intelligence Sergeant in the United States Army Selena Cuffe ( born 1975 ) , African-American businesswoman Selena Fox ( born 1949 ) , Wiccan priestess and activist Selena Gomez ( born 1992 ) , American singer and actress Selena Li ( born 1981 ) , Hong Kong actress and beauty contestant Selena Millares ( born 1963 ) , Spanish writer and professor Selena Piek ( born 1991 ) , Dutch badminton player Selena Roberts ( born 1966 ) , American sponsors and sportswriter Selena Royle ( 1904 -- 1983 ) , American actress Selena M. Salcedo , American soldier convicted of assaulting an Afghan prisoner who later died Selena Steele ( born 1961 ) , American exotic dancer and pornographic actress Selena Tan , Singaporean actress Selena Zhao ( born 1998 ) , Canadian competitive figure skater", "Unforgettable (Selena album). Unforgettable is a four-piece set celebrating the life of the late Tejano singer Selena . The set consisted of two albums , which were released on the same day as separate discs : Unforgettable : The Live Album and Unforgettable : The Studio Album . A week later , on April 5 , 2005 , Unforgettable : Limited Edition was released , which combined the studio and live album with two DVDs .", "Selena albums discography. American singer Selena has released five studio albums , three live albums , three boxsets , two remix albums , one soundtrack album , and twenty compilation albums . Credited for elevating a music genre into the mainstream market , Selena remains the best-selling Tejano recording artist whose posthumous releases continue to outsell those of living musicians . As of 2015 , the singer has sold 60 million copies worldwide , and was named the `` Top Latin Artist of the '90s '' and `` Best-selling Latin Artist of the Decade '' by Billboard magazine . Selena 's career began as lead vocalist of Los Dinos in 1980 . Her albums with Los Dinos on the indie labels failed to gain any chart success . She signed with EMI Latin nine years later as a solo artist though her band continued to tour with her . She released her self-titled debut album that same year , which peaked at number seven on the U.S. Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart . With Selena , the singer outsold other competing female Tejano artists . Her second album , Ven Conmigo , was released a year later and was billed as the first Tejano recording by a female musician to achieve gold status in the United States . In 1992 , Selena released her `` breakthrough album '' , Entre a Mi Mundo , which helped launch the singer 's career in Mexico along with its single `` Como la Flor '' . Entre a Mi Mundo became the first Tejano recording by a female artist to sell over 300,000 copies , and was the best-selling Regional Mexican Album of 1993 , it also ranks second on the Regional Mexican Albums All-time chart . In 1993 , Selena released Live , which contained three studio tracks . Live peaked at number two on the newly formed U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) for shipments of 500,000 copies . Selena released Amor Prohibido in March 1994 ; it was certified double Diamond by the RIAA , denoting shipments of two million copies in the United States . Additionally , the album spawned four consecutive US number-one singles . By December 1994 , Amor Prohibido became the second Tejano recording to achieve year-end sales of 500,000 copies . It was considered her `` biggest album '' and was credited with popularizing Tejano music among a younger and wider audience than any time in the genre 's history . With Amor Prohibido , Selena was considered `` bigger than Tejano itself '' , and broke barriers in the Latin music world . This prompted EMI to begin marketing Selena as an American pop artist , believing she had reached her peak in the Latin music market . The singer recorded four tracks slated for what would have been her English-language crossover album by March 1995 . On March 31 , 1995 Selena was shot dead by Yolanda Saldívar , her friend and a former employee of her Selena Etc. boutiques over disputed embezzlement claims . EMI Records and EMI Latin jointly released Dreaming of You in July 1995 . It sold 175,000 copies its first day of release , a then-record for a female vocalist . Dreaming of You debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart with 331,000 units sold its first week , the second largest first-week sales for a female musician . Dreaming of You became the first and to date the only predominantly Spanish-language album to debut and peak at number one on the Billboard 200 chart . Dreaming of You was among the top ten best-selling debuts for a musician , best-selling debut by a female act , and was the fastest-selling U.S. album in 1995 . Dreaming of You went on to become the best-selling Latin and Latin pop album for two consecutive years . At the time , Dreaming of You helped Selena to become the fastest-selling female act in recorded music history , and has since been ranked among the best and most important recordings produced during the rock and roll era . With Dreaming of You peaking at number one , Tejano music entered the mainstream market . Music critics believed that the general population of the United States would not have known about Tejano or Latin music had it not been for Dreaming of You . As of January 2015 , Dreaming of You has sold five million copies worldwide , and remains the best-selling Latin album of all-time in the United States . Since Selena 's death , there have been twenty-three posthumous releases with the most recent , Lo Mejor de ... Selena , released on the twentieth anniversary of her death .", "Ones (album). Ones ( Unos ) is a compilation album by American Tejano singer Selena , released in the United States on October 1 , 2002 by EMI Latin . It was released on November 11 , 2002 in Spanish-speaking countries , while the limited edition included a bonus DVD of her music videos . Ones was released building on the popularity of the 1997 biographical film Selena . The singer 's father Abraham Quintanilla , Jr. and sister Suzette Quintanilla told CBS TV host Julie Chen that the album was aimed at Selena 's new generation of fans . Ones was released as part of the Selena : 20 Years of Music collection -- a nine-disc series of her studio , live , soundtrack and compilation albums . The recording features six number one singles namely , -LSB- `` Amor Prohibido ( song ) , Amor Prohibido '' -RSB- , `` Bidi Bidi Bom Bom '' , `` No Me Queda Más '' , `` Fotos y Recuerdos '' , and her duets with Alvaro Torres on `` Buenos Amigos '' and the Barrio Boyzz on `` Donde Quiera Que Estés '' . Selena 's brother , A.B. Quintanilla III , remixed three of her singles ( `` Amor Prohibido '' , `` Como la Flor '' and `` Si Una Vez '' ) into a medley mash-up entitled `` Con Tanto Amor Medley '' , the same tracks found on the album . The track was released as a promotional single to radio stations , and received a mixed response from music critics . The album also received a mixed reception , with Jon O'Brien of AllMusic noting that the record label ignored Selena 's self-titled debut album from the track listing on Ones . The recording peaked at number two on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums and number one on the Latin Pop Albums charts . Ones peaked at number 159 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , signifying shipments of 500,000 copies in the United States .", "La Leyenda. La Leyenda ( English : The Legend ) is the name of the third box set from the Tejano pop singer Selena that was released by Capitol Latin/EMI and Q-Productions labels . The album was released on March 9 , 2010 . This box set was released in three formats : a four-disc box set , a two-disc special-edition album , and a single-disc album . According to Suzette Quintanilla 's YouTube video , EMI teamed up with Q-Productions ( a division of Selena 's father 's recording studio ) to release this box set , and Quintanilla asks Selena fans around the world to contribute a special message to Selena that may or may not be included in the new box set . The Box-sets will contain an exclusive `` Selena '' charm and four booklets that include messages from Selena 's family , friends , and fans from around the world . Selena fans around the world were told to collaborate pictures of themselves to be part of the La Leyenda bound books , but in early February 2010 , Q-Productions and Capitol Latin decided to cancel the transaction due to legal actions with copyrighted images from fans .", "For You (Selena Gomez album). For You is the first compilation album by American singer Selena Gomez . The album was released on November 24 , 2014 through Hollywood Records . It contains material from Gomez 's band Selena Gomez & the Scene , as well as her releases as a solo artist . For You has been described as a `` collection '' by Gomez , as opposed to a greatest hits album . The album serves as her final project to be released through Hollywood Records , with whom she released four studio albums and a remix album . It includes two previously unreleased songs , produced by Rock Mafia , as well as new versions of some previously released recordings . A digital extended play containing the new material was made available for streaming . The album received a generally positive critical reception upon its release ; it was seen as a fair representation of her music career , while the new material was praised for its `` mature '' sound . For You failed to achieve much commercial success , selling 35,506 equivalent album units in the United States during its first week of release . This led to its debut at number twenty-four on the Billboard 200 chart . The project saw a similar commercial performance worldwide , entering the lower end of eleven total countries . The album has reportedly sold over 89,000 copies in the United States as of July 2015 . For You received minimal promotion prior to its release . `` The Heart Wants What It Wants '' was released as the sole single from the project on November 6 , 2014 ; the album was announced and put up for pre-order the same day . The song and its accompanying music video received positive reviews from critics , who praised her new sound . The single went on to become her second top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States , and sold over one million copies in the country . It achieved similar success in multiple countries worldwide as well . Gomez performed the song at the American Music Awards of 2014 the day before the album 's release date ; it remains her only performance of the song to date .", "Selena Forever. Selena Forever is an American stage musical , based on the film Selena , that tells the life of the famous Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez . The musical has been staged under two titles . The first - Selena Forever was conceived with book and original lyrics by Edward Gallardo and original music by Fernando Rivas as well as additional songs that were originally performed by Selena herself . The musical premiered at the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium before launching on an ill-fated 30 city tour . The musical was then restaged as Selena : A Musical Celebration of Life in Los Angeles .", "Live! The Last Concert. Live : The Last Concert was recorded on February 26 , 1995 , at the Houston Astrodome . The concert was performed entirely live in front of more than 65,000 people . The music performed was mostly from Selena 's last Spanish album , Amor Prohibido . Live : The Last Concert was re-released as a DVD in 2004 . The album has been certified Platinum ( Latin type ) by RIAA with shipments of 200,000 copies . The album was a success earning the singer a 2002 Billboard Latin Music Award nomination for Pop album of the year , Female .", "Selena singles discography. American singer Selena released twenty-seven official singles , seven promotional singles , and made five guest vocalist appearances . Her career began as the lead vocalist of Los Dinos in 1980 . Her albums with Los Dinos on indie labels failed to achieve any chart success . In 1987 , her cover of Ritchie Valens ' `` La Bamba '' peaked at number 19 on the United States Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart , her first entry . She signed with EMI Latin nine years later as a solo artist though her band continued to tour with her . Selena appeared on `` Buenos Amigos '' with Salvadoran singer Álvaro Torres . The track peaked at number one on the U.S. Hot Latin Songs chart in 1991 , the singer 's first number one song . Subsequent singles , `` Baila Esta Cumbia '' and `` Como la Flor '' , became popular songs on Mexican radio , with `` Como la Flor '' launching the singer 's career in that country . `` Como la Flor '' peaked at number six on the Hot Latin Songs chart , despite popular culture claims that it was the singer 's first number one single . The track has charted on the U.S. Regional Mexican Digital Songs list since its inception in 2010 and remains the singer 's signature number and most popular recording . Selena 's live recording entitled Live ( 1993 ) contained three studio tracks and produced two , top five U.S. singles `` No Debes Jugar '' and `` La Llamada '' . After her collaboration with the Barrio Boyzz on the single `` Donde Quiera Que Estés '' peaked at number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart , Selena released her fourth studio album Amor Prohibido ( 1994 ) . The album continued the singer 's streak of US number one singles with `` Amor Prohibido '' , `` Bidi Bidi Bom Bom '' , `` No Me Queda Más '' , and The Pretenders ' cover `` Fotos y Recuerdos '' . The latter peaked at number one posthumously following the shooting death of Selena on March 31 , 1995 . `` Amor Prohibido '' and `` No Me Queda Más '' became the most successful U.S. Latin singles of 1994 and 1995 , respectively . At the time of her death , Selena was in the process of crossing over into the American pop market . Recording labels EMI Latin and EMI Records jointly released Dreaming of You several months after her death . Fearful that the song might cannibalize sales of the album in the U.S. , EMI Records released `` I Could Fall in Love '' as a promotional single . It became the highest charting English-language song on the Hot Latin Songs chart for two years and became her first number one single in Canada . The title track , `` Dreaming of You '' became the highest charting Billboard Hot 100 song of the singer 's career , peaking at number 22 . Her cover of Pedro Infante 's `` Tú Sólo Tú '' peaked at number one on the Hot Latin Songs for ten consecutive weeks ; the longest number-one single of her career . `` I 'm Getting Used to You '' peaked at number one on the U.S. Dance/Electronic Singles Sales ; her first number one on that chart . Selena 's last recorded song , `` A Boy Like That '' ( a cover song from the 1967 musical West Side Story ) was part of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences honoring the musical . The song was also a benefit recording for AIDS Project Los Angeles . It peaked at number four on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart after its release in 1996 . In 2002 , Selena 's brother and music producer A.B. Quintanilla mashed `` Como la Flor '' , `` Amor Prohibido '' , and `` Si Una Vez '' into a medley entitled `` Con Tanto Amor Medley '' to promote the album Ones . Since Billboard magazine began monitoring music downloads in 2010 , Selena 's songs re-entered the U.S. charts including first time entries `` La Carcacha '' ( 1990 ) , `` Ya Ves '' ( 1990 ) , `` Enamorada de Ti '' ( 1990 ) , `` Baila Esta Cumbia '' ( 1992 ) , and `` El Chico del Apartamento 512 '' ( 1994 ) .", "Selena ¡VIVE!. Selena ¡ VIVE ! ( Selena Lives ! ) was a benefit concert which was held on the tenth anniversary of the death of Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla-Pérez . The concert was held on April 7 , 2005 at the Reliant Stadium in Houston , Texas with over 70,000 attendees . The special was produced and filmed by the Spanish language network , Univision , and is the most watched Spanish-language special in U.S. history .", "List of songs recorded by Selena Gomez. Selena Gomez is an American singer and actress .", "Amor Prohibido. Amor Prohibido ( Forbidden Love ) is the fourth studio album by American singer Selena , released on March 13 , 1994 , by EMI Latin . After achieving a fan base EMI Latin was aiming for , company president Jose Behar wanted to take advantage with another studio release . Finding it challenging to write another album , the singer 's brother A. B. Quintanilla enlisted band members Ricky Vela and Pete Astudillo to help with the writing . The recording ended up being a more mature sound with experimental recording and production that helped to develop diverse musical styles ranging from ranchera to hip-hop music . Amor Prohibido is a Tejano cumbia album modernized with a synthesizer-rich delivery using a minimalist style that was quintessential in early 1990s Tejano music . The album 's songs deal with dysfunctional and volatile relationships ; its lyrics speak of unrequited love and cheating partners . Amor Prohibido also explores themes such as social division and successful romantic relationships . The album continued the singer 's streak of number one singles on the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart with the title track `` Amor Prohibido '' , as well as `` Bidi Bidi Bom Bom '' , `` No Me Queda Más '' , and `` Fotos y Recuerdos '' . `` Amor Prohibido '' and `` No Me Queda Más '' became the most successful US Latin singles of 1994 and 1995 , respectively . `` Amor Prohibido '' , `` Bidi Bidi Bom Bom '' , `` Fotos y Recuerdos '' , and `` Si Una Vez '' are regarded as Selena 's signature songs by music critics . During her tour to promote the album , Selena broke attendance records at the Houston Astrodome and at Miami 's Calle Ocho Festival , with critics calling her one of the most successful US Latin touring acts . Amor Prohibido became the first Tejano record to peak at number one on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums chart , remaining in the top five for 98 consecutive weeks , a record that still stands . The album also holds the record for most weeks at number one on the US Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart at 97 weeks . It reached year-end sales of 500,000 copies in the US , the second Tejano recording to do so . Amor Prohibido received critical acclaim , and is considered to be Selena 's best work and her band 's `` crowning achievement '' . The album is credited in catapulting Tejano music into mainstream success resulting in sales to listeners previously unfamiliar with the genre . The album was nominated for Best Mexican-American Album at the 36th Grammy Awards . It won the Tejano Music Award for Album of the Year -- Orchestra and the Lo Nuestro Award for Best Regional Mexican Album . In March 1995 , Selena was murdered by her friend and former manager of Selena Etc. boutiques . Her death resulted in increased sales of Amor Prohibido and her back catalogue . The record re-entered the Billboard 200 chart , peaking at number 29 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) -- signifying that 500,000 units had been shipped . Within the next three weeks , it was certified platinum , and was finally re-certified by the RIAA as double diamond in February 2011 with shipments exceeding two million copies . The album is tied for second on the list of best-selling US Latin albums , and remains the best-selling Tejano recording of all time . Amor Prohibido has been ranked among the most essential Latin recordings of the past 50 years by Billboard magazine and nominated it for its list of the top 100 albums of all-time .", "Selena Gomez & the Scene. Selena Gomez & the Scene was an American pop rock , electropop and dance-pop band from Hollywood , California . Formed in 2008 , its last lineup consisted of lead singer Selena Gomez , bassist Joey Clement , drummer Greg Garman , keyboardist Dane Forrest , and guitarist Drew Taubenfeld . The band has released three studio albums , seven singles and nine music videos . Their debut album , Kiss & Tell , was released on September 29 , 2009 , debuting at No. 9 on the US Billboard 200 and earning the band a Gold certification from Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) in March 2010 . The second single from the album , `` Naturally '' , reached the top thirty in the U.S. , as well as the top twenty in New Zealand , the United Kingdom , Ireland , Canada , ad Germany . The song has been certified Platinum in the U.S. and Canada . As of 2012 , Kiss & Tell has sold over 900,000 copies in the U.S. The band 's second album , A Year Without Rain , was released on September 17 , 2010 , debuting at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and earning the band a second RIAA Gold certification in January 2011 . Two singles were released from the album , `` Round & Round '' and `` A Year Without Rain '' . As of 2012 , the album has sold over 800,000 copies in the U.S. The band 's third album , When the Sun Goes Down , was released on June 28 , 2011 , debuting at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 . Its lead single `` Who Says '' received its radio premiere on On Air with Ryan Seacrest on March 8 , 2011 , followed by a music video premiere on Disney Channel on March 11 . The song has been certified Platinum in the U.S. . The second single from the album , `` Love You like a Love Song '' , was released on June 17 , 2011 and was certified 4x Platinum in the U.S. . The third and final single from the album was `` Hit the Lights '' . The band is currently on hiatus as Gomez focus acting career and her solo music career . The band has won numerous awards and accolades since their debut . They have won a total of four Poptastic Awards , including the Best Duo or Group Award . The band has also been nominated for five awards at the MuchMusic Video Awards , and two MTV Europe Music Awards . In 2011 , the band won its first People 's Choice Award for Breakout Group . In 2012 , `` Love You Like a Love Song '' was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award , giving the band their first VMA nomination . The band has also won a total of six Teen Choice Awards since 2010 , including Choice Music : Group and Choice Music : Love Song for `` Love You like a Love Song '' .", "Dreaming of You (Selena song). `` Dreaming of You '' is a song recorded by American Tejano singer Selena for her fifth studio album of the same name ( 1995 ) . It was posthumously released as the lead single by EMI Latin on 14 August 1995 , with `` Techno Cumbia '' as its b-side track . The lyrics explore feelings of longing and hope that the singer 's love interest is thinking about her while she is dreaming of him at night . Composed by Franne Golde and Tom Snow , `` Dreaming of You '' is a pop ballad . It was originally written in 1989 for American R&B group The Jets , who turned down the recording . Golde believed that the track had potential , and brought it to Selena who recorded it for Dreaming of You . The singer 's record producer and brother , A.B. Quintanilla , did not like the track ; he later said in a 2002 interview that he was `` more judgmental '' to the first demo of the track . Critics praised the song for its balladry feel and its lyrical content , and some compared it to songs recorded by Madonna and Paula Abdul . It received the Broadcast Music Incorporated pop award for having two million airplay impressions in 1996 and was listed by a number of publications as one of the best songs recorded by Selena in her musical career . The Los Angeles Times recognized it as one of the top 10 singles of 1995 . The recording was also included in Bruce Pollock 's book of The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era . The accompanying music video , features a story about a girl who runs away from home to be with her lover . `` Dreaming of You '' peaked at number twenty-two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart . In Canada , the track peaked at numbers thirty and seven on the RPM Top 100 Singles and Adult Contemporary charts , respectively . As of 2010 , the single has sold 254,000 digital downloads , and as of April 2015 , has been streamed 788,000 times , according to Nielsen Soundscan . `` Dreaming of You '' became one of Selena 's most popular and recognizable recordings and has since been covered by various artists .", "Entre a Mi Mundo. Entre a Mi Mundo ( Enter My World ) is the third studio album by American singer Selena , released on May 6 , 1992 , by EMI Latin . In his recording debut with Selena y Los Dinos , guitarist Chris Pérez had fallen in love with Selena -- which was disapproved by the singer 's father and manager of the group Abraham Quintanilla , Jr. -- and eloped on April 2 , 1992 after Abraham fired Pérez from the band . Abraham later apologized and accepted their relationship and Pérez back in the band . Selena 's brother and music producer A.B. Quintanilla , oversaw production of Entre a Mi Mundo and composed most of the tracks on the album along with band members Ricky Vela and Pete Astudillo , the latter 's songwriting debut . The group 's diverse backgrounds aided in the diversity of the genres explored on Entre a Mi Mundo , resulting as the band 's most innovative recording . It included music genres ranging from synthesized Tejano cumbia to R&B and rock music . The album 's lyrics emphasize female empowerment and self-assertion , while it explores themes such as unrequited love , cheating partners , and teen romance . Entre a Mi Mundo was promoted through live performances in the United States as well as a high-profile border press tour in Mexico . Selena 's performance in Mexico garnered the singer critical acclaim from the Mexican media , who touted the singer as `` an artist of the people '' . She was called the biggest Tejano act in the country after her performance in Nuevo Leon attracted 70,000 attendees . Entre a Mi Mundo received generally positive reviews by music critics who called it her `` breakthrough album '' . It peaked atop the US Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart for eight consecutive months . It was named the second best-selling regional Mexican album of all-time by Billboard magazine and became the first album by a female Tejano singer to sell 300,000 units , becoming the best-selling female Tejano record of all-time ; her 1994 album Amor Prohibido broke this record . Entre a Mi Mundo has been certified six-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) and triple gold by the Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas ( AMPROFON ) . Three singles were released from Entre a Mi Mundo ; the career-launching single `` Como la Flor '' , '' ¿ Qué Creias ? '' , and `` Amame '' . The former peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart ; her then-highest peaking single of her career . `` Como la Flor '' is regarded by music critics to have propelled Selena 's career in Mexico , as well as calling it her signature song and her most popular recording . The second single '' ¿ Qué Creias ? '' , peaked within the Hot Latin Songs chart top 15 and the final single `` Amame '' reached the top 30 of the chart . The album won the Tejano Music Award for Album of the Year -- Orchestra at the 1993 Tejano Music Awards and tied with La Mafia for Best Regional Mexican Album at the 1993 Lo Nuestro Awards .", "Selena videography. Selena had released 22 music videos and 12 video/live albums during her career . Her first music video was `` Buenos amigos '' , which is a duet with Salvadoran singer Alvaro Torres . It was released in the summer of 1991 and featured an orchestra performing behind Selena and Torres . Selena 's first music video as a solo artist , `` La carcacha '' , was released four months after `` Buenos amigos '' . In the video , Selena dances in front of a chroma key ( which shows a busy highway ) and videos of people walking down the streets . `` La llamada '' was released in the spring of 1993 , it featured Selena and a couple of people dancing the cumbia dance in a beach house in Malibu , California . `` Donde quiera que estés '' was filmed in New York City and was released in December 1993 . The video featured Selena and the Barrio Boyzz ' dancing in the styles of hip hop . `` Amor prohibido '' was released on Valentine 's Day in 1994 and was filmed in Joshua Tree national park in Joshua Tree , California . `` bidi bidi bom bom '' was filmed at the Santa Monica pier , while `` No me queda más '' was filmed at the San Antonio , Texas ' Amtrak station , becoming Selena 's final music video to be released while she was alive . `` No debes jugar '' was released in July 1995 by Telemundo and featured live performances of Selena singing the song in their television show Padrisimo . `` Fotos y recuerdos '' , which was also released by Telemundo in July , featured home videos of Selena . In August 1995 , `` I Could Fall in Love '' was released , it featured videos and pictures of Selena . The music video for `` Dreaming of You '' featured an actress playing the role as a lonely and depressed girl packing her clothes to runaway with her boyfriend . Before the girl leaves , the video shows her mother ( who is tired of cleaning ) heading to the back of the house and looking at the sky at night , while her husband is sleeping . The video 's message is telling viewers that they should be with their loved ones because life is too short . `` Techno Cumbia '' featured unreleased scenes of the `` Bidi bidi bom bom '' music video and a group of dancers who danced along with the music . `` Tú sólo tú '' , being released in September 1995 , featured videos and pictures of Selena . Mariachi Sol de México were featured in the video , they also were the backup singers in the song . `` I 'm Getting Used to You '' , which became the final music video to be released from Dreaming of You , featured `` Selena wannabe 's '' auditioning for the role of `` Selena '' , while the other scene featured two young adults who are in love . `` Siempre hace frio '' was released to promote the remix album Siempre Selena . Jennifer Lopez is featured in the video as `` Selena '' , though her entire body was covered with charoma key . `` No quiero saber '' ( remix version ) was released in December 1996 and featured Selena performing the song in various concerts . `` Viviras Selena '' , which is a tribute song , was released in March 1997 . The video was filmed in Q-Productions recording studio where Tejano singers such as : Pete Astudillo , Bobby Pulido , Emilio Navaria , Jennifer Peña , Graciela Beltran and the Barrio Boyzz ' recording the song live . `` A Boy Like That '' was released in the summer of 1997 and was directed by Kenny Ortega . The video featured backup dancers wearing shirts that are covered in radioluminescence paint . `` Missing My Baby '' was a promotional video that was filmed and created by VH1 producers . The video was promoting the box-set Anthology ( 1998 ) and was released in the fall of 1998 . `` Disco Medley '' music video featured Selena 's performance of the song at the Houston Astrodome on February 26 , 1995 . In 2001 , Los Tres Reyes released their duet-version of `` No me queda más '' , Selena was only featured in two scenes of the music video . During Selena 's tenth death anniversary her brother 's band Kumbia Kings released a remix video of `` Baila esta cumbia '' in March 2005 ." ]

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[ "Robert J. O'Neill (U.S. Navy SEAL). Robert J. `` Rob '' O'Neill ( born April 10 , 1976 ) is a former United States Navy sailor . A former U.S. Navy SEAL and special warfare operator , O'Neill is best known for claiming to have fired the head shots that killed Osama bin Laden during the raid on his Abbottabad compound on May 1 , 2011 .", "Steven Spielberg. Steven Allan Spielberg , , ( born December 18 , 1946 ) is an American director , producer , and screenwriter . He is considered one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era , as well as being viewed as one of the most popular directors and producers in film history . He is also one of the co-founders of DreamWorks Studios . In a career spanning more than four decades , Spielberg 's films have spanned many themes and genres . Spielberg 's early science-fiction and adventure films , such as Jaws ( 1975 ) , Close Encounters of the Third Kind ( 1977 ) , Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) , were seen as archetypes of modern Hollywood escapist filmmaking . In later years , his films began addressing humanistic issues such as the Holocaust , the transatlantic slave trade , civil rights , war , and terrorism in such films as The Color Purple ( 1985 ) , Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) , Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) , Amistad ( 1997 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , Munich ( 2005 ) , War Horse ( 2011 ) , Lincoln ( 2012 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) . His other films include Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) , A.I. Artificial Intelligence ( 2001 ) , and War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) . Spielberg won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler 's List and Saving Private Ryan , as well as receiving five other nominations . Three of Spielberg 's films -- Jaws , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , and Jurassic Park -- achieved box office records , originated and came to epitomize the blockbuster film . The unadjusted gross of all Spielberg-directed films exceeds $ 9 billion worldwide , making him the highest-grossing director in history . His personal net worth is estimated to be more than $ 3 billion . He is also known for his long-standing associations with several actors , producers , and technicians , most notably composer John Williams , who has composed music for all but two of Spielberg 's movies which are The Color Purple and Bridge of Spies .", "Jurassic Park III. Jurassic Park III is a 2001 American science-fiction adventure film and the third installment in the Jurassic Park film series . The film stars Sam Neill , William H. Macy , Téa Leoni , Alessandro Nivola , Trevor Morgan , and Michael Jeter . It is the first film in the series not to have been directed by Steven Spielberg , nor based on a book by Michael Crichton ( though numerous scenes in the film were ultimately taken from Crichton 's novels Jurassic Park and The Lost World ) . The film takes place on Isla Sorna , off Central America 's Pacific coast , the island featured in the second film , where a divorced couple has tricked Dr. Alan Grant into going in order to help them find their son . After the success of Spielberg 's Jurassic Park , Joe Johnston expressed interest in directing a sequel . Spielberg instead gave Johnston permission to direct a third film in the series , if there were to be one . Production of Jurassic Park III began on August 30 , 2000 . Despite mixed reviews from critics , the film was successful at the box office , grossing $ 368 million worldwide . A sequel , Jurassic World , was released on June 12 , 2015 .", "Eugene O'Neill. Eugene Gladstone O'Neill ( October 16 , 1888 -- November 27 , 1953 ) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in Literature . His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into American drama techniques of realism earlier associated with Russian playwright Anton Chekhov , Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen , and Swedish playwright August Strindberg . The drama Long Day 's Journey into Night is often numbered on the short list of the finest American plays in the 20th century , alongside Tennessee Williams 's A Streetcar Named Desire and Arthur Miller 's Death of a Salesman . O'Neill 's plays were among the first to include speeches in American vernacular and involve characters on the fringes of society . They struggle to maintain their hopes and aspirations , but ultimately slide into disillusionment and despair . Of his very few comedies , only one is well-known ( Ah , Wilderness ! ) . Nearly all of his other plays involve some degree of tragedy and personal pessimism .", "Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Trans-Siberian Orchestra ( TSO ) is an American progressive rock band founded around 1993 by producer , composer , and lyricist Paul O'Neill , who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli ( both members of Savatage ) and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to form the core of the creative team . The band gained in popularity when they began touring in 1999 after completing their second album , The Christmas Attic the year previous . In 2007 , the Washington Post referred to them as `` an arena-rock juggernaut '' and described their music as `` Pink Floyd meets Yes and The Who at Radio City Music Hall . '' TSO has sold more than 10 million concert tickets and over 10 million albums . The band has released a series of rock operas : Christmas Eve and Other Stories , The Christmas Attic , Beethoven 's Last Night , The Lost Christmas Eve , their two-disc Night Castle and Letters From the Labyrinth . Trans-Siberian Orchestra is also known for their extensive charity work and elaborate concerts , which include a string section , a light show , lasers , `` enough pyro to be seen from the International Space Station '' , moving trusses , video screens , and effects synchronized to music . Both Billboard Magazine and Pollstar have ranked them as one of the top ten ticket-selling bands in the first decade of the new millennium . Their path to success was unusual in that TSO is the first major rock band to go straight to theaters and arenas , having never played at a club , never having an opening act and never being an opening act . O'Neill died on April 5 , 2017 .", "Saving Private Ryan. Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic war drama film set during the Invasion of Normandy in World War II . Directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat , the film is notable for its graphic portrayal of war , and for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes , which includes a depiction of the Omaha Beach assault during the Normandy landings . It follows United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller ( Tom Hanks ) and a squad ( Tom Sizemore , Edward Burns , Barry Pepper , Giovanni Ribisi , Vin Diesel , Adam Goldberg , and Jeremy Davies ) as they search for a paratrooper , Private First Class James Francis Ryan ( Matt Damon ) , who is the last-surviving brother of four servicemen . The film received critical acclaim , winning several awards for film , cast , and crew , as well as earning significant returns at the box office . The film grossed US$ 481.8 million worldwide , making it the second-highest-grossing film of the year . The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards ; Spielberg 's direction won his second Academy Award for Best Director , with four more awards going to the film . Saving Private Ryan was released on home video in May 1999 , earning another $ 44 million from sales . In 2014 , the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress , being deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant . ''", "Robert J. O'Neill. Robert John O'Neill , ( born 5 November 1936 ) is an Australian historian and academic . He is Chair of the International Academic Advisory Committee at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney , was director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies , based in London , from 1982 to 1987 , and Chichele Professor of the History of War at the University of Oxford from 1987 to 2000 .", "Paul O'Neill (rock producer). Paul O'Neill ( February 23 , 1956 -- April 5 , 2017 ) was an American music composer , lyricist , producer , and songwriter .", "Theatre Guild. The Theatre Guild is a theatrical society founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner , Philip Moeller , Helen Westley and Theresa Helburn . Langner 's wife , Armina Marshall , then served as a co-director . It evolved out of the work of the Washington Square Players . Its original purpose was to produce non-commercial works by American and foreign playwrights . It differed from other theaters at the time in that its board of directors shared the responsibility of choosing plays , management , and production . The Theatre Guild contributed greatly to the success of Broadway from the 1920s throughout the 1970s . The Guild has produced a total of 228 plays on Broadway , including 18 by George Bernard Shaw and seven by Eugene O'Neill . Other major playwrights introduced to theatre-going Americans include Robert E. Sherwood , Maxwell Anderson , Sidney Howard , William Saroyan , and Philip Barry . In the field of musical theatre , the Guild has promoted works by Richard Rodgers , teamed with both Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II , George and Ira Gershwin , Jule Styne , and Meredith Willson , all of which have become classics . Under President John F. Kennedy , the Guild was engaged to assemble a U.S. theatre company , headed by Helen Hayes , to tour the capitals of Europe and South America with works by Tennessee Williams , Thornton Wilder , and William Gibson . In 1968 , the Guild became involved in the travel field by taking 25 of its subscribers to European capitals to see plays . In 1975 , it instituted its Theatre At Sea program with a 17-day cruise aboard the Rotterdam with Hayes and Cyril Ritchard . Since then they have hosted more than thirty cruises , each with seven or eight performers . Among them have been Alan Arkin , Zoe Caldwell , Anne Jackson , Cherry Jones , Richard Kiley , Eartha Kitt , Patricia Neal , Lynn Redgrave , Gena Rowlands , Jean Stapleton , Eli Wallach , and Lee Roy Reams , who served as the program 's resident director . The last Broadway play produced by The Theatre Guild was State Fair in 1996 .", "Oliver Stone. William Oliver Stone ' ( born September 15 , 1946 ) is an American screenwriter , film director , and producer . Stone won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as writer of Midnight Express ( 1978 ) . He also wrote the acclaimed gangster movie Scarface ( 1983 ) . As a director , Stone achieved prominence as director/writer of the war drama Platoon ( 1986 ) , for which Stone won the Academy Award for Best Director ; the film was awarded Best Picture . Platoon was the first in a trilogy of films based on the Vietnam War , in which Stone served as an infantry soldier . He continued the series with Born on the Fourth of July ( 1989 ) -- for which Stone won his second Best Director Oscar -- and Heaven & Earth ( 1993 ) . Stone 's other notable works include the Salvadoran Civil War-based drama Salvador ( 1986 ) ; the financial drama Wall Street ( 1987 ) and its 2010 sequel Money Never Sleeps ; the Jim Morrison biopic The Doors ( 1991 ) ; and a trilogy of films based on the American Presidency -- JFK ( 1991 ) , Nixon ( 1995 ) and W. ( 2008 ) . His latest film is Snowden ( 2016 ) . Many of Stone 's films focus on controversial American political issues during the late 20th century , and as such were considered contentious at the times of their releases . They often combine different camera and film formats within a single scene , as evidenced in JFK , Natural Born Killers , and Nixon '' .", "R. Kelly. Robert Sylvester Kelly ( born January 8 , 1967 ) , known professionally as R. Kelly , is an American singer , songwriter , record producer , and former professional basketball player . A native of Chicago , Illinois , Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement . In 1993 , Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play . He is known for a collection of major hit singles including `` Bump N ' Grind '' , `` Your Body 's Callin ' '' , `` I Believe I Can Fly '' , `` Gotham City '' , `` Ignition ( Remix ) '' , `` If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time '' , `` The World 's Greatest '' , `` I 'm a Flirt ( Remix ) '' , and the hip-hopera `` Trapped in the Closet '' . In 1998 , Kelly won three Grammy Awards for `` I Believe I Can Fly '' . His distinctive sound and style has influenced numerous hip hop and contemporary R&B artists . Kelly became the first musician to play professional basketball , when he was signed in 1997 . Kelly has written , produced , and remixed songs and albums for many artists , including Aaliyah 's 1994 debut album Age Ai n't Nothing but a Number . In 1996 , Kelly was nominated for a Grammy for writing Michael Jackson 's song `` You Are Not Alone '' . In 2002 and 2004 , Kelly released collaboration albums with rapper Jay-Z and has been a guest vocalist for other hip hop artists like Nas , Sean Combs , and The Notorious B.I.G. The Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) has recognized R. Kelly as one of the best-selling music artists in the United States with 40 million albums sold as well as only the fifth black artist to crack the top 50 of the same list . In March 2011 , R. Kelly was named the most successful R&B artist of the last 25 years by Billboard . Kelly has released 12 solo studio albums , and sold over 100 million records worldwide making him the most successful R&B male artist of the 1990s . He has been credited for helping redefine R&B and hip hop , earning the nicknames `` King of R&B '' and `` King of Pop-Soul '' . He is listed by Billboard as the most successful R&B / Hip Hop artist of the past 25 years ( 1985-2010 ) and also the most successful R&B artist in history . Throughout his career , Kelly has won numerous awards , including a Guinness World Records as well as countless of other awards like Grammy , BET , Soul Train , Billboard , NAACP and American Music Award .", "Home Alone. Home Alone is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus . The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister , a boy who is mistakenly left behind when his family flies to Paris for their Christmas vacation . Kevin initially relishes being home alone , but soon has to contend with two would-be burglars played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern . The film also features Catherine O'Hara and John Heard as Kevin 's parents . Culkin was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Musical or Comedy . After its release , Home Alone became the highest-grossing live action comedy film of all time in the United States , and also held the record worldwide until it was overtaken by The Hangover Part II in 2011 . It is the highest grossing Christmas movie of all time at the North American box office ( when adjusted for inflation ) . Home Alone has spawned a successful film franchise with four sequels , including the 1992 film Home Alone 2 : Lost in New York , the only Home Alone sequel to have the original cast reprising their roles .", "Tip O'Neill. Thomas Phillip `` Tip '' O'Neill Jr. ( December 9 , 1912 -- January 5 , 1994 ) was an American politician who served as the 47th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987 , representing northern Boston , Massachusetts as a Democrat from 1953 to 1987 . The only Speaker to serve for five complete consecutive Congresses , he is the third longest-serving Speaker in American history after Sam Rayburn and Henry Clay .", "John O'Neill (guitarist). John Joseph O'Neill ( born 26 August 1957 ) is the rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter of the punk rock/new wave band The Undertones . O'Neill , along with his younger brother Vincent and friends Feargal Sharkey , Michael Bradley and Billy Doherty , founded The Undertones in 1975 , although Vincent O'Neill was replaced the following year with his younger brother Damian O'Neill , who became the band 's lead guitarist . John O'Neill wrote the majority of the band 's singles and a number of album tracks ( occasionally collaborating with his brother Damian or Michael Bradley ) . Undertones songs written by John O'Neill include the singles `` Teenage Kicks '' , `` Jimmy Jimmy '' , `` Here Comes The Summer '' and `` You 've Got My Number '' , and such notable album tracks as `` When Saturday Comes '' and `` You 're Welcome '' . After releasing four albums and thirteen singles , The Undertones disbanded in 1983 ; they reformed in November 1999 . Since then , the band ( who have a new lead singer , fellow Derry native Paul McLoone who also serves as a radio presenter for the Irish national and independent radio station Today FM ) have released two further albums and performed a number of gigs in both the UK , Ireland , Europe and North America . In 1985 the O'Neill brothers formed That Petrol Emotion , an acclaimed rock act who disbanded in 1994 .", "Jay Wesley Neill. Jay Wesley Neill ( April 9 , 1965 -- December 12 , 2002 ) was an American mass murderer , who on December 14 , 1984 , killed 4 people during a bank robbery in Geronimo , Oklahoma . Neill was convicted and sentenced to death , and was executed in 2002 .", "Robert O'Neill. Robert O'Neill may refer to : Robert O'Neill ( Navy SEAL ) , Navy SEAL who claims to have fatally shot Osama bin Laden Robert J. O'Neill , Australian military historian Robert Torrens O'Neill , Irish Unionist politician", "Robert Lopez. Robert Lopez ( born February 23 , 1975 ) is an American songwriter of musicals , best known for co-creating The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q , and for composing the songs featured in the Disney animated film Frozen . He is the youngest of only twelve people who have won an Emmy , a Grammy , an Oscar , and a Tony Award , and the quickest ( 10 years ) to win all four .", "Ronnie O'Sullivan. Ronald Antonio O'Sullivan , ( born 5 December 1975 ) is an English professional snooker and pool player . He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the sport 's history . He is noted for his rapid playing style , mercurial temperament , and his ambivalent relationship with the sport , from which he has taken prolonged sabbaticals and repeatedly threatened to retire . O'Sullivan is based at the Legends Snooker Academy in Leytonstone , England , United Kingdom . A childhood snooker prodigy , O'Sullivan made his first century break at the age of 10 , and his first maximum break when aged 15 . He turned professional in 1992 , at the age of 16 , and soon earned the nickname `` The Rocket '' , because of his rapid playing style . He achieved his first major professional success when he won the 1993 UK Championship at the age of 17 years and 358 days , making him the youngest player ever to win a ranking title -- a record he still holds . He is also the youngest player to have won the Masters , having captured his first title in 1995 at the age of 19 years and 69 days . His record in Triple Crown events now stands at five World Championships , a record seven Masters , and five UK Championship titles . His career total of 28 ranking titles puts him in joint second place ( with Steve Davis and John Higgins ) behind Stephen Hendry , who has 36 , and his career earnings of over # 8 million put him in second place after Hendry on snooker 's all-time prize-money list . O'Sullivan has held the world number one ranking on multiple occasions , most recently during the 2009/2010 season . His other achievements include ten Premier League titles and winning the Nations Cup with England in 2000 . Known as a prolific break-builder , O'Sullivan holds the record for the most competitive century breaks with 874 . He also holds the record for the most ratified maximum breaks in professional competition ( 13 ) , and for the three fastest competitive maximum breaks , the quickest of which was compiled in 5 minutes and 20 seconds .", "Brian J. O'Neill. Brian J. O'Neill ( born December 23 , 1949 ) is a Republican Councilman representing the Tenth District on the City Council of Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . He has served since 1980 . O'Neill was first elected to Council in 1979 , when he defeated incumbent Councilman Mel Greenberg on a campaign built on Greenberg 's perceived apathy for the position . He introduced the Philadelphia blunt ban in May 2006 , which was adopted and signed by the mayor . He is currently the Council 's Minority Leader .", "Star Wars (film). Star Wars ( later retitled Star Wars : Episode IV -- A New Hope ) is a 1977 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas . The first installment in the Star Wars film series , it stars Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Peter Cushing , and Alec Guinness . David Prowse , James Earl Jones , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , and Peter Mayhew co-star in supporting roles . The film 's plot focuses on the Rebel Alliance , led by Princess Leia ( Fisher ) , and its attempt to destroy the Galactic Empire 's space station , the Death Star . This conflict disrupts the isolated life of farmhand Luke Skywalker ( Hamill ) , who inadvertently acquires a pair of droids that possess stolen architectural plans for the Death Star . When the Empire begins a destructive search for the missing droids , Skywalker accompanies Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi ( Guinness ) on a mission to return the plans to the Rebel Alliance and rescue Leia from her imprisonment by the Empire . Star Wars was released theatrically in the United States on May 25 , 1977 . It earned $ 461 million in the U.S. and $ 314 million overseas , totaling $ 775 million . It surpassed Jaws ( 1975 ) to become the highest-grossing film of all time until the release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) . When adjusted for inflation , Star Wars is the second-highest-grossing film in North America , and the third-highest-grossing film in the world . It received ten Academy Award nominations ( including Best Picture ) , winning seven . It was among the first films to be selected as part of the U.S. Library of Congress ' National Film Registry as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' . At the time , it was the most recent film on the registry and the only one chosen from the 1970s . Its soundtrack was added to the U.S. National Recording Registry in 2004 . Today , it is often regarded as one of the best films of all time , as well as one of the most important films in the history of motion pictures . It launched an industry of tie-in products , including TV series spinoffs , novels , comic books , and video games , and merchandise including toys , games and clothing . The film 's success led to two critically and commercially successful sequels , The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) . Star Wars was reissued multiple times at Lucas ' behest , incorporating many changes including modified computer-generated effects , altered dialogue , re-edited shots , remixed soundtracks , and added scenes . A prequel trilogy was released from 1999 to 2005 , followed by a sequel trilogy beginning in 2015 . In 2016 , Rogue One was released as a direct prequel to the original Star Wars film .", "Frank Sinatra. Francis Albert Sinatra ( -LSB- sᵻˈnɑːtrə -RSB- -LSB- siˈnaːtra -RSB- ; December 12 , 1915 -- May 14 , 1998 ) was an American singer , actor , and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century . He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , having sold more than 150 million records worldwide . Born in Hoboken , New Jersey , to Italian immigrants , Sinatra began his musical career in the swing era with bandleaders Harry James and Tommy Dorsey . Sinatra found success as a solo artist after he signed with Columbia Records in 1943 , becoming the idol of the `` bobby soxers '' . He released his debut album , The Voice of Frank Sinatra , in 1946 . Sinatra 's professional career had stalled by the early 1950s , and he turned to Las Vegas , where he became one of its best known performers as part of the Rat Pack . His career was reborn in 1953 with the success of From Here to Eternity , with his performance subsequently winning an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor . Sinatra released several critically lauded albums , including In the Wee Small Hours ( 1955 ) , Songs for Swingin ' Lovers ! ( 1956 ) , Come Fly with Me ( 1958 ) , Only the Lonely ( 1958 ) and Nice 'n' Easy ( 1960 ) . Sinatra left Capitol in 1960 to start his own record label , Reprise Records , and released a string of successful albums . In 1965 , he recorded the retrospective September of My Years , starred in the Emmy-winning television special Frank Sinatra : A Man and His Music , and released the tracks `` Strangers in the Night '' and `` My Way '' . After releasing Sinatra at the Sands , recorded at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Vegas with frequent collaborator Count Basie in early 1966 , the following year he recorded one of his most famous collaborations with Tom Jobim , the album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim . It was followed by 1968 's collaboration with Duke Ellington . Sinatra retired for the first time in 1971 , but came out of retirement two years later and recorded several albums and resumed performing at Caesars Palace , and reached success in 1980 with `` New York , New York '' . Using his Las Vegas shows as a home base , he toured both within the United States and internationally until a short time before his death in 1998 . Sinatra forged a highly successful career as a film actor . After winning an Academy Award for From Here to Eternity , he starred in The Man with the Golden Arm ( 1955 ) , and received critical acclaim for his performance in The Manchurian Candidate ( 1962 ) . He appeared in various musicals such as On the Town ( 1949 ) , Guys and Dolls ( 1955 ) , High Society ( 1956 ) , and Pal Joey ( 1957 ) , winning another Golden Globe for the latter . Toward the end of his career , he became associated with playing detectives , including the title character in Tony Rome ( 1967 ) . Sinatra would later receive the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1971 . On television , The Frank Sinatra Show began on ABC in 1950 , and he continued to make appearances on television throughout the 1950s and 1960s . Sinatra was also heavily involved with politics from the mid-1940s , and actively campaigned for presidents such as Harry S. Truman , John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan , though before Kennedy 's death Sinatra 's alleged Mafia connections led to his being snubbed . While Sinatra never formally learned how to read music , he had an impressive understanding of it , and he worked very hard from a young age to improve his abilities in all aspects of music . A perfectionist , renowned for his dress sense and performing presence , he always insisted on recording live with his band . His bright blue eyes earned him the popular nickname `` Ol' Blue Eyes '' . Sinatra led a colorful personal life , and was often involved in turbulent affairs with women , such as with his second wife Ava Gardner . He went on to marry Mia Farrow in 1966 and Barbara Marx in 1976 . Sinatra had several violent confrontations , usually with journalists he felt had crossed him , or work bosses with whom he had disagreements . He was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983 , was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1985 , and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997 . Sinatra was also the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards , including the Grammy Trustees Award , Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . After his death , American music critic Robert Christgau called him `` the greatest singer of the 20th century '' , and he continues to be seen as an iconic figure .", "Malcolm Ross O'Neill. Malcolm Ross O'Neill ( born March 25 , 1940 ) was the United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition , Logistics , and Technology , having been sworn into office by United States Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal on March 10 , 2010 , and resigned June 3 , 2011 .", "Robert De Niro. Robert Anthony De Niro ( -LSB- dəˈnɪroʊ -RSB- born August 17 , 1943 ) is an American actor , producer and director . He has both Italian and American citizenship . He was cast as the young Vito Corleone in the 1974 film The Godfather Part II , for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . His longtime collaboration with director Martin Scorsese earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Jake La Motta in the 1980 film Raging Bull . He received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2003 , the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2010 , and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2016 . De Niro 's first major film roles were in the sports drama , Bang the Drum Slowly ( 1973 ) and Scorsese 's crime film Mean Streets ( 1973 ) . He earned Academy Award nominations for the psychological thrillers Taxi Driver ( 1976 ) and Cape Fear ( 1991 ) , both directed by Scorsese . De Niro received additional nominations for Michael Cimino 's Vietnam war drama , The Deer Hunter ( 1978 ) , Penny Marshall 's drama Awakenings ( 1990 ) , and David O. Russell 's romantic comedy-drama , Silver Linings Playbook ( 2012 ) . His portrayal of gangster Jimmy Conway in Scorsese 's crime film , Goodfellas ( 1990 ) , and his role as Rupert Pupkin in the black comedy film The King of Comedy ( 1983 ) , earned him BAFTA Award nominations . De Niro has earned four nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy , for his work in the musical drama New York , New York ( 1977 ) , the action comedy Midnight Run ( 1988 ) , the gangster comedy Analyze This ( 1999 ) , and the comedy Meet the Parents ( 2000 ) . Other notable performances include roles in Once Upon a Time in America ( 1984 ) , Brazil ( 1985 ) , The Mission ( 1986 ) , The Untouchables ( 1987 ) , Heat ( 1995 ) , and Casino ( 1995 ) . He has directed and starred in films such as the crime drama A Bronx Tale ( 1993 ) and the spy film The Good Shepherd ( 2006 ) .", "John C. McGinley. John Christopher McGinley ( born August 3 , 1959 ) is an American actor , author and former comedian . He is most notable for his roles as Perry Cox in Scrubs , Bob Slydell in Office Space , Captain Hendrix in The Rock , Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone 's Platoon and Marv in Stone 's Wall Street . He has also written and produced for television and film . Apart from acting , McGinley is also an author , a board member and international spokesman for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation , and a spokesman for the National Down Syndrome Society .", "Angel (1984 film). Angel is a 1984 film directed by Robert Vincent O'Neill , and written by O'Neill with Joseph Michael Cala . It was released by New World Pictures .", "Con O'Neill (actor). Robert `` Con '' O'Neill ( born 15 August 1963 ) is an English actor and singer . He began his acting career at Liverpool 's Everyman Youth Theatre . He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1988 for `` Best Actor in a Musical '' for his performance in Willy Russell 's Blood Brothers , and was nominated for Broadway 's 1993 Tony Award as Best Actor ( musical ) for Blood Brothers . In the 1980s he had a walk-on role in another British series , One Summer as `` Jackson '' . He starred in Dancin ' Thru the Dark , the 1990 film adaptation of Russell 's Stags and Hens . In 1992 , he played `` Cougar Glass '' opposite Jude Law in the world premiere of Philip Ridley 's The Fastest Clock in the Universe . In 2006 , he starred as Aston in a tour of Sheffield theatres ' production of Harold Pinter 's The Caretaker , alongside David Bradley and Nigel Harman . In 1999 he starred in The Last Seduction II . In 2008 he appeared in Criminal Justice a five-part TV drama on the BBC , playing the part of Ralph Stone , a solicitor . He played the part of Joe Meek in both the 2008 film and 2005 play of Meek 's life , Telstar : The Joe Meek Story . In 2011 , he took the role of dock worker Eddie Carbone in Arthur Miller 's A View From the Bridge at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester ( from 18 May to 25 June 2011 ) . This portrayal won the 2011 Manchester Theatre Award for Best Actor . He played St. Paul in the 2013 mini-series The Bible . He portrays Val Pearson in the BBC Three sitcom Uncle ( 2014 to 2017 ) . He played Cliff in Cucumber , an eight-part TV drama series broadcast on Channel 4 . in 2015 . Between 6 February and 7 March 2015 he starred in the 35th-anniversary staging of Willy Russell 's Educating Rita at The Liverpool Playhouse . He appears as Neil Ackroyd in the second series of the BBC television series Happy Valley . In 2016 , O'Neill played the part of Joe Brierley in the second series of Ordinary Lies and also appeared in 2 episodes of the Doctor Who spin-off Class .", "U2. U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin formed in 1976 . The group consists of Bono ( lead vocals and rhythm guitar ) , the Edge ( lead guitar , keyboards , and backing vocals ) , Adam Clayton ( bass guitar ) , and Larry Mullen Jr. ( drums and percussion ) . Initially rooted in post-punk , U2 's sound grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music , yet has maintained an anthemic sound built on Bono 's expressive vocals and the Edge 's effects-based guitar textures . Their lyrics , often embellished with spiritual imagery , focus on personal themes and sociopolitical concerns . Popular for their live performances , the group have staged several ambitious and elaborate tours over their career . The band formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency . Within four years , they signed with Island Records and released their debut album , Boy ( 1980 ) . Subsequent work such as their first UK number-one album , War ( 1983 ) , and the singles `` Sunday Bloody Sunday '' and `` Pride ( In the Name of Love ) '' helped establish U2 's reputation as a politically and socially conscious group . By the mid-1980s , they had become renowned globally for their live act , highlighted by their performance at Live Aid in 1985 . The group 's fifth album , The Joshua Tree ( 1987 ) , made them international superstars and was their greatest critical and commercial success . Topping music charts around the world , it produced their only number-one singles in the US , `` With or Without You '' and `` I Still Have n't Found What I 'm Looking For '' . Facing a backlash and creative stagnation , U2 reinvented themselves in the 1990s through a new musical direction and public image . Beginning with their acclaimed seventh album , Achtung Baby ( 1991 ) , and the multimedia intensive Zoo TV Tour , the band integrated influences from alternative rock , electronic dance music , and industrial music into their sound , and embraced a more ironic , flippant image . This experimentation continued through their ninth album , Pop ( 1997 ) , and the PopMart Tour , which were mixed successes . U2 regained critical and commercial favour with the records All That You Ca n't Leave Behind ( 2000 ) and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb ( 2004 ) , which established a more conventional , mainstream sound for the group . Their U2 360 ° Tour of 2009 -- 2011 is the highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour in history . The group 's thirteenth album , Songs of Innocence ( 2014 ) , was released at no cost through the iTunes Store , but received criticism for its automatic placement in users ' music libraries . U2 have released 13 studio albums and are one of the world 's best-selling music artists of all time , having sold more than 170 million records worldwide . They have won 22 Grammy Awards , more than any other band , and in 2005 , they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility . Rolling Stone ranked U2 at number 22 on its list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' . Throughout their career , as a band and as individuals , they have campaigned for human rights and philanthropic causes , including Amnesty International , Jubilee 2000 , the ONE/DATA campaigns , Product Red , War Child , and Music Rising .", "Ed O'Neill. Edward Leonard `` Ed '' O'Neill ( born April 12 , 1946 ) is an American actor and comedian . He is best known for playing Al Bundy on the Fox Network sitcom Married ... with Children , for which he was nominated for two Golden Globes ; and playing patriarch Jay Pritchett on the award-winning ABC sitcom Modern Family , a role for which he has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards and won four Screen Actors Guild Awards .", "Eugene O'Neill Award. The Eugene O'Neill Award ( also known as The Eugene O'Neill Scholarship Award or The Eugene O'Neill Acting Award ) , is one of Sweden 's finest awards for stage actors . Established by the American playwright Eugene O'Neill , it was first awarded in 1956 . Just before Eugene O'Neill died in 1953 he drew up a will in which he gave the then not yet staged play Long Day 's Journey Into Night ( written in 1941 ) to the Royal Dramatic Theatre , Sweden 's national theatre , along with exclusive first performance rights . The gesture was as thanks for Dramaten 's continued interest in staging his plays ( more so than any other theatre in the world ) , and for the Swedes ' appreciation of his work long before he became recognized internationally , or in his home country ( O'Neill was also the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1936 ) . Later on , his widow Carlotta Monterey O'Neill also gave Dramaten the performing rights to A Touch of the Poet ( written in 1942 ) , Hughie and More Stately Mansions . She refused staging fees for his plays in Sweden , provided that 8 % of the royalties from the revenues of each performance were given to the Eugene O'Neill Memory Fund , which manages the money for the scholarship award . The award is bestowed annually on the 16th of October ( O'Neill 's birthday ) and is , according to O'Neill 's own wishes , given to `` highly deserving actors of Dramaten '' . Recipients of the award are decided by Dramaten 's board of directors . The prize money currently consists of SEK 30,000 ( approximately 4,000 USD ) . As an extra honour to Eugene O'Neill , the first award was granted to the two actors who played the leading parts of James and Mary Tyrone in the original staging of Long Day 's Journey Into Night at Dramaten in February 1956 ; Lars Hanson and Inga Tidblad - already legendary thespians of the Swedish stage since the early 1920s and most definitely `` highly deserving actors '' . Throughout the years it has continued to be given to Sweden 's finest theatre actors .", "Warcraft (film). Warcraft ( alternatively known as Warcraft : The Beginning ) is a 2016 American action-fantasy film directed by Duncan Jones and written by Jones , Charles Leavitt , and Chris Metzen . It is based on the Warcraft video game series and novels set in the world of Azeroth . The film stars Travis Fimmel , Paula Patton , Ben Foster , Dominic Cooper , Toby Kebbell , Ben Schnetzer , Robert Kazinsky , Clancy Brown , and Daniel Wu . The film portrays the initial encounters between the humans and the orcs and takes place in a variety of locations established in the video game series . The film was first announced in 2006 as a project partnership between Legendary Pictures and the game 's developer , Blizzard Entertainment . Warcraft premiered in Paris on May 24 , 2016 , and was released by Universal Pictures in the United States on June 10 , 2016 . The film grossed $ 433 million worldwide and is the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time , although it was still considered a mild financial disappointment due to its very large $ 160 million budget . The film made over $ 220 million in China alone , representing more than half of its global total box office .", "Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. The Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theater Center in Waterford , Connecticut is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) not-for-profit theater company founded in 1964 by George C. White . The O'Neill is the recipient of two Tony Awards , the 1979 Special Award and the 2010 Regional Theatre Award , and the 2015 National Medal of Arts presented on September 22 , 2016 by President Obama . The O'Neill is a multi-disciplinary institution that has had a transformative effect on American theater . The O'Neill pioneered play development and stage readings as a tool for new plays and musicals , and is also home to the National Theater Institute ( est. 1970 ) , an intensive study-away semester for undergraduates . Its major theater conferences include : the National Playwrights Conference ( est. 1965 ) ; the National Critics Conference ( est. 1968 ) , the National Musical Theater Conference ( est. 1978 ) , the Puppetry Conference ( est. 1990 ) , and the Cabaret & Performance Conference ( est. 2005 ) . The Monte Cristo Cottage , Eugene O'Neill 's childhood home in New London , Connecticut , was purchased and restored by the O'Neill in the 1970s and is maintained as a museum . The theater 's campus , overlooking Long Island Sound in Waterford Beach Park , has four major performance spaces : two indoor and two outdoor . The O'Neill is led by Executive Director Preston Whiteway . Also known as Walnut Grove and Hammond Estate , the estate was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 21 , 2005 , for its architectural significance , and its associations with Revolutionary War Colonel William North and Edward Crowninshield Hammond , a wealthy industrialist .", "Tom Hanks. Thomas Jeffrey Hanks ( born July 9 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles , including Splash ( 1984 ) , Big ( 1988 ) , Turner & Hooch ( 1989 ) , A League of Their Own ( 1992 ) , Sleepless in Seattle ( 1993 ) , Philadelphia ( 1993 ) , Forrest Gump ( 1994 ) , Apollo 13 ( 1995 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , You 've Got Mail ( 1998 ) , The Green Mile ( 1999 ) , Cast Away ( 2000 ) , Road to Perdition ( 2002 ) , and The Da Vinci Code ( 2006 ) , as well as for his voice work in the animated films The Polar Express ( 2004 ) and the Toy Story series . Hanks ' films have grossed more than $ 4.5 billion at U.S. and Canadian box offices and more than $ 9.0 billion worldwide , making him the third-highest-grossing actor in North America . Hanks has been nominated for numerous awards during his career . He won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia , as well as a Golden Globe , an Academy Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award , and a People 's Choice Award for Best Actor for his role in Forrest Gump . In 2004 , he received the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) . In 2014 , he received a Kennedy Center Honor and , in 2016 , he received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama , as well as the French Legion of Honor . Hanks is also known for his collaborations with film director Steven Spielberg on Saving Private Ryan , Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) , The Terminal ( 2004 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) , as well as the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers , which launched Hanks as a successful director , producer , and screenwriter . In 2010 , Spielberg and Hanks were executive producers on the HBO miniseries The Pacific ( a companion piece to Band of Brothers ) ." ]

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[ "The Silence of the Lambs (film). The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American horror-thriller film directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster , Anthony Hopkins , and Scott Glenn . Adapted by Ted Tally from the 1988 novel of the same name by Thomas Harris , his second to feature the character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter ; a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer , the film was the second adaptation of a Harris novel featuring Lecter , preceded by the Michael Mann-directed Manhunter in 1986 . In the film , Clarice Starling , a young U.S. FBI trainee , seeks the advice of the imprisoned Dr. Lecter to apprehend another serial killer , known only as `` Buffalo Bill '' . The Silence of the Lambs was released on February 14 , 1991 , and grossed $ 272.7 million worldwide against its $ 19 million budget . It was only the third film , the other two being It Happened One Night and One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest , to win Academy Awards in all the top five categories : Best Picture , Best Actor , Best Actress , Best Director , and Adapted Screenplay . It is also the first ( and so far only ) Best Picture winner widely considered to be a horror film , and only the third such film to be nominated in the category , after The Exorcist in 1973 and Jaws in 1975 . The film is considered `` culturally , historically or aesthetically '' significant by the U.S. Library of Congress and was selected to be preserved in the National Film Registry in 2011 . A sequel titled Hannibal was released in 2001 with Hopkins reprising his role , followed by two prequels : Red Dragon ( 2002 ) and Hannibal Rising ( 2007 ) .", "Hannibal (film). Hannibal is a 2001 American crime thriller film directed by Ridley Scott , adapted from the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris . It is the sequel to the 1991 Academy Award -- winning film The Silence of the Lambs in which Anthony Hopkins returns to his role as the iconic serial killer , Hannibal Lecter . Julianne Moore co-stars , in the role first held by Jodie Foster , as FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling . The film had a difficult and occasionally troubling pre-production history . When the novel was published in 1999 , The Silence of the Lambs director Jonathan Demme , screenwriter Ted Tally , and actress Jodie Foster all declined to be involved in its adaptation . Ridley Scott became attached as director after the success of Gladiator ( 2000 ) , and eventually signed onto the project after reading the script pitched by Dino DeLaurentiis , who produced Manhunter ( 1986 ) , based on the 1981 Harris novel Red Dragon . After the departure of Foster and screenwriter Tally , Julianne Moore took on Foster 's role while David Mamet and Steven Zaillian wrote the screenplay . Set ten years after The Silence of the Lambs , Hannibal follows Starling 's attempts to apprehend Lecter before his surviving victim , Mason Verger ( Gary Oldman ) , captures him . It is set in Italy and the United States . The novel Hannibal drew attention for its violence . Hannibal broke box office records in the United States , Australia , Canada and the United Kingdom in February 2001 , but was met with a mixed critical reception .", "Scott Glenn. Theodore Scott Glenn ( born January 26 , 1941 ) , better known as Scott Glenn , is an American actor . His roles have included Wes Hightower in Urban Cowboy ( 1980 ) , astronaut Alan Shepard in The Right Stuff ( 1983 ) , Emmett in Silverado ( 1985 ) , Commander Bart Mancuso in The Hunt for Red October ( 1990 ) , Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs ( 1991 ) , Roger in Training Day ( 2001 ) , Ezra Kramer in The Bourne Ultimatum ( 2007 ) , Kevin Garvey , Sr. in The Leftovers ( 2014 -- 2017 ) and as Stick in both Daredevil ( 2015 -- ) and The Defenders ( 2017 ) .", "Jonathan Demme. Robert Jonathan Demme ( -LSB- ˈdɛmi -RSB- ; February 22 , 1944 -- April 26 , 2017 ) was an American film director , producer , and screenwriter . He rose to prominence in the 1980s with his comedy films Melvin and Howard ( 1980 ) , Swing Shift ( 1984 ) , Something Wild ( 1986 ) , and Married to the Mob ( 1988 ) , as well as the critically acclaimed concert film Stop Making Sense ( 1984 ) , in collaboration with the band Talking Heads . He became best known for directing The Silence of the Lambs ( 1991 ) , for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director . He later directed the acclaimed films Philadelphia ( 1993 ) and Rachel Getting Married ( 2008 ) .", "Glenn Close. Glenn Close ( born March 19 , 1947 ) is an American actress , singer and film producer . With an acting career spanning over 40 years , she has been consistently acclaimed for her versatility and is widely regarded as one of the finest actresses of her generation . She has won three Emmy Awards , three Tony Awards , four Golden Globe Awards , and has received six Academy Award nominations . Close began her professional stage career in 1974 in Love for Love , and was mostly a New York stage actress through the rest of the 1970s and early 1980s , appearing in both plays and musicals , including the Broadway productions of Barnum in 1980 and The Real Thing in 1983 , for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play . Her film debut was in The World According to Garp ( 1982 ) , which she followed up with supporting roles in The Big Chill ( 1983 ) and The Natural ( 1984 ) ; all three earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress . She would later receive nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performances in Fatal Attraction ( 1987 ) , Dangerous Liaisons ( 1988 ) and Albert Nobbs ( 2011 ) . She won two more Tony Awards in the 1990s , for Death and the Maiden in 1992 and Sunset Boulevard in 1995 , while she won her first Emmy Award for the 1995 TV film Serving in Silence : The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story . She starred as Eleanor of Aquitaine in the 2003 TV film The Lion in Winter , winning a Golden Globe Award . In 2005 , she starred in the drama series The Shield . Then , from 2007 to 2012 , she starred as Patty Hewes in the FX drama series Damages , a role that won her a Golden Globe and two Emmys . She has voiced the character of Mona Simpson in the animated sitcom The Simpsons since 1995 . She returned to Broadway in November 2014 , in a revival of Edward Albee 's A Delicate Balance . Her other films include Jagged Edge ( 1985 ) , Hamlet ( 1990 ) , Reversal of Fortune ( 1990 ) , 101 Dalmatians ( 1996 ) , Paradise Road ( 1997 ) , Air Force One ( 1997 ) , Cookie 's Fortune ( 1999 ) , Heights ( 2005 ) , Guardians of the Galaxy ( 2014 ) and The Girl With All The Gifts ( 2016 ) . Close is a six-time Academy Award nominee , tying the record for being the actress with the most nominations never to have won ( along with Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter ) . As of 2016 , Close has more Oscar nominations without a win than any other living actor . In addition , she has been nominated for four Tonys ( three wins ) , fourteen Emmys ( three wins ) , thirteen Golden Globes ( two wins ) , two Drama Desk Awards ( one win ) and eight Screen Actors Guild Awards ( one win ) . She has also won an Obie award and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards and a BAFTA . Close has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has been inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame .", "Anthony Hopkins. Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins ( born 31 December 1937 ) , is a Welsh actor of film , stage , and television . After graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 1957 , he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London , and was then spotted by Laurence Olivier who invited him to join the Royal National Theatre . In 1968 , he got his break in film in The Lion in Winter , playing Richard the Lionheart . Considered to be one of the greatest living actors , Hopkins is well known for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs , for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor , its sequel Hannibal , and the prequel Red Dragon . Other notable films include The Mask of Zorro , The Bounty , Meet Joe Black , The Elephant Man , Magic , 84 Charing Cross Road , Bram Stoker 's Dracula , Legends of the Fall , Thor , The Remains of the Day , Amistad , Nixon , The World 's Fastest Indian , Instinct , Fracture , and The Dresser . Since 2016 , he has starred in the critically acclaimed HBO television series Westworld . Along with his Academy Award , Hopkins has won three BAFTA Awards , two Emmys , and the Cecil B. DeMille Award . In 1993 , he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts . He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003 , and was made a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2008 .", "Leonardo DiCaprio. Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio ( -LSB- dᵻˈkæpri.oʊ -RSB- born November 11 , 1974 ) is an American actor , film producer , and environmental activist . DiCaprio began his career by appearing in television commercials in the early 1990s , after which he had recurring roles in various television series such as the soap opera Santa Barbara and the sitcom Growing Pains . He began his film career by starring as Josh in Critters 3 ( 1991 ) . He starred in the film adaptation of the memoir This Boy 's Life ( 1993 ) , and was praised for his supporting role in What 's Eating Gilbert Grape ( 1993 ) . He gained public recognition with leading roles in The Basketball Diaries ( 1995 ) and the romantic drama Romeo + Juliet ( 1996 ) , before achieving international fame with James Cameron 's epic romance Titanic ( 1997 ) , which became the highest-grossing film of all time until Cameron 's science fiction film Avatar ( 2009 ) overtook it . Since 2000 , DiCaprio has received critical acclaim for his work in a wide range of film genres . DiCaprio 's subsequent films include The Man in the Iron Mask ( 1998 ) , the biographical crime drama Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) , and the epic historical drama Gangs of New York ( 2002 ) , which marked his first of many collaborations with director Martin Scorsese . He was acclaimed for his performances in the political war thriller Blood Diamond ( 2006 ) , the neo-noir crime drama The Departed ( 2006 ) , the espionage thriller Body of Lies ( 2008 ) , the drama Revolutionary Road ( 2008 ) , the psychological thriller Shutter Island ( 2010 ) , the science fiction thriller Inception ( 2010 ) , the biographical film J. Edgar ( 2011 ) , the western Django Unchained ( 2012 ) , and the period drama The Great Gatsby ( 2013 ) . DiCaprio 's portrayals of Howard Hughes in The Aviator ( 2004 ) and Hugh Glass in The Revenant ( 2015 ) won him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Drama , and his role as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street ( 2013 ) won him the award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy . He also won his first Academy Award and BAFTA Award for his performance in The Revenant . DiCaprio is the founder of his own production company , Appian Way Productions .", "Hannibal Lecter. Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a character in a series of suspense novels by Thomas Harris . Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon as a forensic psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer . The novel and its sequel , The Silence of the Lambs , feature Lecter as one of the primary antagonists after the two serial killers in both novels . In the third novel , Hannibal , Lecter becomes a protagonist . His role as the antihero occurs in the fourth novel , Hannibal Rising , which explores his childhood and development into a serial killer . The first film adapted from the Harris novels was Manhunter ( based on Red Dragon ) which features Brian Cox as Lecter , spelled `` Lecktor '' . In 1991 , Anthony Hopkins won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the character in The Silence of the Lambs . He would reprise the role in Hannibal in 2001 and in a second adaptation of Red Dragon made in 2002 under the original title . The NBC television series Hannibal debuted in 2013 , and focuses on the development of the relationship between Lecter and Will Graham , an FBI profiler . In the series , Lecter is portrayed by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen , who won a Saturn Award for his performance . In 2003 , Hannibal Lecter ( as portrayed by Hopkins ) was chosen by the American Film Institute as the # 1 movie villain . In June 2010 , Entertainment Weekly named him one of the 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years .", "The Silence of the Lambs. The Silence of the Lambs or Silence of the Lamb may refer to : The Silence of the Lambs ( novel ) , a 1988 novel by Thomas Harris The Silence of the Lambs ( film ) , a 1991 film directed by Jonathan Demme based on the novel and starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins `` Silence of the Lamb '' ( Veronica Mars ) , a 2005 television episode of Veronica Mars Waldsinfonie : The Silence of the Lamb , a 1993 Autopsia CD", "Forest Whitaker. Forest Steven Whitaker III ( born July 15 , 1961 ) is an American actor , producer , and director . Whitaker has earned a reputation for intensive character study work for films such as Bird , Platoon , Ghost Dog : The Way of the Samurai , and The Butler , and for his work in independent films and for his recurring role as LAPD Internal Affairs Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh on the Emmy Award-winning television series The Shield . For his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland , Whitaker won the Academy Award , British Academy Film Award , Golden Globe Award , National Board of Review Award , Screen Actors Guild Award , and various critics groups awards .", "Scott Wilson (actor). Scott Wilson ( born March 29 , 1942 ) is an American film and television actor . He has more than 50 film credits , including In the Heat of the Night , In Cold Blood , The Great Gatsby , Dead Man Walking , Pearl Harbor , and Junebug . In 1980 , Wilson received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture for his role in The Ninth Configuration . He played veterinarian Hershel Greene on the AMC television series The Walking Dead from 2011 to 2014 . He had a recurring role on CSI : Crime Scene Investigation as casino mogul Sam Braun .", "The Silence of the Hams. The Silence of the Hams ( Italian : Il Silenzio dei Prosciutti ) is a 1994 Italian-American satirical comedy film written , directed by , and starring Italian comedian Ezio Greggio . It is a parody of many popular thriller and horror films , notably The Silence of the Lambs and Psycho . Alongside Greggio , the film features an ensemble cast featuring Dom DeLuise , Billy Zane , Joanna Pacuła , Charlene Tilton , and Martin Balsam . The comedy , like many of its contemporaries ( including The Naked Gun ) , is largely driven by word-play , sight gags , running jokes , and multiple references to popular culture of the time , like Michael Jackson 's Thriller , and tongue-in-cheek references to the then-current state of American politics ( such as a fight scene between Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton ) . As a curiosity , there is a Mel Brooks cameo in this film , who made a number of well regarded parodies ( Blazing Saddles , Young Frankenstein , Spaceballs ) .", "64th Academy Awards. The 64th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 1991 in the United States and took place on March 30 , 1992 , at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 23 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Jeff Margolis . Actor Billy Crystal hosted the show for the third consecutive year . Three weeks earlier , in a ceremony held at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles on March 7 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Tom Hanks . The Silence of the Lambs won five awards including Best Picture . Other winners included Terminator 2 : Judgment Day with four awards , Beauty and the Beast , Bugsy , and JFK with two , and City Slickers , Deadly Deception : General Electric , Nuclear Weapons and Our Environment , The Fisher King , In the Shadow of the Stars , Manipulation , Mediterraneo , Session Man , and Thelma & Louise with one . The telecast garnered more than 44 million viewers in the United States .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "The Silence of the Lambs (novel). The Silence of the Lambs is a novel by Thomas Harris . First published in 1988 , it is the sequel to Harris ' 1981 novel Red Dragon . Both novels feature the cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter , this time pitted against FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling . Its film adaptation directed by Jonathan Demme was released in 1991 to box office success and critical acclaim .", "James Cromwell. James Oliver Cromwell ( born January 27 , 1940 ) is an American actor and producer . Some of his more notable films include Star Trek : First Contact ( 1996 ) , L.A. Confidential ( 1997 ) , The Green Mile ( 1999 ) , Space Cowboys ( 2000 ) , The Sum of All Fears ( 2002 ) , I , Robot ( 2004 ) , The Longest Yard ( 2005 ) , The Queen ( 2006 ) , Secretariat ( 2010 ) and The Artist ( 2011 ) , as well as the television series Six Feet Under ( 2003 -- 2005 ) , 24 ( 2007 ) and Halt and Catch Fire ( 2015 ) . Cromwell has been nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards and four Screen Actors Guild Awards , as well as the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Babe ( 1995 ) . He won his first Primetime Emmy Award for his role in American Horror Story : Asylum ( 2012 ) and a Canadian Screen Award for his role in Still Mine ( 2013 ) .", "Screen Actors Guild Award. The Screen Actors Guild Award ( also known as the SAG Award ) is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists ( SAG-AFTRA ) to recognize outstanding performances in film and primetime television . The statuette given , a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy , is called `` The Actor '' . It is 16 in tall , weighs over 12 lb , is cast in solid bronze , and produced by the American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank , California . SAG Awards have been one of the major awards events in Hollywood since 1995 . Nominations for the awards come from two committees , one for film and one for television , each numbering 2100 members of the union , randomly selected anew each year , with the full membership ( 165,000 as of 2012 ) available to vote for the winners . It is considered an indicator of success at the Academy Awards . The awards have been telecast since 1998 on TNT , and since 2007 have been simulcast on TBS . The inaugural SAG Awards aired live on February 25 , 1995 from Universal Studios ' Stage 12 . The second SAG awards aired live from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium , while subsequent awards have been held at the Shrine Exposition Center .", "Buffalo Bill (character). Jame Gumb ( known by the nickname Buffalo Bill ) is a character and the primary antagonist of Thomas Harris 's 1988 novel The Silence of the Lambs and its 1991 film adaptation , in which he is played by Ted Levine . In the film and the novel , he is a serial killer who murders overweight women and skins them so he can make a `` woman suit '' for himself .", "Slaughter of the Innocents (film). Slaughter of the Innocents is a 1993 thriller starring Scott Glenn and Jesse Cameron-Glickenhaus with supporting roles from Kevin Sorbo and Armin Shimerman . A then-unknown Aaron Eckhart has a bit part . The film is set in the Arches National Park of Moab , Utah , and Cleveland , Ohio , USA .", "Liev Schreiber. Isaac Liev Schreiber ( -LSB- ˈliː.ɛv -RSB- born October 4 , 1967 ) , better known as Liev Schreiber , is an American actor , director , screenwriter , and producer . He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s , having appeared in several independent films , and later mainstream Hollywood films , including the Scream trilogy of horror films , Ransom ( 1996 ) , Phantoms ( 1998 ) , The Sum of All Fears ( 2002 ) , The Omen ( 2006 ) , X-Men Origins : Wolverine ( 2009 ) , Taking Woodstock ( 2009 ) , Salt ( 2010 ) , Goon ( 2011 ) , Pawn Sacrifice ( 2014 ) , and Spotlight ( 2015 ) . Schreiber is also a respected stage actor , having performed in several Broadway productions . In 2005 , he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in the play Glengarry Glen Ross . That year , he made his debut as a film director and writer with Everything Is Illuminated ( 2005 ) , based on the novel of the same name . Schreiber has had further success in the television world , notably portraying the eponymous protagonist of the Showtime drama series Ray Donovan ( 2013 -- present ) ; the role has earned him four Golden Globe Award nominations and two Primetime Emmy Award nominations . He also narrates the HBO series 24/7 , as well as various PBS programs .", "Cheers. Cheers is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from September 30 , 1982 to May 20 , 1993 , with a total of 270 half-hour episodes spanning over eleven seasons . The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association with Paramount Network Television . The show was created by the team of James Burrows , Glen Charles , and Les Charles . The show is set in a bar named Cheers in Boston , Massachusetts , where a group of locals meet to drink , relax , and socialize . The show 's main theme song , written and performed by Gary Portnoy lent its refrain `` Where Everybody Knows Your Name '' as the show 's tagline . After premiering on September 30 , 1982 , it was nearly canceled during its first season when it ranked almost last in ratings for its premiere ( 74th out of 77 shows ) . Cheers , however , eventually became a highly rated television show in the United States , earning a top-ten rating during eight of its eleven seasons , including one season at number one . The show spent most of its run on NBC 's Thursday night `` Must See TV '' lineup . Its widely watched series finale was broadcast on May 20 , 1993 , and the show 's 270 episodes have been successfully syndicated worldwide . Nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series for all eleven of its seasons on the air , it earned 28 Primetime Emmy Awards from a record of 117 nominations . The character Frasier Crane ( Kelsey Grammer ) was featured in his eponymous spin-off show , which aired until 2004 and included guest appearances by virtually all of the major and minor Cheers characters . During its run , Cheers became one of the most popular series of all time and has received critical acclaim . In 1997 , the episodes `` Thanksgiving Orphans '' and `` Home Is the Sailor '' , aired originally in 1987 , were respectively ranked No. 7 and No. 45 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2002 , Cheers was ranked No. 18 on TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America ranked it as the eighth best written TV series and TV Guide ranked it # 11 on their list of the 60 Greatest Shows of All Time .", "Jonah Hill. Jonah Hill Feldstein ( born December 20 , 1983 ) , better known as Jonah Hill , is an American actor , producer , screenwriter and comedian . Hill is known for his comedic roles in films such as Accepted ( 2006 ) , Grandma 's Boy ( 2006 ) , Superbad ( 2007 ) , Knocked Up ( 2007 ) , Forgetting Sarah Marshall ( 2008 ) , Get Him to the Greek ( 2010 ) , 21 Jump Street ( 2012 ) , This Is the End ( 2013 ) , 22 Jump Street ( 2014 ) and War Dogs ( 2016 ) , as well as his performances in Moneyball ( 2011 ) and The Wolf of Wall Street ( 2013 ) , for which he received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor . Hill ranked 28th on Forbes magazine 's ranking of world 's highest paid actors from June 2014 to June 2015 , bringing in $ 16million . As a screenwriter , he contributed to the stories of 21 Jump Street , 22 Jump Street and Sausage Party ( 2016 ) , all of which he also starred in .", "Vincent D'Onofrio. Vincent Philip D'Onofrio ( born June 30 , 1959 ) is an American actor , producer , and singer . He is known for his roles as Private Leonard Lawrence ( `` Gomer Pyle '' ) in Stanley Kubrick 's war film Full Metal Jacket ( 1987 ) , Wilson Fisk in the Netflix series Daredevil , Det. Robert Goren in Law & Order : Criminal Intent , Edgar/the Bug in Men in Black ( 1997 ) , and Vic Hoskins in Jurassic World ( 2015 ) . Among other honors , D'Onofrio is a Saturn Award winner and an Emmy Award nominee .", "Red Dragon (film). Red Dragon is a 2002 American psychological horror film based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris , featuring psychiatrist and serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter . It is a prequel to The Silence of the Lambs ( 1991 ) and Hannibal ( 2001 ) . The novel was originally adapted into the film Manhunter ( 1986 ) . The film was directed by Brett Ratner and written for the screen by Ted Tally , who also wrote the screenplay for The Silence of the Lambs . It stars Anthony Hopkins as Lecter , a role he played twice before in The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal , and Edward Norton as FBI agent Will Graham . The film also stars Ralph Fiennes , Harvey Keitel , Emily Watson , Mary-Louise Parker , and Philip Seymour Hoffman .", "Thomas Harris. Thomas Harris ( born April 11 , 1940 ) is an American writer , best known for a series of suspense novels about his most famous character , Hannibal Lecter . All of his works have been made into films , the most notable being the multi-Oscar-winning The Silence of the Lambs , which became only the third film in Academy Award history to sweep the Oscars in major categories .", "Donald Sutherland. Donald McNichol Sutherland , ( born 17 July 1935 ) is a Canadian actor whose film career spans five decades . Sutherland rose to fame after starring in series of successful films including The Dirty Dozen ( 1967 ) , M * A * S * H ( 1970 ) , Kelly 's Heroes ( 1970 ) , Klute ( 1971 ) , Do n't Look Now ( 1973 ) , Fellini 's Casanova ( 1976 ) , 1900 ( 1976 ) , Animal House ( 1978 ) , Invasion of the Body Snatchers ( 1978 ) , Ordinary People ( 1980 ) and Eye of the Needle ( 1981 ) . Since then , he established himself as one of the most respected , prolific and versatile character actors of Canada . He later went on to star in many other successful films where he appeared either in leading or supporting roles such as A Dry White Season ( 1989 ) , JFK ( 1991 ) , A Time to Kill ( 1996 ) , Without Limits ( 1998 ) , The Italian Job ( 2003 ) , Cold Mountain ( 2003 ) , Pride & Prejudice ( 2005 ) , Aurora Borealis ( 2006 ) and The Hunger Games franchise ( 2012 -- 2015 ) . Sutherland has been nominated for eight Golden Globe Awards , winning two for his performances in the television films Citizen X ( 1995 ) and Path to War ( 2002 ) ; the former also brought him a Primetime Emmy Award . Inductee of Hollywood Walk of Fame and Canadian Walk of Fame , Sutherland has also received a Canadian Academy Award for the drama film Threshold ( 1981 ) . Several media outlets and movie critics describe him as one of the best actors who has never been nominated for an Oscar . He is father of actors Rossif Sutherland , Angus Sutherland , and Kiefer Sutherland .", "The Canyons (film). The Canyons is a 2013 American erotic thriller-drama film directed by Paul Schrader and written by Bret Easton Ellis . The film is set in Los Angeles and stars Lindsay Lohan , James Deen , Nolan Funk , Amanda Brooks , and Gus Van Sant . It received a limited release on August 2 , 2013 at the IFC Center in New York City , the Bell Lightbox in Toronto , and on video on demand platforms .", "The Brotherhood of the Bell. The Brotherhood of the Bell is a 1970 made-for-television movie produced by Cinema Center 100 Productions and starring Glenn Ford . The director Paul Wendkos was nominated in 1971 by the Directors Guild of America for `` outstanding directorial achievement in television '' . David Karp wrote the screenplay based on his novel that had been previously filmed as a Studio One episode in 1958 . The film depicts a successful economics professor , Dr. Andrew Patterson , who discovers that an elite fraternity he joined as an undergraduate is really a callous banking and business cabal that obtains wealth and power for its members through nefarious practices .", "Flatliners. Flatliners is a 1990 American science fiction psychological horror film directed by Joel Schumacher , produced by Michael Douglas and Rick Bieber , and written by Peter Filardi . It stars Kiefer Sutherland , Julia Roberts , William Baldwin , Oliver Platt , and Kevin Bacon . The film is about five medical students who attempt to find out what lies beyond death by conducting clandestine experiments that produce near-death experiences . The film was shot on the campus of Loyola University ( Chicago ) between October 1989 and January 1990 , and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing in 1990 ( Charles L. Campbell and Richard C. Franklin ) . The film was theatrically released on August 10 , 1990 , by Columbia Pictures .", "Jeff Goldblum. Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum ( -LSB- ˈɡoʊldbluːm -RSB- born October 22 , 1952 ) is an American actor who has received nominations for an Oscar , an Emmy , a Genie and a Drama Desk Award throughout his career and is best known for starring in the highest-grossing films of his era , Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) and Independence Day ( 1996 ) , as well as their respective sequels , The Lost World : Jurassic Park ( 1997 ) , Independence Day : Resurgence ( 2016 ) , and Jurassic World 2 ( 2018 ) . Goldblum starred in films including Invasion of the Body Snatchers ( 1978 ) , The Big Chill ( 1983 ) and Into the Night ( 1985 ) before coming to the attention of wider audiences in David Cronenberg 's The Fly ( 1986 ) which earned him a Saturn Award for Best Actor . His other films include The Tall Guy ( 1989 ) , Deep Cover ( 1992 ) , Powder ( 1995 ) , The Prince of Egypt ( 1998 ) , Cats & Dogs ( 2001 ) , Igby Goes Down ( 2002 ) , The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou ( 2004 ) , Adam Resurrected ( 2008 ) , Le Week-End ( 2013 ) and The Grand Budapest Hotel ( 2014 ) . He has been cast as Grandmaster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thor : Ragnarok . He also starred in several TV series including the eighth and ninth seasons of Law & Order : Criminal Intent as Zack Nichols .", "Mark Ruffalo. Mark Alan Ruffalo ( -LSB- ˈrʌfəloʊ -RSB- , born November 22 , 1967 ) is an American actor , humanitarian , social activist and film producer . He made his screen debut in an episode of CBS Summer Playhouse ( 1989 ) , followed by minor film roles . He was part of the original cast of This Is Our Youth ( 1996 ) , for which he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award . Following were his roles in 13 Going on 30 ( 2004 ) , Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ( 2004 ) , Zodiac ( 2007 ) , and What Does n't Kill You ( 2008 ) . In 2010 , he starred in the psychological thriller Shutter Island and the comedy-drama The Kids Are All Right . For the latter , he received nominations for the SAG Award , BAFTA Award , and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . He also co-starred in the mystery films Now You See Me and Now You See Me 2 as FBI Special Agent Dylan Rhodes . Ruffalo gained international prominence by portraying the Marvel Comics character the Hulk in The Avengers ( 2012 ) and Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) . He starred in and was the co-executive producer of the 2014 television drama film The Normal Heart , for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie and he won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor in a TV Movie . The same year , he portrayed Dave Schultz in Foxcatcher , for which he was nominated for awards , including a Golden Globe , and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . In 2015 , he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Infinitely Polar Bear and also received BAFTA and Academy Award nominations for his role in the drama Spotlight .", "Scott Patterson. Scott Gordon Patterson ( born September 11 , 1958 ) is an American actor and musician . He is known for his role as Luke Danes in Gilmore Girls and Agent Strahm in Saw IV , Saw V and Saw VI . He also starred as Michael Buchanan in the NBC drama series The Event and as a Tenctonese alien commander in the TV film Alien Nation : Dark Horizon ." ]

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[ "Peggy Sue Got Married. Peggy Sue Got Married is a 1986 American comedy-drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola starring Kathleen Turner as a woman on the verge of a divorce , who finds herself transported back to the days of her senior year in high school in 1960 . The film was written by husband and wife team Jerry Leichtling and Arlene Sarner . The film was nominated for three Academy Awards : Best Actress ( Turner ) , Best Cinematography , and Best Costume Design . In addition , Turner was nominated for Best Foreign Actress at the Sant Jordi Awards .", "The Prince of Egypt. The Prince of Egypt is a 1998 American animated epic musical drama film and the first traditional animated film produced and released by DreamWorks . The film is an adaptation of the Book of Exodus and follows the life of Moses from being a prince of Egypt to his ultimate destiny to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt . Directed by Brenda Chapman , Steve Hickner , and Simon Wells , the film features songs written by Stephen Schwartz and a score composed by Hans Zimmer . The voice cast consists of Val Kilmer in a dual role , Ralph Fiennes , Michelle Pfeiffer , Sandra Bullock , Jeff Goldblum , Danny Glover , Patrick Stewart , Helen Mirren , Steve Martin , and Martin Short . Jeffrey Katzenberg had frequently suggested an animated adaptation of the 1956 film The Ten Commandments while working for The Walt Disney Company , and he decided to put the idea into production after founding DreamWorks in 1995 . To make this inaugural project , DreamWorks employed artists who had worked for Walt Disney Feature Animation and the recently disbanded Amblimation , totaling a crew of 350 people from 34 different nations . The film has a blend of traditional animation and computer-generated imagery , created using software from Toon Boom Animation and Silicon Graphics . Theatrically released on December 18 , 1998 , and on home video on September 14 , 1999 , reviews were generally positive , with critics praising the animation , music , and voice work . The film went on to gross over $ 218 million worldwide in theaters , which made it the most successful non-Disney animated feature at the time . The film 's success led to the direct-to-video prequel Joseph : King of Dreams ( 2000 ) and the development of a stage adaptation . The song `` When You Believe '' became a commercially successful single in a pop version performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey , and went on to win Best Original Song at the 1999 Academy Awards .", "Married... with Children. Married ... with Children is an American television live-action sitcom that aired on Fox , created by Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt . Originally broadcast from April 5 , 1987 to June 9 , 1997 , it is the longest-lasting live-action sitcom on Fox , and the first to be broadcast in the network 's primetime programming slot . The show follows the lives of Al Bundy , a once glorious high school football player turned hard-luck women 's shoe salesman ; his obnoxious wife , Peggy ; their attractive , promiscuous , and clueless daughter , Kelly ; and their girl-crazy , wisecracking son , Bud . Their neighbors are the upwardly mobile Steve Rhoades and his feminist wife Marcy , who later gets remarried to Jefferson D'Arcy , a white-collar criminal who becomes her `` trophy husband '' and Al 's sidekick . Most storylines involve Al 's schemes being foiled by his own cartoonish dim wit and bad luck . The series comprises 259 episodes and 11 seasons . Its theme song is `` Love and Marriage '' by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen , performed by Frank Sinatra from the 1955 television production Our Town . The first season of the series was videotaped at ABC Television Center in Hollywood . From season two to season eight , the show was taped at Sunset Gower Studios in Hollywood , and the remaining three seasons were taped at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City . The series was produced by Embassy Communications during its first season and the remaining seasons by ELP Communications under the studio Columbia Pictures Television . In 2008 , the show placed number 94 on Entertainment Weekly `` New TV Classics '' list .", "The Simpsons. The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series is a satirical depiction of working-class life epitomized by the Simpson family , which consists of Homer , Marge , Bart , Lisa , and Maggie . The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture , society , television , and the human condition . The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a solicitation for a series of animated shorts with producer James L. Brooks . Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family , substituting Bart for his own name . The shorts became a part of The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19 , 1987 . After a three-season run , the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and became an early hit for Fox , becoming the network 's first series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season ( 1989 -- 90 ) . Since its debut on December 17 , 1989 , episodes of The Simpsons have been broadcast . Its 28th season began on September 25 , 2016 . It is the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American animated program , and , in 2009 , it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest-running American scripted primetime television series . The Simpsons Movie , a feature-length film , was released in theaters worldwide on July 27 , 2007 , and grossed over $ 527 million . On November 4 , 2016 , the series was renewed for a twenty-ninth and thirtieth season of 22 episodes each , extending the show to 2019 . The Simpsons received widespread critical acclaim throughout its first nine seasons , which are generally considered its `` Golden Age '' . Time named it the 20th century 's best television series , and Erik Adams of The A.V. Club named it `` television 's crowning achievement regardless of format '' . On January 14 , 2000 , the Simpson family was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . It has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series , including 31 Primetime Emmy Awards , 30 Annie Awards , and a Peabody Award . Homer 's exclamatory catchphrase `` D'oh ! '' has been adopted into the English language , while The Simpsons has influenced many adult-oriented animated sitcoms . Despite this , the show has also been criticized for what many perceive as a decline in quality over the years .", "Mel Brooks. Melvin Brooks ( né Kaminsky , born June 28 , 1926 ) is an American filmmaker , comedian , actor and composer . He is known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies . Brooks began his career as a comic and a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows . He became well known as part of the comedy duo with Carl Reiner in the comedy skit The 2000 Year Old Man . He also created , with Buck Henry , the hit television comedy series Get Smart , which ran from 1965 to 1970 . In middle age , Brooks became one of the most successful film directors of the 1970s , with many of his films being among the top 10 moneymakers of the year they were released . His best-known films include The Producers , The Twelve Chairs , Blazing Saddles , Young Frankenstein , Silent Movie , High Anxiety , History of the World , Part I , Spaceballs and Robin Hood : Men in Tights . A musical adaptation of his first film , The Producers , ran on Broadway from 2001 to 2007 . In 2001 , having previously won an Emmy , a Grammy and an Oscar , he joined a small list of EGOT winners with his Tony award for The Producers . He received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2009 , the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 , the 41st AFI Life Achievement Award in June 2013 , a British Film Institute Fellowship in March 2015 , a National Medal of Arts in September 2016 , and a BAFTA Fellowship in February 2017 . Three of his films ranked in the American Film Institute 's list of the top 100 comedy films of the past 100 years ( 1900 -- 2000 ) , all of which ranked in the top 15 of the list : Blazing Saddles at number 6 , The Producers at number 11 , and Young Frankenstein at number 13 . Brooks was married to Oscar-winning actress Anne Bancroft from 1964 until her death in 2005 .", "Primetime Emmy Award. The Primetime Emmy Award is an American award bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ( ATAS ) in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming . First given in 1949 , the award was originally referred to as simply the `` Emmy Awards '' until the first Daytime Emmy Award ceremonies were held in 1974 , and the word `` prime time '' was added to distinguish between the two . The Primetime Emmy Awards generally air in mid-September , on the Sunday before the official start of the fall television season . They are currently seen in rotation among the four major networks ( ABC , CBS , Fox , and NBC ) . The ceremony is typically moved to late-August if it is broadcast by NBC ( such as in 2006 , 2010 , and 2014 ) , so that it does not conflict with NBC 's commitment to broadcasting Sunday-night NFL games ( due to another conflict , this time with the MTV Video Music Awards , the 2014 ceremony was also shifted to a Monday ) . They are considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards ( film ) , Grammy Awards ( music ) , and Tony Awards ( stage ) . The awards are divided into three categories : the Primetime Emmy Awards , the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards , and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards .", "Natalie Portman. Natalie Portman ( born Neta-Lee Hershlag , נטע-לי הרשלג June 9 , 1981 ) is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship . Her first role was in the 1994 action thriller Léon : The Professional , opposite Jean Reno . She was later cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy ( released in 1999 , 2002 and 2005 ) . Born in Jerusalem to an Israeli father and American mother , Portman grew up in the eastern United States from the age of three . She studied dancing and acting in New York , and starred in Star Wars : Episode I -- The Phantom Menace while still at high school on Long Island . In 1999 , Portman enrolled at Harvard University to study psychology , alongside her work as an actress ; she completed a bachelor 's degree in 2003 . During her studies she starred in a second Star Wars film and opened in New York City 's The Public Theater production of Anton Chekhov 's The Seagull in 2001 . Portman won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award for starring in the 2004 drama Closer , appeared in Star Wars : Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith the following year , and won a Constellation Award for Best Female Performance and the Saturn Award for Best Actress for her starring role in the political thriller V for Vendetta ( 2006 ) . She played leading roles in the historical dramas Goya 's Ghosts ( 2006 ) and The Other Boleyn Girl ( 2008 ) , and also appeared in Thor ( 2011 ) and its 2013 sequel . In 2010 , Portman starred in the psychological thriller film Black Swan . Her performance received widespread critical acclaim and she earned her first Academy Award for Best Actress , her second Golden Globe Award , the SAG Award , the BAFTA Award and the BFCA Award in 2011 . In 2016 , she portrayed First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the biographical drama Jackie . She was nominated for an Academy Award , a BAFTA Award , a Golden Globe Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award and won the BFCA for Best Actress . In May 2008 , Portman served as the youngest member of the 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival jury . The same year she directed a segment of the collective film New York , I Love You . Her first feature film as a director , A Tale of Love and Darkness , was released in 2015 .", "Egypt. Egypt ( -LSB- ˈiːdʒɪpt -RSB- ; مِصر , مَصر , Kimi ) , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt , is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula . Egypt is a Mediterranean country bordered by the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast , the Gulf of Aqaba to the east , the Red Sea to the east and south , Sudan to the south , and Libya to the west . Across the Gulf of Aqaba lies Jordan , and across from the Sinai Peninsula lies Saudi Arabia , although Jordan and Saudi Arabia do not share a land border with Egypt . Egypt has one of the longest histories of any modern country , emerging as one of the world 's first nation states in the tenth millennium BC . Considered a cradle of civilisation , Ancient Egypt experienced some of the earliest developments of writing , agriculture , urbanisation , organised religion and central government . Iconic monuments such as the Giza Necropolis and its Great Sphinx , as well the ruins of Memphis , Thebes , Karnak , and the Valley of the Kings , reflect this legacy and remain a significant focus of archaeological study and popular interest worldwide . Egypt 's rich cultural heritage is an integral part of its national identity , which has endured , and at times assimilated , various foreign influences , including Greek , Persian , Roman , Arab , Ottoman , and European . One of the earliest centres of Christianity , Egypt was Islamised in the seventh century and remains a predominantly Muslim country , albeit with a significant Christian minority . With over 92 million inhabitants , Egypt is the most populous country in North Africa and the Arab world , the third-most populous in Africa ( after Nigeria and Ethiopia ) , and the fifteenth-most populous in the world . The great majority of its people live near the banks of the Nile River , an area of about 40000 km2 , where the only arable land is found . The large regions of the Sahara desert , which constitute most of Egypt 's territory , are sparsely inhabited . About half of Egypt 's residents live in urban areas , with most spread across the densely populated centres of greater Cairo , Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta . Modern Egypt is considered to be a regional and middle power , with significant cultural , political , and military influence in North Africa , the Middle East and the Muslim world . Egypt 's economy is one of the largest and most diversified in the Middle East , and is projected to become one of the largest in the 21st century . Egypt is a member of the United Nations , Non-Aligned Movement , Arab League , African Union , and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation .", "The Golden Girls. The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that originally aired on NBC from September 14 , 1985 , to May 9 , 1992 , with a total of 180 half-hour episodes spanning over seven seasons . The show stars Beatrice Arthur , Betty White , Rue McClanahan , and Estelle Getty , as four older women who share a home in Miami , Florida . It was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions , in association with Touchstone Television , and Paul Junger Witt , Tony Thomas , and Harris served as the original executive producers . The Golden Girls received critical acclaim throughout most of its run and won several awards , including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series twice . It also won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series -- Musical or Comedy . Each of the four stars received an Emmy Award ( from multiple nominations during the series ' run ) , making it one of only three sitcoms in the award 's history to achieve this . The series also ranked among the top-10 highest-rated programs for six of its seven seasons . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked The Golden Girls number 54 on its list of the 60 Best Series of All Time . In 2014 , the Writers Guild of America placed the sitcom at number 69 in their list of the `` 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time '' .", "Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan . The show originally aired on the AMC network for five seasons , from January 20 , 2008 , to September 29 , 2013 . It tells the story of Walter White ( Bryan Cranston ) , a struggling high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer . Together with his former student Jesse Pinkman ( Aaron Paul ) , White turns to a life of crime , producing and selling crystallized methamphetamine to secure his family 's financial future before he dies , while navigating the dangers of the criminal world . The title is from a Southern colloquialism meaning to `` raise hell '' . Breaking Bad is set and was filmed in Albuquerque , New Mexico . Walter 's family consists of his wife Skyler ( Anna Gunn ) and children , Walter , Jr. ( RJ Mitte ) and Holly ( Elanor Anne Wenrich ) . The show also features Skyler 's sister Marie Schrader ( Betsy Brandt ) , and her husband Hank ( Dean Norris ) , a Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) agent . Walter hires lawyer Saul Goodman ( Bob Odenkirk ) , who connects him with private investigator and fixer Mike Ehrmantraut ( Jonathan Banks ) and in turn Mike 's employer , drug kingpin Gus Fring ( Giancarlo Esposito ) . The final season introduces the characters Todd Alquist ( Jesse Plemons ) and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle ( Laura Fraser ) . Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time . By the time the series finale aired , the series was among the most-watched cable shows on American television . The show received numerous awards , including sixteen Primetime Emmy Awards , eight Satellite Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two Peabody Awards , two Critics ' Choice Awards , and four Television Critics Association Awards . For his leading performance , Cranston won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times , while Aaron Paul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times ; Anna Gunn won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series twice . In 2013 , Breaking Bad entered the Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed show of all time .", "Joan Allen. Joan Allen ( born August 20 , 1956 ) is an American actress who has worked in theatre , film and television . She won the 1988 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her Broadway debut in Burn This . She is also a three-time Academy Award nominee ; receiving Best Supporting Actress nominations for Nixon ( 1995 ) and The Crucible ( 1996 ) , and a Best Actress nomination for The Contender ( 2000 ) . Allen began her acting career in 1977 with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company . Her New York stage credits include And a Nightingale Sang ( 1984 ) and The Heidi Chronicles ( 1988 ) . Her other film roles include Manhunter ( 1986 ) , Peggy Sue Got Married ( 1986 ) , Tucker : The Man and His Dream ( 1988 ) , The Ice Storm ( 1997 ) , Face/Off ( 1997 ) , Pleasantville ( 1998 ) , The Bourne Supremacy ( 2004 ) , The Upside of Anger ( 2005 ) , The Bourne Ultimatum ( 2007 ) , Death Race ( 2008 ) , The Bourne Legacy ( 2012 ) and Room ( 2015 ) . She starred in the ABC drama The Family ( 2016 ) .", "Barbra Streisand. Barbara Joan `` Barbra '' Streisand ( -LSB- ˈstraɪsænd -RSB- born April 24 , 1942 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress , and filmmaker . In a career spanning six decades , she has become an icon in multiple fields of entertainment and has been recognized with two Academy Awards , ten Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Grammy Legend Award , five Emmy Awards including one Daytime Emmy , a Special Tony Award , an American Film Institute award , a Kennedy Center Honors prize , four Peabody Awards , the Presidential Medal of Freedom , and nine Golden Globes . She is among a small group of entertainers who have been honored with an Emmy , Grammy , Oscar , and Tony Award , and is one of only two artists who have also won a Peabody . Streisand is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , with more than 68.5 million albums in the United States and with a total of 145 million records sold worldwide making her the best-selling female artist among the top-selling artists recognized by the Recording Industry Association of America . After beginning a successful recording career in the 1960s , Streisand ventured into film by the end of that decade . She starred in the critically acclaimed Funny Girl , for which she won the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . Her other films include The Owl and the Pussycat , The Way We Were , and A Star Is Born , for which she received her second Academy Award , composing music for the love theme `` Evergreen '' , the first woman to be honored as a composer . With the release of Yentl in 1983 , Streisand became the first woman to write , produce , direct , and star in a major studio film . The film won an Oscar for Best Score and a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical ; Streisand received the Golden Globe Award for Best Director , the first ( and to date only ) woman to win that award . The RIAA and Billboard recognize Streisand as holding the record for the most top 10 albums of any female recording artist : a total of 34 since 1963 . According to Billboard , Streisand holds the record for the female with the most number one albums ( 11 ) . Billboard also recognizes Streisand as the greatest female of all time on its Billboard 200 chart and one of the greatest artists of all time on its Hot 100 chart . Streisand is the only recording artist to have a number-one album in each of the last six decades , having released 53 gold albums , 31 platinum albums , and 14 multi-platinum albums in the United States .", "Game of Thrones. Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss . It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire , George R. R. Martin 's series of fantasy novels , the first of which is A Game of Thrones . It is filmed at Titanic Studios in Belfast , on location in the United Kingdom , and in Canada , Croatia , Iceland , Malta , Morocco , Spain , and the United States . The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17 , 2011 , and its sixth season ended on June 26 , 2016 . The series was renewed for a seventh season , which is scheduled to premiere on July 16 , 2017 , and will conclude with its eighth season in 2018 . Set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos , Game of Thrones has several plot lines and a large ensemble cast . The first story arc follows a dynastic conflict among competing claimants for succession to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms , with other noble families fighting for independence from the throne . The second covers attempts to reclaim the throne by the exiled last scion of the realm 's deposed ruling dynasty ; the third chronicles the threat of the impending winter and the legendary creatures and fierce peoples of the North . Game of Thrones has attracted record viewership on HBO and has a broad , active , international fan base . It has been acclaimed by critics , particularly for its acting , complex characters , story , scope , and production values , although its frequent use of nudity and violence ( including sexual violence ) has attracted criticism . The series has received 38 Primetime Emmy Awards , including Outstanding Drama Series in 2015 and 2016 , more than any other primetime scripted television series . Its other awards and nominations include three Hugo Awards for Best Dramatic Presentation ( 2012 -- 2014 ) , a 2011 Peabody Award , and four nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama ( 2012 and 2015 -- 2017 ) . Of the ensemble cast , Peter Dinklage has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series ( 2011 and 2015 ) and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Series , Miniseries or Television Film ( 2012 ) for his performance as Tyrion Lannister . Lena Headey , Emilia Clarke , Kit Harington , Maisie Williams , Diana Rigg , and Max von Sydow have also received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for their performances in the series .", "Judi Dench. Dame Judith Olivia Dench ( born 9 December 1934 ) , known as Judi Dench , is an English actress and author . Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company . Over the following few years , she performed in several of Shakespeare 's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet , Juliet in Romeo and Juliet , and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth . Although most of her work during this period was in theatre , she also branched into film work and won a BAFTA Award as Most Promising Newcomer . She drew strong reviews for her leading role in the musical Cabaret in 1968 . Over the next two decades , Dench established herself as one of the most significant British theatre performers , working for the National Theatre Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company . She achieved success in television during this period , in the series A Fine Romance from 1981 until 1984 , and in 1992 with a starring role in the romantic comedy series As Time Goes By . Her film appearances were infrequent and included supporting roles in major films such as A Room with a View ( 1986 ) supporting Maggie Smith , before she rose to international fame as M in GoldenEye ( 1995 ) , a role she continued to play in James Bond films until Skyfall ( 2012 ) . A seven-time Oscar nominee , Dench won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love and has received nominations for her roles in Mrs Brown ( 1997 ) , Chocolat ( 2000 ) , Iris ( 2001 ) , Mrs Henderson Presents ( 2005 ) , Notes on a Scandal ( 2006 ) , and Philomena ( 2013 ) . She has also received many award nominations for her acting in theatre , film and television ; her competitive awards include six British Academy Film Awards , four BAFTA TV Awards , seven Olivier Awards , two Screen Actors Guild Awards , two Golden Globes , and a Tony Award . She has also received the BAFTA Fellowship ( 2001 ) and the Special Olivier Award ( 2004 ) . In June 2011 , she received a fellowship from the British Film Institute ( BFI ) . Dench is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts ( FRSA ) .", "Meg Ryan. Meg Ryan ( born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra ; November 19 , 1961 ) is an American actress , director , and producer . Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles , before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982 . Subsequently , she began to appear in supporting roles in films during the mid-1980s , achieving recognition in independent movies such as Promised Land ( 1988 ) before her performance in the Rob Reiner-directed romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally ... ( 1989 ) brought her widespread attention and her first Golden Globe nomination . Ryan subsequently established herself , both nationally and internationally , as one of the most successful actresses in the 1990s and early 2000s , particularly in romantic comedy films such as Sleepless in Seattle ( 1993 ) , French Kiss ( 1995 ) , You 've Got Mail ( 1998 ) , and Kate & Leopold ( 2001 ) . Her other films include The Doors ( 1991 ) , When a Man Loves a Woman ( 1994 ) , Courage Under Fire ( 1996 ) , Addicted to Love ( 1997 ) , City of Angels ( 1998 ) , Proof of Life ( 2000 ) , and The Women ( 2008 ) . In 2015 , she made her directorial debut with Ithaca , a film in which she also acted .", "Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut -LSB- hat-shep-soot -RSB- ( -LSB- hætˈʃɛpsʊt -RSB- also Hatchepsut ; meaning Foremost of Noble Ladies ; 1507 -- 1458 BC ) was the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt . She was the second historically confirmed female pharaoh , the first being Sobekneferu . ( Various other women may have also ruled as pharaohs regnant or at least regents before Hatshepsut , as early as Neithhotep around 1600 years prior . ) Hatshepsut came to the throne of Egypt in 1478 BC . Officially , she ruled jointly with Thutmose III , who had ascended to the throne the previous year as a child of about two years old . Hatshepsut was the chief wife of Thutmose II , Thutmose III 's father . She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs , reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty . According to Egyptologist James Henry Breasted she is also known as `` the first great woman in history of whom we are informed . '' Hatshepsut was the daughter and only child of Thutmose I and his primary wife Ahmose . Her husband Thutmose II was the son of Thutmose I and a secondary wife named Mutnofret , who carried the title King 's daughter and was probably a child of Ahmose I. Hatshepsut and Thutmose II had a daughter named Neferure . Thutmose II fathered Thutmose III with Iset , a secondary wife .", "Whitney Houston. Whitney Elizabeth Houston ( August 9 , 1963 -- February 11 , 2012 ) was an American singer , actress , producer , and model . In 2009 , Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time . Houston is one of pop music 's best-selling music artists of all-time , with an estimated 170 -- 200 million records sold worldwide . She released seven studio albums and two soundtrack albums , all of which have diamond , multi-platinum , platinum , or gold certification . Houston 's crossover appeal on the popular music charts , as well as her prominence on MTV , starting with her video for `` How Will I Know '' , influenced several African American women artists who follow in her footsteps . Houston is the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 songs . She is the second artist behind Elton John and the only woman to have two number-one Billboard 200 Album awards ( formerly `` Top Pop Albums '' ) on the Billboard magazine year-end charts . Houston 's debut album , Whitney Houston ( 1985 ) , became the best-selling debut album by a woman in history . Rolling Stone named it the best album of 1986 , and ranked it at number 254 on the magazine 's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . Her second studio album , Whitney ( 1987 ) , became the first album by a woman to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart . Houston 's first acting role was as the star of the feature film The Bodyguard ( 1992 ) . The film 's original soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year . Its lead single , `` I Will Always Love You '' , won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and became the best-selling single by a woman in music history . With the album , Houston became the first act ( solo or group , male or female ) to sell more than a million copies of an album within a single week period under Nielsen SoundScan system . The album makes her the top female act in the top 10 list of the best-selling albums of all time , at number four . Houston continued to star in movies and contribute to their soundtracks , including the films Waiting to Exhale ( 1995 ) and The Preacher 's Wife ( 1996 ) . The Preacher 's Wife soundtrack became the best-selling gospel album in history . On February 11 , 2012 , Houston was found dead in her guest room at the Beverly Hilton , in Beverly Hills , California . The official coroner 's report showed that she had accidentally drowned in the bathtub , with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors . News of her death coincided with the 2012 Grammy Awards and featured prominently in American and international media .", "Michael Jackson. Michael Joseph Jackson ( August 29 , 1958 -- June 25 , 2009 ) was an American singer , songwriter , record producer , dancer , actor , and philanthropist . Called the `` King of Pop '' , his contributions to music , dance , and fashion along with his publicized personal life made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades . The eighth child of the Jackson family , Michael made his professional debut in 1964 with his elder brothers Jackie , Tito , Jermaine , and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 . He began his solo career in 1971 . In the early 1980s , Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music . His music videos , including those of `` Beat It '' , `` Billie Jean '' , and `` Thriller '' from his 1982 album Thriller , are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool . The popularity of these videos helped bring the television channel MTV to fame . Jackson 's 1987 album Bad spawned the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles `` I Just Ca n't Stop Loving You '' , `` Bad '' , `` The Way You Make Me Feel '' , `` Man in the Mirror '' , and `` Dirty Diana '' , becoming the first album to have five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 . He continued to innovate with videos such as `` Black or White '' and `` Scream '' throughout the 1990s , and forged a reputation as a touring solo artist . Through stage and video performances , Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques , such as the robot and the moonwalk , to which he gave the name . His distinctive sound and style has influenced numerous artists of various music genres . Thriller is the best-selling album of all time , with estimated sales of 65 million copies worldwide . Jackson 's other albums , including Off the Wall ( 1979 ) , Bad ( 1987 ) , Dangerous ( 1991 ) , and HIStory ( 1995 ) , also rank among the world 's best-selling albums . He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records . Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice , and was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Dance Hall of Fame as the only dancer from pop and rock music . His other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records , 13 Grammy Awards , the Grammy Legend Award , the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award , 26 American Music Awards -- more than any other artist -- including the `` Artist of the Century '' and `` Artist of the 1980s '' , 13 number-one singles in the United States during his solo career -- more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era -- and estimated sales of over 350 million records worldwide . Jackson won hundreds of awards , making him the most awarded recording artist in the history of popular music . He became the first artist in history to have a top ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades when `` Love Never Felt So Good '' reached number nine on May 21 , 2014 . Jackson traveled the world attending events honoring his humanitarianism , and , in 2000 , the Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities , more than any other entertainer . Aspects of Jackson 's personal life , including his changing appearance , personal relationships , and behavior , generated controversy . In 1993 , he was accused of child sexual abuse , but the civil case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount and no formal charges were brought . In 2005 , he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury found him not guilty on all counts . While preparing for his comeback concert series , This Is It , Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication on June 25 , 2009 , after suffering from cardiac arrest . The Los Angeles County Coroner ruled his death a homicide , and his personal physician , Conrad Murray , was convicted of involuntary manslaughter . Jackson 's death triggered a global outpouring of grief , and a live broadcast of his public memorial service was viewed around the world . Forbes ranks Jackson the top-earning dead celebrity , with earnings of $ 825 million in 2016 , the highest yearly amount ever recorded by the publication .", "The Brady Bunch. The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26 , 1969 , to March 8 , 1974 , on ABC . The series revolves around a large blended family with six children . Considered one of the last of the old-style family sitcoms , the series aired for five seasons and , after its cancellation in 1974 , went into syndication in September 1975 . While the series was never a critical or ratings success during its original run , it has since become a popular staple in syndication , especially among children and teenaged viewers . The Brady Bunch '' 's success in syndication led to several television reunion films and spin-off series : The Brady Bunch Hour ( 1976 -- 77 ) , The Brady Girls Get Married ( 1981 ) , The Brady Brides ( 1981 ) , A Very Brady Christmas ( 1988 ) , and The Bradys ( 1990 ) . In 1995 , the series was adapted into a satirical comedy theatrical film titled The Brady Bunch Movie , followed by A Very Brady Sequel in 1996 . A second sequel , The Brady Bunch in the White House '' , aired on Fox in November 2002 as a made-for-television film . In 1997 , `` Getting Davy Jones '' ( season three , episode 12 ) was ranked number 37 on TV Guides 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . The durability of the show has resulted in it becoming widely recognized as an American cultural icon .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Hugh Grant. Hugh John Mungo Grant ( born 9 September 1960 ) is an English actor and film producer . Grant has received a Golden Globe , a BAFTA , and an Honorary César for his work . His films have earned more than US$ 2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide . Grant first received attention after earning the Volpi Cup for his performance in James Ivory 's Maurice ( 1987 ) but achieved international success after appearing in the Richard Curtis-scripted Four Weddings and a Funeral ( 1994 ) . Grant used this breakthrough role as a frequent cinematic persona during the 1990s , delivering comic performances in films such as Mickey Blue Eyes ( 1999 ) and Notting Hill ( 1999 ) . One of the best known figures in 1990s British popular culture , Grant was in a high-profile relationship with Elizabeth Hurley , which was the focus of much attention in the British and international media . By the turn of the 21st century , Grant had established himself as a leading man , skilled with a satirical comic talent . Grant has expanded his oeuvre with critically acclaimed turns as a cad in Bridget Jones 's Diary ( 2001 ) , About a Boy ( 2002 ) , and American Dreamz ( 2006 ) . Grant later played against type with multiple cameo roles in the epic sci-fi drama film , Cloud Atlas ( 2012 ) . He 's also known for appearing in period pieces such as The Remains of the Day ( 1993 ) , Sense and Sensibility ( 1995 ) and Florence Foster Jenkins ( 2016 ) . Within the film industry , Grant is cited as an anti-star who approaches his roles like a character actor , and attempts to make his acting appear spontaneous . Hallmarks of his comic skills include a nonchalant touch of irony/sarcasm and studied physical mannerisms , as well as his precisely-timed dialogue delivery and facial expressions . The entertainment media 's coverage of Grant 's life off the big screen has often overshadowed his work as an actor . Grant has been outspoken about his antipathy towards the profession of acting , and in his disdain towards the culture of celebrity and hostility towards the media . In a career spanning 30 years , Grant has repeatedly claimed that acting was not his true calling , but rather a career that unintentionally developed by happenstance .", "Vidya Balan. Vidya Balan ( pronounced -LSB- - hnsʋɪd̪jaː baːlən -RSB- born 1 January 1979 ) is an Indian actress . She has established a career in Bollywood and is the recipient of several awards , including a National Film Award , five Filmfare Awards , and five Screen Awards , and was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2014 . She is known for portraying strong protagonists and has been acknowledged in the media for pioneering a change in the concept of a Hindi film heroine . Vidya aspired to a career in film from a young age , and had her first acting role in the 1995 sitcom Hum Paanch . She pursued a master 's degree in sociology from the University of Mumbai and simultaneously made several unsuccessful attempts to start a career in film . She subsequently featured in television commercials and music videos . In 2003 she made her feature film debut as the protagonist of the independent Bengali drama Bhalo Theko . In 2005 Vidya garnered praise for her first Hindi film , the drama Parineeta , and followed it with a leading role in the highly successful 2006 comedy film Lage Raho Munna Bhai . This initial success was followed by roles in the romantic comedies Heyy Babyy ( 2007 ) and Kismat Konnection ( 2008 ) which had negative reviews . By 2009 Vidya had established herself as a leading actress of Hindi cinema , as she went on to portray five consecutive roles to wide critical acclaim in the 2009 drama Paa , the 2010 black comedy Ishqiya , the 2011 semi-biographical thriller No One Killed Jessica , the 2011 biopic The Dirty Picture , and the 2012 thriller Kahaani . She followed this with a series of films that performed poorly at the box office , although her performance in Kahaani 2 : Durga Rani Singh ( 2016 ) was praised . In addition to acting in films , Vidya promotes humanitarian causes and supports the empowerment of women . She initially drew criticism for her fluctuating weight and `` questionable '' dress sense , but was later credited in the media for `` not morphing herself to fit into any conventional slot '' . She is married to the film producer Siddharth Roy Kapur .", "The Egyptian. The Egyptian ( Sinuhe egyptiläinen , Sinuhe the Egyptian ) is a historical novel by Mika Waltari . It was first published in Finnish in 1945 , and in an abridged English translation by Naomi Walford in 1949 , apparently from Swedish rather than Finnish . So far , it is the only Finnish novel to be adapted into a Hollywood film , which it was , in 1954 . The Egyptian is the first and the most successful , of Waltari 's great historical novels . It is set in Ancient Egypt , mostly during the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten of the 18th Dynasty , whom some have claimed to be the first monotheistic ruler in the world . The protagonist of the novel is the fictional character Sinuhe , the royal physician , who tells the story in exile after Akhenaten 's fall and death . Apart from incidents in Egypt , the novel charts Sinuhe 's travels in then Egyptian-dominated Syria ( Levant ) , in Mitanni , Babylon , Minoan Crete , and among the Hittites . The main character of the novel is named after a character in an ancient Egyptian text commonly known as the Story of Sinuhe . The original story dates to a time long before that of Akhenaten : texts are known from as early as the 12th dynasty . Supporting historical characters include the old Pharaoh Amenhotep III and his conniving favorite wife , Tiy ; the wife of Akhenaten , Nefertiti ; the listless young Tutankhamun ( King Tut ) , who succeeded as Pharaoh after Akhenaten 's downfall ; and the two common-born successors who were , according to this author , integral parts of the rise and fall of the Amarna heresy of Akhenaten : the priest and later Pharaoh Ay and the warrior-general and then finally Pharaoh , Horemheb . Though never appearing onstage , throughout the book the Hittite King Suppiluliuma I appears as a brooding threatening figure of a completely ruthless conqueror and tyrannical ruler . Other historical figures , the protagonist has direct dealings with , are : Aziru ( ruler of Amurru kingdom ) , Thutmose ( sculptor ) , Burna-Buriash II ( Babylonian king ) , and , under a different name , Zannanza , son of Suppiluliuma I. Zannanza 's bride is a collage of at least three historical figures : herself , first wife of Horemheb and , by him , mother of Ramesses I. Historical Horemheb died childless . Although Waltari employed some poetic license in combining the biographies of Sinuhe and Akhenaten , he was otherwise much concerned about the historical accuracy of his detailed description of ancient Egyptian life and carried out considerable research into the subject . The result has been praised not only by readers but also by Egyptologists . Waltari had long been interested in Akhenaten and wrote a play about him which was staged in Helsinki in 1938 . World War II provided the final impulse for exploring the subject in a novel which , although depicting events that took place over 3,300 years ago , in fact reflects the contemporary feelings of disillusionment and war-weariness and carries a pessimistic message of the essential sameness of human nature throughout the ages . The threatening King Suppiluliuma has many of the overtones of Hitler . Such a message evoked a wide response in readers in the aftermath of the World War , and the book became an international bestseller , topping the bestseller lists in the USA in 1949 . It remained the most sold foreign novel in the US before its place was taken over by The Name of the Rose , by Umberto Eco . The Egyptian has been translated into 40 languages .", "Peggy Sue Got Married (musical). Peggy Sue Got Married is a musical adapted from the Francis Ford Coppola film of the same name . The book was written by Arlene Sarner and Jerry Leichtling , music composed by Bob Gaudio , with lyrics by Jerry Leichtling . The musical opened in the West End in August 2001 starring Ruthie Henshall as Peggy Sue of the title , and earned her an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical .", "Reba McEntire. Reba Nell McEntire ( born March 28 , 1955 ) is an American country singer , songwriter , actress , and record producer . She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings , and at rodeos . While a sophomore in college , she performed the National Anthem at the National Rodeo in Oklahoma City and caught the attention of country artist Red Steagall who brought her to Nashville , Tennessee . She signed a contract with Mercury Records a year later in 1975 . She released her first solo album in 1977 and released five additional studio albums under the label until 1983 . Signing with MCA Nashville Records , McEntire took creative control over her second MCA album , My Kind of Country ( 1984 ) , which had a more traditional country sound and produced two number one singles : `` How Blue '' and `` Somebody Should Leave '' . The album brought her breakthrough success , bringing her a series of successful albums and number one singles in the 1980s and 1990s . McEntire has since released 29 studio albums , acquired 40 number one singles , 16 number one albums , and 28 albums have been certified gold , platinum or multi-platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America . She has sometimes been referred to as `` The Queen of Country '' . and she is one of the best-selling artists of all time , having sold more than 85 million records worldwide . In the early 1990s , McEntire branched into film starting with 1990 's Tremors . She has since starred in the Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun and in her television sitcom , Reba ( 2001 -- 07 ) for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series -- Musical or Comedy .", "Solange Knowles. Solange Piaget Knowles ( -LSB- soʊˈlɑːnʒ -RSB- born June 24 , 1986 ) is an American singer , songwriter , dancer , model and actress . Expressing an interest in music from an early age , Knowles had several temporary stints in Destiny 's Child , before signing with her father Mathew Knowles 's Music World Entertainment label . At age 16 , Knowles released her first studio album Solo Star ( 2002 ) . Between 2005 and 2007 , Knowles had several minor acting roles , including the direct-to-video Bring It On : All or Nothing ( 2006 ) and continued writing music for her older sister Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and for ex-Destiny 's Child group members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams . In 2007 , Knowles began to record music again . Her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams ( 2008 ) deviated from the pop-oriented music of her debut to the Motown Sound of the 1960s and 1970s . It peaked at number nine on US Billboard 200 and received positive reviews from critics . She followed this up with the 1980s pop and R&B -- inspired extended play True ( 2012 ) on Columbia Records and her imprint Saint Records . Her third studio album , A Seat at the Table ( 2016 ) became her first number-one album in the United States . The album 's first single , `` Cranes in the Sky '' won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance . In December 2016 , Billboard magazine ranked her as the 100th most successful dance artist of all-time . Knowles is heavily influenced by Motown girl groups and says that her first passion is songwriting . She is frequently compared by the media to her sister , Beyoncé , but Solange insists they have different aspirations and are musically different . Her other ventures include an endorsement deal with Rimmel London and a line of hip-hop-oriented merchandise for young children . On November 16 , 2014 , Knowles married music video director Alan Ferguson in New Orleans , Louisiana .", "Sequel. A sequel is a narrative , documental , or other work of literature , film , theatre , television , music or video game that continues the story of , or expands upon , some earlier work . In the common context of a narrative work of fiction , a sequel portrays events set in the same fictional universe as an earlier work , usually chronologically following the events of that work . In many cases , the sequel continues elements of the original story , often with the same characters and settings . A sequel can lead to a series , in which key elements appear repeatedly . Although the difference between more than one sequel and a series is somewhat arbitrary , it is clear that some media franchises have enough sequels to become a series , whether originally planned as such or not . Sequels are attractive to creators and to publishers because there is less risk involved in returning to a story with known popularity rather than developing new and untested characters and settings . Audiences are sometimes eager for more stories about popular characters or settings , making the production of sequels financially appealing . In movies , sequels are common . There are many name formats for sequels . Sometimes , they either have unrelated titles or have a letter added on the end . More commonly , they have numbers at the end or have an added word on the end . It is also common for a sequel to have a variation of the original title or have a subtitle . In the 1930s , many musical sequels had the year included in the title . Sometimes sequels are released with different titles in different countries , because of the perceived brand recognition . There are several ways that subsequent works can be related to the chronology of the original . Various neologisms have been coined to describe them .", "Emmy Award. An Emmy Award , or simply Emmy , is an American award that recognizes excellence in the television industry , and corresponds to the ( likewise American ) Academy Award ( for film ) , the Tony Award ( for theatre ) , and the Grammy Award ( for music ) . Because Emmy Awards are given in various sectors of the American television industry , they are presented in different annual ceremonies held throughout the year . The two events that receive the most media coverage are the Primetime Emmys and the Daytime Emmys , which recognize outstanding work in American primetime and daytime entertainment programming , respectively . Other notable Emmy Award ceremonies are those honoring national sports programming , national news and documentary shows , national business and financial reporting , and technological and engineering achievements in television , including the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards . Regional Emmy Awards are also presented throughout the country at various times through the year , recognizing excellence in local and statewide television . In addition , International Emmys are awarded for excellence in TV programming produced and initially aired outside the United States . Three related but separate organizations present the Emmy Awards : the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ( ATAS ) , the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ( NATAS ) , and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ( IATAS ) . Each is responsible for administering a particular set of Emmy ceremonies .", "Downton Abbey. Downton Abbey is a historical period drama television series created by Julian Fellowes and co-produced by Carnival Films and Masterpiece . It first aired on ITV in the United Kingdom on 26 September 2010 , and on PBS in the United States on 9 January 2011 as part of the Masterpiece Classic anthology . The series , set in the fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey between 1912 and 1925 , depicts the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their domestic servants in the post-Edwardian era -- with the great events in history having an effect on their lives and on the British social hierarchy . Events depicted throughout the series include news of the sinking of the RMS Titanic in the first series ; the outbreak of the First World War , the Spanish influenza pandemic , and the Marconi scandal in the second series ; the Irish War of Independence leading to the formation of the Irish Free State in the third series ; the Teapot Dome scandal in the fourth series ; and the British general election of 1923 , the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre , and the Beer Hall Putsch in the fifth series . The sixth and final series introduces the rise of the working class during the interwar period and hints towards the eventual decline of the British aristocracy . Downton Abbey has received acclaim from television critics and won numerous accolades , including a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries or Movie . It was recognised by Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed English-language television series of 2011 . It earned the most nominations of any international television series in the history of the Primetime Emmy Awards , with twenty-seven in total ( after two series ) . It was the most watched television series on both ITV and PBS , and subsequently became the most successful British costume drama series since the 1981 television serial of Brideshead Revisited . By the third series , it had become one of the most widely watched television drama shows in the world . On 26 March 2015 , Carnival Films and ITV announced that the sixth series would be the last . It aired on ITV between 20 September 2015 and 8 November 2015 . The final episode , serving as the annual Christmas special , was broadcast on 25 December 2015 . Although there are no plans in place , there are strong rumours of a future film adaptation , with executive producer Gareth Neame saying that he was `` very interested '' and bookmakers Ladbrokes stating that `` it only looks like being a matter of time before the film is released '' .", "Woody Allen. Heywood `` Woody '' Allen ( born Allan Stewart Konigsberg ; December 1 , 1935 ) is an American director , writer , actor , comedian , playwright , and musician whose career spans more than six decades . He worked as a comedy writer in the 1950s , writing jokes and scripts for television and publishing several books of short humor pieces . In the early 1960s , Allen began performing as a stand-up comedian , emphasizing monologues rather than traditional jokes . As a comedian , he developed the persona of an insecure , intellectual , fretful nebbish , which he maintains is quite different from his real-life personality . In 2004 , Comedy Central ranked Allen in fourth place on a list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians , while a UK survey ranked Allen as the third greatest comedian . By the mid-1960s Allen was writing and directing films , first specializing in slapstick comedies before moving into dramatic material influenced by European art cinema during the 1970s , and alternating between comedies and dramas to the present . He is often identified as part of the New Hollywood wave of filmmakers of the mid-1960s to late 1970s . Allen often stars in his films , typically in the persona he developed as a standup . Some of the best-known of his over 40 films are Annie Hall ( 1977 ) , Manhattan ( 1979 ) , and Hannah and Her Sisters ( 1986 ) . In 2007 he said Stardust Memories ( 1980 ) , The Purple Rose of Cairo ( 1985 ) , and Match Point ( 2005 ) were his best films . Critic Roger Ebert described Allen as `` a treasure of the cinema '' . Allen won four Academy Awards : three for Best Original Screenplay and one for Best Director ( Annie Hall ) . He also won nine British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards . His screenplay for Annie Hall was named the funniest screenplay by the Writers Guild of America in its list of the `` 101 Funniest Screenplays . '' In 2011 , PBS televised the film biography Woody Allen : A Documentary on the American Masters TV series .", "Jordan. Jordan ( -LSB- ˈdʒɔrdən -RSB- الأردن ) , officially The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , is an Arab kingdom in Western Asia , on the East Bank of the Jordan River . Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the east and south ; Iraq to the north-east ; Syria to the north ; Israel , Palestine and the Dead Sea to the west ; and the Red Sea in its extreme south-west . Jordan is strategically located at the crossroads of Asia , Africa and Europe . The capital , Amman , is Jordan 's most populous city as well as the country 's economic , political and cultural centre . What is now Jordan has been inhabited by humans since the Paleolithic period . Three stable kingdoms emerged there at the end of the Bronze Age : Ammon , Moab and Edom . Later rulers include the Nabataean Kingdom , the Roman Empire , and the Ottoman Empire . After the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottomans in 1916 during World War I , the Ottoman Empire was partitioned by Britain and France . The Emirate of Transjordan was established in 1921 by the then Emir Abdullah I and it became a British protectorate . In 1946 , Jordan became an independent state officially known as The Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan . Jordan captured the West Bank during the 1948 Arab -- Israeli War , which it later lost in 1967 , and the name of the state was changed to The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1949 . Jordan is a founding member of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , and is one of two Arab states to have signed a peace treaty with Israel . The country is a constitutional monarchy , but the king holds wide executive and legislative powers . Jordan is a relatively-small , semi-arid , almost-landlocked country with a population numbering at 9.5 million . Sunni Islam , practiced by around 92 % of the population , is the dominant religion in Jordan . It coexists with an indigenous Christian minority . Jordan is considered to be among the safest of Arab countries in the Middle East , and has avoided long-term terrorism and instability . In the midst of surrounding turmoil , it has been greatly hospitable , accepting refugees from almost all surrounding conflicts as early as 1948 , with most notably the estimated 2.1 million Palestinians and the 1.4 million Syrian refugees residing in the country . The kingdom is also a refuge to thousands of Iraqi Christians fleeing the Islamic State . While Jordan continues to accept refugees , the recent large influx from Syria placed substantial strain on national resources and infrastructure . Jordan is classified as a country of `` high human development '' with an `` upper middle income '' economy . The Jordanian economy , one of the smallest economies in the region , is attractive to foreign investors based upon a skilled workforce . The country is a major tourist destination , and also attracts medical tourism due to its well developed health sector . Nonetheless , a lack of natural resources , large flow of refugees and regional turmoil have hampered economic growth .", "Dirty Dancing. Dirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic drama dance film written by Eleanor Bergstein , directed by Emile Ardolino and starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles , as well as Cynthia Rhodes and Jerry Orbach . Originally a low-budget film by a new studio , Great American Films Limited Partnership , and with no major stars ( except Broadway legend Orbach in a supporting role ) , Dirty Dancing became a massive box office hit . , it has earned over $ 214 million worldwide . It was the first film to sell more than a million copies on home video , and the Dirty Dancing soundtrack created by Jimmy Ienner generated two multi-platinum albums and multiple singles , including '' ( I 've Had ) The Time of My Life '' , which won both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Song , and a Grammy Award for best duet . The film 's popularity led to a 2004 prequel , Dirty Dancing : Havana Nights , as well as a stage version which has had sellout performances in Australia , Europe , and North America . In 2011 , a Dirty Dancing remake was announced with Kenny Ortega , who choreographed the original film , as the director . However , on June 8 , 2012 , Lionsgate announced they were postponing the reboot . Citing casting reasons , the remake release was put off until 2014 at the earliest . In February 2015 , it was scheduled to be a TV movie . The remake was officially cancelled in July 2015 , but it was later picked up by ABC . It aired on May 24 , 2017 ." ]

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[ "Andy Roddick. Andrew Stephen `` Andy '' Roddick ( born August 30 , 1982 ) is an American former professional tennis player . He became a Grand Slam singles champion , and world number one , when he won the title at the 2003 US Open , defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final . Despite several more years as one of the world 's best players that would remain his only Grand Slam triumph . He is the most recent North American male player to win a Grand Slam singles event , the most recent to reach the top ranking , and the most recent to claim the year-end world No. 1 ( 2003 ) . Roddick reached four other Grand Slam finals ( Wimbledon in 2004 , 2005 , and 2009 , and the US Open in 2006 ) , losing to Roger Federer every time . Roddick was ranked in the top 10 for nine consecutive years between 2002 and 2010 , at year 's end , and won five Masters Series in that period . He is married to Brooklyn Decker , a former Sports Illustrated swimwear model and actress . On August 30 , 2012 , during the 2012 US Open and on his 30th birthday , Roddick announced that he would retire after the tournament . Following a fourth-round defeat by Juan Martín del Potro , Roddick retired from the sport with the aim of focusing on his foundation , the Andy Roddick Foundation , in future years . In 2015 , Roddick played for the Austin Aces in World Team Tennis . This was his eighth season in World Team Tennis and the fifth team he has played for .", "2010 Sony Ericsson Open – Men's Singles. Andy Murray was the defending champion , but lost to Mardy Fish in the second round . Andy Roddick beat Tomáš Berdych 7 -- 5 , 6 -- 4 to win his first Masters 1000 event since 2006 . It was his second title at the Sony Ericsson Open and his second title of 2010 .", "Andy Roddick career statistics. This is a list of the main career statistics of retired professional American tennis player , Andy Roddick . Throughout his career , Roddick won thirty-two ATP singles titles including one grand slam singles title and five ATP Masters 1000 singles titles . He was also the runner-up at the Wimbledon Championships in 2004 , 2005 and 2009 and the US Open in 2006 , losing on all four occasions to Roger Federer . Roddick was also a four-time semi-finalist at the Australian Open and a three-time semi-finalist at the year-ending ATP World Tour Finals . On November 3 , 2003 , Roddick became the World No. 1 for the first time in his career .", "ATP Masters Series. The ATP Masters Series was a series of nine tennis tournaments that formed part of the men 's Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ) tour , held annually throughout the year in Europe , North America . The tournaments were important for the top male players on the professional circuit as the series constituted the most prestigious tournaments in men 's tennis after the four Grand Slam events . The events were known as the Championship Series , Single Week from 1990 to 1995 , the Mercedes-Benz Super 9 from 1996 to 1999 , the Tennis Masters Series from 2000 to 2004 and the ATP Masters Series until 2008 .", "MasterChef (UK TV series). MasterChef is a BBC television competitive cooking show . It initially ran from 1990 to 2001 and was later revived in a different format known as MasterChef Goes Large from 2005 onwards . In 2008 , the `` Goes Large '' part of the name was dropped , but the format remains identical . The revamped format was devised by Franc Roddam and John Silver with Karen Ross producing . The series now appears in four versions : the main MasterChef series , MasterChef : The Professionals for working chefs , Celebrity MasterChef and Junior MasterChef for 9-to-12-year-olds . The format has been reproduced around the world in a large number of international versions .", "Federer–Roddick rivalry. The Federer -- Roddick rivalry was a rivalry between two professional tennis players , Roger Federer of Switzerland and Andy Roddick of the United States . The two met 24 times in official Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ) matches , and Federer led 21 -- 3 , making Roddick the player with the second-most tournament defeats to Federer in the ATP circuit ( Novak Djokovic has lost to Federer on 22 occasions , but holds a positive record against him ) . In terms of number of matches played , it ranks as the 14th largest rivalry in the Open Era . Both men are Grand Slam champions ( Federer with 18 titles to Roddick 's one ) and former world number one players . Roddick has lost four Grand Slam finals ( Wimbledon in 2004 , 2005 , and 2009 , and the US Open in 2006 ) , each time to Federer . Their match in the 2009 Wimbledon final , where Roddick brought Federer to a thirty-game fifth set , has been called one of the greatest matches in tennis history . On February 2 , 2004 , Federer supplanted Roddick as World No. 1 to begin his record reign of 237 consecutive weeks at # 1 . They were the two highest-ranked players in the world from November 2003 to January 2005 . Roddick retired in 2012 , ending the rivalry .", "MasterChef. MasterChef is a television competitive reality cooking show franchise created by Franc Roddam , which originated with the UK version in July 1990 . The format was revived and updated for the BBC in February 2005 by executive producers Roddam and John Silver and series producer Karen Ross . In 2009 , the format was re-developed in Australia where it was transformed into the current iteration of the programme . This gave the programme a new dynamic .", "Lost (TV series). Lost is an American television drama series that originally aired on the American Broadcasting Company ( ABC ) from September 22 , 2004 , to May 23 , 2010 , over six seasons , comprising a total of 121 episodes . Lost is a drama series containing elements of science fiction and the supernatural . It follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet , flying between Sydney and Los Angeles , on a mysterious tropical island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean . The story is told in a heavily serialized manner . Episodes typically feature a primary storyline set on the island , augmented by flashback or flashforward sequences which provide additional insight into the involved character ( s ) . Lost was created by Jeffrey Lieber , J. J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof , who share story-writing credits for the pilot episode , which Abrams directed . Throughout the show 's run , Lindelof and Carlton Cuse served as showrunners and head writers , working together with a large number of other executive producers and writers . Due to its large ensemble cast and the cost of filming primarily on location in Oahu , Hawaii , the series was one of the most expensive on television , with the pilot alone costing over $ 14 million . The fictional universe and mythology of Lost are expanded upon by a number of related media , most importantly , a series of short mini-episodes called Missing Pieces , and a 12-minute epilogue titled `` The New Man in Charge '' . Having achieved both wide acclaim and commercial success throughout its original run , Lost has been consistently ranked by critics as one of the greatest television dramas of all time . The first season garnered an estimated average of 16 million viewers per episode on ABC . During its sixth and final season , the show averaged over 11 million U.S. viewers per episode . Lost was the recipient of hundreds of industry award nominations throughout its run and won numerous of these awards , including the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2005 , Best American Import at the British Academy Television Awards in 2005 , the Golden Globe Award for Best Drama in 2006 , and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series . Users of IMDb.com Pro gave Lost the highest average ranking for any television series during the first ten years ( 2002 -- 2012 ) of that website 's operation .", "2006 Western & Southern Financial Group Masters – Singles. Roger Federer was the defending champion but lost in the second round to unseeded Andy Murray , in what would be Federer 's only defeat prior to the final that year . Andy Roddick won in the final against Juan Carlos Ferrero 6 -- 3 , 6 -- 4 .", "2002 Legg Mason Tennis Classic – Singles. Andy Roddick was the defending champion but lost in the third round to Fernando Meligeni . James Blake won in the final 1 -- 6 , 7 -- 6 ( 7 -- 5 ) , 6 -- 4 against Paradorn Srichaphan .", "2002 Kroger St. Jude International – Men's Singles. Mark Philippoussis was the defending champion but lost in the first round to Jonas Björkman . Andy Roddick won in the final 6 -- 4 , 3 -- 6 , 7 -- 5 against James Blake .", "ATP World Tour Masters 1000. The ATP World Tour Masters 1000 ( previously known as the ATP Championship Series , Single-Week , ATP Super 9 , Tennis Masters Series , and ATP Masters Series ) is the third highest tier of men 's tennis tournament after the four Grand Slam tournaments and ATP World Tour Finals . Results in ATP Masters 1000 events earn players more world ranking points than regular tournaments , though not as many as Grand Slam events or the year-end ATP World Tour Finals . Up until 2007 , most Masters Series finals were contested as best of five-set matches . Currently , all Masters Series events are decided in best of three-set matches . Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic hold the record for the most singles titles with 30 each since the Masters series began in 1990 . The Bryan Brothers have won a record 36 doubles titles , all as a team . No player has ever won all 9 singles titles in his career , with Novak Djokovic winning 8 , Andre Agassi , Roger Federer , Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray each winning 7 . However , in doubles , Daniel Nestor and the Bryan Brothers ( Bob and Mike ) have each won all 9 titles throughout their careers . Novak Djokovic holds the record for 6 singles titles in a year ( 2015 ) . In doubles , the Bryans have won 6 titles in a single year once ( 2014 ) and 5 titles in a single year twice ( 2007 and 2013 ) .", "ATP World Tour 500 series. The ATP World Tour 500 series ( previously known as the ATP Championship Series and ATP International Series Gold ) is the fourth highest tier of men 's tennis tournament after the four Grand Slam tournaments , ATP World Tour Finals , and the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 . The series includes 13 tournaments , with 500 rankings points awarded for the events ' singles champions -- which accounts for the name of the series . Tournaments have various draws of 32 and 48 for singles and 16 and 24 for doubles . It is mandatory for leading players to enter at least four 500 events , including at least one after the US Open ; if they play fewer than four , or fail to play in one after the US Open they get a `` zero '' score towards their world ranking for each one short . Rafael Nadal holds the record for most titles at 18 , while Daniel Nestor holds the record for most doubles titles won with 20 .", "Masters (snooker). The Masters is a professional invitational snooker tournament . Held every year since 1975 , it is the second longest running tournament behind the World Championship . It is one of the Triple Crown events , and although not a ranking event , it is regarded as one of the most prestigious tournaments on the circuit . The reigning champion is Ronnie O'Sullivan . The Masters began as an invitational event for 10 top players . The field was expanded to 12 competitors in 1981 , and 16 in 1983 . Since 1984 , the standard invitees have been the top 16 players in the world rankings , with the addition of two or three wild-card places in tournaments held between 1990 and 2010 . Ronnie O'Sullivan holds the record for the most Masters titles , having won the tournament seven times . Stephen Hendry has won six titles . Cliff Thorburn , Steve Davis , Mark Selby , and Paul Hunter have each won the Masters three times ; in 2016 , the Masters trophy was renamed the Paul Hunter Trophy in honour of Hunter , who died in 2006 , aged 27 . Alex Higgins , Mark Williams , and John Higgins have each won the title twice . Three maximum breaks have been made in the history of the tournament , all by overseas players . Canada 's Kirk Stevens made the first in 1984 , China 's Ding Junhui made the second in 2007 , and Hong Kong 's Marco Fu made the third in 2015 .", "The Andy Dick Show. The Andy Dick Show is an American sketch comedy series that aired on MTV from February 2001 to May 2002 . The series was created by and starred comedian Andy Dick .", "Andy Richter Controls the Universe. Andy Richter Controls the Universe is a sitcom which aired from 2002 -- 2003 on the Fox network . The series was Andy Richter 's first starring role after leaving NBC 's Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2000 . It ran for two seasons , totaling nineteen episodes , and was canceled due in part to poor ratings . The show was a joint production of Garfield Grove Productions and 20th Century Fox Television in association with Paramount Television . CBS Television Distribution , a parallel successor to Paramount , has distribution rights to the series in the United States while Fox retains global distribution rights . TV Guide included the series in their 2013 list of 60 shows that were `` Cancelled Too Soon '' .", "2013 BB&T Atlanta Open – Singles. Andy Roddick did not defend his title as he had retired from professional tennis in September 2012 . John Isner won the title after two previous final appearances , defeating Kevin Anderson in the final , 6 -- 7 ( 3 -- 7 ) , 7 -- 6 ( 7 -- 2 ) , 7 -- 6 ( 7 -- 2 ) .", "2010 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships – Singles. Andy Roddick was the defending champion , but lost in the quarterfinals to Sam Querrey . Sam Querrey won in the final 6 -- 7 ( 3 -- 7 ) , 7 -- 6 ( 7 -- 5 ) , 6 -- 3 , against John Isner .", "The Chronicles of Riddick (franchise). The Chronicles of Riddick , also simply called Riddick , is a science fiction action media franchise created in 2000 by David Twohy spanning three live-action feature films , a direct-to-DVD animated film , two video games for PC and consoles , one motion comic , one mobile game , and two novelizations . The series follows the adventures of antihero character Riddick ( either portrayed or voiced by Vin Diesel ) in the 28th century . The Chronicles of Riddick fictional universe was initially created with the release of Pitch Black , which was written by director Twohy , Ken Wheat , and his brother Jim Wheat . Since then Twohy has written and directed the two live action sequels and was involved in the development of the storyline of a number of the franchise 's offshoots .", "2005 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles. In the Men 's Singles at the 2005 Wimbledon Championships , Roger Federer was the two-time defending champion , and defeated Andy Roddick 6 -- 2 , 7 -- 6 ( 7 -- 2 ) , 6 -- 4 in the final to win the title for the third time . This tournament was the first Grand Slam tournament in which future World No. 1 and two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray competed in the main draw . He was defeated in the third round by David Nalbandian after leading two sets to love ; to date it remains the only professional match in which Murray has lost from two sets up .", "Rick Berman. Richard Keith `` Rick '' Berman ( born December 25 , 1945 ) is an American television producer . He is best known for his work as the executive producer of several of the Star Trek series , Star Trek : The Next Generation , Star Trek : Deep Space Nine , Star Trek : Voyager and Star Trek : Enterprise ; and several of the Star Trek theatrical productions , and for succeeding Gene Roddenberry as head of the Star Trek franchise , until the cancellation of Star Trek : Enterprise in 2005 .", "2005 NASDAQ-100 Open – Men's Singles. Andy Roddick was the defending champion , but retired from his second round match because of a wrist injury . Roger Federer won the title , defeating Rafael Nadal 2 -- 6 , 6 -- 7 ( 4 -- 7 ) , 7 -- 6 ( 7 -- 5 ) , 6 -- 3 , 6 -- 1 in their first final against each other . It was the first of 21 tournament final matches between the pair . Nadal would not again lose a match from two sets ahead until the 2015 US Open .", "ATP World Tour 250 series. The ATP World Tour 250 series ( previously known as the ATP World Series and ATP International Series ) is the fifth highest tier of men 's tennis tournament after the four Grand Slam tournaments , ATP World Tour Finals , ATP World Tour Masters 1000 , and ATP World Tour 500 . The series includes 40 tournaments , with 250 rankings points awarded to each singles champion -- which accounts for the name of the series . Draws consist of 28 , 32 , or 48 for singles and 16 for doubles .", "2007 Western & Southern Financial Group Masters – Singles. Andy Roddick was the defending champion , but lost in the third round to David Ferrer . Roger Federer won in the final 6 -- 1 , 6 -- 4 , against James Blake .", "2004 RCA Championships – Singles. Andy Roddick was the defending champion and successfully defended his title , defeating Nicolas Kiefer , 6 -- 2 , 6 -- 3 in the final .", "Star Trek: Enterprise. Star Trek : Enterprise ( titled simply Enterprise until the third episode of season three ) is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga as a prequel to Star Trek : The Original Series . It originally aired from September 26 , 2001 to May 13 , 2005 on UPN , spanning 98 episodes across four seasons . Set in the 22nd century 100 years before the USS Enterprise '' 's five-year mission , the series follows the adventures of the crew of the first Warp 5 capable Starfleet starship , Enterprise ( registration NX-01 ) , as they explore the galaxy . An ongoing storyline , referred to as the Temporal Cold War , continued through the third season , in which forces from the future attempted to manipulate events in the present . In the third season , an escalation of this campaign introduced the Xindi and dealt with the repercussions of their attack on Earth . After being asked to produce a fifth Star Trek series by UPN , Braga and Berman sought to create a more basic and relatable series set after the events of the film Star Trek : First Contact . The episodes concentrated on a core trio of characters : Captain Jonathan Archer ( played by Scott Bakula ) , Commander Charles `` Trip '' Tucker III ( played Connor Trinneer ) and Sub-commander T'Pol ( played by Jolene Blalock ) . It was filmed on the Paramount lot in Los Angeles , California , on the same stages that had housed the Star Trek series and films since the abandoned Star Trek : Phase II in the late 1970s . In addition to dropping the Star Trek prefix , Enterprise used the pop-influenced song `` Where My Heart Will Take Me '' ( performed by Russell Watson ) as its theme . Enterprise has elements of a straightforward prequel to the original Star Trek '' series , but it also had elements of a sequel to it . At the start of the second season , Braga said that the `` Temporal Cold War '' storyline would continue to be included if viewers were still interested , but later described it as `` strangulating '' .", "2006 RCA Championships – Singles. Robby Ginepri was the defending champion , but lost to Andy Roddick in the semifinals . James Blake won in the final 4 -- 6 , 6 -- 4 , 7 -- 6 ( 7 -- 5 ) , against Andy Roddick .", "Star Trek. Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise based on the television series created by Gene Roddenberry . The first television series , simply called Star Trek and now referred to as The Original Series , debuted in 1966 and aired for three seasons on the television network NBC . It followed the interstellar adventures of Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) and his crew aboard the starship USS Enterprise , a space exploration vessel , built by the interstellar federal republic United Federation of Planets in the twenty-third century . The Star Trek canon of the franchise includes The Original Series , an animated series , four spin-off television series , its film franchise and an upcoming television series scheduled to debut in 2017 . In creating Star Trek , Roddenberry was inspired by the Horatio Hornblower novels , the satirical book Gulliver 's Travels , and by works of western genre such as the television series Wagon Train . These adventures continued in the short-lived Star Trek : The Animated Series and six feature films . Four spin-off television series were eventually produced : Star Trek : The Next Generation followed the crew of a new starship Enterprise set a century after the original series ; Star Trek : Deep Space Nine and Star Trek : Voyager set contemporaneously with The Next Generation ; and Star Trek : Enterprise set before the original series in the early days of human interstellar travel . The adventures of The Next Generation crew continued in four additional feature films . In 2009 , the film franchise underwent a `` reboot '' set in an alternate timeline , or `` Kelvin Timeline '' , entitled simply Star Trek . This film featured a new cast portraying younger versions of the crew from the original show ; their adventures were continued in the sequel film , Star Trek Into Darkness ( 2013 ) . The thirteenth film feature and sequel , Star Trek Beyond ( 2016 ) , was released to coincide with the franchise 's 50th anniversary . A new Star Trek TV series , entitled Star Trek : Discovery , is set to premiere on the digital platform CBS All Access . Star Trek has been a cult phenomenon for decades . Fans of the franchise are called Trekkies or Trekkers . The franchise spans a wide range of spin-offs including games , figurines , novels , toys , and comics . Star Trek had a themed attraction in Las Vegas that opened in 1998 and closed in September 2008 . At least two museum exhibits of props travel the world . The series has its own full-fledged constructed language , Klingon . Several parodies have been made of Star Trek . In addition , viewers have produced several fan productions . As of July 2016 , the franchise had generated $ 10 billion in revenue , making Star Trek one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time . Star Trek is noted for its cultural influence beyond works of science fiction . The franchise is also noted for its progressive civil rights stances . The Original Series included one of television 's first multiracial casts . Star Trek references may be found throughout popular culture from movies such as the submarine thriller Crimson Tide to the animated series South Park .", "Six Feet Under (TV series). Six Feet Under is an American drama television series created and produced by Alan Ball . It premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on June 3 , 2001 , and ended on August 21 , 2005 , spanning five seasons and 63 episodes . The show depicts members of the Fisher family , who run a funeral home in Los Angeles , and their friends and lovers . The series traces these characters ' lives over the course of five years . The ensemble drama stars Peter Krause , Michael C. Hall , Frances Conroy , Lauren Ambrose , Freddy Rodriguez , Mathew St. Patrick , and Rachel Griffiths as the show 's seven central characters . The series was produced by Actual Size Films and The Greenblatt/Janollari Studio , and was shot on location in Los Angeles and in Hollywood studios . Six Feet Under received widespread critical acclaim , particularly for its writing and acting , and consistently drew high ratings for the HBO network . Regarded by many as one of the greatest TV dramas of all time , it has since been included on TIME magazine 's `` All-TIME 100 TV Shows '' , as well as Empire magazine 's `` 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time '' list . It has also been described as having one of the finest series finales in the history of television . It won numerous awards , including nine Emmy Awards , three Screen Actors Guild Awards , three Golden Globe Awards , and a Peabody Award .", "Mr. Bean. Mr. Bean is a British sitcom created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis , and starring Atkinson as the title character . Atkinson co-wrote all 15 episodes with either Curtis , Robin Driscoll , or both , with Ben Elton co-writing the pilot . 13 of the episodes were broadcast on ITV , from the pilot on 1 January 1990 , until `` Goodnight Mr. Bean '' on 31 October 1995 . A clip show , `` The Best Bits of Mr. Bean '' , was broadcast on 15 December 1995 , and one episode , `` Hair by Mr. Bean of London '' , was not broadcast until 2006 on Nickelodeon . Based on a character originally developed by Atkinson while he was studying for his master 's degree at Oxford University , the series follows the exploits of Mr. Bean , described by Atkinson as `` a child in a grown man 's body '' , in solving various problems presented by everyday tasks and often causing disruption in the process . Bean rarely speaks , and the largely physical humour of the series is derived from his interactions with other people and his unusual solutions to situations . The series was influenced by physical performers such as Jacques Tati and comic actors from silent films . During its five-year run , Mr. Bean became a significant part of 1990s British popular culture , with the series gaining large UK audience figures , including 18.74 million for the 1991 episode `` The Trouble with Mr. Bean '' . The series has received a number of international awards , including the Rose d'Or . The show has been sold in 245 territories worldwide and has inspired an animated cartoon spin-off , two feature films , and an appearance at the London 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony .", "2002 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships – Singles. Andy Roddick was the defending champion and won in the final 7 -- 6 ( 11 -- 9 ) , 6 -- 3 against Pete Sampras .", "ATP Champions Tour. The ATP Champions Tour is a men 's tennis tour intended for former tennis professionals , who have since retired from mainstream professional tennis touring ( The ATP ) . The Tour brings together many of the greatest tennis players in history for nostalgic , competitive and entertaining tournaments in cities around the world . For a player to be eligible for play on this tour , he must be in the year of his 35th birthday or have been retired from the ATP World Tour for two years or more . Each player must have been either a world # 1 , a Grand Slam finalist , or a singles player in a winning Davis Cup team . Each event can also invite two players of its choice to take wild cards . The Tour usually consists of around 10 events around the world , with a year-ending `` AEGON Masters Tennis '' event held at the Royal Albert Hall in London . Events are typically played over four days with eight-man fields competing against each other in a round-robin format , ensuring that all players feature in at least three matches . The players are split into two groups of four . The top player from each group contests the final , while the two players who finish second in each group play off for third and fourth places respectively . Matches are contested over the best of three sets , with the deciding set taking the form of a Champions tie-break . The Champions tie-break is an expanded version of the conventional professional tennis tie-break , whereby the winner is the first player to reach 10 points and lead by a margin of 2 . Rankings points on the Tour are distributed as follows : Winner : 400 / Runner-up : 300 / 3rd place : 200 / 4th place : 150 / No. 5-6 : 80 / No. 7-8 : 60 points . Notable participants , in past and present , are : John McEnroe , Björn Borg , Mats Wilander , Henri Leconte , Pete Sampras , Mansour Bahrami , Stefan Edberg , Boris Becker , Jim Courier , Thomas Muster , Marcelo Ríos , Goran Ivanišević , Yevgeny Kafelnikov , Patrick Rafter , Ivan Lendl , Carlos Moyá , Jimmy Connors , Tim Henman and Andy Roddick ." ]

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[ "Bed-In. As the Vietnam War raged in 1969 , Yoko Ono and her husband John Lennon held two week-long Bed-Ins for Peace , one at the Hilton Hotel in Amsterdam and one at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal , each of which were intended to be non-violent protests against wars , and experimental tests of new ways to promote peace . The idea is derived from a `` sit-in '' , in which a group of protesters remains seated in front of an establishment until they are evicted , arrested , or their demands are met . The public proceedings were filmed , and later turned into a documentary movie . The film Bed Peace was made available for free on YouTube in August 2011 by Yoko Ono , as part of her website `` Imagine Peace '' .", "Yoko Ono. Yoko Ono ( born February 18 , 1933 ) is a Japanese multimedia artist , singer , songwriter , and peace activist who is also known for her work in performance art and filmmaking . She performs in both English and Japanese . She is the second wife and widow of singer-songwriter John Lennon of the Beatles . Ono grew up in Tokyo and studied at Gakushuin . She withdrew from her course after two years and rejoined her family in New York in 1953 . She spent some time at Sarah Lawrence College , and then became involved in New York City 's downtown artists scene , including the Fluxus group . She first met Lennon in 1966 at her own art exhibition in London , and they became a couple in 1968 . With their performance Bed-Ins for Peace in Amsterdam and Montreal in 1969 , Ono and Lennon famously used their honeymoon at the Hilton Amsterdam as a stage for public protests against the Vietnam War . She brought feminism to the forefront in her music , influencing artists as diverse as the B-52s and Meredith Monk . Ono achieved commercial and critical acclaim in 1980 with the chart-topping album Double Fantasy , a collaboration with Lennon that was released three weeks before his death . Public appreciation of Ono 's work has shifted over time , helped by a retrospective at a Whitney Museum branch in 1989 and the 1992 release of the six-disc box set Onobox . Retrospectives of her artwork have also been presented at the Japan Society in New York City in 2001 , in Bielefeld , Germany , and the UK in 2008 , Frankfurt , and Bilbao , Spain , in 2013 and MOMA in New York City in 2015 . She received a Golden Lion Award for lifetime achievement from the Venice Biennale in 2009 and the 2012 Oskar Kokoschka Prize , Austria 's highest award for applied contemporary art . As Lennon 's widow , Ono works to preserve his legacy . She funded Strawberry Fields in Manhattan 's Central Park , the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland , and the John Lennon Museum in Saitama , Japan ( which closed in 2010 ) . She has made significant philanthropic contributions to the arts , peace , Philippine and Japan disaster relief , and other causes . In 2012 Yoko Ono received the Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt Human Rights Award endowed by Alexandra Hildebrandt . The award is given annually in recognition of extraordinary , non-violent commitment to human rights . Ono continues her social activism , inaugurating a biennial $ 50,000 LennonOno Grant for Peace in 2002 and co-founding the group Artists Against Fracking in 2012 . She has a daughter , Kyoko Chan Cox , from her marriage to Anthony Cox and a son , Sean Taro Ono Lennon , from her marriage to Lennon . She collaborates musically with Sean Lennon .", "John Lennon. John Winston Ono Lennon , ( born John Winston Lennon ; 9 October 19408 December 1980 ) was an English guitarist , singer , and songwriter who co-founded the Beatles , the most commercially successful and musically influential band in the history of popular music . He and fellow member Paul McCartney formed a much-celebrated songwriting partnership . Born and raised in Liverpool , Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze as a teenager ; his first band , the Quarrymen , first became the Silver Beatles , and finally , evolved into the Beatles in 1960 . When the group disbanded in 1970 , Lennon embarked on a sporadic solo career that produced albums including John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine , and songs such as `` Give Peace a Chance '' , `` Working Class Hero '' , and `` Imagine '' . After his marriage to Yoko Ono in 1969 , he added `` Ono '' as one of his middle names . Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to raise his infant son Sean , but re-emerged with Ono in 1980 with the new album Double Fantasy . He was murdered three weeks after its release . Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music , writing , drawings , on film and in interviews . Controversial through his political and peace activism , he moved to Manhattan in 1971 , where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon 's administration to deport him , while some of his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement and the larger counterculture . By 2012 , Lennon 's solo album sales in the United States exceeded 14 million and , as writer , co-writer , or performer , he is responsible for 25 number-one singles on the US Hot 100 chart . In 2002 , a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted him eighth and , in 2008 , Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth-greatest singer of all time . He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 , and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice , in 1988 as a member of the Beatles and in 1994 as a solo artist .", "Hilton Amsterdam. The Hilton Amsterdam is a hotel in Apollobuurt , Amsterdam , in the Netherlands . It is located at Apollolaan 138 along the Noorder Amstelkanaal , a canal connected to the Amstel river . The hotel opened officially in 1962 and is a branch of the Hilton Hotels chain . It is known for John Lennon and Yoko Ono 's `` Bed-In '' for peace which was staged in 1969 to protest the Vietnam War .", "Walls and Bridges. Walls and Bridges is the fifth studio album by English musician John Lennon . It was issued by Apple Records on 26 September 1974 in the United States and on 4 October in the United Kingdom . Written , recorded and released during his 18-month separation from Yoko Ono , the album captured Lennon in the midst of his `` Lost Weekend '' . Walls and Bridges was an American Billboard number-one album and featured two hit singles , `` Whatever Gets You thru the Night '' and '' # 9 Dream '' . The first of these was Lennon 's first number-one hit in the United States as a solo artist , and his only chart-topping single in either the US or Britain during his lifetime . The album was certified silver in the UK , and gold in the US .", "Live Peace in Toronto 1969. Live Peace in Toronto 1969 is a live album by the Plastic Ono Band , released December 1969 on Apple . Recorded at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival , it was the first live album released by any member of the Beatles separately or together . John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono received a phone call from the festival 's promoters John Brower and Kenny Walker , and then assembled a band in a very short space of time to play at the festival , which was due to start the following day . The band included Eric Clapton , Klaus Voormann , and drummer Alan White . The group had brief rehearsals before appearing on the stage to perform several songs ; one of which , `` Cold Turkey '' , was first performed live at said festival . Eventually returning home , Lennon mixed the album in a day . The album peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified a gold album by the RIAA , and failed to chart in the UK . The original LP came with a thirteen-month 1970 calendar . A video of several performances , not just the Plastic Ono Band 's set , was released on video . Since its first release , the album has been reissued a number of times .", "Bed Peace. `` Bed Peace '' is a song by American recording artist Jhené Aiko , taken from her debut EP , Sail Out ( 2013 ) . The song was first premiered in July 2013 during a performance for Rap-Up Sessions , Bed Peace was later released as the EP 's lead single on September 17 , 2013 , through ARTium record and Def Jam Recordings . The song was produced by frequent collaborator Fisticuffs and features a guest appearance from American rapper Childish Gambino , who co-wrote the song along with Aiko . Bed Peace is a mid tempo minimalist R&B song , with lyrics revolving around smoking marijuana and having sex , as she describes her ideal day . Upon its release , Bed Peace was met with generally positive reviews from music critics ; whom praised Aiko 's vocals and compared the song to the work of Aaliyah and Ciara . Commercially the song did not fare well , making no appearances on major charts but did chart at number one on the US Billboard Bubbling Under R&B / Hip-Hop Singles . The cover artwork and music video for `` Bed Peace '' , pay homage to and feature many references to John Lennon and Yoko Ono 's Bed-Ins for Peace protest against the Vietnam War . The song 's accompanying music video was released on October 28 , 2013 and was directed by longtime collaborator Topshelf , the song 's video was met with positive reviews from critics . The song was further promoted by various live performances including at the Live Byte series and BBC Radio 1 's Future Festival .", "Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins. Unfinished Music No. 1 : Two Virgins is the first of three experimental albums released by John Lennon and Yoko Ono on Apple Records . It was the result of an all-night session of musical experimentation with Yoko in John 's home studio at Kenwood , while his wife , Cynthia Lennon , was on holiday in Greece . Their debut recording is known not only for its avant-garde content , but also for its cover which features the couple naked : This made the album controversial to both the public and the parent record company EMI , which refused to distribute it . In an attempt to avoid controversy , the LP record was sold in a brown paper bag , and distributed by Track and Tetragrammaton in the United Kingdom and the United States respectively . Two Virgins , while failing to chart in the UK , reached number 124 in the US . The album was followed six months later by Unfinished Music No. 2 : Life with the Lions .", "LennonOno Grant for Peace. The LennonOno Grant for Peace is an award presented by artist and peace activist Yoko Ono . The grant , a sum of $ 50,000 , has been awarded biennially to people and organisations chosen by Ono herself since 2002 , in honour of Ono 's late husband John Lennon .", "Murder of John Lennon. John Lennon was an English musician who gained worldwide fame as one of the members of the Beatles , for his subsequent solo career , and for his political activism and pacifism . On Monday , December 8 , 1980 , Lennon was shot by Mark David Chapman in the archway of the Dakota , his residence in New York City . Lennon had just returned from Record Plant Studio with his wife , Yoko Ono . After sustaining four major gunshot wounds , Lennon was pronounced dead on arrival at Roosevelt Hospital . At the hospital , it was stated that nobody could have lived longer than a few minutes after sustaining such injuries . Shortly after local news stations reported Lennon 's death , crowds gathered at Roosevelt Hospital and in front of the Dakota . Lennon was cremated at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale , New York , two days after his death ; the ashes were given to Ono , who chose not to hold a funeral for him . The first media report of Lennon 's death to a US national audience was announced by Howard Cosell , on ABC 's Monday Night Football .", "Give Peace a Chance. `` Give Peace a Chance '' is a song written by John Lennon ( credited to Lennon -- McCartney ) , and performed with Yoko Ono in Montreal , Quebec , Canada . Released as a single in 1969 by the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records ( catalogue Apple 13 in the United Kingdom , Apple 1809 in the United States ) , it is the first solo single issued by Lennon , released when he was still a member of the Beatles , and became an anthem of the American anti-war movement during the 1970s . It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the British singles chart .", "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is the debut studio album by English rock musician John Lennon . It was released in 1970 , after Lennon had issued three experimental albums with Yoko Ono and Live Peace in Toronto 1969 , a live performance in Toronto credited to the Plastic Ono Band . The album was recorded simultaneously with Ono 's debut avant garde solo album , Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band , at Ascot Sound Studios and Abbey Road Studios using the same musicians and production team and nearly identical cover artwork . John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is generally considered one of Lennon 's finest solo albums , documenting with honesty and artistic integrity his emotional and mental state at that point in his career . In 1987 , Rolling Stone magazine ranked it fourth in its list `` The 100 Best Albums of the Last Twenty Years '' and in 2012 , ranked it number 23 in `` The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time '' .", "John Lennon Anthology. John Lennon Anthology is a four-CD box set of home demos , alternative studio outtakes and other unreleased material recorded by John Lennon over the course of his solo career from `` Give Peace a Chance '' in 1969 up until the 1980 sessions for Double Fantasy and Milk and Honey . The anthology was divided by its compiler and co-producer , Yoko Ono , into four discs representing four eras in Lennon 's solo career : `` Ascot '' , `` New York City '' , `` The Lost Weekend '' and `` Dakota '' . John Lennon Anthology reached number 62 in the United Kingdom and number 99 in the United States , where it went gold . A one-disc distillation of the highlights of the box set was released as Wonsuponatime . Many of the tracks were edited down from their versions on John Lennon Anthology . Wonsaponatime failed to reach the US charts but peaked at number 76 in the UK .", "I'm Stepping Out. `` I 'm Stepping Out '' is the last single from the final John Lennon and Yoko Ono album Milk and Honey . In it , Lennon celebrates his enthusiasm for the night life of New York City , and makes tongue-in-cheek reference to his `` househusband '' period . It reached number 88 in the UK Singles chart , and in the US at number 55 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 57 on the Cashbox Top 100 . The B-side features Ono 's `` Sleepless Night . ''", "Cynthia Lennon. Cynthia Lennon ( née Powell ; 10 September 1939 -- 1 April 2015 ) was the first wife of English musician John Lennon , and mother of Julian Lennon . She grew up in the middle-class section of Hoylake , on the Wirral Peninsula in North West England . At the age of 12 , she was accepted into the Junior Art School , and was later enrolled in the Liverpool College of Art . John Lennon also attended the college ; a meeting with Powell in a calligraphy class led to their relationship . When John was performing in Hamburg with the Beatles , she rented his bedroom from his aunt and legal guardian , Mimi Smith . After Powell became pregnant , she and John were married on 23 August 1962 at the Mount Pleasant register office in Liverpool and from 1964 to 1968 , they lived at Kenwood in the Surrey town of Weybridge , where she kept house and participated with her husband in a London-based social life . In 1968 , John left her for Japanese avant-garde conceptual artist Yoko Ono and as a result , the couple 's divorce was legally granted on 8 November 1968 on the grounds of John 's adultery with Ono . She married Italian hotelier Roberto Bassanini in 1970 , divorcing him in 1973 . In 1976 , she married John Twist , an engineer from Lancashire , but divorced him in 1983 . After her divorce from Twist , she changed her name back to `` Lennon '' by deed poll and met Jim Christie , her partner for 17 years . She was later married to Noel Charles , a night club owner , from 2002 until his death in 2013 . She published a book of memoirs , A Twist of Lennon , in 1978 , and a more intimate biography , John , in 2005 . Over the years she staged several auctions of memorabilia associated with her life with John Lennon . In 2006 , she and her son Julian Lennon attended the Las Vegas premiere of the Cirque du Soleil production of Love whose theme is the music of the Beatles . Until her death in 2015 , she lived in Majorca , Spain .", "Live in New York City (John Lennon album). Live in New York City is a posthumous live album by English rock musician John Lennon . It was prepared under the supervision of his widow , Yoko Ono , and released in 1986 as his second official live album , the first being Live Peace in Toronto 1969 .", "Imagine Peace Tower. The Imagine Peace Tower ( Friðarsúlan , meaning `` the peace column '' ) is a memorial to John Lennon from his widow , Yoko Ono , located on Viðey Island in Kollafjörður Bay near Reykjavík , Iceland . It consists of a tall tower of light , projected from a white stone monument that has the words `` Imagine Peace '' carved into it in 24 languages . These words , and the name of the tower , are a reference to Lennon 's campaign for peace , and his song `` Imagine '' . The Tower consists of 15 searchlights with prisms that act as mirrors , reflecting the column of light vertically into the sky from a 10-metre wide wishing well . It often reaches cloudbase and indeed can be seen penetrating the cloud cover . On a clear night it appears to reach an altitude of at least 4000 m . The power for the lights is provided by Iceland 's unique geo-thermal energy grid . It uses approximately 75 kW of power . Buried underneath the light tower are over 1 million written wishes that Ono gathered over the years in another project , called Wish Trees . Ono plans to have the tower lit every year from 9 October , Lennon 's birthday , through 8 December , the date he was shot . Iceland was selected for the project because of its beauty and its eco-friendly use of geothermal energy . Construction of the tower started on 9 October 2006 when Ono dedicated the location , and it was officially unveiled on the same date in 2007 . The ceremony was broadcast internationally to numerous television networks . In attendance with Ono were son Sean Lennon , bandmate Ringo Starr , and Olivia Harrison , widow of George Harrison , and Olivia 's son Dhani Harrison . Paul McCartney was invited , but could not attend due to a court case . Yoko Ono said on the day of the inauguration that the tower was the best thing that she and John had ever done .", "Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions. Unfinished Music No. 2 : Life with the Lions is the second of three experimental albums of avant-garde music released by John Lennon and Yoko Ono , released in May 1969 on Zapple , a sub label of Apple . It was a successor to 1968 's highly controversial Unfinished Music No. 1 : Two Virgins , and was followed by the Wedding Album . The album peaked in the United States at number 174 . The album , whose title is a play on words of the BBC Radio show Life with The Lyons , was recorded at Queen Charlotte 's Hospital in London and live at Cambridge University , in November 1968 and March 1969 , respectively . The Cambridge performance , to which Ono had been invited and to which she brought Lennon , was Lennon and Ono 's second as a couple . A few of the album 's tracks were previewed by the public , thanks to Aspen magazine . The album was remastered in 1997 .", "Double Fantasy. Double Fantasy is a 1980 album released by John Lennon and Yoko Ono . It is the seventh and final studio album released by Lennon ( apart from his work with The Beatles ) during his lifetime . Though initially poorly received , the album is notable for its association with Lennon 's murder three weeks after its release , whereupon it became a worldwide commercial success , and went on to win the 1981 Album of the Year at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards .", "Plastic Ono Band. The Plastic Ono Band is a band formed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969 as a vehicle for their collaborative and solo projects . Lennon and Ono had begun a personal and artistic relationship in 1968 , collaborating on several experimental releases . Following their marriage in 1969 , they decided that all of their future endeavours would be credited to a conceptual and collaborative vehicle , Plastic Ono Band . The band would go on to feature a rotating lineup of many musicians , including Eric Clapton , Klaus Voormann , Alan White , Billy Preston , Jim Keltner , Delaney & Bonnie and Friends , and Lennon 's former Beatles bandmates George Harrison and Ringo Starr . After the Lennons ' move to New York , they began collaborating with Elephant 's Memory , under the moniker of the `` Plastic Ono Elephant 's Memory Band '' . Lennon 's collaborations continued under similar names , until the winding down of the concept in 1974 . Since 2009 ( following the death of Lennon in 1980 ) , Ono and her son Sean Lennon have led a new incarnation of the group , known as the Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band , which has engaged in many new activities .", "The U.S. vs. John Lennon. The U.S. vs. John Lennon is a 2006 documentary film about English musician John Lennon 's transformation from a member of The Beatles to a rallying anti-war activist striving for world peace during the late 1960s and early 1970s . The film also details the attempts by the United States government under President Richard Nixon to silence him . The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival . It was released in New York City and Los Angeles , California on 15 September 2006 , and had a nationwide release on 29 September . A soundtrack composed of John Lennon tracks was released by Capitol Records and EMI on 26 September 2006 . The film makes extensive use of archival footage of Lennon and Yoko Ono , and includes a famously hard-hitting interview conducted by anti-war reporter Gloria Emerson . The U.K. release was on December 8 , 2006 , 26 years to the day after the death of John Lennon . The DVD was released on February 13 , 2007 in the United States . The film made its cable television debut in the U.S. on August 18 , 2007 on VH1 Classic .", "Happy Xmas (War Is Over). `` Happy Xmas ( War Is Over ) '' is a Christmas song with lyrics by John Lennon and Yoko Ono , released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir . The lyrics are set to the traditional English ballad `` Skewball '' . It was the seventh single release by Lennon outside of his work with the Beatles . The song reached number 4 in the UK , where its release was delayed until November 1972 , and has periodically reemerged on the UK Singles Chart , most notably after Lennon 's death in 1980 , at which point it peaked at number 2 . Also a protest song against the Vietnam War , `` Happy Xmas ( War Is Over ) '' has since become a Christmas standard , frequently covered by other artists , appearing on compilation albums of seasonal music , and named in polls as a holiday favourite .", "The Ballad of John and Yoko. `` The Ballad of John and Yoko '' is a song written by John Lennon , attributed to Lennon -- McCartney as was the custom , and released by the Beatles as a single in May 1969 . The song , chronicling the events surrounding Lennon 's marriage to Yoko Ono , was the Beatles ' 17th and final UK number one single .", "A Toot and a Snore in '74. A Toot and a Snore in '74 is a bootleg album of the only known recording session in which John Lennon and Paul McCartney played together after the break-up of the Beatles . First mentioned by Lennon in a 1975 interview , more details were brought to light in May Pang 's 1983 book , Loving John , and it gained wider prominence when McCartney made reference to the session in a 1997 interview . Discussing with Australian writer Sean Sennett in his Soho office , McCartney claimed the `` session was hazy ... for a number of reasons '' .", "May Pang. May Fung Yee Pang ( born October 24 , 1950 ) is an American , best known as the former girlfriend of John Lennon . She had previously worked as a personal assistant and production coordinator for Lennon and his wife , Yoko Ono . In 1973 , when Lennon and Ono separated , Pang and Lennon had a relationship lasting over 18 months , during a time which Lennon later referred to as his `` Lost Weekend . '' Pang subsequently produced two books about their relationship : a memoir called Loving John ( Warner , 1983 ) and a book of photographs , Instamatic Karma ( St. Martin 's Press , 2008 ) . Pang was married to producer Tony Visconti from 1989 to 2000 and had two children , Sebastian and Lara .", "The Beatles (album). The Beatles , also known as the White Album , is the ninth studio album by English rock group the Beatles , released on 22 November 1968 . A double album , its plain white sleeve has no graphics or text other than the band 's name embossed , which was intended as a direct contrast to the vivid cover artwork of the band 's earlier Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band . Although no singles were issued from The Beatles in Britain and the United States , the songs `` Hey Jude '' and `` Revolution '' originated from the same recording sessions and were issued on a single in August 1968 . The album 's songs range in style from British blues and ska to tracks influenced by Chuck Berry and by Karlheinz Stockhausen . Most of the songs on the album were written during March and April 1968 at a Transcendental Meditation course in Rishikesh , India . The group returned to EMI Studios ( now known as Abbey Road Studios ) in May to commence recording sessions that lasted through to October . During these sessions , arguments broke out among the Beatles , and witnesses in the studio saw band members quarrel over creative differences . Another divisive element was caused by the constant presence of John Lennon 's new partner , Yoko Ono , whose attendance at the sessions broke with the Beatles ' policy regarding wives and girlfriends . After a series of problems , including producer George Martin taking a sudden leave of absence and engineer Geoff Emerick quitting , Ringo Starr left the band briefly in August . The same tensions continued throughout the following year , leading to the eventual break-up of the Beatles in April 1970 . On release , The Beatles received favourable reviews from the majority of music critics , but other commentators found its satirical songs unimportant and apolitical amid the turbulent political and social climate of 1968 . The band and Martin have since debated whether the group should have released a single album instead . Nonetheless , The Beatles reached number one on the charts in both the United Kingdom and the United States and has since been viewed by some critics as one of the greatest albums of all time .", "Blueprint for a Sunrise. Blueprint for a Sunrise is a concept album of experimental feminist rock by Yoko Ono . It features live tracks , samples and remixes of previous recordings , and a sequel . The recurring theme throughout is the suffering of women . In the liner notes , Ono talks about the continuing relevance of feminism and `` waking up in the middle of the night hearing thousands of women screaming '' . It did not chart but was critically acclaimed and became an underground hit . The album has sold around 3,000 copies in the USA .", "How? (song). `` How ? '' is a song from John Lennon 's second solo album Imagine , released in 1971 . It is a contemplative song inspired by the Primal Therapy he was undergoing with his wife Yoko Ono , during which he faced many personal questions such as `` How can I go forward when I do n't know which way I 'm facing ? '' This song also shows his thoughts about the world in general ( such as `` And the World is so tough ; Sometimes I feel I 've had enough '' ) . The sound of `` How ? '' is typical of several of the songs on Imagine , including the title track and `` Jealous Guy '' , with Lennon on piano and string overdubs , something which had n't featured on his previous album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band .", "The Lives of John Lennon. The Lives of John Lennon is a 1988 biography of musician John Lennon by American author Albert Goldman . The book is a product of several years of research and hundreds of interviews with many of Lennon 's friends , acquaintances , servants and musicians . Notwithstanding , it is best known for its criticism and generally negative representation of the personal lives of Lennon and his wife , Yoko Ono .", "Lennon (box set). Lennon is a four-CD box set featuring many of John Lennon 's solo songs and was released in 1990 . Not to be confused with 2015 box set of the same name , which includes Lennon 's 8 original studio albums on vinyl . Compiled by the foremost authority on the Beatles , Mark Lewisohn , Lennon encompasses Lennon 's entire 1970 album Plastic Ono Band and generous samples from his single-only releases , and his albums from Live Peace in Toronto 1969 to Menlove Ave. Lennon , which never charted in the United Kingdom or United States , was deleted from Lennon 's catalogue in the late 1990s .", "Season of Glass. Season of Glass is a 1981 album by Yoko Ono , her first solo recording after the murder of her husband John Lennon . The album was released less than six months after Lennon 's death and deals with it directly in songs such as `` Goodbye Sadness '' and `` I Do n't Know Why '' . Season of Glass charted at number 49 , making it Ono 's highest-charting solo album to date . The front cover features Lennon 's bloodstained glasses positioned next to a half-filled glass of water , with a view of Central Park in the background . A young Sean Lennon features on the track `` Even When You 're Far Away '' , recounting a story his father used to tell him . A music video was created for `` Goodbye Sadness '' featuring footage of John and Yoko together . The video was screened on the first episode of Saturday Night Lives seventh season .", "John and Yoko: A Love Story. John and Yoko : A Love Story is a 1985 television drama that chronicles the lives of John Lennon and Yoko Ono , beginning just before they met in 1966 and concluding with Lennon 's murder in 1980 . The movie was made with the co-operation of Yoko Ono , who controlled the song rights ." ]

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[ "Tupac Shakur. Tupac Amaru Shakur ( -LSB- ˈtuːpɑːk_ʃəˈkʊər -RSB- ; born Lesane Parish Crooks ; June 16 , 1971September 13 , 1996 ) , also known by his stage names 2Pac , Makaveli , and Pac , was an American rapper , record producer , actor , and poet . As of 2007 , Shakur has sold over 75 million records worldwide . His double disc albums All Eyez on Me and his Greatest Hits are among the best-selling albums in the United States . He has been listed and ranked as one of the greatest artists of all time by many publications , including Rolling Stone , which ranked him 86th on its list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time . He is consistently ranked as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time . On April 7 , 2017 , Shakur was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Shakur began his career as a roadie , backup dancer , and MC for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground , eventually branching off as a solo artist . Most of the themes in Shakur 's songs revolved around the violence and hardship in inner cities , racism , and other social problems . Both of his parents and several other people in his family were members of the Black Panther Party , whose ideals were reflected in his songs . During the latter part of his career , Shakur was a vocal participant during the East Coast -- West Coast hip hop rivalry , becoming involved in conflicts with other rappers , producers , and record-label staff members , most notably The Notorious B.I.G. and the label Bad Boy Records . On September 7 , 1996 , Shakur was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane in Las Vegas , Nevada . He was taken to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada , where he died six days later .", "Mutulu Shakur. Mutulu Shakur ( born Jeral Wayne Williams ; August 8 , 1950 ) is an American black nationalist , acupuncturist and convicted felon . He was a proponent of the Republic of New Afrika and a close friend of Geronimo Pratt . Shakur is best known for his conviction on racketeering charges following the 1979 prison escape of Joanne Chesimard ( Assata Shakur ) and the infamous $ 1.6 million robbery of a Brinks armored truck in New York in which a guard and two police officers were killed . It was later found that an illegal project by the FBI , COINTELPRO , aimed at surveilling , infiltrating , discrediting , and neutralizing what they considered domestic political organizations , like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , had targeted Mutulu as well as many of his comrades . He is currently incarcerated in the United States Penitentiary , Victorville . He was stepfather to the late rap artist Tupac Shakur .", "Wolfpac. Wolfpac ( stylized as WOLFPAC ) is an American hip hop group formed in 1997 by former Bloodhound Gang member and co-founder Daddy Long Legs . The group 's musical style fuses hip hop beats with hardcore and metal samples . Its lyrical style draws from horrorcore , focusing on subjects such as resurrection , revenge , necrophilia , and standing up for one 's own beliefs . The group 's live performances from time to time include a DJ , guitar player and strippers . Wolfpac released its debut LP , Wicked This Way Comes , on May 18 , 1999 , through Chord Recordings . Daddy Long Legs claims that he funded the LP 's production by robbing graves and selling the bones to occult stores . Wolfpac expanded its cult following through appearances on The Howard Stern Show and Opie and Anthony , and released the album , Evil Is ... on January 16 , 2001 on Megaforce Records . In 2006 , the group released the underground hip hop compilation When There 's No More Room in Hell : Volume I , featuring contributions from Big B and The Dirtball , Danny Diablo , Grave Plott , Jason Porter and Intrinzik , Q-Strange , Vanilla Ice , and many others . The group released its first pornographic DVD , The Girls of WOLFPAC Volume 1 , in 2007 and its second , The Girls of WOLFPAC Volume 2 , in 2008 . Both were nominated for an AVN Award . Wolfpac has performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos annually from 2004 to current , and hosts the Super Deluxe Fun Time Variety Hour on Psychopathic Radio ( formerly known as W-Fuck-Off Radio ) . In 2013 the group announced the release of their second studio album Square Peg Round Hole with a release date of August 1 . It was their first release in 12 years and features the rappers Mars , Defekt , and Kung Fu Vampire . They made an appearance in 2017 on Comic Book Men ( Season 6 , Episode 11 ) where they tried to sell a lamp to help fund their upcoming tour .", "Shakur. Shakur is a surname . Notable people with the name include : Tupac Shakur ( 1971 -- 1996 ) , American rapper and actor ` Abd Allah II ibn ` Ali ` Abd ash-Shakur ( died 1930 ) , last Emir of Harar , Ethiopia ( 1884 -- 1887 ) Afeni Shakur ( 1947 -- 2016 ) , former member of the Black Panther Party , mother of Tupac Shakur Assata Shakur ( born 1947 ) , former Black Panther Party activist and escaped convict ( sister of Mutulu Shakur ) Mopreme Shakur ( born 1969 ) , rapper ( stepbrother of Tupac Shakur ) Muhammad ibn ` Ali ` Abd ash-Shakur , Emir of Harar , Ethiopia ( 1856 -- 1875 ) Mustafa Shakur ( born 1984 ) , basketball player Mutulu Shakur ( born 1950 ) , Black Liberation Army leader and convicted murderer ( father of Mopreme Shakur ) Sanyika Shakur ( born 1963 ) , born Kody Dehjon Scott and also known by his former street moniker Monster , former Los Angeles gang member Elias Chacour ( born 1939 ) , Archbishop of Akko , Haifa , Nazareth and All Galilee of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 2006 to 2014", "Afeni Shakur. Afeni Shakur Davis ( born Alice Faye Williams ; January 10 , 1947 -- May 2 , 2016 ) was an American political activist , Black Panther , and music businesswoman . Shakur was the mother of American rapper and actor Tupac Shakur .", "Mopreme Shakur. Maurice Williams ( born 1969 ) , better known by his stage name Mopreme Shakur , originally known as Wycked , is an American rapper . He was a member of the hip-hop group Thug Life and is the older step-brother of Tupac Shakur . He was also a member of The Outlawz ( under the name Komani ) , but later dropped out because of a financial disagreement with Death Row Records .", "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.... Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. . . is the second studio album by rapper Tupac Shakur , released by T.N.T. Recordings , Interscope Records and EastWest Records America on February 16 , 1993 . The rights now belong to Amaru Entertainment . N.I.G.G.A.Z. in the title is an acronym for ( `` Never Ign ` ant Getting Goals Accomplished ' ) ; the `` Z '' in the title makes it a plural . Similar to his debut , 2Pacalypse Now , the album contains many tracks emphasizing 2Pac 's political and social views . The original album was going to be named `` Troublesome 21 '' and released in September 1992 , but it was scrapped . Debuting at number twenty-four on the Billboard 200 , this album saw more commercial success than its predecessor , and there are many noticeable differences in production . While Tupac 's first effort included a more underground or indie-rap-oriented sound , this album was considered his `` breakout '' album . It spawned the hits `` Keep Ya Head Up '' and `` I Get Around '' and has since reached double platinum status . On vinyl , Side A ( tracks 1-8 ) was labeled the `` Black Side '' and Side B ( tracks 9-16 ) the `` Dark Side . '' The album features guest appearances from the group Live Squad , 2Pac 's stepbrother The Wycked ( later known as `` Mopreme '' , later a member of 2Pac 's groups Thug Life and The Outlawz ) , Ice-T , Ice Cube , Treach , Apache , Poppi , Deadly Threat , R&B singer Dave Hollister and Digital Underground . The album has sold 1,639,584 units in the United States as of 2011 .", "Keyshia Cole. Keyshia Cole ( born October 15 , 1981 ) is an American singer/songwriter , record producer , business woman , and television personality . She was born in Oakland , California . Her career began when she met MC Hammer at the age of 12 , and later met rapper Tupac Shakur . At the age of 18 , she moved to Los Angeles and was later introduced to A&M Records . She released her debut album , The Way It Is ( 2005 ) , which spawned five singles : `` Never , '' `` I Changed My Mind , '' '' ( I Just Want It ) To Be Over , '' `` I Should Have Cheated , '' and `` Love . '' It was certified gold within 17 weeks , and then platinum just eight weeks later . The album stayed on the charts for over a year , selling over 1.6 million copies . Cole released her second album Just like You ( 2007 ) , and the album debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 . It was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 50th Grammy Awards . The album has been certified platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America , and has sold 1.7 million copies in the U.S. . A Different Me is Cole 's third album , released in 2008 . The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 322,000 , the highest of Cole 's career . The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA . Calling All Hearts is Cole 's fourth album , released on December 21 , 2010 in the United States by Geffen Records . The album debuted and peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 , with first week sales of 129,000 . The album has sold 400,000 copies in the U.S. as of November 2012 . Cole 's fifth album Woman to Woman ( 2012 ) debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200 , with first week sales of 96,000 , lower than her last effort . The album has sold 329,000 copies in the U.S. as of September 2013 . Cole 's sixth album Point of No Return ( 2014 ) was released on October 7 , 2014 , and had unsuccessful sales , selling less than 45,000 copies and being Cole 's lowest-selling album to date . Along with her music , Cole has ventured into reality television . She signed to a reality/documentary series Keyshia Cole : The Way It Is which aired on BET from 2006 until 2008 , giving viewers a closer look into Cole 's career and family life with her biological mother and sister . Her second reality show , Family First premiered on October 9 , 2012 . Her third reality show Keyshia Cole : All In premiered on February 24 , 2015 .", "Nelly. Cornell Iral Haynes , Jr. ( born November 2 , 1974 ) , known professionally as Nelly , is an American rapper , singer , songwriter , entrepreneur , investor , and occasional actor from St. Louis , Missouri . Nelly embarked on his music career with Midwest hip hop group St. Lunatics , in 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999 . Under Universal , Nelly began his solo career in the year 2000 , with his debut album Country Grammar , of which the title-track was a top ten hit . The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and went on to peak at number one . Country Grammar is Nelly 's best-selling album to date , selling over 8.4 million copies in the United States . His following album Nellyville , produced the number-one hits `` Hot in Herre '' and `` Dilemma '' ( featuring Kelly Rowland ) . Other singles included `` Work It '' ( featuring Justin Timberlake ) , `` Air Force Ones '' ( featuring Murphy Lee and St. Lunatics ) , `` Pimp Juice '' and '' # 1 '' . With the same-day dual release of Sweat , Suit ( 2004 ) and the compilation Sweatsuit ( 2006 ) , Nelly continued to generate many chart-topping hits . Sweat debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart , selling 342,000 copies in its first week . On the same week of release , Suit debuted at number one , selling around 396,000 copies in its first week on the same chart . Nelly 's fifth studio album , Brass Knuckles , was released on September 16 , 2008 , after several delays . It produced the singles `` Party People '' ( featuring Fergie ) , `` Stepped on My J' z '' ( featuring Jermaine Dupri and Ciara ) and `` Body on Me '' ( featuring Akon and Ashanti ) . In 2010 , Nelly released the album 5.0 . The lead single , `` Just a Dream '' , was certified triple platinum in the United States . It also included the singles `` Move That Body '' ( featuring T-Pain and Akon ) and `` Gone '' ( a sequel to the 2002 single `` Dilemma '' in collaboration with Kelly Rowland ) . Nelly won Grammy Awards in 2003 and 2004 and had a supporting role in the 2005 remake film The Longest Yard with Adam Sandler and Chris Rock . He has two clothing lines , Vokal and Apple Bottoms . He has been referred to by Peter Shapiro as `` one of the biggest stars of the new millennium '' , and the RIAA ranks Nelly as the fourth best-selling rap artist in American music history , with 21 million albums sold in the United States . On December 11 , 2009 , Billboard ranked Nelly the number three Top Artist of the Decade .", "Tupac: Resurrection. Tupac : Resurrection is a 2003 American documentary film about the life and death of rapper Tupac Shakur . The film , directed by Lauren Lazin and released by Paramount Pictures , is narrated by Tupac Shakur himself . The film was in theaters from November 16 , 2003 to December 21 , 2003 . As of July 1 , 2008 it had earned over $ 7.8 million , making it the 21st-highest-grossing documentary film in the United States - ( in nominal dollars , from 1982 to the present ) . The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 77th Academy Awards .", "Murder of Tupac Shakur. On September 7 , 1996 , American hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas , Nevada . The shooting occurred at 11:15 p.m. Pacific time when the car with Shakur stopped at a red light at East Flamingo Road and Koval Lane . Shakur was struck by four .40 caliber rounds fired from a Glock : two in the chest , one in the arm , and one in the thigh . He died from his injuries six days later in the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada . In the 2015 documentary Murder Rap , which discusses both Shakur 's and Wallace 's murders , former LAPD Detective Greg Kading , shares that Orlando Anderson 's uncle `` Keffe D '' offically confirmed that Anderson was the one who shot and killed Shakur .", "Sean Combs. Sean John Combs ( born November 4 , 1969 ) , also known by his stage names Puff Daddy , Puffy , P. Diddy and Diddy , is an American rapper , singer , songwriter , actor , record producer and entrepreneur . He was born in Harlem and was raised in Mount Vernon , New York . He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding his label Bad Boy Entertainment in 1993 . His debut album No Way Out ( 1997 ) has been certified seven times platinum and was followed by successful albums such as Forever ( 1999 ) , The Saga Continues ... ( 2001 ) , and Press Play ( 2006 ) . In 2009 Combs formed the musical group Diddy -- Dirty Money and released the critically well-reviewed and commercially successful album Last Train to Paris ( 2010 ) . Combs has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards , and is the producer of MTV 's Making the Band . He is the Chairman and CEO of Combs Enterprises . In 2017 Forbes estimated his net worth at $ 820 million .", "Tupac Shakur discography. The discography of Tupac Shakur , an American rapper consists of eleven studio albums . Four were released before Shakur 's death on September 13 , 1996 and seven were posthumously released , the first being The Don Killuminati : The 7 Day Theory released on November 5 , 1996 ( although the album was finished before Shakur 's death ) . As of 2007 , Tupac Shakur has sold over 75 million records worldwide , which makes him one of the highest selling rap artists of all time . As of June 2014 , he was the second best-selling rap or hip-hop artist of the Nielsen Soundscan era in the United States with 29,235,000 albums sold . The RIAA has certified his album sales at 36.5 million . However he sold an additional 5 million under his Makaveli name which gives him 42.5 million overall .", "Temptations (song). `` Temptations '' is a song by rap artist Tupac Shakur ( 2Pac ) from the album Me Against the World . It was released as a single on August 29 , 1995 , and was released as a CD , cassette , and 12 '' promo . While rapping is solely performed by Shakur , Erick Sermon and producer Easy Mo Bee are also featured in the song , primarily as background vocalists . The song uses the bassline from the `` Computer Love '' , and the theme focuses on relationship and infidelity issues . Debuting at number sixty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100 , the song did fairly well in the United States . It was also well received by critics , with many writers commenting on its romantic tone . The song 's music video does not have any shots of Shakur , since he was incarcerated at the time . Instead , the video features many celebrities such as Coolio , Ice-T , Warren G , Adina Howard and Kenya Moore . Taking place in a hotel , the video opens and closes with the concierge ( Ice-T ) complaining about Coolio ( a bellboy ) . The main plot of the video follows Coolio while he is working in the hotel .", "Napoleon (rapper). Mutah Wassin Shabazz Beale ( born October 7 , 1977 ) , better known as Napoleon , is a former member of Tupac Shakur 's rap group Outlawz . Beale has since converted to Islam and is now a motivational speaker .", "2Pacalypse Now. 2Pacalypse Now is the debut studio album by American rapper 2Pac . It was released on November 12 , 1991 , by Interscope Records and EastWest Records America . Less polished than it later proceed with his studio album , 2Pacalypse Now , which is 2Pac 's commentary on contemporary social issues facing American society such as racism , police brutality , poverty , black on black crime , and teenage pregnancy , some issues giving a lyrical glimpse into the world of a young black man on the urban streets of the United States . It featured three singles ; `` Brenda 's Got a Baby '' , `` Trapped '' , and `` If My Homie Calls '' . 2Pacalypse Now was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . On MTV 's Greatest Rappers of All Time list , 2Pacalypse Now was listed as one of 2Pac 's `` certified classic '' albums , along with Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. . . , Me Against the World , All Eyez On Me , and The Don Killuminati : The 7 Day Theory . In commemoration of its 25th anniversary , it was released on vinyl and cassette on November 11 , 2016 .", "Darris Love. Darris Love ( born April 26 , 1980 ) is an American actor , most notable for his role as Raymond ` Ray ' Alvarado in Nickelodeon 's The Secret World of Alex Mack . Since the show 's ending in 1998 , he has made appearances in episodes of numerous American television shows , including Angel , ER , CSI : Crime Scene Investigation , Without a Trace , and Undressed , `` It 's Not Fair '' by singer Glenn Lewis , Janet Jackson 's music video All For You ( song ) `` Someone to Call My Lover '' and in the Monica music video `` All Eyez On Me '' . His other credits include the films Gang Tapes ( 2001 ) , Sucker Free City ( 2004 ) , and Janky Promoters ( 2009 ) . Darris was also in the music video How to Love by Lil Wayne ( 2011 ) . Darris voices Tupac Shakur in the N.W.A biopic , Straight Outta Compton .", "50 Cent. Curtis James Jackson III ( born July 6 , 1975 ) , known professionally as 50 Cent , is an American rapper , actor , businessman , and investor . Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of the borough of Queens , Jackson began selling drugs at age twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic . Although he left drug-dealing to pursue a musical career , in 2000 he was shot nine times . After Jackson released the compilation album Guess Who 's Back ? in 2002 , he was discovered by Eminem and signed by Shady Records , Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records . With the aid of Eminem and Dr. Dre ( who produced his first major-label album , Get Rich or Die Tryin ' ) , Jackson became one of the world 's best selling rappers and rose to prominence with East Coast hip hop group G-Unit ( which he leads de facto ) . In 2003 , he founded G-Unit Records , signing his G-Unit associates Young Buck , Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo . Jackson had similar commercial and critical success with his second album , The Massacre , which was released in 2005 . He released his fifth studio album , Animal Ambition , in 2014 and is working on his sixth studio album , Street King Immortal . He executive produces the show Power , which airs on Starz . During his career Jackson has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and won several awards , including a Grammy Award , thirteen Billboard Music Awards , six World Music Awards , three American Music Awards and four BET Awards . He has pursued an acting career , appearing in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin ' ( 2005 ) , the Iraq War film Home of the Brave ( 2006 ) and Righteous Kill ( 2008 ) . 50 Cent was ranked the sixth-best artist of the 2000s and the third-best rapper ( behind Eminem and Nelly ) by Billboard . Rolling Stone consider Get Rich or Die Tryin ' and `` In Da Club '' to be in their lists of `` 100 Best albums of the 2000s '' and `` 100 Best songs of the 2000s '' at numbers 37 and 13 .", "2Pac Live. 2Pac Live is a live album by rapper Tupac Shakur . It was released on August 6 , 2004 by Koch Records and is Shakur 's first-ever live album .", "Azealia Banks. Azealia Amanda Banks ( -LSB- əˈzi : liə -RSB- born May 31 , 1991 ) is an American rapper , singer-songwriter , and actress . Raised in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City , Banks began releasing music through MySpace in 2008 , eventually being signed to XL Recordings at age 17 . After releasing her debut single `` 212 '' , she secured a recording contract with Interscope and Polydor Records , and later released her first extended play 1991 ( 2012 ) . Banks ' debut studio album Broke with Expensive Taste experienced several delays since its initial announcement before being released in 2014 . In 2016 , she released the mixtape Slay-Z . Banks ' outspoken views and controversial social media presence have been the subject of media scrutiny throughout her career .", "Tha Realest. Jevon Jones ( born October 11 , 1973 ) is an American rapper better known by his stage name Tha Realest , and formerly Tenkamenin The Vigilante ( or simply Tenkamenin ) . His debut album , Witness Tha Realest , was released on July 14 , 2009 , following numerous delays . Tha Realest is also known , often in a negative light , for his strikingly similar voice to deceased rapper and former label-mate , Tupac Shakur . Tha Realest is also a member of The Regime .", "Too Short. Todd Anthony Shaw ( born 28 April 1966 ) , better known by the stage name Too Short ( stylized as Too $ hort ) , is an American rapper , producer , and actor . He is best known for his hit songs like `` The Ghetto '' and `` Blow the Whistle '' . Too Short is one of the very few musicians to have been able to collaborate with both 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. during the height of their careers . Too Short is credited as being one of the pioneer rappers of West Coast hip hop . His rap lyrics are primarily about pimping , drug use , and promiscuity .", "Eazy-E. Eric Lynn Wright ( September 7 , 1964March 26 , 1995 ) , better known by his stage name Eazy-E , was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright is affectionately called `` The Godfather of Gangsta rap '' . He was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton , California . After dropping out of high school in the tenth grade , he supported himself primarily by selling drugs before founding Ruthless Records and becoming a rapper . Arabian Prince , Eazy-E , Dr. Dre and Ice Cube formed N.W.A. . After DJ Yella and MC Ren joined the group , N.W.A released their debut single Panic Zone . In 1988 , they released their most controversial album , Straight Outta Compton . The group released two more albums and then disbanded after Eazy released Dr. Dre from his contract . Eazy 's main influences included 1970s funk groups , contemporary rappers , and comedians . When reviewing Eazy 's albums , many critics noted his unique overall style , with Steve Huey of the All Music Guide remarking : `` While his technical skills as a rapper were never the greatest , his distinctive delivery ... over-the-top lyrics , and undeniable charisma made him a star . ''", "Ice Cube. O'Shea Jackson Sr. ( born June 15 , 1969 ) , known professionally as Ice Cube , is an American rapper and actor . He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the seminal rap group N.W.A ( Niggaz With Attitudes ) . After leaving N.W.A in December 1989 , he built a successful solo career in music and films such as a role in drama Boyz n the Hood . Additionally , he has served as one of the producers of the Showtime television series Barbershop and the TBS series Are We There Yet ? , both of which are based upon films in which he portrayed the main character . Ice Cube is one of the founding artists of gangsta rap , and much of his musical output has contained harsh socio-political commentary . He was ranked number 8 on MTV 's list of the 10 Greatest MCs of All Time , while fellow rapper Snoop Dogg ranked Ice Cube as the greatest MC of all time . AllMusic has called him one of hip-hop 's best and most controversial artists , as well as `` one of rap 's greatest storytellers '' . In 2012 , The Source ranked him number 14 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time . In 2014 , About.com ranked him number 11 on their list of the `` 50 Greatest MCs of All Time '' .", "Eminem. Marshall Bruce Mathers III ( born October 17 , 1972 ) , known professionally as Eminem ( often stylized as EMINƎM ) , is an American rapper , record producer , and actor . Eminem is the best-selling artist of the 2000s in the United States . Throughout his career , he has had 10 number-one albums on the Billboard 200 and five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 . With US sales of 45.1 million albums and 42 million tracks as of June 2014 , Eminem is the second best-selling male artist of the Nielsen SoundScan era , the sixth best-selling artist in the United States and the best-selling hip-hop artist . Globally , he has sold more than 172 million albums , thus being one of the world 's best-selling artists . Rolling Stone ranked him 83rd on its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time , calling him the King of Hip Hop . After his debut album Infinite ( 1996 ) and the Slim Shady EP ( 1997 ) , Eminem signed with Dr. Dre 's Aftermath Entertainment and subsequently achieved mainstream popularity in 1999 with The Slim Shady LP , which earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album . His next two releases , 2000 's The Marshall Mathers LP and 2002 's The Eminem Show , were worldwide successes , with each being certified diamond in U.S. sales , and both winning Best Rap Album Grammy Awards -- making Eminem the first artist to win the award for three consecutive LPs . They were followed by Encore in 2004 , another critical and commercial success . Eminem went on hiatus after touring in 2005 , releasing Relapse in 2009 and Recovery in 2010 . Both won Grammy Awards and Recovery was the best-selling album of 2010 worldwide , the second time he had the international best-selling album of the year ( after The Eminem Show ) . Eminem 's eighth album , 2013 's The Marshall Mathers LP 2 , won two Grammy Awards , including Best Rap Album ; it expanded his record for the most wins in that category and his Grammy total to 15 . In addition to his solo career , Eminem is an original member of the Midwest hip hop groups Soul Intent and D12 . He is also known for his collaborations with fellow Detroit-based rapper Royce da 5 ' 9 '' ; the two are collectively known as Bad Meets Evil . Eminem has developed other ventures , including Shady Records , with manager Paul Rosenberg , which helped launch the careers of artists such as 50 Cent . Eminem has also established his own channel , Shade 45 , on Sirius XM Radio . In November 2002 , he starred in the hip hop film 8 Mile , which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song , for `` Lose Yourself '' , becoming the first rap artist to win the award . Eminem has made cameo appearances in the films The Wash ( 2001 ) , Funny People ( 2009 ) , The Interview ( 2014 ) and the television series Entourage ( 2010 ) .", "Kastro (Outlawz). Katari Terrance Cox ( born December 30 , 1976 ) better known by his stage name Kastro , is an American rapper . Best known for being part of Tupac Shakur 's rap group Outlawz . He was also blood cousins with Shakur and is featured on many of the late rapper 's songs such as `` Made Niggaz '' , & `` Hail Mary '' . When he was in Elementary School , he introduced his friend , and future Outlawz rapper , Malcolm Greenbridge , later named E.D.I. Mean , to his cousin .", "Orlando Anderson. Orlando Tive `` Baby Lane '' Anderson ( August 13 , 1974 -- May 29 , 1998 ) was an alleged affiliate of the South Side Crips and a person of interest in the investigation into the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur by the Compton and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Departments . Detective Tim Brennan of Compton filed an affidavit naming Anderson as a suspect , although fans and others have speculated as to Anderson 's involvement since the killing . He was never charged with the murder .", "Ilacoin. Christian J. A. Faloye ( born July 15 , 1973 ) , known by his stage names Ilacoin ( or simply Coin ) , is an American rapper and producer . He is the grandson of Yoruba royalty , the son of Nigerian immigrants , but raised mostly by a single American mother . His father , before he was 1 would move him around all of New York to Delaware to New Jersey back to Harlem , where he finally became settled at age 9 , living across the street from Tupac Shakur and family . There in Harlem with the absence of a father , a latchkey child , he would begin to become familiar with the local gang and street life . His cousin Fatima Faloye of New York Undercover fame , who he refers to as his sister would be instrumental in `` keeping '' him out of the streets , eventually introducing him to Ahkmed Obafemi and wife , Sonoviah ( parents to Tchaka Zulu and Jeff Dixon of DTP/Ebony Son ) who would become his `` godparents '' and introduce him to Islam for the first time in his life . Ilacoin became a respected talent from Harlem in the Hip Hop culture .", "French Montana. Karim Kharbouch ( born November 9 , 1984 ) , better known by his stage name French Montana , is an American hip hop recording artist . Born in Morocco , he immigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13 years old . He is the founder of Coke Boys Records , and its predecessor Cocaine City Records . In 2012 , he signed a joint-venture recording deal with Bad Boy Records and Maybach Music Group . Montana has collaborated with record producer Harry Fraud and rapper Max B before his conviction . More recently he collaborated with Rick Ross , Diddy and his MMG and Bad Boy labelmates along with his Coke Boys which include the late Chinx , Lil Durk , and his brother Zack . French made his mixtape debut in 2007 , and released his debut studio album Excuse My French on May 21 , 2013 . In 2003 , he survived a gunshot to the head . Allegedly blackballed by radio and media in his earlier career stemming from his stint with Max B , in 2010 , he had his breakthrough with `` Choppa Choppa Down '' . In 2012 , his single `` Shot Caller '' was one of the most added tracks on urban contemporary radio in the country .", "Greatest Hits (Tupac Shakur album). Greatest Hits is a double-disc greatest hits album for late American rapper 2Pac , released by Amaru/Death Row/Interscope Records in 1998 . The album 's non-chronological sequence highlights 2Pac 's career ; the 21 popular hits , some slightly re-edited for legal reasons , are accompanied by four previously unreleased songs : the dead friends tribute `` God Bless the Dead '' , the dedication song `` Unconditional Love '' , the tough talk `` Troublesome ' 96 '' , and the album 's single `` Changes '' also helped earn 2Pac the first and only posthumous Grammy Award nomination since for Best Rap Solo Performance . Some tracks have alternate mixes , while the original mix of `` California Love '' makes its first proper album appearance after only being available as a single prior . This is one of 2Pac 's two albums -- and one of only nine hip hop albums -- to have been certified Diamond in the United States .", "Royce da 5'9\". Ryan Daniel Montgomery ( born July 5 , 1977 ) , better known by his stage name Royce da 5 ′ 9 ″ , is an American rapper from Detroit , Michigan . He is best known for his longtime association with Eminem as well as his solo career , recording primarily with producers Carlos `` 6 July '' Broady and DJ Premier , as well as ghostwriting for the likes of Diddy and Dr. Dre . Royce is one half of the rap duo Bad Meets Evil with Eminem , one quarter of the hip hop group Slaughterhouse with Joe Budden , Joell Ortiz and Crooked I , and one half of the hip hop group PRhyme with DJ Premier . The editors of About.com ranked him No. 30 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time ( 1987 -- 2007 ) . In an interview with DJ Vlad on YouTube , Royce stated that his only early stage name prior to the `` Royce '' nickname was R-Dog , which `` did n't even last a year '' . He moved to Oak Park , Michigan when he was 10 years old , later acquiring the nickname `` Royce '' during high school after wearing a Turkish link chain with an R pendant resembling the Rolls Royce symbol . Royce 's name comes from his height , 5 feet 9 inches . However , the numbers have been in his life numerous times as he `` found his calling '' as a rapper in 1995 and in his song `` Tabernacle '' he discusses his grandmother dying on the fifth floor of a hospital and his first son being born on the ninth . Similar instances suggest that his name has numerous meanings besides his height . He started rapping at age 18 , influenced mainly by Ras Kass , Redman , Tupac Shakur , The Notorious B.I.G. , Esham , Detroit 's Most Wanted , and N.W.A. He signed his first deal in 1998 with Tommy Boy Records , the label offering him $ 1 million compared to Dr. Dre 's Aftermath Entertainment , who offered him $ 250,000 and unlimited beats -- what Royce expressed as his `` biggest regret '' in a March 2016 interview with Complex . After Tommy Boy Records shut down , he signed a deal with Columbia and Game Recordings where he started recording an album called Rock City , referring to Detroit 's former status as home to Motown Records . When the project was heavily bootlegged , Royce left the label for Koch to re-record some of the album , eventually releasing it in 2002 as Rock City ( Version 2.0 ) . While the album did not sell very well , the DJ Premier-produced single `` Boom '' gained Royce some underground recognition and eventually resulted in the two working together more closely .", "Dear Mama. `` Dear Mama '' is a song by American hip hop recording artist 2Pac , released on February 21 , 1995 as the lead single from his third studio album , Me Against the World ( 1995 ) . The song is a tribute to his mother , Afeni Shakur . In the song , Shakur details his childhood poverty and his mother 's addiction to crack cocaine , but argues that his love and deep respect for his mother supersede bad memories . The song topped the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart for five weeks and also peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 . The single was certified Platinum by the RIAA on July 13 , 1995 . `` Dear Mama '' has been consistently ranked among the best of its genre , appearing on numerous `` greatest '' lists . In 2010 , the song was added to the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress , who deemed it a work that is `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically important , and/or inform or reflect life in the United States . '' In a press release , the organization called the song `` a moving and eloquent homage to both the murdered rapper 's own mother and all mothers struggling to maintain a family in the face of addiction , poverty and societal indifference . ''" ]

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[ "The Jim Henson Company. The Jim Henson Company ( also known at various times as Muppets , LLC. , Henson Associates , Ltd. , and Jim Henson Productions , Inc. ) is an American entertainment company , a leading producer of children 's and family entertainment ( despite some of the company 's works containing mature content ) , and best known as the creators of the renowned Muppets characters . Founded in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson and performing partner and wife Jane Henson , the company is independently owned and operated by the children of its founders . Henson has produced many successful television series , including The Muppet Show ( later owned by Disney ) , Fraggle Rock , Dinosaurs , Bear in the Big Blue House , and Farscape , and creates the Muppet characters for the long-running PBS television series , Sesame Street . The company has also produced many films , including The Muppet Movie , The Dark Crystal , and Labyrinth . Henson also operates Jim Henson 's Creature Shop , a puppet , animatronics , and visual effects workshop , which has created characters and effects for Henson productions , as well as outside producers . In 1989 , the company entered merger negotiations with The Walt Disney Company , but the deal fell through following Jim Henson 's unexpected death in 1990 . Following Henson 's death and the calling off of the Disney merger , the company was taken over by Henson 's children , Lisa , Cheryl , Brian , John , and Heather , with Brian at the helm . In 2000 Henson was sold to EM.TV & Merchandising AG , a German media company , but by the end of that year , EM.TV 's stock collapsed , and the company was sold back to the Henson family in 2003 . ( EM.TV had in the interim sold the rights to the Sesame Street Muppets to Sesame Workshop in 2001 . ) In 2004 , Henson sold the rights to the Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House to The Walt Disney Company , but retains the rights to the rest of its characters , program library , and assets . , Brian , Lisa , Cheryl , and Heather Henson run the company ( sibling and fellow co-owner John Henson died in February 2014 ) . Brian Henson serves as chairman , while Lisa Henson serves as CEO . Since 2000 , The Jim Henson Company has been headquartered at the Jim Henson Company Lot , the historic former Charlie Chaplin Studios , in Hollywood , California .", "Labyrinth (film). Labyrinth is a 1986 British-American adventure musical fantasy film directed by Jim Henson , executive-produced by George Lucas , and based upon conceptual designs by Brian Froud . The film revolves around 15-year-old Sarah 's ( Jennifer Connelly ) quest to reach the center of an enormous otherworldly maze to rescue her infant brother Toby , who Sarah wished away to Jareth , the Goblin King ( David Bowie ) . With the exception of Connelly and Bowie , most of the film 's significant characters are played by puppets produced by Jim Henson 's Creature Shop . The film started as a collaboration between Henson and Froud , with ideas for the film first being discussed between them following a screening of their previous collaboration , The Dark Crystal . Terry Jones of Monty Python wrote the first draft of the film 's script early in 1984 , drawing on Froud 's sketches for inspiration . Various other script-writers , including Laura Phillips ( who had previously written several episodes of Fraggle Rock ) , Lucas , Dennis Lee , and Elaine May , subsequently re-wrote and made additions to the screenplay , although Jones received the film 's sole screenwriting credit . Labyrinth was shot on location in Upper Nyack , Piermont and Haverstraw in New York , and at Elstree Studios and West Wycombe Park in the United Kingdom . The New York Times reported that Labyrinth had a budget of $ 25 million . The film was a box office disappointment , grossing $ 12.9 million during its U.S. theatrical run . The commercial failure demoralized Henson to the extent that his son Brian remembered the time of the film 's release as one of the most difficult periods of his father 's career . It would be the last feature film directed by Henson before his death in 1990 . Although it was met with a mixed critical response upon its initial release , Labyrinth has since gained a large cult following . A four-volume comic sequel to the film , Return to Labyrinth , was published by Tokyopop between 2006 and 2010 . In 2012 , Archaia Studios Press announced they were developing a graphic novel prequel to the film . In January 2016 , it was announced that a reboot was in development , which was later denied by screenwriter Nicole Perlman , describing it instead as a `` spin-off '' in the same fictional universe .", "The Dark Crystal. The Dark Crystal is a 1982 American -- British fantasy adventure film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz and stars the voices of Stephen Garlick , Lisa Maxwell , Billie Whitelaw , and Percy Edwards . The plot revolves around Jen , an elf-like ` Gelfling ' on a quest to restore balance to his alien world by returning a lost shard to a powerful but broken gem . Although marketed as a family film , it was notably darker than the creators ' previous material , and incorporated several nods to the new age movement . The animatronics used in the film were considered groundbreaking . The primary concept artist was the fantasy illustrator Brian Froud , famous for his distinctive fairy and dwarf designs . Froud also collaborated with Henson and Oz for their next project , the 1986 film Labyrinth . The Dark Crystal was produced by Gary Kurtz , while the screenplay was written by David Odell , who had previously worked with Henson as a staff writer on The Muppet Show . The film 's score was composed by Trevor Jones . The film was produced by ITC Entertainment , the British production company responsible for producing The Muppet Show . The film earned mixed to positive reviews from multiple critics , particularly commenting on its special effects .", "Jim Henson. James Maury `` Jim '' Henson ( September 24 , 1936 -- May 16 , 1990 ) was an American puppeteer , artist , cartoonist , inventor , screenwriter , film director and producer who achieved international fame as the creator of the Muppets . Born in Greenville , Mississippi , and raised in Leland , Mississippi , and Hyattsville , Maryland , Henson began developing puppets while attending high school . While he was a freshman at the University of Maryland , College Park , he created Sam and Friends , a five-minute sketch-comedy puppet show that appeared on television . After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in home economics , he produced coffee advertisements and developed some experimental films . Feeling the need for more creative output , Henson founded Muppets Inc. in 1958 ( which would later become the Jim Henson Company ) . Henson became famous in the 1960s when he joined the children 's educational television program Sesame Street , and there helped develop characters for the series . He also appeared on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live . In 1976 , after scrapping plans for a Broadway show , he produced The Muppet Show . He won fame for his creations , particularly Kermit the Frog , Rowlf the Dog , and Ernie , and was involved with Sesame Street for over 20 years . Rowlf the Dog was a cast member on the Jimmy Dean Show in the early 60 's . He also had frequent roles in Muppets films such as The Muppet Movie , The Great Muppet Caper , and The Muppets Take Manhattan , and created advanced puppets for projects like Fraggle Rock , The Dark Crystal , and Labyrinth . During the later years of his life , he also founded the Jim Henson Foundation and Jim Henson 's Creature Shop . His involvement in two television programs -- The Storyteller and The Jim Henson Hour -- led to Emmy Award wins . Henson died of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome on May 16 , 1990 , at age 53 , twenty hours after experiencing a medical emergency -- an unexpected event that was widely lamented in the film and television industries . In the weeks after his death , he was celebrated in a wave of tributes . He was posthumously inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991 , and as a Disney Legend in 2011 .", "The Muppets. The Muppets are an ensemble cast of puppet characters known for their self-aware , burlesque , and meta-referential style of variety-sketch comedy . Created by Jim Henson in 1955 , they are the namesake for the Disney media franchise that encompasses feature films , television series , music recordings , theme park attractions , print publications , merchandising , and other media works associated with the characters . The Muppets debuted on the television program Sam and Friends , which aired from 1955 to 1961 . After appearing on skits in several late night talk shows and advertising commercials during the 1960s , the Muppets began appearing on Sesame Street in 1969 . The Muppets attained celebrity status and international recognition through their breakout roles in The Muppet Show ( 1976 -- 1981 ) , a primetime television series that garnered four Primetime Emmy Award wins and twenty-one nominations during its five-year run . In the late 1970s and into the 1980s , the Muppets diversified into theatrical feature films , including The Muppet Movie ( 1979 ) , The Great Muppet Caper ( 1981 ) , and The Muppets Take Manhattan ( 1984 ) . The Walt Disney Company began involvement with the Muppets in the late 1980s , seeking to acquire the characters from the Jim Henson Company . The Muppets continued their presence in television and film in the 1990s with The Jim Henson Hour ( 1989 ) , Muppets Tonight ( 1996 -- 98 ) -- a series continuation of The Muppet Show -- and three films , The Muppet Christmas Carol ( 1992 ) , Muppet Treasure Island ( 1996 ) , and Muppets from Space ( 1999 ) . Disney acquired the rights to the Muppets in 2004 , allowing the characters to gain broader public exposure than in previous years . Under Disney 's control , the Muppets enjoyed revitalized success , starring in two films -- The Muppets ( 2011 ) and Muppets Most Wanted ( 2014 ) -- as well as a short-lived primetime television series on ABC . Throughout their six decades of existence , the Muppets have been regarded as a staple of the entertainment industry and popular culture in the United States , receiving recognition from various cultural institutions and organizations , such as the American Film Institute , Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences , Library of Congress , and the Hollywood Walk of Fame .", "Jim Henson Television. Jim Henson Television is the television production arm of The Jim Henson Company . Jim Henson Television has developed many creative shows over the span of four decades . Some of the more notable television programs produced by the Henson organization include : Sesame Street - In 1969 , the creator of Sesame Street asked Jim Henson to be on the show to improve the creativity of the show . On the show , Jim Henson portrayed characters Guy Smiley and Ernie . However , his biggest work came when he created and portrayed Kermit the Frog . Kermit is an iconic character and still remains popular today . Jim Henson 's work on the show is one of the reasons why it is still popular today . The Muppet Show 1976 -- 1981 -- syndicated variety show . Due to Henson 's success on Sesame Street , he was able to give his creations more exposure and get them discovered . In 1974 , he created The muppet show which lead to other characters being created such as Rizzo the rat , Fozzie the bear , Ms piggy , Rowlf the dog . The show lasted for about nine years and the characters on the show still exist today . This show got a lot of popularity and the familiarity of Kermit the Frog to viewers helped the show . Guest stars even appeared on the show such as John Denver . Emmet Otter 's Jug-Band Christmas 1977 -- Christmas special produced for HBO Fraggle Rock 1983 -- 1987 -- Children 's musical television series produced for HBO This show was created by Jim Henson . It was a musical show that featured four types of characters : Doozers , Gorgs , Fraggles , and Silly creatures of outer space . Jim Henson 's Muppet Babies1984 -- 1991 -- Animated children 's television series Jim Henson 's Little Muppet Monsters1985 -- Animated/Live Action children 's television series The Tale of the Bunny Picnic 1986 -- Television special Jim Henson 's The Storyteller 1987 -- 1989 -- Anthology series produced for ITV and NBC . The Jim Henson Hour 1989 -- Variety show produced for NBC . Jim Henson 's The Storyteller : Greek Myths 1990 -- Anthology series . Dinosaurs 1991 -- 1994 -- Sitcom produced for ABC . Jim Henson 's Secret Life of Toys 1994 -- Limited-run series produced for the Disney Channel . The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss 1996 -- 1997 -- Live-action/puppet series produced for Nickelodeon Bear in the Big Blue House1997 -- 2006 -- Mixed live-action and animated series produced for the Disney Channel . this show was developed by Shadow Projects and the Jim Henson company that featured characters that would appeal to younger children . Brats of the Lost Nebula ( 1998 ) -- Computer Animated Series produced for Kids ' WB ! . Farscape 1999 -- 2003 -- A live-action science fiction series for Sci Fi Channel , which it co-produced with Hallmark Entertainment . 2004 -- A four-hour mini-series , Farscape : The Peacekeeper Wars for the Sci-Fi Channel . It 's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie 2002 -- Christmas movie featuring the Muppets Jack and the Beanstalk : The Real Story -- Mini-series Animal Jam -- 2003 -- live-action puppet dance party , airs on TLC and Discovery Kids .", "Jim Henson Pictures. Jim Henson Pictures is an American film studio , owned by The Jim Henson Company and operated by Brian and Lisa Henson . It was founded on July 21 , 1995 as a joint venture between Jim Henson Productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment .", "Jim Henson Records. Jim Henson Records was a short-lived music label made by The Jim Henson Company and BMG Kidz . It began in 1988 with the soundtrack for the film Kokomo . Despite the decreasing popularity of the Muppets following the death of Jim Henson , this record line kept the Muppets in the public 's eyes and included some now-rare albums . This line marked the CD debuts of songs from The Muppet Show , Fraggle Rock and the first two movies ( The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper ) . Henson and BMG released 2 CDs of key Muppet songs , they unearthed old recordings from 1984 featuring Jim Henson as Rowlf the Dog singing some classic songs ( Ol' Brown Ears is Back ) and a Muppet Beach Party CD featuring The Beach Boys songs . In the fall of 1994 , the last album released by Jim Henson Records was Kermit Unpigged . The album did not sell and Henson even sued BMG for not selling enough copies , thus ending the label .", "List of The Jim Henson Company films. The founders of The Jim Henson Company are Jim and Jane Henson . This is a list of notable feature films produced by The Jim Henson Company .", "The Muppets Studio. The Muppets Studio , LLC , formerly The Muppets Holding Company , LLC , is a wholly owned entertainment subsidiary of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media Labs , formed in 2004 through The Walt Disney Company 's acquisition of The Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House assets from The Jim Henson Company .", "The Muppet Movie. The Muppet Movie is a 1979 British-American musical road comedy film and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets . Directed by James Frawley and produced by Jim Henson , the film 's screenplay was written by The Muppet Show writers Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns . An American and British venture produced by Henson Associates and ITC Entertainment between the first half and the second half of the third season of The Muppet Show , the film depicts Kermit the Frog as he embarks on a cross-country trip to Hollywood , California . Along the way , he encounters several of the Muppets -- who all share the same ambition of finding success in professional show business -- while being pursued by Doc Hopper , an evil restaurateur with intentions of employing Kermit as a spokesperson for his frog legs business . Notable for its surreal humour , meta-references and prolific use of cameos , The Muppet Movie was released in the United Kingdom on May 31 , 1979 and in the United States on June 22 , 1979 , and received critical praise ; including two Academy Award nominations for Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher 's musical score and their song , `` The Rainbow Connection '' . In 2009 , the film was deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry .", "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz is a 2005 American-Canadian fantasy television film directed by Kirk Thatcher and starring Ashanti and The Muppets with supporting roles done by Jeffrey Tambor , Quentin Tarantino , David Alan Grier , and Queen Latifah . The film was produced by Bill Barretta and written by Debra Frank , Steve L. Hayes , Tom Martin , and Adam F. Goldberg based on a story by Frank and Hayes . A modernized adaptation of L. Frank Baum 's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , the story follows young Dorothy Gale , who works in her Aunt Em 's diner , but dreams of becoming a singer somewhere beyond her small Kansas town . Swept up by a tornado , in her trailer home with pet prawn Toto , she lands in Oz and embarks on a journey to meet the Wizard who can help make her dreams come true . The film co-produced by The Muppets Studio , Touchstone Television , and Fox Television Studios , in association with The Jim Henson Company . Right after Disney bought the rights to The Muppets in 2004 , pre-production on The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz took place throughout February 2004 , and filming occurred during September 2004 . ABC made several changes to the film after the initial script was written , ultimately deciding to adapt plot elements from Baum 's original novel rather than the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film , The Wizard of Oz . As with the preceding Muppet films , The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz became a musical , and included five new songs written and composed by Michael Giacchino . The production marked the feature film debut of Eric Jacobson as the performer of Sam Eagle , a character originally performed by Frank Oz . The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz premiered on April 27 , 2005 at the Tribeca Film Festival . The film 's television premiere was broadcast on ABC on May 20 , 2005 , as the final ABC Movie of the Week . The film received generally negative reviews from critics , who felt that the film was too mature for young audiences and that the cameo scenes and popular culture references were unnecessary .", "The Muppets (film). The Muppets is a 2011 American musical comedy film and the seventh theatrical film featuring the Muppets . The film is directed by James Bobin , written by Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller , produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman , and stars Segel , Amy Adams , Chris Cooper and Rashida Jones , as well as Muppet performers Steve Whitmire , Eric Jacobson , Dave Goelz , Bill Barretta , David Rudman , Matt Vogel , and Peter Linz . Bret McKenzie of comedy band Flight of the Conchords served as music supervisor , writing four of the film 's five original songs , and Christophe Beck composed the film 's score . In The Muppets , devoted fan Walter , his brother Gary , and Gary 's girlfriend Mary help Kermit the Frog reunite the Muppets , as they must raise $ 10 million to save the Muppet Theater from Tex Richman , a businessman who plans to demolish the studio to drill for oil . Walt Disney Pictures announced the film 's development in March 2008 , with Segel and Stoller writing the screenplay , and Mandeville Films co-producing the film . Bobin was hired to direct in January 2010 , and the film 's supporting cast was filled out in October of the same year , with the casting of Adams , Cooper , and Jones . Filming began in September 2010 and was completed entirely in Los Angeles . The film was the first theatrical Muppet production without the involvement of veteran Muppet performers Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson , although Nelson provides an uncredited vocal cameo . Instead , their characters are performed by Jacobson and Vogel , respectively , marking their theatrical feature film debut as those characters . The Muppets premiered at the Savannah Film Festival and was released theatrically in North America on November 23 , 2011 . The film was a critical and commercial success ; grossing $ 165 million worldwide and garnering praise for its humor , screenplay , and music . The film won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for McKenzie 's `` Man or Muppet '' , as well as garnering BAFTA and Critic 's Choice Awards nominations . A sequel , Muppets Most Wanted , was released on March 21 , 2014 .", "The Muppet Show. The Muppet Show is a family-oriented comedy-variety television series that was produced by puppeteer Jim Henson and features The Muppets . After two pilot episodes produced in 1974 and 1975 failed to get the attention of network executives in the United States , Lew Grade approached Henson to produce the programme in the United Kingdom for ATV , at the time the English Midlands franchise holder for the ITV network . The show lasted for five series consisting of 120 episodes which were first broadcast in Britain between 5 September 1976 and 15 March 1981 on ATV and syndicated the remaining ITV franchises around the United Kingdom . The programmes were recorded at ATV 's Elstree Studios in Borehamwood , England . The series shows a vaudeville or music hall-style song-and-dance variety show , as well as glimpses behind the scenes of such a show . Kermit the Frog stars as a showrunner who tries to keep control of the antics of the other Muppet characters ( and his temper ) , as well as keep the guest stars happy . The show was known for outrageous physical slapstick , sometimes absurdist comedy , and humorous parodies . Each episode also featured a human guest star . As the show 's popularity rose , many celebrities were eager to perform with the Muppets on television and in film . Many of the puppeteers also worked on Sesame Street . Muppet performers over the course of the show include Jim Henson , Frank Oz , Jerry Nelson , Richard Hunt , Dave Goelz , Steve Whitmire , Fran Brill , Eren Ozker , Louise Gold , Kathryn Mullen , Karen Prell , Brian Muehl , Bob Payne , and John Lovelady . Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns were two of the show writers . The music was performed by Jack Parnell and his orchestra .", "Pixar. Pixar ( -LSB- ˈpɪksɑr -RSB- ) , also referred to as Pixar Animation Studios , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville , California that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company . Pixar began in 1979 as the Graphics Group , part of the Lucasfilm computer division , before its spin-out as a corporation in 1986 , with funding by Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs , who became the majority shareholder . Disney purchased Pixar in 2006 at a valuation of $ 7.4 billion , a transaction that resulted in Jobs becoming Disney 's largest single shareholder at the time . Pixar is best known for CGI-animated feature films created with RenderMan , Pixar 's own implementation of the industry-standard RenderMan image-rendering application programming interface , used to generate high-quality images . Pixar has produced seventeen feature films , beginning with Toy Story ( 1995 ) , which was the first-ever computer-animated feature film , and its most recent being Finding Dory ( 2016 ) . All 17 of its films have debuted with CinemaScore ratings of at least an `` A − , '' indicating positive receptions with audiences . The studio has also produced several short films . , its feature films have earned approximately $ 10.8 billion at the box office worldwide , with an average worldwide gross of $ 634 million per film . Finding Dory , along with its predecessor Finding Nemo ( 2003 ) , as well as Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) are among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , with the lattermost film being the third all-time highest-grossing animated film with a gross of $ 1.063 billion . Fourteen of Pixar 's films are also among the 50 highest-grossing animated films of all time . The studio has earned sixteen Academy Awards , seven Golden Globe Awards , and eleven Grammy Awards , among many other awards and acknowledgments . Many of Pixar 's films have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature since its inauguration in 2001 , with eight winning ; this includes Finding Nemo and Toy Story 3 , along with The Incredibles ( 2004 ) , Ratatouille ( 2007 ) , WALL-E ( 2008 ) , Up ( 2009 ) , Brave ( 2012 ) , and Inside Out ( 2015 ) . Monsters , Inc. ( 2001 ) and Cars ( 2006 ) are the only two films that were nominated for the award without winning it , while Cars 2 ( 2011 ) , Monsters University ( 2013 ) , The Good Dinosaur ( 2015 ) , and Finding Dory have not been nominated . Up and Toy Story 3 were also the respective second and third animated films to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture , the first being Walt Disney Animation Studios ' Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) . Luxo Jr. , a character from the studio 's 1986 short film of the same name , is the studio 's mascot . On September 6 , 2009 , Pixar executives John Lasseter , Brad Bird , Pete Docter , Andrew Stanton , and Lee Unkrich were presented with the Golden Lion award for Lifetime Achievement by the biennial Venice Film Festival . The award was presented by Lucasfilm 's founder George Lucas .", "DreamWorks Animation. DreamWorks Animation SKG , Inc. ( known professionally as DreamWorks Animation or simply DreamWorks ) is an American animation studio that is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures , a division of NBCUniversal , itself a division of Comcast . It is based in Glendale , California and produces animated feature films , television programs and online virtual games . The studio has currently released a total of 34 feature films , including the franchises Shrek , its prequel-spinoff Puss in Boots , Madagascar , Kung Fu Panda , How to Train Your Dragon , and Trolls , and other hits including Monsters vs. Aliens ( 2009 ) , Rise of the Guardians ( 2012 ) , The Croods ( 2013 ) and Home ( 2015 ) . Originally formed under the banner of its main DreamWorks studio in 1997 by some of Amblin Entertainment 's former animation branch Amblimation alumni , it was spun off into a separate public company in 2004 . DreamWorks Animation currently maintains its Glendale campus , as well as satellite studios in India and China . On August 22 , 2016 , NBCUniversal acquired DreamWorks Animation for $ 3.8 billion , making it a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group . As of April 2017 , its feature films have grossed $ 14.20 billion worldwide , with a $ 417.8 million average gross per film . Shrek 2 ( 2004 ) is among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , and fourteen of the films are among the 50 highest-grossing animated films , with Shrek 2 being the ninth all-time highest . Although the studio also made traditionally animated films in the past , as well as stop-motion co-production with Aardman Animations , all of their films now use computer animation . The studio has received three Academy Awards , as well as 41 Emmy and numerous Annie Awards , and multiple Golden Globe & BAFTA nominations . In recent years , the animation studio has acquired and created new divisions in an effort to diversify beyond the high-risk movie business . Films produced by DreamWorks Animation were formerly distributed worldwide by its main DreamWorks studio and then by Paramount Pictures , who acquired the main DreamWorks studio in February 2006 and spun it off again in 2008 . In early 2013 , 20th Century Fox took over a theatrical distribution deal with DreamWorks Animation films starting on March 22 , 2013 with The Croods which will end on June 2 , 2017 with Captain Underpants : The First Epic Movie , after which its parent Universal Pictures will distribute subsequent DreamWorks Animation films , starting on March 1 , 2019 , with the release of How to Train Your Dragon 3 .", "The Muppet Christmas Carol. The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 American musical fantasy comedy-drama film and an adaptation of Charles Dickens 's 1843 novel A Christmas Carol . It is the fourth in a series of live-action musical films featuring The Muppets , with Michael Caine starring as Ebenezer Scrooge . Although it is a comedic film with contemporary songs , The Muppet Christmas Carol otherwise follows Dickens 's original story closely . The film was produced and directed by Brian Henson for Jim Henson Productions and released by Walt Disney Pictures . The Muppet Christmas Carol was dedicated to the memory of Muppets creator Jim Henson and fellow puppeteer Richard Hunt , who died during pre-production .", "The Muppets discography. The discography of The Muppets , an American puppet group originally created by puppeteer Jim Henson , includes of fifteen studio albums , four compilation albums , one extended play , eight singles , two `` featured artist '' singles and five music videos . Of the studio and compilation albums , three are soundtracks from seasons of The Muppet Show and seven of eight motion pictures . The soundtrack to the sixth film , Muppets From Space was orchestral as opposed to derivative compositions performed by the characters . Walt Disney Records has served as the primary record label for musical projects by The Muppets since 2004 . The Muppets are also known for numerous songs from their films and television series , some of which , including `` Rainbow Connection '' , `` Bein ' Green '' , `` The Muppet Show Theme '' and their rendition of `` Mah Nà Mah Nà '' , have become a prevalent part of contemporary pop culture , with several adaptations from other artists of varying genres . Not all discography has been performed by the group as an ensemble cast ; some characters such as Kermit the Frog and Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem , have gone on to perform solo compositions .", "Sesame Street. Sesame Street is a long-running American children 's television series , produced by Sesame Workshop ( formerly known as the Children 's Television Workshop ) and created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett . The program is known for its educational content , and images communicated through the use of Jim Henson 's Muppets , animation , short films , humor , and cultural references . The series premiered on November 10 , 1969 , to positive reviews , some controversy , and high viewership ; it has aired on the U.S. 's national public television provider ( PBS ) since its debut , with its first run moving to premium channel HBO on January 16 , 2016 . The show has undergone significant changes throughout its history . The format of Sesame Street consists of a combination of commercial television production elements and techniques which have evolved to reflect the changes in American culture and the audience 's viewing habits . With the creation of Sesame Street , producers and writers of a children 's television show used , for the first time , educational goals and a curriculum to shape its content . It was also the first time a show 's educational effects were studied . Shortly after creating Sesame Street , its producers developed what came to be called the `` CTW model '' ( after the production company 's previous name ) , a system of television show planning , production , and evaluation based on collaborations between producers , writers , educators , and researchers . The show was initially funded by government and private foundations but has become somewhat self-supporting due to revenues from licensing arrangements , international sales , and other media . By 2006 , there were independently produced versions , or `` co-productions '' , of Sesame Street broadcast in twenty countries . In 2001 there were over 120 million viewers of various international versions of Sesame Street , and by the show 's 40th anniversary in 2009 , it was broadcast in more than 140 countries . By its 40th anniversary in 2009 , Sesame Street was the fifteenth-highest-rated children 's television show in the United States . A 1996 survey found that 95 % of all American preschoolers had watched the show by the time they were three years old . In 2008 , it was estimated that 77 million Americans had watched the series as children . As of 2014 , Sesame Street has won 167 Emmy Awards and 8 Grammy Awards -- more than any other children 's show .", "Lisa Henson. Lisa Marie Henson ( born May 9 , 1960 ) is an American television and movie producer and former actress who has been involved in television shows such as Sid the Science Kid and blockbuster movies Lethal Weapon , Batman , and Batman Returns . She is the daughter of puppeteers Jane and Jim Henson , and the sister of Brian Henson and John Henson . She is the CEO of The Jim Henson Company . Besides her direct television and movie work , she has been president of production for Columbia Pictures , and an executive for Warner Brothers . She holds a degree from Harvard University , where she majored in folklore and mythology and served as president of the Harvard Lampoon . She has also served on the Board of Overseers .", "The Jim Henson Hour. The Jim Henson Hour is a television series that aired on NBC in 1987 . It was developed as a showcase for The Jim Henson Company 's various puppet creations , including the Muppet characters . Nine of the twelve episodes produced aired on NBC before the program was canceled . Two episodes later aired on Nickelodeon in 1992 and 1993 , and the final episode never aired in the US , but did air in the UK in 1990 .", "The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Company , commonly known as Disney , is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate , headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank , California . It is the world 's second largest media conglomerate in terms of revenue , after Comcast . Disney was founded on October 16 , 1923 -- by brothers Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney -- as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio , and established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into live-action film production , television , and theme parks . The company also operated under the names The Walt Disney Studio and then Walt Disney Productions . Taking on its current name in 1986 , it expanded its existing operations and also started divisions focused upon theater , radio , music , publishing , and online media . In addition , Disney has since created corporate divisions in order to market more mature content than is typically associated with its flagship family-oriented brands . The company is best known for the products of its film studio , Walt Disney Studios , which is today one of the largest and best-known studios in American cinema . Disney 's other three main divisions are Walt Disney Parks and Resorts , Disney Media Networks , and Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media . Disney also owns and operates the ABC broadcast television network ; cable television networks such as Disney Channel , ESPN , A+E Networks , and Freeform ; publishing , merchandising , music , and theatre divisions ; and owns and licenses 14 theme parks around the world . The company has been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since May 6 , 1991 . Mickey Mouse , an early and well-known cartoon creation of the company , is a primary symbol and mascot for Disney .", "The Great Muppet Caper. The Great Muppet Caper is a 1981 British-American mystery musical comedy film directed by Jim Henson , marking his feature directorial . The film is about the Muppets who must travel to London , England to stop a jewel heist . It is the second of a series of live-action musical feature films , starring Jim Henson 's Muppets . The film was a British-American venture produced by Henson Associates and ITC Entertainment , and released by Universal Pictures on 26 June 1981 . It is also the only Muppet feature film directed by Henson . Shot in Great Britain in 1980 , the film was released shortly after the final season of The Muppet Show .", "Skellington Productions. Skellington Productions was a company that was a joint venture between Walt Disney Feature Animation and directors Henry Selick and Tim Burton . The company specialized in stop motion animation and made use of the art in its two films . Henry Selick and Tim Burton formed the company in 1986 as Selick/Burton Projects , where Tim Burton could direct episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Shelley Duvall 's Faerie Tale Theatre , while Henry Selick could focus on doing animation . After producing award-winning animation for MTV , Ritz , Pillsbury , and more , Tim Burton left to work on Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , as a result , Selick renamed the studio to Selick Projects . In 1991 , Selick Projects provided the animation of the penguin musician Muppet character that gets sucked up into the VacuumMuppet in Muppet * Vision 3D . In September 1992 , Tim Burton returned to Selick 's studio , renamed it Skellington Productions , and sold it to Disney . The first film produced by Skellington Productions ( which gave the company its namesake ) , The Nightmare Before Christmas , was released theatrically in 1993 under Disney 's Touchstone Pictures banner to a positive reception and a successful box office , becoming a sleeper hit . Since 2006 , Nightmare has been released by Walt Disney Pictures and in Disney Digital 3-D format . The second and final film , James and the Giant Peach , released to theaters in 1996 . It was also met with positive reviews . Aside from film , Skellington Productions also worked on the KaBlam ! short , Life With Loopy in 1996 for the show 's first season . The show aired on Nickelodeon from 1996 to 2000 . Skellington Productions left after the first season .", "Tobey Maguire. Tobias Vincent `` Tobey '' Maguire ( born June 27 , 1975 ) is an American actor and producer . He began his career in the late 1980s . His first appearance in a feature film was a non-speaking part in The Wizard ( 1989 ) . He is known for playing the title character in Sam Raimi 's Spider-Man film trilogy ( 2002 , 2004 , and 2007 ) , as well as for his roles in Pleasantville ( 1998 ) , The Cider House Rules ( 1999 ) , Wonder Boys ( 2000 ) , Seabiscuit ( 2003 ) , The Good German ( 2006 ) , Brothers ( 2009 ) , and The Great Gatsby ( 2013 ) . He was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe Awards , and received two Saturn Awards , including one for Best Actor . In 2012 he established his own production company , Material Pictures , and co-produced Good People that same year . In 2014 he produced and starred as Bobby Fischer in Pawn Sacrifice .", "Brian Henson. Brian Henson ( born November 3 , 1963 , in New York City ) is an American puppeteer , director , producer , technician , and the chairman of The Jim Henson Company . He is the son of puppeteers , Jim and Jane Henson .", "Jim Henson Foundation. The Jim Henson Foundation was founded by puppeteer and Muppet creator Jim Henson to promote and develop puppetry in the United States . Jim Henson 's daughter Cheryl Henson currently serves as the president for the Foundation . It is the only grantmaking institution with the mission of supporting puppetry . The Jim Henson Foundation has bestowed 675 grants to date . Past grant recipients include MacArthur Fellow Julie Taymor , director of the Broadway musical The Lion King ; Ralph Lee , whose production A Popol Vuh Story was also presented at the 1994 Henson Festival and went on to tour New York City public schools ; MacArthur Fellow Lee Breuer 's company Mabou Mines , whose production Peter & Wendy was featured at the 1996 Spoleto Festival and the 1996 Henson Festival , followed by a month-long run at New York 's New Victory Theater ; and Basil Twist , whose production Symphonie Fantastique had an acclaimed year-long run in New York .", "The Brothers Grimm (film). The Brothers Grimm is a 2005 adventure fantasy film directed by Terry Gilliam . The film stars Matt Damon , Heath Ledger , and Lena Headey in an exaggerated and fictitious portrait of the Brothers Grimm as traveling con-artists in French-occupied Germany , during the early 19th century . However , the brothers eventually encounter a genuine fairy tale curse which requires real courage instead of their usual bogus exorcisms . Supporting characters are played by Peter Stormare , Jonathan Pryce , and Monica Bellucci . In February 2001 , Ehren Kruger sold his spec script to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ( MGM ) . With Gilliam 's hiring as director , the script was rewritten by Gilliam and Tony Grisoni , but the Writers Guild of America refused to credit them for their work , thus Kruger received sole credit . MGM eventually dropped out as distributor , but decided to co-finance The Brothers Grimm with Dimension Films and Summit Entertainment , while Dimension took over distribution duties . The film was shot entirely in the Czech Republic . Gilliam often had on-set tensions with brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein , which caused the original theatrical release date to be delayed nearly ten months . The Brothers Grimm was finally released on 26 August 2005 with mixed reviews and a $ 105.3 million box office performance . This also marks Terry Gilliam 's first film to receive a PG-13 rating by the MPAA .", "DreamWorks. DreamWorks Pictures ( also known as DreamWorks SKG or DreamWorks Studios , commonly referred to as DreamWorks , trading as Storyteller Distribution Co. , LLC ) is an American film production label of Amblin Partners . It was formerly distributing its own and third-party films by itself . It has produced or distributed more than ten films with box-office grosses of more than $ 100 million each . As of October 2016 , DreamWorks ' films are marketed and distributed by Universal Pictures . DreamWorks began in 1994 as an attempt by media moguls Steven Spielberg , Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen ( together , SKG ) to create a new Hollywood studio of which they owned 72 % . Currently , DreamWorks operates out of offices at Universal Studios . In December 2005 , the founders agreed to sell the studio to Viacom , parent of Paramount Pictures . The sale was completed in February 2006 ( this incarnation is now named DW Studios L.L.C. ) . In 2008 , DreamWorks announced its intention to end its partnership with Paramount and signed a $ 1.5 billion deal to produce films with India 's Reliance ADA Group . Reliance provided $ 325M of equity to fund recreating DreamWorks SKG into DreamWorks Studios , an independent entity . Clark Hallren , former Managing Director of the Entertainment Industries group of J. P. Morgan Securities , and Alan J. Levine of J. P. Morgan Entertainment Advisors , led the Reliance team in restructuring the company . The following year , DreamWorks entered into a distribution agreement with Walt Disney Studios , wherein Disney would distribute DreamWorks films through Touchstone Pictures ; the deal continued until 2016 . After the formation of Amblin Partners in 2015 , the studio entered into a distribution agreement with Universal Pictures . DreamWorks ' animation arm was spun off in 2004 into DreamWorks Animation SKG ( DWA ) , which currently owns the DreamWorks trademarks , and as of August 2016 is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal . Spielberg 's company continues to use the DreamWorks trademarks under license from Universal Studios .", "The Princess and the Frog. The Princess and the Frog is a 2009 American animated musical romantic fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures . The 49th Disney animated feature film , the film is loosely based on the novel The Frog Princess by E. D. Baker , which is in turn based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale `` The Frog Prince '' . Written and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker , the film features an ensemble voice cast that stars Anika Noni Rose , Bruno Campos , Keith David , Michael-Leon Wooley , Jennifer Cody , and Jim Cummings , with Peter Bartlett , Jenifer Lewis , Oprah Winfrey , Terrence Howard , and John Goodman . Set in 1920s New Orleans , Louisiana , the film tells the story of a hardworking waitress named Tiana who dreams of owning her own restaurant . After kissing a prince who has been turned into a frog by an evil voodoo sorcerer , Tiana becomes a frog herself and must find a way to turn back into a human before it is too late . The Princess and the Frog began production under the working title The Frog Princess . It marked Disney 's return to traditional animation , as it was the studio 's first traditionally animated film since Home on the Range ( 2004 ) . Co-directors Ron Clements and John Musker , directors of Disney 's highly successful films The Little Mermaid ( 1989 ) and Aladdin ( 1992 ) , returned to Disney to direct The Princess and the Frog . The studio returned to a Broadway musical-style format frequently used during the Disney Renaissance , and features music written by composer Randy Newman , well known for his musical involvement in Pixar films such as A Bug 's Life ( 1998 ) , Monsters , Inc. ( 2001 ) , Cars ( 2006 ) , and the Toy Story trilogy ( 1995 , 1999 and 2010 ) . The film also marked the return of Disney animated musical films based on well-known stories since the Disney Renaissance . The Princess and the Frog opened in limited release in New York and Los Angeles on November 25 , 2009 , and in wide release on December 11 , 2009 . The film was successful at the box-office , ranking first place on its opening weekend in North America , and grossing $ 267 million worldwide . It received three Academy Award nominations at the 82nd Academy Awards : one for Best Animated Feature and two for its achievement in music ( Original Song and Original Score ) . It lost to Up and Crazy Heart , respectively . Some film critics and pundits regard The Princess and the Frog as a turning point for Walt Disney Animation Studios , and to have ignited the `` Disney Revival '' , playing a crucial role in the studio 's subsequent string of acclaimed animated films .", "Muppets from Space. Muppets from Space is a 1999 American science fiction comedy film and the sixth feature film to star The Muppets , and the first since the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson to have an original Muppet-focused plot . The film was directed by Tim Hill , produced by Jim Henson Pictures , and released to theaters on July 14 , 1999 , by Columbia Pictures . The film is a deviation of other Muppet films as it is the only non-musical film , as well as the first film in the series with a plot to focus predominantly on a character other than Kermit the Frog . It is also the last Muppet feature film to have the involvement of Frank Oz ; he would retire from Muppet performing the following year . The film was shot in Wilmington , North Carolina at EUE/Screen Gems in 1998 .", "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie. It 's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie is a 2002 NBC television film , directed by Kirk Thatcher and written by Tom Martin and Jim Lewis and stars Whoopi Goldberg , David Arquette , Joan Cusack , the cast of Scrubs and The Muppets . The plot centers on Kermit the Frog who , after losing all hope for saving the Muppet Theatre , is assisted by an angel who shows him a world in which he had never been born . The film is an homage to Frank Capra 's 1946 film , It 's a Wonderful Life , which has a similar plot . This was the first Muppet production without the involvement of veteran Muppet performer Frank Oz . Instead , Eric Jacobson performed Oz 's characters Fozzie Bear , Miss Piggy , and Animal , marking his feature film debut as those characters . Oz 's character Sam Eagle was voiced by Kevin Clash , while John Kennedy provided the puppetry . Director Kirk R. Thatcher later directed The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz ( 2005 ) and A Muppets Christmas : Letters to Santa ( 2008 ) . Jerry Nelson was ill during filming , so his characters were puppeteered by others and later dubbed by Nelson . The exception was Lew Zealand , who was performed by Bill Barretta . Scooter , performed by Brian Henson , also makes his first major appearance since Richard Hunt 's death . In 1999 , Scooter had one line in Muppets From Space . Janice , performed by Brian Henson , also speaks for the first time since Hunt 's death . She had made silent appearances in The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island . The film contains an original song , `` Everyone Matters '' , performed by Kermit and Gonzo as part of the world in which he had never been born , and then reprised at the end . The film also makes reference to the Muppet classic song `` Rainbow Connection '' , featuring a statue of Kermit in a park , erected in dedication `` for the lovers , the dreamers and you '' ." ]

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[ "Euro. The euro ( sign : $ ; code : EUR ) is the official currency of the eurozone , which consists of 19 of the member states of the European Union : Austria , Belgium , Cyprus , Estonia , Finland , France , Germany , Greece , Ireland , Italy , Latvia , Lithuania , Luxembourg , Malta , the Netherlands , Portugal , Slovakia , Slovenia , and Spain . The currency is also officially used by the institutions of the European Union and four other European countries , as well as unilaterally by two others , and is consequently used daily by some 337 million Europeans . Outside of Europe , a number of overseas territories of EU members also use the euro as their currency . Additionally , 210 million people worldwide use currencies pegged to the euro . The euro is the second largest reserve currency as well as the second most traded currency in the world after the United States dollar . , with more than $ 1,109,000,000,000 in circulation , the euro has one of the highest combined values of banknotes and coins in circulation in the world , having surpassed the U.S. dollar at one point. : Total EUR currency ( coins and banknotes ) in circulation 771.5 ( banknotes ) + 21.032 ( coins ) = 792.53 billion EUR * 1.48 ( exchange rate ) = 1,080 billion USD Total USD currency ( coins and banknotes ) in circulation 859 billion USD The name euro was officially adopted on 16 December 1995 in Madrid . The euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999 , replacing the former European Currency Unit ( ECU ) at a ratio of 1:1 ( US$ 1.1743 ) . Physical euro coins and banknotes entered into circulation on 1 January 2002 , making it the day-to-day operating currency of its original members , and by May 2002 had completely replaced the former currencies . While the euro dropped subsequently to US$ 0.8252 within two years ( 26 October 2000 ) , it has traded above the U.S. dollar since the end of 2002 , peaking at US$ 1.6038 on 18 July 2008 . Since late 2009 , the euro has been immersed in the European sovereign-debt crisis which has led to the creation of the European Financial Stability Facility as well as other reforms aimed at stabilising the currency . In July 2012 , the euro fell below US$ 1.21 for the first time in two years , following concerns raised over Greek debt and Spain 's troubled banking sector . As of April 2017 , the euro -- dollar exchange rate stands at ~ US$ 1.06 .", "Eurozone. The eurozone , officially called the euro area , is a monetary union of 19 of the 28 European Union ( EU ) member states which have adopted the euro as their common currency and sole legal tender . The monetary authority of the eurozone is the Eurosystem . The other nine members of the European Union continue to use their own national currencies , although most of them are obliged to adopt the euro in future . The eurozone consists of Austria , Belgium , Cyprus , Estonia , Finland , France , Germany , Greece , Ireland , Italy , Latvia , Lithuania , Luxembourg , Malta , the Netherlands , Portugal , Slovakia , Slovenia , and Spain . Other EU states ( except for Denmark and the United Kingdom ) are obliged to join once they meet the criteria to do so . No state has left , and there are no provisions to do so or to be expelled . Andorra , Monaco , San Marino , and Vatican City have formal agreements with the EU to use the euro as their official currency and issue their own coins . Kosovo and Montenegro have adopted the euro unilaterally , but these countries do not officially form part of the eurozone and do not have representation in the European Central Bank ( ECB ) or in the Eurogroup . The ECB , which is governed by a president and a board of the heads of national central banks , sets the monetary policy of the zone . The principal task of the ECB is to keep inflation under control . Though there is no common representation , governance or fiscal policy for the currency union , some co-operation does take place through the Eurogroup , which makes political decisions regarding the eurozone and the euro . The Eurogroup is composed of the finance ministers of eurozone states , but in emergencies , national leaders also form the Eurogroup . Since the financial crisis of 2007 -- 08 , the eurozone has established and used provisions for granting emergency loans to member states in return for the enactment of economic reforms . The eurozone has also enacted some limited fiscal integration , for example in peer review of each other 's national budgets . The issue is political and in a state of flux in terms of what further provisions will be agreed for eurozone change .", "Slovenia. Slovenia ( -LSB- sloʊˈviːniə , _ slə - , _ - njə -RSB- ; Slovenija -LSB- slɔˈʋéːnija -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Slovenia ( Slovene : , abbr. : RS ) , is a nation state in southern Central Europe , located at the crossroads of main European cultural and trade routes . It is bordered by Italy to the west , Austria to the north , Hungary to the northeast , Croatia to the south and southeast , and the Adriatic Sea to the southwest . It covers 20,273 km2 and has a population of 2.06 million . It is a parliamentary republic and a member of the United Nations , European Union , and NATO . The capital and largest city is Ljubljana . The territory is mostly mountainous with a mainly continental climate , with the exception of the Slovene Littoral that has a sub-Mediterranean climate and the north-western area that has an Alpine climate . Additionally , the Dinaric Alps and the Pannonian Plain meet on the territory of Slovenia . The country , marked by a significant biological diversity , is one of the most water-rich in Europe , with a dense river network , a rich aquifer system , and significant karst underground watercourses . Over half of the territory is covered by forest . The human settlement of Slovenia is dispersed and uneven . Slovenia has historically been the crossroads of South Slavic , Germanic , Romance , and Hungarian languages and culture . Although the population is not homogeneous , the majority is Slovene . South Slavic language Slovene is the official language throughout the country . Slovenia is a largely secularized country , but its culture and identity have been significantly influenced by Catholicism as well as Lutheranism . The economy of Slovenia is small , open , and export-oriented and has been strongly influenced by international conditions . It has been severely hurt by the Eurozone crisis , started in the late 2000s . The main economic field is services , followed by industry and construction . Historically , the current territory of Slovenia was part of many different state formations , including the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire , followed by the Habsburg Monarchy . In October 1918 , the Slovenes exercised self-determination for the first time by co-founding the State of Slovenes , Croats and Serbs . In December 1918 , they merged with the Kingdom of Serbia into the Kingdom of Serbs , Croats and Slovenes ( renamed Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929 ) . During World War II , Slovenia was occupied and annexed by Germany , Italy , and Hungary , with a tiny area transferred to the Independent State of Croatia , a Nazi puppet state . Afterward , it was a founding member of the Federal People 's Republic of Yugoslavia , later renamed the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , a communist state which was the only country in the Eastern Bloc which was never part of the Warsaw Pact . In June 1991 , after the introduction of multi-party representative democracy , Slovenia split from Yugoslavia and became an independent country . In 2004 , it entered NATO and the European Union ; in 2007 became the first formerly communist country to join the Eurozone ; and in 2010 joined the OECD , a global association of high-income developed countries .", "Currencies of the European Union. There are eleven currencies of the European Union , the principal currency being the Euro . The Euro is used by the institutions of the European Union and by the Eurozone states , which account for 19 of the 28 member states of the European Union . All but two states are obliged to adopt the currency ; Denmark and the United Kingdom , through a legal opt-out from the EU treaties , have retained the right to operate independent currencies within the European Union . The remaining eight states must join the ERM II and attain the third stage and adopt the Euro eventually .", "Slovenian tolar. The tolar was the currency of Slovenia from 8 October 1991 until the introduction of the euro on 1 January 2007 . It was subdivided into 100 stotinov ( cents ) . The ISO 4217 currency code for the Slovenian tolar was SIT . From October 1991 until June 1992 , the acronym SLT was in use .", "International status and usage of the euro. The international status and usage of the : euro has grown since its launch in 1999 . When the euro formally replaced 12 currencies on 1 January 2002 , it inherited their use in territories such as Montenegro and replaced minor currencies tied to the pre-euro currencies , such as in Monaco . Four small states have been given a formal right to use the euro , and to mint their own coins , but all other usage has been unofficial outside the eurozone ( the EU states who have adopted the euro ) . With or without an agreement these countries , unlike those in the eurozone , do not participate in the European Central Bank or the Euro Group . Its international usage has also grown as a trading currency , acting as an economic or political alternative to using the United States dollar . Its increasing usage in this sense has led to its becoming the only significant challenger to the US dollar as the world 's main reserve currency .", "Bank of Slovenia. The Bank of Slovenia ( Banka Slovenije ) is the bank of issue and the central bank of the Republic of Slovenia . Based in Ljubljana , it was established on 25 June 1991 . Its primary task is to take care of the stability of the domestic currency and to ensure the liquidity of payments within the country and with foreign countries . It also acts as the supervisor of the banking system . It is a non-governmental independent institution , obliged to periodically present a report on its operation to the National Assembly of Slovenia . The Bank of Slovenia joined the Eurosystem in 2007 , when the euro replaced the tolar as the official currency of Slovenia .", "Euro (disambiguation). Euro ( sign : $ ; code : EUR ) is the official currency of the eurozone . Euro may also refer to :", "Economy of Slovenia. Slovenia today is a developed country that enjoys prosperity and stability as well as a GDP per capita by purchase power parity at 83 % of the EU28 average in 2015 , which is the same as in 2014 and 2 percentage points higher than in 2013 . Nominal GDP in 2015 was 38.570 mio EUR , nominal GDP per capita ( GDP/pc ) in 2015 was 18.693 EUR . The highest GDP/pc was in central Slovenia , where capital city Ljubljana is located , which is part of western Slovenia statistical region , which has higher GDP/pc than eastern Slovenia . It was the first new member of the European Union to adopt the euro as a currency in January 2007 and it has been a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development since 2010 . Slovenia has a highly educated workforce , well-developed infrastructure , and is situated at a major transport crossroad . On the other hand , the level of foreign direct investment is one of the lowest but has been steadily rising in the last few years . Slovenian economy has been severely hurt by the European economic crisis , which started in late 2000s . After 2013 GDP per capita is rising again . Almost two thirds of the working population are employed in services .", "Eurosystem. The Eurosystem is the monetary authority of the eurozone , the collective of European Union member states that have adopted the euro as their sole official currency . The ECB has , under Article 16 of its Statute , the exclusive right to authorise the issuance of euro banknotes . Member states can issue euro coins , but the amount must be authorised by the ECB beforehand . The Eurosystem consists of the European Central Bank and the national central banks ( NCB ) of the 19 member states that are part of the eurozone . The national central banks apply the monetary policy of the ECB . The primary objective of the Eurosystem is price stability . Secondary objectives are financial stability and financial integration . The mission statement of the Eurosystem says that the ECB and the national central banks jointly contribute to achieving the objectives . The Eurosystem is independent . When performing Eurosystem-related tasks , neither the ECB , nor an NCB , nor any member of their decision-making bodies may seek or take instructions from any external body . The Community institutions and bodies and the governments of the member states may not seek to influence the members of the decision-making bodies of the ECB or of the NCBs in the performance of their tasks . The Eurosystem is distinct from the European System of Central Banks ( ESCB ) , which comprises the ECB and the central banks of all European Union member states , including those that are not part of the eurozone .", "Euro sign. The euro sign is the currency sign used for the euro , the official currency of the Eurozone in the European Union ( EU ) . The design was presented to the public by the European Commission on 12 December 1996 . The international three-letter code ( according to ISO standard ISO 4217 ) for the euro is EUR . In Unicode it is encoded at . In English , the sign precedes the value ( for instance , $ 10 , not 10 $ ) . In some styleguides , but not others , the euro sign is unspaced .", "Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Slovenia). Euro gold and silver commemorative coins are special euro coins minted and issued by member states of the Eurozone , mainly in gold and silver , although other precious metals are also used in rare occasions . Slovenia introduced the euro on 1 January 2007 . Since then , the Bank of Slovenia have been issuing both normal issues of Slovenian euro coins , which are intended for circulation , and commemorative euro coins in gold and silver . These special coins have a legal tender only in Slovenia , unlike the normal issues of the Slovenian euro coins , which have a legal tender in every country of the Eurozone . This means that the commemorative coins made of gold and silver can not be used as money in other countries . Furthermore , as their bullion value generally vastly exceeds their face value , these coins are not intended to be used as means of payment at all -- although it remains possible . For this reason , they are usually named Collectors ' coins . The coins usually commemorate the anniversaries of historical events or draw attention to current events of special importance . Slovenia has minted five of these coins in 2008 , mainly in both gold and silver , with face value ranging from 3 to 100 euros .", "Euro-. Euro - is a prefix usually meaning `` European '' , often applied in relation to the European Union . It may also refer to the unit of currency the Euro .", "Enlargement of the eurozone. The enlargement of the eurozone is an ongoing process within the European Union ( EU ) . All member states of the European Union , except Denmark and the United Kingdom which negotiated opt-outs from the provisions , are obliged to adopt the euro as their sole currency once they meet the criteria , which include : complying with the debt and deficit criteria outlined by the Stability and Growth Pact , keeping inflation and long-term governmental interest rates below certain reference values , stabilizing their currency 's exchange rate versus the euro by participating in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism ( ERM II ) , and ensuring that their national laws comply with the ECB statute , ESCB statute and articles 130 +131 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union . The obligation for EU member states to adopt the euro was first outlined by the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 , which became binding on all new member states by the terms of their treaties of accession . , there are 19 EU member states in the eurozone , of which the first 11 ( Austria , Belgium , Finland , France , Germany , Ireland , Italy , Luxembourg , Netherlands , Portugal and Spain ) introduced the euro on 1 January 1999 when it was electronic only . Greece joined 1 January 2001 , one year before the physical euro coins and notes replaced the old national currencies in the eurozone . Subsequently , the following seven countries also joined the eurozone on 1 January in the mentioned year : Slovenia ( 2007 ) , Cyprus ( 2008 ) , Malta ( 2008 ) , Slovakia ( 2009 ) , Estonia ( 2011 ) , Latvia ( 2014 ) and Lithuania ( 2015 ) . Seven remaining states are on the enlargement agenda : Bulgaria , Croatia , Czech Republic , Hungary , Poland , Romania and Sweden . Denmark is not obliged to join , though should the country decide to do so it may join the eurozone with little difficulty as Denmark is already part of the ERM-II . The United Kingdom voted to leave the EU in a referendum in June 2016 and so is unlikely to join the eurozone .", "List of currencies in Europe. There are 28 currencies currently used in the 50 countries of Europe , all of which are members of the United Nations , except Vatican City , which is an observer . All de facto present currencies in Europe , and an incomplete list of the preceding currency , are listed here . A currency is a medium of exchange , such as money , banknotes , and coins . In Europe , the most commonly used currency is the euro ; any country entering the European Union ( EU ) is expected to join the eurozone when they meet the five convergence criteria . Denmark is the only EU member which has been granted an exemption from using the euro , Sweden has also not adopted the Euro , although unlike Denmark , it has not formally opted out , instead , fails to meet the ERM II ( Exchange Rate Mechanism ) which results in the non-use of the Euro . For countries which hope to join the eurozone , there are five guidelines that need to be followed , grouped in the Maastricht criteria . The pound sterling , used by the United Kingdom , is rated at fourth on Investopedia 's list of the top 8 most tradable currencies , saying that it is a `` little bit more volatile than the euro '' . It was ranked just ahead of the Swiss franc , ranked fifth , which is used in Switzerland and Liechtenstein , saying that the set up of the Swiss banking `` emphasizes the economic and financial stability policies dictated by the governing board of the SNB '' . Both are in the top 8 major currencies on Bloomberg . Various countries use currencies which translate as `` crown '' : the Czech koruna , the Norwegian krone , the Danish krone , the Icelandic króna , and the Swedish krona . At present , the euro is legal tender in 19 out of 28 European Union member states , in addition to 5 countries not part of the EU ( Monaco , San Marino , Vatican City , Andorra and Montenegro ) . The Republic of Kosovo also uses the euro , but is only partially recognised as an independent state .", "Outline of Slovenia. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Slovenia : Slovenia -- sovereign country located in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west , the Adriatic Sea to the southwest , Croatia to the south and east , Hungary to the northeast , and Austria to the north . The capital of Slovenia is Ljubljana . At various points in Slovenia 's history , the country has been part of the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire , the Republic of Venice , the Duchy of Carantania ( only modern Slovenia 's northern part ) , the Holy Roman Empire , the Habsburg Monarchy , the Austrian Empire ( later known as Austria-Hungary ) , the State of Slovenes , Croats and Serbs , the Kingdom of Serbs , Croats and Slovenes ( renamed to Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929 ) between the two World Wars , and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945 until gaining independence in 1991 . Slovenia is the only former communist state to be at the same time a member of the European Union , the Eurozone , the Schengen area , the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe , the Council of Europe and NATO .", "Economy of the European Union. The European Union is the second largest economy in the world ( if treated as a single country ) in nominal terms and according to purchasing power parity ( PPP ) . The European Union 's GDP was estimated to be $ 16.5 trillion ( nominal ) in 2016 according to the International Monetary Fund , representing 22.8 % of nominal global GDP . The euro , used by 19 of its 28 members , is the second largest reserve currency as well as the second most traded currency in the world after the United States dollar . The euro is the official currency in the eurozone and in six other European countries , officially or de facto . The European Union ( EU ) economy consists of an internal market of mixed economies based on free market and advanced social models . The GDP per capita ( PPP ) was $ 37,800 in 2015 , compared to $ 57,084 in the United States and $ 14,340 in China . With a low Gini coefficient of 31 , the European Union has a more egalitarian repartition of incomes than the world average . Euronext is the main stock exchange of the Eurozone and the 7th world largest by market capitalisation . Foreign investments made in the European Union total $ 5.1 trillion in 2012 , while the E.U 's investments in foreign countries total 9.1 trillion , by far the highest domestic and foreign investments in the world . Since the beginning of the public debt crisis in 2009 , opposite economic situations have emerged between Southern Europe on one hand , and Central and Northern Europe on the other hand : a higher unemployment rate and public debt in the Mediterranean countries , and a lower unemployment rate with higher GDP growth rate in the Eastern and in Northern member countries . In 2015 , public debt in the European Union was 85 % of GDP , with disparities between the lowest rate , Estonia with 9.7 % , and the highest , Greece with 176 % . The seven largest trading partners of the European Union are the United States , China , Switzerland , Russia , Japan , Turkey and Norway . The EU is represented as a unified entity in the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) , the G-20 and G7 , alongside with the EU 's member countries participating .", "Euro banknotes. Banknotes of the euro , the currency of the Eurozone , have been in circulation since the first series was issued in 2002 . They are issued by the national central banks of the Eurosystem or the European Central Bank . In 1999 the euro was introduced virtually , and in 2002 notes and coins began to circulate . The euro rapidly took over from the former national currencies and slowly expanded around the European Union . Denominations of the notes range from $ 5 to $ 500 and , unlike euro coins , the design is identical across the whole of the Eurozone , although they are issued and printed in various member states . The euro banknotes are pure cotton fibre , which improves their durability as well as giving the banknotes a distinctive feel . They measure from 120 x to 160 x and have a variety of colour schemes . The euro notes contain many complex security features such as watermarks , invisible ink , holograms and microprinting that document their authenticity . While euro coins have a national side indicating the country of issue ( although not necessarily of minting ) , euro notes lack this . Instead , this information is shown by the first character of each note 's serial number . According to European Central Bank estimates , in August 2016 , there were approximately 19,417,000,000 banknotes in circulation around the Eurozone , worth approximately $ 1.1 trillion . On 8 November 2012 , the European Central Bank announced that the first series of notes would be replaced by the Europa series , starting with the 5 euro note on 2 May 2013 .", "Eurocurrency. Eurocurrency is currency held on deposit outside its home market , i.e. , held in banks located outside of the country which issues the currency . For example , a US dollar denominated deposit in a Singapore bank is Eurocurrency , or more specifically Eurodollar deposit . The Euro - prefix can be applied to any currency , so for example a deposit denominated in Euros held in a Brazilian bank is a Euroeuro deposit . Eurocurrency is used as a source of short - or medium-term finance , especially in international trade , because of easy convertibility . Eurocurrency does not have to involve either the euro currency or the eurozone . Eurocurrency and Eurobond markets avoid domestic interest rate regulations , reserve requirements and other barriers to the free flow of capital .", "Euro coins. There are eight euro coin denominations , ranging from one cent to two euros ( the euro is divided into a hundred cents ) . The coins first came into use in 2002 . They have a common reverse , portraying a map of Europe , but each country in the eurozone has its own design on the obverse , which means that each coin has a variety of different designs in circulation at once . Four European microstates which use the euro as their currency also have the right to mint coins with their own designs on the obverse side . The coins , and various commemorative coins , are minted at numerous national mints across the European Union to strict national quotas . Obverse designs are chosen nationally , while the reverse and the currency as a whole is managed by the European Central Bank ( ECB ) .", "European Central Bank. The European Central Bank ( ECB ; French : Banque centrale européenne ) is the central bank for the euro and administers monetary policy of the eurozone , which consists of 19 EU member states and is one of the largest currency areas in the world . It is one of the world 's most important central banks and is one of the seven institutions of the European Union ( EU ) listed in the Treaty on European Union ( TEU ) . The capital stock of the bank is owned by the central banks of all 28 EU member states . The Treaty of Amsterdam established the bank in 1998 , and it is headquartered in Frankfurt , Germany . the President of the ECB is Mario Draghi , former governor of the Bank of Italy , former member of the World Bank , and former managing director of the Goldman Sachs international division ( 2002 -- 2005 ) . The bank primarily occupied the Eurotower prior to , and during , the construction of the new headquarters . The primary objective of the ECB , mandated in Article 2 of the Statute of the ECB , is to maintain price stability within the Eurozone . Its basic tasks , set out in Article 3 of the Statute , are to set and implement the monetary policy for the Eurozone , to conduct foreign exchange operations , to take care of the foreign reserves of the European System of Central Banks and operation of the financial market infrastructure under the TARGET2 payments system and the technical platform ( currently being developed ) for settlement of securities in Europe ( TARGET2 Securities ) . The ECB has , under Article 16 of its Statute , the exclusive right to authorise the issuance of euro banknotes . Member states can issue euro coins , but the amount must be authorised by the ECB beforehand . The ECB is governed by European law directly , but its set-up resembles that of a corporation in the sense that the ECB has shareholders and stock capital . Its capital is $ 11 billion held by the national central banks of the member states as shareholders . The initial capital allocation key was determined in 1998 on the basis of the states ' population and GDP , but the capital key has been adjusted . Shares in the ECB are not transferable and can not be used as collateral .", "UEFA European Championship. The UEFA European Championship ( known informally as the Euros ) is the primary association football competition contested by the senior men 's national teams of the members of the Union of European Football Associations ( UEFA ) , determining the continental champion of Europe . Held every four years since 1960 , in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments , it was originally called the UEFA European Nations ' Cup , changing to the current name in 1968 . Starting with the 1996 tournament , specific championships are often referred to in the form `` UEFA Euro -LSB- year -RSB- '' ; this format has since been retroactively applied to earlier tournaments . Prior to entering the tournament all teams other than the host nations ( which qualify automatically ) compete in a qualifying process . The championship winners earn the opportunity to compete in the following FIFA Confederations Cup , but are not obliged to do so . The 15 European Championship tournaments have been won by ten different national teams : Germany and Spain each have won three titles , France has two titles , and Soviet Union , Italy , Czechoslovakia , Netherlands , Denmark , Greece and Portugal have won one title each . To date , Spain is the only team in history to have won consecutive titles , doing so in 2008 and 2012 . It is the second most watched football tournament in the world after the FIFA World Cup . The Euro 2012 final was watched by a global audience of around 300 million . The most recent championship , hosted by France in 2016 , was won by Portugal , who beat France 1 -- 0 at the final in Saint-Denis after extra time .", "European Union. The European Union ( EU ) is a political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe . It has an area of 4,475,757 km2 , and an estimated population of over 510 million . The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states . EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people , goods , services , and capital within the internal market , enact legislation in justice and home affairs , and maintain common policies on trade , agriculture , fisheries , and regional development . Within the Schengen Area , passport controls have been abolished . A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002 , and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency . The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community ( ECSC ) and the European Economic Community ( EEC ) , formed by the Inner Six countries in 1951 and 1958 , respectively . Next the treaty of Rome of 1957 created the European Community made up of the six core countries of Belgium , France , Italy , Luxembourg , the Netherlands and West Germany . The decades following many new members joined them while at the same time integration of economic , cultural , judicial and so forth would then deepen the relationships distinct European entity . The community and its successors have grown in size by the accession of new member states and in power by the addition of policy areas to its remit . While no member state has left the EU or its antecedent organisations , the United Kingdom enacted the result of a membership referendum in June 2016 and is currently negotiating its withdrawal . The Maastricht Treaty established the European Union in 1993 and introduced European citizenship . The latest major amendment to the constitutional basis of the EU , the Treaty of Lisbon , came into force in 2009 . The European Union accumulated a high portion of GDP as a form of foreign aid than any other economic union . Covering 7.3 % of the world population , the EU in 2016 generated a nominal gross domestic product ( GDP ) of 16.477 trillion US dollars , constituting approximately 22.2 % of global nominal GDP and 16.9 % when measured in terms of purchasing power parity . Additionally , 27 out of 28 EU countries have a very high Human Development Index , according to the United Nations Development Programme . In 2012 , the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize . Through the Common Foreign and Security Policy , the EU has developed a role in external relations and defence . The union maintains permanent diplomatic missions throughout the world and represents itself at the United Nations , the World Trade Organization , the G7 , and the G20 . Because of its global influence , the European Union has been described as an emerging superpower .", "Ljubljana. Ljubljana ( -LSB- ljuˈbljàːna -RSB- , locally also : -LSB- luˈblàːna -RSB- also known by other , historical names ) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia . it has been the cultural , educational , economic , political , and administrative center of independent Slovenia since 1991 . Its central geographic location within Slovenia , transport connections , concentration of industry , scientific and research institutions , and cultural tradition are contributing factors to its leading position . During antiquity , a Roman city called Emona stood in the area . Ljubljana itself was first mentioned in the first half of the 12th century . It was under Habsburg rule from the Middle Ages until the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 . Situated at the middle of a trade route between the northern Adriatic Sea and the Danube region , it was the historical capital of Carniola , a Slovene-inhabited part of the Habsburg Monarchy .", "Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union. The Economic and Monetary Union ( EMU ) is an umbrella term for the group of policies aimed at converging the economies of member states of the European Union at three stages . The policies cover the 19 eurozone states , as well as non-euro European Union states . Each stage of the EMU consists of progressively closer economic integration . Only once a state participates in the third stage it is permitted to adopt the euro as its official currency . As such , the third stage is largely synonymous with the eurozone . The euro convergence criteria are the set of requirements that needs to be fulfilled in order for a country to join the eurozone . An important element of this is participation for a minimum of two years in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism ( `` ERM II '' ) , in which candidate currencies demonstrate economic convergence by maintaining limited deviation from their target rate against the euro . Nineteen EU member states , including most recently Lithuania , have entered the third stage and have adopted the euro as their currency . All new EU member states must commit to participate in the third stage in their treaties of accession . Only Denmark and the United Kingdom , whose EU membership predates the introduction of the euro , have legal opt outs from the EU Treaties granting them an exemption from this obligation . The remaining seven non-euro member states are obliged to enter the third stage once they comply with all convergence criteria .", "Euro summit. The Euro summit ( also referred to as the eurozone summit or euro area summit ) is the meeting of the heads of state or government of the member states of the eurozone ( those EU states which have adopted the euro ) . It is distinct from the EU summit held regularly by the European Council , the meeting of all EU leaders .", "Euro convergence criteria. The euro convergence criteria ( also known as the Maastricht criteria ) are the criteria which European Union member states are required to meet to enter the third stage of the Economic and Monetary Union ( EMU ) and adopt the euro as their currency . The four main criteria , which actually comprise five criteria as the `` fiscal criterion '' consist of both a `` debt criterion '' and a `` deficit criterion '' , are based on Article 140 ( ex article 121.1 ) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union . Full EMU membership is only open to EU member states . However , the European microstates of Andorra , Monaco , San Marino and the Vatican City , which due to their small size are not members of EU , have signed monetary agreements with EU which allow them officially to adopt the euro and issue their own variant of euro coins . These states had all previously used one of the eurozone currencies replaced by the euro , or a currency pegged to one of them . These states are not members of the eurozone and do not get a seat in the European Central Bank ( ECB ) or the Eurogroup . As part of the EU treaty , all of the EU Member States are obliged to adhere to the Stability and Growth Pact ( SGP ) , which as a framework to ensure price stability and fiscal responsibility , has adopted identical limits for governments budget deficit and debt as the convergence criteria . Due to the fact that several countries did not exercise a sufficient level of fiscal responsibility during the first 10 years of the euro 's lifetime , two major SGP reforms were recently introduced . The first reform was the Sixpack which entered into force in December 2011 , and it was followed in January 2013 by the even more ambitious Fiscal Compact , which was signed by 25 out of the then-27 EU member states .", "Euro calculator. A euro calculator is a very popular type of calculator in European countries ( see eurozone ) that adopted the euro as their official monetary unit . It functions like any other normal calculator , but it also includes a special function which allows one to convert a value expressed in the previously official unit ( the peseta in Spain , for example ) to the new value in euros , or vice versa . Its use became very popular within the population and commerce of these countries especially during the first few months after adopting the euro . As so many were produced , they are also found outside the eurozone to help staff with conversions at airports or railway stations where the euro has a strong presence .", "Kosovo and the euro. Before Kosovo declared independence in 2008 , Kosovo unilaterally adopted the euro as its currency in 2002 when it was a United Nations mandate ; although , it is not an official eurozone member .", "Geography of Slovenia. Slovenia is situated in Central Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean . The Alps -- including the Julian Alps , the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and the Karavanke chain , as well as the Pohorje massif -- dominate Northern Slovenia along its long border to Austria . Slovenia 's Adriatic coastline stretches approximately 43 km from Italy to Croatia . Its part south of Sava river belongs to Balkan peninsula -- Balkans . The term `` Karst '' originated in southwestern Slovenia 's Karst Plateau ( Kras ) , a limestone region of underground rivers , gorges , and caves , between Ljubljana and the Mediterranean . On the Pannonian plain to the East and Northeast , toward the Croatian and Hungarian borders , the landscape is essentially flat . However , the majority of Slovenian terrain is hilly or mountainous , with around 90 % of the surface 200 meters or more above sea level .", "Czech Republic and the euro. The Czech Republic , a member of the European Union ( EU ) , uses the Czech koruna as its currency , regulated by the Czech National Bank , a member of the European System of Central Banks , and does not participate in European Exchange Rate Mechanism II ( ERM II ) . It is bound by its 2003 Treaty of Accession to the EU to adopt the euro and join the eurozone once it has satisfied the euro convergence criteria . Although the Czech Republic is economically well positioned to adopt the euro , following the European debt crisis there has been considerable opposition among the public against the adoption of the euro currency . According to a poll conducted in April 2016 , 17 % of Czechs were in favour of introducing the euro while 78 % were opposed and 5 % undecided . As of 2015 , there is no target date for joining the ERM II or adopting the euro .", "History of the euro. The euro came into existence on 1 January 1999 , although it had been a goal of the European Union ( EU ) and its predecessors since the 1960s . After tough negotiations , particularly due to opposition from the United Kingdom , the Maastricht Treaty entered into force in 1993 with the goal of creating an economic and monetary union by 1999 for all EU states except the UK and Denmark ( even though Denmark has a fixed exchange rate policy with the euro ) . In 1999 the currency was born virtually and in 2002 notes and coins began to circulate . It rapidly took over from the former national currencies and slowly expanded behind the rest of the EU . In 2009 the Lisbon Treaty finalised its political authority , the Eurogroup , alongside the European Central Bank ." ]

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[ "Iowa. Iowa ( -LSB- ˈaɪ.əwə -RSB- ) is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States , bordered by the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west . Surrounding states include Wisconsin and Illinois to the east , Missouri to the south , Nebraska and South Dakota to the west , and Minnesota to the north . In colonial times , Iowa was a part of French Louisiana and Spanish Louisiana ; its state flag is patterned after the flag of France . After the Louisiana Purchase , people laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt . In the latter half of the 20th century , Iowa 's agricultural economy made the transition to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing , processing , financial services , information technology , biotechnology , and green energy production . Iowa is the 26th most extensive in land area and the 30th most populous of the 50 United States . Its capital and largest city by population is Des Moines . Iowa has been listed as one of the safest states in which to live . Its nickname is the Hawkeye State .", "Outline of Iowa. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the U.S. state of Iowa : Iowa -- U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States , an area often referred to as the `` American Heartland '' . It derives its name from the Ioway people , one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration . Iowa was a part of the French colony of New France . After the Louisiana Purchase , settlers laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt . Iowa is often referred to as the `` Food Capital of the World '' .", "Midwestern United States. The Midwestern United States , also referred to as the American Midwest or simply the Midwest , is one of the four geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau , occupying the northern central part of the United States of America . It was officially named the North Central region by the Census Bureau until 1984 . Although the region is often defined in a number of ways , the Census Bureau 's definition consists of 12 states in the north central United States : Illinois , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri , Nebraska , North Dakota , Ohio , South Dakota , and Wisconsin . Illinois is the most populous of the states and North Dakota the least . A 2012 report from the United States Census put the population of the Midwest at 65,377,684 . The Midwest is divided by the Census Bureau into two divisions . The East North Central Division includes Illinois , Indiana , Michigan , Ohio and Wisconsin , all of which are also part of the Great Lakes region . The West North Central Division includes Iowa , Kansas , Minnesota , Missouri , North Dakota , Nebraska , and South Dakota , several of which are located at least partly , within the Great Plains region . Major rivers in the region include , from east to west , the Ohio River , the Upper Mississippi River , and the Missouri River . The region generally lies on the broad Interior Plain between the states occupying the Appalachian Mountain range and the states occupying the Rocky Mountain range . Chicago is the most populated city in the American Midwest and the third most populous in the entire country . Other large Midwest cities include ( in order by population ) : Indianapolis , Columbus , Detroit , Milwaukee , Kansas City , Omaha , Minneapolis , Cleveland , Wichita and St. Louis . Chicago and its suburbs form the largest metropolitan statistical area with 9.8 million people , followed by Metro Detroit , Minneapolis -- St. Paul , Greater St. Louis , Greater Cleveland , Greater Cincinnati ( without the Kentucky portion ) , Kansas City metro area , and the Columbus metro area .", "Iowa (disambiguation). Iowa is a state of the United States of America . Iowa may also refer to :", "Upper Midwest. The Upper Midwest , or the North , is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau 's Midwestern United States . It is largely a sub-region of the Midwest . Although there are no uniformly agreed-upon boundaries , the region is most commonly used to refer to the states of Minnesota , Wisconsin , and Michigan 's Upper Peninsula . By most definitions , it extends into North and South Dakota , Illinois , and Iowa .", "Illinois. Illinois ( -LSB- ɪlᵻˈnɔɪ -RSB- ) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States , achieving statehood in 1818 . It is the 6th-most populous state and 25th-largest state in terms of land area , and is noted as a microcosm of the entire country . The word `` Illinois '' comes from a French rendering of a native Algonquin word . With Chicago in the northeast , small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois , and natural resources like coal , timber , and petroleum in the south , Illinois has a diverse economic base and is a major transportation hub . The Port of Chicago connects the state to other global ports from the Great Lakes , via the Saint Lawrence Seaway , to the Atlantic Ocean , as well as the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River , via the Illinois Waterway . For decades , O'Hare International Airport has been ranked as one of the world 's busiest airports . Illinois has long had a reputation as a bellwether both in social and cultural terms and politics . Although today the state 's largest population center is around Chicago in the northern part of the state , the state 's European population grew first in the west , with French Canadian colonists who settled along the Mississippi River in the 17th and 18th century , and gave the area the name , `` Pays des Illinois '' or Illinois Country a region that was known as part of New France . After the American Revolutionary War established the United States , American settlers began arriving crossing the Appalachians barrier range in the 1810s via the gaps of the Allegheny to boat building centers in Pittsburgh , from Cumberland , Maryland via the Cumberland Narrows pass to outfit in Brownsville , Pennsylvania , from North Carolina and Virginia via the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky and Tennessee , all on the Ohio River . With the War of 1812 , the growth of Illinois slowed as both Native Americans and Canadian forces often raided the American Frontier . After the war 's end , the federal government re-established forts such as Fort Dearborn ( in 1816 -- now the site is within Chicago ) and army patrols west of the Mississippi diminished the threat from Amerindian raids , so settlers were able to move into all of Illinois from the eastern and southern emigrant trails . Mineral finds and timber stands also had spurred immigration -- by the 1810s , the Eastern U.S. had exhausted most timber stands close to the established cities creating a hard felt first energy crisis by the late-1790s , and after 1818 , the industrial revolution was being fueled by new canals such as the Lehigh Canal feeding the furnaces of the rapidly industrializing east coast . Also in 1818 , Illinois achieved statehood and its growth , as yet untroubled by the speed of as yet unrefined railway technology , would be fueled by the new religion of industrialized forward thinking . After construction of the Erie Canal with increasing traffic and trade through the Great Lakes , Chicago was founded in the 1830s on the banks of the Chicago River , at one of the few natural harbors on southern Lake Michigan . John Deere 's invention of the self-scouring steel plow turned Illinois ' rich prairie into some of the world 's most productive and valuable farmlands , attracting new immigrant farmers from Germany and Sweden . Railroads arose and matured in the 1840s , and soon carried immigrants to new homes in Illinois , as well as being a resource to ship their commodity crops out to markets . Railroads freed most of the land of Illinois and other mid-western states from the tyranny of water transport ; no longer was a location near a river or canal a need to ship bulk goods . By 1900 , the growth of industrial jobs in the northern cities and coal mining in the central and southern areas attracted a new group of immigrants , from Eastern and Southern Europe . Illinois was an important manufacturing center during both world wars . The Great Migration from the South established a large community of African Americans in Chicago , who created the city 's famous jazz and blues cultures . Three U.S. presidents have been elected while living in Illinois : Abraham Lincoln , Ulysses S. Grant , and most recently Barack Obama . Additionally , Ronald Reagan , whose political career was based in California , was the only U.S. president born and raised in Illinois . Today , Illinois honors Lincoln with its official state nickname `` The Land of Lincoln , '' which has been displayed on its license plates since 1954 . The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is located in the state capital of Springfield , and the Barack Obama Presidential Center will be completed in Chicago by 2020 .", "Indiana. Indiana -LSB- ɪndiˈænə -RSB- is a U.S. state located in the midwestern and Great Lakes regions of North America . Indiana is the 38th largest by area and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States . Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis . Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th U.S. state on December 11 , 1816 . Before becoming a territory , varying cultures of indigenous peoples and historic Native Americans inhabited Indiana for thousands of years . Since its founding as a territory , settlement patterns in Indiana have reflected regional cultural segmentation present in the Eastern United States ; the state 's northernmost tier was settled primarily by people from New England and New York , Central Indiana by migrants from the Mid-Atlantic states and from adjacent Ohio , and Southern Indiana by settlers from the Southern states , particularly Kentucky and Tennessee . Indiana has a diverse economy with a gross state product of $ 298 billion in 2012 . Indiana has several metropolitan areas with populations greater than 100,000 and a number of smaller industrial cities and towns . Indiana is home to several major sports teams and athletic events including the NFL 's Indianapolis Colts , the NBA 's Indiana Pacers , the WNBA 's Indiana Fever , the Indianapolis 500 , and Brickyard 400 motorsports races .", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "Iowa Territory. The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4 , 1838 , until December 28 , 1846 , when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa . The remainder of the territory would have no organized territorial government until the Minnesota Territory was organized on March 3 , 1849 .", "Des Moines, Iowa. Des Moines -LSB- dᵻˈmɔɪn -RSB- is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa . It is also the county seat of Polk County . A small part of the city extends into Warren County . It was incorporated on September 22 , 1851 , as Fort Des Moines , which was shortened to `` Des Moines '' in 1857 . It is on and named after the Des Moines River , which likely was adapted from the French colonial name , Rivière des Moines , meaning `` River of the Monks . '' The city 's population was 203,433 as of the 2010 census . The five-county metropolitan area is ranked 91st in terms of population in the United States with 599,789 residents according to the 2013 estimate by the United States Census Bureau . Des Moines is a major center of the U.S. insurance industry and has a sizable financial services and publishing business base . The city was credited as the `` number one spot for U.S. insurance companies '' in a Business Wire article and named the third-largest `` insurance capital '' of the world . The city is the headquarters for the Principal Financial Group , the Meredith Corporation , Ruan Transportation , EMC Insurance Companies , and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield . Other major corporations such as Wells Fargo , Voya Financial , Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company , ACE Limited , Marsh , Monsanto and Pioneer Hi-Bred have large operations in or near the metro area . In recent years Microsoft , Hewlett Packard and Facebook have built data processing and logistical facilities in the Des Moines metro . Forbes magazine ranked Des Moines as the `` Best Place for Business '' in both 2010 and 2013 . In 2014 , NBC ranked Des Moines as the `` Wealthiest City in America , '' according to its criteria . Des Moines is an important city in U.S. presidential politics : as the state 's capital , it is the site of the first caucuses of the presidential primary cycle . Many presidential candidates set up campaign headquarters in Des Moines . A 2007 article in The New York Times said , `` If you have any desire to witness presidential candidates in the most close-up and intimate of settings , there is arguably no better place to go than Des Moines . ''", "Wisconsin. Wisconsin ( -LSB- wᵻˈskɒnsᵻn -RSB- ) is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States , in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions . It is bordered by Minnesota to the west , Iowa to the southwest , Illinois to the south , Lake Michigan to the east , Michigan to the northeast , and Lake Superior to the north . Wisconsin is the 23rd largest state by total area and the 20th most populous . The state capital is Madison , and its largest city is Milwaukee , which is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan . The state is divided into 72 counties . Wisconsin 's geography is diverse , with the Northern Highland and Western Upland along with a part of the Central Plain occupying the western part of the state and lowlands stretching to the shore of Lake Michigan . Wisconsin is second to Michigan in the length of its Great Lakes coastline . Wisconsin is known as `` America 's Dairyland '' because it is one of the nation 's leading dairy producers , particularly famous for its cheese . Manufacturing , especially paper products , information technology ( IT ) , and tourism are also major contributors to the state 's economy .", "South Dakota. South Dakota ( -LSB- saʊθ_dəˈkoʊtə -RSB- -LSB- -LSB- ˌsɑʊθ dəˈko̞ɾə -RSB- -RSB- ) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States . It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes , who compose a significant portion of the population and historically dominated the entire territory . South Dakota is the 17th most expansive , but the 5th least populous and the 5th least densely populated of the 50 United States . Once the southern portion of the Dakota Territory , South Dakota became a state on November 2 , 1889 , simultaneously with North Dakota . Pierre is the state capital and Sioux Falls , with a population of about 171,000 , is South Dakota 's largest city . South Dakota is bordered by the states of North Dakota ( on the north ) , Minnesota ( to the east ) , Iowa ( to the southeast ) , Nebraska ( on the south ) , Wyoming ( on the west ) , and Montana ( to the northwest ) . The state is bisected by the Missouri River , dividing South Dakota into two geographically and socially distinct halves , known to residents as `` East River '' and `` West River '' . Eastern South Dakota is home to most of the state 's population , and fertile soil in this area is used to grow a variety of crops . West of the Missouri , ranching is the predominant agricultural activity , and the economy is more dependent on tourism and defense spending . Most of the Native American reservations are located in West River . The Black Hills , a group of low pine-covered mountains sacred to the Sioux , are located in the southwest part of the state . Mount Rushmore , a major tourist destination , is located there . South Dakota experiences a temperate continental climate , with four distinct seasons and precipitation ranging from moderate in the east to semi-arid in the west . The ecology of the state features species typical of a North American grassland biome . Humans have inhabited the area for several millennia , with the Sioux becoming dominant by the early 19th century . In the late 19th century , European-American settlement intensified after a gold rush in the Black Hills and the construction of railroads from the east . Encroaching miners and settlers triggered a number of Indian wars , ending with the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890 . Key events in the 20th century included the Dust Bowl and Great Depression , increased federal spending during the 1940s and 50s for agriculture and defense , and an industrialization of agriculture that has much reduced family farming . While several Democratic senators have represented South Dakota for multiple terms at the federal level , the state government is largely controlled by the Republican Party , whose nominees have carried South Dakota in each of the last 13 presidential elections . Historically dominated by an agricultural economy and a rural lifestyle , South Dakota has recently sought to diversify its economy in areas to attract and retain residents . South Dakota 's history and rural character still strongly influence the culture of the state .", "Missouri. Missouri ( see pronunciations ) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States , achieving statehood in 1821 . With over six million residents , it is the eighteenth most populous state and host to the mean center of United States population . The largest urban areas are St. Louis , Kansas City , Springfield , and Columbia . The capitol is in Jefferson City on the Missouri River . The state is the twenty-first most extensive by area and is geographically diverse . The Northern Plains were once covered by glaciers , then tallgrass prairie , and now the deep soils yield great agricultural productivity . In the South are the Ozarks , a forested highland , providing timber , minerals , and recreation . The Mississippi River forms the eastern border of the state , eventually flowing into the swampy Missouri Bootheel . Humans have inhabited the land now known as Missouri for at least 12,000 years . The Mississippian culture built cities and mounds , before declining in the 1300s . When European explorers arrived in the 1600s they encountered the Osage and Missouria nations . The French established Louisiana , a part of New France , and founded Ste. Genevieve in 1735 and St. Louis in 1764 . After a brief period of Spanish rule , the United States acquired the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 . Americans from the Upland South , including enslaved African Americans , rushed into the new Missouri Territory . Many from Virginia , Kentucky , and Tennessee settled in the Boonslick area of Mid-Missouri . Soon after , heavy German immigration formed the Missouri Rhineland . Missouri played a central role in the westward expansion of the United States , as memorialized by the Gateway Arch . The Pony Express , Oregon Trail , Santa Fe Trail , and California Trail all began in Missouri . As a border state , Missouri 's role in the American Civil War was complex and there were many conflicts within . After the war , both Greater St. Louis and the Kansas City metropolitan area became centers of industrialization and business . Today , the state is divided into 114 counties and the independent city of St. Louis . Missouri 's culture blends elements from the Midwestern and Southern United States . The musical styles of ragtime , Kansas City jazz , and St. Louis Blues , developed in Missouri . The well-known Kansas City-style barbecue , and lesser-known St. Louis-style barbecue can be found across the state and beyond . St. Louis is also a major center of beer brewing ; Anheuser-Busch is the largest producer in the world . Missouri wine is produced in the nearby Missouri Rhineland and Ozarks . Missouri 's alcohol laws are among the most permissive in the United States . Outside of the large cities popular tourist destinations include the Lake of the Ozarks and Branson . U.S. President Harry S. Truman is from Missouri . Other well known Missourians include Mark Twain , Walt Disney , Chuck Berry and Nelly . Some of the largest companies based in the state include Cerner , Express Scripts , Monsanto , Emerson Electric , Edward Jones , H&R Block , Wells Fargo Advisors and O'Reilly Auto Parts . Missouri has been called the `` Mother of the West '' and the `` Cave State '' ; however , Missouri 's most famous nickname is the `` Show Me State '' , as Missourians are known for being skeptical .", "University of Iowa. The University of Iowa ( also known as the UI , U of I , UIowa , or simply Iowa ) is a flagship public research university in Iowa City , Iowa . Founded in 1847 , Iowa is the oldest university in the state . The University of Iowa is organized into eleven colleges offering more than 200 areas of study and seven professional degrees . The Iowa campus spans 1,700 acres centered along the banks of the Iowa River and includes the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics , named one of `` America 's Best Hospitals '' for the 25th year in a row . The university was the original developer of the Master of Fine Arts degree and it operates the world-renowned Iowa Writers ' Workshop . Iowa has very high research activity , and is a member of several research coalitions , including the prestigious Association of American Universities , the Universities Research Association , and the Big Ten Academic Alliance . The Iowa alumni network exceeds 250,000 , and the university budgeted revenues and expenses of $ 3.513 billion for 2015 . The University of Iowa 's athletic teams , the Hawkeyes , compete in Division I of the NCAA and are members of the Big Ten Conference . The Hawkeyes field 24 varsity teams and have won 27 national championships .", "Oklahoma. Oklahoma ( -LSB- oʊkləˈhoʊmə -RSB- Cherokee : Asgaya gigageyi / ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎩᎦᎨᏱ ; Pawnee : Uukuhuúwa , Cayuga : Gahnawiyoˀgeh ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States . It is the 20th-most extensive and the 28th-most populous of the 50 United States . The state 's name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma , meaning `` red people . '' It is also known informally by its nickname , `` The Sooner State , '' in reference to the non-Native settlers who staked their claims on the choicest pieces of land before the official opening date and the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889 , which opened the door for white settlement in America 's Indian Territory . The name was settled upon statehood . Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory were merged and Indian was dropped from the name . On November 16 , 1907 , Oklahoma became the 46th state to enter the union . Its residents are known as Oklahomans , '' or informally `` Okies '' , and its capital and largest city is Oklahoma City . A major producer of natural gas , oil , and agricultural products , Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation , energy , telecommunications , and biotechnology . In 2007 , it had one of the fastest-growing economies in the United States , ranking among the top states in per capita income growth and gross domestic product growth . Both Oklahoma City and Tulsa serve as Oklahoma 's primary economic anchors , with nearly two-thirds of Oklahomans living within their metropolitan statistical areas . With small mountain ranges , prairie , mesas , and eastern forests , most of Oklahoma lies in the Great Plains , Cross Timbers , and the U.S. Interior Highlands , a region prone mainly to severe weather . In addition to having a prevalence of English , German , Scottish , Scotch-Irish , and Native American ancestry , more than 25 Native American languages are spoken in Oklahoma , third only to Alaska and California . Oklahoma is on a confluence of three major American cultural regions and historically served as a route for cattle drives , a destination for southern settlers , and a government-sanctioned territory for Native Americans .", "Minnesota. Minnesota ( -LSB- -LSB- ˌmɪnəˈso̞ɾɐ -RSB- help = no -RSB- ) is a state in the midwestern and northern regions of the United States . Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state on May 11 , 1858 , created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory . The state has a large number of lakes , and is known by the slogan `` Land of 10,000 Lakes '' . Its official motto is L'Étoile du Nord ( French : Star of the North ) . Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 21st most populous of the U.S. states ; nearly 60 percent of its residents live in the Minneapolis -- Saint Paul metropolitan area ( known as the `` Twin Cities '' ) , the center of transportation , business , industry , education , and government and home to an internationally known arts community . The remainder of the state consists of western prairies now given over to intensive agriculture ; deciduous forests in the southeast , now partially cleared , farmed and settled ; and the less populated North Woods , used for mining , forestry , and recreation . Minnesota is known for its progressive political orientation and its high rate of civic participation and voter turnout . Until European settlement , Minnesota was inhabited by the Dakota and Ojibwe/Anishinaabe . During the 19th and early 20th centuries , a large number of European settlers entered the state who had mainly emigrated from Scandinavia and Germany . The state remains today a center of Scandinavian American and German American culture . In recent decades , immigration from Asia , the Horn of Africa , and Latin America has broadened its historic demographic and cultural composition . Minnesota 's standard of living index is among the highest in the United States , and the state is also among the best-educated and wealthiest in the nation .", "Chicago. Chicago ( -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɑːɡoʊ -RSB- or -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɔːɡoʊ -RSB- ) , officially the City of Chicago , is the third-most populous city in the United States . With over 2.7 million residents , it is also the most populous city in both the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States . It is the county seat of Cook County . The Chicago metropolitan area , often referred to as Chicagoland , has nearly 10 million people and is the third-largest in the U.S. Chicago has been called a global architecture capital . In terms of wealth and economy , Chicago is considered one of the most important business centers in the world . Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 , near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed , and grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century . Positioned along Lake Michigan , the city is an international hub for finance , commerce , industry , technology , telecommunications , and transportation : O'Hare International Airport is the second-busiest airport in the world when measured by aircraft traffic ; the region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and rail road freight . In 2012 , Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , and ranked seventh in the world in the 2016 Global Cities Index . Chicago has the third-largest gross metropolitan product in the United States -- about $ 640 billion according to 2015 estimates . The city has one of the world 's largest and most diversified economies with no single industry employing more than 14 % of the workforce . In 2016 , Chicago hosted over 54 million domestic and international visitors , a new record making it one of the top visited cities in the nation . Landmarks in the city include Millennium Park , Navy Pier , the Magnificent Mile , Art Institute of Chicago , Museum Campus , the Willis ( Sears ) Tower , Museum of Science and Industry , and Lincoln Park Zoo . Chicago 's culture includes the visual arts , novels , film , theater , especially improvisational comedy , and music , particularly jazz , blues , soul , hip hop , gospel and house music . There are many colleges and universities in the Chicago area ; among these , Northwestern University , University of Chicago , and the University of Illinois at Chicago are classified as `` highest research '' doctoral universities . Additionally , Chicago has professional sports teams in each of the major professional leagues . The city has many nicknames , the best-known being the Windy City .", "Ohio. Ohio -LSB- oʊˈhaɪ.oʊ -RSB- is a Midwestern state in the Great Lakes region of the United States . Ohio is the 34th largest by area , the 7th most populous , and the 10th most densely populated of the 50 United States . The state 's capital and largest city is Columbus . The state takes its name from the Ohio River . The name originated from the Iroquois word ohi-yo ' , meaning `` great river '' or `` large creek '' . Partitioned from the Northwest Territory , the state was admitted to the Union as the 17th state ( and the first under the Northwest Ordinance ) on March 1 , 1803 . Ohio is historically known as the `` Buckeye State '' after its Ohio buckeye trees , and Ohioans are also known as `` Buckeyes '' . The government of Ohio is composed of the executive branch , led by the Governor ; the legislative branch , which comprises the Ohio General Assembly ; and the judicial branch , which is led by the state Supreme Court . Ohio occupies 16 seats in the United States House of Representatives . Ohio is known for its status as both a swing state and a bellwether in national elections . Six Presidents of the United States have been elected who had Ohio as their home state .", "Kansas. Kansas -LSB- ˈkænzəs -RSB- is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States . Its capital is Topeka and its largest city is Wichita . Kansas is named after the Kansa Native American tribe , which inhabited the area . The tribe 's name ( natively kką : ze ) is often said to mean `` people of the ( south ) wind '' although this was probably not the term 's original meaning . For thousands of years , what is now Kansas was home to numerous and diverse Native American tribes . Tribes in the eastern part of the state generally lived in villages along the river valleys . Tribes in the western part of the state were semi-nomadic and hunted large herds of bison . Kansas was first settled by European Americans in 1812 , in what is now Bonner Springs , Kansas , but the pace of settlement accelerated in the 1850s , in the midst of political wars over the slavery issue . When it was officially opened to settlement by the U.S. government in 1854 with the Kansas -- Nebraska Act , abolitionist Free-Staters from New England and pro-slavery settlers from neighboring Missouri rushed to the territory to determine whether Kansas would become a free state or a slave state . Thus , the area was a hotbed of violence and chaos in its early days as these forces collided , and was known as Bleeding Kansas . The abolitionists prevailed , and on January 29 , 1861 , Kansas entered the Union as a free state . After the Civil War , the population of Kansas grew rapidly when waves of immigrants turned the prairie into farmland . By 2015 , Kansas was one of the most productive agricultural states , producing high yields of wheat , corn , sorghum , and soybeans . Kansas , which has an area of 82,278 sqmi is the 15th-largest state by area and is the 34th most-populous of the 50 states with a population of 2,911,641 . Residents of Kansas are called Kansans . Mount Sunflower is Kansas 's highest point at 4,041 ft.", "Nebraska. Nebraska -LSB- nᵻˈbræskə -RSB- is a state that lies in both the Great Plains and the Midwestern United States . The state is bordered by South Dakota to the north , Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast , both across the Missouri River , Kansas to the south , Colorado to the southwest and Wyoming to the west . Its area is just over 77,220 sq mi ( 200,000 km2 ) with almost 1.9 million people . Its state capital is Lincoln . Its largest city is Omaha , which is on the Missouri River . Indigenous peoples including Omaha , Missouria , Ponca , Pawnee , Otoe , and various branches of the Lakota ( Sioux ) tribes lived in the region of present-day Nebraska for thousands of years before European exploration . The state is crossed by many historic trails and was explored by the Lewis and Clark Expedition . Nebraska was admitted as the 37th state of the United States in 1867 . It is the only state in the United States whose legislature is unicameral and officially nonpartisan . Nebraska is composed of two major land regions : the Dissected Till Plains and the Great Plains . The Dissected Till Plains is a region of gently rolling hills ; the state 's largest cities , Omaha and Lincoln , are in this region . The Great Plains occupy most of western Nebraska , characterized by treeless prairie , suitable for cattle-grazing . The state has a large agriculture sector and is a major producer of beef , pork , corn , and soybeans . Two major climatic zones are represented in Nebraska : the eastern half of the state has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ) , and the western half , a semi-arid climate ( Koppen BSk ) . The entire state has wide variations between winter and summer temperatures , and violent thunderstorms and tornadoes happen primarily during the spring and summer , though these storms can also occur in the autumn .", "Midwest (disambiguation). The Midwest or Midwestern United States is a region of the United States . Mid West or Midwest may also refer to : Airlines Air Midwest , based in the U.S. state of Kansas , subsidiary of Mesa , closed in 2008 Midwest Airlines , based in the U.S. state of Wisconsin , merged into Frontier Airlines in 2011 Midwest Airlines ( Egypt ) Music Midwesterners : The Hits , a greatest hits album by Hawthorne Heights Midwest hip hop , a form of hip hop music in the United States that developed and originated in Chicago Places Mid West region of Western Australia Mid-Western Region , Nepal Mid-Western Region , Nigeria Mid-West Region , Ireland Midwest , Wyoming , a community in the U.S. state of Wyoming Other Melissa Midwest , a pornographic actress", "Michigan. Michigan -LSB- ˈmɪʃᵻgən -RSB- is a state in the Great Lakes and Midwestern regions of the United States . The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa , meaning `` large water '' or `` large lake '' . Michigan is the tenth most populous of the 50 United States , with the 11th most extensive total area ( the largest state by total area east of the Mississippi River ) . I.e. , including water that is part of state territory . Georgia is the largest state by land area east of the Mississippi and Michigan the second-largest . Its capital is Lansing , and its largest city is Detroit . Michigan is the only state to consist of two peninsulas . The Lower Peninsula , to which the name Michigan was originally applied , is often noted to be shaped like a mitten . The Upper Peninsula ( often referred to as `` the U.P. '' ) is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac , a 5 mi channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan . The two peninsulas are connected by the Mackinac Bridge . The state has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world , being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes , plus Lake Saint Clair . As a result , it is one of the leading U.S. states for recreational boating . Michigan also has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds . A person in the state is never more than 6 mi from a natural water source or more than 85 mi from a Great Lakes shoreline . What is now the state of Michigan was first settled by Native American tribes before being colonized by French explorers in the 17th century and becoming a part of New France . After France 's defeat in the French and Indian War in 1762 the region came under British rule , and was ceded to the newly independent United States after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War . The area was organized as part of the larger Northwest Territory until 1800 , when western Michigan became part of the Indiana Territory . Eventually , in 1805 , the Michigan Territory was formed , which lasted until it was admitted into the Union on January 26 , 1837 , as the 26th state . The state of Michigan soon became an important center of industry and trade in the Great Lakes region and a popular immigrant destination . Though Michigan has come to develop a diverse economy , it is widely known as the center of the U.S. automotive industry , being home to the country 's three major automobile companies ( whose headquarters are all within the Detroit metropolitan area ) . While sparsely populated , the Upper Peninsula is economically important due to its status as a tourist destination as well as its abundance of natural resources , while the Lower Peninsula is a center of manufacturing , services , and high-tech industry .", "West North Central States. The West North Central States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that are officially recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau . Seven states compose the division : Iowa , Kansas , Minnesota , Missouri , Nebraska , North Dakota and South Dakota , and it makes up the western half of the United States Census Bureau 's larger region of the Midwest , the eastern half of which consists of the East North Central States of Illinois , Indiana , Michigan , Ohio and Wisconsin . The Mississippi River marks the bulk of the boundary between these two divisions . Where the East North Central States are seen as being synonymous ( though not absolutely coterminous ) with the Rust Belt by the vast majority of Americans , the West North Central States are regarded as constituting the core of the nation 's `` Farm Belt . '' Another name popularly applied to the division is the `` Agricultural Heartland , '' or simply the `` Heartland . '' Since the early 1990s , the West North Central division has consistently had the lowest unemployment rate in the United States ( especially in its many college towns ) , and has also been noted for its plentiful supply of affordable housing . As of 2010 , the West North Central States had a combined population of 20,505,437 . This number is a 6.6 % increase from 19,237,739 in 2000 . The West North Central region covers 507913 sqmi of land , and has an average population density of 40.37 people per square mile .", "Outline of Illinois. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the U.S. state of Illinois : Illinois -- fifth most populous of the 50 states of the United States of America . Illinois lies between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River and the Ohio River in the Midwestern United States . Chicago , Illinois , is the third most populous city and the third most populous metropolitan area of the United States . The United States created the Illinois Territory on March 1 , 1809 . Illinois joined the Union as the 21st state on December 3 , 1818 .", "List of Midwestern metropolitan areas. This is a list of the largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the American Midwest . These states are Illinois , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri , Ohio , Nebraska , North Dakota , South Dakota and Wisconsin . Part of the Great Lakes Megalopolis .", "Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa City is a city in Johnson County , Iowa , United States . It is the only City of Literature in North America , as awarded by UNESCO in 2008 . As of the 2010 Census , the city had a population of about 67,862 . The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the 2016 population at 74,398 , making it the state 's fifth-largest city . Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa . Iowa City is the principal city of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses Johnson County and Washington County and has a population of over 164,000 . Iowa City was the second capital of the Iowa Territory and the first capital city of the State of Iowa . The Old Capitol building is a National Historic Landmark in the center of the University of Iowa campus . The University of Iowa Art Museum and Plum Grove , the home of the first Governor of Iowa , are also tourist attractions . In 2008 , Forbes magazine named Iowa City the second-best small metropolitan area for doing business in the United States .", "Iowa State University. Iowa State University of Science and Technology is a public flagship land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames , Iowa , United States . It is the largest University in the state of Iowa . Iowa State is classified as a Research University with very high research activity ( RU/VH ) by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching . Iowa State is also a member of the Association of American Universities ( AAU ) , which consists of 62 leading research universities in North America . Iowa State has also been designated an `` Innovation and Economic Prosperity University , '' a designation awarded to only 54 public universities in the U.S. Founded in 1858 and coeducational from its start , Iowa State became the nation 's first designated land-grant institution when the Iowa Legislature accepted the provisions of the 1862 Morrill Act on September 11 , 1862 , making Iowa the first state in the nation to do so . Iowa State 's academic offerings are administered today through eight colleges , including the graduate college , that offer over 100 bachelor 's degree programs , 112 master 's degree programs , and 83 at the Ph.D. level , plus a professional degree program in Veterinary Medicine . Iowa State University 's athletic teams , the Cyclones , compete in Division I of the NCAA and are a founding member of the Big 12 Conference . The Cyclones field 16 varsity teams and have won numerous NCAA national championships .", "Iowa caucuses. The Iowa Caucus is an electoral event in which residents of the U.S. state of Iowa meet in precinct caucuses in all of Iowa 's 1,681 precincts and elect delegates to the corresponding conventions in each of the state 's 99 counties . These county conventions then select delegates for both Iowa 's Congressional District Convention and the State Convention , which eventually choose the delegates for the presidential nominating conventions . About 1 % of the nation 's delegates are chosen by the Iowa State Convention . The Iowa Caucus is noteworthy for the amount of media attention it receives during U.S. presidential election years . Since 1972 , the Iowa caucuses have been the first major electoral event of the nominating process for President of the United States . Since 1972 , the Iowa caucuses have had a 43 % success rate at predicting which Democratic candidate for president and a 50 % success rate at predicting which Republican candidate for president will go on to win the nomination of their political party at that party 's national convention , though they may more reliably indicate which ones are likely to drop out owing to lack of support . In 2016 , the Iowa Democratic and Republican Party precinct caucuses took place on Monday , February 1 with one hour of voting beginning at 7:00 pm Central Standard Time . For the first time , results were electronically sent to both Democratic and Republican headquarters .", "Indianapolis. Indianapolis ( pronounced -LSB- ˌɪndi.əˈnæpəlᵻs -RSB- ) , is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County . It is in the East North Central region of the Midwestern United States . With an estimated population of 855,164 in 2016 , Indianapolis is the third most populous city in the Midwest and 15th most populous in the U.S. . The city is the economic and cultural center of the Indianapolis metropolitan area , home to 2 million people , the 34th most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. Its combined statistical area ranks 27th , with 2.38 million inhabitants . Indianapolis covers 372 sqmi , making it the 16th largest city by land area in the U.S. Founded in 1821 as a planned city for the new seat of the government of Indiana , Indianapolis was platted by Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham on a 1 sqmi grid adjacent to the White River . The city grew beyond the Mile Square , as completion of the National Road and advent of the railroad solidified the city 's position as a manufacturing and transportation hub . Indianapolis is within a single-day drive of 70 percent of the nation 's population , lending to one of its nicknames as the `` Crossroads of America '' . Anchoring the 26th largest economic region in the U.S. , the city 's economy is based primarily on business services , transportation and logistics , education , financial services , hospitality and tourism , and distribution services . Indianapolis has developed niche markets in amateur sports and auto racing . The city is perhaps best known for annually hosting the world 's largest single-day sporting event , the Indianapolis 500 . Led by the Lilly Endowment , the city 's philanthropic community has been instrumental in the development of its cultural institutions , such as The Children 's Museum of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Museum of Art . The city is notable as headquarters for the American Legion and home to a significant collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and war dead , the most in the U.S. outside of Washington , D.C. . Since the 1970 city-county consolidation , known as Unigov , local government administration has operated under the direction of an elected 25-member city-county council headed by the mayor . Indianapolis is considered a `` high sufficiency '' global city .", "Central United States. The Central United States is sometimes conceived as between the Eastern United States and Western United States as part of a three-region model , roughly coincident with the U.S. Census ' definition of the Midwestern United States plus the western and central portions of the U.S. Census ' definition of the Southern United States . Somewhat misleadingly , the central states are not in the exact center , but a bit towards the East Coast - states such as Colorado , geographically very close to the center of the contiguous United States , are almost never considered the central US , while Ohio is . 4 of 9 Census Bureau Divisions have names containing `` Central '' , though they are not grouped as a region . They include 20 states and 39.45 % of the US population as of July 1 , 2007 . Almost all of the area of these 20 states is in the Gulf of Mexico drainage basin , and most of that is in the Mississippi Basin . Small areas near the Great Lakes drain into the Great Lakes and eventually the St. Lawrence River ; the Red River Basin is centered on the North Dakota-Minnesota border and drains to Hudson Bay . The Central Time Zone is the same area plus the Florida Panhandle , minus Ohio , most of Michigan , most of Indiana , westernmost fringes of Great Plains states , eastern and northern Kentucky , eastern Tennessee , and El Paso , Texas . Floods have been a problem for the region during the 20th and early-21st century", "Prairie. Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands , savannas , and shrublands biome by ecologists , based on similar temperate climates , moderate rainfall , and a composition of grasses , herbs , and shrubs , rather than trees , as the dominant vegetation type . Temperate grassland regions include the Pampas of Argentina , southern Brazil and Uruguay as well as the steppes of Eurasia . Lands typically referred to as `` prairie '' tend to be in North America . The term encompasses the area referred to as the Interior Lowlands of Canada , the United States , and Mexico , which includes all of the Great Plains as well as the wetter , somewhat hillier land to the east . In the U.S. , the area is constituted by most or all of the states of North Dakota , South Dakota , Nebraska , Kansas , and Oklahoma , and sizable parts of the states of Montana , Wyoming , Colorado , New Mexico , Texas , Missouri , Iowa , Illinois , Indiana , Wisconsin , and western and southern Minnesota . The Central Valley of California is also a prairie . The Canadian Prairies occupy vast areas of Manitoba , Saskatchewan , and Alberta .", "Iowa people. The Iowa or Ioway , known as the Báxoǰe in their own language , are a Native American Siouan people . Today , they are enrolled in either of two federally recognized tribes , the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska . The Iowa , Missouria , and Otoe tribes were all once part of the Ho-Chunk people . They are all Chiwere language-speaking peoples . They left their ancestral homelands in Southern Wisconsin for Eastern Iowa , a state that bears their name . In 1837 , the Iowa were moved from Iowa to reservations in Brown County , Kansas , and Richardson County , Nebraska . Bands of Iowa moved to Indian Territory in the late 19th century and settled south of Perkins , Oklahoma to become the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma ." ]

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[ "Saratoga (film). Saratoga is a 1937 American romantic comedy film written by Anita Loos and directed by Jack Conway . The film stars Clark Gable and Jean Harlow in their sixth and final film collaboration , and features Lionel Barrymore , Frank Morgan , Walter Pidgeon , Hattie McDaniel , and Margaret Hamilton . Jean Harlow died before filming was finished , and it was completed using stand-ins . Saratoga was MGM 's biggest moneymaker of 1937 .", "Saratoga (musical). Saratoga is a musical with a book by Morton DaCosta , lyrics by Johnny Mercer , and music by Harold Arlen . Based on Edna Ferber 's sprawling novel Saratoga Trunk , it focuses on Clio Dulaine , an `` illegitimate '' Creole woman who seeks revenge on the New Orleans family who exiled her mother when she became impregnated by their son . Posing as a countess raised in France , she joins forces with Montana cowboy Clint Maroon , whose family 's property was appropriated by railroad tycoon Bart Van Steed . Clint persuades Clio to seduce Bart into proposing marriage , but the conspirators soon find themselves falling in love while scheming to settle old scores . The success of the musical adaptation of Ferber 's Show Boat convinced her lightning could strike twice . She first approached Rodgers and Hammerstein with her proposal , and when they opted to write Pipe Dream instead , she turned to Lerner and Loewe , who agreed to compose the score but lost interest after My Fair Lady opened . DaCosta wrote a first draft of the book , which Ferber disliked , and when her offer to adapt the book herself was declined , she backed out of the project . The bulk of the financing was provided by NBC and RCA Victor , which released the original cast recording . Rock Hudson and Jeanmaire originally were announced as the leads , but ultimately neither participated in the show . The Broadway production , directed by DaCosta and choreographed by Ralph Beaumont , opened on December 7 , 1959 at the Winter Garden Theatre , where it ran for 80 performances . The cast included Carol Lawrence as Clio , Howard Keel as Clint , and Warde Donovan as Bart , with Virginia Capers , Odette Myrtil , Carol Brice , and Edith King in supporting roles . Critics were impressed by the elaborate sets ( which included a turntable and fifteen different locales ) and the more than two hundred costumes created by Cecil Beaton , who won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design and was nominated for Best Scenic Design . The leads drew good notices , but most agreed that DaCosta 's book and direction resulted in a slow-moving , uninvolving production . The main characters were unlikeable , their romance dull , and too many peripheral characters wandered in and out of the action . Show Boat , with its riverboat setting , had been a natural for musical adaptation , and whereas Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern had succeeded in compressing the epic into a lively stage production , the creative team behind Saratoga was unable to wring much excitement from a romantic relationship stemming primarily from a mutual desire for vengeance .", "Saratoga, New York. Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County , New York , United States . The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census . It is also the commonly used , but not official , name for the neighboring and much more populous city , Saratoga Springs . The major village in the town of Saratoga is Schuylerville which is often , but not officially , called Old Saratoga . Saratoga contains a second village named Victory . Saratoga is a corruption of a Native American word from the Mohawk language . It was the name of Indian hunting grounds located along both sides of the Hudson River . According to unnamed sources , it derives from ` Se-rach-ta-gue ' meaning ` the hillside country of the quiet river ' ; however , according to Mithun , it is derived from sharató : ken , which means `` where you get a blister on your heels . '' Saratoga is located on the eastern border of the county and is located east of Saratoga Springs , and is bordered by Saratoga Lake and the Hudson River . The town sends students to Saratoga Springs City School District , Schuylerville Central School District , and Stillwater Central School District .", "Opera Saratoga. Opera Saratoga ( until January 2011 , named the Lake George Opera ) is a professional opera company based in Saratoga Springs , New York . It performs an annual summer festival of three fully staged operas and operettas . The company and its associated Lake George Opera Festival were founded in 1962 by Fred Patrick , a New York-based singer/actor and Juilliard graduate , and the husband of Jeanette Scovotti , a soprano who sang at the Metropolitan Opera . Early performances took place at Diamond Point on the shores of Lake George in upstate New York and later moved to the nearby town of Queensbury . John Balme was the General Director from 1988 to 1992 . Since 1998 , Lake George Opera 's performance base has been the Spa Little Theater at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center . Conductor John Douglas served as the company 's chorusmaster and director of the LGO 's young artist program from 2002 until his death in 2010 . July 1 , 2014 , Lawrence Edelson became the ninth General and Artistic Director . Several well-known opera singers performed with the company early in their careers , including Catherine Malfitano , Diana Soviero , Eric Halfvarson and Jerry Hadley . The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011 .", "Saratoga Trunk. Saratoga Trunk is a 1945 American romantic drama film directed by Sam Wood and starring Gary Cooper , Ingrid Bergman , and Flora Robson . Written by Casey Robinson , and based on the novel Saratoga Trunk by Edna Ferber , the film is about a Texas gambler and a Creole daughter of an aristocratic family who work together to seek justice from a society that has rejected them .", "Saratoga Race Course. Saratoga Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs , New York , United States , with a capacity of 50,000 . Opened in 1863 , it is often considered to be the oldest sporting venue of any kind in the country , but is actually the fourth oldest racetrack in the US ( after 3rd oldest Pleasanton Fairgrounds Racetrack , 2nd oldest Fair Grounds Race Course , and oldest Freehold Raceway ) .", "Saratoga Springs, New York. Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County , New York , United States ( not to be confused with the original neighboring town of Saratoga , New York ) . The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census . The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area , which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 200 years . The city is just north of Ballston Spa , in the heart of New York 's Capital Region . Saratoga Springs was ranked tenth in the list of the top 10 places to live in New York State for 2014 according to the national online real estate brokerage Movoto .", "Chrysler Saratoga. The Chrysler Saratoga is an automobile built by Chrysler . Chrysler used the Saratoga nameplate from 1939 to 1952 and from 1957 to 1960 in the U.S. market , in Canada through 1965 , and in Europe from 1989 to 1995 . It was named for Saratoga County , New York , an affluent region that included the Saratoga Springs .", "Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Saratoga Performing Arts Center ( SPAC ) is a large amphitheatre located in Saratoga Springs , New York , on the grounds of Saratoga Spa State Park . It presents summer performances of classical music , jazz , pop and rock , dance , opera , as well as a Wine & Food Festival . It opened on July 9 , 1966 , with a presentation of George Balanchine 's A Midsummer Night 's Dream by the New York City Ballet . The Center is the official summer home of the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra , both of which are in residence for two or three weeks during the summer . SPAC also serves as the common venue for high school graduations , particularly for Burnt Hills - Ballston Lake , Saratoga Springs , Shenendehowa , and Ballston Spa High Schools . Saratoga Performing Arts Center , inc , is a non-profit charitable corporation that runs the arts center . It holds a 50-year renewable lease with the State of New York , which owns the land , theaters and buildings that comprise the center . SPAC subcontracts with Live Nation , which organizes and presents the popular music and rock concerts every summer . The income derived from the Live Nation contract goes towards supporting the classical arts presentations .", "List of American films of 1937. This list of American films of 1937 compiles American feature-length motion pictures that were released in 1937 . The 10th Academy Awards , hosted by Bob Burns , were presented on March 10 , 1938 at the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel . There were ten nominees for Best Picture : The Awful Truth ( also director -LSB- win -RSB- , actress and supporting actor ) , Captains Courageous ( also actor -LSB- win -RSB- ) , Dead End ( also supporting actress ) , The Good Earth ( also director and actress -LSB- win -RSB- ) , In Old Chicago ( also supporting actress -LSB- win -RSB- ) , Lost Horizon ( also supporting actor ) , One Hundred Men and a Girl , Stage Door ( also director and supporting actress ) , A Star Is Born ( also director , actor and actress ) and the winner , The Life of Emile Zola ( also director , actor and supporting actor -LSB- win -RSB- ) . Additional films with acting nominations : Camille ( actress ) , Conquest ( actor ) , The Hurricane ( supporting actor ) , Night Must Fall ( actor and supporting actress ) , Stella Dallas ( actress and supporting actress ) , Topper ( supporting actor ) . Films listed by number of nominations in all categories : The Life of Emile Zola ( 10 -LSB- 3 wins -RSB- ) , A Star Is Born ( 7 -LSB- 1 win and 1 non-competitive win -RSB- ) , Lost Horizon ( 7 -LSB- 2 wins -RSB- ) , In Old Chicago ( 6 -LSB- 2 wins -RSB- ) , The Awful Truth ( 6 -LSB- 1 win -RSB- ) , The Good Earth ( 5 -LSB- 2 wins -RSB- ) , One Hundred Men and a Girl ( 5 -LSB- 1 win -RSB- ) , Captains Courageous ( 4 -LSB- 1 win -RSB- ) , Stage Door ( 4 ) , Dead End ( 4 ) , The Hurricane ( 3 -LSB- 1 win -RSB- ) , Conquest ( 2 ) , Night Must Fall ( 2 ) , Stella Dallas ( 2 ) , Topper ( 2 ) , Camille ( 1 ) . Additional films with nominations : Souls at Sea ( 3 ) , A Damsel in Distress ( 2 ) , Maytime ( 2 ) , The Prisoner of Zenda ( 2 ) , Walter Wanger 's Vogues of 1938 ( 2 ) , Waikiki Wedding ( 2 ) , Black Legion ( 1 ) , Wings over Honolulu ( 1 ) .", "Saratoga Springs (horse). Saratoga Springs ( 21 January 1995 -- after 2004 ) was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire . He was sent to race in Europe and was one of the best two-year-olds of his generation in 1997 when he won four of his seven races including the Acomb Stakes , the Beresford Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy . In the following year he won the Dante Stakes but was beaten when favourite for the Prix du Jockey Club and ran unplaced in the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby . He later raced in the United Arab Emirates and the United States but never won again . He later stood as a breeding stallion in Ireland and Australia with little success .", "Saratoga Springs, California. Saratoga Springs ( formerly , Bachelor and Pierson Springs ) is an unincorporated community in Lake County , California . It is located 4 mi west of Upper Lake , at an elevation of 1427 feet ( 435 m ) . The town was originally located 3.5 mi north of its present location . The Bachelor post office opened in 1882 , moved to this site in 1883 , closed in 1919 , reopened in 1920 , and closed for good in 1940 . The town has a resort , begun in the 1870s , which offered multiple cold mineral springs for bathing and a bottling plant for drinking , and by 1910 could accommodate 250 guests . It included a stagecoach stop , dance hall and restaurant . Previously the springs had been frequented by the Pomo people . The resort reopened in 1991 after decades of disuse and continues in operation using some of the original buildings . thumb | left | Century old cabins", "Saratoga County, New York. Saratoga County is a county in the U.S. state of New York . As of the 2016 U.S. Census estimate , the county 's population was 227,053 , representing a 3.4 % increase from the 2010 population of 219,607 , representing one of the fastest growth rates in the northeastern United States . The county seat is Ballston Spa . Saratoga County is included in the Capital District , encompassing the Albany-Schenectady-Troy , New York Metropolitan Statistical Area . Saratoga County 's name was derived from the Native American word `` sah-rah-ka '' , or `` Sarach-togue '' , meaning `` the hill beside the river '' , referring to the Hudson River bordering the county on its eastern flank and the Mohawk River delineating its southern border . Saratoga County , bisected by the toll-free , six-lane Adirondack Northway , serves as an outdoor recreational haven and as the gateway to the Adirondack Mountains and State Park for the populations of the Albany and New York City metropolitan areas . The county is also home to the internationally renowned Saratoga Race Course , one of the oldest venues in horse racing . Saratoga County lies at the heart of eastern New York State 's recognized Tech Valley , a growing center for the computer hardware side of the high-technology industry and its concomitant venture capital investment , with great strides in the nanotechnology sector , digital electronics design , and water - and electricity-dependent integrated microchip circuit manufacturing , involving companies including IBM , GlobalFoundries , Samsung , and Taiwan Semiconductor , among others . The `` Fab 8 '' campus of GlobalFoundries , a company specializing in the semiconductor industry , is a multibillion-dollar venture being developed in Saratoga County .", "Travers Stakes. The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs , New York . It is nicknamed the `` Mid-Summer Derby '' and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds according to international classifications , behind only the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes . First held in 1864 , it was named for William R. Travers , the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association . His horse , Kentucky , won the first running of the Travers . The race was not run in 1896 , 1898 , 1899 , 1900 , 1911 , and 1912 . The Travers is run at scale weights : colts and geldings carry 126 lb and fillies carry 123 lb . The purse was increased to $ 1,000,000 in 1999 and then to $ 1,250,000 in 2014 . The purse for the 2015 renewal was increased to $ 1,600,000 due to the presence of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah . The race is the highlight of the summer race meeting at Saratoga , just as the Belmont Stakes is the highlight of the spring meeting at Belmont Park . The Travers has been run at four different distances : 1 +3 / 4 mi : 1864 to 1889 1 +1 / 2 mi : 1890 to 1892 1 +1 / 4 mi : 1893 , 1894 , 1897 and 1904 to present 1 +1 / 8 mi : 1895 and 1901 to 1903", "Battles of Saratoga. The Battles of Saratoga ( September 19 and October 7 , 1777 ) marked the climax of the Saratoga campaign giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the American Revolutionary War . British General John Burgoyne led a large invasion army southward in the Champlain Valley from Canada , hoping to meet a similar force marching northward from New York City , and another force marching eastward from Lake Ontario ; the southern and western forces never arrived , and Burgoyne was surrounded by American forces in upstate New York . Burgoyne fought two small battles to break out . They took place eighteen days apart on the same ground , 9 mi south of Saratoga , New York . They both failed . Trapped by superior American forces , and with no relief in sight , Burgoyne retreated to Saratoga ( now Schuylerville ) and surrendered his entire army there on October 17 . His surrender , says historian Edmund Morgan , `` was a great turning point of the war because it won for Americans the foreign assistance which was the last element needed for victory . Burgoyne 's strategy to divide New England from the southern colonies had started well but slowed due to logistical problems . He won a small tactical victory over General Horatio Gates and the Continental Army in the September 19 Battle of Freeman 's Farm at the cost of significant casualties . His gains were erased when he again attacked the Americans in the October 7 Battle of Bemis Heights and the Americans captured a portion of the British defenses . Burgoyne was therefore compelled to retreat , and his army was surrounded by the much larger American force at Saratoga , forcing him to surrender on October 17 . News of Burgoyne 's surrender was instrumental in formally bringing France into the war as an American ally , although it had previously given supplies , ammunition , and guns , notably the de Valliere cannon , which played an important role in Saratoga . This battle also resulted in Spain joining France in the war against Britain . The first battle , on September 19 , began when Burgoyne moved some of his troops in an attempt to flank the entrenched American position on Bemis Heights . Benedict Arnold , anticipating the maneuver , placed significant forces in his way . While Burgoyne did gain control of Freeman 's Farm , it came at the cost of significant casualties . Skirmishing continued in the days following the battle , while Burgoyne waited in the hope that reinforcements would arrive from New York City . Militia forces continued to arrive , swelling the size of the American army . Disputes within the American camp led Gates to strip Arnold of his command . British General Sir Henry Clinton , moving up from New York City , attempted to divert American attention by capturing two forts in the Hudson River highlands on October 6 ; his efforts were too late to help Burgoyne . Burgoyne attacked Bemis Heights again on October 7 after it became apparent he would not receive relieving aid in time . In heavy fighting , marked by Arnold 's spirited rallying of the American troops , Burgoyne 's forces were thrown back to the positions they held before the September 19 battle and the Americans captured a portion of the entrenched British defenses .", "Saratoga campaign. The Saratoga Campaign in 1777 was an attempt by the British high command for North America to gain military control of the strategically important Hudson River valley during the American Revolutionary War . It ended in the surrender of the British army , which historian Edmund Morgan argues , `` was a great turning point of the war , because it won for Americans the foreign assistance which was the last element needed for victory . '' The primary thrust of the campaign was planned and initiated by General John Burgoyne . Commanding a main force of some 8,000 men , he moved south in June from Quebec , boated up Lake Champlain to middle New York , then marched over the divide and down the Hudson Valley to Saratoga . He initially skirmished there with the Patriot defenders with mixed results . Then , after losses in the Battles of Saratoga in September and October , his deteriorating position and ever increasing size of the American army forced him to surrender his forces to the American General Horatio Gates on October 17 . The elaborate plans drawn up in London all failed . Colonel Barry St. Leger had been assigned to move east through the Mohawk River valley on Albany , New York , but was forced to retreat during the siege of Fort Stanwix after losing his Indian allies . The major expedition from the south never materialized due to miscommunication with London when General William Howe sent his army to take Philadelphia rather than sending it up the Hudson River to coordinate with Burgoyne . A last-minute effort to reinforce Burgoyne from New York City was made in early October , but it was too little , too late . The American victory was an enormous morale boost to the fledgling nation . More important , it convinced France to enter the war in alliance with the United States , openly providing money , soldiers , and munitions , as well as fighting a naval war worldwide against Britain .", "Saratoga. Saratoga may refer to :", "Paramount Pictures. Paramount Pictures Corporation ( also known as Paramount Pictures and simply Paramount ) is an American film studio based in Hollywood , California , that has been a subsidiary of the American media conglomerate Viacom since 1994 . Paramount is the fifth oldest surviving film studio in the world , the second oldest in the United States , and the sole member of the `` Big Six '' film studios still located in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Hollywood . In 1916 , film producer Adolph Zukor contracted 22 actors and actresses and honored each with a star on the logo . These fortunate few would become the first `` movie stars . '' In 2014 , Paramount Pictures became the first major Hollywood studio to distribute all of its films in digital form only . Paramount Pictures is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America ( MPAA ) .", "Saratoga Trunk (novel). Saratoga Trunk is a best-selling novel by American author Edna Ferber , originally published by Doubleday , Doran in 1941 . It concerns a notorious Creole woman , Clio Dulaine , who returns to her native New Orleans and marries a Texas gambler , Colonel Clint Maroon . The book serves as the basis for the 1945 film , Saratoga Trunk , and the 1959 stage musical , Saratoga . Category :1941 American novels Category : Novels set in New Orleans Category : Doubleday , Doran books Category : American novels adapted into films", "Romeo + Juliet. William Shakespeare 's Romeo + Juliet ( shortened to Romeo + Juliet ) is a 1996 American romantic drama film directed , co-produced and co-written by Baz Luhrmann , co-produced by Gabriella Martinelli and co-written by Craig Pearce , being an adaption and modernization of William Shakespeare 's tragedy Romeo and Juliet . The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the leading roles of Romeo and Juliet , who instantly fall in love when Romeo crashes a party and meets her despite them being members of the Montague and Capulet family ; Brian Dennehy , John Leguizamo , Pete Postlethwaite , Paul Sorvino and Diane Venora star in supporting roles . While it retains the original Shakespearean dialogue , the Montagues and the Capulets are represented as warring mafia empires ( with legitimate business fronts ) and swords are replaced with guns ( with brand names such as `` Dagger '' and `` Sword '' ) . Some of the characters ' names are also changed . Lord and Lady Montague and Lord and Lady Capulet are given first names ( as opposed to the Shakespeare original where their first names are never mentioned ) , Friar Lawrence becomes Father Lawrence , and Prince Escalus is renamed Captain Prince . There is also no Friar John , who was in the original play . Also , some characters were switched from one family to the other -- in the original , Gregory and Sampson are Capulets , but in the film , they are Montagues . ( Abram , as Abra , and Petruchio , conversely , are shifted from the Montague to the Capulet family . ) In addition , a few plot details are shifted , most notably near the ending . The film was released on November 1 , 1996 by 20th Century Fox to commercial and generally critical success , grossing over $ 147.5 million over a $ 14.5 million budget and receiving generally positive reviews . At the 47th Berlin International Film Festival in 1997 , DiCaprio won the Silver Bear for Best Actor and Luhrmann won the Alfred Bauer Prize . Luhrmann was also nominated for the Golden Bear Award for Best Picture . At the 69th Academy Awards , Catherine Martin and Brigitte Broch were nominated for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration .", "Hollywood (1923 film). Hollywood is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by James Cruze , co-written by Frank Condon and Thomas J. Geraghty , and released by Paramount Pictures . The film is a lengthier feature follow-up to Paramount 's own short film exposé of itself , A Trip to Paramountown from 1922 . The film has become famous as having featured cameos of more than thirty famous Hollywood stars . However , the film is now considered a lost film .", "Saratoga Handicap. The Saratoga Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs , New York . It was open to horses three years old and upward and raced at a distance of 1 1/4 miles on dirt .", "Saratoga, California. Saratoga -LSB- ˌsærəˈtoʊɡə -RSB- is a city in Santa Clara County , California , United States . It is located on the west side of the Santa Clara Valley , directly west of San Jose , in the San Francisco Bay Area . The population was 29,926 at the 2010 census . Located on the Western edge of the Silicon Valley , Saratoga is known locally for its suburban small-town feel , wineries , and high-end restaurants . Major attractions of Saratoga include Villa Montalvo , Hakone Gardens , and the Mountain Winery . The 2016 Coldwell Banker Home Listing Report listed Saratoga as the most expensive housing market in the United States . In 2010 Bloomberg Businessweek named Saratoga the most expensive suburb in California.In 2008 CNN/Money ranked Saratoga number 4 in its listing of top-earning towns . Saratoga also was ranked by Forbes in 2009 as one of America 's top 20 most-educated small towns . Bloomberg Businessweek also named Saratoga 's zip code 95070 the 18th richest zip code in America in 2011 .", "Saratoga Automobile Museum. The Saratoga Automobile Museum is located in the Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs , New York . Housed in a former bottling plant built in 1935 , the Saratoga Automobile Museum is a non-profit educational institution focusing on the impact of the automobile in the past , present and future in New York and the wider world . Its curator is Ken Gross . The museum opened its doors in June 2002 and can display approximately thirty vehicles between three galleries . The ground floor displays rotating exhibits and features a hands on area for children . The second floor houses offices , the New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame , and permanent exhibit space which overlooks the first floor .", "Saratoga Springs, Utah. Saratoga Springs is a city in Utah County , Utah , United States . The elevation is 4,505 feet . It is part of the Provo -- Orem , Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is a relatively new development along the northwestern shores of Utah Lake . It was incorporated on December 31 , 1997 and has been growing rapidly since then . The population was 1,003 at the 2000 census , while the 2009 estimates placed it at 16,125 , making it one of the fastest-growing US cities during this time period . The 2010 census states population at 17,781 , meeting expectations of growth despite the state of the economy . Saratoga Springs became a city in 2001 .", "Saratoga Special Stakes. The Saratoga Special Stakes is an American grade II thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid-August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs , New York . The race is for two-year-olds willing to race six and a half furlongs on the dirt . With its first run in 1901 , the Saratoga Special was a winner-take-all race until 1959 when it became a standard stakes race . The race was held at Belmont Park on the Widener Course in 1943 , 1944 , and 1945 . There was no race in 1911 and 1912 due to the New York State legislated ban on parimutuel betting that led to the closure of all New York racetracks . There was also no race held in 2004 . Since inception it has been contested at various distances : 5.5 furlongs : 1901-1906 6 furlongs : 1907-1993 , 2005 furlongs : 1994-2003 , 2006 to present Only four horses have ever won all three Saratoga Racecourse events for two-year-olds . Regret ( 1914 ) , Campfire ( 1916 ) , Dehere ( 1993 ) , and City Zip ( 2000 ) each swept the Saratoga Special , Sanford Stakes and Hopeful Stakes .", "Saratoga, Wyoming. Saratoga is a town in Carbon County , Wyoming , United States . The population was 1,690 at the 2010 census . Saratoga is the home of the Steinley Cup microbrew competition , usually held in August at Veterans Island Park , a playground and picnic facility located on a small island in the North Platte River . There is also a public pool heated by a hot spring located in Saratoga . Saratoga is one of many western communities economically devastated by consolidation , automation and the changing business practices of multinational timber companies . The town 's two largest employers now are the United States Forest Service and Carbon County School District No. 2 , both public sector employers . The town 's motto is , `` Where The Trout Leap In Main Street . '' The local newspaper is the Saratoga Sun .", "Wuthering Heights (1939 film). Wuthering Heights is a 1939 American drama romance film directed by William Wyler and produced by Samuel Goldwyn . It is based on the novel , Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë . The film depicts only sixteen of the novel 's thirty-four chapters , eliminating the second generation of characters . The novel was adapted for the screen by Charles MacArthur , Ben Hecht and John Huston . The film won the 1939 New York Film Critics Award for Best Film . It earned nominations for eight Academy Awards , including for Best Picture and Best Actor in what many consider Hollywood 's greatest single year . The 1940 Academy Award for Best Cinematography , black-and-white category , was awarded to Gregg Toland for his work . Nominated for original score ( but losing to The Wizard of Oz ) was the prolific film composer , Alfred Newman , whose poignant `` Cathy 's Theme '' does so much `` to maintain its life as a masterpiece of romantic filmmaking . '' In 2007 , Wuthering Heights was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .", "Test Stakes. The Test Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race open to three-year-old fillies and run each summer at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs , New York . It is contested at a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt and is an influential race in shaping the Breeders ' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint . A Grade I event , it carries a purse of $ 500,000 . It was first run at Saratoga in 1922 . Over the years it has also become an important race for fillies pointing towards the Grade I Alabama Stakes which also runs at Saratoga Race Course . Inaugurated at a mile and quarter , it went to seven furlongs in its second running . The Test Stakes took place at Belmont Park in 1943 , 1944 , and 1945 . It was not run from 1923 to 1925 or in 1961 . It was run in two divisions in 1960 , 1962 , 1963 , 1965 , 1966 , 1967 , 1970 , 1973 , 1974 , 1975 , 1977 , 1978 , and 1979 .", "1937 in film. The year 1937 in film involved some significant events , including the Walt Disney production of the first American full-length animated film , Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs .", "Saratoga National Historical Park. Saratoga National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in the Town of Stillwater in eastern New York , 40 mi north of Albany . The park preserves the site of the Battles of Saratoga .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th ." ]

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[ "J. Howard Marshall. James Howard Marshall II ( January 24 , 1905 -- August 4 , 1995 ) was an American businessman , academic , attorney , and government official . His life spanned nine decades and almost the entire history of the oil industry , from the early years when uncontrolled production depleted valuable fields and natural gas was burned at the well head , to the decades of energy shortages and the Arab Oil Embargo . Marshall was married to Anna Nicole Smith during the last 14 months of his life . His estate became the subject of protracted litigation which was reviewed by the Supreme Court in Marshall v. Marshall and Stern v. Marshall .", "Marshall (film). Marshall is an upcoming American biographical thriller film directed by Reginald Hudlin and written by Michael and Jacob Koskoff starring Chadwick Boseman about the first African-American Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and one of the first cases of his early career . Principal photography began in mid-December 2015 in Los Angeles and continued in the spring of 2016 in Buffalo .", "Marshall's Miracle. Marshall 's Miracle , also known under its working title of Marshall the Miracle Dog , is an upcoming American family drama film directed by Jay Kanzler and co-written with Scott Zakarin . The film stars Shannon Elizabeth , Lauren Holly , Matthew Settle , Bill Chott and Lucas McHugh Carroll . The inspirational film about Marshall , a dog who was rescued by the Humane Society of Missouri from an abandoned property with over 60 dogs living there . Marshall had been badly injured and left for dead by the other dogs , he was rescued and taken care and then Cyndi Willenbrock ended up adopting Marshall a few months later . Principal photography began on June 2 , 2014 , in Edwardsville , Illinois . Shooting also took place in Metro East , Troy , Il. , and St. Louis , Missouri .", "Howard Marshall. Howard Marshall is the name of : Howard Marshall ( broadcaster ) ( 1900 -- 1973 ) , English sports broadcaster Howard Marshall ( rugby union ) ( 1870 -- 1929 ) , English rugby union player I. Howard Marshall ( 1934 -- 2015 ) , biblical scholar J. Howard Marshall ( 1905 -- 1995 ) , American oil business executive J. Howard Marshall III ( born 1936 ) , American businessman", "The Marshal. The Marshal is an American action-drama television series that aired on ABC for two brief seasons in 1995 . The show starred Jeff Fahey as the title character , a United States Marshal charged with pursuing fugitives across the nation . In 1995 , the episode `` Hitwoman '' was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Editing for a Series .", "Marshall Court. The Marshall Court refers to the Supreme Court of the United States from 1801 to 1835 , when John Marshall served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States . Marshall served as Chief Justice until his death , at which point Roger Taney took office . The Marshall Court played a major role in increasing the power of the judicial branch , as well as the power of the national government .", "J. Howard Marshall III. James Howard Marshall III ( born February 6 , 1936 , San Francisco , California ) is an American businessman .", "Marshall Islands. The Marshall Islands , officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( Aolepān Aorōkin M̧ajeļ ) , Pronunciations : * English : Republic of the Marshall Islands -LSB- ˈmɑrʃəl_ˈaɪləndz -RSB- * Marshallese : Aolepān Aorōkin M̧ajeļ ( -LSB- iconhahawweweylyeyPyayn_hahawwowohrhohKhuyn_mhhahahJyehlh -RSB- ) is an island country located near the equator in the Pacific Ocean , slightly west of the International Date Line . Geographically , the country is part of the larger island group of Micronesia . The country 's population of 53,158 people ( at the 2011 Census ) is spread out over 29 coral atolls , comprising 1,156 individual islands and islets . The islands share maritime boundaries with the Federated States of Micronesia to the west , Wake Island to the north , Wake Island is claimed as a territory of the Marshall Islands , but is also claimed as an unorganized , unincorporated territory of the United States , with de facto control vested in the Office of Insular Affairs ( and all military defenses managed by the United States military ) . Kiribati to the southeast , and Nauru to the south . About 27,797 of the islanders ( at the 2011 Census ) live on Majuro , which contains the capital . Micronesian colonists gradually settled the Marshall Islands during the 2nd millennium BC , with inter-island navigation made possible using traditional stick charts . Islands in the archipelago were first explored by Europeans in the 1520s , with Spanish explorer Alonso de Salazar sighting an atoll in August 1526 . Other expeditions by Spanish and English ships followed . The islands derive their name from British explorer John Marshall , who visited in 1788 . The islands were historically known by the inhabitants as `` jolet jen Anij '' ( Gifts from God ) . The European powers recognized Spanish sovereignty over the islands in 1874 . They had been part of the Spanish East Indies formally since 1528 . Later , Spain sold the islands to the German Empire in 1884 , and they became part of German New Guinea in 1885 . In World War I the Empire of Japan occupied the Marshall Islands , which in 1919 the League of Nations combined with other former German territories to form the South Pacific Mandate . In World War II , the United States conquered the islands in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign . Along with other Pacific Islands , the Marshall Islands were then consolidated into the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands governed by the US . Self-government was achieved in 1979 , and full sovereignty in 1986 , under a Compact of Free Association with the United States . Marshall Islands has been a United Nations member state since 1991 . Politically , the Marshall Islands is a presidential republic in free association with the United States , with the US providing defense , subsidies , and access to U.S. based agencies such as the FCC and the USPS . With few natural resources , the islands ' wealth is based on a service economy , as well as some fishing and agriculture ; aid from the United States represents a large percentage of the islands ' gross domestic product . The country uses the United States dollar as its currency . The majority of the citizens of the Marshall Islands are of Marshallese descent , though there are small numbers of immigrants from the United States , China , Philippines , and other Pacific islands . The two official languages are Marshallese , which is a member of the Malayo-Polynesian languages , and English . Almost the entire population of the islands practises some religion , with three-quarters of the country either following the United Church of Christ -- Congregational in the Marshall Islands ( UCCCMI ) or the Assemblies of God .", "Mother's Day (2016 film). Mother 's Day is a 2016 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall and written by Marshall , Tom Hines , Lily Hollander , Anya Kochoff-Romano and Matt Walker . It features an ensemble cast , led by Jennifer Aniston , Kate Hudson , Julia Roberts , Jason Sudeikis , Timothy Olyphant , Britt Robertson , Jack Whitehall , Héctor Elizondo and Margo Martindale . Filming began on August 18 , 2015 , in Atlanta , Georgia . It was released in the United States on April 29 , 2016 , by Open Road Films and grossed $ 43 million worldwide . The film is similar in format to Marshall 's previous two ensemble romantic comedies with holiday themes : Valentine 's Day ( 2010 ) and New Year 's Eve '' ( 2011 ) and was the final film of his career prior to his death in July 2016 .", "U.S. Marshals (film). U.S. Marshals is a 1998 American action crime thriller film directed by Stuart Baird . The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Roy Huggins and John Pogue . The film is a sequel to the 1993 motion picture The Fugitive , which in turn was based on the 1960s television series of the same name , created by Huggins . The story does not involve the character of Dr. Richard Kimble , portrayed by Harrison Ford in the initial film , but instead the plot centers on United States Deputy Marshal Sam Gerard , once again played by Tommy Lee Jones . The plot follows Gerard and his team as they pursue another fugitive Mark Warren , played by Wesley Snipes , who attempts to escape government officials following an international conspiracy scandal . The cast features Robert Downey , Jr. , Joe Pantoliano , Daniel Roebuck , Tom Wood , and LaTanya Richardson , several of whom portrayed Deputy Marshals in the previous film . The film was a co-production between the motion picture studios of Warner Bros. and Kopelson Entertainment . Theatrically , it was commercially distributed by Warner Bros. and by the Warner Home Video division for home media markets . On March 10 , 1998 , the original motion picture soundtrack was released by the Varèse Sarabande music label . The soundtrack was composed and orchestrated by musician Jerry Goldsmith . U.S. Marshals premiered in theaters in the United States on March 6 , 1998 , grossing $ 57 million in its domestic run . The film took in an additional $ 45 million through international release for a worldwide total of $ 102 million . The film was generally met with mixed critical reviews . The film was released on home video on July 21 , 1998 .", "Jurassic World. Jurassic World is a 2015 American science-fiction adventure film and the fourth installment of the Jurassic Park series . The film was directed and co-written by Colin Trevorrow , produced by Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley , and stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard . The production companies were Steven Spielberg 's Amblin Entertainment , also responsible for the rest of the Jurassic Park franchise , and Thomas Tull 's Legendary Pictures . Set 22 years after the events of Jurassic Park , Jurassic World takes place on the same fictional island of Isla Nublar , off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica , where a theme park populated with cloned dinosaurs has operated for ten years . The park plunges into chaos when a genetically created dinosaur breaks loose and goes on a rampage across the island . Universal Pictures intended to begin production on a fourth Jurassic Park film in 2004 for a summer 2005 release , but the film entered over a decade of development hell while the script went through revisions . Following a suggestion from Spielberg , writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver explored the idea of a functional dinosaur park . Once Trevorrow was hired as director in 2013 , he followed the same idea while developing a whole new script with Derek Connolly . Principal photography rolled from April to August 2014 , primarily in Louisiana while also using the original Jurassic Park filming locations in Hawaii . Again the dinosaurs were created through computer-generated imagery by Industrial Light & Magic and life-sized animatronics by Legacy Effects , a company created by the alumni of Jurassic Park veteran Stan Winston . Jurassic World was completed on May 10 , 2015 , and was released in over 60 countries beginning on June 10 , 2015 . After a record-breaking opening weekend during which it grossed $ 500 million worldwide , Jurassic World generated a total of $ 1.6 billion in box office revenue , standing as the fourth highest-grossing film of all time without inflation adjustment , as well as the second highest-grossing film of 2015 and the highest-grossing film in the franchise . A sequel is scheduled for release on June 22 , 2018 .", "James Newton Howard. James Newton Howard ( born June 9 , 1951 ) is an American composer , conductor , music producer and musician . He has scored over 100 films and is the recipient of a Grammy Award , Emmy Award , and eight Academy Award nominations . His film scores include Pretty Woman ( 1990 ) , The Prince of Tides ( 1991 ) , The Fugitive ( 1993 ) , The Devil 's Advocate ( 1997 ) , The Sixth Sense ( 1999 ) , Dinosaur ( 2000 ) , Atlantis : The Lost Empire ( 2001 ) , Treasure Planet ( 2002 ) , Signs ( 2002 ) , The Village ( 2004 ) , King Kong ( 2005 ) , Batman Begins ( 2005 ) , I Am Legend ( 2007 ) , Blood Diamond ( 2006 ) , The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) , The Bourne Legacy ( 2012 ) , The Hunger Games series ( 2012 -- 2015 ) , Nightcrawler ( 2014 ) and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ( 2016 ) . He has collaborated with directors M. Night Shyamalan , having scored nine of his films since The Sixth Sense , and Francis Lawrence , having scored all of his films since I Am Legend .", "Marshall Scholarship. The Marshall Scholarship is a postgraduate scholarship for `` intellectually distinguished young Americans -LSB- and -RSB- their country 's future leaders '' to study at any university in the United Kingdom . Created by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1953 as a living gift to the United States in recognition of the generosity of Secretary of State George C. Marshall and the Marshall Plan in the wake of World War II , the goal of the scholarship was to strengthen the Special Relationship between the two countries for `` the good of mankind in this turbulent world . '' With between 30 and 40 scholars selected annually , and with the number of university-endorsed applicants approaching 1000 , in recent years it has been the most selective graduate scholarship for Americans , with an acceptance rate around 4 % , and as low as 3.2 % in 2015 . It is widely considered one of the most prestigious scholarships for U.S. citizens , and along with the Fulbright Scholarship it is the only broadly available scholarship available to Americans to study at any University in the United Kingdom . The program was also the first major co-educational British graduate scholarship ; one-third of the inaugural cohort in 1954 were women . Currently , there are over 1,900 Marshall Scholar alumni . To date , two of the nine Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are alumni of the program , while others have been prominent CEOs , members of the United States Congress ; members of the Presidential Cabinet of the United States ; state Governors ; the Deans of Yale Law School , Stanford Law School , the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard College ; presidents of seven universities or colleges , including Duke University , Wellesley College , the Cooper Union , and Caltech . They have also been leaders in many academic and professional disciplines , including one Nobel Laureate , four Pulitzer Prize -- winning authors , two winners of the John Bates Clark Medal for the best American economist under the age of 40 , twelve MacArthur Genius Grant awardees , and the President of the National Bureau of Economic Research , the Managing Editors of TIME and CNN and the International News Editor of The New York Times , NASA 's youngest Astronaut , two Oscar nominees , one winner of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation , and one awardee of the Distinguished Flying Cross for service during the Iraq War .", "We Are Marshall. We Are Marshall is a 2006 American historical drama biopic film directed by McG . It depicts the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed 37 football players on the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team , along with five coaches , two athletic trainers , the athletic director , 25 boosters , and a crew of five . It also addresses the rebuilding of the program and the healing that the community undergoes . Matthew McConaughey stars as head coach Jack Lengyel , with Matthew Fox as assistant coach William `` Red '' Dawson , David Strathairn as university president Donald Dedmon , and Robert Patrick as ill-fated Marshall head coach Rick Tolley . Then-governor of Georgia Sonny Perdue has a cameo role as an East Carolina University football coach . It was scored by Christophe Beck and written by Jamie Linden . Dr. Keith Spears was the Marshall University consultant .", "Jeff Bridges. Jeffrey Leon Bridges ( born December 4 , 1949 ) is an American actor , singer , and producer . He comes from a prominent acting family and appeared on the television series Sea Hunt ( 1958 -- 60 ) , with his father , Lloyd Bridges and brother , Beau Bridges . He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis `` Bad '' Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart , and earned Academy Award nominations for his roles in The Last Picture Show ( 1971 ) , Thunderbolt and Lightfoot ( 1974 ) , Starman ( 1984 ) , The Contender ( 2000 ) , True Grit ( 2010 ) , and Hell or High Water ( 2016 ) . His other films include Tron ( 1982 ) , Jagged Edge ( 1985 ) , The Fabulous Baker Boys ( 1989 ) , The Fisher King ( 1991 ) , Fearless ( 1993 ) , The Big Lebowski ( 1998 ) , Seabiscuit ( 2003 ) , Iron Man ( 2008 ) , Tron : Legacy ( 2010 ) , and The Giver ( 2014 ) .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Marshall University. Marshall University is a coeducational comprehensive public research university in Huntington , West Virginia , United States , founded in 1837 , and named after John Marshall , the fourth Chief Justice of the United States . The university is currently composed of nine undergraduate colleges : Lewis College of Business ( LCOB ) , College of Education and Professional Development ( COE ) , College of Arts and Media ( COAM ) , College of Health Professions ( COHP ) , Honors College , College of Information Technology and Engineering ( CITE ) , College of Liberal Arts ( COLA ) , College of Science ( COS ) , and University College ; three graduate colleges , the general Graduate College , the School of Pharmacy , and the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine ; and a regional center for cancer research , which has a national reputation for its programs in rural healthcare delivery . The forensic science graduate program is one of nearly twenty post-graduate-level academic programs in the United States accredited by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences . The university 's digital forensics program is the first program in the world to receive accreditation in digital forensics from the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission ( FEPAC ) . The Lewis College of Business is amongst only 1 % of global business schools to have achieved dual AACSB accreditation in Business and Accounting . ( FEPAC ) . Marshall University has a non-residential branch campus , focused on graduate education , in South Charleston , the Marshall University - South Charleston Campus , which also offers classes throughout the southern half of the state , including at the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center in Beckley . ( FEPAC ) . It also offers undergraduate courses , under three `` centers '' , the Southern Mountain Center , operating on the campuses of the Southern West Virginia Community College in Logan and Williamson and at the YMCA in Gilbert ; the Mid-Ohio Valley Center in Point Pleasant and the Teays Valley Center in Hurricane . ( FEPAC ) . Marshall University also operates the Robert C. Byrd Institute , with operations on both the Huntington and South Charleston campuses , as well as in Fairmont , West Virginia . ( FEPAC ) . The institute 's goal is the transfer of technology from the academic departments to private industry to support job development in the region .", "Marshal. Marshal ( also spelled marshall ) is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society . As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe , the title grew in reputation . During the last few centuries , it has been used for elevated offices , such as in military rank and civilian law enforcement .", "Howard Stern. Howard Allan Stern ( born January 12 , 1954 ) is an American radio and television personality , producer , author , actor , and photographer . He is best known for his radio show The Howard Stern Show , which gained popularity when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from 1986 to 2005 . Stern has broadcast on Sirius XM Radio since 2006 . Stern first wished to be on the radio at five years of age . He landed his first radio jobs while at Boston University . From 1976 to 1982 , Stern developed his on-air personality through morning positions at WRNW in Briarcliff Manor , New York , WCCC in Hartford , Connecticut , WWWW in Detroit , Michigan , and WWDC in Washington , D.C. Stern worked afternoons at WNBC in New York City from 1982 until his firing in 1985 . In 1985 , Stern began a 20-year run at WXRK in New York City ; his morning show entered syndication in 1986 and aired in 60 markets and attracted 20 million listeners at its peak . Stern won numerous industry awards , including Billboard 's Nationally Syndicated Air Personality of the Year eight consecutive times , and is the first to have the number one morning show in New York City and Los Angeles simultaneously . He became the most fined radio host when the Federal Communications Commission issued fines totaling $ 2.5 million to station owners for content it deemed indecent . Stern became one of the highest paid radio figures after signing a five-year deal with Sirius in 2004 worth $ 500 million . In recent years , Stern 's photography has been featured in Hamptons and WHIRL magazines . From 2012 to 2015 , he served as a judge on America 's Got Talent . Stern has described himself as `` King of All Media '' since 1992 for his successes outside radio . He hosted and produced numerous late night television shows , pay-per-view events and home videos . His two books , Private Parts ( 1993 ) and Miss America ( 1995 ) , entered The New York Times Best Seller list at number one and sold over one million copies . The former was made into a biographical comedy film in 1997 that had Stern and his radio show staff star as themselves . It topped the US box office in its opening week and grossed $ 41.2 million domestically . Stern performs on its soundtrack which charted the Billboard 200 at number one and was certified platinum for one million copies sold . In 2012 , Stern was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame .", "Guardians of the Galaxy (film). Guardians of the Galaxy ( retroactively referred to as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 1 ) is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the tenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by James Gunn , who wrote the screenplay with Nicole Perlman , and features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt , Zoe Saldana , Dave Bautista , Vin Diesel , Bradley Cooper , Lee Pace , Michael Rooker , Karen Gillan , Djimon Hounsou , John C. Reilly , Glenn Close , and Benicio del Toro . In Guardians of the Galaxy , Peter Quill forms an uneasy alliance with a group of extraterrestrial misfits who are fleeing after stealing a powerful artifact . Perlman began working on the screenplay in 2009 . Producer Kevin Feige first publicly mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film in 2010 and Marvel Studios announced it was in active development at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2012 . Gunn was hired to write and direct the film that September . In February 2013 , Pratt was hired to play Peter Quill / Star-Lord , and the supporting cast members were subsequently confirmed . Principal photography began in July 2013 at Shepperton Studios in England , with filming continuing in London before wrapping up in October 2013 . Post-production was finished on July 7 , 2014 . The film premiered in Hollywood on July 21 , 2014 . It was released in theaters on August 1 , 2014 in the United States in the 3D and IMAX 3D formats . The film became a critical and commercial success , grossing $ 773.3 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing superhero film of 2014 , as well as the third highest-grossing film in North America of 2014 . The film garnered praise for its humor , action , soundtrack , visual effects , direction , musical score , and acting . A sequel , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2 , was released on May 5 , 2017 , with a third film , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3 , planned .", "Eddie Murphy. Edward Regan Murphy ( born April 3 , 1961 ) is an American comedian , actor , writer , singer , and producer . Murphy was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984 . He has worked as a stand-up comedian and was ranked # 10 on Comedy Central 's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time . In films , Murphy has received Golden Globe Award nominations for his performances in 48 Hrs. , the Beverly Hills Cop series , Trading Places , and The Nutty Professor . In 2007 , he won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of soul singer James `` Thunder '' Early in Dreamgirls . Murphy 's work as a voice actor in films includes Thurgood Stubbs in The PJs , Donkey in DreamWorks ' Shrek series , and the Chinese dragon Mushu in Disney 's Mulan . In some films , he plays multiple roles in addition to his main character , intended as a tribute to one of his idols Peter Sellers , who played multiple roles in Dr. Strangelove and elsewhere . He has played multiple roles in Coming to America , Wes Craven 's Vampire in Brooklyn , the Nutty Professor films ( where he played the title role in two incarnations , plus his character 's father , brother , mother , and grandmother ) , Bowfinger , The Adventures of Pluto Nash , Norbit , and Meet Dave . As of 2014 , Murphy 's films have grossed over $ 3.8 billion in the United States and Canada box office and $ 6.6 billion worldwide . In 2015 , his films made him the 6th-highest grossing actor in the United States . Murphy was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts .", "The Great Gatsby (1974 film). The Great Gatsby is a 1974 American romantic drama film produced by Newdon Productions and distributed by Paramount Pictures . It was directed by Jack Clayton and produced by David Merrick from a screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola , and was based on F. Scott Fitzgerald 's 1925 novel of the same name . The film stars Robert Redford in the title role of Jay Gatsby , along with Mia Farrow , Sam Waterston , Bruce Dern , Karen Black , Scott Wilson and Lois Chiles , with Howard Da Silva ( who previously appeared in the 1949 version ) , Roberts Blossom and Edward Herrmann .", "Grand Slam (tennis). The Grand Slam tournaments , also called majors , are the four most-important annual tennis events . They offer the most ranking points , prize money , public and media attention , the greatest strength and size of field , and greater number of `` best of '' sets for men . The Grand Slam itinerary consists of the Australian Open in mid January , the French Open in May and June , Wimbledon in June and July , and the US Open in August and September . Each tournament is played over a period of two weeks . The Australian and United States tournaments are played on hard courts , the French on clay , and Wimbledon on grass . Wimbledon is the oldest , founded in 1877 , followed by the US in 1881 , the French in 1891 , and the Australian in 1905 . However , of these four , only Wimbledon was a major before 1924 -- 25 , the time when all four became designated Grand Slam tournaments . Skipping Grand Slam tournaments -- especially the Australian Open because of the remoteness , the inconvenient dates ( around Christmas and New Year 's Day ) and the low prize money -- was not unusual before 1982 , which was the start of the norm of counting Grand Slam titles . The term Grand Slam also , and originally , refers to the achievement of winning all four major championships in a single calendar year within one of the five events : men 's and women 's singles ; men 's , women 's , and mixed doubles . In doubles , one team may accomplish a Grand Slam playing together or one player may achieve it with different partners . The term `` Grand Slam '' without qualification refers to winning the four majors in a single calendar year . Winning the four majors in consecutive tournaments but not in the same year is known as a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam , while winning all four majors at any point during the course of a career is known as a Career Grand Slam . Winning the gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in addition to the four majors in a one calendar year is known as a `` Golden Grand Slam '' or more commonly the `` Golden Slam '' . Also , winning the Year-End Championship ( known as ATP World Tour Finals for men 's singles and doubles disciplines , and WTA Tour Championships for both women 's disciplines ) in the same period is known as a `` Super Slam '' . Together , all four Majors in all three disciplines ( singles , doubles , and mixed doubles ) are called a `` boxed set '' of Grand Slam titles . No male or female player has won all twelve events in one calendar year , although a `` career boxed set '' has been achieved by three female players .", "J. J. Abrams. Jeffrey Jacob `` J.J. '' Abrams ( born June 27 , 1966 ) is an American film director , producer , screenwriter , and composer . He is known for work in the genres of action , drama , and science fiction . Abrams wrote and/or produced feature films such as Regarding Henry ( 1991 ) , Forever Young ( 1992 ) , Armageddon ( 1998 ) , Cloverfield ( 2008 ) , and Star Wars : The Force Awakens ( 2015 ) . He created or co-created a number of TV drama series , including Felicity ( co-creator , 1998 -- 2003 ) , Alias ( creator , 2001 -- 2006 ) , Lost ( co-creator , 2004 -- 2010 ) , and Fringe ( co-creator , 2008 -- 2013 ) . Abrams won two Emmy Awards for Lost -- Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Drama Series . His directorial film work includes Star Trek ( 2009 ) and its sequel Star Trek Into Darkness ( 2013 ) , Mission : Impossible III ( 2006 ) , and Super 8 ( 2011 ) . He also directed and co-wrote Star Wars : The Force Awakens ( 2015 ) , the first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy and his highest-grossing film , as well as the third highest-grossing film of all time . Abrams 's frequent creative collaborators include producer Bryan Burk , actors Greg Grunberg and Simon Pegg , writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci , composer Michael Giacchino , cinematographers Daniel Mindel and Larry Fong , and editors Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey .", "American Idol. American Idol is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller , produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment , and distributed by FremantleMedia North America . It began airing on Fox on June 11 , 2002 , and ended its first-run on April 7 , 2016 . In 2018 , the show will make its debut on ABC . It started off as an addition to the Idols format based on the British series Pop Idol , and became one of the most successful shows in the history of American television . The concept of the series involves discovering recording stars from unsigned singing talents , with the winner determined by the viewers in America through telephones , Internet , and SMS text voting . Winners chosen by viewers in its fifteen seasons were Kelly Clarkson , Ruben Studdard , Fantasia , Carrie Underwood , Taylor Hicks , Jordin Sparks , David Cook , Kris Allen , Lee DeWyze , Scotty McCreery , Phillip Phillips , Candice Glover , Caleb Johnson , Nick Fradiani , and Trent Harmon.American Idol employed a panel of judges who critiqued the contestants ' performances . The original judges were record producer and music manager Randy Jackson , pop singer and choreographer Paula Abdul and music executive and manager Simon Cowell . The judging panel for the final seasons consisted of country singer Keith Urban , singer and actress Jennifer Lopez , and jazz singer Harry Connick , Jr. . The first season was hosted by radio personality Ryan Seacrest and comedian Brian Dunkleman , with Seacrest as the sole master of ceremonies for the rest of the series . The success of American Idol has been described as `` unparalleled in broadcasting history '' . The series was also said by a rival TV executive to be `` the most impactful show in the history of television '' . It became a recognized springboard for launching the career of many artists as bona fide stars . According to Billboard magazine , in its first ten years , `` Idol has spawned 345 Billboard chart-toppers and a platoon of pop idols , including Kelly Clarkson , Carrie Underwood , Katharine McPhee , Chris Daughtry , Fantasia , Ruben Studdard , Jennifer Hudson , Clay Aiken , Adam Lambert and Jordin Sparks while remaining a TV ratings juggernaut . '' For an unprecedented eight consecutive years , from the 2003 -- 04 television season through the 2010 -- 11 season , either its performance or result show had been ranked number one in U.S. television ratings . The series concluded its original run on Fox after 15 seasons . American Idol will return for a sixteenth season -- its first on ABC -- in 2018 . The announcement was made official on Good Morning America '' on May 9 , 2017 .", "Friends. Friends ( stylized as F • R • I • E • N • D • S ) is an American television sitcom , created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman , which aired on NBC from September 22 , 1994 , to May 6 , 2004 , lasting ten seasons . With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer , the show revolves around six 20-30 something friends living in Manhattan . The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions , in association with Warner Bros. . Television . The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright , Marta Kauffman , and David Crane . Kauffman and Crane began developing Friends under the title Insomnia Cafe between November and December 1993 . They presented the idea to Bright , and together they pitched a seven-page treatment of the show to NBC . After several script rewrites and changes , including a title change to Six of One and Friends Like Us , the series was finally named Friends . Filming took place at Warner Bros. . Studios in Burbank , California . All ten seasons of Friends ranked within the top ten of the final television season ratings ; ultimately reaching the No. 1 spot with its eighth season . The series finale on May 6 , 2004 , was watched by around 52.5 million American viewers , making it the fifth most watched series finale in television history , and the most watched television episode of the 2000s decade . Friends received acclaim throughout its run , becoming one of the most popular television shows of all time . The series was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards , winning the Outstanding Comedy Series award in 2002 for its eighth season . The show ranked no. 21 on -LSB- -LSB- TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time | TV Guide '' 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time -RSB- -RSB- and no. 7 on Empire magazine 's The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 1997 , the episode `` The One with the Prom Video '' was ranked no. 100 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2013 , Friends '' ranked no. 24 on the Writers Guild of America 's 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time and no. 28 on TV Guide 's 60 Best TV Series of All Time .", "Thurgood Marshall. Thurgood Marshall ( July 2 , 1908January 24 , 1993 ) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States , serving from October 1967 until October 1991 . Marshall was the Court 's 96th justice and its first African-American justice . Before becoming a judge , Marshall was a lawyer who was best known for his high success rate in arguing before the Supreme Court and for the victory in Brown v. Board of Education , a 1954 decision that ruled that segregated public schools were unconstitutional . He served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit after being appointed by President John F. Kennedy . He was appointed as the Solicitor General by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965 . President Johnson nominated him to the United States Supreme Court in 1967 and he was approved by the Senate .", "Batman. Batman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger , and first appeared in Detective Comics # 27 ( 1939 ) . Originally named the `` Bat-Man '' , the character is also referred to by such epithets as the Caped Crusader , the Dark Knight , and the World 's Greatest Detective . Batman 's secret identity is Bruce Wayne , a wealthy American playboy , philanthropist , and owner of Wayne Enterprises . After witnessing the murder of his parents Dr. Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne as a child , he swore vengeance against criminals , an oath tempered by a sense of justice . Bruce Wayne trains himself physically and intellectually and crafts a bat-inspired persona to fight crime . Batman operates in the fictional Gotham City with assistance from various supporting characters , including his butler Alfred , police commissioner Gordon , and vigilante allies such as Robin . Unlike most superheroes , Batman does not possess any superpowers ; rather , he relies on his genius intellect , physical prowess , martial arts abilities , detective skills , science and technology , vast wealth , intimidation , and indomitable will . A large assortment of villains make up Batman 's rogues gallery , including his archenemy , the Joker . The character became popular soon after his introduction in 1939 and gained his own comic book title , Batman , the following year . As the decades went on , differing interpretations of the character emerged . The late 1960s Batman television series used a camp aesthetic , which continued to be associated with the character for years after the show ended . Various creators worked to return the character to his dark roots , culminating in 1986 with The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller . The success of Warner Bros. ' live-action Batman feature films have helped maintain the public 's interest in the character . An American cultural icon , Batman has been licensed and adapted into a variety of media , from radio to television and film , and appears on various merchandise sold all over the world , such as toys and video games . The character has also intrigued psychiatrists , with many trying to understand the character 's psyche . In 2015 , FanSided ranked Batman as number one on their list of `` 50 Greatest Super Heroes In Comic Book History '' . Kevin Conroy , Bruce Greenwood , Peter Weller , Anthony Ruivivar , Jason O'Mara , and Will Arnett , among others , have provided the character 's voice for animated adaptations . Batman has been portrayed in both film and television by Lewis Wilson , Robert Lowery , Adam West , Michael Keaton , Val Kilmer , George Clooney , Christian Bale , and Ben Affleck .", "John T. Marshall. John T. `` Toyzilla '' Marshall is an author , pop culture expert , comic book writer and film producer . He has written five reference books on vintage toys : ( GI Joe And Other Backyard Heroes ( 1997 ) , Action figures of the 1980s ( 1998 ) , Action Figures of the 1960s ( 1998 ) , Comic Book Hero Toys ( 1999 ) , and Collecting Monster Toys ( 1999 ) , all published by Schiffer Publishing ) . He has also been a columnist for Toy Shop , Collectors ' Showcase , and Collecting Toys . Additionally he has been a contributor to several notable books on vintage toys , such as The Collectible GI Joe by Derryl DePriest . In 1993 he formed a comic book publishing company , Marshall Comics , and in the mid-1990s wrote for independent comic book publisher Antarctic Press , including seven issues of Ninja High School . In 2007 he wrote and produced an independent film , Slammerella , co-starring Tiffany Pao .", "George Marshall (director). George E. Marshall ( December 29 , 1891 -- February 17 , 1975 ) was an American actor , screenwriter , producer , film and television director , active through the first six decades of movie history . Relatively few of Marshall 's films are well-known today , with Destry Rides Again , The Blue Dahlia , The Sheepman , and How the West Was Won being the biggest exceptions . Marshall co-directed How the West Was Won with John Ford and Henry Hathaway , handling the railroad segment , which featured a celebrated buffalo stampede sequence . While Marshall worked on almost all kinds of films imaginable , he started his career in the early silent period doing mostly Westerns , a genre he never completely abandoned . In the 1930 's he established a reputation for comedy , directing Laurel and Hardy in three classic films , and also working on a variety of comedies for Fox ( Many of his films at Fox were destroyed in a vault fire in 1937 ) . Later in his career , he was particularly sought after for comedies . He did around half a dozen films each with Bob Hope and Jerry Lewis , and also worked with W.C. Fields , Jackie Gleason , and Will Rogers . Lucille Ball chose George Marshall to direct eleven episodes of her `` Here 's Lucy '' television series in 1969 , having previously worked in several Marshall comedies herself . Marshall is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City , Los Angeles . For his contribution to the film industry , George Marshall has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7048 Hollywood Boulevard .", "We Are Your Friends (film). We Are Your Friends is a 2015 drama film directed by Max Joseph ( in his directorial debut ) and written by Joseph and Meaghan Oppenheimer , from a story by Richard Silverman . The film stars Zac Efron , Emily Ratajkowski and Wes Bentley , and follows a young Los Angeles DJ trying to make it in the music industry and figure out life with his friends . The film was released in the United States by Warner Bros. on August 28 , 2015 . Its financier , StudioCanal , distributed it in France , the United Kingdom , Germany , the Netherlands , Australia and New Zealand . The film received mixed reviews and grossed $ 11 million .", "Marshall Herskovitz. Marshall Schreiber Herskovitz ( born February 23 , 1952 ) is an American film director , writer and producer , and currently the President Emeritus of the Producers Guild of America . Among his productions are Traffic , The Last Samurai , Blood Diamond , and I Am Sam . Herskovitz has directed two feature films , Jack the Bear and Dangerous Beauty . Herskovitz was a creator and executive producer of the television shows thirtysomething , My So-Called Life , and Once and Again , and also wrote and directed several episodes of all three series ." ]

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[ "Grace Jones. Grace Jones ( born 19 May 1948 ) is a Jamaican born singer , songwriter , lyricist , supermodel , record producer , and actress . Born in Jamaica , at age 13 she moved with her siblings to their parents ' home in Syracuse , New York . Jones began her modelling career in New York state , then in Paris , working for fashion houses such as Yves St. Laurent and Kenzo , and appearing on the covers of Elle and Vogue . She worked with photographers such as Helmut Newton , Guy Bourdin , and Hans Feurer , and became known for her distinctive androgynous appearance and bold features . In 1977 Jones secured a record deal with Island Records , initially becoming a star of New York City 's Studio 54-centered disco scene . In the early 1980s she moved toward a new wave style that drew on reggae , funk , post-punk , and pop music , frequently collaborating with both the graphic designer Jean-Paul Goude and the musical duo Sly & Robbie . Her most popular albums include Warm Leatherette ( 1980 ) , Nightclubbing ( 1981 ) , and Slave to the Rhythm ( 1985 ) . She scored Top 40 entries on the UK Singles Chart with `` Pull Up to the Bumper '' , `` I 've Seen That Face Before '' , `` Private Life '' , and `` Slave to the Rhythm '' . In 1982 , she released the music video collection A One Man Show , directed by Goude . Jones appeared in some low-budget films in the US during the 1970s and early 1980s . In 1984 she made her first mainstream appearance as Zula in the fantasy-action film Conan the Destroyer alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sarah Douglas , and subsequently appeared in the 1985 James Bond movie A View to a Kill as May Day . In 1986 she played a vampire in Vamp , and acted in and contributed a song to the 1992 Eddie Murphy film Boomerang . She appeared alongside Tim Curry in the 2001 film Wolf Girl . For her work in Conan the Destroyer , A View to a Kill , and Vamp , she was nominated for Saturn Awards for Best Supporting Actress . In 1999 , Jones ranked 82nd on VH1 's 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll , and in 2008 , she was honored with a Q Idol Award . Jones influenced the cross-dressing movement of the 1980s and has been an inspiration for artists including Annie Lennox , Lady Gaga , Rihanna , Lorde , Róisín Murphy , Brazilian Girls , Nile Rodgers , Santigold , Basement Jaxx and Stanka Brljevic . In December 2016 , Billboard magazine ranked her as the 40th most successful dance artist of all time .", "Nightclubbing (Grace Jones album). Nightclubbing is the fifth studio album by Jamaican singer Grace Jones , released on 11 May 1981 by Island Records . Recorded at Compass Point Studios with producers Alex Sadkin and Island Records ' president Chris Blackwell , as well as a team of session musicians rooted by rhythm section Sly & Robbie , the album marked her second foray into a new wave style that blends a variety of genres , including reggae , art pop , dub , synthpop and funk . The album comprises a mixture of cover versions from artists including Bill Withers , Iggy Pop and Ástor Piazzolla , and original songs , three of which were co-written by Jones . The album received positive reviews upon its release and continues to be praised by critics , with reviewers commending the singer 's unique sound and organic fusion of genres . The album entered in the top 10 in five countries , and became Jones ' highest-ranking record on the US Billboard mainstream albums and R&B charts . Six singles were released from the album , including the hits `` Pull Up to the Bumper '' and `` I 've Seen That Face Before ( Libertango ) '' . Critics and scholars have noted the album 's influence on popular music , especially how its unique sound has been emulated by both pop and alternative acts , and how the persona Jones adopted - deeply influenced by art and fashion - has had an enduring influence in modern female pop singers . Around the time of the album 's release , she adopted her characteristic androgynous look which would become popular in fashion . Nightclubbing is now widely considered Jones ' best studio album and the record that cemented her pop icon status .", "Grace Jones discography. Grace Jones ' discography consists of 10 studio albums , eight compilation albums and 53 singles . Jones began her recording career in 1975 with a disco song `` I Need a Man '' which became her first number one on Billboard '' 's Hot Dance Club Songs chart two years later . She has since topped this chart with `` Slave to the Rhythm '' in 1985 , `` Love on Top of Love '' in 1989 and `` Sex Drive '' in 1993 , scoring four number one club hits in the United States , with a total of 17 entries on this chart . The singer also holds six entries on the US R&B chart , the most successful being `` Pull Up to the Bumper '' at number five . Internationally , her most successful single in terms of commercial performance is arguably the 1985 `` Slave to the Rhythm '' . Jones achieved chart prominence with her 1981 breakthrough album Nightclubbing which entered top 10 in five countries and was her first album to receive recording certifications for its sales . Jones 's commercially most successful album to date remains her 1985 compilation Island Life '' , the only album chart-topper of her career .", "Grace (2014 film). Grace stylized Grace . is a 2014 U.S. drama film directed by Heath Jones and written by Cindy Joy Goggins and Jones , starring Annika Marks , Sharon Lawrence , Chase Mowen and Cindy Joy Goggins . It is produced by Sylvia Caminer and was first released at the Nashville Film Festival on 18 April 2014 .", "I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect for You). `` I 'm Not Perfect ( But I 'm Perfect for You ) '' is the first single by Grace Jones from her album Inside Story , released in 1986 .", "Emma Stone. Emily Jean `` Emma '' Stone ( born November 6 , 1988 ) is an American actress . One of the world 's highest-paid actresses in 2015 , Stone has received numerous accolades , including an Academy Award , a BAFTA Award , a Golden Globe Award and three Screen Actors Guild Awards . She appeared in Forbes Celebrity 100 in 2013 and the Time 100 in 2017 , and is often described by the media as one of the most talented actresses of her generation . Born and raised in Scottsdale , Arizona , Stone began acting as a child , in a theater production of The Wind in the Willows in 2000 . As a teenager , she relocated to Los Angeles with her mother , and made her television debut in VH1 's In Search of the New Partridge Family ( 2004 ) , a reality show that produced only an unsold pilot . After small television roles , she won a Young Hollywood Award for her film debut in Superbad ( 2007 ) , and received positive media attention for her role in Zombieland ( 2009 ) . The 2010 teen comedy Easy A was Stone 's first starring role and earned her nominations for the BAFTA Rising Star Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . This breakthrough was followed by a supporting role in the commercially successful romantic comedy Crazy , Stupid , Love ( 2011 ) , and then a co-starring role in the critically acclaimed drama The Help ( 2011 ) . Stone gained wider recognition for playing Gwen Stacy in the 2012 superhero film The Amazing Spider-Man , and its sequel in 2014 . She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the role of a recovering drug addict in the black comedy-drama Birdman ( 2014 ) . Her Broadway debut came in a revival of the musical Cabaret ( 2014 -- 2015 ) . Stone won an Academy Award , a BAFTA Award , and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for playing an aspiring actress in the highly successful musical film La La Land ( 2016 ) .", "Jones the Rhythm. `` Jones the Rhythm '' is the second single from Grace Jones ' album Slave to the Rhythm , which was released in 1985 .", "Grace Kelly (song). `` Grace Kelly '' is a song by the British singer Mika , released for download on 9 January 2007 . It also appears on Mika 's 2007 album Life in Cartoon Motion . Produced and mixed by Greg Wells , the song entered the UK Singles Chart at number three and the UK Official Download Chart at number one . One week later , it jumped to the top of the UK Singles Chart . The track was number one on the UK Singles Chart for five weeks , and ended 2007 as the year 's third biggest-selling single in that country . In the U.S. , `` Grace Kelly '' was made available for digital download on 16 January 2007 . This song was also # 89 on MTV Asias list of Top 100 Hits of 2007 . It was designed to be a mocking satire of musicians who try to reinvent themselves to be popular . The song is titled after Academy Award-winning American film and stage actress , and Princess of Monaco , Grace Kelly . The bit of dialogue used in the song is from the film The Country Girl . Mika claims the song was inspired after a bad experience with a record company executive , in which he was told to be more like Craig David . The lyric `` So I try a little Freddie '' is a reference to Queen 's Freddie Mercury , to whose singing voice Mika 's has been compared . On at least one occasion , Mika confirmed that he used the main melody from Figaro 's famous aria Largo al factotum in the opera The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini . Mika performed the song at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007 in Munich , and at the 2008 BRIT Awards at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre , London where it was nominated for Best British Single . The song has sold over 630,000 copies in the UK as stated by the Official Charts Company .", "Princess Grace Foundation-USA. The Princess Grace Foundation-USA is a national foundation in the United States which is dedicated to identifying and assisting emerging talent in theater , dance , and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships , apprenticeships , and fellowships . It was named after Grace Kelly , Princess of Monaco . The Foundation has awarded over $ 8 million to nearly 500 theater , dance , and film artists nationwide . It continues to fund its inaugural disciplines and has expanded its grants program to include playwriting and choreography grants within the theater and dance categories .", "A One Man Show. A One Man Show is a long-form music video collection featuring Jamaican singer Grace Jones , released in 1982 . The video mainly consists of music videos , with some concert footage filmed when Jones was touring with the eponymous tour .", "Inside Story (Grace Jones album). Inside Story is Grace Jones 's eighth studio album , released in 1986 , and her first with the Manhattan Records label . The album spawned the hit single `` I 'm Not Perfect ( But I 'm Perfect for You ) '' .", "Slave to the Rhythm (album). Slave to the Rhythm is the seventh studio album by Grace Jones , released on 28 October 1985 by Island Records . Subtitled a biography in the liner notes , Slave to the Rhythm is a concept album , produced by ZTT Records founder and producer Trevor Horn , that went on to become one of Jones ' most commercially successful albums and spawned her biggest hit , `` Slave to the Rhythm '' .", "The Apple Stretching. `` The Apple Stretching '' is a song by American recording artist Grace Jones , released as a single in 1982 .", "Island Life. Island Life is Grace Jones ' compilation album released in December 1985 , summing up the first nine years of her musical career . The album sits among Jones ' best-selling works .", "A Rolling Stone. `` A Rolling Stone '' is a 1980 single by Jamaican singer Grace Jones .", "Film career of Grace Kelly. Grace Kelly has been cited as one of the most elegant and influential iconic film stars in American cinematic history . Her relatively short career of seven years occurred between 1950 and 1956 , during which she appeared in just eleven films . In June 1999 , the American Film Institute ranked her number thirteen on their list of top female stars of American cinema . After a successful stint on stage , Kelly was approached by Hollywood producer Stanley Kramer , who offered her a co-starring role opposite Gary Cooper in the film High Noon ( 1952 ) . In October 1953 , with the release of Mogambo , she became a movie star , a status confirmed in 1954 with a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination as well as leading roles in five films , including The Country Girl , in which she gave a less than glamorized Academy Award-winning performance . She retired from acting at the age of twenty-six to begin her duties as princess consort of Monaco to Rainier III , Prince of Monaco .", "Grace Kelly (musician). Grace Kelly ( born Grace Chung ; May 15 , 1992 ) is an American musician , singer , entertainer , songwriter and arranger . Kelly has collaborated and recorded with many acclaimed musicians in various genres of music , produced and released recordings of her own . Kelly regularly tours with her band . She has scored soundtracks for films and appeared in documentaries . Among her many honors , Kelly was named one of Glamour magazine 's Top 10 College Women in 2011 ; and she has been featured on CNN.com and on the NPR radio shows Piano Jazz with both Marian McPartland and Jon Weber , as well as on WBGO 's JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater . Working professionally since she was a pre-teen , Kelly has been dubbed a prodigy in the jazz world . In 2014 , Kelly worked with the producer Stewart Levine on her EP , Working For The Dreamers which was released in September of that year . She was featured in the December 2015 issue of Vanity Fair as a notable millennial in the jazz world . In her eighth year in a row being named to the Downbeat Critics Poll , Kelly won the 2016 64th Annual Downbeat Critics Poll `` Rising Star Alto Saxophone '' Grace 's 10th Album release as a leader , Trying To Figure It Out ( 2016 PAZZ ) was voted # 2 Jazz Album of the Year in the 2016 Downbeat Magazine Readers Poll .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Debra Messing. Debra Lynn Messing ( born August 15 , 1968 ) is an American actress . She is known for her many television roles , most notably her eight-year run playing Grace Adler on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace . Following her graduation from New York University 's Tisch School of the Arts , Messing had short lived tenures on the Fox sitcom Ned & Stacey ( 1995 -- 1997 ) and the ABC sci-fi Prey ( 1998 ) . She rose to prominence in her role as interior designer Grace Adler on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace ( 1998 -- 2006 ) , earning both commercial and critical success throughout the series ' run . She has also received acclaim for her work as Molly Kagan in the cable series The Starter Wife ( 2007 -- 2008 ) . More recently she has played Julia Houston in the musical-drama series Smash ( 2012-2013 ) and Detective Laura Diamond in the comedy The Mysteries of Laura ( 2014-2016 ) , both on NBC . Messing 's film work includes A Walk in the Clouds , The Mothman Prophecies , Jesus , Hollywood Ending , Along Came Polly , The Wedding Date , Lucky You , The Women , and Nothing like the Holidays . She has also voiced roles in several animated films such as Garfield and Open Season . Throughout her career , she has received six Emmy Award nominations , winning one , and eight Screen Actors Guild Award nominations , winning one . She has also received eight Golden Globe Award nominations .", "Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance. The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards , a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards , to recording artists for works ( songs or albums ) containing quality jazz fusion performances . Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to `` honor artistic achievement , technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry , without regard to album sales or chart position '' . Originally called the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance , Vocal or Instrumental , the award was first presented to the jazz band Weather Report at the 22nd Grammy Awards in 1980 for the album 8:30 . In 1988 , the category name changed to Best Jazz Fusion Performance and was moved to a newly created Fusion field . The category name was retired before the 33rd Grammy Awards ( 1992 ) with the addition of the award for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance ( currently known as Best Contemporary Jazz Album ) . Pat Metheny holds the record for the most wins in this category , with a total of five ( four times with the Pat Metheny Group ) . David Sanborn is the only other musician to win the award more than once , with two . The composition `` Birdland '' earned two musicians the award -- The Manhattan Transfer won in 1981 and Quincy Jones won in 1991 for the version that appears on the compilation album Back on the Block . The award went to artists or groups originating from the United States each year it was presented . Metheny also holds the record for the most nominations , with seven ( including five consecutive nominations between 1981 and 1985 ) . The group Spyro Gyra holds the record for the most nominations without a win , with six . In 1990 , Terri Lyne Carrington became the first solo female artist to be nominated for the award . No female artists were nominated in 1991 , the final year the award was presented , making Carrington the only female solo artist to be nominated throughout the category 's lifetime .", "Grace (band). Grace was a 1990s dance music act , consisting of the DJs Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne and the jazz singer Dominique Atkins . The group 's first single , `` Not Over Yet '' ( originally released in 1993 and then again in 1995 ) , had lead and backing vocals by the original frontwoman Patti Low . Atkins recorded her own lead vocals for `` Not Over Yet '' when it was included as the first track on the group 's only album If I Could Fly .", "Dirty Dancing. Dirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic drama dance film written by Eleanor Bergstein , directed by Emile Ardolino and starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles , as well as Cynthia Rhodes and Jerry Orbach . Originally a low-budget film by a new studio , Great American Films Limited Partnership , and with no major stars ( except Broadway legend Orbach in a supporting role ) , Dirty Dancing became a massive box office hit . , it has earned over $ 214 million worldwide . It was the first film to sell more than a million copies on home video , and the Dirty Dancing soundtrack created by Jimmy Ienner generated two multi-platinum albums and multiple singles , including '' ( I 've Had ) The Time of My Life '' , which won both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Song , and a Grammy Award for best duet . The film 's popularity led to a 2004 prequel , Dirty Dancing : Havana Nights , as well as a stage version which has had sellout performances in Australia , Europe , and North America . In 2011 , a Dirty Dancing remake was announced with Kenny Ortega , who choreographed the original film , as the director . However , on June 8 , 2012 , Lionsgate announced they were postponing the reboot . Citing casting reasons , the remake release was put off until 2014 at the earliest . In February 2015 , it was scheduled to be a TV movie . The remake was officially cancelled in July 2015 , but it was later picked up by ABC . It aired on May 24 , 2017 .", "The Help (film). The Help is a 2011 American period drama film directed and written by Tate Taylor , and adapted from Kathryn Stockett 's 2009 novel of the same name . The film features an ensemble cast that includes Jessica Chastain , Viola Davis , Bryce Dallas Howard , Allison Janney , Octavia Spencer , and Emma Stone . The film and novel recount the story of young white woman and aspiring journalist Eugenia `` Skeeter '' Phelan . The story focuses on her relationship with two black maids , Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson , during the Civil Rights Movement in 1962 Jackson , Mississippi . In an attempt to become a legitimate journalist and writer , Skeeter decides to write a book from the point of view of the maids -- referred to as `` the help '' -- exposing the racism they are faced with as they work for white families . DreamWorks Pictures acquired the screen rights to Stockett 's novel in March 2010 , and quickly commissioned the film into production with Chris Columbus , Michael Barnathan , and Brunson Green as producers . The film 's casting began later that month , with principal photography following four months after in Mississippi . Touchstone Pictures released The Help worldwide , with a general theatrical release in North America on August 10 , 2011 . The film was a critical and commercial success , receiving positive reviews and grossing $ 216 million in worldwide box office . The Help received four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture , Best Actress for Davis , and Best Supporting Actress for both Chastain and Spencer , with the latter winning the award . The film also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture .", "Grace Moore. Grace Moore ( December 5 , 1898January 26 , 1947 ) was an American operatic soprano and actress in musical theatre and film . She was nicknamed the `` Tennessee Nightingale . '' Her films helped to popularize opera by bringing it to a larger audience . She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in One Night of Love . In 1947 , Moore died in a plane crash at the age of 48 . She published an autobiography in 1944 titled You 're Only Human Once . In 1953 , a film about her life was released titled So This Is Love starring Kathryn Grayson .", "Graceland (album). Graceland is the seventh solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon . Produced by Simon and Roy Halee , the album was released on August 25 , 1986 , by Warner Bros. . Records . In the early 1980s , Simon 's career hit a low point . Following a very successful but contentious reunion with former partner Art Garfunkel , Simon 's marriage fell apart and his previous record , Hearts and Bones ( 1983 ) , was a significant commercial disappointment . In 1984 , after a period of depression , Simon became fascinated with a bootleg cassette of South African township music . He planned a trip to Johannesburg in the new year with Halee , where he spent two weeks recording with South African musicians . Recorded in 1985 and 1986 , Graceland features an eclectic mixture of musical styles , including pop , rock , a cappella , zydeco , isicathamiya , and mbaqanga . Simon created new compositions inspired by the recordings made in Johannesburg , collaborating with both African and American artists . Simon faced controversy for seemingly breaking the cultural boycott imposed by the rest of the world against South Africa because of its policy of apartheid . In addition , some critics viewed Graceland as an exploitive appropriation of their culture . Following its completion , Simon toured alongside South African musicians , combining the music of Graceland and their own music . Despite the controversy , Graceland was a major commercial hit , becoming Simon 's most successful studio album . His highest-charting effort in over a decade , Simon 's return to the forefront of popular music was considered a remarkable comeback in a fickle music industry . It attracted excellent reviews from music critics , won the 1987 Grammy Award for Album of the Year , and is estimated to have sold up to 16 million copies worldwide . Graceland has frequently been called one of the best albums of the 1980s , and is present on lists of greatest albums created by numerous publications . It was added to the National Recording Registry in 2007 , having been judged to meet the registry 's admission criterion of being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically important . ''", "Betty Draper. Elizabeth `` Betty '' Hofstadt Francis ( formerly Draper ) is a fictional character on AMC 's television series Mad Men , portrayed by January Jones . The character 's appearance is often compared to Grace Kelly . Jones received two Golden Globe nominations and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her performance . She also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series twice along with the cast of Mad Men .", "Disco (Grace Jones album). Disco is a boxed set of three Grace Jones 's albums released in 2015 . The set contains Portfolio ( 1977 ) , Fame ( 1978 ) , and Muse ( 1979 ) , all of which were recorded at Philadelphia 's Sigma Sound with disco pioneer Tom Moulton as producer , in their entirety . The albums were remastered and each of the 3 CDs included 7 bonus tracks while the vinyl box maintains the original track listings and offers a fourth record , that collects mainly long versions of the 45s from this era .", "Dance. Dance is a performing art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement . This movement has aesthetic and symbolic value , and is acknowledged as dance by performers and observers within a particular culture . Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography , by its repertoire of movements , or by its historical period or place of origin . An important distinction is to be drawn between the contexts of theatrical and participatory dance , although these two categories are not always completely separate ; both may have special functions , whether social , ceremonial , competitive , erotic , martial , or sacred/liturgical . Other forms of human movement are sometimes said to have a dance-like quality , including martial arts , gymnastics , cheerleading , figure skating , synchronized swimming , marching bands , and many other forms of athletics .", "This Week of Grace. This Week of Grace is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Gracie Fields , Henry Kendall and John Stuart . A poor , unemployed woman is made housekeeper at the estate of a wealthy duchess . It was promoted with the tagline `` Cinderella in modern dress '' . It is notable for its songs written by Harry Parr-Davies , including `` My Lucky Day '' and `` Happy Ending '' .", "Black Grace. Black Grace is an internationally touring modern dance company , formed in Auckland , New Zealand in 1995 . Neil Ieremia , the group 's founder and choreographer , draws on Māori and Pacific Islander indigenous dance , as well as modern dance and hip hop . Ieremia graduated from the Auckland Performing Arts School and joined the Douglas Wright Dance Company , the leading New Zealand contemporary-dance company at the time . However , the founding members , such as Sam Fuataga and Sean MacDonald , initially had more experience with sports such as rugby , basketball and running than with dance . Performances remain infused with athleticism and may occasionally include a bit of whimsy that is less common in those of other troupes . In Human Language , as the female dancers dance before them , the male dancers inflate toy balloons and look upward in mimicry of courting behavior of certain bird species . Coming from a story-telling tradition called slap dancing that includes speaking , singing and slapping their bodies , Ieremia incorporates these elements in his choreography . Musical accompaniment includes Samoan indigenous music , Bach and hip hop . As the foremost contemporary dance company in New Zealand , the company has toured extensively in that country , as well as the Netherlands , and North America . Their first appearance in the United States in August 2004 at the Jacob 's Pillow Dance Festival in New York City was well received . By the end of a week of performances , they were performing before `` vociferously enthusiastic , soldout houses . '' In 2005 , Black Grace performed at the World Expo , Aichi and Tokyo . A documentary on the group , Black Grace : From Cannon 's Creek to Jacob 's Pillow , premiered 21 June 2007 on PBS . In March 2008 , Black Grace gave two forty-minute performances before more than 10,000 people at WOMADelaide in southern Australia . An all-male company , four guest female dancers performed with six males in its eleven city 2008 tour of North America . As of 2008 , the members are variously of Māori , Pacific Island , New Zealand and Australian descent . MacDonald and Ieremia are the only founding members that remain in the troupe . According to Ieremia , a New Zealander of Samoan ancestry , the term black in the company name refers to courage in the New Zealand Māori / Pacific Islander argot of the 1980s . Grace is a quality that he admires and to which he aspires .", "Quincy Jones. Quincy Delight Jones , Jr. ( born March 14 , 1933 ) , also known as `` Q '' , is an American record producer , actor , conductor , arranger , composer , musician , television producer , film producer , instrumentalist , magazine founder , entertainment company executive , and humanitarian . His career spans six decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations , and 28 Grammys , including a Grammy Legend Award in 1991 . He is best known for the role of himself in Yakety Yak , Take it Back , Trash Talk , and Fantasia 2000 . Jones came to prominence in the 1950s as a jazz arranger and conductor , before moving on to work prolifically in pop music and film scores . In 1968 , Jones and his songwriting partner Bob Russell became the first African Americans to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song , their `` The Eyes of Love '' for the Universal Pictures film Banning . That same year , Jones was the first African American to be nominated twice within the same year for an Academy Award for Best Original Score , as he was also nominated for his work on the film In Cold Blood ( 1967 ) . In 1971 , Jones was the first African American to be named as the musical director and conductor of the Academy Awards ceremony . In 1995 , he was the first African American to receive the Academy 's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award . He is tied with sound designer Willie D. Burton as the African American who has been nominated for the most Oscars ; each has received seven nominations . Jones was the producer , with Michael Jackson , of Jackson 's albums Off the Wall ( 1979 ) , Thriller ( 1982 ) , and Bad ( 1987 ) , as well as the producer and conductor of the 1985 charity song `` We Are the World '' , which raised funds for victims of destitution in Ethiopia . In 2013 , Jones was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as the winner , alongside Lou Adler , of the Ahmet Ertegun Award . Among his awards , Jones was named by Time Magazine as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century .", "Demi Moore. Demi Gene Guynes ( -LSB- dəˈmiː -RSB- ; born November 11 , 1962 ) , professionally known as Demi Moore , is an American actress , former songwriter , and model . Moore dropped out of high school at age 16 to pursue an acting career and appeared in the men 's magazine Oui in 1981 . After making her film debut later that year , she appeared on the soap opera General Hospital and subsequently gained recognition for her work in Blame It on Rio ( 1984 ) and St. Elmo 's Fire ( 1985 ) . Her first film to become both a critical and commercial hit was About Last Night ... ( 1986 ) , which established her as a Hollywood star . In 1990 , Moore starred in Ghost , the highest-grossing film of that year , for which she received a Golden Globe nomination . She had a string of additional box-office successes in the early 1990s , including A Few Good Men ( 1992 ) , Indecent Proposal ( 1993 ) , and Disclosure ( 1994 ) . In 1996 , Moore became the highest-paid actress in film history when she was paid a then-unprecedented fee of $ 12.5 million to star in Striptease , a film that was a high-profile disappointment . Her next major role , G.I. Jane ( 1997 ) , for which she famously shaved her head , was followed by a lengthy break and significant downturn in Moore 's career , although she has remained a subject of substantial media interest during the years since ." ]

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[ "Lisbon. Lisbon ( -LSB- ˈlɪzbən -RSB- Lisboa , -LSB- liʒˈβoɐ -RSB- ) is the capital and the largest city of Portugal , with a population of 552,700 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km ² . Its urban area extends beyond the city 's administrative limits with a population of around 2.7 million people , being the 11th-most populous urban area in the European Union . About 2.8 million people live in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area ( which represents approximately 27 % of the country 's population ) . It is continental Europe 's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast . Lisbon lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus . The westernmost areas of its metro area is the westernmost point of Continental Europe . Lisbon is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance , commerce , media , entertainment , arts , international trade , education and tourism . It is one of the major economic centres on the continent , with a growing financial sector and one of the largest container ports on Europe 's Atlantic coast . Humberto Delgado Airport serves over 20 million passengers annually , as of 2015 , and the motorway network and the high-speed rail system of Alfa Pendular link the main cities of Portugal . The city is the 7th-most-visited city in Southern Europe , after Istanbul , Rome , Barcelona , Madrid , Athens and Milan , with 1,740,000 tourists in 2009 . The Lisbon region contributes with a higher GDP PPP per capita than any other region in Portugal . It 's GDP amounts to 96.3 billion USD and thus $ 32,434 per capita , 40 % higher than the average European Union 's GDP per capita . The city occupies 32nd place of highest gross earnings in the world . Most of the headquarters of multinationals in the country are located in the Lisbon area . It is also the political centre of the country , as its seat of Government and residence of the Head of State . Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world , and the oldest in Western Europe , predating other modern European capitals such as London , Paris and Rome by centuries . Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia , adding to the name Olissipo . Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century , it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century . In 1147 , the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city and since then it has been a major political , economic and cultural centre of Portugal . Unlike most capital cities , Lisbon 's status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially -- by statute or in written form . Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention , making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal . Lisbon enjoys a Mediterranean climate . It has one of the warmest winters of any metropolis in Europe , with average temperatures 15 ° C during the day and 8 ° C at night from December to February . The typical summer season lasts about four months , from June to September , although also in April temperatures sometimes reach around 25 ° C.", "Grande Lisboa. Grande Lisboa ( Greater Lisbon in English ) is a Portuguese NUTS III subregion integrated in the Lisboa Region . It includes the capital and prime city of Portugal - Lisbon ( Lisboa in Portuguese ) . It is the main economical subregion of the country . It covers 1,376 km ² and it is the most populous and most densely populated Portuguese subregion ( 2,821,619 inhabitants and 2,043 inhabitants/km ² ) .", "Portugal. Portugal ( Portuguese : -LSB- puɾtuˈɣaɫ -RSB- ) , officially the Portuguese Republic ( -LSB- República Portuguesa , links = no -RSB- ) ( Portuguese : -LSB- ʁɨ ` publikɐ puɾtu ' ɣezɐ -RSB- ) In recognized minority languages of Portugal : República Pertuesa is a sovereign state located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe . It is the westernmost country of mainland Europe . To the west and south it is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and to the east and north by Spain . The Portugal -- Spain border is 1214 km long and considered the longest uninterrupted border within the European Union . The republic also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira , both autonomous regions with their own regional governments . The territory of modern Portugal has been continuously settled , invaded and fought over since prehistoric times . The Pre-Celts , Celts , Carthaginians and Romans were followed by the invasions of the Visigothic and the Suebi Germanic peoples . Portugal as a country was born in the aftermath of the Christian Reconquista against the Moors who had invaded the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD and occupied most of it ever since . Precipitated by the seminal event for its foundation , the Battle of São Mamede , where Portuguese forces led by Afonso Henriques defeated forces led by his mother Theresa of Portugal and her lover Fernão Peres de Trava , which established the nation 's sovereignty against rival neighbor kingdoms . Following São Mamede , the future king styled himself Prince of Portugal . He would be proclaimed King of Portugal in the Battle of Ourique in 1139 and was recognised as such by neighbouring kingdoms in 1143 . In the 15th and 16th centuries , Portugal established the first global empire , becoming one of the world 's major economic , political and military powers . During this time , Portuguese explorers pioneered maritime exploration in the Age of Discovery , notably under royal patronage of Prince Henry the Navigator and King João II , with such notable discoveries as Bartolomeu Dias 's reach of the Cape of Good Hope ( 1488 ) , the Vasco da Gama 's sea route to India ( 1497 -- 98 ) and the discovery of Brazil ( 1500 ) . Portugal monopolized the spice trade during this time , and the Portuguese Empire expanded with military campaigns led in Asia . But the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake , the country 's occupation during the Napoleonic Wars , the independence of Brazil ( 1822 ) , and the Liberal Wars ( 1828 -- 34 ) , all left Portugal crippled from war and diminished in its world power . After the 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy , the democratic but unstable Portuguese First Republic was established , later being superseded by the Estado Novo right-wing authoritarian regime . Democracy was restored after the Portuguese Colonial War and the Carnation Revolution in 1974 . Shortly after , independence was granted to almost all its overseas territories . The handover of Macau to China in 1999 marked the end of the longest-lived colonial empire . Portugal has left a profound cultural and architectural influence across the globe and a legacy of over 250 million Portuguese speakers today . Portugal is a developed country with a high-income advanced economy and a high living standard . It is the 5th most peaceful country in the world , maintaining a unitary semi-presidential republican form of government . It has the 18th highest Social Progress in the world , putting it ahead of other Western European countries like France , Spain and Italy . A founding member of NATO and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries , it is also a member of numerous other international organizations , including the United Nations , the European Union , the eurozone , and the OECD . Portugal is a pioneer when it comes to drug decriminalization , as the nation decriminalized the possession of all drugs for personal use in 2001 . LGBT rights in Portugal have improved substantially in the past two decades and are now among the best in the world . Moreover , after years of investment and cooperation , Portugal marked a climax on renewable energy worldwide in 2016 , when it was powered for 107 consecutive hours exclusively by wind , sun , and water , which advocates say further shows fossil fuels are indeed replaceable .", "History of Lisbon. The history of Lisbon , the capital city of Portugal , revolves around its strategic geographical position at the mouth of the Tagus , the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula . Its spacious and sheltered natural harbour made the city historically an important seaport for trade between the Mediterranean Sea and northern Europe . Lisbon has long enjoyed the commercial advantages of its proximity to southern and extreme western Europe , as well as sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas , and today its waterfront is lined with miles of docks , wharfs , and drydock facilities that accommodate the largest oil tankers . During the Neolithic period , pre-Celtic peoples inhabited the region ; remains of their stone monuments still exist today in the periphery of the city . Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in western Europe , with a history that stretches back to its original settlement by the indigenous Iberians , the Celts , and the eventual establishment of Phoenician and Greek trading posts ( c. 800 -- 600 BC ) , followed by successive occupations in the city of various peoples including the Carthaginians , Romans , Suebi , Visigoths , and Moors . Roman armies first entered the Iberian peninsula in 219 BC , and occupied the Lusitanian city of Olissipo ( Lisbon ) in 205 BC , after winning the Second Punic War against the Carthaginians . With the collapse of the Roman Empire , waves of Germanic tribes invaded the peninsula , and by 500 AD , the Visigothic Kingdom controlled most of Hispania . In 711 , Islamic Moors , who were mostly Berbers and Arabs from the Maghreb , invaded the Christian Iberian Peninsula , conquering Lisbon in 714 . What is now Portugal first became part of the Emirate of Córdoba and then of its successor state , the Caliphate of Córdoba . Despite attempts to seize it by the Normans in 844 and by Alfonso VI in 1093 , Lisbon remained a Muslim possession . In 1147 , after a four-month siege , Christian crusaders under the command of Afonso I captured the city and Christian rule returned . In 1256 , Afonso III moved his capital from Coimbra to Lisbon , taking advantage of the city 's excellent port and its strategic central position . Lisbon flourished in the 15th and 16th centuries as the centre of a vast empire during the period of the Portuguese discoveries , This was a time of intensive maritime exploration , when the Kingdom of Portugal accumulated great wealth and power through its colonisation of Asia , South America , Africa and the Atlantic islands . Evidence of the city 's wealth can still be seen today in the magnificent structures built then , including the Jerónimos Monastery and the nearby Tower of Belém , each classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 . The 1755 Lisbon earthquake , in combination with subsequent fires and a tsunami , almost totally destroyed Lisbon and adjoining areas . Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo , 1st Marquis of Pombal , took the lead in ordering the rebuilding of the city , and was responsible for the creation of the elegant financial and commercial district of the Baixa Pombalina ( Pombaline Lower Town ) . During the Peninsular War , ( 1807 -- 1814 ) Napoleon 's forces began a four-year occupation of the city in December 1807 , and Lisbon descended with the rest of the country into anarchy . After the war ended in 1814 , a new constitution was proclaimed and Brazil was granted independence . The 20th century brought political upheaval to Lisbon and the nation as a whole . In 1908 , at the height of the turbulent period of the Republican movement , King Carlos and his heir Luís Filipe were assassinated in the Terreiro do Paço . On 5 October 1910 , the Republicans organised a coup d'état that overthrew the constitutional monarchy and established the Portuguese Republic . There were 45 changes of government from 1910 through 1926 . The right-wing Estado Novo regime , which ruled the country from 1926 to 1974 , suppressed civil liberties and political freedom in the longest-lived dictatorship in Western Europe . It was finally deposed by the Carnation Revolution ( Revolução dos Cravos ) , launched in Lisbon with a military coup on 25 April 1974 . The movement was joined by a popular campaign of civil resistance , leading to the fall of the Estado Novo , the restoration of democracy , and the withdrawal of Portugal from its African colonies and East Timor . Following the revolution , there was a huge influx into Lisbon of refugees from the former African colonies in 1974 and 1975 . Portugal joined the European Community ( EC ) in 1986 , and subsequently received massive funding to spur redevelopment . Lisbon 's local infrastructure was improved with new investment and its container port became the largest on the Atlantic coast . The city was in the limelight as the 1994 European City of Culture , as well as host of Expo '98 and the 2004 European Football Championships . The year 2006 saw continuing urban renewal projects throughout the city , ranging from the restoration of the Praça de Touros ( Lisbon 's bullring ) and its re-opening as a multi-event venue , to improvements of the metro system and building rehabilitation in the Alfama .", "Lisbon (disambiguation). Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal . Lisbon may also refer to :", "Treaty of Lisbon. The Treaty of Lisbon ( initially known as the Reform Treaty ) is an international agreement which amends the two treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union ( EU ) . The Treaty of Lisbon was signed by the EU member states on 13 December 2007 , and entered into force on 1 December 2009 . It amends the Maastricht Treaty ( 1993 ) , known in updated form as the Treaty on European Union ( 2007 ) or TEU , and the Treaty of Rome ( 1957 ) , known in updated form as the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union ( 2007 ) or TFEU . It also amends the attached treaty protocols as well as the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community ( EURATOM ) . Prominent changes included the move from unanimity to qualified majority voting in at least 45 policy areas in the Council of Ministers , a change in calculating such a majority to a new double majority , a more powerful European Parliament forming a bicameral legislature alongside the Council of Ministers under the ordinary legislative procedure , a consolidated legal personality for the EU and the creation of a long-term President of the European Council and a High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy . The Treaty also made the Union 's bill of rights , the Charter of Fundamental Rights , legally binding . The Treaty for the first time gave member states the explicit legal right to leave the EU and the procedure to do so . The stated aim of the treaty was to `` complete the process started by the Treaty of Amsterdam -LSB- 1997 -RSB- and by the Treaty of Nice -LSB- 2001 -RSB- with a view to enhancing the efficiency and democratic legitimacy of the Union and to improving the coherence of its action '' . Opponents of the Treaty of Lisbon , such as former Danish Member of the European Parliament ( MEP ) Jens-Peter Bonde , argued that it would centralize the EU , and weaken democracy by `` moving power away '' from national electorates . Supporters argue that it brings more checks and balances into the EU system , with stronger powers for the European Parliament and a new role for national parliaments . Negotiations to modify EU institutions began in 2001 , resulting first in the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe , which would have repealed the existing European treaties and replaced them with a `` constitution '' . Although ratified by a majority of member states , this was abandoned after being rejected by 54.67 % of French voters on 29 May 2005 and then by 61.54 % of Dutch voters on 1 June 2005 . After a `` period of reflection '' , member states agreed instead to maintain the existing treaties , but to amend them , salvaging a number of the reforms that had been envisaged in the constitution . An amending `` reform '' treaty was drawn up and signed in Lisbon in 2007 . It was originally intended to have been ratified by all member states by the end of 2008 . This timetable failed , primarily due to the initial rejection of the Treaty in June 2008 by the Irish electorate , a decision which was reversed in a second referendum in October 2009 after Ireland secured a number of concessions related to the treaty .", "Lisboa Region. Lisboa Region ( Região de Lisboa ) is one of the seven NUTS II designated regions of Portugal , which includes two NUTS III subregions : Greater Lisbon and Peninsula of Setúbal . The region covers an area of 3001.95 km2 ( the smallest region on mainland Portugal ) and includes a population of 2,815,851 inhabitants according to the 2011 census ( the most populated region in Portugal ) , a density of 1039 inhabitants/km2 . Considered as representing the Lisboa Metropolitan Region . It is a region of significant importance in industry ( light and heavy ) , services , and it is highly urbanized .", "Lisbon, New York. Lisbon is a town in St. Lawrence County , New York , United States . The population was 4,102 at the 2010 census . By some accounts , the town is named after Lisbon , the capital of Portugal . However , the 1810 US Census for the town shows the town 's name as Lisburn , which is a city located in Northern Ireland adjacent to the capital of Belfast . Belfast was the birthplace of Alexander Macomb , the prosperous New York City merchant of Loyalist sympathies . Earlier in 1791 , he purchased much of Northern New York along the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario , which the state had released for public sale after cession of the land by the Iroquois . With partners , Macomb sold the land for development . The Town of Lisbon is in the northern part of the county and is northwest of Canton .", "London. London -LSB- ˈlʌndən -RSB- is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom . Standing on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain , London has been a major settlement for two millennia . It was founded by the Romans , who named it Londinium . London 's ancient core , the City of London , largely retains its 1.12 sqmi medieval boundaries . Since at least the 19th century , `` London '' has also referred to the metropolis around this core , historically split between Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which today largely makes up Greater London , See also : Independent city § National capitals . governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.The London Mayor is not to be confused with the Lord Mayor of London who heads the City of London Corporation , which administers the City of London . London is a leading global city in the arts , commerce , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , professional services , research and development , tourism , and transportation . It is crowned as the world 's largest financial centre and has the fifth - or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world.Rankings of cities by metropolitan area GDP can vary as a result of differences in the definition of the boundaries and population sizes of the areas compared , exchange rate fluctuations and the method used to calculate output . London and Paris are of broadly similar size in terms of total economic output which can result in third party sources varying as to which is the fifth-largest city GDP in the world . A report by the McKinsey Global Institute published in 2012 estimated that London had a city GDP of US$ 751.8 billion in 2010 , compared to US$ 764.2 billion for Paris , making them respectively the sixth - and fifth-largest in the world . A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers published in November 2009 estimated that London had a city GDP measured in purchasing power parity of US$ 565 billion in 2008 , compared to US$ 564 billion for Paris , making them respectively the fifth - and sixth-largest in the world . The McKinsey Global Institute study used a metropolitan area with a population of 14.9 million for London compared to 11.8 million for Paris , whilst the PricewaterhouseCoopers study used a metropolitan area with a population of 8.59 million for London compared to 9.92 million for Paris . London is a world cultural capital . It is the world 's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the world 's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic . London is the world 's leading investment destination , hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city . London 's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe . In 2012 , London became the first city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times . London has a diverse range of people and cultures , and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region . Its estimated mid-2015 municipal population ( corresponding to Greater London ) was 8,673,713 , the largest of any city in the European Union , and accounting for 12.5 % of the UK population . London 's urban area is the second most populous in the EU , after Paris , with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census . The city 's metropolitan area is the most populous in the EU with 13,879,757 inhabitants , while the Greater London Authority states the population of the city-region ( covering a large part of the south east ) as 22.7 million . London was the world 's most populous city from around 1831 to 1925 . London contains four World Heritage Sites : the Tower of London ; Kew Gardens ; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster , Westminster Abbey , and St Margaret 's Church ; and the historic settlement of Greenwich ( in which the Royal Observatory , Greenwich marks the Prime Meridian , 0 ° longitude , and GMT ) . Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul 's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , Trafalgar Square , and The Shard . London is home to numerous museums , galleries , libraries , sporting events , and other cultural institutions , including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and West End theatres . The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world .", "Oeiras, Portugal. Oeiras ( -LSB- oˈɐjɾɐʃ -RSB- ) is a municipality in western part of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area , subregion of Greater Lisbon , in continental Portugal . It is part of the urban agglomeration of Lisbon . The population in 2011 was 172,120 , in an area of 45.88 km ² , making the municipality the fifth-most densely populated in Portugal . Oeiras is an important economic hub , being one of the most highly developed municipalities of Portugal and Europe . It has the highest GDP ( Growth Domestic Product ) in the country , being also the second municipality ( right after Lisbon ) with the highest purchasing power as well as the second one collecting taxes in the country . This economic results are also a reflection of the inhabitants studies , being Oeiras the municipality with the highest concentration of population with higher education in the country and the lowest unemployment rate in the Lisbon area .", "Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Lisbon Metropolitan Area ( Área Metropolitana de Lisboa , or AML ) is an administrative division that includes 18 municipalities ( concelhos ) in Portugal and is a designated Level II and Level III Portuguese NUTS region .", "New York City. The City of New York , often called New York City or simply New York , is the most populous city in the United States . With an estimated 2016 population of 8,537,673 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 sqmi , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the United States . Located at the southern tip of the state of New York , the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area , one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . A global power city , New York City exerts a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . Home to the headquarters of the United Nations , New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world . Situated on one of the world 's largest natural harbors , New York City consists of five boroughs , each of which is a separate county of New York State . The five boroughs -- Brooklyn , Queens , Manhattan , The Bronx , and Staten Island -- were consolidated into a single city in 1898 . The city and its metropolitan area constitute the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States , and as many as 800 languages are spoken in New York , making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world . New York City is home to more than 3.2 million residents born outside the United States , the world 's largest foreign-born population of any city . By 2016 estimates , the New York City metropolitan region remains by a significant margin the most populous in the United States , as defined by both the Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) , 20.2 million residents , and the Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , 23.7 million residents . In 2013 , the MSA produced a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of nearly US$ 1.39 trillion . In 2012 , the CSA generated a GMP of over US$ 1.55 trillion . NYC 's MSA and CSA GDP are higher than the GDPs of all but 11 and 12 countries , respectively . New York City traces its origin to its 1624 founding in Lower Manhattan as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626 . The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother , the Duke of York . New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790 . It has been the country 's largest city since 1790 . The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a symbol of the United States and its democracy . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known , and the city received a record of nearly 60 million tourists in 2015 , hosting three of the world 's ten most visited tourist attractions in 2013 . Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world . Times Square , iconic as the world 's `` heart '' and its `` Crossroads '' , is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District , one of the world 's busiest pedestrian intersections , and a major center of the world 's entertainment industry . The names of many of the city 's bridges , tapered skyscrapers , and parks are known around the world . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and the city is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization , the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Manhattan 's real estate market is among the most expensive in the world . Manhattan 's Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere , with multiple signature Chinatowns developing across the city . Providing continuous 24/7 service , the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive metro systems worldwide , with stations in operation . Over 120 colleges and universities are located in New York City , including Columbia University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "University of Lisbon. The University of Lisbon ( ULisboa ; Universidade de Lisboa , -LSB- univɨɾsiˈdad dɨ liʒˈboɐ -RSB- ) is a public research university in Lisbon , and the largest university in Portugal . It was founded in 2013 , from the merger of two previous public universities located in Lisbon , the former University of Lisbon ( 1911 -- 2013 ) and the Technical University of Lisbon ( 1930 -- 2013 ) . The history of a university in Lisbon dates back to the 13th century .", "Americas. The Americas ( also collectively called America ) encompass the totality of the continents of North and South America . Together , they make up most of the land in Earth 's western hemisphere and comprise the New World . Along with their associated islands , they cover 8 % of Earth 's total surface area and 28.4 % of its land area . The topography is dominated by the American Cordillera , a long chain of mountains that runs the length of the west coast . The flatter eastern side of the Americas is dominated by large river basins , such as the Amazon , St. Lawrence River / Great Lakes basin , Mississippi , and La Plata . Since the Americas extend 14000 km from north to south , the climate and ecology vary widely , from the arctic tundra of Northern Canada , Greenland , and Alaska , to the tropical rain forests in Central America and South America . Humans first settled the Americas from Asia between 42,000 and 17,000 years ago . A second migration of Na-Dene speakers followed later from Asia . The subsequent migration of the Inuit into the neoarctic around 3500 BCE completed what is generally regarded as the settlement by the indigenous peoples of the Americas . The first known European settlement in the Americas was by the Norse explorer Leif Ericson . However , the colonization never became permanent and was later abandoned . The voyages of Christopher Columbus from 1492 to 1502 resulted in permanent contact with European ( and subsequently , other Old World ) powers , which led to the Columbian exchange . Diseases introduced from Europe and West Africa devastated the indigenous peoples , and the European powers colonized the Americas . Mass emigration from Europe , including large numbers of indentured servants , and importation of African slaves largely replaced the indigenous peoples . Decolonization of the Americas began with the American Revolution in 1776 and Haitian Revolution in 1791 . Currently , almost all of the population of the Americas resides in independent countries ; however , the legacy of the colonization and settlement by Europeans is that the Americas share many common cultural traits , most notably Christianity and the use of Indo-European languages ; primarily Spanish , English , Portuguese , French , and to a lesser extent , Dutch . The population is over 1 billion , with over 65 % of them living in one of the three most populous countries ( the United States , Brazil , and Mexico ) . As of the beginning of the 2010s , the most populous urban agglomerations are Mexico City ( Mexico ) , New York ( U.S. ) , Sao Paulo ( Brazil ) , Los Angeles ( U.S. ) , Buenos Aires ( Argentina ) and Rio de Janeiro ( Brazil ) , all of them megacities ( metropolitan areas with ten million inhabitants or more ) .", "Porto. Porto ( -LSB- ˈpoɾtu -RSB- , locally -LSB- ˈpwoɾtu -RSB- ; also known as Oporto in English ) is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon and one of the major urban areas of the Iberian Peninsula . The urban area of Porto , which extends beyond the administrative limits of the city , has a population of 2.1 million ( 2011 ) in an area of 389 km2 , making it the second-largest urban area in Portugal . It is recognized as a gamma-level global city by the Globalization and World Cities ( GaWC ) Study Group , the only Portuguese city besides Lisbon to be recognised as a global city . Located along the Douro river estuary in Northern Portugal , Porto is one of the oldest European centres , and its historical core was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996 . The western part of its urban area extends to the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean . Its settlement dates back many centuries , when it was an outpost of the Roman Empire . Its combined Celtic-Latin name , Portus Cale , has been referred to as the origin of the name `` Portugal '' , based on transliteration and oral evolution from Latin . In Portuguese , the name of the city is spelled with a definite article ( `` o Porto '' ; the port ) . Consequently , its English name evolved from a misinterpretation of the oral pronunciation and referred to as Oporto in modern literature and by many speakers . One of Portugal 's internationally famous exports , port wine , is named for Porto , since the metropolitan area , and in particular the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia , were responsible for the packaging , transport and export of the fortified wine . In 2014 and 2017 , Porto was elected The Best European Destination by the Best European Destinations Agency .", "Europe. Europe is a continent that comprises the westernmost part of Eurasia . Europe is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north , the Atlantic Ocean to the west , and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . The eastern boundary with Asia is a historical and cultural construct , as there is no clear physical and geographical separation between them ; Europe is generally considered as separated from Asia by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains , the Ural River , the Caspian and Black Seas , and the waterways of the Turkish Straits . Yet the non-oceanic borders of Europe -- a concept dating back to classical antiquity -- are arbitrary . The primarily physiographic term `` continent '' as applied to Europe also incorporates cultural and political elements whose discontinuities are not always reflected by the continent 's current overland boundaries . Europe covers about 10,180,000 km2 , or 2 % of the Earth 's surface ( 6.8 % of land area ) . Politically , Europe is divided into about fifty sovereign states of which the Russian Federation is the largest and most populous , spanning 39 % of the continent and comprising 15 % of its population . Europe had a total population of about 740 million ( about 11 % of world population ) . The European climate is largely affected by warm Atlantic currents that temper winters and summers on much of the continent , even at latitudes along which the climate in Asia and North America is severe . Further from the sea , seasonal differences are more noticeable than close to the coast . Europe , in particular ancient Greece , was the birthplace of Western civilization . The fall of the Western Roman Empire , during the migration period , marked the end of ancient history and the beginning of an era known as the Middle Ages . Renaissance humanism , exploration , art , and science led to the modern era . From the Age of Discovery onwards , Europe played a predominant role in global affairs . Between the 16th and 20th centuries , European powers controlled at various times the Americas , most of Africa , Oceania , and the majority of Asia . The Industrial Revolution , which began in Great Britain at the end of the 18th century , gave rise to radical economic , cultural , and social change in Western Europe , and eventually the wider world . Both world wars took place for the most part in Europe , contributing to a decline in Western European dominance in world affairs by the mid-20th century as the Soviet Union and the United States took prominence . During the Cold War , Europe was divided along the Iron Curtain between NATO in the west and the Warsaw Pact in the east , until the revolutions of 1989 and fall of the Berlin Wall . In 1955 , the Council of Europe was formed following a speech by Sir Winston Churchill , with the idea of unifying Europe to achieve common goals . It includes all states except for Belarus , Kazakhstan and Vatican City . Further European integration by some states led to the formation of the European Union , a separate political entity that lies between a confederation and a federation . The EU originated in Western Europe but has been expanding eastward since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 . The currency of most countries of the European Union , the euro , is the most commonly used among Europeans ; and the EU 's Schengen Area abolishes border and immigration controls among most of its member states . The European Anthem is `` Ode to Joy '' and states celebrate peace and unity on Europe Day .", "Paris. Paris ( French pronunciation : -LSB- pɑʁi -RSB- , -LSB- paʁi -RSB- ) is the capital and most populous city of France . It has an area of 105 km2 and a population of 2,229,621 in 2013 within its administrative limits . The city is both a commune and department and forms the centre and headquarters of the Île-de-France , or Paris Region , which has an area of 12,012 km2 and a population in 2016 of 12,142,802 , comprising roughly 18 percent of the population of France . By the 17th century , Paris was one of Europe 's major centres of finance , commerce , fashion , science , and the arts , and it retains that position still today . The Paris Region had a GDP of $ 624 billion ( US $ 687 billion ) in 2012 , accounting for 30.0 percent of the GDP of France and ranking it as one of the wealthiest regions in Europe . The City of Paris is but the core of a built-up area that extends well beyond its administrative limits . Commonly referred to as the agglomération Parisienne , and statistically as a unité urbaine ( a measure of urban area ) , the agglomeration has a 2013 population of 10,601,122 , which makes it the largest in the European Union . City-influenced commuter activity reaches well beyond even this in a statistical aire urbaine de Paris ( a measure of metropolitan area ) , that had a 2013 population of 12,405,426 , a number one-fifth the population of France , and one that makes it , after London , the second largest metropolitan area in the European Union . Although joined in a single urban tissue , Paris ' lack of administrative and economic cohesion with its suburbs has been a longstanding problem , but a 2016 ` Metropole of Grand Paris ' economic and environmental initiative covering an 814 km2 area and a population of 7 million , exists since 2016 . The city is also a major rail , highway , and air-transport hub served by two international airports : Paris-Charles de Gaulle ( the second busiest airport in Europe after London Heathrow Airport with 63.8 million passengers in 2014 ) and Paris-Orly . Opened in 1900 , the city 's subway system , the Paris Métro , serves 5.23 million passengers daily . It is the second busiest metro system in Europe after Moscow Metro . Notably , Paris Gare du Nord is the busiest railway station in the world outside of Japan , with 262 millions passengers in 2015 . Paris has many important cultural institutions : its Louvre museum is the most visited in the world ; its Musée d'Orsay is noted for its collection of French Impressionist art , and its Pompidou-center Musée National d'Art Moderne has the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe . The central area of the city along the Seine River is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site and includes many notable monuments , including Notre Dame Cathedral , the Sainte-Chapelle , the former Universal Exposition Grand Palais , Petit Palais and Eiffel Tower , and the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre . In 2015 , Paris received 22.2 million visitors , making it one of the world 's top tourist destinations . The association football club Paris Saint-Germain and the rugby union club Stade Français are based in Paris . The 80,000-seat Stade de France , built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup , is located just north of Paris in the neighbouring commune of Saint-Denis . Paris hosts the annual French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament on the red clay of Roland Garros . Paris hosted the 1900 and 1924 Summer Olympics and is bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympics . The 1938 and 1998 FIFA World Cups , the 2007 Rugby World Cup , and the 1960 , 1984 , and 2016 UEFA European Championships were also held in the city , and every July , the Tour de France bicycle race finishes in the city .", "Lisbon, Florida. Lisbon is a census-designated place ( CDP ) in Lake County , Florida , United States . The population was 273 at the 2000 census . It is part of the Orlando -- Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area .", "European Union. The European Union ( EU ) is a political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe . It has an area of 4,475,757 km2 , and an estimated population of over 510 million . The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states . EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people , goods , services , and capital within the internal market , enact legislation in justice and home affairs , and maintain common policies on trade , agriculture , fisheries , and regional development . Within the Schengen Area , passport controls have been abolished . A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002 , and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency . The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community ( ECSC ) and the European Economic Community ( EEC ) , formed by the Inner Six countries in 1951 and 1958 , respectively . Next the treaty of Rome of 1957 created the European Community made up of the six core countries of Belgium , France , Italy , Luxembourg , the Netherlands and West Germany . The decades following many new members joined them while at the same time integration of economic , cultural , judicial and so forth would then deepen the relationships distinct European entity . The community and its successors have grown in size by the accession of new member states and in power by the addition of policy areas to its remit . While no member state has left the EU or its antecedent organisations , the United Kingdom enacted the result of a membership referendum in June 2016 and is currently negotiating its withdrawal . The Maastricht Treaty established the European Union in 1993 and introduced European citizenship . The latest major amendment to the constitutional basis of the EU , the Treaty of Lisbon , came into force in 2009 . The European Union accumulated a high portion of GDP as a form of foreign aid than any other economic union . Covering 7.3 % of the world population , the EU in 2016 generated a nominal gross domestic product ( GDP ) of 16.477 trillion US dollars , constituting approximately 22.2 % of global nominal GDP and 16.9 % when measured in terms of purchasing power parity . Additionally , 27 out of 28 EU countries have a very high Human Development Index , according to the United Nations Development Programme . In 2012 , the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize . Through the Common Foreign and Security Policy , the EU has developed a role in external relations and defence . The union maintains permanent diplomatic missions throughout the world and represents itself at the United Nations , the World Trade Organization , the G7 , and the G20 . Because of its global influence , the European Union has been described as an emerging superpower .", "Lisbon Airport. Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport , also known as Lisbon Airport or Portela Airport , is an international airport located in the city of Lisbon , the capital of Portugal . In Portuguese , it is also called Aeroporto de Lisboa , Aeroporto da Portela , or Aeroporto da Portela de Sacavém . It takes its name from the neighbouring parish ( freguesia ) of Portela in Loures Municipality , formerly known as Portela de Sacavém . The airport is the main international gateway to Portugal and a major European hub . It is the 22nd largest airport in Europe in terms of passenger numbers . The airport handled over 20 million passengers in 2015 , and 94,300 tonnes of cargo in 2014 . It has been nominated as Europe 's Leading Airport for eight consecutive years in the World Travel Awards . The airport is the main hub of TAP Portugal and its subsidiary TAP Express , a focus city for easyJet , Ryanair and Azores Airlines and also the base for charter airlines euroAtlantic Airways , Hi Fly and White Airways . The airport is run by ANA -- Aeroportos de Portugal which has been concessioned to the French group Vinci Airports in February 2013 .", "Copenhagen. Copenhagen ( København -LSB- kʰøb̥m̩ˈhɑʊ̯ˀn -RSB- ; Hafnia ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark . The city has a population of 763,908 , of whom 601,448 live in the Municipality of Copenhagen . The larger urban area has a population of 1,280,371 , while the Copenhagen metropolitan area has just over 2 million inhabitants . Copenhagen is situated on the eastern coast of the island of Zealand ; another small portion of the city is located on Amager , and is separated from Malmö , Sweden , by the strait of Øresund . The Øresund Bridge connects the two cities by rail and road . Originally a Viking fishing village founded in the 10th century , Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in the early 15th century . Beginning in the 17th century it consolidated its position as a regional centre of power with its institutions , defences and armed forces . After suffering from the effects of plague and fire in the 18th century , the city underwent a period of redevelopment . This included construction of the prestigious district of Frederiksstaden and founding of such cultural institutions as the Royal Theatre and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts . After further disasters in the early 19th century when Nelson attacked the Dano-Norwegian fleet and bombarded the city , rebuilding during the Danish Golden Age brought a Neoclassical look to Copenhagen 's architecture . Later , following the Second World War , the Finger Plan fostered the development of housing and businesses along the five urban railway routes stretching out from the city centre . Since the turn of the 21st century , Copenhagen has seen strong urban and cultural development , facilitated by investment in its institutions and infrastructure . The city is the cultural , economic and governmental centre of Denmark ; it is one of the major financial centres of Northern Europe with the Copenhagen Stock Exchange . Copenhagen 's economy has seen rapid developments in the service sector , especially through initiatives in information technology , pharmaceuticals and clean technology . Since the completion of the Øresund Bridge , Copenhagen has become increasingly integrated with the Swedish province of Scania and its largest city , Malmö , forming the Øresund Region . With a number of bridges connecting the various districts , the cityscape is characterized by parks , promenades and waterfronts . Copenhagen 's landmarks such as Tivoli Gardens , The Little Mermaid statue , the Amalienborg and Christiansborg palaces , Rosenborg Castle Gardens , Frederik 's Church , and many museums , restaurants and nightclubs are significant tourist attractions . Copenhagen is home to the University of Copenhagen , the Technical University of Denmark and Copenhagen Business School . The University of Copenhagen , founded in 1479 , is the oldest university in Denmark . Copenhagen is home to the FC København and Brøndby football clubs . The annual Copenhagen Marathon was established in 1980 . Copenhagen is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world . The Copenhagen Metro launched in 2002 serves central Copenhagen while the Copenhagen S-train network connects central Copenhagen to its outlying boroughs . Serving roughly two million passengers a month , Copenhagen Airport , Kastrup , is the largest airport in the Nordic countries .", "Population. A population is the number of all the organisms of the same group or species , which live in a particular geographical area , and have the capability of interbreeding . The area that is used to define a sexual population is defined as the area where inter-breeding is potentially possible between any pair within the area , and where the probability of interbreeding is greater than the probability of cross-breeding with individuals from other areas . In sociology , population refers to a collection of humans . Demography is a social science which entails the statistical study of human populations . This article refers mainly to the human population .", "Germany. Germany ( listen ) , is a federal parliamentary republic in central-western Europe . It includes 16 constituent states , covers an area of 357,021 km2 , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With about 82 million inhabitants , Germany is the most populous member state of the European Union . After the United States , it is the second most popular immigration destination in the world . Germany 's capital and largest metropolis is Berlin , while its largest conurbation is the Ruhr ( main centres : Dortmund and Essen ) . The country 's other major cities are Hamburg , Munich , Cologne , Frankfurt , Stuttgart , Düsseldorf , Leipzig , Bremen , Dresden , Hannover and Nuremberg . Various Germanic tribes have inhabited the northern parts of modern Germany since classical antiquity . A region named Germania was documented before 100 AD . During the Migration Period the Germanic tribes expanded southward . Beginning in the 10th century , German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire . During the 16th century , northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation . The remains of the Holy Roman Empire formed the German Confederation in 1815 , while the German revolutions of 1848 -- 49 established major democratic rights first . In 1871 , Germany became a nation state when most of the German states were unified into the Prussian-dominated German Empire . After World War I and the German Revolution of 1918 -- 1919 , the Empire was replaced by the parliamentary Weimar Republic . In 1933 the Nazi seizure of power quickly led to the establishment of Nazi Germany which was built upon a dictatorship and consequently led to World War II and one of the biggest genocides in history , the Holocaust . By 1945 Germany and most of Europe were left in destruction and ruins . After the end of World War II in Europe and a period of Allied occupation , two German states were founded : the democratic Federal Republic of Germany ( commonly known as West Germany ) and the socialist German Democratic Republic ( commonly known as East Germany ) . A wall encircling West Berlin was created on August 13 , 1961 , and was torn down on November 9 , 1989 . On 3 October 1990 , the country was reunified . In the 21st century , Germany is a great power and has the world 's fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP , as well as the fifth-largest by PPP . As a global leader in several industrial and technological sectors , it is both the world 's third-largest exporter and importer of goods . Germany is a developed country with a very high standard of living sustained by a skilled and productive society . It upholds a social security and universal health care system , environmental protection and a tuition-free university education . The Federal Republic of Germany was a founding member of the European Economic Community in 1957 and the European Union in 1993 . It is part of the Schengen Area , and became a co-founder of the Eurozone in 1999 . Germany is a member of the United Nations , NATO , the G8 , the G20 , and the OECD . The national military expenditure is the 9th highest in the world . Known for its rich cultural history , Germany has been continuously the home of influential and successful artists , philosophers , musicians , sportspeople , entrepreneurs , scientists , engineers , and inventors .", "Barcelona. Barcelona ( -LSB- bɑrsəˈloʊnə -RSB- , -LSB- bəɾsəˈlonə -RSB- , -LSB- barθeˈlona -RSB- ) is the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia in the Kingdom of Spain , as well as the country 's second most populous municipality , with a population of 1.6 million within city limits . Its urban area extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of around 4.7 million people , being the sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris , London , Madrid , the Ruhr area and Milan . It is the largest metropolis on the Mediterranean Sea , located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs , and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range , the tallest peak of which is 512 m high . Founded as a Roman city , in the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona . After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon , Barcelona continued to be an important city in the Crown of Aragon as an economic and administrative centre of this Crown and the capital of the Principality of Catalonia . Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination . Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner , which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean is located in Barcelona . The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class conferences and expositions and also many international sport tournaments . Barcelona is one of the world 's leading tourist , economic , trade fair and cultural centres , and its influence in commerce , education , entertainment , media , fashion , science , and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world 's major global cities . It is a major cultural and economic centre in southwestern Europe , 24th in the world ( before Zürich , after Frankfurt ) and a financial centre . In 2008 it was the fourth most economically powerful city by GDP in the European Union and 35th in the world with GDP amounting to $ 177 billion . In 2012 Barcelona had a GDP of $ 170 billion ; it is leading Spain in both employment rate and GDP per capita change . In 2009 the city was ranked Europe 's third and one of the world 's most successful as a city brand . In the same year the city was ranked Europe 's fourth best city for business and fastest improving European city , with growth improved by 17 % per year , and the city has been experiencing strong and renewed growth for the past three years . Since 2011 Barcelona has been a leading smart city in Europe . Barcelona is a transport hub , with the Port of Barcelona being one of Europe 's principal seaports and busiest European passenger port , an international airport , Barcelona -- El Prat Airport , which handles over 40 million passengers per year , an extensive motorway network , and a high-speed rail line with a link to France and the rest of Europe .", "Lisbon (album). Lisbon is the sixth studio album by New York-based group The Walkmen , released on September 14 , 2010 in the US . John Congleton produced and engineered the album . The band recorded nearly thirty tracks before settling on the eleven tracks that comprise the album . The album is a tribute to the city of Lisbon in Portugal . Exclaim ! named Lisbon as the No. 13 Pop & Rock Album of 2010 . Pitchfork named it the No. 21 in their Top 50 Albums of 2010 .", "Algarve. The Algarve ( -LSB- ɑɫˈɣaɾβɨ ) -RSB- , from الغرب al-Gharb `` the West '' ) is the southernmost region of continental Portugal . It has an area of 4997 km2 with 451,006 permanent inhabitants , and incorporates 16 municipalities . The region has as its administrative centre in the city of Faro , where both the region 's international airport ( FAO ) and public university , University of Algarve , are located . Tourism and related activities are extensive and make up the bulk of the Algarve 's summer economy . Production of food , which includes fish and other seafood , fruit , oranges , carob beans , figs and almonds , is also economically important in the region . The Algarve is the most popular tourist destination in Portugal , and one of the most popular in Europe . Its population triples to nearly 1.5 million people in the peak holiday season thanks to seasonal residents , and receives an average of 7 million foreign tourists each year . In total , including national visitors , almost 10 million people visit the Algarve annually . The Algarve is currently the third richest region in Portugal , after Lisbon and Madeira , with a GDP per capita 86 % of the European Union average .", "Spain. Spain ( España -LSB- esˈpaɲa -RSB- ) , officially the Kingdom of Spain ( -LSB- Reino de España , links = no -RSB- ) , is a sovereign state located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe , with two large archipelagoes , the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands off the North African Atlantic coast , two cities Ceuta and Melilla in the North African mainland and several small islands in the Alboran Sea near the Moroccan coast . Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar ; to the north and northeast by France , Andorra , and the Bay of Biscay ; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean . It is the only European country to have a border with an African country ( Morocco ) and its African territory accounts for nearly 5 % of its population , mostly in the Canary Islands but also in Ceuta and Melilla . With an area of 505990 km2 , Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe , the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union , and the fourth largest country in the European continent . By population , Spain is the sixth largest in Europe and the fifth in the European Union . Spain 's capital and largest city is Madrid ; other major urban areas include Barcelona , Valencia , Seville , Bilbao and Málaga . Modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 35,000 years ago . Iberian cultures along with ancient Phoenician , Greek and Carthaginian settlements developed on the peninsula until it came under Roman rule around 200 BCE , after which the region was named Hispania , based on the earlier Phoenician name Span or Spania . In the Middle Ages , the area was conquered by Germanic tribes and later by the Moors . Spain emerged as a unified country in the 15th century , following the marriage of the Catholic Monarchs and the completion of the eight centuries-long reconquest , or Reconquista from the Moors in 1492 . In the early modern period , Spain became one of history 's first global colonial empires , leaving a vast cultural and linguistic legacy that includes over 500 million Spanish speakers , making Spanish the world 's second most spoken first language , after Mandarin Chinese . Spain is a democracy organised in the form of a parliamentary government under a constitutional monarchy . It is a middle power and a major developed country with the world 's fourteenth largest economy by nominal GDP and sixteenth largest by purchasing power parity . It is a member of the United Nations ( UN ) , the European Union ( EU ) , the Eurozone , the Council of Europe ( CoE ) , the Organization of Ibero-American States ( OEI ) , the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) , the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) and many other international organisations .", "European University of Lisbon. European University of Lisbon ( Universidade Europeia de Lisboa in portuguese language , UEL ) is a private university in Lisbon , Portugal . The school is owned by Laureate Education , Inc. , and has 2,300 students .", "Coimbra. Coimbra ( -LSB- kuˈĩbɾɐ , ˈkwĩbɾɐ -RSB- ) is a city and a municipality in Portugal . The population at the 2011 census was 143,397 , in an area of 319.40 km2 . The fourth-largest urban centre in Portugal ( after Lisbon , Porto and Braga ) , it is the largest city of the district of Coimbra , the Centro region and the Baixo Mondego subregion . About 460,000 people live in the Região de Coimbra , comprising 19 municipalities and extending into an area 4336 km2 . Among the many archaeological structures dating back to the Roman era , when Coimbra was the settlement of Aeminium , are its well-preserved aqueduct and cryptoporticus . Similarly , buildings from the period when Coimbra was the capital of Portugal ( from 1131 to 1255 ) still remain . During the Late Middle Ages , with its decline as the political centre of the Kingdom of Portugal , Coimbra began to evolve into a major cultural centre . This was in large part helped by the establishment the University of Coimbra in 1290 , the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world . Apart from attracting many European and international students , the university is visited by many tourists for its monuments and history . Its historical buildings were classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2013 : `` Coimbra offers an outstanding example of an integrated university city with a specific urban typology as well as its own ceremonial and cultural traditions that have been kept alive through the ages . ''", "Lisbon Cathedral. The Lisbon Cathedral ( Santa Maria Maior de Lisboa or Sé de Lisboa ; Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Mary Major ) , often called simple the Sé , is a Roman Catholic church located in Lisbon , Portugal . The oldest church in the city is the see of the Archdiocese of Lisbon . Since the beginning of the construction of the cathedral , in the year 1147 , the building has been modified several times and survived many earthquakes . It is nowadays a mix of different architectural styles . It has been classified as a National Monument since 1910 .", "Lisbon, Connecticut. Lisbon is a town in New London County , Connecticut , United States , 7.3 mi by road northeast of Norwich . The population was 4,338 at the 2010 census . The town center is also known as the village of Newent . The town school is Lisbon Central School . Lisbon has one of the weakest municipal identity foundations in Connecticut . It 's only postal code , 06351 , is Jewett City , Connecticut , which is a village of the town of Griswold , Connecticut and encompasses all of Lisbon and Griswold .", "New York. New York is a state in the northeastern United States , and is the 27th-most extensive , fourth-most populous , and seventh-most densely populated U.S. state . New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut , Massachusetts , and Vermont to the east . The state has a maritime border in the Atlantic Ocean with Rhode Island , east of Long Island , as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the northwest . The state of New York , with an estimated 19.8 million residents in 2015 , is also referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City , the state 's most populous city and its economic hub . With an estimated population of 8.55 million in 2015 , New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . The New York Metropolitan Area is one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . New York City is a global city , exerting a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . The home of the United Nations Headquarters , New York City is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , as well as the world 's most economically powerful city . New York City makes up over 40 % of the population of New York State . Two-thirds of the state 's population lives in the New York City Metropolitan Area , and nearly 40 % lives on Long Island . Both the state and New York City were named for the 17th-century Duke of York , future King James II of England . The next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo , Rochester , Yonkers , and Syracuse , while the state capital is Albany . New York has a diverse geography . The southern part of the state consists of Long Island and several smaller associated islands , as well as New York City and the lower Hudson River Valley , most of which lie within the wider Atlantic Coastal Plain . The large region known as Upstate New York consists of several ranges of the wider Appalachian Mountains , including the Allegheny Plateau and Catskills along New York 's Southern Tier , and the Adirondack Mountains , Thousand Islands archipelago , and Saint Lawrence Seaway in the Northeastern lobe of the state . These more mountainous regions are bisected by two major river valleys -- the north-south Hudson River Valley and the east-west Mohawk River Valley , which forms the core of the Erie Canal . Western New York is considered part of the Great Lakes Region and straddles Lake Ontario and Lake Erie . Between the two lakes lies Niagara Falls . The central part of the state is dominated by the Finger Lakes , a popular vacation and tourist destination . New York had been inhabited by tribes of Algonquian and Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans for several hundred years by the time the earliest Europeans came to New York . The first Europeans to arrive were French colonists and Jesuit missionaries who arrived southward from settlements at Montreal for trade and proselytizing . In 1609 , the region was claimed by Henry Hudson for the Dutch , who built Fort Nassau in 1614 at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers , where the present-day capital of Albany later developed . The Dutch soon also settled New Amsterdam and parts of the Hudson Valley , establishing the colony of New Netherland , a multicultural community from its earliest days and a center of trade and immigration . The British annexed the colony from the Dutch in 1664 . The borders of the British colony , the Province of New York , were similar to those of the present-day state . Many landmarks in New York are well known to both international and domestic visitors , with New York State hosting four of the world 's ten most-visited tourist attractions in 2013 : Times Square , Central Park , Niagara Falls ( shared with Ontario ) , and Grand Central Terminal . New York is home to the Statue of Liberty , a symbol of the United States and its ideals of freedom , democracy , and opportunity . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . New York 's higher education network comprises approximately 200 colleges and universities , including Columbia University , Cornell University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world ." ]

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[ "Willie Nelson. Willie Hugh Nelson ( born April 29 , 1933 ) is an American musician , singer , songwriter , author , poet , actor , and activist . The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie ( 1973 ) , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger ( 1975 ) and Stardust ( 1978 ) , made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music . He was one of the main figures of outlaw country , a subgenre of country music that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound . Nelson has acted in over 30 films , co-authored several books , and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana . Born during the Great Depression , and raised by his grandparents , Nelson wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band at ten . During high school , he toured locally with the Bohemian Polka as their lead singer and guitar player . After graduating from high school in 1950 , he joined the Air Force but was later discharged due to back problems . After his return , Nelson attended Baylor University for two years but dropped out because he was succeeding in music . During this time , he worked as a disc jockey in Texas radio stations and a singer in honky-tonks . Nelson moved to Vancouver , Washington , where he wrote `` Family Bible '' and recorded the song `` Lumberjack '' in 1956 . In 1958 , he moved to Houston , Texas , after signing a contract with D Records . He sang at the Esquire Ballroom weekly and he worked as a disk jockey . During that time , he wrote songs that would become country standards , including `` Funny How Time Slips Away '' , `` Hello Walls '' , `` Pretty Paper '' , and `` Crazy '' . In 1960 he moved to Nashville , Tennessee , and later signed a publishing contract with Pamper Music which allowed him to join Ray Price 's band as a bassist . In 1962 , he recorded his first album , ... And Then I Wrote . Due to this success , Nelson signed in 1964 with RCA Victor and joined the Grand Ole Opry the following year . After mid-chart hits in the late 1960s and the early 1970s , Nelson retired in 1972 and moved to Austin , Texas . The ongoing music scene of Austin motivated Nelson to return from retirement , performing frequently at the Armadillo World Headquarters . In 1973 , after signing with Atlantic Records , Nelson turned to outlaw country , including albums such as Shotgun Willie and Phases and Stages . In 1975 , he switched to Columbia Records , where he recorded the critically acclaimed album Red Headed Stranger . The same year , he recorded another outlaw country album , Wanted ! The Outlaws , along with Waylon Jennings , Jessi Colter , and Tompall Glaser . During the mid-1980s , while creating hit albums like Honeysuckle Rose and recording hit songs like `` On the Road Again '' , `` To All the Girls I 've Loved Before '' , and `` Pancho and Lefty '' , he joined the country supergroup The Highwaymen , along with fellow singers Johnny Cash , Waylon Jennings , and Kris Kristofferson . In 1990 , Nelson 's assets were seized by the Internal Revenue Service , which claimed that he owed . The difficulty of paying his outstanding debt was aggravated by weak investments he had made during the 1980s . In 1992 , Nelson released The IRS Tapes : Who 'll Buy My Memories ? ; the profits of the double album -- destined to the IRS -- and the auction of Nelson 's assets cleared his debt . During the 1990s and 2000s , Nelson continued touring extensively , and released albums every year . Reviews ranged from positive to mixed . He explored genres such as reggae , blues , jazz , and folk . Nelson made his first movie appearance in the 1979 film The Electric Horseman , followed by other appearances in movies and on television . Nelson is a major liberal activist and the co-chair of the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws ( NORML ) , which is in favor of marijuana legalization . On the environmental front , Nelson owns the bio-diesel brand Willie Nelson Biodiesel , which is made from vegetable oil . Nelson is also the honorary chairman of the Advisory Board of the Texas Music Project , the official music charity of the state of Texas .", "Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award , instituted in 2012 during the 46th CMA Awards , is given by the Country Music Association . The presentation of the award is intended to `` honor an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music ( that ) achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances , humanitarian efforts , philanthropy , record sales , and public representation at the highest level '' , with the condition that the recipient `` must have positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre over time '' . The award , first presented to Willie Nelson , and named after him , was designed by Chicago manufacturer R.S. Owens & Company . The trophy was built resembling the `` bullet shape '' of a regular CMA award , formed by two aluminum struts that support a bronze medallion on top , with the entire structure attached to a walnut base .", "16 Biggest Hits (Willie Nelson album). 16 Biggest Hits is a compilation album by country singer Willie Nelson . It was released on July 14 , 1998 . The album was certified Platinum in 2002 by the RIAA . It has sold 1,852,000 copies in the US as of May 2013 .", "The Troublemaker (album). The Troublemaker is a gospel album by country singer and songwriter Willie Nelson . When Nelson refused to sign an early extension of his contract with RCA in 1972 , the label decided not to release any further recordings . Nelson hired Neil Reshen as his manager , and while Reshen negotiated with RCA , Nelson moved to Austin , Texas , where the ongoing hippie music scene at the Armadillo World Headquarters renewed his musical style . In Nashville , Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler , vice president of Atlantic Records , who was interested in his music . Reshen solved the problems with RCA and signed Nelson with Atlantic Records as their first country music artist . Produced by Arif Mardin , the album was recorded in two days at the Atlantic Records studio in New York City in February 1973 . Nelson and his usual backup musicians were joined by Doug Sahm and his band . The release of the album was cancelled by Atlantic Records , that decided that the album was not right for the label . After Atlantic closed its experimental country music division , Nelson signed a contract with Columbia Records that gave him total creative control . After the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger , the label published The Troublemaker in 1976 . Its release had a good reception by the critics , while it charted on Billboard 's Top Country Albums and on Billboard 200 , at number one and sixty respectively . The single `` Uncloudy Day '' charted at number four on Billboard 's Hot Country Singles .", "The Words Don't Fit the Picture. The Words Do n't Fit the Picture is a 1972 album by country singer Willie Nelson . It was drawn from his final sessions for RCA in Nashville before restarting his life and career in Texas . The album cover portends the impending stylistic change - flanked by his wife , Connie and his producer Felton Jarvis , dressed as a chauffeur , Nelson poses in front of a Rolls-Royce in full-freak cowboy regalia , battered guitar case in tow .", "Shotgun Willie. Shotgun Willie is a 1973 album by Willie Nelson . The recording marks a change of style for Nelson , who later stated that the album `` cleared his throat '' . When Nelson refused to sign an early extension of his contract with RCA in 1972 , the label decided not to release any further recordings . Nelson hired Neil Reshen as his manager , and while Reshen negotiated with RCA , Nelson moved to Austin , Texas , where the ongoing hippie music scene at the Armadillo World Headquarters renewed his musical style . In Nashville , Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler , vice president of Atlantic Records , who was interested in his music . Reshen solved the problems with RCA and signed Nelson with Atlantic Records as their first country music artist . The album was recorded in the Atlantic Records studio in New York City in February 1973 . Nelson and his backup musicians were joined by Doug Sahm and his band . After recording several tracks , Nelson was still not inspired . Following a recording session , he wrote `` Shotgun Willie '' -- the song that would become the title track of the album -- on the empty packaging of a sanitary napkin while in the bathroom of his hotel room . The album , produced mostly by Arif Mardin , included covers of two Bob Wills songs -- `` Stay All Night ( Stay a Little Longer ) '' and `` Bubbles in My Beer '' -- that were co-produced by Wexler . Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter collaborated on the album , providing vocals and guitar . Shotgun Willie was released in June 1973 . In spite of poor sales , the album received good reviews and gained Nelson major recognition with younger audiences . The recording was one of the first albums of outlaw country -- a new subgenre of country music and an alternative to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound , the dominant style in the genre at the time .", "Yesterday's Wine. Yesterday 's Wine is a 1971 concept album by country singer Willie Nelson . In the early stages of his contract with RCA Victor , Nelson had no significant hits . By 1970 , his recordings had reached mid-chart positions . Nelson lost the money from his song-writing royalties by financing unsuccessful tours that did not generate significant profits . In addition to the problems with his career , Nelson had problems in his personal life . He had divorced his wife , Shirley Collie , and his ranch in Tennessee burned down . After moving to a new ranch in Bandera , Texas , Nelson was called by producer Felton Jarvis about the upcoming scheduled recording sessions . At the time , Nelson had not written any new material . He returned to Nashville , where he wrote new songs to use with others from his old repertoire . These new concept songs were recorded in two days . The concept of the album is the story of the `` Imperfect Man '' , from the moment he is born to the day of his death . RCA originally released the singles `` Yesterday 's Wine '' and `` Me and Paul '' . The former peaked at number 62 in Billboard 's Hot Country Singles . The full release failed to reach the charts , and Nelson , frustrated by the failure , decided to retire from music without having been released from his contract with RCA . Later with his musical style revitalized , he returned to music in 1972 .", "The Willie Way. The Willie Way is a 1972 album by country singer Willie Nelson . This was also the last album of new material released by RCA Records before Nelson 's departure for Atlantic Records and move to Austin , Texas .", "List of awards and nominations received by Willie Nelson. This is a list of awards and nominations received by Willie Nelson . Willie Nelson is a country music star whose critical success with the albums Shotgun Willie , Phases and Stages , and the commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust made him one of the most recognized artists in country music .", "Willie Nelson albums discography. The following is a detailed discography of all albums released by country music singer Willie Nelson , since his professional debut in 1962 . Nelson 's discography includes sixty-eight studio albums , ten live albums , thirty-seven compilations , the soundtracks of The Electric Horseman and Honeysuckle Rose as well as twenty-seven collaborations . His albums have been successful in many countries , especially New Zealand , Australia and some European countries . Nelson has sold more than 40 million albums in the United States alone .", "Willie's Roadhouse. Willie 's Roadhouse ( formerly Willie 's Place ) is a channel on the Sirius XM Radio that specializes in playing traditional country music , as well as some older country hit songs . It is available on channel 59 ( previously 56 ) and Dish Network 6059 ( previously 6056 ) , until The Highway took Willie 's Roadhouse 's former spot . Until July 10 , 2006 , this channel was called `` Hank 's Place '' , named for Hank Williams . When this was announced , XM did not explain why the name was changed . Since then , however , Willie Nelson 's face has appeared in print advertising for XM , meaning that he has signed an endorsement deal , like those earlier signed by Bob Dylan and Snoop Dogg , as well as many other celebrity figures in all walks of life ( e.g. Oprah Winfrey and Dale Earnhardt , Jr. ) . It has since been announced that Nelson has taken over part ownership of the channel . A program featuring cowboy poetry airs on Sunday nights . On May 4 , 2011 , the channel was merged with The Roadhouse to make Willie 's Roadhouse . As part of the merger , and in conjunction with the end of the Nashville ! channel , the Grand Ole Opry moved its broadcasts to Willie 's Roadhouse .", "God's Problem Child. God 's Problem Child , released on April 28 , 2017 , is the 61st studio album by singer-songwriter Willie Nelson . The album features new songs co-written by Nelson and producer Buddy Cannon . Using their frequent method , Cannon and Nelson wrote the songs exchanging the lyrics in text messages , while Nelson later recorded his vocals in the studio . The review aggregator website Metacritic reports that that the album has received `` universal acclaim '' .", "Red Headed Stranger. Red Headed Stranger is a 1975 album by American outlaw country singer Willie Nelson . After the wide success of his recordings with Atlantic Records , coupled with the negotiating skills of his manager , Neil Reshen , Nelson signed a contract with Columbia Records , a label that gave him total creative control over his works . The concept for the album was inspired by the `` Tale of the Red Headed Stranger '' , a song that Nelson used to play as a disk jockey on his program in Fort Worth , Texas . After signing with Columbia he decided to record the song , and arranged the details during his return to Austin , Texas , from a trip to Colorado . It was recorded at low cost at Autumn Sound Studios in Garland , Texas . The songs featured sparse arrangements , largely limited to Nelson 's guitar , piano and drums . Nelson presented the finished material to Columbia executives , who were dubious about releasing an album that they at first thought was a demo . However , Nelson had creative control , so no further production was added . A concept album , Red Headed Stranger is about a fugitive on the run from the law after killing his wife and her lover . The content consists of songs with brief poetic lyrics and arrangements of older material such as Fred Rose 's `` Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain '' , Wolfe Gilbert 's `` Down Yonder '' and Juventino Rosas ' `` O'er the Waves '' . Despite Columbia 's doubts and the limited instrumentation , Red Headed Stranger was a blockbuster among country music and mainstream audiences . It was certified multi-platinum , and made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music . The cover of `` Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain '' , released as a single previous to the album full release became Nelson 's first number one hit . The title of the album would become a lasting nickname for Nelson . It was ranked # 183 on Rolling Stones list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time , and number one on CMT 's 40 Greatest Albums in Country Music . In 2010 it was inducted to the National Recording Registry . In 1986 Nelson starred as the Red Headed Stranger in a movie of the same name , based on the story of the album . The album has had a strong cultural impact ; the song `` Time of the Preacher '' has been used often in the series Edge of Darkness , and its lyrics were used as well in the first issue of the comic Preacher .", "The College Dropout. The College Dropout is the debut studio album by American rapper Kanye West . It was released on February 10 , 2004 , by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings . It was recorded over a period of four years , beginning in 1999 . Prior to the album 's release , West had received praise for his production work for artists such as Jay-Z and Talib Kweli , but faced difficulty being accepted as a recording artist in his own right by figures in the music industry . Nonetheless intent on pursuing a solo career , it was several years before West finally received a record deal from Roc-A-Fella Records . The album 's production was handled by West and developed his `` chipmunk soul '' production style , which made use of sped-up , pitch shifted vocal samples from soul and R&B records , in addition to West 's own drum programming , string accompaniment , and gospel choirs . It features vocal contributions from Jay-Z , Mos Def , Jamie Foxx , Syleena Johnson , and Ludacris among many other artists . Diverging from the then-dominant gangster persona in hip hop , West 's lyrics concern themes of family , self-consciousness , materialism , religion , racism , and higher education . The album was promoted by singles including `` Through the Wire '' and `` Jesus Walks '' , both of which received critical acclaim . `` All Falls Down '' and `` Slow Jamz '' both charted within the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 , with the latter charting at number one . Upon its release , The College Dropout debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart , selling 441,000 copies during its first week . It was a massive commercial success , producing five singles that achieved chart success , and it received widespread acclaim from critics , earning West several accolades that included a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 47th Grammy Awards . It is West 's best-selling album in the United States , with domestic sales of 3.4 million copies and worldwide sales of over 4 million copies . It has been named by Time and Rolling Stone , among other publications , as one of the greatest albums of all time .", "On the Road Again (Willie Nelson song). `` On the Road Again '' is a song written and made famous by country music singer Willie Nelson . The song , about life on tour , came about when the executive producer of the film Honeysuckle Rose approached Nelson about writing the song for the film 's soundtrack . `` On the Road Again '' became Nelson 's 9th Country & Western No. 1 hit overall ( 6th as a solo recording act ) in November 1980 , and became one of Nelson 's most recognizable tunes . In addition , the song reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 , and No. 7 on the Adult Contemporary chart . It was his biggest pop hit to that time and won him a Grammy Award for Best Country Song a year later .", "Country Winners. Country Winners is a 1973 compilation album by country singer Willie Nelson . Released after Nelson signed with Atlantic , this was the closest thing to a retrospective RCA issued at the time . Seven of the album 's nine tracks were originally issued on Nelson 's RCA debut , Country Willie - His Own Songs , `` Hello Walls '' and `` Funny How Time Slips Away '' are from And Then I Wrote .", "Hank Williams. Hiram King `` Hank '' Williams ( -LSB- ˈhæŋk_ˈwɪljəmz _ -RSB- September 17 , 1923 -- January 1 , 1953 ) was an American country music singer-songwriter and musician . Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century , Williams recorded 35 singles ( five released posthumously ) that reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart , including 11 that ranked number one ( three posthumously ) . Born in Mount Olive , Butler County , Alabama , Williams moved to Georgiana , where he met Rufus Payne , who gave him guitar lessons in exchange for meals or money . Payne had a major influence on Williams ' later musical style , along with Roy Acuff and Ernest Tubb . During this time , Williams informally changed his name to Hank , believing it to be a better name for country music . He moved to Montgomery , where he began his music career in 1937 , when producers at radio station WSFA hired him to perform and host a 15-minute program . He formed as backup the Drifting Cowboys band , which was managed by his mother , and dropped out of school to devote his time to his career . When several of his band members were conscripted into military service during World War II , Williams had trouble with their replacements , and WSFA terminated his contract because of his alcohol abuse . Williams eventually married Audrey Sheppard , who was his manager for nearly a decade . After recording `` Never Again '' and `` Honky Tonkin ' '' with Sterling Records , he signed a contract with MGM Records . In 1947 he released `` Move It on Over '' , which became a hit , and also joined the Louisiana Hayride radio program . One year later , he released a cover of `` Lovesick Blues '' , which carried him into the mainstream of music . After an initial rejection , Williams joined the Grand Ole Opry . He was unable to read or notate music to any significant degree . Among the hits he wrote were `` Your Cheatin ' Heart '' , `` Hey , Good Lookin ' '' , and `` I 'm So Lonesome I Could Cry '' . Several years of back pain , alcoholism , and prescription drug abuse severely damaged Williams ' health . He divorced Sheppard and was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry because of his unreliability and alcohol abuse . Williams died on New Year 's Day of 1953 at the age of 29 , from heart failure exacerbated by pills and alcohol . Despite his short life , Williams had a major influence on 20th-century popular music , especially country music . The songs he wrote and recorded have been covered by numerous artists and have been hits in various genres . He has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame , such as the Country Music Hall of Fame ( 1961 ) , the Songwriters Hall of Fame ( 1970 ) , and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ( 1987 ) .", "Reasons to Quit. `` Reasons to Quit '' is a song recorded by American country music artists Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson as a duet . It was released in January 1983 as the first single from the album Pancho & Lefty . The song reached # 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart . The song was written by Haggard .", "Band of Brothers (Willie Nelson album). Band of Brothers is an album by country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson . The album marks Nelson 's return to writing , with nine out of the fourteen tracks being new original songs . The album was released on June 17 , 2014 by Legacy Recordings . It opened to favorable reviews , while it topped Billboard 's Top Country Albums and reached number five on the Billboard 200 .", "University of Houston. For other uses , see University of Houston ( disambiguation ) . The University of Houston ( UH ) is a Carnegie Tier One state research university and the flagship institution of the University of Houston System . Founded in 1927 , UH is the university in Texas with nearly 43,000 students . Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston , and was known as University of Houston -- University Park from 1983 to 1991 . The Carnegie Foundation classifies UH as a doctoral degree-granting institution with `` highest research activity . '' The U.S. News & World Report ranks the university No. 194 in its National University Rankings , and No. 103 among top public universities . The university offers more than 280 degree programs through its 14 academic colleges on campus -- including programs leading to professional degrees in architecture , law , optometry , and pharmacy . The institution conducts $ 150 million annually in research , and operates more than 40 research centers and institutes on campus . Interdisciplinary research includes superconductivity , space commercialization and exploration , biomedical sciences and engineering , energy and natural resources , and artificial intelligence . Awarding more than 9,000 degrees annually , UH 's alumni base exceeds 260,000 . The economic impact of the university contributes over $ 3 billion annually to the Texas economy , while generating about 24,000 jobs . The University of Houston hosts a variety of theatrical performances , concerts , lectures , and events . It has more than 400 student organizations and 17 intercollegiate sports teams . Annual UH events and traditions include The Cat 's Back , Homecoming , and Frontier Fiesta . The university 's varsity athletic teams , known as the Houston Cougars , are members of the American Athletic Conference and compete in the NCAA Division I in all sports . The football team regularly makes bowl game appearances , and the men 's basketball team has made 19 appearances in the NCAA Division I Tournament -- including five Final Four appearances . The men 's golf team has won 16 national championships -- the most in NCAA history .", "Last of the Breed (album). Last of the Breed is a two-disc album by American country music artists Willie Nelson , Merle Haggard and Ray Price , released in 2007 . It debuted at number 64 on the U.S. Billboard 200 , selling about 13,000 copies in its first week . The album has 100,000 copies in the U.S. as of May 2015 . The album was ranked number 33 on Rolling Stones list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007 .", "Make Way for Willie Nelson. Make Way for Willie Nelson is the fifth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson . Due to his demanding schedule , producer Chet Atkins delegated the session to Felton Jarvis . Nelson recorded the album , between March and June 1966 with session musicians , with the addition of members of his road band on the RCA Studio B. The single `` One in a Row '' , Nelson 's only original included on the album , peaked at number 19 on Billboard 's Hot Country Singles . Meanwhile , the album release peaked at number nine on Billboard 's Hot Country Albums .", "Family (Willie Nelson's band). The Family is Willie Nelson 's touring and recording group . Nelson , who did not manage through the 1960s to succeed as a singer , retired after the failure of his 1971 album Yesterday 's Wine . The following year , he returned from retirement rejuvenated by the burgeoning music movement of Austin , Texas . In 1973 , he formed a new backing band . The new lineup consisted of some of the members of his old road band `` The Record Men , '' with the addition of new members . The original lineup included his sister , Bobbie , on the piano ; drummer Paul English ; harmonicist Mickey Raphael ; bassist Bee Spears ; and guitarist Jody Payne . The current lineup includes all the members but Jody Payne , who retired in 2008 , and Bee Spears , who died in 2011 . Billy English joined in 2010 to help his brother Paul after he suffered a stroke the same year . Replacing Spears , Kevin Smith joined the band in 2011 .", "Willie Nelson (boxer). Willie Nelson ( born April 20 , 1987 in Cleveland , Ohio ) is a professional boxer . He holds the NABF Intercontinental Super Welterweight title .", "Why Do I Have to Choose. `` Why Do I Have to Choose '' is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Willie Nelson . It was released in May 1983 as the first single from his album Take It to the Limit . The song reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada .", "Stardust (Willie Nelson album). Stardust is a 1978 album by Willie Nelson that spans the genres of pop , jazz , and country music . Its ten songs consist entirely of pop standards that Nelson picked from among his favorites . Nelson asked Booker T. Jones , who was his neighbor in Malibu at the time , to arrange a version of `` Moonlight in Vermont '' . Impressed with Jones 's work , Nelson asked him to produce the entire album . Nelson 's decision to record such well-known tracks was controversial among Columbia executives because he had distinguished himself in the outlaw country genre . Recording of the album took only ten days . Released in April , Stardust was met with high sales and near-universal positive reviews . It peaked at number one in Billboards Top Country Albums and number thirty in the Billboard 200 . Meanwhile , it charted at number one in Canadian RPMs Country Albums and number twenty-eight in RPMs Top Albums . The singles `` Blue Skies '' and `` All of Me '' peaked respectively at numbers one and three in Billboards Hot Country Singles . In 1979 , Nelson won a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for the song `` Georgia on My Mind '' . Stardust was on the Billboards Country Album charts for ten years -- from its release until 1988 . The album also reached number one in New Zealand and number five in Australia in 1980 . In 2003 , the album was ranked number 257 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time . It was originally certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in December 1978 . In 1984 , when it was certified triple platinum , Nelson was the highest-grossing concert act in the United States . In 2002 , the album was certified quintuple platinum , and it was later inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame class of 2015 .", "Waylon Jennings. Waylon Arnold Jennings ( pronounced -LSB- ˈweɪlən_ˈdʒɛnɪŋz -RSB- June 15 , 1937 -- February 13 , 2002 ) was an American singer , songwriter , musician , and actor . Jennings began playing guitar at eight and began performing at 14 on KVOW radio . His first band was The Texas Longhorns . Jennings worked as a DJ on KVOW , KDAV , KYTI , and KLLL . In 1958 , Buddy Holly arranged Jennings 's first recording session , of `` Jole Blon '' and `` When Sin Stops ( Love Begins ) '' . Holly hired him to play bass . In Clear Lake , Iowa , Jennings gave up his seat on the ill-fated flight that crashed and killed Holly , J. P. Richardson , Ritchie Valens , and pilot Roger Peterson . Jennings then worked as a DJ in Coolidge , Arizona , and Phoenix . He formed a rockabilly club band , The Waylors . He recorded for independent label Trend Records and A&M Records before succeeding with RCA Victor after achieving creative control . During the 1970s , Jennings joined the Outlaw Country movement . He released critically acclaimed albums Lonesome , On ` ry and Mean and Honky Tonk Heroes followed by hit albums Dreaming My Dreams as well as Are You Ready for the Country . In 1976 , he released the album Wanted ! The Outlaws with Willie Nelson , Tompall Glaser , and Jessi Colter , the first platinum country music album . That success was followed by Ol' Waylon and the hit song `` Luckenbach , Texas '' . Jennings was featured in the 1978 album White Mansions performed by various artists documenting the lives of white people in the Confederacy during the Civil War . The songs on the album were written by Paul Kennerley . By the early 1980s , Jennings was struggling with a cocaine addiction , which he quit in 1984 . Later , he joined the country supergroup The Highwaymen with Nelson , Kris Kristofferson , and Johnny Cash , which released three albums between 1985 and 1995 . During that period , Jennings released the successful album Will the Wolf Survive . He toured less after 1997 to spend more time with his family . Between 1999 and 2001 , his appearances were limited by health problems . On February 13 , 2002 , Jennings died from complications of diabetes . Jennings also appeared in films and television series . He was the balladeer for The Dukes of Hazzard , composing and singing the show 's theme song and providing narration for the show . In 2001 , he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame , which he chose not to attend . In 2007 , he was posthumously awarded the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award by the Academy of Country Music .", "Willie Nelson Live. Willie Nelson Live ( 1976 ) is a re-release of the 1966 `` country music concert '' country singer Willie Nelson .", "Bill Cosby. William Henry Cosby Jr. ( born July 12 , 1937 ) is an American stand-up comedian , actor , and author . His start in stand-up comedy began at the hungry i in San Francisco and was followed by his landing a starring role in the 1960s television show I Spy . He was also a regular on the children 's television series The Electric Company during the show 's first two seasons . Using the Fat Albert character developed during his stand-up routines , Cosby created , produced , and hosted the animated comedy television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids , a show that ran from 1972 to 1985 , centering on a group of young friends growing up in an urban area . Throughout the 1970s , Cosby starred in a number of films , and he occasionally returned to film later in his career . After attending Temple University in the 1960s , he received his bachelor 's degree there in 1971 . In 1973 , he received a master 's degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst , and in 1976 , he earned his Doctor of Education degree , also from UMass . His dissertation discussed the use of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids as a teaching tool in elementary schools . Beginning in the 1980s , Cosby produced and starred in a television sitcom , The Cosby Show , which aired from 1984 to 1992 and was rated as the number one show in America for five years , 1984 through 1989 . The sitcom highlighted the experiences and growth of an affluent African-American family . Cosby produced the Cosby Show spin-off sitcom A Different World , which aired from 1987 to 1993 , starred in The Cosby Mysteries from 1994 to 1995 , starred in the sitcom Cosby from 1996 to 2000 ; and hosted Kids Say the Darndest Things for two seasons , from 1998 to 2000 . Cosby has been the subject of sexual assault allegations , the earliest of which date back decades but becoming highly publicized since about 2014 . He has been accused by 51 women of rape , drug facilitated sexual assault , sexual battery , child sexual abuse , and sexual misconduct , with the earliest alleged incidents taking place in the mid-1960s and the most recent in 2008 . He has denied the allegations . Numerous related lawsuits against Cosby are pending ; and although most of the acts alleged by his accusers fall outside the statutes of limitations for criminal legal proceedings , one notable case has been ruled actionable , and he has been charged with three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault in Montgomery County , Pennsylvania . He surrendered to authorities on December 30 , 2015 , and was released on $ 1 million bail . Cosby is scheduled to go on trial on or before June 5 , 2017 .", "Super Hits (Willie Nelson album). Super Hits is the first of two compilation albums in the Super Hits series featuring songs by country singer Willie Nelson.The album was certified 2 × Platinum by the RIAA for sales of 2 million copies . As of April 2017 , the album has sold 2,919,300 copies in the United States .", "There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight. There 'll Be No Teardrops Tonight is a 1978 album by country singer Willie Nelson . The name of the album comes from the Hank Williams song of the same name . This album is composed mostly of tracks previously issued as singles on Liberty in the early 1960s as well as two previously unissued tracks , `` Tomorrow Night '' and `` Blue Must Be the Color of the Blues '' .", "Houston. Houston ( -LSB- ˈhjuːstən -RSB- ) is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States . With a census-estimated 2014 population of 2.239 million within an area of 667 sqmi , it is also the largest city in the southern United States and the seat of Harris County . Located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf of Mexico , it is the principal city of the Greater Houston metro area , which is the fifth-most populated MSA in the United States . Houston was founded on August 28 , 1836 , near the banks of Buffalo Bayou ( now known as Allen 's Landing ) and incorporated as a city on June 5 , 1837 . The city was named after former General Sam Houston , who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto 25 mi east of where the city was established . The burgeoning port and railroad industry , combined with oil discovery in 1901 , has induced continual surges in the city 's population . In the mid-20th century , Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center -- the world 's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions -- and NASA 's Johnson Space Center , where the Mission Control Center is located . Houston 's economy has a broad industrial base in energy , manufacturing , aeronautics , and transportation . Leading in health care sectors and building oilfield equipment , outside of New York City , Houston has more Fortune 500 headquarters than any other U.S. municipality within its city limits . The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled . Nicknamed the `` Space City '' , Houston is a global city , with strengths in business , international trade , entertainment , culture , media , fashion , science , sports , technology , education , medicine , and research . The city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community . Houston is the most diverse city in Texas and has been described as the most racially and ethnically diverse major metropolis in the U.S. . It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits , which attract more than 7 million visitors a year to the Museum District . Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District and offers year-round resident companies in all major performing arts ." ]

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[ "Malcolm Young. Malcolm Mitchell Young ( born 6 January 1953 ) is an Australian retired musician and songwriter , best known as a co-founder , rhythm guitarist , backing vocalist and songwriter for the hard rock band AC/DC . Except for a brief absence in 1988 , he was with the band from its November 1973 beginning until retiring permanently in 2014 , due to health reasons . Young and the other members of AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 . Though his younger brother Angus is the more visible of the brothers , Malcolm has been described as the driving force and the leader of the band . He also added that despite his retirement from the band , AC/DC was determined to continue making music with his blessing . As the rhythm guitarist , he was responsible for the broad sweep of the band 's sound , developing many of their guitar riffs and co-writing the band 's material with Angus . He is married to Linda Young and has two children , Cara and Ross . Young took a leave of absence from AC/DC in April 2014 , to receive treatment for dementia . In September 2014 , the band 's management announced that he would be retiring permanently .", "AC/DC. AC/DC are an Australian rock band , formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young . A hard rock/blues rock band , they have also been considered a heavy metal band , although they have always dubbed their music simply `` rock and roll '' . AC/DC underwent several line-up changes before releasing their first album , High Voltage , in 1975 . Membership subsequently stabilised until bassist Mark Evans was replaced by Cliff Williams in 1977 for the album Powerage . Within months of recording the album Highway to Hell , lead singer and co-songwriter Bon Scott died on 19 February 1980 after a night of heavy alcohol consumption . The group considered disbanding , but buoyed by support from Scott 's parents , decided to continue and set about finding a new vocalist . Ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson was auditioned and selected to replace Scott . Later that year , the band released the new album , Back in Black , which was made as a tribute to Bon Scott . The album launched them to new heights of success and became their all-time best-seller . The band 's next album , For Those About to Rock We Salute You , was their first album to reach number one in the United States . Drummer Phil Rudd was fired in 1983 and replaced by ex-A II Z drummer Simon Wright , who left to join Dio in 1989 . The band experienced a resurgence in the early 1990s with the release of The Razors Edge . Phil Rudd returned in 1994 after Chris Slade , who was with the band from 1989 to 1994 , was asked to leave in favour of him , and contributed to the band 's 1995 album Ballbreaker . Stiff Upper Lip , released in 2000 , was well received by critics . The band 's studio album , Black Ice , released in 2008 , was the second-highest-selling album of that year , and their biggest chart hit since For Those About to Rock , eventually reaching No. 1 on all charts worldwide . The band 's line-up remained the same until 2014 with Malcolm Young 's retirement due to early-onset dementia and Rudd 's legal troubles . In 2016 , Johnson was advised to stop touring on account of worsening hearing loss and Guns N ' Roses frontman Axl Rose stepped in as the band 's vocalist for the remainder of that year 's dates . Long-term bass player Cliff Williams retired from the band at the end of their 2016 Rock Or Bust world tour . AC/DC have sold more than 200 million records worldwide , including 71.5 million albums in the United States , adding them to the list of highest-certified music artists in the United States and the list of best-selling music artists . Back in Black has sold an estimated 50 million units worldwide , making it the second-highest-selling album by any artist -- and the highest-selling album by any band . The album has sold 22 million units in the US , where it is the sixth-highest-selling album of all time . AC/DC ranked fourth on VH1 's list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock '' and were named the seventh `` Greatest Heavy Metal Band of All Time '' by MTV . In 2004 , AC/DC ranked No. 72 on the Rolling Stone list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' . Producer Rick Rubin , who wrote an essay on the band for the Rolling Stone list , referred to AC/DC as `` the greatest rock and roll band of all time '' . In 2010 , AC/DC were ranked number 23 in the VH1 list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' .", "Angus Young. Angus McKinnon Young ( born 31 March 1955 ) is an Australian guitarist , best known as the co-founder , lead guitarist , songwriter and only remaining original member of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC . He is known for his energetic performances , schoolboy-uniform stage outfits and his own version of Chuck Berry 's duckwalk . Young was ranked 24th in Rolling Stone magazine 's 100 greatest guitarists of all-time list . In 2003 , Young and the other members of AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame .", "Alexander Young (musician). Alexander Young ( 28 December 1938 -- 4 August 1997 ) , also known as George Alexander , was a Scottish singer , songwriter , saxophonist , bassist , guitarist and session musician . He is an elder brother of George Young , the rhythm guitarist and founding member of The Easybeats , as well as Malcolm and Angus Young , founding members of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC , and the younger brother of Stephen Young , the father of Stevie Young , who was also a member of AC/DC .", "Stevie Young. Stephen Crawford `` Stevie '' Young ( born 11 December 1956 in Glasgow , Scotland ) is a Scottish musician , and the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the Australian hard rock band , AC/DC . He officially joined the band in September 2014 , replacing his uncle , Malcolm Young who retired due to dementia . He had previously filled in for Malcolm on AC/DC 's 1988 U.S. tour . In addition to Malcolm , Stevie is the nephew of Angus Young , George Young and Alex Young , and the son of their eldest brother Stephen Crawford Young ( 1933 -- 1989 ) . He emigrated with his family from Scotland to Sydney , Australia in 1963 . The family settled in Concord , New South Wales .", "Fly on the Wall (AC/DC album). Fly on the Wall is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It was the band 's ninth internationally released studio album and the tenth to be released in Australia . All songs were written by Angus Young ( guitar ) , Malcolm Young ( guitar ) , and Brian Johnson ( vocals ) . The album was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series .", "Rock or Bust. Rock or Bust is a studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It is their fifteenth internationally released studio album and the sixteenth to be released in Australia . It is the shortest studio album ever released by the band ; at approximately 35 minutes , it is two minutes shorter than their previous shortest album , Flick of the Switch , which was released in 1983 . Rock or Bust also was the group 's first album without founding member and rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young , who had retired from the band in 2014 due to health concerns , although he co-wrote every track on the album . Bass guitarist Cliff Williams has also retired since Rock or Bust was released , drummer Phil Rudd was unable to participate in the supporting tour after being sentenced to house arrest , and vocalist Brian Johnson was forced to exit the band after the fifth leg of the album 's supporting tour as a result of hearing loss . The group released the debut single from the album , titled `` Play Ball '' , on 7 October 2014 . The song has been a commercial success , reaching the top 40 charts in various countries such as Spain ( at number 28 ) , France ( at number 39 ) or Switzerland ( at number 19 ) . Rock or Bust peaked at # 1 in 12 countries , including Australia , Canada , Germany and Sweden . It reached the top 5 in a further 12 countries , including New Zealand , the United Kingdom , the United States and Italy .", "George Young (rock musician). George Redburn Young ( born 6 November 1946 ) is an Australian musician , songwriter and record producer . Born in Scotland , he moved to Australia with his family as a teenager , and became a naturalised citizen . He is best known as a member of the 1960s Australian rock band The Easybeats , and as a co-writer of the international hits `` Friday on My Mind '' and `` Love Is in the Air '' , the latter recorded by John Paul Young ( no relation ) . Young was also the producer of some work by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC , formed by his younger brothers Malcolm and Angus Young .", "Vanda & Young. Vanda & Young were a songwriting/producing duo composed of Harry Vanda and George Young . They performed as members of 1960s Australian rock group The Easybeats where Vanda was their lead guitarist and backing singer and Young was their rhythm guitarist and backing singer . Vanda & Young co-wrote most of The Easybeats later hits including their international hit `` Friday on My Mind '' and they were the record producers for the group from 1967 . Young is the older brother of Malcolm and Angus Young of the hard rock band AC/DC , being the record producer behind several of the band 's biggest albums ( such as 1976 's Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap ) . After The Easybeats disbanded in 1969 , Vanda & Young were songwriters and producers for their own projects such as The Marcus Hook Roll band ( EMI ) , Paintbox ( Youngblood ) and Haffey 's Whiskey Sour ( Deram ) , Flash and the Pan , and for other acts including producing early albums for AC/DC ; they were staff producers for Albert Productions from 1973 . In 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association ( ARIA ) acknowledged the iconic status of Vanda & Young when they were inducted into the inaugural Hall of Fame , in 2005 The Easybeats were also inducted into the Hall of Fame . In 2001 , the Australasian Performing Right Association ( APRA ) surveyed 100 music industry personalities for the APRA Top Ten Best Australian Songs of All Time where `` Friday on My Mind '' was declared No. 1 . Their song for John Paul Young ( no relation ) , `` Love Is in the Air '' was declared the ` Most played Australian song overseas ' by APRA following its use on the 1992 film Strictly Ballroom .", "Shake Your Foundations. `` Shake Your Foundations '' is a song and single by Australian hard rock band AC/DC , written by Angus and Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson . The song was released on their 1985 album Fly on the Wall . The following year , it was remixed by Harry Vanda and George Young , who worked with AC/DC on earlier albums , and released on Who Made Who , the soundtrack to the Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive . In this short remix , the song is shortened from 4:10 to 3:53 . The drum track begins at seventeen seconds and the full band kicks in at 48 seconds . Also , Johnson 's vocals can be heard more clearly in the remix . Vinyl releases of the album include the remix , while most CD releases include the original version .", "Marcus Hook Roll Band. Marcus Hook Roll Band were an Australian rock group formed by Harry Vanda and George Young . The group is noted for featuring Malcolm Young and Angus Young prior to forming AC/DC .", "Powerage. Powerage is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It was the band 's fourth internationally released studio album and the fifth to be released in Australia . It was also the first AC/DC album to feature Cliff Williams on bass . All songs were written by Angus Young , Malcolm Young and Bon Scott . Powerage was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series .", "AC/DC discography. The following lists summarise the discography of the Australian hard-rock band AC/DC . AC/DC released 17 studio albums ( 15 available worldwide and 2 released only in Australia ) , 2 soundtrack albums , 4 live albums , 11 video albums , and 2 box-set albums . Although a large number of AC/DC singles have been released , the band always refused to release any greatest-hits type packages ; Who Made Who ( which served as the soundtrack to Stephen King 's Maximum Overdrive ) , Iron Man 2 , and the band 's various live recordings are as close as the group have come to such a compilation . Verizon makes AC/DC albums available to download , but for several years the band refused to release their albums on iTunes , as iTunes normally allows downloading of individual tracks ; AC/DC publicly stated , `` Our ... reason is that we honestly believe the songs on any of our albums belong together . If we were on iTunes , we know a certain percentage of people would only download two or three songs from the album -- and we do n't think that represents us musically . '' However , the band finally released their entire discography to iTunes in November 2012 . On June 30 , 2015 , their catalog appeared on Spotify for the first time . The brothers Angus and Malcolm Young formed AC/DC in 1973 . The band released two albums in Australia before releasing their first international effort , High Voltage with vocalist Bon Scott , bassist Mark Evans and drummer Phil Rudd . In 1980 , less than a year after the release of the successful Highway to Hell , Bon Scott died and was replaced by British singer Brian Johnson , with whom AC/DC released their best-selling album , Back in Black . Their album Black Ice , released in 2008 , sold over 8 million copies worldwide . In 41 years of their career , AC/DC have sold over 200 million albums worldwide , roughly 71 million in the US . Back in Black alone sold 22 million copies ( 50 million worldwide ) , and went on to become the second highest-selling album in history .", "If You Want Blood You've Got It. If You Want Blood You 've Got it is the first live album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC , originally released in the UK and Europe on 13 October 1978 , in the US on 21 November 1978 , and in Australia on 27 November 1978 . All songs were written by Angus Young , Malcolm Young and Bon Scott . The album was re-released in 1994 on Atco Records and in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series .", "Blow Up Your Video. Blow Up Your Video is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It was the band 's tenth internationally released studio album and the eleventh to be released in Australia . First released in Europe and Australia on 18 January 1988 , it was later released in the US on 1 February 1988 . The album was recorded at the Miraval Studio in Le Val , France , in between August and September 1987 with all songs written by Malcolm Young ( guitar ) , Angus Young ( guitar ) and Brian Johnson ( vocals ) The album was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series .", "Back in Black. Back in Black is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC . Produced by Robert John `` Mutt '' Lange , the album was released on 25 July 1980 by Albert Productions and Atlantic Records . By the late 1970s , AC/DC began to achieve significant popularity outside their native Australia , with high-energy live performances and a string of successful albums . In 1979 , they paired with producer Lange and recorded their international breakthrough , Highway to Hell . Shortly before the recording of their follow-up , lead vocalist Bon Scott died after a night of heavy alcohol consumption . The group continued with ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson . Back in Black was recorded over seven weeks in the Bahamas in spring 1980 . The area was hit by tropical storms at the time , making the sessions difficult at times . Johnson penned the album 's lyrics and melodies , while guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young composed the music . Its musical content consists of hard rock-styled numbers . Lange demanded perfection in the band 's recordings , particularly on Johnson 's vocals . Following its completion , the group mixed Back in Black at Electric Lady Studios in New York City . The album 's all-black cover was designed as a `` sign of mourning '' for Scott . Their sixth international release , Back in Black was an unprecedented success : it has sold an estimated 50 million copies worldwide . Its enormous sales figures have made it the second-highest-selling album in history . The band supported the album with a yearlong world tour , cementing them among the most popular music acts of the early 1980s . Back in Black received positive critical reception at the time of its release , and it has since been included on numerous lists of `` greatest '' albums . Since its initial release , the album has been reissued and remastered multiple times , most recently for digital distribution .", "Tales of Old Grand Daddy. Tales of Old Grand Daddy is the only album released by the Marcus Hook Roll Band , in Australia in 1973 . The album is noted for being the recording debut of future AC/DC founders Angus Young and Malcolm Young .", "List of AC/DC band members. AC/DC are an Australian hard rock band formed by guitarist brothers Angus and Malcolm Young in 1973 . Originally featuring vocalist Dave Evans , bassist Larry Van Kriedt and drummer Colin Burgess , after a number of lineup changes the band settled with Bon Scott on vocals , Mark Evans on bass guitar and Phil Rudd on drums , and released five albums ( two limited to Australia ) between 1974 and 1977 . Due to continuing clashes with lead guitarist Angus Young , Evans was later fired from the band shortly after the release of Let There Be Rock , although `` musical differences '' was the official reason given for his departure . Cliff Williams was brought in as his replacement . After another two successful albums and as the band were due to start recording again , Scott died in London on 19 February 1980 due to alcohol poisoning . The band briefly considered quitting , but later chose to carry on and hired Brian Johnson to take Scott 's place as lead vocalist . The group 's first album with Johnson was Back in Black in 1980 , which is now the second best-selling album of all-time after Michael Jackson 's Thriller . After the recording of Flick of the Switch in 1983 , Phil Rudd quietly left the band due to problems with drug and alcohol abuse as well as a confrontation with rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young . Simon Wright joined as Rudd 's replacement , performing on the albums Fly on the Wall ( 1985 ) , Who Made Who ( 1986 ) and Blow Up Your Video ( 1988 ) during his time in the band . He left the band in 1989 , and later explained that he `` began to get complacent about things '' , claiming that he `` needed to expand on -LSB- his -RSB- drumming more '' . He would later join the band Dio . The next drummer to join AC/DC was Chris Slade , who despite being in the band for five years only performed on one studio album , The Razors Edge . In 1994 Slade departed from the band , due to the desire of the Young brothers to return to working with former drummer Rudd , who they said `` demonstrated a ` groove ' more fitting -LSB- to -RSB- their style of rock '' . The lineup of Johnson , A. Young , M. Young , Williams and Rudd remained from 1994 until 2014 , and released the albums Ballbreaker ( 1995 ) , Stiff Upper Lip ( 2000 ) , and Black Ice ( 2008 ) . In April 2014 the band announced that founding member Malcolm Young was ill and would be taking a leave of absence from the band . In June 2014 the band recorded their latest album Rock or Bust with the Young brothers ' nephew Stevie Young as a stand-in rhythm guitarist for his uncle . On 24 September 2014 , it was confirmed that Malcolm Young , who suffers from dementia , had officially departed from the band due to ill health , and would be replaced by Stevie permanently . Shortly thereafter , Rudd was arrested and pleaded guilty to drug charges and threatening to kill a former assistant . After the plea , the band 's official web site changed the listed drummer to Chris Slade who had been replacing him for their 2015 tour . Axl Rose joined as a touring member in April 2016 . Cliff Williams left the band after the Rock or Bust World Tour . The current line up of the band includes Angus Young , Chris Slade and Stevie Young , together with Axl Rose on lead vocals .", "Ballbreaker. Ballbreaker is a 1995 album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It was the band 's twelfth internationally released studio album and the thirteenth to be released in Australia . It was re-released in 2005 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series . All songs are written by Malcolm Young ( guitar ) and Angus Young ( guitar ) .", "Stiff Upper Lip (album). Stiff Upper Lip is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It was the band 's thirteenth internationally released studio album and the fourteenth to be released in Australia . The album was co-produced by George Young , older brother of Malcolm and Angus Young . The album was re-released in the US on 2007 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series . It was re-released in the UK in 2005 .", "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It was the band 's third LP released in Australia in 1976 but was not internationally released until 1981 , more than one year after Bon Scott 's death . It is considered by many fans as the strongest and most definitive album of the Bon Scott era . All songs were written by Angus Young , Malcolm Young and Bon Scott .", "Angus Bucks. Angus Bucks , Angus Bills or AC/DC Dollars are fake , United States one-dollar bills featuring Angus Young , the lead guitarist from the Australian rock 'n' roll band AC/DC . Thousands were dropped on the audience as a theatrical gimmick at the end of the song `` Moneytalks '' during the band 's tour to promote their 1990 album The Razors Edge .", "List of awards and nominations received by AC/DC. AC/DC are a hard rock band formed in Sydney , Australia in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young . Although the band are considered pioneers of heavy metal , its members have always classified their music as `` rock 'n' roll '' . AC/DC underwent several line-up changes before releasing their first album , High Voltage , in 1975 . Membership remained stable until bassist Cliff Williams replaced Mark Evans in 1977 . In 1979 , the band recorded their highly successful album Highway to Hell . Lead singer and co-songwriter Bon Scott died on 19 February 1980 , after a night of heavy alcohol consumption . The group briefly considered disbanding , but soon ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson was selected as Scott 's replacement . Later that year , the band released their best-selling album , Back in Black . The band 's next album , For Those About to Rock We Salute You , was also highly successful and was their first album to reach number one in the United States . AC/DC declined in popularity soon after the departure of drummer Phil Rudd in 1983 . Poor record sales continued until the release of The Razors Edge in 1990 . Phil Rudd returned in 1994 and contributed to the band 's 1995 album Ballbreaker . Stiff Upper Lip was released in 2000 and was well received by critics . The band 's new album Black Ice was announced in June 2008 and was released on October 20 , 2008 . The album 's first single , `` Rock 'N Roll Train '' , earned AC/DC a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Group or Duo with Vocals . Another Black Ice track , `` War Machine , '' gained AC/DC their first Grammy Award win , for Best Hard Rock Performance . From 1982 to 1991 , AC/DC have received several nominations from awards ceremonies for their music . The American Music Awards nominated the band for Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group . The group received several nominations from the Grammy Awards , including Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for `` Blow Up Your Video '' in 1989 , and Best Hard Rock Performance for three songs in different years : `` The Razors Edge '' in 1991 , `` Moneytalks '' in 1992 , and `` Highway To Hell '' in 1994 . The band also received the nomination for Best Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Video for `` Thunderstruck '' in 1991 from the MTV Video Music Awards . In 2009 AC/DC received four nominations for their 2008 album Black Ice in the ARIA Music Awards which included Best Rock Album , Highest Selling Album , Best Group and Best Album . They won the awards for Best Rock Album and Highest Selling Album . Overall , AC/DC have received thirteen nominations and have won three awards .", "Danger (AC/DC song). `` Danger '' is a single by Australian rock band AC/DC , from the album Fly on the Wall released in 1985 . It was written by Brian Johnson , Angus Young , and Malcolm Young . In most territories , the single 's b-side was `` Back in Business '' , but in Australia and New Zealand , `` Hell or High Water '' was featured .", "Black Ice (album). Black Ice is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It was the band 's fourteenth internationally released studio album and the fifteenth in Australia . Released internationally on 17 October 2008 , it was produced by Brendan O'Brien . It marked the band 's first original recordings since 2000 's Stiff Upper Lip , with the eight-year gap being the longest between AC/DC 's successive studio albums . Black Ice has the longest running time of any AC/DC studio album . The album 's development was delayed because bass guitarist Cliff Williams sustained an injury and the band changed labels from Elektra Records to Sony Music Entertainment . The first composing sessions between guitarists/brothers Angus and Malcolm Young were in London in 2003 . Recording happened during March and April 2008 at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver , British Columbia , Canada . O'Brien tried to recapture the rock sound of the band 's early work , as opposed to the blues orientation of Ballbreaker and Stiff Upper Lip , with suggestions such as adding `` soul crooning '' to Brian Johnson 's singing . The songs were mostly recorded live in the studio ; engineer Mike Fraser used only sparse overdubs and effects to keep the tracks as close to the originals as possible . Black Ice was released exclusively in physical formats , as the group did not sell its music digitally at the time . Walmart got exclusive rights to distribute the album in North America . Its release was promoted with an extensive marketing campaign , which included displays of AC/DC memorabilia . The four singles issued from the album were , `` Rock 'N' Roll Train '' , `` Big Jack '' , `` Anything Goes '' , and `` Money Made '' . Black Ice peaked at number one in 29 countries , including Australia , Canada , the United Kingdom and the United States . It was the second best-selling record of 2008 , behind Coldplay 's Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends and had shipped 6 million copies worldwide by December . Critical reviews were generally positive , praising the music and its resemblance to the classic AC/DC sound , although some critics found the work too long and inconsistent . The track `` War Machine '' won the Best Hard Rock Performance category at the Grammys . The album itself was nominated for many awards , including the Grammy , Brit , Juno and ARIA Music Awards ; and was supported by a world tour between 2008 and 2010 . Black Ice is the final album to feature the Back In Black era lineup of the band , with founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young leaving the band in September 2014 after being diagnosed with dementia .", "Safe in New York City. `` Safe in New York City '' is a song by rock group AC/DC , from their 2000 album Stiff Upper Lip . The song , which was written by members and brothers , Angus and Malcolm Young , was released as a single on 28 February 2000 . It was co-produced by their older brother George and the band . It reached No. 21 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart . The video to the song , directed by Andy Morahan , shows the band playing a busy tunnel in the city , surrounded by armed police officers . The promo CD single contained a live version of the song , which was recorded on 13 September 2000 at the America West Arena in Phoenix , Arizona . This live version was later re-released nine years later on the box set Backtracks . The track gained poignancy after September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City . Angus Young said that although originally the lyrics were meant to make fun of Rudy Giuliani 's claim that he had cleaned up Manhattan : `` to me New York is a city where you can never predict what 's coming next . '' The song was later included in the 2001 Clear Channel memorandum , a list of `` lyrically questionable '' songs .", "Bon Scott. Ronald Belford `` Bon '' Scott ( 9 July 1946 -- 19 February 1980 ) was an Australian rock musician , best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980 . Scott was born in Forfar , Scotland , and raised in Kirriemuir , before moving to Melbourne with his family in 1952 at the age of six . They lived in the suburb of Sunshine for four years before moving to Fremantle . Scott formed his first band , The Spektors , in 1964 and became the band 's drummer and occasional lead vocalist . He performed in several other bands including The Valentines and Fraternity before replacing Dave Evans as the lead singer of AC/DC in 1974 . AC/DC 's popularity grew throughout the 1970s , initially in Australia , and then internationally . Their 1979 album Highway to Hell reached the top twenty in the United States , and the band seemed on the verge of a commercial breakthrough . However , on 19 February 1980 , Scott died after a night out in London . AC/DC briefly considered disbanding , but the group recruited vocalist Brian Johnson of the British glam rock band Geordie . AC/DC 's subsequent album , Back in Black , was released only five months later , and was a tribute to Scott . It went on to become the second best-selling album in history . In the July 2004 issue of Classic Rock , Scott was rated as number one in a list of the `` 100 Greatest Frontmen Of All Time '' ahead of Freddie Mercury and Robert Plant . Hit Parader ranked Scott as fifth on their 2006 list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Vocalists of all time .", "The Razors Edge (AC/DC album). The Razors Edge is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It was the band 's eleventh internationally released studio album and the twelfth to be released in Australia . It was a major comeback for the band , featuring the hits `` Thunderstruck '' and `` Are You Ready '' , which reached # 5 and # 16 respectively on Billboard '' 's Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart , and `` Moneytalks '' , which peaked at # 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 . The album went multi-platinum ( 5 million copies sold ) and reached the US top ten . The album reached # 2 on the US Billboard 200 and # 4 in the UK , a smash commercial success that returned the band to the popularity of its glory years of the late 1970s and early 1980s . The album has been certified 5x platinum ( 5 million copies sold ) in the US , and was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters '' series . The album was produced by Bruce Fairbairn .", "AC/DC (video). AC/DC , released only in Australia in 1989 , is a video album from the Australian hard rock band AC/DC . In March 2005 all nine tracks were issued on the DVD compilation , Family Jewels .", "Let There Be Rock. Let There Be Rock is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It was the band 's third internationally released studio album and the fourth to be released in Australia . All songs were written by Angus Young , Malcolm Young and Bon Scott . It was originally released on 21 March 1977 in Australia on the Albert Productions label . A modified international edition was released on 25 July 1977 on Atlantic Records .", "Brian Johnson. Brian Francis Johnson ( born 5 October 1947 ) is an English singer and songwriter . In 1980 , he became the third lead singer of the Australian rock band AC/DC after the death of their second lead singer Bon Scott . He and the rest of the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 . In March 2016 , Johnson stepped down from touring on the Rock or Bust World Tour due to hearing problems . On 20 May 2016 , Johnson stated in an interview `` I 've had a pretty good run '' in AC/DC and implied that he might not be returning by saying `` I 'm just thankful , really , that I came out of it in one piece . '' Johnson was one of the founding members of the rock band Geordie formed in Newcastle in 1971 . After a few hit singles , including UK Top 10 `` All Because of You '' ( 1973 ) , the band split up in 1978 . Following the death of AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott on 19 February 1980 , Johnson was asked to audition for the band in London . AC/DC lead guitarist and co-founder Angus Young recalled : `` I remember Bon playing me Little Richard , and then telling me the story of when he saw Brian singing -LSB- with Geordie -RSB- . '' He says about that night : `` There 's this guy up there screaming at the top of his lungs and then the next thing you know he hits the deck . He 's on the floor , rolling around and screaming . I thought it was great , and then to top it off you could n't get a better encore they came in and wheeled the guy off ! ' '' Johnson was diagnosed with appendicitis later that night , which was the cause of his writhing around on stage . The band agreed immediately that Johnson 's performing style fit AC/DC 's music . Johnson 's first album with AC/DC , Back in Black , became the second all-time best-selling album worldwide according to some estimates . A native of Tyneside , northeast England , Johnson is known for his strong Geordie accent . In July 2014 he was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Music by Northumbria University in his home city Newcastle in recognition of his significant contribution to the music industry .", "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll). `` It 's a Long Way to the Top ( If You Wan na Rock 'n' Roll ) '' is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC . It is the first track of the group 's album T.N.T. , released in December 1975 , and was written by Angus Young , Malcolm Young and Bon Scott . The song is notable for combining bagpipes with hard rock instrumentation ; in the middle section of the song there is a call and response between the bagpipes and guitar . The original recording is in B-flat major , but it was played live in A major . A slightly shortened version of the song is also the first track on the international version of High Voltage , released in May 1976 . This version appears only on the vinyl release and the 2003 CD reissue . The full version of the song is also on the Volts CD of the Bonfire box set , released in 1997 . This was a signature song for Bon Scott . Brian Johnson , who replaced Scott as AC/DC 's lead vocalist from 1980 until his departure in 2016 , did not perform it out of respect for his predecessor ." ]

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[ "Newfoundland and Labrador. Newfoundland and Labrador ( -LSB- uːfənˈlænd_ən_ˈlæbrədɔːr -RSB- , Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador Akamassiss Newfoundland Irish : Talamh an Éisc agus Labradar ) is the most easterly province of Canada . Situated in the country 's Atlantic region , it comprises the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador to the northwest , with a combined area of 405212 km2 . In 2013 , the province 's population was estimated at 526,702 . About 92 % of the province 's population lives on the island of Newfoundland ( and its neighbouring smaller islands ) , of whom more than half live on the Avalon Peninsula . The province is Canada 's most linguistically homogeneous , with 97.6 % of residents reporting English ( Newfoundland English ) as their mother tongue in the 2006 census . Historically , Newfoundland was also home to unique varieties of French and Irish , as well as the extinct Beothuk language . In Labrador , local dialects of Innu-aimun and Inuktitut are also spoken . Newfoundland and Labrador 's capital and largest city , St. John 's , is Canada 's 20th-largest census metropolitan area and is home to almost 40 percent of the province 's population . St. John 's is the seat of government , home to the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador and to the highest court in the jurisdiction , the Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal . A former colony and then dominion of the United Kingdom , Newfoundland gave up its independence in 1933 , following significant economic distress caused by the Great Depression and the aftermath of Newfoundland 's participation in World War I . It became the tenth province to enter the Canadian Confederation on March 31 , 1949 , as `` Newfoundland . '' On December 6 , 2001 , an amendment was made to the Constitution of Canada to change the province 's official name to Newfoundland and Labrador .", "Newfoundland (island). Newfoundland ( -LSB- njuːfənˈlænd -RSB- ; Terranova , Terre-Neuve , Taqamkuk , Irish : Talamh an Éisc , Inuttitut : Kallunasillik / Ikkarumikluak ) is a large Canadian island off the east coast of the North American mainland , and the most populous part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador . It has 29 percent of the province 's land area . The island is separated from the Labrador Peninsula by the Strait of Belle Isle and from Cape Breton Island by the Cabot Strait . It blocks the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River , creating the Gulf of Saint Lawrence , the world 's largest estuary . Newfoundland 's nearest neighbour is the French overseas community of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon . With an area of 108860 km2 , Newfoundland is the world 's 16th-largest island , Canada 's fourth-largest island , and the largest Canadian island outside the North . The provincial capital , St. John 's , is located on the southeastern coast of the island ; Cape Spear , just south of the capital , is the easternmost point of North America , excluding Greenland . It is common to consider all directly neighbouring islands such as New World , Twillingate , Fogo and Bell Island to be ` part of Newfoundland ' ( as distinct from Labrador ) . By that classification , Newfoundland and its associated small islands have a total area of 111390 km2 . According to 2006 official Census Canada statistics , 57 % of responding Newfoundland and Labradorians claim British or Irish ancestry , with 43.2 % claiming at least one English parent , 21.5 % at least one Irish parent , and 7 % at least one parent of Scottish origin . Additionally 6.1 % claimed at least one parent of French ancestry . The island 's total population as of the 2006 census was 479,105 .", "Labrador. Labrador -LSB- ˈlæbrədɔːr -RSB- is the distinct northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador . It comprises the mainland portion of the province , separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle . It is the largest and northernmost geographical region in Atlantic Canada . Labrador occupies the eastern part of the Labrador Peninsula . It is bordered to the west and the south by the Canadian province of Quebec . Labrador also shares a small land border with the Canadian territory of Nunavut on Killiniq Island . Though Labrador covers 71 percent of the province 's land area , it has only 8 percent of the province 's population . The aboriginal peoples of Labrador include the Northern Inuit of Nunatsiavut , the Southern Inuit-Métis of Nunatukavut ( NunatuKavut ) , and the Innu . Many of the non-aboriginal population in Labrador did not permanently settle in Labrador until the natural resource developments of the 1940s and 1950s . Before the 1950s , very few non-aboriginal people lived in Labrador year-round . The few European immigrants who worked seasonally for foreign merchants and brought their families were known as Settlers .", "Newfoundland English. Newfoundland English is a name for several accents and dialects of English found in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador . Most of these differ substantially from the English commonly spoken elsewhere in Canada and the North Atlantic . Many Newfoundland dialects are similar to the West Country dialects of the West Country in England , particularly the city of Bristol and counties Cornwall , Devon , Dorset , Hampshire and Somerset , while others resemble dialects of Ireland 's southeast , particularly Waterford , Wexford , Kilkenny and Cork . Still others blend elements of both and there is also a Scottish influence on the dialects -- while the Scottish came in smaller numbers than the English and Irish , they had a large influence on Newfoundland society . One estimate claims 80 to 85 percent of Newfoundland 's English heritage came from the southwest of the country . The dialects that compose Newfoundland English developed because of Newfoundland 's history as well as its geography . Newfoundland was one of the first areas settled by England in North America , beginning in small numbers in the early 17th century before peaking in the early 19th century . Newfoundland was a British colony until 1907 when it became an independent Dominion within the British Empire . It became a part of Canada in 1949 . Newfoundland is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean , separated by the Strait of Belle Isle from Labrador , the sparsely populated mainland part of the province . Most of the population remained rather isolated on the island , allowing the dialects time to develop independently of those on the North American continent . Today , some words from Newfoundland English have been adopted through popular culture in other places in Canada ( especially Ontario and eastward ) . Historically , Newfoundland English was first recognized as a separate dialect by the late 18th century when George Cartwright published a glossary of Newfoundland words .", "Demographics of Newfoundland and Labrador. Newfoundland and Labrador ( -LSB- ˈnjuːfəndlænd_ənd_læbrəˈdɔr -RSB- Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador , Talamh an Éisc agus Labradar , Terra Nova ) is a province of Canada on the country 's Atlantic coast in northeastern North America . The province has an area of 405212 km2 and a population in 2011 of 514,563 , with approximately 95 % of the provincial population residing on the Island of Newfoundland ( including its associated smaller islands ) , with nearly half of the population residing on the Avalon Peninsula . People from Newfoundland and Labrador are called `` Newfoundlanders , '' `` Labradorians '' ( as appropriate ) , or `` Newfoundlanders and Labradorians '' .", "Quebec. Quebec ( pronounced -LSB- audio = En-Quebec . ogvkwᵻˈbɛk -RSB- or -LSB- kəˈbɛk -RSB- Québec -LSB- kebɛk -RSB- ) is the second-most populous province of Canada and the only one to have a predominantly French-speaking population , with French as the sole provincial official language . Quebec is Canada 's largest province by area and its second-largest administrative division ; only the territory of Nunavut is larger . It is bordered to the west by the province of Ontario , James Bay , and Hudson Bay ; to the north by Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay ; to the east by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador ; and to the south by the province of New Brunswick and the US states of Maine , New Hampshire , Vermont , and New York . It also shares maritime borders with Nunavut , Prince Edward Island , and Nova Scotia . Quebec is Canada 's second-most populous province , after Ontario . Most inhabitants live in urban areas near the Saint Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City , the capital . Approximately half of Quebec residents live in the Greater Montreal Area , including the Island of Montreal . English-speaking communities and English-language institutions are concentrated in the west of the island of Montreal but are also significantly present in the Outaouais , Eastern Townships , and Gaspé regions . The Nord-du-Québec region , occupying the northern half of the province , is sparsely populated and inhabited primarily by Aboriginal peoples . The climate around the major cities is four-season continental with cold and snowy winters combined with warm to hot humid summers , but further north long winter seasons dominate and as a result the northern areas of the province are marked by tundra conditions . Even in central Quebec at comparatively southerly latitudes winters are severe in inland areas . Quebec independence debates have played a large role in the politics of the province . Parti Québécois governments held referendums on sovereignty in 1980 and 1995 ; both were voted down by voters , the latter defeated by a very narrow margin . In 2006 , the House of Commons of Canada passed a symbolic motion recognizing the `` Québécois as a nation within a united Canada . '' While the province 's substantial natural resources have long been the mainstay of its economy , sectors of the knowledge economy such as aerospace , information and communication technologies , biotechnology , and the pharmaceutical industry also play leading roles . These many industries have all contributed to helping Quebec become an economically influential province within Canada , second only to Ontario in economic output .", "Canada. Canada ( -LSB- ˈkænədə -RSB- -LSB- kanadɑ -RSB- ) is a country in the northern part of North America . Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean , covering 9.98 e6km2 , making it the world 's second-largest country by total area and the fourth-largest country by land area . Canada 's border with the United States is the world 's longest binational land border . The majority of the country has a cold or severely cold winter climate , but southerly areas are warm in summer . Canada is sparsely populated , the majority of its land territory being dominated by forest and tundra and the Rocky Mountains . It is highly urbanized with 82 per cent of the 35.15 million people concentrated in large and medium-sized cities , many near the southern border . One third of the population lives in the three largest cities : Toronto , Montreal and Vancouver . Its capital is Ottawa , and other major urban areas include Calgary , Edmonton , Quebec City , Winnipeg and Hamilton . Various aboriginal peoples had inhabited what is now Canada for thousands of years prior to European colonization . Beginning in the 16th century , British and French claims were made on the area , with the colony of Canada first being established by the French in 1535 during Jacques Cartier 's second voyage to New France . As a consequence of various conflicts , Great Britain gained and lost territories within British North America until it was left , in the late 18th century , with what mostly geographically comprises Canada today . Pursuant to the British North America Act , on July 1 , 1867 , the colonies of Canada , New Brunswick , and Nova Scotia joined to form the semi-autonomous federal Dominion of Canada . This began an accretion of provinces and territories to the mostly self-governing Dominion to the present ten provinces and three territories forming modern Canada . In 1931 , Canada achieved near total independence from the United Kingdom with the Statute of Westminster 1931 , but at the time , Canada decided to allow the British Parliament to temporarily retain the power to amend Canada 's constitution , on request from the Parliament of Canada . With the Constitution Act 1982 , Canada took over that authority ( as the conclusion of Patriation ) , removing the last remaining ties of legal dependence on the Parliament of the United Kingdom , giving the country full sovereignty . Canada is a federal parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy , with Queen Elizabeth II being the head of state . The country is officially bilingual at the federal level . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , the product of large-scale immigration from many other countries . Its advanced economy is the eleventh largest in the world , relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade networks . Canada 's long and complex relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its economy and culture . Canada is a developed country and has the tenth highest nominal per capita income globally as well as the ninth highest ranking in the Human Development Index . It ranks among the highest in international measurements of government transparency , civil liberties , quality of life , economic freedom , and education . Canada is a Commonwealth realm member of the Commonwealth of Nations , a member of the Francophonie , and part of several major international and intergovernmental institutions or groupings including the United Nations , the North Atlantic Treaty Organization , the G8 , the Group of Ten , the G20 , the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum .", "Geography of Newfoundland and Labrador. Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province in Canada . The Strait of Belle Isle separates the province into two geographical divisions , Labrador and the island of Newfoundland . The province also includes over seven thousand small islands . Labrador is the easternmost part of the Canadian Shield , a vast area of ancient metamorphic rock comprising much of northeastern North America . Colliding tectonic plates have shaped much of the geology of Newfoundland . Gros Morne National Park has a reputation of being an outstanding example of tectonics at work , and as such has been designated a World Heritage Site . The Long Range Mountains on Newfoundland 's west coast are the northeasternmost extension of the Appalachian Mountains . The fauna of Labrador is typical of that of similar areas of North America while the island of Newfoundland has considerably fewer mammals and no native amphibians . The north-south extent of the province ( 46 ° 36 'N to 60 ° 22 ` N ) , prevalent westerly winds , cold ocean currents and local factors such as mountains and coastline combine to create the various climates of the province . Northern Labrador is classified as a polar tundra climate , southern Labrador is considered to be a subarctic climate while most of Newfoundland would be considered to be a cool summer subtype of a humid continental climate . The provincial capital is St. John 's , located at the extreme eastern edge of the island on the Avalon Peninsula . About half of the province 's economy is based on its abundant natural resources , notably petroleum , minerals , forestry and the fishery .", "North American English. North American English ( NAmE , NAE ) is the most generalized variety of the English language as spoken in the United States and Canada . Because of their related histories and cultures and the similarities between the pronunciation , vocabulary , and accent of American English and Canadian English , the two spoken dialects are often grouped together under a single category . Due to historical and cultural factors , Canadian English and American English retain numerous distinctions from each other , with the differences being most noticeable in the two languages ' written forms . Canadian spellings are primarily based on British usage as a result of Canada 's longer-standing connections with the United Kingdom . Canadians are generally tolerant of both British and American spellings , with British spellings being favoured in more formal settings and in Canadian print media . Spellings in American English have been highly influenced by lexicographers like Noah Webster , who sought to create a standardized form of English that was independent of British English . Despite these differences , the dialects of both Canada and the United States are similar . The United Empire Loyalists who fled the American Revolution have had a large influence on Canadian English from its early roots . Some terms in North American English are used almost exclusively in Canada and the United States ( for example , the terms diaper and gasoline are widely used instead of nappy and petrol ) . Although many English speakers from outside North America regard such terms as distinct Americanisms , they are often just as common in Canada , mainly due to the effects of heavy cross-border trade and cultural penetration by the American mass media . The list of divergent words becomes longer if considering regional Canadian dialects , especially as spoken in the Atlantic provinces and parts of Vancouver Island where significant pockets of British culture still remain . There are a considerable number of different accents within the regions of both the United States and Canada , originally deriving from the accents prevalent in different English , Scottish and Irish regions of the British Isles and corresponding to settlement patterns of these peoples in the colonies . These were developed and built upon as new waves of immigration , and migration across the North American continent , brought new accents and dialects to new areas , and as these ways of speaking merged and assimilated with the population . It is claimed that despite the centuries of linguistic changes there is still a resemblance between the English East Anglia accents which would have been used by early English settlers in New England ( including the Pilgrims ) , and modern Northeastern United States accents . Similarly , the accents of Newfoundland have some similarities to the accents of Scotland and Ireland .", "St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. St. John 's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador . It is on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland . St. John 's covers 446.04 km2 and is North America 's most easterly city , excluding those of Greenland . Its name has been attributed to the Nativity of John the Baptist , when John Cabot was believed to have sailed into the harbour in 1497 and to a Basque fishing town with the same name . Existing on maps as early as 1519 , it is considered by some to be the oldest English-founded city in North America . It was officially incorporated as a city in 1888 . With a metropolitan population of approximately 214,000 ( as of July 1 , 2015 ) , the St. John 's Metropolitan Area is Canada 's 20th largest metropolitan area and the second largest Census Metropolitan Area ( CMA ) in Atlantic Canada , after Halifax . The city has a rich history , having played a role in the Seven Years ' War , the French and Indian War , the American Revolutionary War , and the War of 1812 . Italian inventor , Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal in St. John 's . Its history and culture have made it one of the world 's top ocean-side tourist destinations .", "Canadians. Canadians ( Canadiens / Canadiennes ) are people identified with the country of Canada . This connection may be residential , legal , historical , or cultural . For most Canadians , several ( or all ) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being Canadian . Canada is a bilingual and multicultural society home to people of many different ethnic , religious and national origins , with the majority of the population made up of Old World immigrants and their descendants . Following the initial period of French and then the much larger British colonization , different waves ( or peaks ) of immigration and settlement of non-aboriginal peoples took place over the course of nearly two centuries and continue today . Elements of Aboriginal , French , British , and more recent immigrant customs , languages and religions have combined to form the culture of Canada and thus a Canadian identity . Canada has also been strongly influenced by its linguistic , geographic and economic neighbour , the United States . Canadian independence from the United Kingdom grew gradually over the course of many years since the formation of the Canadian Confederation in 1867 . World War I and World War II , in particular , gave rise to a desire among Canadians to have their country recognized as a fully-fledged sovereign state with a distinct citizenship . Legislative independence was established with the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931 , the Canadian Citizenship Act of 1946 took effect on January 1 , 1947 , and full sovereignty was achieved with the patriation of the constitution in 1982 . Canada 's nationality law closely mirrored that of the United Kingdom . Legislation since the mid 20th century represents Canadians ' commitment to multilateralism and socioeconomic development .", "Labrador (disambiguation). Labrador is the mainland part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada . This name can also refer to :", "Inuktitut. Inuktitut ( -LSB- langpronɪˈnʊktᵻtʊt -RSB- Inuktitut -LSB- - ikuinuktiˈtut -RSB- , syllabics ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ from inuk person + - titut like , in the manner of ) , also Eastern Canadian Inuktitut , refers to the entire culture of the Eastern Canadian Inuit , their values , societal norms , mannerisms and language ; that is , `` to do anything in the manner of an Inuk '' . For example , being educated in Inuktitut does not mean just using the language . Elders were taught in Inuktitut out on the land , sea and ice and in their homes , through observation of their parents , by listening to stories of their elders and others , through practice of various skills and behaviours , and by showing shared values and attitudes of Inuit . An Inukitut education is not done in classrooms and from books written in their language . Parents still teach their children in Inuktitut away from schools . Inuit generally consider their culture and language to be integral parts of a single whole . The language of Inuktitut is one of the principal Inuit languages of Canada . It is spoken in all areas north of the tree line , including parts of the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador , Quebec , to some extent in northeastern Manitoba as well as the Northwest Territories and Nunavut . It is one of the aboriginal languages written with Canadian Aboriginal syllabics . It is recognised as an official language in Nunavut alongside Inuinnaqtun , and both languages are known collectively as Inuktut . It also has legal recognition in Nunavik -- a part of Quebec -- thanks in part to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement , and is recognised in the Charter of the French Language as the official language of instruction for Inuit school districts there . It also has some recognition in Nunatsiavut -- the Inuit area in Labrador -- following the ratification of its agreement with the government of Canada and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador . The Canadian census reports that there are roughly 35,000 Inuktitut speakers in Canada , including roughly 200 who live regularly outside of traditionally Inuit lands . The term Inuktitut is often used more broadly to include Inuvialuktun and thus nearly all the Inuit dialects of Canada . For more information on the relationship between Inuktitut and the Inuit languages spoken in Greenland and Alaska , see Inuit languages .", "Canadian English. -LSB- noticelang = en -RSB- Canadian English ( CanE , CE , en-CA ) is the set of varieties of the English language native to Canada . According to the 2011 census , English was the first language of approximately 19 million Canadians , or 57 % of the population ; the remainder of the population were native speakers of Canadian French ( 22 % ) or other languages ( allophones , 21 % ) . A larger number , 28 million people , reported using English as their dominant language . 82 % of Canadians outside the province of Quebec reported speaking English natively , but within Quebec the figure was just 7.7 % as most of its residents are native speakers of Quebec French . Canadian English contains elements of British English and American English , as well as many Canadianisms : elements `` distinctively characteristic of Canadian usage '' . While , broadly speaking , `` the English spoken in Canada is most closely related to the variety recognized around the world as ` General American ' , '' Canadian English 's precise influence from American English , British English and other unique sources has been the ongoing focus of systematic studies since the 1950s . Canadian and American English are phonologically classified together as North American English , emphasizing the fact that the vast majority of outsiders , even other native English speakers , can not distinguish the typical accents of Canadian English from American English by sound . There are minor disagreements over the degree to which even Canadians and Americans themselves can differentiate their own two accents , and there is even evidence that some Western American English ( Pacific Northwest and California English , for example ) is undergoing the Canadian Vowel Shift that was first reported in mainland Canadian English in the early 1990s . The construction of identities and English-language varieties across political borders is a complex social phenomenon .", "Newfoundland (disambiguation). Newfoundland was a province of Canada from 1949 to 2001 , now known as Newfoundland and Labrador . Newfoundland may also refer to :", "Inuttitut. Inuttitut , or Inuttut is a Canadian dialect of Inuktitut . It was once spoken across northern Labrador by Inuit people , whose traditional lands have now been consolidated as Nunatsiavut and NunatuKavut . The language has a distinct writing system , created by German missionaries from the Moravian Church in Greenland in the 1760s . This separate writing tradition , the remoteness of Nunatsiavut from other Inuit communities , and its unique history of cultural contacts have made it into a distinct dialect with a separate literary tradition . It shares features , including Schneider 's Law , the reduction of alternate sequences of consonant clusters by simplification , with some Inuit dialects spoken in Quebec . It is differentiated by the tendency to neutralize velars and uvulars , i.e. / g / ~ / r / , and / k / ~ / q / in word final and pre-consonantal positions , as well as by the assimilation of consonants in clusters , compared to other dialects . Morphological systems ( ~ juk / ~ vuk ) and syntactic patterns ( e.g. the ergative ) have similarly diverged . Nor are the Labrador dialects uniform : there are separate variants traceable to a number of regions , e.g. Rigolet , Nain , Hebron , etc. . Although Nunatsiavut claims over 4,000 inhabitants of Inuit descent , only 550 reported any Inuit language to be their mother tongue in the 2001 census , mostly in the town of Nain . Inuttitut is seriously endangered .", "Languages of Canada. A multitude of languages is used in Canada . According to the 2011 census , English and French are the mother tongues of 56.9 % and 21.3 % of Canadians respectively . 85.6 % of Canadians have working knowledge of English while 30.1 % have a working knowledge of French . Under the Official Languages Act of 1969 , both English and French have official federal status throughout Canada , in respect of all government services , including the courts , and all federal legislation is enacted bilingually . New Brunswick is the only Canadian province that has both English and French as its official languages to the same extent , with constitutional entrenchment . Quebec 's official language is French , although , in that province , the Constitution requires that all legislation be enacted in both French and English , and court proceedings may be conducted in either language . Similar constitutional protections are in place in Manitoba . Many Canadians believe that the relationship between the English and French languages is the central or defining aspect of the Canadian experience . Canada 's Official Languages Commissioner ( the federal government official charged with monitoring the two languages ) has stated , '' -LSB- I -RSB- n the same way that race is at the core of what it means to be American and at the core of an American experience and class is at the core of British experience , I think that language is at the core of Canadian experience . '' To assist in more accurately monitoring the two official languages , Canada 's census collects a number of demolinguistic descriptors not enumerated in the censuses of most other countries , including home language , mother tongue , first official language and language of work . Canada 's linguistic diversity extends beyond the two official languages . `` In Canada , 4.7 million people ( 14.2 % of the population ) reported speaking a language other than English or French most often at home and 1.9 million people ( 5.8 % ) reported speaking such a language on a regular basis as a second language ( in addition to their main home language , English or French ) . In all , 20.0 % of Canada 's population reported speaking a language other than English or French at home . For roughly 6.4 million people , the other language was an immigrant language , spoken most often or on a regular basis at home , alone or together with English or French whereas for more than 213,000 people , the other language was an Aboriginal language . Finally , the number of people reporting sign languages as the languages spoken at home was nearly 25,000 people ( 15,000 most often and 9,800 on a regular basis ) . '' Canada is also home to many indigenous languages . Taken together , these are spoken by less than one percent of the population . About .6 % Canadians ( or 200,725 people ) report an Aboriginal language as their mother tongue .", "English Canada. English Canada is a term referring to one of the following : English-speaking Canadians , as opposed to French-speaking Canadians . It is employed when comparing English - and French-language literature , media , or art . The 20 % of Canadians whose native language is neither English nor French are either lumped into one of the two groups according to their knowledge and usage of the official language or classified separately as allophones The Canadian provinces that have an anglophone majority . This excludes the francophone province of Quebec in total , and New Brunswick in part . Consequently , usage is usually in the context of geopolitical discussions involving Quebec . Among supporters of the two-nations theory , English-Canada is one of two founding nations , the other being French-Canada or Quebec . In avoidance of the two-nations theory , English-Canada is often referred to as the `` ROC '' ( Rest of Canada ) . English Canadian , in some historical contexts , refers to Canadians who have origins in England ( in contrast to Scottish Canadians , Irish Canadians etc. ) . According to the 2006 Census of Canada , the population of English-speaking Canadians is between 17,882,775 and 24,423,375 while the population of the ROC is 23,805,130 . Estimates of Canadians with English origins is estimated to be about six million ; a precise number is difficult to estimate for several reasons . Another 6.7 million people reported their ethnicity as simply `` Canadian '' without further specification , which would include those with an admixture of multiple ethnicities , particularly those long present in Canada ( e.g. French , Irish , English , and Scottish ) , making it possible that the number is much higher than the nearly 6 million who reported as having English origins . On the other hand , historically , there have also been numerous Canadians who have hidden their true ancestry for different political reasons to join the dominant English group , such as to avoid discrimination , as seems to have been the case of the reported German-origin population , which dropped by nearly half after the First World War with a commensurate rise in reports of English origins .", "Cree language. Cree -LSB- ˈkriː -RSB- ( also known as Cree -- Montagnais -- Naskapi ) is a dialect continuum of Algonquian languages spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada , from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador . If classified as one language , it is the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada . The only region where Cree has any official status is in the Northwest Territories , alongside eight other aboriginal languages .", "Toronto. Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario . With a population of 2,731,571 , it is the fourth most populous city in North America after Mexico City , New York City , and Los Angeles . Toronto is the centre of the Greater Toronto Area ( GTA ) , the most populous metropolitan area in Canada , and anchors the Golden Horseshoe , a heavily urbanized region that is home to 9.2 million people , or over 26 % of the population of Canada . A global city , Toronto is an international centre of business , finance , arts , and culture , and is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world . Aboriginal peoples have inhabited the area now known as Toronto for thousands of years . The city itself is situated on the southern terminus of an ancient Aboriginal trail leading north to Lake Simcoe , used by the Wyandot , Iroquois , and the Mississauga . Permanent European settlement began in the 1790s , after the broadly disputed Toronto Purchase of 1787 , when the Mississaugas surrendered the area to the British Crown . The British established the town of York , and later designated it as the capital of Upper Canada . During the War of 1812 , the town was the site of the Battle of York and suffered heavy damage by U.S. troops . York was renamed and incorporated as the city of Toronto in 1834 , and became the capital of the province of Ontario during Canadian Confederation in 1867 . The city proper has since expanded past its original borders through amalgamation with surrounding municipalities at various times in its history to its current area of 630.2 km2 . Located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario , Toronto is situated on a broad sloping plateau intersected by an extensive network of rivers , deep ravines , and urban forest , with 140 independently unique and clearly defined official neighbourhoods making up the city . The diverse population of Toronto reflects its current and historical role as an important destination for immigrants to Canada , with nearly 50 % of residents belonging to a visible minority population group , and over 200 distinct ethnic origins represented among its inhabitants . While the majority of Torontonians speak English as their primary language , there are over 160 different languages spoken in the city . Toronto is a prominent centre for music , theatre , motion picture production , and television production , and is home to the headquarters of Canada 's major national broadcast networks and media outlets . Its varied cultural institutions , which include numerous museums and galleries , festivals and public events , entertainment districts , national historic sites , and sports activities , attract over 25 million tourists each year . Toronto is known for its many skyscrapers and high-rise buildings , in particular the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere , the CN Tower . As Canada 's commercial capital , the city is home to the Toronto Stock Exchange , the headquarters of Canada 's five largest banks , and the headquarters of many large Canadian and multinational corporations . Its economy is highly diversified with strengths in technology , design , financial services , life sciences , education , arts , fashion , business services , environmental innovation , food services , and tourism .", "Flemish. Flemish ( Vlaams ) , also called Flemish Dutch ( Vlaams-Nederlands ) , Belgian Dutch ( Belgisch-Nederlands -LSB- ˈbɛlɣis ˈneːdərlɑnts -RSB- ) , or Southern Dutch ( Zuid-Nederlands ) , refers to any of the varieties of the Dutch language dialects spoken in Flanders , the northern part of Belgium , by approximately 6 million people . They differ to some extent from the Dutch spoken in the Netherlands in terms of intonation and pronunciation , and there are minor differences in vocabulary , including loanwords from French and English not found in Standard Dutch . There are four principal Dutch dialects in the Flemish region ( Flanders ) : Brabantian , East Flemish , West Flemish and Limburgish . The latter two are sometimes considered separate ( regional ) languages . Despite its name , Brabantian is the dominant contributor to the Flemish Dutch tussentaal . The combined region , culture , and people of Dutch-speaking Belgium ( which consists of the provinces of West Flanders , East Flanders , Flemish Brabant , Antwerp , and Limburg , and historically of Brussels ) has come to be known as `` Flemish '' . `` Flemish '' is also used to refer to one of the historical languages spoken in the former County of Flanders . Linguistically and formally , `` Flemish '' refers to the region , culture and people of ( North ) Belgium or Flanders . Flemish people speak ( Belgian ) Dutch in Flanders , the Flemish part of Belgium . `` Belgian Dutch '' is slightly different from Dutch spoken in The Netherlands , mainly in pronunciation , lexicon and expressions . Dutch speakers from the Netherlands and Dutch speakers from Belgium may not be able to communicate fluently with each other because Flemish uses different nouns and different pronunciation , and has evolved at a different pace from modern Dutch . Similar differences exist within other languages , such as English ( Australia , New Zealand , Canada , UK , USA , South Africa , etc. ) , French ( Belgium , Canada , France , Switzerland , etc. ) , Spanish ( Mexico , Spain , Argentina , Colombia etc. ) , and Portuguese ( Brazil , Portugal , etc. ) . The differences are not significant enough to constitute an individual language ( just as American English , Mexican Spanish , Canadian French and Brazilian Portuguese have not diverted enough from their European sources to be considered separate languages ) .", "Inuit. Inuit ( pronounced -LSB- ` Inu.It -RSB- or -LSB- ` Inju.It -RSB- Inuktitut : -LSB- , `` the people '' ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Greenland , Canada and Alaska . Inuit is a plural noun ; the singular is Inuk . The Inuit languages are part of the Eskimo-Aleut family . Inuit Sign Language is a critically endangered language isolate spoken in Nunavut . In the United States and Canada , the term `` Eskimo '' was commonly used to describe the Inuit and Alaska 's Yupik and Iñupiat peoples . However , `` Inuit '' is not accepted as a term for the Yupik , and `` Eskimo '' is the only term that includes Yupik , Iñupiat and Inuit . However , aboriginal peoples in Canada and Greenlandic Inuit view `` Eskimo '' as pejorative , and `` Inuit '' is more commonly used in self-reference for these groups . In Canada , sections 25 and 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982 classified the `` Inuit '' as a distinctive group of Aboriginal Canadians who are not included under either the First Nations or the Métis . The Inuit live throughout most of Northern Canada in the territory of Nunavut , Nunavik in the northern third of Quebec , Nunatsiavut and NunatuKavut in Labrador , and in various parts of the Northwest Territories , particularly around the Arctic Ocean . These areas are known in Inuktitut as the `` Inuit Nunangat '' . In the United States , the Iñupiat live primarily on the Alaska North Slope and on Little Diomede Island . The Greenlandic Inuit are descendants of indigenous migrations from Canada . In the 21st century they are citizens of Denmark , although not of the European Union .", "Nunavut. Nunavut ( -LSB- ˈnuːnəˌvʊt -RSB- from Inuktitut : syllabics ᓄᓇᕗᑦ -LSB- ˈnunavut -RSB- -LSB- nynavy ( t ) -RSB- ) is the newest , largest , and northernmost territory of Canada . It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1 , 1999 , via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act , though the boundaries had been contemplatively drawn in 1993 . The creation of Nunavut resulted in the first major change to Canada 's political map since the incorporation of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1949 . Nunavut comprises a major portion of Northern Canada , and most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago . Its vast territory makes it the fifth-largest country subdivision in the world , as well as North America 's second-largest ( after Greenland ) . The capital Iqaluit ( formerly `` Frobisher Bay '' ) , on Baffin Island in the east , was chosen by the 1995 capital plebiscite . Other major communities include the regional centres of Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay . Nunavut also includes Ellesmere Island to the far north , as well as the eastern and southern portions of Victoria Island in the west and Akimiski Island in James Bay far to the southeast of the rest of the territory . It is Canada 's only geo-political region that is not connected to the rest of North America by highway . Nunavut is the largest in area and the second least populous of Canada 's provinces and territories . One of the world 's most remote , sparsely settled regions , it has a population of 35,944 , mostly Inuit , spread over an area of just over 1,750,000 km2 , the size of Western Europe . Nunavut is also home to the world 's northernmost permanently inhabited place , Alert . A weather station farther down Ellesmere Island , Eureka , has the lowest average annual temperature of any Canadian weather station .", "New Brunswick. New Brunswick ( Nouveau-Brunswick Canadian French pronunciation : -LSB- nuvobʁɔnzwɪk -RSB- ) is one of Canada 's three Maritime provinces ( together with Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia ) and is the only constitutionally bilingual ( English -- French ) province . The principal cities are Fredericton , the capital , Greater Moncton , currently the largest metropolitan ( CMA ) area and the most populous city , and the port city of Saint John , which was the first incorporated city in Canada and largest in the province for 231 years until 2016 . In the Canada 2016 Census , Statistics Canada estimated the provincial population to have been 747,101 , down very slightly from 751,171 in 2011 , on an area of almost 73,000 km2 . The majority of the population is English-speaking of Anglo and Celtic heritage , but there is also a large Francophone minority ( 33 % ) , chiefly of Acadian origin . It was created as a result of the partitioning of the British colony of Nova Scotia in 1784 and was originally named New Ireland with the capital to be in Saint John . The name was soon replaced with New Brunswick by King George II . The provincial flag features a ship superimposed on a yellow background with a yellow lion passant guardant on red pennon above it .", "Division No. 10, Newfoundland and Labrador. Census Division No. 10 is composed of the area of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada , called Labrador outside Nunatsiavut . It has a land area of 269,073.3 km ² ( 103,889.78 sq mi ) and at the 2011 census had a population of 24,111 . Its two major population centres are the towns of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Labrador City .", "Franco-Newfoundlander. Franco-Newfoundlanders , also known as Franco-Terreneuvians in English or Franco-Terreneuviens in French , are francophone and/or French Canadian residents of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador . The name Franco-Terreneuvian derives from Terre-Neuve , the French name of Newfoundland . The Franco-Newfoundlander community is most prominently associated with the Port au Port area near Stephenville , in communities such as Trois-Cailloux , Cap-Saint-Georges , La Grand ` Terre , L'Anse-aux-Canards and Maisons-d'Hiver . This region is unique as the only area in the province that is officially designated by provincial law as a bilingual district . However , francophone communities are also present throughout the province , particularly in St. John 's , Labrador City and Happy Valley-Goose Bay . Newfoundland and Labrador 's francophone community and its culture derive from a unique mix of influences and immigrants from Quebec , Acadia , St. Pierre and Miquelon , Brittany and the Basque Country , much of it predating Newfoundland 's admission as a Canadian province in 1949 . Some aspects of the community 's unique culture , however , have been lost or threatened as the community became more closely integrated into the mainstream of French Canadian culture and society after 1949 .", "Quebec English. Quebec English is the common term for the set of various linguistic and social phenomena affecting the use of English in the predominantly French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec . There are few distinctive phonological features and very few restricted lexical features common among English-speaking Quebecers . The English spoken in Quebec generally belongs to West/Central Canadian English whose sprachraum comprises one of the largest and most homogeneous dialect areas in North America . The dialect is common in Montreal , where the vast majority of anglophones in Quebec live , as well as in large metropolitan areas of Ontario and Western Canada . It is very similar to General American English . English-speaking Montrealers also have established ethnic groups that retain distinct lexical features : Irish , Jewish , Italian , and Greek communities all speak discernible varieties of English . Given that these communities have considerable mobility within Canada , they retain traits common in many Canadian cities . Important regional variations also occur in rural and remote regions near Quebec 's borders and are associated with local cross-border contact . Rural Townshippers and Châteauguay Valley residents in southern Quebec are reported by some to have a dialect more similar to that of Vermont English . Isolated fishing villages on the Lower North Shore of Quebec speak Newfoundland English , and many Gaspesian anglophones speak Maritime English . Finally , the Kahnawake Mohawks of south shore Montreal and the Cree and Inuit of Northern Quebec speak English with their own distinctive accents , word usage and expressions stemming from their respective Indigenous languages . Over centuries of contact , numerous English and French words have also been incorporated into their languages . Francophone second-language speakers of English use an interlanguage with varying degrees of Quebec-accented pronunciation . For example , they often pronounce -LSB- -LSB- t -RSB- -RSB- / -LSB- -LSB- d -RSB- -RSB- instead of -LSB- -LSB- θ -RSB- -RSB- / -LSB- -LSB- ð -RSB- -RSB- ; some speakers pronounce -LSB- -LSB- ɔ -RSB- -RSB- for the phoneme -LSB- / ʌ / -RSB- ; some speakers mispronounced some words ; and some pronounce -LSB- -LSB- ˈmɛseɪdʒ -RSB- -RSB- for the word message . Since French-speaking Quebecers greatly outnumber English-speakers in most regions of Quebec , it is more common to hear this in public areas . Some English-speakers in overwhelmingly francophone areas exhibit some of these features ( such as replacement of -LSB- -LSB- θ -RSB- -RSB- and -LSB- -LSB- ð -RSB- -RSB- by -LSB- t -RSB- and -LSB- d -RSB- ) , but their English is remarkably similar to that of other varieties of English in Canada ( Poplack , Walker , & Malcolmson 2006 ) . All of these variations constitute what is commonly perceived as Quebec English . Note : The following practices are denoted by the symbol N@, as they are not deemed acceptable in English-language writing and broadcasting in Quebec . The same lack of acceptability holds true by standards of English outside Quebec .", "Newfoundland in fiction. Newfoundland is oft represented in the media , for good or for bad . Sometimes it is referred to as an extremely remote place , other times as the place through which many English-speaking settlers passed before heading on to points within the American heartland , having the closest port of call to the British Isles .", "Politics of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador is governed by a unicameral legislature , the House of Assembly , which operates under the Westminster model of government . The executive function of government is formed by the Lieutenant Governor , the premier ( head of government , and normally the leader of the largest party in the legislature ) and his or her cabinet . The politics of Newfoundland and Labrador is defined by a long history , liberal democratic political institutions and a unique political culture .", "Newfoundland (dog). The Newfoundland dog is a large working dog . They can be either black , brown , or white-and-black ( called Landseer ) . However , in Canada , the country of their origin , the only correct colours are either black or Landseer . They were originally bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in the Dominion of Newfoundland ( which is now part of Canada ) . They are known for their giant size , intelligence , tremendous strength , calm dispositions , and loyalty . Newfoundland dogs excel at water rescue/lifesaving because of their muscular build , thick double coat , webbed feet , and innate swimming abilities .", "Irish Newfoundlanders. In modern Newfoundland ( Talamh an Éisc ) , many Newfoundlanders are of Irish descent . According to the Statistics Canada 2006 census , 21.5 % of Newfoundlanders claim Irish ancestry ( other major groups in the province include 43.2 % English , 7 % Scottish , and 6.1 % French ) . The family names , the features and colouring , the predominance of Catholics in some areas ( particularly on the southeast portion of the Avalon Peninsula ) , the prevalence of Irish music , even the accents of the people in these areas , are so reminiscent of rural Ireland that Irish author Tim Pat Coogan has described Newfoundland as `` the most Irish place in the world outside of Ireland '' . Newfoundland has been called `` the other Ireland '' .", "St. Lawrence, Newfoundland and Labrador. St. Lawrence is a Canadian town located on the Burin Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador . As of 2016 , the population of St. Lawrence was 1,192 , down from the 2011 Canadian Census of 1,244 . Popular family names in the town include Slaney , Pike , Lake , Drake and Edwards ." ]

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[ "Furia (film). Furia is a 1999 French romantic drama film directed by Alexandre Aja , who co-wrote screenplay with Grégory Levasseur , adapted from the science fiction short story `` Graffiti '' by Julio Cortázar . It stars Stanislas Merhar and Marion Cotillard .", "Furia. Furia may refer to : Furia ( gens ) , a patrician family of ancient Rome Furia ( album ) , of 1999 by Brian May Furia ( film ) , a 1999 French romantic drama film Furia ( band ) , a Polish black metal band Fury ( 1947 film ) , an Italian film with the original title Furia The Rage ( 2002 film ) , a Romanian film with the original title Furia", "Furia (band). Furia is a Polish black metal band formed in 2003 in Katowice , with Michał `` Nihil '' Kuźniak on guitar and vocal , Kamil `` Sars '' Staszałek on bass , Przemysław `` Voldtekt '' on guitar and Grzegorz `` Namtar '' Kantor on drums . It is considered one of the most influential black metal groups in Poland . The word `` furia '' means `` fury '' in the Polish language . The musical style of the band appears raw and `` cold '' , but the lyrics focus mostly on nihilism and misanthropy in a poetic manner , usually striving from typical paganism or anti-christianity . Some members of Furia play in MasseMord , while the vocalist Nihil - who is also the lyricist - conducts the post-black project Morowe .", "Las furias. Las Furias is a 1960 Argentine film adapted from a play of the same name . It is the first Argentine sound film directed by a woman , Vlasta Lah , who came up as an assistant director . The furies of the title are four women who live together in a house they can barely keep and who are in constant battle with each other . In a departure from its theatrical origin , the start of the film devotes ten minutes of pure to each woman , which is then developed in other scenes .", "Krizia. Krizia is a designer label and manufacturer of ladies ' handbags , clothing , footwear and perfumes . The ready-to-wear fashion label was established by Mariuccia Mandelli ( 31 January 1925 -- 6 December 2015 ) , a designer and entrepreneur , in 1954 in Milan , Italy . She unveiled her first black-and-white collection at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence , Italy , in 1964 , which earned her a Critica della Moda award . Under Mandelli , Krizia rapidly expanded during the 1960s and 1970s . In 1971 , Krizia released a version of shorts cut `` very short '' , an early form of hot pants . At its height , in the 1990s , the fashion house was doing half a billion dollars of annual business . It was while at the helm of Krizia that Mandelli introduced the high fashion world to hot pants . In February 2014 , Shenzhen Marisfrolg , a Chinese corporation , bought Krizia and Mandelli stepped down from a leadership role .", "Fury (1947 film). Fury ( Italian : Furia ) is a 1947 Italian drama film directed by Goffredo Alessandrini and starring Isa Pola , Rossano Brazzi and Gino Cervi . The film was remade in 1957 as Wild Is the Wind , Anna Magnani 's second Hollywood role . Loosely based on Giovanni Verga 's novel La lupa , it is a melodrama set in the horsebreeding community .", "Furia (album). La musique de Furia -- Un film de Alexandre Aja is a soundtrack album written and recorded by Brian May . The film Furia was released in 1999 .", "Imperator Furiosa. Imperator Furiosa is a fictional character and protagonist of the 2015 film Mad Max : Fury Road . She is a soldier under Immortan Joe , whom she betrays in order to free `` The Five Wives '' , Joe 's female concubines ( or `` breeders '' ) . She meets Max Rockatansky during her journey , and despite initial hostility , the two become allies and team up to drive The Five Wives to a safe environment called The Green Place .", "Furiant. A furiant is a rapid and fiery Bohemian dance in alternating 2/4 and 3/4 time , with frequently shifting accents ; or , in `` art music '' , in 3/4 time `` with strong accents forming pairs of beats '' . The stylised form of the dance was often used by Czech composers such as Antonín Dvořák in the eighth dance from his Slavonic Dances and in his 6th Symphony , and by Bedřich Smetana in The Bartered Bride and in his second volume for piano of Czech Dances ( České tance 2 ) , published in 1879 ( Op. 21 ) . The use of the furiant by central European composers closely parallels their use of the dumka , a dance which often precedes the furiant .", "Russia. Russia ( -LSB- ˈrʌʃə -RSB- -LSB- Россия , Rossiya , rɐˈsʲijə -RSB- ) , also officially the Russian Federation ( -LSB- Российская Федерация , r = Rossiyskaya Federatsiya , p = rɐˈsʲijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjə -RSB- ) , is a country in Eurasia . At 17075200 km2 , Russia is the largest country in the world by surface area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , and the ninth most populous , with over 144 million people at the end of March 2016 . The European western part of the country is much more populated and urbanised than the eastern ; about 77 % of the population live in European Russia . Russia 's capital Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world ; other major urban centers include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan . Extending across the entirety of Northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe , Russia spans eleven time zones and incorporates a wide range of environments and landforms . From northwest to southeast , Russia shares land borders with Norway , Finland , Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania and Poland ( both with Kaliningrad Oblast ) , Belarus , Ukraine , Georgia , Azerbaijan , Kazakhstan , China , Mongolia , and North Korea . It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait . The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ' ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states ; most of the Rus ' lands were overrun by the Mongol invasion and became tributaries of the nomadic Golden Horde in the 13th century . The Grand Duchy of Moscow gradually reunified the surrounding Russian principalities , achieved independence from the Golden Horde , and came to dominate the cultural and political legacy of Kievan Rus ' . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east . Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state . The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the Allied victory in World War II , and emerged as a recognized superpower and rival to the United States during the Cold War . The Soviet era saw some of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century , including the world 's first human-made satellite and the launching of the first humans in space . By the end of 1990 , the Soviet Union had the world 's second largest economy , largest standing military in the world and the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 , fifteen independent republics emerged from the USSR : Russia , Ukraine , Belarus , Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan , Armenia , Azerbaijan , Estonia , Georgia , Kyrgyzstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Moldova , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan ; the Russian SFSR reconstituted itself as the Russian Federation and is recognized as the continuing legal personality and sole successor state of the Soviet Union . It is governed as a federal semi-presidential republic . The Russian economy ranks as the twelfth largest by nominal GDP and sixth largest by purchasing power parity in 2015 . Russia 's extensive mineral and energy resources are the largest such reserves in the world , making it one of the leading producers of oil and natural gas globally . The country is one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Russia is a great power as well as a regional power and has been characterised as a potential superpower . It is permanent member of the United Nations Security Council , as well as a member of the G20 , the Council of Europe , the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) , the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( SCO ) , the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) , as well as being the leading member of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) , the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) and one of the five members of the Eurasian Economic Union ( EEU ) , along with Armenia , Belarus , Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan .", "Ligeia. `` Ligeia '' ( usually pronounced -LSB- laɪˈʤi : ə -RSB- ) is an early short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe , first published in 1838 . The story follows an unnamed narrator and his wife Ligeia , a beautiful and intelligent raven-haired woman . She falls ill , composes `` The Conqueror Worm '' , and quotes lines attributed to Joseph Glanvill ( which suggest that life is sustainable only through willpower ) shortly before dying . After her death , the narrator marries the Lady Rowena . Rowena becomes ill and she dies as well . The distraught narrator stays with her body overnight and watches as Rowena slowly comes back from the dead -- though she has transformed into Ligeia . The story may be the narrator 's opium-induced hallucination and there is debate whether the story was a satire . After the story 's first publication in The American Museum , it was heavily revised and reprinted throughout Poe 's life .", "Furia Alacranera. Furia Alacranera ( Eng. : Scorpion 's Rage ) is the title of the first studio album released by music group Alacranes Musical .", "Opera. Opera ( -LSB- ˈɔːpera -RSB- ; English plural : operas ; Italian plural : opere -LSB- ˈɔːpere -RSB- ) is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text ( libretto ) and musical score , usually in a theatrical setting . In traditional opera , singers do two types of singing : recitative , a speech-inflected style and arias , a more melodic style , in which notes are sung in a sustained fashion . Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre , such as acting , scenery , and costumes and sometimes includes dance . The performance is typically given in an opera house , accompanied by an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble , which since the early 19th century has been led by a conductor . Opera is a key part of the Western classical music tradition . It started in Italy at the end of the 16th century ( with Jacopo Peri 's mostly lost Dafne , produced in Florence in 1598 ) and soon spread through the rest of Europe : Heinrich Schütz in Germany , Jean-Baptiste Lully in France , and Henry Purcell in England all helped to establish their national traditions in the 17th century . In the 18th century , Italian opera continued to dominate most of Europe ( except France ) , attracting foreign composers such as George Frideric Handel . Opera seria was the most prestigious form of Italian opera , until Christoph Willibald Gluck reacted against its artificiality with his `` reform '' operas in the 1760s . In the 2000s , the most renowned figure of late 18th-century opera is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , who began with opera seria but is most famous for his Italian comic operas , especially The Marriage of Figaro ( Le nozze di Figaro ) , Don Giovanni , and Così fan tutte , as well as The Magic Flute ( Die Zauberflöte ) , a landmark in the German tradition . The first third of the 19th century saw the high point of the bel canto style , with Gioachino Rossini , Gaetano Donizetti and Vincenzo Bellini all creating works that are still performed . It also saw the advent of Grand Opera typified by the works of Auber and Meyerbeer . The mid-to-late 19th century was a `` golden age '' of opera , led and dominated by Richard Wagner in Germany and Giuseppe Verdi in Italy . The popularity of opera continued through the verismo era in Italy and contemporary French opera through to Giacomo Puccini and Richard Strauss in the early 20th century . During the 19th century , parallel operatic traditions emerged in central and eastern Europe , particularly in Russia and Bohemia . The 20th century saw many experiments with modern styles , such as atonality and serialism ( Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg ) , Neoclassicism ( Igor Stravinsky ) , and Minimalism ( Philip Glass and John Adams ) . With the rise of recording technology , singers such as Enrico Caruso and Maria Callas became known to much wider audiences that went beyond the circle of opera fans . Since the invention of radio and television , operas were also performed on ( and written for ) these mediums . Beginning in 2006 , a number of major opera houses began to present live high-definition video transmissions of their performances in cinemas all over the world . In 2009 , an opera company offered an online download of a complete performance .", "Furia Musical. Furia Musical was a Mexican music magazine published by Editorial Televisa , which includes articles and gossip about the famous singers in this genre .", "Furrinalia. In ancient Roman religion , the Furrinalia ( or Furinalia ) was an annual festival held on July 25 to celebrate the rites ( sacra ) of the goddess Furrina . Varro notes that the festival was a public holiday ( feriae publicae dies ) . Both the festival and the goddess had become obscure even to the Romans of the Late Republic ; Varro ( mid-1st century BC ) notes that few people in his day even know her name . One of the fifteen flamines ( high priests of official cult ) was assigned to her , indicating her archaic stature , and she had a sacred grove ( lucus ) on the Janiculum , which may have been the location of the festival . Furrina was associated with water , and the Furrinalia follows the Lucaria ( Festival of the Grove ) on July 19 and 21 and the Neptunalia on July 23 , a grouping that may reflect a concern for summer drought .", "Puss in Boots (opera). Puss in Boots ( Кот в сапогах in Cyrillic ; Kot v sapogakh in transliteration ) is a short opera-fairytale for children in three acts , four tableaux , composed by César Cui in 1913 . The libretto was written by Marina Stanislavovna Pol ' . It was premiered in Rome in 1915 under the title Il gato con gli stivali . A Soviet edition of the opera , with a revised libretto , was published in 1961 . By the 1970s this opera seems to have become popular in what was then East Germany as Der gestiefelte Kater . Under that title it was recorded later on CD by the Staatsoper Stuttgart in 1999 in a version designed for radio .", "John Furia, Jr.. John Furia , Jr. ( 1929 -- May 7 , 2009 ) was an American television writer , whose credits included Bonanza , Hawaii Five-O , The Twilight Zone , The Waltons and Dr. Kildare . Furia was elected President of the Writers Guild of America , West ( WGA ) from 1973 until 1975 . He also served on the Writers Guild of America 's board of directors for two terms . Furia co-chaired the WGA 's negotiating committee on several different occasions , including for the WGA 's 2004 negotiations . Furia received several honors from the WGA for his work , including the Morgan Cox , Valentine Davies and Edmund H. North awards for `` leadership and guild service . '' Additionally , Furia was a professor and director of film writing at the University of Southern California 's School of Cinema and Television . Furia died on May 7 , 2009 , at the age of 79 . He is survived by his wife and seven children .", "Fates and Furies. Fates and Furies is a 2015 novel by American author Lauren Groff . It is Groff 's third novel and fourth book . The book takes place in New York , and is essentially about how the different people in a relationship can have disparate views on the relationship . It has drawn many comparisons to the novel Gone Girl , based on its themes , structure , and the dominance of the female in the key relationship of the plot . The novel was widely and highly praised by critics , with negative reviews focusing on moments of implausibility in the novel 's second half . It was perhaps the most talked about English-language novel of 2015 , and was on more critics ' end-of-year lists than any other . Fates and Furies was nominated for a National Book Award , but ultimately lost to Adam Johnson 's Fortune Smiles . Amazon named it their book of the year , and President Obama and several celebrities proclaimed it their favorite book of 2015 .", "Guillermo del Toro. Guillermo del Toro Gómez ( -LSB- ɡiˈʝeɾmo ðel ˈtoɾo -RSB- ; born October 9 , 1964 ) is a Mexican film director , screenwriter , producer , and novelist . In his filmmaking career , del Toro has alternated between Spanish-language dark fantasy pieces , such as the gothic horror film The Devil 's Backbone ( 2001 ) , and Pan 's Labyrinth ( 2006 ) , and more mainstream American action movies , such as the vampire superhero action film Blade II ( 2002 ) , the supernatural superhero film Hellboy ( 2004 ) , its sequel Hellboy II : The Golden Army ( 2008 ) , and the science fiction monster film Pacific Rim ( 2013 ) . In addition to his directing works , del Toro is a prolific producer , his producing works including acclaimed and successful films such as The Orphanage ( 2007 ) , Julia 's Eyes ( 2010 ) , Biutiful ( 2010 ) , Kung Fu Panda 2 ( 2011 ) , Puss in Boots ( 2011 ) , and Mama ( 2013 ) . He was originally chosen by Peter Jackson to direct The Hobbit films ; he left the project due to production problems but was still credited as co-writer for his numerous contributions to the script . Del Toro 's work is characterised by a strong connection to fairy tales and horror , with an effort to infuse visual or poetic beauty . He has a lifelong fascination with monsters , which he considers symbols of great power . Del Toro is known for his use of insectile and religious imagery , the themes of Catholicism and celebrating imperfection , underworld and clockwork motifs , practical special effects , dominant amber lighting , and his frequent collaborations with actors Ron Perlman , Doug Jones and Federico Luppi . He is also friends with fellow Mexican directors Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro González Iñárritu , collectively known as `` The Three Amigos of Cinema . ''", "Zofia Posmysz. Zofia Posmysz ( born 23 August 1923 ) is a Polish author . In 1942 she was arrested by the Gestapo on suspicion of distributing anti-Nazi leaflets . She survived the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps and afterwards gained a position with Polish national radio . She is the author of several works including the 1959 radio play The Passenger in Cabin 45 , which was adapted into her 1962 novel Passenger , and into a television play and film The Passenger . Composer Mieczysław Weinberg used the story as the basis for his 1968 opera The Passenger .", "Megaera. Megaera ( -LSB- məˈdʒɪərə -RSB- Ancient Greek : Μέγαιρα , English translation : `` the jealous one '' ) is one of the Erinyes , Eumenides or `` Furies '' in Greek mythology . Lamprière 's Classical Dictionary states `` According to the most received opinions , they were three in number , Tisiphone , `` Megaera ... daughter of Nox and Acheron '' , and Alecto '' . Megaera is the cause of jealousy and envy , and punishes people who commit crimes , especially marital infidelity . Like her sisters Alecto and Tisiphone , as well as the Melian Nymphs , she was born of the blood of Uranus when Cronus castrated him . In modern French ( mégère ) , Portuguese ( megera ) , Modern Greek , Italian ( megera ) and Russian , this name denotes a jealous or spiteful woman - Google translates all five as `` shrew '' .", "Furtivos. Furtivos ( Poachers ) is a 1975 Spanish film directed by José Luis Borau . It stars Lola Gaos , Ovidi Montllor and Alicia Sánchez . The script was written by Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón and José Luis Borau . The film is a stark drama that portraits an oedipal relationship and its dire consequences . A great critical and commercial success , it won best picture at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in 1975 . Furtivos is considered a classic of Spanish cinema .", "Fairy tale. A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features folkloric fantasy characters , such as dwarves , dragons , elves , fairies , giants , gnomes , goblins , griffins , mermaids , talking animals , trolls , unicorns , or witches , and usually magic or enchantments . Fairy tales may be distinguished from other folk narratives such as legends ( which generally involve belief in the veracity of the events described ) and explicitly moral tales , including beast fables . The term is mainly used for stories with origins in European tradition and , at least in recent centuries , mostly relates to children 's literature . In less technical contexts , the term is also used to describe something blessed with unusual happiness , as in `` fairy tale ending '' ( a happy ending ) or `` fairy tale romance '' , though not all fairy tales end happily . Colloquially , a `` fairy tale '' or `` fairy story '' can also mean any far-fetched story or tall tale ; it is used especially of any story that not only is not true , but could not possibly be true . Legends are perceived as real ; fairy tales may merge into legends , where the narrative is perceived both by teller and hearers as being grounded in historical truth . However , unlike legends and epics , they usually do not contain more than superficial references to religion and actual places , people , and events ; they take place once upon a time rather than in actual times . Fairy tales are found in oral and in literary form ; the name `` fairy tale '' was first ascribed to them by Madame d'Aulnoy in the late 17th century . Many of today 's fairy tales have evolved from centuries-old stories that have appeared , with variations , in multiple cultures around the world . The history of the fairy tale is particularly difficult to trace because only the literary forms can survive . Still , according to researchers at universities in Durham and Lisbon , such stories may date back thousands of years , some to the Bronze Age more than 6,000 years ago . Fairy tales , and works derived from fairy tales , are still written today . Folklorists have classified fairy tales in various ways . The Aarne-Thompson classification system and the morphological analysis of Vladimir Propp are among the most notable . Other folklorists have interpreted the tales ' significance , but no school has been definitively established for the meaning of the tales .", "Ariana Grande. Ariana Grande-Butera ( born June 26 , 1993 ) , known as Ariana Grande ( -LSB- ˌɑriˈɑːnə_ˈɡrɑːndeɪ -RSB- ) , is an American singer and actress . She began her career in the Broadway musical 13 , before landing the role of Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon television series Victorious in 2009 . The show ended after four seasons , and Grande starred in the spinoff , Sam & Cat , which ended in 2014 . She has also appeared in other theatre and television roles , and has lent her voice to animated television and films . Grande 's music career began with the soundtrack Music from Victorious ( 2011 ) . She signed a recording contract with Republic Records and released her debut studio album , Yours Truly , in 2013 , which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 . The album 's lead single , `` The Way '' , debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 , with critics comparing her wide vocal range to that of Mariah Carey . Grande 's second studio album , My Everything ( 2014 ) , debuted at number one in the US and charted in the top 10 in 24 other countries . With the lead single `` Problem '' and several others from that album , she was continuously in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for 34 weeks and had the most top 10 singles of any artist in 2014 . In 2015 , Grande promoted My Everything with her first world tour , The Honeymoon Tour , guest-starred in the Fox comedy horror television series , Scream Queens and released a holiday EP , Christmas & Chill . In 2016 , she released her third studio album , Dangerous Woman , and several songs from the album . The title track debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 , making Grande the first person in the history of that chart to have the lead single from each of her first three albums debut in the top 10 . The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 . As of January 2017 , Grande 's music videos had been viewed a total of more than seven billion times online . Grande 's accolades include three American Music Awards , an MTV Video Music Award , three MTV Europe Music Awards and four Grammy Award nominations . All three of her albums have been certified platinum by the RIAA . She has actively supported a range of charities , and has a large following on social media ; she is the second most followed person on Instagram . In 2016 , Time named Grande one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list .", "Anna Furtado. Anna Furtado is an American author of The Briarcrest Chronicles and other lesbian fiction . The Heart 's Desire -- Book One of The Briarcrest Chronicles was a finalist for the Golden Crown Literary Society Award ( `` Goldie '' ) in the romance category . The second novel in the Briarcrest series is titled The Heart 's Strength . The final installment of the Chronicles is titled `` The Heart 's Longing '' . It , too , has the distinction of reaching the finalist category for a `` Goldie '' in the year following publication . Anna 's non-fiction credits have included a bi-monthly column on the art and craft of writing at Just About Write ( www.justaboutwrite.com ) , where her reviews of lesbian fiction by colleagues . She has also written pet care articles for Pet Food Express on the Web . She lives with her partner of more than 25 years in the San Francisco Bay Area .", "Cinderella. Cinderella , or The Little Glass Slipper , ( Cenerentola , Cendrillon , ou La petite Pantoufle de Verre , Aschenputtel ) is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward . Thousands of variants are known throughout the world . The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances , that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune . The story of Rhodopis , recounted by the Greek geographer Strabo in around 7 BC , about a Greek slave girl who marries the king of Egypt , is considered the earliest known variant of the `` Cinderella '' story . The most popular version was first published by Charles Perrault in Histoires ou contes du temps passé in 1697 , and later by the Brothers Grimm in their folk tale collection Grimms ' Fairy Tales . Although the story 's title and main character 's name change in different languages , in English-language folklore `` Cinderella '' is the archetypal name . The word `` Cinderella '' has , by analogy , come to mean one whose attributes were unrecognized , or one who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity and neglect . The still-popular story of `` Cinderella '' continues to influence popular culture internationally , lending plot elements , allusions , and tropes to a wide variety of media . The Aarne -- Thompson system classifies Cinderella as `` the persecuted heroine '' .", "Vampire Academy. Vampire Academy is an American best-selling series of six young adult paranormal romance novels by author Richelle Mead . It tells the story of Rosemarie `` Rose '' Hathaway , a seventeen/eighteen-year-old Dhampir girl , who is training to be a guardian of her Moroi best friend , Vasilisa `` Lissa '' Dragomir . In the process of learning how to defeat Strigoi ( the evil undead vampires ) in St. Vladimir 's Academy , Rose finds herself caught in a forbidden romance with her instructor , Dimitri Belikov , while having an unbreakable psychic bond with Lissa . The first book in the series , Vampire Academy , was published in 2007 ; it was followed by Frostbite in 2008 . The third book in the series , Shadow Kiss was published also in 2008 , and the fourth book , Blood Promise , was published in 2009 . The fifth book , Spirit Bound , and the sixth book , Last Sacrifice , were released in 2010 . As of 2013 , the series has sold 8 million copies in 35 countries . The first in the series was adapted into a movie directed by Mark Waters , starring Zoey Deutch , Lucy Fry , Danila Kozlovsky , Olga Kurylenko , Gabriel Byrne and was released by The Weinstein Company on February 7 , 2014 .", "Yevgeniya Simonova. Yevgeniya Pavlovna Simonova ( Евгения Павловна Симонова , born 1 June 1955 ) is a Soviet and Russian theatre and film actress best known for her parts in films Afonya ( 1975 ) , An Ordinary Miracle ( 1978 ) , Twenty Six Days from the Life of Dostoyevsky ( 1981 ) . In 1984 she received the State Prize for her contribution to several early 1980s Mayakovsky Theatre productions , including the Life of Klim Samgin ( after Maxim Gorky 's novel ) .", "Furia en la isla. Furia en la isla is a 1978 Argentine film .", "The Furies (novel). The Furies is a historical novel written by John Jakes and originally published in 1976 . It is book four in a series known as the Kent Family Chronicles or the American Bicentennial Series . The novel mixes fictional characters with historical events and figures , to tell the story of the United States of America from 1836 to 1852 .", "The Magic Mirror (ballet). Le Miroir Magique ( en . The Magic Mirror ) is a ballet-féerie in four acts and seven scenes , originally choreographed by Marius Petipa with music by Arseny Koreshchenko . The libretto is based on the fairy tale Snow White by the Brothers Grimm and the poem The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights by Alexander Pushkin . The ballet was premièred on the at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg , Russia .", "Wish upon a Pike. Wish upon a Pike , also known as The Magic Fish , ( -LSB- По щучьему веленью , Po shchuchemu veleniyu -RSB- ) is a 1938 fantasy film directed by Aleksandr Rou , which was his debut and filmed at Soyuzdetfilm . It is adapted from a play by Yelizaveta Tarakhovskaya , itself based on several tales from Slavic folklore ." ]

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[ "Western United States. The Western United States , commonly referred to as the American West , the Far West , or simply the West , traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States . Because European settlement in the U.S. expanded westward after its founding , the meaning of the West has evolved over time . Prior to about 1800 , the crest of the Appalachian Mountains was seen as the western frontier . Since then , the frontier generally moved westward and eventually lands west of the Mississippi River came to be referred to as the West . Though no consensus exists , even among experts , for the definition of the West as a region , the U.S. Census Bureau 's definition of the 13 westernmost states includes the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin to the West Coast , and the outlying states of Hawaii and Alaska . The West contains several major biomes . It is known for arid to semi-arid plateaus and plains , particularly in the American Southwest -- forested mountains , including the major ranges of the American Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains -- the massive coastal shoreline of the American Pacific Coast -- and the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest .", "Alaska. Alaska ( -LSB- əˈlæskə -RSB- ) is a U.S. state located in the northwest extremity of North America . The Canadian administrative divisions of British Columbia and Yukon border the state to the east ; its most extreme western part is Attu Island ; it has a maritime border with Russia to the west across the Bering Strait . To the north are the Chukchi and Beaufort seas -- the southern parts of the Arctic Ocean . The Pacific Ocean lies to the south and southwest . It is the largest state in the United States by area . In addition , it is the 3rd least populous and the most sparsely populated of the 50 United States ; nevertheless , it is by far the most populous territory located mostly north of the 60th parallel in North America , its population ( the total estimated at 738,432 by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2015 ) more than quadrupling the combined populations of Northern Canada and Greenland . Approximately half of Alaska 's residents live within the Anchorage metropolitan area . Alaska 's economy is dominated by the fishing , natural gas , and oil industries , resources which it has in abundance . Military bases and tourism are also a significant part of the economy . The United States purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire on March 30 , 1867 , for 7.2 million U.S. dollars at approximately two cents per acre ( $ 4.74 / km2 ) . The area went through several administrative changes before becoming organized as a territory on May 11 , 1912 . It was admitted as the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3 , 1959 .", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "Russia. Russia ( -LSB- ˈrʌʃə -RSB- -LSB- Россия , Rossiya , rɐˈsʲijə -RSB- ) , also officially the Russian Federation ( -LSB- Российская Федерация , r = Rossiyskaya Federatsiya , p = rɐˈsʲijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjə -RSB- ) , is a country in Eurasia . At 17075200 km2 , Russia is the largest country in the world by surface area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , and the ninth most populous , with over 144 million people at the end of March 2016 . The European western part of the country is much more populated and urbanised than the eastern ; about 77 % of the population live in European Russia . Russia 's capital Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world ; other major urban centers include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan . Extending across the entirety of Northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe , Russia spans eleven time zones and incorporates a wide range of environments and landforms . From northwest to southeast , Russia shares land borders with Norway , Finland , Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania and Poland ( both with Kaliningrad Oblast ) , Belarus , Ukraine , Georgia , Azerbaijan , Kazakhstan , China , Mongolia , and North Korea . It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait . The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ' ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states ; most of the Rus ' lands were overrun by the Mongol invasion and became tributaries of the nomadic Golden Horde in the 13th century . The Grand Duchy of Moscow gradually reunified the surrounding Russian principalities , achieved independence from the Golden Horde , and came to dominate the cultural and political legacy of Kievan Rus ' . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east . Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state . The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the Allied victory in World War II , and emerged as a recognized superpower and rival to the United States during the Cold War . The Soviet era saw some of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century , including the world 's first human-made satellite and the launching of the first humans in space . By the end of 1990 , the Soviet Union had the world 's second largest economy , largest standing military in the world and the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 , fifteen independent republics emerged from the USSR : Russia , Ukraine , Belarus , Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan , Armenia , Azerbaijan , Estonia , Georgia , Kyrgyzstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Moldova , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan ; the Russian SFSR reconstituted itself as the Russian Federation and is recognized as the continuing legal personality and sole successor state of the Soviet Union . It is governed as a federal semi-presidential republic . The Russian economy ranks as the twelfth largest by nominal GDP and sixth largest by purchasing power parity in 2015 . Russia 's extensive mineral and energy resources are the largest such reserves in the world , making it one of the leading producers of oil and natural gas globally . The country is one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Russia is a great power as well as a regional power and has been characterised as a potential superpower . It is permanent member of the United Nations Security Council , as well as a member of the G20 , the Council of Europe , the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) , the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( SCO ) , the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) , as well as being the leading member of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) , the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) and one of the five members of the Eurasian Economic Union ( EEU ) , along with Armenia , Belarus , Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan .", "Montana. Montana -LSB- mɒnˈtænə -RSB- is a state in the Western region of the United States . The state 's name is derived from the Spanish word montaña ( mountain ) . Montana has several nicknames , although none official , including `` Big Sky Country '' and `` The Treasure State '' , and slogans that include `` Land of the Shining Mountains '' and more recently `` The Last Best Place '' . Montana has a 545 mi border with three Canadian provinces : British Columbia , Alberta , and Saskatchewan , the only state to do so . It also borders North Dakota and South Dakota to the east , Wyoming to the south , and Idaho to the west and southwest . Montana is ranked 4th in size , but 44th in population and 48th in population density of the 50 United States . The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges . Smaller island ranges are found throughout the state . In total , 77 named ranges are part of the Rocky Mountains . The eastern half of Montana is characterized by western prairie terrain and badlands . The economy is primarily based on agriculture , including ranching and cereal grain farming . Other significant economic activities include oil , gas , coal and hard rock mining , lumber , and the fastest-growing sector , tourism . The health care , service , and government sectors also are significant to the state 's economy . Millions of tourists annually visit Glacier National Park , the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument , and Yellowstone National Park .", "Idaho. Idaho ( -LSB- ˈaɪdəhoʊ -RSB- ) is a state in the northwestern region of the United States . It borders the state of Montana to the east and northeast , Wyoming to the east , Nevada and Utah to the south , and Washington and Oregon to the west . To the north , it shares a small portion of the Canadian border with the province of British Columbia . With a population of around 1.6 million and an area of 83569 sqmi , Idaho is the 14th largest and 39th most populous of the 50 states . The state 's capital and largest city is Boise . Idaho prior to European settlement was inhabited solely by Native American peoples , some of which still live in the area . In the early 19th century , Idaho was considered part of the Oregon Country , an area disputed between the U.S. and the United Kingdom . It officially became U.S. territory with the signing of the Oregon Treaty of 1846 , but a separate Idaho Territory was not organized until 1863 , instead being included for periods in Oregon Territory and Washington Territory . Idaho was eventually admitted to the Union on July 3 , 1890 , becoming the 43rd state . Forming part of the Pacific Northwest ( and the associated Cascadia bioregion ) , Idaho is divided into several distinct geographic and climatic regions . In the state 's north , the relatively isolated Idaho Panhandle is closely linked with Eastern Washington , with which it shares the Pacific Time Zone -- the rest of the state uses the Mountain Time Zone . The state 's south includes the Snake River Plain ( which contains most of the population and agricultural land ) , while the south-east incorporates part of the Great Basin . Idaho is quite mountainous , and contains several stretches of the Rocky Mountains . Additionally , around 38 percent of Idaho 's land is held by the United States Forest Service , the most of any state . Industries significant for the state economy include manufacturing , agriculture , mining , forestry , and tourism . A number of science and technology firms are either headquartered in Idaho or have factories there , and the state also contains the Idaho National Laboratory , which is the largest Department of Energy facility in the country . Idaho 's agricultural sector supplies a number of different products , but the state is best known for its potato crop , which comprises around one-third of the nationwide yield . The official state nickname is the `` Gem State '' , which references Idaho 's reputation for gemstones and , more broadly , its many wilderness areas .", "U.S. state. A U.S. state is a constituent political entity of the United States of America . There are 50 states , which are bound together in a union with each other . Each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a defined geographic territory , and shares its sovereignty with the United States federal government . Due to the shared sovereignty between each state and the federal government , Americans are citizens of both the federal republic and of the state in which they reside . State citizenship and residency are flexible , and no government approval is required to move between states , except for persons covered by certain types of court orders ( e.g. , paroled convicts and children of divorced spouses who are sharing custody ) . States range in population from just under 600,000 ( Wyoming ) to over 39 million ( California ) , and in area from 1214 sqmi ( Rhode Island ) to 663268 sqmi ( Alaska ) . Four states use the term commonwealth rather than state in their full official names . States are divided into counties or county-equivalents , which may be assigned some local governmental authority but are not sovereign . County or county-equivalent structure varies widely by state . State governments are allocated power by the people ( of each respective state ) through their individual constitutions . All are grounded in republican principles , and each provides for a government , consisting of three branches : executive , legislative , and judicial . States possess a number of powers and rights under the United States Constitution ; among them ratifying constitutional amendments . Historically , the tasks of local law enforcement , public education , public health , regulating intrastate commerce , and local transportation and infrastructure have generally been considered primarily state responsibilities , although all of these now have significant federal funding and regulation as well . Over time , the U.S. Constitution has been amended , and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed . The general tendency has been toward centralization and incorporation , with the federal government playing a much larger role than it once did . There is a continuing debate over states ' rights , which concerns the extent and nature of the states ' powers and sovereignty in relation to the federal government and the rights of individuals . States and their residents are represented in the federal Congress , a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives . Each state is represented in the Senate by two senators , and is guaranteed at least one Representative in the House . Representatives are elected from single-member districts ; seats in the House are distributed among the states in proportion to the most recent constitutionally mandated decennial census . Each state is also entitled to select a number of electors to vote in the Electoral College , the body that elects the President of the United States , equal to the total of representatives and senators from that state . The Constitution grants to Congress the authority to admit new states into the Union . Since the establishment of the United States in 1776 , the number of states has expanded from the original 13 to 50 . Alaska and Hawaii are the most recent states admitted , both in 1959 . The Constitution is silent on the question of whether states have the power to secede ( withdraw ) from the Union . Shortly after the Civil War , the U.S. Supreme Court , in Texas v. White , held that a state can not unilaterally do so .", "Washington (state). Washington ( -LSB- ˈwɒʃɪŋtən -RSB- ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States located north of Oregon , west of Idaho , and south of the Canadian province of British Columbia on the coast of the Pacific Ocean . Named after George Washington , the first President of the United States , the state was made out of the western part of the Washington Territory , which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 in accordance with the Oregon Treaty in the settlement of the Oregon boundary dispute . It was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889 . Olympia is the state capital . Washington is sometimes referred to as Washington State or the State of Washington to distinguish it from Washington , D.C. , the capital of the U.S. , which is often shortened to Washington . Washington is the 18th largest state with an area of 71,362 square miles ( 184,827 sq km ) , and the 13th most populous state with over 7 million people . Approximately 60 percent of Washington 's residents live in the Seattle metropolitan area , the center of transportation , business , and industry along the Puget Sound region of the Salish Sea , an inlet of the Pacific Ocean consisting of numerous islands , deep fjords , and bays carved out by glaciers . The remainder of the state consists of deep temperate rainforests in the west , mountain ranges in the west , central , northeast and far southeast , and a semi-arid basin region in the east , central , and south , given over to intensive agriculture . Washington is the second most populous state on the West Coast and in the Western United States , after California . Mount Rainier , an active stratovolcano , is the state 's highest elevation at almost 14,411 feet ( 4,392 m ) and is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States . Washington is a leading lumber producer . Its rugged surface is rich in stands of Douglas fir , hemlock , ponderosa pine , white pine , spruce , larch , and cedar . The state is the biggest producer of apples , hops , pears , red raspberries , spearmint oil , and sweet cherries , and ranks high in the production of apricots , asparagus , dry edible peas , grapes , lentils , peppermint oil , and potatoes . Livestock and livestock products make important contributions to total farm revenue , and the commercial fishing of salmon , halibut , and bottomfish makes a significant contribution to the state 's economy . Manufacturing industries in Washington include aircraft and missiles , shipbuilding and other transportation equipment , lumber , food processing , metals and metal products , chemicals , and machinery . Washington has over 1,000 dams , including the Grand Coulee Dam , built for a variety of purposes including irrigation , power , flood control , and water storage .", "Minnesota. Minnesota ( -LSB- -LSB- ˌmɪnəˈso̞ɾɐ -RSB- help = no -RSB- ) is a state in the midwestern and northern regions of the United States . Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state on May 11 , 1858 , created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory . The state has a large number of lakes , and is known by the slogan `` Land of 10,000 Lakes '' . Its official motto is L'Étoile du Nord ( French : Star of the North ) . Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 21st most populous of the U.S. states ; nearly 60 percent of its residents live in the Minneapolis -- Saint Paul metropolitan area ( known as the `` Twin Cities '' ) , the center of transportation , business , industry , education , and government and home to an internationally known arts community . The remainder of the state consists of western prairies now given over to intensive agriculture ; deciduous forests in the southeast , now partially cleared , farmed and settled ; and the less populated North Woods , used for mining , forestry , and recreation . Minnesota is known for its progressive political orientation and its high rate of civic participation and voter turnout . Until European settlement , Minnesota was inhabited by the Dakota and Ojibwe/Anishinaabe . During the 19th and early 20th centuries , a large number of European settlers entered the state who had mainly emigrated from Scandinavia and Germany . The state remains today a center of Scandinavian American and German American culture . In recent decades , immigration from Asia , the Horn of Africa , and Latin America has broadened its historic demographic and cultural composition . Minnesota 's standard of living index is among the highest in the United States , and the state is also among the best-educated and wealthiest in the nation .", "California. California ( -LSB- kælᵻˈfɔːrnjə , _ - ni.ə -RSB- , ) is the most populous state in the United States and the third most extensive by area . Located on the western ( Pacific Ocean ) coast of the U.S. , California is bordered by the other U.S. states of Oregon , Nevada , and Arizona and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California . The state capital is Sacramento . Los Angeles is California 's most populous city , and the country 's second largest after New York City . The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation 's second - and fifth-most populous urban regions , respectively . California also has the nation 's most populous county , Los Angeles County , and its largest county by area , San Bernardino County . California 's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the east ; and from the redwood -- Douglas fir forests in the northwest to the Mojave Desert in the southeast . The Central Valley , a major agricultural area , dominates the state 's center . Though California is well-known for its warm Mediterranean climate , the large size of the state means it can vary from moist temperate rainforest in the north , to arid desert in the interior , as well as snowy alpine in the mountains . What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries . The Spanish Empire then claimed it as part of Alta California in their New Spain colony . The area became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its successful war for independence , but was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican -- American War . The western portion of Alta California then was organized as the State of California , and admitted as the 31st state on September 9 , 1850 . The California Gold Rush starting in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic changes , with large-scale emigration from the east and abroad with an accompanying economic boom . If it were a country , California would be the 6th largest economy in the world and the 35th most populous . It is also regarded as a global trendsetter in both popular culture and politics , and is the origin of the film industry , the hippie counterculture , the Internet , and the personal computer , among others . Fifty-eight percent of the state 's economy is centered on finance , government , real estate services , technology , and professional , scientific and technical business services . The San Francisco Bay Area has the nation 's highest median household income by metropolitan area , and is the headquarters of three of the world 's largest 40 firms by revenue , Chevron , Apple , and McKesson . Although it accounts for only 1.5 percent of the state 's economy , California 's agriculture industry has the highest output of any U.S. state .", "Nevada. Nevada ( Spanish for `` snowy '' ; see pronunciations ) is a state in the Western , Mountain West , and Southwestern regions of the United States of America . Nevada is the 7th most extensive , the 34th most populous , and the 9th least densely populated of the 50 United States . Nearly three-quarters of Nevada 's people live in Clark County , which contains the Las Vegas -- Paradise metropolitan area where three of the state 's four largest incorporated cities are located . Nevada 's capital is Carson City . Nevada is officially known as the `` Silver State '' because of the importance of silver to its history and economy . It is also known as the `` Battle Born State '' , because it achieved statehood during the Civil War ( the words `` Battle Born '' also appear on the state flag ) ; as the `` Sage-brush State '' , for the native plant of the same name ; and as the `` Sage-hen State '' . Nevada borders Oregon to the northwest , Idaho to the northeast , California to the west , Arizona to the southeast and Utah to the east . Nevada is largely desert and semi-arid , much of it within the Great Basin . Areas south of the Great Basin are within the Mojave Desert , while Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada lie on the western edge . About 86 % of the state 's land is managed by various jurisdictions of the U.S. federal government , both civilian and military . Before European contact , Native Americans of the Paiute , Shoshone , and Washoe tribes inhabited the land that is now Nevada . The first Europeans to explore the region were Spanish . They called the region Nevada ( snowy ) because of the snow which covered the mountains in winter . The area formed part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain , and became part of Mexico when it gained independence in 1821 . The United States annexed the area in 1848 after its victory in the Mexican -- American War , and it was incorporated as part of Utah Territory in 1850 . The discovery of silver at the Comstock Lode in 1859 led to a population boom that became an impetus to the creation of Nevada Territory out of western Utah Territory in 1861 . Nevada became the 36th state on October 31 , 1864 , as the second of two states added to the Union during the Civil War ( the first being West Virginia ) . Nevada has a reputation for its libertarian laws . In 1940 , with a population of just over 110,000 people , Nevada was by far the least-populated state , with less than half the population of the next least-populated state . However , legalized gambling and lenient marriage and divorce laws transformed Nevada into a major tourist destination in the 20th century . Nevada is the only U.S. state where prostitution is legal , though it is illegal in Clark County ( Las Vegas ) , Washoe County ( Reno ) and Carson City ( which , as an independent city , is not within the boundaries of any county ) . The tourism industry remains Nevada 's largest employer , with mining continuing as a substantial sector of the economy : Nevada is the fourth-largest producer of gold in the world .", "Wyoming. Wyoming -LSB- waɪˈoʊmɪŋ -RSB- is a state in the mountain region of the western United States . The state is the tenth largest by area , the least populous and the second least densely populated state in the country . Wyoming is bordered on the north by Montana , on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska , on the south by Colorado , on the southwest by Utah , and on the west by Idaho . Cheyenne is the capital and the most populous city in Wyoming , with a population estimate of 63,335 in 2015 . The state population was estimated at 586,107 in 2015 , which is less than the population of 31 of the largest U.S. cities . The western two-thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the Rocky Mountains , while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High Plains . Almost half of the land in Wyoming is owned by the U.S. government , leading Wyoming to rank sixth in the United States in total acres and fifth in percentage of a state 's land owned by the federal government . The federal lands include two national parksGrand Teton and Yellowstonetwo national recreation areas and two national monuments , as well as several national forests , historic sites , fish hatcheries , and wildlife refuges . The Crow , Arapaho , Lakota , and Shoshone were some of the original inhabitants of the region . Southwestern Wyoming was included in the Spanish Empire and then Mexican territory until it was ceded to the United States in 1848 at the end of the Mexican -- American War . The region acquired the name Wyoming when a bill was introduced to Congress in 1865 to provide a `` temporary government for the territory of Wyoming . '' The territory was named after the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania , with the name ultimately being derived from the Munsee word xwé : wamənk , meaning `` at the big river flat . '' The mineral-extraction industryespecially coal , oil , natural gas , and tronaalong with the travel and tourism sector , are the main drivers behind Wyoming 's economy . Agriculture has historically been an important component of the state economy with the main commodities being livestock ( beef ) , hay , sugar beets , grain ( wheat and barley ) , and wool . The climate is generally semi-arid and continental , being drier and windier in comparison to the rest of the United States , with greater temperature extremes . Except for the 1964 election , Wyoming has been a politically conservative state since the 1950s , with the Republican party winning every presidential election .", "Arizona. Arizona ( -LSB- ɛərᵻˈzoʊnə , _ ærᵻ - -RSB- ) ( Hoozdo Hahoodzo -LSB- xòːztò xɑ̀xòːtsò -RSB- O'odham : Alĭ ṣonak -LSB- ˡaɺi ˡʃonak -RSB- ) is a state in the southwestern region of the United States . It is also part of the Western and the Mountain states . It is the sixth largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states . Its capital and largest city is Phoenix . Arizona is one of the Four Corners states . It has borders with New Mexico , Utah , Nevada , California , and Mexico , and one point in common with the southwestern corner of Colorado . Arizona 's border with Mexico is 389 miles ( 626 km ) long , on the northern border of the Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California . Arizona is the 48th state and last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the Union , achieving statehood on February 14 , 1912 . Historically part of the territory of Alta California in New Spain , it became part of independent Mexico in 1821 . After being defeated in the Mexican -- American War , Mexico ceded much of this territory to the United States in 1848 . The southernmost portion of the state was acquired in 1853 through the Gadsden Purchase . Southern Arizona is known for its desert climate , with very hot summers and mild winters . Northern Arizona features forests of pine , Douglas fir , and spruce trees ; the Colorado Plateau ; some mountain ranges ( such as the San Francisco Mountains ) ; as well as large , deep canyons , with much more moderate summer temperatures and significant winter snowfalls . There are ski resorts in the areas of Flagstaff , Alpine , and Tucson . In addition to the Grand Canyon National Park , there are several national forests , national parks , and national monuments . About one-quarter of the state is made up of Indian reservations that serve as the home of 27 federally recognized Native American tribes , including the Navajo Nation , the largest in the state and the United States , with more than 300,000 citizens . Although federal law gave all Native Americans the right to vote in 1924 , Arizona excluded those living on reservations from voting until its state Supreme Court ruled in 1948 in favor of Native American plaintiffs .", "Colorado. Colorado ( -LSB- kɒləˈrædoʊ , _ - ˈrɑːdoʊ -RSB- ) is a state in the United States encompassing most of the Southern Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains . Colorado is part of the Western United States , the Southwestern United States , and the Mountain States . Colorado is the 8th most extensive and the 21st most populous of the 50 United States . The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Colorado was 5,540,545 on July 1 , 2016 , an increase of 10.17 % since the 2010 United States Census . The state was named for the Colorado River , which Spanish travelers named the Río Colorado for the ruddy ( -LSB- Wiktionary : colorado , colorado -RSB- ) silt the river carried from the mountains . The Territory of Colorado was organized on February 28 , 1861 , and on August 1 , 1876 , U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed Proclamation 230 admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th state . Colorado is nicknamed the `` Centennial State '' because it became a state in the same year as the centennial of the United States Declaration of Independence . Colorado is bordered by Wyoming to the north , Nebraska to the northeast , Kansas to the east , Oklahoma to the southeast , New Mexico to the south , Utah to the west , and Arizona to the southwest at the Four Corners . Colorado is noted for its vivid landscape of mountains , forests , high plains , mesas , canyons , plateaus , rivers , and desert lands . Denver is the capital and the most populous city of Colorado . Residents of the state are properly known as `` Coloradans '' , although the term `` Coloradoan '' has been used archaically and lives on in the title of Fort Collins ' newspaper , the Coloradoan .", "Geography of the United States. The term `` United States '' , when used in the geographical sense , is the contiguous United States , the state of Alaska , the island state of Hawaii , the five insular territories of Puerto Rico , Northern Mariana Islands , U.S. Virgin Islands , Guam , and American Samoa , and minor outlying possessions . The United States shares land borders with Canada and Mexico and maritime borders with Russia , Cuba , and the Bahamas in addition to Canada and Mexico .", "Wisconsin. Wisconsin ( -LSB- wᵻˈskɒnsᵻn -RSB- ) is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States , in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions . It is bordered by Minnesota to the west , Iowa to the southwest , Illinois to the south , Lake Michigan to the east , Michigan to the northeast , and Lake Superior to the north . Wisconsin is the 23rd largest state by total area and the 20th most populous . The state capital is Madison , and its largest city is Milwaukee , which is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan . The state is divided into 72 counties . Wisconsin 's geography is diverse , with the Northern Highland and Western Upland along with a part of the Central Plain occupying the western part of the state and lowlands stretching to the shore of Lake Michigan . Wisconsin is second to Michigan in the length of its Great Lakes coastline . Wisconsin is known as `` America 's Dairyland '' because it is one of the nation 's leading dairy producers , particularly famous for its cheese . Manufacturing , especially paper products , information technology ( IT ) , and tourism are also major contributors to the state 's economy .", "New York. New York is a state in the northeastern United States , and is the 27th-most extensive , fourth-most populous , and seventh-most densely populated U.S. state . New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut , Massachusetts , and Vermont to the east . The state has a maritime border in the Atlantic Ocean with Rhode Island , east of Long Island , as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the northwest . The state of New York , with an estimated 19.8 million residents in 2015 , is also referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City , the state 's most populous city and its economic hub . With an estimated population of 8.55 million in 2015 , New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . The New York Metropolitan Area is one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . New York City is a global city , exerting a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . The home of the United Nations Headquarters , New York City is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , as well as the world 's most economically powerful city . New York City makes up over 40 % of the population of New York State . Two-thirds of the state 's population lives in the New York City Metropolitan Area , and nearly 40 % lives on Long Island . Both the state and New York City were named for the 17th-century Duke of York , future King James II of England . The next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo , Rochester , Yonkers , and Syracuse , while the state capital is Albany . New York has a diverse geography . The southern part of the state consists of Long Island and several smaller associated islands , as well as New York City and the lower Hudson River Valley , most of which lie within the wider Atlantic Coastal Plain . The large region known as Upstate New York consists of several ranges of the wider Appalachian Mountains , including the Allegheny Plateau and Catskills along New York 's Southern Tier , and the Adirondack Mountains , Thousand Islands archipelago , and Saint Lawrence Seaway in the Northeastern lobe of the state . These more mountainous regions are bisected by two major river valleys -- the north-south Hudson River Valley and the east-west Mohawk River Valley , which forms the core of the Erie Canal . Western New York is considered part of the Great Lakes Region and straddles Lake Ontario and Lake Erie . Between the two lakes lies Niagara Falls . The central part of the state is dominated by the Finger Lakes , a popular vacation and tourist destination . New York had been inhabited by tribes of Algonquian and Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans for several hundred years by the time the earliest Europeans came to New York . The first Europeans to arrive were French colonists and Jesuit missionaries who arrived southward from settlements at Montreal for trade and proselytizing . In 1609 , the region was claimed by Henry Hudson for the Dutch , who built Fort Nassau in 1614 at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers , where the present-day capital of Albany later developed . The Dutch soon also settled New Amsterdam and parts of the Hudson Valley , establishing the colony of New Netherland , a multicultural community from its earliest days and a center of trade and immigration . The British annexed the colony from the Dutch in 1664 . The borders of the British colony , the Province of New York , were similar to those of the present-day state . Many landmarks in New York are well known to both international and domestic visitors , with New York State hosting four of the world 's ten most-visited tourist attractions in 2013 : Times Square , Central Park , Niagara Falls ( shared with Ontario ) , and Grand Central Terminal . New York is home to the Statue of Liberty , a symbol of the United States and its ideals of freedom , democracy , and opportunity . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . New York 's higher education network comprises approximately 200 colleges and universities , including Columbia University , Cornell University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "List of states and territories of the United States. The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states ( four of which use the term commonwealth rather than state in their full , legal state name ) , a federal district ( where the nation 's seat of government -- Washington , D.C. -- is located ) , five major territories , and various possessions . The 48 contiguous states and Washington , D.C. , are in central North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwestern part of North America ( also bordering Canada ) and the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific . The territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . States are the primary subdivisions of the United States , and possess a number of powers and rights under the United States Constitution , such as regulating intrastate commerce , running elections , creating local governments , and ratifying constitutional amendments . Each state has its own constitution , grounded in republican principles , and government , consisting of three branches : executive , legislative , and judicial . All states and their residents are represented in the federal Congress , a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives . Each state is represented by two Senators , while Representatives are distributed among the states in proportion to the most recent constitutionally mandated decennial census . Additionally , each state is entitled to select a number of electors to vote in the Electoral College , the body that elects the President of the United States , equal to the total of Representatives and Senators in Congress from that state . Article IV , Section 3 , Clause 1 of the Constitution grants to Congress the authority to admit new states into the Union . Since the establishment of the United States in 1776 , the number of states has expanded from the original 13 to 50 . Each new state has been admitted on an equal footing with the existing states . As provided by Article I , Section 8 of the Constitution , Congress exercises `` exclusive jurisdiction '' over the federal district , which is not part of any state . Prior to passage of the 1973 District of Columbia Home Rule Act , which devolved certain Congressional powers to an elected mayor and council , the district did not have an elected local government . Even so , Congress retains the right to review and overturn laws created by the council and intervene in local affairs . As it is not a state , the district does not have representation in the Senate . However , since 1971 , its residents have been represented in the House of Representatives by a non-voting delegate . Additionally , since 1961 , following ratification of the 23rd Amendment , the district has been entitled to select three electors to vote in the Electoral College . In addition to the 50 states and federal district , the United States has sovereignty over 14 territories . Five of them ( American Samoa , Guam , the Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico , and the U.S. Virgin Islands ) have a permanent , nonmilitary population , while nine of them ( the United States Minor Outlying Islands ) do not . With the exception of Navassa Island , Puerto Rico , and the U.S. Virgin Islands , which are located in the Caribbean , all territories are located in the Pacific Ocean . Navassa Island is claimed by Haiti . One territory , Palmyra Atoll , is considered to be incorporated , meaning the full body of the Constitution has been applied to it ; the other territories are unincorporated , meaning the Constitution does not fully apply to them . Ten territories ( the Minor Outlying Islands and American Samoa ) are considered to be unorganized , meaning they have not had an Organic Act enacted by Congress ; the four other territories are organized , meaning they have had an Organic Act that has been enacted by Congress . The five inhabited territories each have limited autonomy in addition to having territorial legislatures and governors , but residents can not vote in federal elections . California is the most populous state , with 38,332,521 residents ( 2013 estimate ) ; Wyoming is the least populous , with an estimated 582,658 residents . The District of Columbia , with an estimated 646,449 residents as of 2012 , has a higher population than the two least populous states ( Wyoming and Vermont ) . The largest state by area is Alaska , encompassing 665,384 square miles ( 1,723,337 square kilometers ) , while the smallest is Rhode Island , encompassing 1,545 square miles ( 4,002 square kilometers ) . The first state to ratify the current Constitution was Delaware , which it did on December 7 , 1787 , while the newest state is Hawaii , which was admitted to the Union on August 21 , 1959 . The largest territory in terms of both population and size is Puerto Rico , with 3,725,789 residents as of the 2010 Census and a total area of 5,325 square miles ( 13,792 square kilometers ) . The most recent entity to come under the sovereignty of the United States in its current form is the Northern Mariana Islands , which formally did so on November 3 , 1986 .", "Utah. Utah ( -LSB- ˈjuːtɔː -RSB- or -LSB- ˈjuːtɑː -RSB- ) is a state in the western United States . It became the 45th state admitted to the U.S. on January 4 , 1896 . Utah is the 13th-largest by area , 31st-most-populous , and 10th-least-densely populated of the 50 United States . Utah has a population of more than 3 million ( Census estimate for July 1 , 2016 ) , approximately 80 % of whom live along the Wasatch Front , centering on the state capital Salt Lake City . Utah is bordered by Colorado to the east , Wyoming to the northeast , Idaho to the north , Arizona to the south , and Nevada to the west . It also touches a corner of New Mexico in the southeast . Approximately 62 % of Utahns are reported to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or LDS ( Mormons ) , which greatly influences Utahn culture and daily life ( although only 41.6 % are active members of the faith ) . The LDS Church 's world headquarters is located in Salt Lake City . Utah is the only state with a majority population belonging to a single church . The state is a center of transportation , education , information technology and research , government services , mining , and a major tourist destination for outdoor recreation . In 2013 , the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Utah had the second fastest-growing population of any state . St. George was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States from 2000 to 2005 . Utah also has the 14th highest median average income and the least income inequality of any U.S. state . A 2012 Gallup national survey found Utah overall to be the `` best state to live in '' based on 13 forward-looking measurements including various economic , lifestyle , and health-related outlook metrics .", "Eastern United States. The Eastern United States , commonly referred to as the American East or simply the East , is a region roughly coinciding with the boundaries of the United States established in the 1783 Treaty of Paris , which bounded the new country to the west along the Mississippi River . It is geographically diverse , spanning the Northeast and Southeast as well as the eastern part of the Central United States . In 2011 the 26 states east of the Mississippi ( including Washington , D.C. but not the small portions of Minnesota and Louisiana east of the river ) had an estimated population of 179,948,346 or 58.28 % of the total U.S. population of 308,745,358 ( excluding Puerto Rico ) .", "Mountain States. thumb | 300px | Regional definitions vary from source to source . The states shown in dark red are always included , while the striped states are usually considered part of the same region called the Mountain States . thumb | 300px | An enlargeable map of the Rocky Mountains of western North America . The Mountain States ( also known as the Mountain West and the Interior West ) form one of the nine geographic divisions of the United States that are officially recognized by the United States Census Bureau . It is a subregion of the Western United States . The Mountain States are usually split up into two other regions known as the Northwest and Southwest . Idaho , Montana , and Wyoming are considered part of the Northwest , while Arizona , Colorado , Nevada , New Mexico , and Utah are considered part of the Southwest . The division consists of eight states : Arizona , Colorado , Idaho , Montana , Nevada , New Mexico , Utah , and Wyoming . These eight states have the highest mean elevations of all 50 U.S. states . Together with the Pacific States of Alaska , California , Hawaii , Oregon and Washington , the Mountain States constitute the broader region of the West , one of the four regions the United States Census Bureau formally recognizes ( the Northeast , South , and Midwest being the other three ) . The word `` Mountain '' refers to the Rocky Mountains , which run north-south through portions of the states of Montana , Idaho , Wyoming , Colorado , Utah , and New Mexico . Arizona and Nevada , as well as other parts of Utah and New Mexico , have other smaller mountain ranges and scattered mountains located in them as well . Sometimes the Trans-Pecos area of West Texas is considered part of the region . Mountain Time is observed in nearly the entire division , except Nevada ( all but the stateline city of West Wendover ) and the Idaho Panhandle . Daylight saving time is not observed in Arizona , except for lands within the Navajo Nation ( northeast corner of the state ) which observe daylight saving time due to the Nation traversing state lines . For this reason , most of Arizona is one hour behind the rest of the Mountain Time Zone from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November . Phoenix is the largest metropolitan area of the Mountain States , followed by Denver , Las Vegas , and Salt Lake City .", "Iowa. Iowa ( -LSB- ˈaɪ.əwə -RSB- ) is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States , bordered by the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west . Surrounding states include Wisconsin and Illinois to the east , Missouri to the south , Nebraska and South Dakota to the west , and Minnesota to the north . In colonial times , Iowa was a part of French Louisiana and Spanish Louisiana ; its state flag is patterned after the flag of France . After the Louisiana Purchase , people laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt . In the latter half of the 20th century , Iowa 's agricultural economy made the transition to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing , processing , financial services , information technology , biotechnology , and green energy production . Iowa is the 26th most extensive in land area and the 30th most populous of the 50 United States . Its capital and largest city by population is Des Moines . Iowa has been listed as one of the safest states in which to live . Its nickname is the Hawkeye State .", "South Dakota. South Dakota ( -LSB- saʊθ_dəˈkoʊtə -RSB- -LSB- -LSB- ˌsɑʊθ dəˈko̞ɾə -RSB- -RSB- ) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States . It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes , who compose a significant portion of the population and historically dominated the entire territory . South Dakota is the 17th most expansive , but the 5th least populous and the 5th least densely populated of the 50 United States . Once the southern portion of the Dakota Territory , South Dakota became a state on November 2 , 1889 , simultaneously with North Dakota . Pierre is the state capital and Sioux Falls , with a population of about 171,000 , is South Dakota 's largest city . South Dakota is bordered by the states of North Dakota ( on the north ) , Minnesota ( to the east ) , Iowa ( to the southeast ) , Nebraska ( on the south ) , Wyoming ( on the west ) , and Montana ( to the northwest ) . The state is bisected by the Missouri River , dividing South Dakota into two geographically and socially distinct halves , known to residents as `` East River '' and `` West River '' . Eastern South Dakota is home to most of the state 's population , and fertile soil in this area is used to grow a variety of crops . West of the Missouri , ranching is the predominant agricultural activity , and the economy is more dependent on tourism and defense spending . Most of the Native American reservations are located in West River . The Black Hills , a group of low pine-covered mountains sacred to the Sioux , are located in the southwest part of the state . Mount Rushmore , a major tourist destination , is located there . South Dakota experiences a temperate continental climate , with four distinct seasons and precipitation ranging from moderate in the east to semi-arid in the west . The ecology of the state features species typical of a North American grassland biome . Humans have inhabited the area for several millennia , with the Sioux becoming dominant by the early 19th century . In the late 19th century , European-American settlement intensified after a gold rush in the Black Hills and the construction of railroads from the east . Encroaching miners and settlers triggered a number of Indian wars , ending with the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890 . Key events in the 20th century included the Dust Bowl and Great Depression , increased federal spending during the 1940s and 50s for agriculture and defense , and an industrialization of agriculture that has much reduced family farming . While several Democratic senators have represented South Dakota for multiple terms at the federal level , the state government is largely controlled by the Republican Party , whose nominees have carried South Dakota in each of the last 13 presidential elections . Historically dominated by an agricultural economy and a rural lifestyle , South Dakota has recently sought to diversify its economy in areas to attract and retain residents . South Dakota 's history and rural character still strongly influence the culture of the state .", "Oklahoma. Oklahoma ( -LSB- oʊkləˈhoʊmə -RSB- Cherokee : Asgaya gigageyi / ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎩᎦᎨᏱ ; Pawnee : Uukuhuúwa , Cayuga : Gahnawiyoˀgeh ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States . It is the 20th-most extensive and the 28th-most populous of the 50 United States . The state 's name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma , meaning `` red people . '' It is also known informally by its nickname , `` The Sooner State , '' in reference to the non-Native settlers who staked their claims on the choicest pieces of land before the official opening date and the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889 , which opened the door for white settlement in America 's Indian Territory . The name was settled upon statehood . Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory were merged and Indian was dropped from the name . On November 16 , 1907 , Oklahoma became the 46th state to enter the union . Its residents are known as Oklahomans , '' or informally `` Okies '' , and its capital and largest city is Oklahoma City . A major producer of natural gas , oil , and agricultural products , Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation , energy , telecommunications , and biotechnology . In 2007 , it had one of the fastest-growing economies in the United States , ranking among the top states in per capita income growth and gross domestic product growth . Both Oklahoma City and Tulsa serve as Oklahoma 's primary economic anchors , with nearly two-thirds of Oklahomans living within their metropolitan statistical areas . With small mountain ranges , prairie , mesas , and eastern forests , most of Oklahoma lies in the Great Plains , Cross Timbers , and the U.S. Interior Highlands , a region prone mainly to severe weather . In addition to having a prevalence of English , German , Scottish , Scotch-Irish , and Native American ancestry , more than 25 Native American languages are spoken in Oklahoma , third only to Alaska and California . Oklahoma is on a confluence of three major American cultural regions and historically served as a route for cattle drives , a destination for southern settlers , and a government-sanctioned territory for Native Americans .", "Soviet Union. The Soviet Union ( -LSB- Сове́тский Сою́з , r = Sovetskiy Soyuz -RSB- -LSB- sɐ ` vʲetskʲɪj sɐˈjʉs -RSB- ) , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR ; Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик , -LSB- sɐˈjus sɐˈvʲɛtskʲɪx sətsɨəlʲɪsˈtʲitɕɪskʲɪx rʲɪˈspublʲɪk -RSB- ) , also known unofficially as Russia ( -LSB- Росси́я , Rossiya , rɐˈsʲijə -RSB- ) , was a socialist state in Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991 . Nominally a union of multiple equal national Soviet republics , its government and economy were highly centralized in a state that was unitary in most respects . The country was a one-party federation , governed by the Communist Party with Moscow as its capital . The Soviet Union had its roots in the October Revolution of 1917 , when the Bolsheviks , led by Vladimir Lenin , overthrew the Russian Provisional Government which had replaced Tsar Nicholas II . In 1922 , the Soviet Union was formed with the unification of the Russian , Transcaucasian , Ukrainian , and Byelorussian republics . Following Lenin 's death in 1924 and a brief power struggle , Joseph Stalin came to power in the mid-1920s . Stalin committed the state 's ideology to Marxism -- Leninism ( which he created ) , and initiated a centrally planned economy . As a result , the country underwent a period of rapid industrialization and collectivization . Political paranoia was also fomented around Stalin , and the Great Purge was carried out to remove his opponents from the Communist Party through arbitrary arrests and persecutions of many people . Shortly before World War II , Stalin signed the Molotov -- Ribbentrop Pact agreeing to non-aggression with Nazi Germany , after which the two countries invaded Poland in September 1939 . In June 1941 , Germany invaded the Soviet Union , opening the largest and bloodiest theater of war in history . Soviet war casualties accounted for the highest proportion of the conflict in the effort of acquiring the upper hand over Axis forces at intense battles such as Stalingrad . The territories overtaken by the Red Army became satellite states of the USSR . The Cold War emerged by 1947 as the Eastern Bloc which united under the Warsaw Pact in 1955 confronted the Western states which united under NATO in 1949 . Following Stalin 's death in 1953 , a period of political and economic liberalization , known as `` de-Stalinization '' and `` Khrushchev 's Thaw '' , occurred under the leadership of Nikita Khrushchev . The Soviet Union took an early lead in the Space Race , with the first artificial satellite and the first human spaceflight . In the 1970s , there was a brief détente of relations with the United States , but tensions resumed with the Soviet -- Afghan War in 1979 . In the mid-1980s , the last Soviet leader , Mikhail Gorbachev , sought to reform and liberalize the economy through his policies of glasnost and perestroika . The Cold War ended during his tenure , and in 1989 , Soviet satellite states in Eastern Europe overthrew their respective communist governments . This led to the rise of strong nationalist and separatist movements inside the USSR as well . The government initiated a referendum , boycotted by some Soviet republics , which resulted in the majority of participating citizens voting in favor of preserving the union as a renewed federation . In August 1991 , an abortive coup d'état was attempted by Communist Party hardliners . The Russian President Boris Yeltsin played a high-profile role in facing down the coup . On 25 December 1991 , Gorbachev resigned and the remaining twelve constituent republics emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union as independent post-Soviet states . The Russian Federation -- formerly the Russian SFSR -- assumed the Soviet Union 's rights and obligations and is recognized as the primary legal successor of the Soviet Union .", "Vermont. Vermont ( -LSB- vərˈmɒnt , _ vɜr - -RSB- ) is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . It borders the other U.S. states of Massachusetts to the south , New Hampshire to the east , New York to the west , and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north . Lake Champlain forms half of Vermont 's western border with the state of New York and the Green Mountains run north-south the length of the state . Vermont is the 2nd-least populous of the U.S. states , ahead of Wyoming in population . The capital is Montpelier , the least populous state capital in the U.S. . The most populous municipality , Burlington , is the least populous city in the U.S. to be the most populous within a state . As of 2015 , Vermont was the leading producer of maple syrup in the U.S. . It was ranked as the safest state in the country in 2016 . For thousands of years indigenous peoples , including the Algonquian-speaking Abenaki and Mohawk , occupied much of the territory that is now Vermont and was later claimed by France 's colony of New France . France ceded the territory to Great Britain after being defeated in 1763 in the Seven Years ' War . For many years , the nearby colonies , especially the provinces of New Hampshire and New York , disputed control of the area ( then called the New Hampshire Grants ) . Settlers who held land titles granted by New York were opposed by the Green Mountain Boys militia , which supported the many settlers whose claims were based on grants from New Hampshire . Ultimately , those settlers prevailed in creating an independent state , the Vermont Republic . Founded in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War , the republic lasted for 14 years . Aside from the original 13 states that were formerly colonies , Vermont is one of only four U.S. states that were previously sovereign states ( along with California , Hawaii , and Texas ) . Vermont was also the first state to join the U.S. as its 14th member state after the original 13 . While still an independent republic , Vermont was the first of any future U.S. state to partially abolish slavery .", "Tennessee. Tennessee ( -LSB- tɛnᵻˈsiː -RSB- ) ( -LSB- ᏔᎾᏏ , translit = Tanasi -RSB- ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States . Tennessee is the 36th largest and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States . Tennessee is bordered by Kentucky and Virginia to the north , North Carolina to the east , Georgia , Alabama , and Mississippi to the south , and Arkansas and Missouri to the west . The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state , and the Mississippi River forms the state 's western border . Nashville is the state 's largest city , with a population of 660,388 . Tennessee 's second largest city is Memphis , which has a population of 652,717 . The state of Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association , a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachians . What is now Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina , and later part of the Southwest Territory . Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state on June 1 , 1796 . Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 . Occupied by Union forces from 1862 , it was the first state to be readmitted to the Union at the end of the war . Tennessee furnished more soldiers for the Confederate Army than any other state besides Virginia , and more soldiers for the Union Army than the rest of the Confederacy combined . Beginning during Reconstruction , it had competitive party politics , but a Democratic takeover in the late 1880s resulted in passage of disfranchisement laws that excluded most blacks and many poor whites from voting . This sharply reduced competition in politics in the state until after passage of civil rights legislation in the mid-20th century . In the 20th century , Tennessee transitioned from an agrarian economy to a more diversified economy , aided by massive federal investment in the Tennessee Valley Authority and , in the early 1940s , the city of Oak Ridge . This city was established to house the Manhattan Project 's uranium enrichment facilities , helping to build the world 's first atomic bomb , which was used during World War II . Tennessee 's major industries include agriculture , manufacturing , and tourism . Poultry , soybeans , and cattle are the state 's primary agricultural products , and major manufacturing exports include chemicals , transportation equipment , and electrical equipment . The Great Smoky Mountains National Park , the nation 's most visited national park , is headquartered in the eastern part of the state , and a section of the Appalachian Trail roughly follows the Tennessee-North Carolina border . Other major tourist attractions include the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga ; Dollywood in Pigeon Forge ; Ripley 's Aquarium of the Smokies and Ober Gatlinburg in Gatlinburg ; the Parthenon , the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum , and Ryman Auditorium in Nashville ; the Jack Daniel 's Distillery in Lynchburg ; Elvis Presley 's Graceland residence and tomb , the Memphis Zoo , and the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis ; and Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol .", "Oregon. Oregon ( -LSB- ˈɒrᵻɡən -RSB- ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region on the West coast of the United States . The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon 's northern boundary along Washington state , while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary along Idaho . The parallel 42 ° north delineates the southern boundary with California and Nevada . It is one of only three states of the contiguous United States to have a coastline on the Pacific Ocean . Oregon was inhabited by many indigenous tribes before Western traders , explorers , and settlers arrived . An autonomous government was formed in the Oregon Country in 1843 before the Oregon Territory was created in 1848 . Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14 , 1859 . Today , at 98,000 square miles ( 255,000 km ² ) , Oregon is the ninth largest and , with a population of 4 million , 27th most populous U.S. state . The state capital , Salem , is the second most populous of its cities , with 164,549 residents , while Portland , with 632,309 residents , is the most populous , ranking as the 26th most populous city in the United States . Portland 's metro population of 2,389,228 ranks the 23rd largest metro in the nation . Oregon is one of the most geographically diverse states in the United States , marked by volcanoes , abundant bodies of water , dense evergreen and mixed forests , as well as high deserts and semi-arid shrublands . At 11249 ft , Mount Hood is the state 's highest point . Oregon 's only national park , Crater Lake National Park , comprises the caldera surrounding Crater Lake , the deepest lake in the United States . The state is also home to the single largest organism in the world , Armillaria ostoyae , a fungus that runs beneath 8.9 km2 of the Malheur National Forest . Because of its diverse landscapes and waterways , Oregon 's economy is largely powered by various forms of agriculture , fishing , and hydroelectric power . It is also the top timber-producer of the lower 48 states . Technology is another one of the state 's major economic forces , which began in the 1970s with the establishment of the Silicon Forest and the expansion of Tektronix and Intel . Sportswear company Nike , Inc. , headquartered in Beaverton , is the state 's largest public corporation with an annual revenue of $ 30.6 billion .", "Virginia. Virginia ( -LSB- vɚˈdʒɪnjə -RSB- , -LSB- vɚˈdʒɪni.ə -RSB- , officially the Commonwealth of Virginia ) is a state located on the Atlantic Coast of the United States . The state is part of both the Southern United States , as well as the Mid-Atlantic . Virginia is nicknamed the `` Old Dominion '' due to its status as the first colonial possession established in mainland British America , and `` Mother of Presidents '' because eight U.S. presidents were born there , more than any other state . The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay , which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna . The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond ; Virginia Beach is the most populous city , and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision . The Commonwealth 's estimated population is over 8.3 million . The area 's history begins with several indigenous groups , including the Powhatan . In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent New World English colony . Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony 's early politics and plantation economy . Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution and joined the Confederacy in the American Civil War , during which Richmond was made the Confederate capital and Virginia 's northwestern counties seceded to form the state of West Virginia . Although the Commonwealth was under one-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction , both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia . The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World . The state government was ranked most effective by the Pew Center on the States in both 2005 and 2008 . It is unique in how it treats cities and counties equally , manages local roads , and prohibits its governors from serving consecutive terms . Virginia 's economy has many sectors : agriculture in the Shenandoah Valley ; federal agencies in Northern Virginia , including the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) ; and military facilities in Hampton Roads , the site of the region 's main seaport . Virginia 's economy changed from primarily agricultural to industrial during the 1960s and 1970s , and in 2002 computer chips became the state 's leading export by monetary value .", "Florida. Florida -LSB- ˈflɒrᵻdə -RSB- ( Spanish for `` land of flowers '' ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States . It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico , to the north by Alabama and Georgia , to the east by the Atlantic Ocean , and to the south by the Straits of Florida and Cuba . Florida is the 22nd-most extensive , the 3rd-most populous , and the 8th-most densely populated of the U.S. states . Jacksonville is the most populous municipality in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States . The Miami metropolitan area is Florida 's most populous urban area . The city of Tallahassee is the state capital . A peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico , the Atlantic Ocean , and the Straits of Florida , it has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States , approximately 1350 mi , and is the only state that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean . Much of the state is at or near sea level and is characterized by sedimentary soil . The climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south . The American alligator , American crocodile , Florida panther , and manatee can be found in the Everglades National Park . Since the first European contact was made in 1513 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León -- who named it La Florida ( -LSB- la floˈɾiða -RSB- `` land of flowers '' ) upon landing there in the Easter season , Pascua Florida -- Florida was a challenge for the European colonial powers before it gained statehood in the United States in 1845 . It was a principal location of the Seminole Wars against the Native Americans , and racial segregation after the American Civil War . Today , Florida is distinctive for its large Cuban expatriate community and high population growth , as well as for its increasing environmental issues . The state 's economy relies mainly on tourism , agriculture , and transportation , which developed in the late 19th century . Florida is also renowned for amusement parks , orange crops , the Kennedy Space Center , and as a popular destination for retirees . Florida culture is a reflection of influences and multiple inheritance ; Native American , European American , Hispanic and Latino , and African American heritages can be found in the architecture and cuisine . Florida has attracted many writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings , Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams , and continues to attract celebrities and athletes . It is internationally known for golf , tennis , auto racing and water sports .", "Michigan. Michigan -LSB- ˈmɪʃᵻgən -RSB- is a state in the Great Lakes and Midwestern regions of the United States . The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa , meaning `` large water '' or `` large lake '' . Michigan is the tenth most populous of the 50 United States , with the 11th most extensive total area ( the largest state by total area east of the Mississippi River ) . I.e. , including water that is part of state territory . Georgia is the largest state by land area east of the Mississippi and Michigan the second-largest . Its capital is Lansing , and its largest city is Detroit . Michigan is the only state to consist of two peninsulas . The Lower Peninsula , to which the name Michigan was originally applied , is often noted to be shaped like a mitten . The Upper Peninsula ( often referred to as `` the U.P. '' ) is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac , a 5 mi channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan . The two peninsulas are connected by the Mackinac Bridge . The state has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world , being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes , plus Lake Saint Clair . As a result , it is one of the leading U.S. states for recreational boating . Michigan also has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds . A person in the state is never more than 6 mi from a natural water source or more than 85 mi from a Great Lakes shoreline . What is now the state of Michigan was first settled by Native American tribes before being colonized by French explorers in the 17th century and becoming a part of New France . After France 's defeat in the French and Indian War in 1762 the region came under British rule , and was ceded to the newly independent United States after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War . The area was organized as part of the larger Northwest Territory until 1800 , when western Michigan became part of the Indiana Territory . Eventually , in 1805 , the Michigan Territory was formed , which lasted until it was admitted into the Union on January 26 , 1837 , as the 26th state . The state of Michigan soon became an important center of industry and trade in the Great Lakes region and a popular immigrant destination . Though Michigan has come to develop a diverse economy , it is widely known as the center of the U.S. automotive industry , being home to the country 's three major automobile companies ( whose headquarters are all within the Detroit metropolitan area ) . While sparsely populated , the Upper Peninsula is economically important due to its status as a tourist destination as well as its abundance of natural resources , while the Lower Peninsula is a center of manufacturing , services , and high-tech industry .", "Texas. Texas ( -LSB- ˈtɛksəs -RSB- , -LSB- localˈtɛksᵻz -RSB- Texas or Tejas -LSB- ˈtexas -RSB- ) is the second largest state in the United States by both area and population . Geographically located in the South Central region of the country , Texas shares borders with the U.S. states of Louisiana to the east , Arkansas to the northeast , Oklahoma to the north , New Mexico to the west , and the Mexican states of Chihuahua , Coahuila , Nuevo León , and Tamaulipas to the southwest , while the Gulf of Mexico is to the southeast . Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S. , while San Antonio is the second most populous in the state and seventh largest in the U.S. Dallas -- Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and fifth largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country , respectively . Other major cities include Austin , the second most populous state capital in the U.S. , and El Paso . Texas is nicknamed `` The Lone Star State '' to signify its former status as an independent republic , and as a reminder of the state 's struggle for independence from Mexico . The `` Lone Star '' can be found on the Texan state flag and on the Texan state seal . The origin of Texas 's name is from the word `` Tejas , '' which means `` friends '' in the Caddo language . Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault , Texas contains diverse landscapes that resemble both the U.S. Southern and Southwestern regions . Although Texas is popularly associated with the U.S. southwestern deserts , less than 10 % of Texas ' land area is desert . Most of the population centers are located in areas of former prairies , grasslands , forests , and the coastline . Traveling from east to west , one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods , to rolling plains and rugged hills , and finally the desert and mountains of the Big Bend . The term `` six flags over Texas `` For example , as used by the large Grand Prairie -- based national and international amusement park operator Six Flags refers to several nations that have ruled over the territory . Spain was the first European country to claim the area of Texas . France held a short-lived colony . Mexico controlled the territory until 1836 when Texas won its independence , becoming an independent Republic . In 1845 , Texas joined the union as the 28th state . The state 's annexation set off a chain of events that led to the Mexican -- American War in 1846 . A slave state before the American Civil War , Texas declared its secession from the U.S. in early 1861 , and officially joined the Confederate States of America on March 2 of the same year . After the Civil War and the restoration of its representation in the federal government , Texas entered a long period of economic stagnation . One Texan industry that thrived after the Civil War was cattle . Due to its long history as a center of the industry , Texas is associated with the image of the cowboy . The state 's economic fortunes changed in the early 20th century , when oil discoveries initiated an economic boom in the state . With strong investments in universities , Texas developed a diversified economy and high tech industry in the mid-20th century . As of 2015 , it is second on the list of the most Fortune 500 companies with 54 . With a growing base of industry , the state leads in many industries , including agriculture , petrochemicals , energy , computers and electronics , aerospace , and biomedical sciences . Texas has led the nation in export revenue since 2002 and has the second-highest gross state product ." ]

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[ "Turner Prize. The Turner Prize , named after the English painter J. M. W. Turner , is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist . Until 2017 , only artists under the age of 50 were eligible . Awarding the prize is organised by the Tate gallery and staged at Tate Britain . Since its beginnings in 1984 it has become the UK 's most publicised art award . The award represents all media . As of 2004 , the monetary award was established at # 40,000 . There have been different sponsors , including Channel 4 television and Gordon 's Gin . A prominent event in British culture , the prize has been awarded by various distinguished celebrities : in 2006 this was Yoko Ono , and in 2012 it was presented by Jude Law . It is a controversial event , mainly for the exhibits , such as The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living -- a shark in formaldehyde by Damien Hirst -- and My Bed , a dishevelled bed by Tracey Emin . Controversy has also come from other directions , including a Culture Minister ( Kim Howells ) criticising exhibits , a guest of honour ( Madonna ) swearing , a prize judge ( Lynn Barber ) writing in the press , and a speech by Sir Nicholas Serota ( about the purchase of a trustee 's work ) .", "Sophie Turner. Sophie Turner ( born 21 February 1996 ) is an English actress . Turner made her professional acting debut as Sansa Stark on the HBO fantasy television series Game of Thrones ( 2011 -- present ) , which brought her international recognition and critical praise . For her performance , she has received four nominations for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series , as well as a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Supporting Young Actress in a TV Series . Turner has also starred in the television film The Thirteenth Tale ( 2013 ) and she made her feature film debut in Another Me ( 2013 ) . She has also starred in the action comedy Barely Lethal ( 2015 ) and played Jean Grey / Phoenix in the X-Men film series .", "Sophie Turner (disambiguation). Sophie Turner is an English actress . Sophie Turner may also refer to : Sophie Turner ( model ) ( born 1984 ) , Australian model and reality television personality Sophie Turner Laing ( born 1960 ) , British businesswoman", "Tina Turner. Tina Turner ( born Anna Mae Bullock ; November 26 , 1939 ) , is an American-born recording artist , dancer , actress , and author , whose career has spanned more than half a century , earning her widespread recognition and numerous awards . Born and raised in the Southeastern United States , Turner relinquished her American citizenship after obtaining Swiss citizenship in 2013 . She began her musical career in the mid-1950s as a featured singer with Ike Turner 's Kings of Rhythm , first recording in 1958 under the name `` Little Ann . '' Her introduction to the public as Tina Turner began in 1960 as a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue . Success followed with a string of notable hits credited to the duo , including `` A Fool in Love '' , `` River Deep -- Mountain High '' ( 1966 ) , `` Proud Mary '' ( 1971 ) , and `` Nutbush City Limits '' ( 1973 ) , a song which she herself wrote . In her autobiography , I , Tina , she revealed several instances of severe domestic abuse against her by Ike Turner prior to their 1976 split and subsequent 1978 divorce . Raised a Baptist , she encountered faith with Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism in 1971 , crediting the spiritual chant of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo , which Turner claims helped her to endure during difficult times . After her divorce from Ike Turner , she rebuilt her career through live performances . In the 1980s , Turner launched a major comeback with another string of hits , starting in late 1983 with the single `` Let 's Stay Together '' followed by the 1984 release of her fifth solo album Private Dancer which became a worldwide success . The album contained the song `` What 's Love Got to Do with It '' , which became Turner 's biggest hit and won three Grammy Awards including Record of the Year . Her solo success continued thoughout the 1980s and 90s with multi-platinum albums including Break Every Rule and Foreign Affair , and with singles such as `` We Do n't Need Another Hero ( Thunderdome ) '' , `` The Best '' , and `` GoldenEye '' for the 1995 James Bond film of the same name . In 1993 , `` What 's Love Got to Do with It '' was used as the title of a biographical film adapted from her autobiography , along with the film 's accompanying soundtrack album . In addition to her musical career , Turner has also garnered success acting in films , including the role of the Acid Queen in the 1975 rock musical Tommy , a starring role alongside Mel Gibson in the 1985 action film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome , and a cameo role in the 1993 film Last Action Hero . One of the world 's best-selling artists of all time , she has also been referred to as The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll . Turner has been termed the most successful female Rock 'n' Roll artist , receiving eleven Grammy Awards , including eight competitive awards and three Grammy Hall of Fame awards . Turner has also sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer in history . Her combined album and single sales total approximately 180 million copies worldwide , She is noted for her energetic stage presence , powerful vocals , and career longevity . In 2008 , Turner returned from semi-retirement to embark on her Tina ! : 50th Anniversary Tour . Turner 's tour became one of the highest selling ticketed shows of 2008 -- 09 . Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Turner no. 63 on their list of 100 greatest artists of all time , and no. 17 on their list of 100 greatest singers of all time . In 1991 , Turner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Turner announced in December 2016 that she has been working on `` Tina '' , a new musical based on her story , in collaboration with Phyllida Lloyd and Stage Entertainment .", "Lana Turner. Lana Turner ( -LSB- ˈlɑːnə_ˈtɜrnər -RSB- born Julia Jean Turner ; February 8 , 1921 -- June 29 , 1995 ) was an American actress . Over the course of her nearly fifty-year career , Turner would achieve notoriety as both a pin-up model and a serious dramatic actress , as well as for her highly publicized personal life . In 1951 , she was named the most `` glamorous woman in the history of international art . '' Turner was discovered in 1936 at the Top Hat Malt Shop in Hollywood , California . At the age of 16 , she was signed to a personal contract by Warner Bros. director Mervyn LeRoy , who took her with him when he moved to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1938 . Turner attracted attention in her first film , LeRoy 's They Wo n't Forget ( 1937 ) , and she later starred in featured roles , often as an ingenue . Her auburn hair was bleached blonde for a 1939 film at MGM , and she remained blonde for the rest of her life , except for a few film roles . During the early 1940s , Turner established herself as a leading actress in such films as Johnny Eager ( 1941 ) , Honky Tonk ( 1941 ) , Ziegfeld Girl ( 1941 ) , and Somewhere I 'll Find You ( 1942 ) . She appeared in the 1941 horror film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde , and her reputation as a glamorous femme fatale was enhanced by her performance in the film noir The Postman Always Rings Twice ( 1946 ) . Her popularity continued through the 1950s in such films as The Bad and the Beautiful ( 1952 ) and Peyton Place ( 1957 ) , for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress . Media controversy surrounded Turner in 1958 when her daughter , Cheryl Crane , stabbed Turner 's lover Johnny Stompanato to death in their Beverly Hills home ; a coroner 's inquest concluded that Crane had acted in self-defense . Turner 's next film , Imitation of Life ( 1959 ) , proved to be one of the greatest financial successes of her career , but onward from the early 1960s , her roles were fewer . Turner spent most of the 1970s and early 1980s in semiretirement , only working occasionally . In 1982 , she accepted a much publicized and lucrative recurring guest role in the television series Falcon Crest , affording the series the highest rating it ever achieved . Turner made her final film appearance in 1985 , and died from throat cancer in 1995 , aged 74 .", "Sophie Turner (model). Sophie Turner ( born 30 April 1984 ) is an Australian model , reality television personality and lawyer who first came to prominence as a contestant on the Australian television series Search for a Supermodel .", "Mr. Turner. Mr. Turner is a 2014 biographical drama film based around the last twenty-five years of the life and career of painter J. M. W. Turner ( 1775 -- 1851 ) . Written and directed by Mike Leigh , the film stars Timothy Spall in the title role with Dorothy Atkinson , Paul Jesson , Marion Bailey , Lesley Manville and Martin Savage . It premiered in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival , where Spall won the award for Best Actor and cinematographer Dick Pope received a special jury prize for the film 's cinematography . The film was critically acclaimed and received four nominations each at the 87th Academy Awards and 68th British Academy Film Awards . Describing Turner as `` a great artist : a radical , revolutionary painter '' , writer/director Leigh explained , `` I felt there was scope for a film examining the tension between this very mortal , flawed individual , and the epic work , the spiritual way he had of distilling the world '' .", "Meg Ryan. Meg Ryan ( born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra ; November 19 , 1961 ) is an American actress , director , and producer . Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles , before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982 . Subsequently , she began to appear in supporting roles in films during the mid-1980s , achieving recognition in independent movies such as Promised Land ( 1988 ) before her performance in the Rob Reiner-directed romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally ... ( 1989 ) brought her widespread attention and her first Golden Globe nomination . Ryan subsequently established herself , both nationally and internationally , as one of the most successful actresses in the 1990s and early 2000s , particularly in romantic comedy films such as Sleepless in Seattle ( 1993 ) , French Kiss ( 1995 ) , You 've Got Mail ( 1998 ) , and Kate & Leopold ( 2001 ) . Her other films include The Doors ( 1991 ) , When a Man Loves a Woman ( 1994 ) , Courage Under Fire ( 1996 ) , Addicted to Love ( 1997 ) , City of Angels ( 1998 ) , Proof of Life ( 2000 ) , and The Women ( 2008 ) . In 2015 , she made her directorial debut with Ithaca , a film in which she also acted .", "Sophie Okonedo. Sophie Okonedo OBE ( born 11 August 1968 ) is an English actress . She received an OBE in the 2010 Queen 's Birthday Honours . Okonedo began her film career in 1991 in the British coming-of-age drama Young Soul Rebels before appearing in Ace Ventura : When Nature Calls ( 1995 ) and Stephen Frears ' Dirty Pretty Things ( 2002 ) . She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Tatiana Rusesabagina in the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda . She received a Golden Globe nomination for the miniseries Tsunami : The Aftermath ( 2006 ) and BAFTA TV Award nominations for the drama series Criminal Justice ( 2009 ) and the TV film Mrs. Mandela ( 2010 ) . Her other film roles include Æon Flux ( 2005 ) , Skin ( 2008 ) , and The Secret Life of Bees ( 2008 ) On stage , she starred as Cressida in the 1999 National Theatre production of Troilus and Cressida . She made her Broadway debut in the 2014 revival of A Raisin in the Sun and received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play and won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Ruth Younger .", "Felicity Huffman. Felicity Kendall Huffman ( born December 9 , 1962 ) is an American film , stage , and television actress . Huffman began her acting career in theatre and in the 1990s also had many supporting roles in film and television . She starred as executive producer Dana Whitaker in the critically acclaimed ABC comedy-drama Sports Night from 1998 to 2000 , which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination . She is best known for her role as Lynette Scavo in the long-running ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives ( 2004 -- 2012 ) , for which she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the debut season of the series and three Screen Actors Guild Awards overall . Huffman drew critical praise for her performance as a transgender woman in the independent film Transamerica ( 2005 ) . The role earned her a Golden Globe Award , Independent Spirit Award , National Board of Review , and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress . Huffman has also starred in such films as Reversal of Fortune ( 1990 ) , The Spanish Prisoner ( 1997 ) , Magnolia ( 1999 ) , Path to War ( 2002 ) , Georgia Rule ( 2007 ) , Phoebe in Wonderland ( 2008 ) , Rudderless ( 2014 ) and Cake ( 2014 ) . Since 2015 , she has started in a third ABC series , the anthology crime drama American Crime , for which she has received critical acclaim including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie nomination . Additionally , she has been nominated on three more occasions for a Golden Globe Award , and has also won an Obie .", "Sophie Turner Laing. Sophie Turner Laing ( born 7 September 1960 ) is a British businesswoman and media executive . She has been Chief Executive Officer of global content creator , producer and distributor Endemol Shine Group since December 2014 . Prior to taking up her current role , she held a number of senior positions at Sky in the UK , including Director of Movies and Managing Director of Content . She had previously worked for the BBC as Acting Director of Television and , along with Peter Orton , was a founder of HiT Entertainment .", "Harry Potter. Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling . The novels chronicle the life of a young wizard , Harry Potter , and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley , all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . The main story arc concerns Harry 's struggle against Lord Voldemort , a dark wizard who intends to become immortal , overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic , and subjugate all wizards and Muggles , a reference term that means non-magical people . Since the release of the first novel , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , on 26 June 1997 , the books have found immense popularity , critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide . The series has now been translated into multiple languages including French , Irish , Spanish , German and Swedish to name a few . They have attracted a wide adult audience as well as younger readers , and are often considered cornerstones of modern young adult literature . The series has also had its share of criticism , including concern about the increasingly dark tone as the series progressed , as well as the often gruesome and graphic violence it depicts . , the books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide , making them the best-selling book series in history , and have been translated into seventy-three languages . The last four books consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history , with the final instalment selling roughly eleven million copies in the United States within twenty-four hours of its release . The series was originally published in English by two major publishers , Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom and Scholastic Press in the United States . A play , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , based on a story co-written by Rowling , premiered in London on 30 July 2016 at the Palace Theatre , and its script was published by Little , Brown as the eighth book in the series . The original seven books were adapted into an eight-part film series by Warner Bros. . Pictures , which has become the second highest-grossing film series of all time . In 2016 , the total value of the Harry Potter franchise was estimated at $ 25 billion , making Harry Potter one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time . A series of many genres , including fantasy , drama , coming of age , friendship , and the British school story ( which includes elements of mystery , thriller , adventure , horror and romance ) , the world of Harry Potter explores numerous themes and includes many cultural meanings and references . According to Rowling , the main theme is death . Other major themes in the series include prejudice , corruption , and madness . The success of the books and films has ensured that the Harry Potter franchise continues to expand , with numerous derivative works , a travelling exhibition that premiered in Chicago in 2009 , a studio tour in London that opened in 2012 , a digital platform on which J.K. Rowling updates the series with new information and insight , and a pentalogy of spin-off films premiering in November 2016 , among many other developments . Most recently , themed attractions , collectively known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , have been built at several Universal Parks & Resorts amusement parks around the world .", "Christopher Nolan. Christopher Edward Nolan ( -LSB- ˈnoʊlən -RSB- born 30 July 1970 ) is an English-American film director , screenwriter and producer . He is one of the highest-grossing directors in history , and among the most successful and acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century . Having made his directorial debut with Following ( 1998 ) , Nolan gained considerable attention for his second feature , Memento ( 2000 ) , for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay . The acclaim garnered by his independent films gave Nolan the opportunity to make the big-budget thriller Insomnia ( 2002 ) and the mystery drama The Prestige ( 2006 ) . He found further popular and critical success with The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) ; Inception ( 2010 ) , for which he received a second Original Screenplay nomination and one for the Academy Award for Best Picture ; and Interstellar ( 2014 ) . His nine films have grossed over US$ 4.2 billion worldwide and garnered a total of 26 Oscar nominations and seven wins . Nolan has co-written several of his films with his younger brother , Jonathan , and runs the production company Syncopy Inc. with his wife , Emma Thomas . Nolan 's films are rooted in philosophical , sociological and ethical concepts , exploring human morality , the construction of time , and the malleable nature of memory and personal identity . His body of work is permeated by materialistic perspectives , labyrinthine plots , nonlinear storytelling , practical special effects , and analogous relationships between visual language and narrative elements .", "Michael Caine. Sir Michael Caine , ( -LSB- keɪn -RSB- born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr. ; 14 March 1933 ) is an English actor and author . Renowned for his distinctive working class cockney accent , Caine has appeared in over 115 films and is regarded as a British film icon . He made his breakthrough in the 1960s with starring roles in a number of acclaimed British films , including Zulu ( 1964 ) , The Ipcress File ( 1965 ) , Alfie ( 1966 ) , for which he was nominated for an Academy Award , The Italian Job ( 1969 ) , and Battle of Britain ( 1969 ) . His most notable roles in the 1970s included Get Carter ( 1971 ) , The Last Valley , Sleuth ( 1972 ) , for which he earned his second Academy Award nomination , The Man Who Would Be King ( 1975 ) , and A Bridge Too Far ( 1977 ) . He achieved some of his greatest critical success in the 1980s , with Educating Rita ( 1983 ) earning him the BAFTA and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor . In 1986 , he received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Woody Allen 's Hannah and Her Sisters . Caine played Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol ( 1992 ) . Having by that time practically retired from acting on the big screen , he enjoyed a career resurgence in the late 1990s , receiving his second Golden Globe Award for his performance in Little Voice in 1998 and receiving his second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Cider House Rules the following year . Caine played Nigel Powers in the 2002 parody Austin Powers in Goldmember , and Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan 's The Dark Knight Trilogy . He appeared in several other of Nolan 's films including The Prestige ( 2006 ) , Inception ( 2010 ) , and Interstellar ( 2014 ) . He also appeared as a supporting character in Alfonso Cuarón 's Children of Men and Pixar 's 2011 film Cars 2 . As of February 2017 , films in which he has starred have grossed over $ 3.5 billion domestically and over $ 7.8 billion worldwide . Caine is ranked as the twelfth highest grossing box office star . Caine is one of only two actors nominated for an Academy Award for acting in every decade from the 1960s to 2000s ( the other one being Jack Nicholson ; Laurence Olivier was also nominated for an acting Academy Award in five different decades , beginning in 1939 and ending in 1978 ) . In 2000 , Caine was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his contribution to cinema .", "Turner syndrome. Turner syndrome ( TS ) , also known as 45 , X or 45 , X0 , is a condition in which a female is partly or completely missing an X chromosome . Signs and symptoms vary among those affected . Often , a short and webbed neck , low-set ears , low hairline at the back of the neck , short stature , and swollen hands and feet are seen at birth . Typically , they only develop menstrual periods and breasts with hormone treatment , and are unable to have children without reproductive technology . Heart defects , diabetes , and low thyroid hormone occur more frequently . Most people with TS have normal intelligence . Many , however , have troubles with spatial visualization that may be needed for mathematics . Vision and hearing problems occur more often . Turner syndrome is not usually inherited from a person 's parents . No environmental risks are known , and the mother 's age does not play a role . Turner syndrome is due to a chromosomal abnormality in which all or part of one of the X chromosomes is missing or altered . While most people have 46 chromosomes , people with TS usually have 45 . The chromosomal abnormality may be present in just some cells in which case it is known as TS with mosaicism . In these cases , the symptoms are usually fewer and possibly none occur at all . Diagnosis is based on physical signs and genetic testing . No cure for Turner syndrome is known . Treatment , however , may help with symptoms . Human growth hormone injections during childhood may increase adult height . Estrogen replacement therapy can promote development of the breasts and hips . Medical care is often required to manage other health problems with which TS is associated . Turner syndrome occurs in between one in 2000 and one in 5000 females at birth . All regions of the world and cultures are affected about equally . Generally people with TS have a shorter life expectancy , mostly due to heart problems and diabetes . Henry Turner first described the condition in 1938 . In 1964 , it was determined to be due to a chromosomal abnormality .", "Sophia Myles. Sophia Jane Myles ( -LSB- səˈfaɪ.ə -RSB- born 18 March 1980 ) is an English actress , best known in film for portraying Erika in Underworld ( 2003 ) , Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward in the live-action Thunderbirds film , Isolde in Tristan & Isolde and Darcy in Transformers : Age of Extinction , and has received critical acclaim for her television work , particularly as Madame de Pompadour in the Doctor Who episode `` The Girl in the Fireplace '' and Beth Turner in Moonlight .", "Britain's Got Talent. Britain 's Got Talent ( often shortened to BGT ) is a British television talent show reality TV competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent franchise . The show is a Thames production ( formerly Talkback Thames ) distributed by FremantleMedia and is produced in association with Syco TV . The show is broadcast on ITV and its sister show Britain 's Got More Talent is broadcast on ITV2 . Anyone of any age with some sort of talent can audition for the show . Acts compete against each other in order to gain the audience support while trying to win the title of `` The winner of Britain 's Got Talent '' '' . The original judging panel consisted of the show 's creator Simon Cowell , Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan . Kelly Brook was brought in briefly as a fourth judge in series 3 , but was axed after one audition site . Morgan did not return for series 5 and Cowell was only present during the live shows , while David Hasselhoff and Michael McIntyre joined the panel . Alesha Dixon and David Walliams joined the panel in series 6 as replacements for McIntyre and Hasselhoff . Throughout the show , contestants must perform in front of the judges , and each year initial auditions have been held in front of a live audience . Auditions precede live semi-finals , where the final 45 contestants ( 24 in series 1 ; 40 in series 2 -- 5 , 11 ) perform nightly for a week in order to impress the British public . Each night , two acts from each semi-final ( the act with the most votes and another chosen by the judges from the acts in second and third place ) progress to the live final . There have been ten winners to date : Paul Potts ( opera singer ) , George Sampson ( street dancer ) , Diversity ( street dance troupe ) , Spelbound ( gymnastic troupe ) , Jai McDowall ( singer ) , Ashleigh and Pudsey ( dancing dog act ) , Attraction ( shadow theatre group ) , Collabro ( musical singing group ) , Jules O'Dwyer & Matisse ( canine freestyle act ) and Richard Jones ( magician ) . The winner of each series is given the opportunity to perform at the Royal Variety Performance in front of members of the British Royal Family , including either Queen Elizabeth II or the Prince of Wales , and also receives a cash prize of # 250,000 ( # 100,000 in series 1 -- 5 , # 500,000 in series 6 ) . A significant show in British popular culture , Britain 's Got Talent is the UK 's biggest television talent competition ( ahead of The X Factor , also created by Cowell , and The Voice UK ) . The series 3 live final brought in 17.3 million viewers , a 64.6 % audience share . On 29 February 2016 , it was announced that ITV had signed a three-year contract to renew Britain 's Got Talent '' until 2019 .", "Kathleen Turner. Mary Kathleen Turner ( born June 19 , 1954 ) , better known as Kathleen Turner , is an American film and stage actress and director . Known for her distinctive raspy voice , Turner has won two Golden Globe Awards and has been nominated for an Academy Award . Turner came to fame during the 1980s , after roles in Body Heat ( 1981 ) , Crimes of Passion ( 1984 ) , Romancing the Stone ( 1984 ) , and Prizzi 's Honor ( 1985 ) , the latter two earning her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . In the later 1980s and early 1990s , Turner had roles in The Accidental Tourist ( 1988 ) , The War of the Roses ( 1989 ) , Serial Mom ( 1994 ) and Peggy Sue Got Married ( 1986 ) , for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress . Turner later had roles in The Virgin Suicides ( 1999 ) , Baby Geniuses ( 1999 ) , and Beautiful ( 2000 ) , as well as guest-starring on the NBC sitcom Friends as Chandler Bing 's cross-dressing father Charles Bing , and in the third season of Showtime 's Californication as Sue Collini , the jaded , sex-crazed owner of a talent agency . Turner has also done considerable work as a voice actress , namely as Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit ( 1988 ) , as well as Monster House ( 2006 ) , and the television series The Simpsons and King of the Hill . In addition to film , Turner has worked in the theatre , and has been nominated for the Tony Award twice for her Broadway roles as Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and as Martha in Who 's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? Turner has also taught acting classes at New York University .", "Maggie Smith. Dame Margaret Natalie Smith , ( born 28 December 1934 ) , known as Maggie Smith , is an English actress . She has had an extensive , varied career in stage , film and television spanning over sixty-five years . Smith has appeared in over 50 films and is one of Britain 's most recognisable actresses . A prominent figure in British culture for six decades , she was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990 for services to the performing arts , and received the Companion of Honour from the Queen in 2014 for services to drama . Smith began her career on stage at the Oxford Playhouse in 1952 and made her Broadway debut in New Faces of ' 56 . For her work on the London stage , she has won a record five Best Actress Evening Standard Awards ; for The Private Ear and The Public Eye ( 1962 ) , Hedda Gabler ( 1970 ) , Virginia ( 1981 ) , The Way of the World ( 1984 ) and Three Tall Women ( 1994 ) . She received Tony Award nominations for Private Lives ( 1975 ) and Night and Day ( 1979 ) , before winning the 1990 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for Lettice and Lovage . Other stage roles include Stratford Shakespeare Festival productions of Antony and Cleopatra ( 1976 ) and Macbeth ( 1978 ) , and West End productions of A Delicate Balance ( 1997 ) and The Breath of Life ( 2002 ) . On screen , Smith first drew praise for the crime film Nowhere to Go ( 1958 ) , for which she received her first BAFTA Award nomination . She has won two Academy Awards , winning Best Actress for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie ( 1969 ) and Best Supporting Actress for California Suite ( 1978 ) . She is one of only six actresses to have won in both categories . She has won a record four BAFTA Awards for Best Actress , including for A Private Function ( 1984 ) and The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne ( 1988 ) , a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for Tea With Mussolini ( 1999 ) , and three Golden Globe Awards . A six-time Oscar nominee , her other nominations were for Othello ( 1965 ) , Travels with My Aunt ( 1972 ) , A Room with a View ( 1986 ) , and Gosford Park ( 2001 ) . Smith played Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series ( 2001 -- 11 ) . Other notable films include Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing ( 1973 ) , Death on the Nile ( 1978 ) , Clash of the Titans ( 1981 ) , Evil Under the Sun ( 1982 ) , Hook ( 1991 ) , Sister Act ( 1992 ) , The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ( 2012 ) and The Lady in the Van ( 2015 ) . She won an Emmy Award in 2003 for My House in Umbria , to become one of the few actresses to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting , and starred as Lady Violet Crawley , Dowager Countess of Grantham on Downton Abbey ( 2010 -- 15 ) , for which she won three Emmys , her first non-ensemble Screen Actors Guild Award and her third Golden Globe . Her honorary awards include the BAFTA Special Award ( 1993 ) , the BAFTA Fellowship ( 1996 ) , and the Special Olivier Award ( 2011 ) . She received the Stratford Shakespeare Festival 's Legacy Award in 2012 , and the Evening Standard Icon Award in 2013 .", "J. K. Rowling. Joanne Rowling , ( -LSB- ˈrəʊlɪŋ -RSB- born 31 July 1965 ) , pen names J. K. Rowling and Robert Galbraith , is a British novelist , screenwriter and film producer best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series . The books have gained worldwide attention , won multiple awards , and sold more than 400 million copies . They have become the best-selling book series in history and been the basis for a series of films over which Rowling had overall approval on the scripts and maintained creative control by serving as a producer on the final instalment . Born in Yate , Gloucestershire , England , Rowling was working as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International when she conceived the idea for the Harry Potter series while on a delayed train from Manchester to London in 1990 . The seven-year period that followed saw the death of her mother , birth of her first child , divorce from her first husband and relative poverty until she finished the first novel in the series , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , in 1997 . There were six sequels , the last , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , in 2007 . Since then , Rowling has written four books for adult readers : The Casual Vacancy ( 2012 ) and -- under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith -- the crime fiction novels The Cuckoo 's Calling ( 2013 ) , The Silkworm ( 2014 ) and Career of Evil ( 2015 ) . Rowling has lived a `` rags to riches '' life story , in which she progressed from living on state benefits to multi-millionaire status within five years . She is the United Kingdom 's best-selling living author , with sales in excess of # 238M . The 2016 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling 's fortune at # 600 million , ranking her as the joint 197th richest person in the UK . Time magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year , noting the social , moral , and political inspiration she has given her fans . In October 2010 , Rowling was named the `` Most Influential Woman in Britain '' by leading magazine editors . She has supported charities including Comic Relief , One Parent Families , Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain and Lumos ( formerly the Children 's High Level Group ) .", "Tom Hanks. Thomas Jeffrey Hanks ( born July 9 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles , including Splash ( 1984 ) , Big ( 1988 ) , Turner & Hooch ( 1989 ) , A League of Their Own ( 1992 ) , Sleepless in Seattle ( 1993 ) , Philadelphia ( 1993 ) , Forrest Gump ( 1994 ) , Apollo 13 ( 1995 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , You 've Got Mail ( 1998 ) , The Green Mile ( 1999 ) , Cast Away ( 2000 ) , Road to Perdition ( 2002 ) , and The Da Vinci Code ( 2006 ) , as well as for his voice work in the animated films The Polar Express ( 2004 ) and the Toy Story series . Hanks ' films have grossed more than $ 4.5 billion at U.S. and Canadian box offices and more than $ 9.0 billion worldwide , making him the third-highest-grossing actor in North America . Hanks has been nominated for numerous awards during his career . He won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia , as well as a Golden Globe , an Academy Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award , and a People 's Choice Award for Best Actor for his role in Forrest Gump . In 2004 , he received the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) . In 2014 , he received a Kennedy Center Honor and , in 2016 , he received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama , as well as the French Legion of Honor . Hanks is also known for his collaborations with film director Steven Spielberg on Saving Private Ryan , Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) , The Terminal ( 2004 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) , as well as the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers , which launched Hanks as a successful director , producer , and screenwriter . In 2010 , Spielberg and Hanks were executive producers on the HBO miniseries The Pacific ( a companion piece to Band of Brothers ) .", "Margot Robbie. Margot Elise Robbie ( -LSB- ˈmɑrɡoʊ_ˈrɒbi -RSB- born 2 July 1990 ) is an Australian actress and producer . Robbie started her career by appearing in Australian independent films in the late 2000s . She was later cast in the soap opera Neighbours ( 2008 -- 2011 ) , which earned her two Logie Award nominations . After moving to the United States , Robbie starred in the short-lived ABC drama series Pan Am ( 2011 -- 2012 ) . In 2013 , she made her big screen debut in Richard Curtis 's romantic comedy-drama film About Time and co-starred in Martin Scorsese 's biographical black comedy The Wolf of Wall Street . In 2015 , Robbie co-starred in the romantic comedy-drama film Focus , appeared in the romantic World War II drama film Suite Française and starred in the science fiction film Z for Zachariah . That same year , she played herself in The Big Short . In 2016 , she portrayed Jane Porter in the action-adventure film The Legend of Tarzan and Harley Quinn in the superhero film Suicide Squad . She appeared on Time magazine 's `` The Most Influential People of 2017 '' list .", "Sofía Vergara. Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara ( -LSB- soˈfi.a βerˈɣaɾa -RSB- ; born July 10 , 1972 ) is a Colombian-American actress and model . Vergara rose to prominence while co-hosting two television shows for Spanish-language television network Univisión in the late 1990s . Her first notable acting job in English was in the film Chasing Papi ( 2003 ) . Subsequently , she appeared in other films , including Four Brothers ( 2005 ) and two Tyler Perry films : Meet the Browns ( 2008 ) and Madea Goes to Jail ( 2009 ) , receiving an ALMA Award nomination for the latter . Vergara 's success on television has earned her roles in films The Smurfs ( 2011 ) , New Year 's Eve ( 2011 ) , Happy Feet Two ( 2011 ) , The Three Stooges ( 2012 ) , Escape from Planet Earth ( 2013 ) , Machete Kills ( 2013 ) , Chef ( 2014 ) , and Hot Pursuit ( 2015 ) . In 2012 , 2013 , and 2016 , she was the top-earning actress on US television . Vergara stars on the ABC series Modern Family as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett , for which she has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards , four Primetime Emmy Awards , and seven Screen Actors Guild Awards . In 2014 , she was ranked as the 32nd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes .", "Inception. Inception is a 2010 science fiction film written , co-produced , and directed by Christopher Nolan , and co-produced by Emma Thomas . The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a professional thief who steals information by infiltrating the subconscious , and is offered a chance to have his criminal history erased as payment for a seemingly impossible task : `` inception '' , the implantation of another person 's idea into a target 's subconscious . The ensemble cast additionally includes Ken Watanabe , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Marion Cotillard , Ellen Page , Tom Hardy , Dileep Rao , Cillian Murphy , Tom Berenger , and Michael Caine . After the 2002 completion of Insomnia , Nolan presented to Warner Bros. a written 80-page treatment about a horror film envisioning `` dream stealers '' based on lucid dreaming . Deciding he needed more experience before tackling a production of this magnitude and complexity , Nolan retired the project and instead worked on 2005 's Batman Begins , 2006 's The Prestige , and The Dark Knight in 2008 . The treatment was revised over 6 months and was purchased by Warner in February 2009 . Inception was filmed in six countries , beginning in Tokyo on June 19 and ending in Canada on November 22 . Its official budget was US$ 160 million , split between Warner Bros and Legendary . Nolan 's reputation and success with The Dark Knight helped secure the film 's $ 100 million in advertising expenditure . Inceptions première was held in London on July 8 , 2010 ; its wide release to both conventional and IMAX theaters began on July 16 , 2010 . A box office success , Inception grossed over $ 800 million worldwide . The home video market also had strong results , with $ 68 million in DVD and Blu-ray sales . Inception opened to acclaim from critics , who praised its story , score , and ensemble cast . It won four Academy Awards for Best Cinematography , Best Sound Editing , Best Sound Mixing , and Best Visual Effects , and was nominated for four more : Best Picture , Best Original Screenplay , Best Art Direction , and Best Original Score .", "Sophie Marceau. Sophie Marceau ( -LSB- sɔˈfi maʁˈso -RSB- ; born Sophie Danièle Sylvie Maupu ; 17 November 1966 ) is a French actress , director , screenwriter , and author . As a teenager , Marceau achieved popularity with her debut films La Boum ( 1980 ) and La Boum 2 ( 1982 ) , receiving a César Award for Most Promising Actress . She became a film star in Europe with a string of successful films , including L'Étudiante ( 1988 ) , Pacific Palisades ( 1990 ) , Fanfan ( 1993 ) , and Revenge of the Musketeers ( 1994 ) . Marceau became an international film star with her performances in Braveheart ( 1995 ) , Firelight ( 1997 ) , and the 19th James Bond film The World Is Not Enough ( 1999 ) .", "Juliette Binoche. Juliette Binoche ( -LSB- ʒyljɛt binɔʃ -RSB- ; born 9 March 1964 ) is a French actress , artist and dancer . She has appeared in more than 60 feature films , been recipient of numerous international awards , and has appeared on stage and in movies across the world . Coming from an artistic background , she began taking acting lessons during adolescence . After performing in several stage productions , she began acting in films by auteur directors Jean-Luc Godard ( Hail Mary , 1985 ) , Jacques Doillon ( Family Life , 1985 ) and André Téchiné , who made her a star in France with the leading role in his 1985 drama Rendez-vous . Her sensual performance in her English-language debut The Unbearable Lightness of Being ( 1988 ) , directed by Philip Kaufman , launched her international career . She sparked the interest of Steven Spielberg , who offered her several parts including a role in Jurassic Park which she declined , choosing instead to join Krzysztof Kieślowski in Three Colors : Blue ( 1993 ) , a performance for which she won the Venice Film Festival Award for Best Actress and a César . Three years later Binoche gained further acclaim in Anthony Minghella 's The English Patient ( 1996 ) , for which she was awarded an Academy Award and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress in addition to the Best Actress Award at the 1997 Berlin International Film Festival . For her performance in Lasse Hallström 's romantic comedy Chocolat ( 2000 ) , Binoche was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress . During the 2000s she maintained a successful career , alternating between French and English language roles in both mainstream and art-house productions . In 2010 , she won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in Abbas Kiarostami 's Certified Copy making her the first actress to win the European `` Best Actress Triple Crown '' ( for winning best actress award at the Berlin , Cannes and Venice film festivals ) . Throughout her career Binoche has intermittently appeared on stage , most notably in a 1998 London production of Luigi Pirandello 's Naked and in a 2000 production of Harold Pinter 's Betrayal on Broadway for which she was nominated for a Tony Award . In 2008 she began a world tour with a modern dance production in-i devised in collaboration with Akram Khan . Her other notable performances include : Mauvais Sang ( 1986 ) , Les Amants du Pont-Neuf ( 1991 ) , Damage ( 1992 ) , The Horseman on the Roof ( 1995 ) , Code Unknown ( 2000 ) , Caché ( 2005 ) , Breaking and Entering ( 2006 ) , Flight of the Red Balloon ( 2007 ) , Camille Claudel 1915 ( 2013 ) and Clouds of Sils Maria ( 2014 ) .", "Keira Knightley. Keira Christina Knightley ( -LSB- ˌkɪərə_ˈnaɪtli -RSB- born 26 March 1985 ) is an English actress . She began acting as a child on television and made her film debut in 1995 . After having worked in supporting roles in various films , Knightley gained recognition with the 2002 comedy drama Bend It Like Beckham . She achieved international fame after landing the role of Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series . One of the highest-paid actresses of Hollywood , Knightley has won an Empire Award , and has garnered multiple nominations for the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes . Knightley became known for starring in period dramas such as Pride & Prejudice ( 2005 ) , for which she earned nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress ; Atonement ( 2007 ) , for which she was nominated again for a Golden Globe ; Silk ( 2007 ) ; The Duchess ( 2008 ) ; A Dangerous Method ( 2011 ) ; and Anna Karenina ( 2012 ) . She has also appeared in a variety of other genres , including the romantic comedy Love Actually ( 2003 ) , as Guinevere in the historical action King Arthur ( 2004 ) , the psychological thriller The Jacket ( 2005 ) , biographical action Domino ( 2005 ) , the historical romantic drama The Edge of Love ( 2008 ) , the film noir London Boulevard ( 2010 ) , the dystopian science fiction Never Let Me Go ( 2010 ) , the romantic drama Last Night ( 2010 ) , and the dark comedy Seeking a Friend for the End of the World ( 2012 ) . In its 2008 list , Forbes identified Knightley as the second-highest-paid actress in Hollywood , with reported earnings of US$ 32 million in 2007 , making her the only non-American on the list of highest-paid actresses that year . In 2014 , she was nominated for a Golden Globe , a SAG , a BAFTA Award , and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the historical drama The Imitation Game . In October 2015 , Knightley made her Broadway debut in the title role of Thérèse Raquin .", "Fiona Apple. Fiona Apple McAfee-Maggart ( born September 13 , 1977 ) is an American singer-songwriter , pianist and record producer . Classically trained on piano as a child , Apple began composing her own songs when she was 8 years old . Her debut album , Tidal , written when Apple was 17 , was released in 1996 and received a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for the single `` Criminal '' . She followed with When the Pawn ... ( 1999 ) , produced by Jon Brion , which was also critically and commercially successful and was certified platinum . For her third album , Extraordinary Machine ( 2005 ) , Apple again collaborated with Brion , and began recording the album in 2002 . However , Apple was reportedly unhappy with the production and opted not to release the record , leading fans to erroneously protest Epic Records , believing that the label was withholding its release . The album was eventually re-produced without Brion and released in October 2005 to critical acclaim . In 2012 , she released her fourth studio album , The Idler Wheel ... , which received universal critical praise and was followed by an extensive tour of the United States .", "Iggy Azalea. Amethyst Amelia Kelly , known professionally as Iggy Azalea ( -LSB- ə ` zeɪliːə -RSB- born 7 June 1990 ) , is an Australian rapper . Born in Sydney and raised in Mullumbimby , Azalea moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a career in hip hop music , residing in the southern part of the country . She earned public recognition after releasing music videos for her songs `` Pu $ $ y '' and `` Two Times '' on YouTube . She signed a recording contract with American rapper T.I. 's Grand Hustle Records imprint in 2012 , after gaining attention from her first full-length project , a mixtape titled Ignorant Art . Azalea 's debut studio album , The New Classic ( 2014 ) , peaked among the top five of several charts worldwide and received generally mixed reviews . It topped the Billboard Top R&B / Hip-Hop Albums making Azalea the first non-American female rapper to reach the summit of the chart . The album was preceded by her debut single `` Work '' , and generated the US Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping single `` Fancy '' , which made Azalea the fourth female rapper in the history of the chart to reach number one , claiming the longest-leading reign with seven consecutive weeks . Additionally , she was featured on Ariana Grande 's single `` Problem '' , which peaked at number two while `` Fancy '' was number one ; Azalea joined The Beatles as the only acts to rank at numbers one and two simultaneously with their first two Hot 100 entries . She also went on to achieve three top ten hits simultaneously on the Hot 100 with the aforementioned songs along with the fifth single from the album , `` Black Widow '' , later that year . Azalea 's second studio album Digital Distortion is due in early 2017 . Its lead single , `` Team '' , was released on 18 March 2016 .", "David Cameron. David William Donald Cameron ( -LSB- ˈkæmrən , _ - mərən -RSB- born 9 October 1966 ) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016 . He was Member of Parliament ( MP ) for Witney from 2001 to 2016 . Cameron identifies as a One-Nation Conservative , and has been associated with both economically liberal and socially liberal policies . Born in London to wealthy upper middle-class parents , Cameron was educated at Heatherdown School , Eton College , and Brasenose College , Oxford . From 1988 to 1993 he worked at the Conservative Research Department , assisting the Conservative Prime Minister John Major , before leaving politics to work for Carlton Communications in 1994 . Becoming an MP in 2001 , he served in the opposition shadow cabinet under Conservative leader Michael Howard , succeeding Howard in 2005 . Cameron sought to rebrand the Conservatives , embracing an increasingly socially liberal position . The 2010 general election led to Cameron becoming Prime Minister as the head of a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats . His premiership was marked by the ongoing effects of the late-2000s financial crisis ; these involved a large deficit in government finances that his government sought to reduce through austerity measures . His administration introduced large-scale changes to welfare , immigration policy , education , and healthcare . It privatised the Royal Mail and some other state assets , and legalised same-sex marriage . Internationally , his government militarily intervened in the Libyan Civil War and later authorised the bombing of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ; domestically , his government oversaw the referendum on voting reform and Scottish independence referendum , both of which confirmed Cameron 's favoured outcome . When the Conservatives secured an unexpected majority in the 2015 general election he remained as Prime Minister , this time leading a Conservative-only government . To fulfil a manifesto pledge , he introduced a referendum on the UK 's continuing membership of the EU . Cameron supported continued membership ; following the success of the Leave vote , he resigned to make way for a new Prime Minister and was succeeded by Theresa May . Cameron has been praised for modernising the Conservative Party and for decreasing the United Kingdom 's national deficit . Conversely , he has been criticised by figures on both the left and right , and has been accused of political opportunism and elitism .", "Sansa Stark. Sansa Stark is a fictional character created by American author George R. R. Martin . She is a prominent character in Martin 's award-winning A Song of Ice and Fire series . Introduced in 1996 's A Game of Thrones , Sansa is the eldest daughter and second child of Lord Eddard Stark and his wife Lady Catelyn Stark . She subsequently appeared in the following three novels , A Clash of Kings ( 1998 ) , A Storm of Swords ( 2000 ) and A Feast for Crows ( 2005 ) . While absent from the fifth novel A Dance with Dragons as the books are separated geographically , Sansa is confirmed to return in the forthcoming next book in the series , The Winds of Winter . In HBO 's adaptation of the series , Game of Thrones , Sansa Stark is played by Sophie Turner . The character has received critical acclaim , being praised as the 4th greatest character in the series by Rolling Stone . She and the rest of the cast were nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2012 , 2014 , 2015 and 2016 .", "London. London -LSB- ˈlʌndən -RSB- is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom . Standing on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain , London has been a major settlement for two millennia . It was founded by the Romans , who named it Londinium . London 's ancient core , the City of London , largely retains its 1.12 sqmi medieval boundaries . Since at least the 19th century , `` London '' has also referred to the metropolis around this core , historically split between Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which today largely makes up Greater London , See also : Independent city § National capitals . governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.The London Mayor is not to be confused with the Lord Mayor of London who heads the City of London Corporation , which administers the City of London . London is a leading global city in the arts , commerce , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , professional services , research and development , tourism , and transportation . It is crowned as the world 's largest financial centre and has the fifth - or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world.Rankings of cities by metropolitan area GDP can vary as a result of differences in the definition of the boundaries and population sizes of the areas compared , exchange rate fluctuations and the method used to calculate output . London and Paris are of broadly similar size in terms of total economic output which can result in third party sources varying as to which is the fifth-largest city GDP in the world . A report by the McKinsey Global Institute published in 2012 estimated that London had a city GDP of US$ 751.8 billion in 2010 , compared to US$ 764.2 billion for Paris , making them respectively the sixth - and fifth-largest in the world . A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers published in November 2009 estimated that London had a city GDP measured in purchasing power parity of US$ 565 billion in 2008 , compared to US$ 564 billion for Paris , making them respectively the fifth - and sixth-largest in the world . The McKinsey Global Institute study used a metropolitan area with a population of 14.9 million for London compared to 11.8 million for Paris , whilst the PricewaterhouseCoopers study used a metropolitan area with a population of 8.59 million for London compared to 9.92 million for Paris . London is a world cultural capital . It is the world 's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the world 's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic . London is the world 's leading investment destination , hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city . London 's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe . In 2012 , London became the first city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times . London has a diverse range of people and cultures , and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region . Its estimated mid-2015 municipal population ( corresponding to Greater London ) was 8,673,713 , the largest of any city in the European Union , and accounting for 12.5 % of the UK population . London 's urban area is the second most populous in the EU , after Paris , with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census . The city 's metropolitan area is the most populous in the EU with 13,879,757 inhabitants , while the Greater London Authority states the population of the city-region ( covering a large part of the south east ) as 22.7 million . London was the world 's most populous city from around 1831 to 1925 . London contains four World Heritage Sites : the Tower of London ; Kew Gardens ; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster , Westminster Abbey , and St Margaret 's Church ; and the historic settlement of Greenwich ( in which the Royal Observatory , Greenwich marks the Prime Meridian , 0 ° longitude , and GMT ) . Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul 's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , Trafalgar Square , and The Shard . London is home to numerous museums , galleries , libraries , sporting events , and other cultural institutions , including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and West End theatres . The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world ." ]

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[ "Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa , known in the Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta ( born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu ; -LSB- aˈɲɛzə ˈɡɔndʒɛ bɔjaˈdʒiu -RSB- ; 26 August 1910 -- 5 September 1997 ) , was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary . She was born in Skopje ( now the capital of the Republic of Macedonia ) , then part of the Kosovo Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire . After living in Macedonia for eighteen years she moved to Ireland and then to India , where she lived for most of her life . In 1950 Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity , a Roman Catholic religious congregation which had over 4,500 sisters and was active in 133 countries in 2012 . The congregation manages homes for people dying of HIV/AIDS , leprosy and tuberculosis ; soup kitchens ; dispensaries and mobile clinics ; children 's - and family-counselling programmes ; orphanages , and schools . Members , who take vows of chastity , poverty , and obedience , also profess a fourth vow : to give `` wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor '' . Teresa received a number of honours , including the 1962 Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize and 1979 Nobel Peace Prize . She was canonised ( recognised by the church as a saint ) on 4 September 2016 , and the anniversary of her death ( 5 September ) is her feast day . A controversial figure during her life and after her death , Teresa was admired by many for her charitable work . She was praised and criticised for her opposition to abortion , and criticised for poor conditions in her houses for the dying . Her authorised biography was written by Navin Chawla and published in 1992 , and she has been the subject of films and other books .", "Missionaries of Charity. The Missionaries of Charity ( Missionariarum a Caritate ) is a Roman Catholic ( Latin Church ) religious congregation established in 1950 by Saint Teresa of Calcutta , better known as Mother Teresa . In 2012 it consisted of over 4,500 religious sisters . Members of the order designate their affiliation using the order 's initials , `` M.C. '' A member of the congregation must adhere to the vows of chastity , poverty , obedience , and the fourth vow , to give `` wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor . '' Today , the order consists of both contemplative and active branches in several countries . Missionaries care for those who include refugees , former prostitutes , the mentally ill , sick children , abandoned children , lepers , people with AIDS , the aged , and convalescent . They have schools run by volunteers to educate street children and run soup kitchens as well as other services according to the community needs . They have 19 homes in Kolkata ( Calcutta ) alone which include homes for women , orphaned children , and homes for the dying , and for those dying of AIDS ; a school for street children , and a leper colony . These services are provided , without charge , to people regardless of their religion or social status .", "Criticism of Mother Teresa. This article explores some of the criticism of Mother Teresa ( 1910 -- 97 ) , who was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun and missionary . She founded the congregation of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta in 1950 . For more than 45 years she worked with the poor , sick , orphaned , and dying , while guiding the expansion of her congregation , at first in India and then in other countries . After her death , she was beatified and later canonised as a Catholic saint in an unusually speedy process by the Roman Catholic Church . She received mixed reactions from prominent people , governments and organizations . She and the practices of her order were subject to numerous controversies . These include opposition and objections to the quality of medical care , encouragement of baptism of the dying , and being an image of colonialism and racism . She received much media coverage , similar to a celebrity , and it has been suggested that the church used her image to promote Catholicism and to distract from some of the ecclesiastical scandals around the world .", "Teresa of Ávila. Saint Teresa of Ávila , also called Saint Teresa of Jesús , baptized as Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada ( 28 March 15154 October 1582 ) , was a prominent Spanish mystic , Roman Catholic saint , Carmelite nun and author during the Counter Reformation , and theologian of contemplative life through mental prayer . She was a reformer in the Carmelite Order of her time and the movement she initiated , later joined by Saint John of the Cross , eventually led to the establishment of the Discalced Carmelites , though neither she nor John were alive when the two orders separated . In 1622 , forty years after her death , she was canonized by Pope Gregory XV , and on 27 September 1970 was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI . Her books , which include her autobiography ( The Life of Teresa of Jesus ) and her seminal work El Castillo Interior ( trans. : The Interior Castle ) , are an integral part of Spanish Renaissance literature as well as Christian mysticism and Christian meditation practices . She also wrote Camino de Perfección ( trans. : The Way of Perfection ) . After her death , Saint Teresa was considered a candidate to become a national patron saint in Spain . A Santero image of the Immaculate Conception of El Viejo , said to have been sent with one of her brothers to Peru , Canonically crowned by Pope John Paul II on 28 December 1989 at the Shrine of El Viejo . Pious Catholic beliefs also associate Saint Teresa with the Infant Jesus of Prague with claims of former ownership and devotion .", "Saint. A saint , also historically known as a hallow , is a term used for a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness or likeness to God . Depending on the context and denomination , the term also retains its original Christian meaning , as any believer who is `` in Christ '' and in whom Christ dwells , whether in Heaven or on Earth . In Anglican , Roman Catholic , Eastern Orthodox , Lutheran , and Oriental Orthodox doctrine , all of their faithful deceased in Heaven are considered to be saints , but some are considered worthy of greater honor or emulation ; official ecclesiastical recognition , and consequently veneration , is given to some saints through the process of canonization in the Catholic Church or glorification in the Eastern Orthodox Church . While the English word saint originated in Christianity , historians of religion now use the appellation `` in a more general way to refer to the state of special holiness that many religions attribute to certain people '' , with the Jewish tzadik , the Islamic walī , the Hindu rishi or Sikh guru , and the Buddhist arhat or bodhisattva also being referred to as saints . Depending on the religion , saints are recognized either by official ecclesiastical declaration , as in the Catholic faith , or by popular acclamation ( see Folk saint ) .", "Mother Teresa: Saint or Celebrity?. Mother Teresa : Saint or Celebrity ? ( Routledge , 2007 ) , by Gëzim Alpion , sheds a new light on this remarkable and influential woman , which will intrigue followers of Mother Teresa and those who study the vagaries of stardom and celebrity culture .", "Brian Kolodiejchuk. Father Brian Kolodiejchuk , MC , Ph.D. is the postulator of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and director of the Mother Teresa Center . He edited and wrote the commentary for the book Mother Teresa : Come Be My Light , published by Doubleday , on September 4 , 2007 .", "Catholic Church. The Catholic Church , also known as the Roman Catholic Church , is the largest Christian Church , with more than 1.29 billion members worldwide . As one of the oldest religious institutions in the world , it has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilisation . Headed by the Bishop of Rome , known as the Pope , the church 's doctrines are summarised in the Nicene Creed . Its central administration , the Holy See , is in the Vatican City , enclaved within Rome , Italy . The Catholic Church teaches that it is the one true church founded by Jesus Christ , that its bishops are the successors of Christ 's apostles , and that the Pope is the successor to Saint Peter . The Catholic Church maintains that the doctrine on faith and morals that it declares as definitive is infallible . The Latin Church and Eastern Catholic Churches , as well as institutes such as mendicant orders and enclosed monastic orders , reflect a variety of theological and spiritual emphases in the Church . The Catholic Church is notable within Western Christianity for its sacred tradition and seven sacraments . The principal sacrament , the Eucharist , is celebrated liturgically in the Mass. . The church teaches that through consecration by a priest the sacrificial bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ . The Catholic Church practises closed communion , with only baptised members in a state of grace ordinarily permitted to receive the Eucharist . The Virgin Mary is venerated in the Catholic Church as Queen of Heaven and is honoured in numerous Marian devotions . The Catholic Church has defined four Marian dogmas : the Immaculate Conception , the dogma that Mary was conceived without original sin ; her status as the Mother of God ; her perpetual virginity ; and her bodily assumption into Heaven at the end of her earthly life . The Catholic Church has influenced Western philosophy , science , art and culture , and from the Middle Ages until the Modern Age acted as the principal force of unity in the Western world . Catholic spiritual teaching includes spreading the Gospel while Catholic social teaching emphasises support for the sick , the poor and the afflicted through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy . The Catholic Church is the largest non-government provider of education and medical services in the world . From the late 20th century , the Catholic Church has been criticised for its doctrines on sexuality , its refusal to ordain women and its handling of sexual abuse cases .", "The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice. The Missionary Position : Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice is an essay by the British-American journalist and polemicist Christopher Hitchens published in 1995 . It is a critique of the work and philosophy of Mother Teresa , the founder of an international Roman Catholic religious congregation , and it challenges the mainstream media 's assessment of her charitable efforts . In length 128 pages , it was re-issued in paperback and ebook form with a foreword by Thomas Mallon in 2012 . The book 's thesis , as summarized by one critic , was that `` Mother Teresa is less interested in helping the poor than in using them as an indefatigable source of wretchedness on which to fuel the expansion of her fundamentalist Roman Catholic beliefs . '' The response to Hitchens 's arguments fell largely upon ideological lines , with some critics contesting his evidence and others his understanding of the religious phenomenon Mother Teresa represented .", "Commemorations of Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa of Kolkata has been memorialized throughout the world in recognition of her work with the poor . During her lifetime this commemoration often took the form of awards and honorary degrees bestowed upon her . She has also been memorialized through museums and dedications of churches , roads and other structures .", "Teresa of the Andes. Saint Teresa of Jesus ( 13 July 1900 -- 12 April 1920 ) - born as Juana Fernández Solar - ( Teresa de Jesús de Los Andes ) was a Chilean professed religious from the Discalced Carmelites . Fernández Solar was a pious child but had an often unpredictable temperament for she could be prone to anger and being vain but could also demonstrate her charitable and loving nature ; she seemed transformed when she decided to become a nun and her character seemed to change for her sole ambition was to dedicate herself to the service of God . But her time in the convent was cut short due to her contracting an aggressive disease that killed her - she knew she would die but was consoled knowing she would be able to make her profession before she died . Her canonization process opened on 23 April 1976 under Pope Paul VI and she became titled as a Servant of God . The confirmation of her life of heroic virtue on 22 March 1986 allowed for her to be titled as Venerable . Solar was beatified on 3 April 1987 in Chile after a miracle attributed to her from her native land cleared her for beatification while another miracle coming from Chile saw Pope John Paul II canonize her as a saint on 21 March 1993 in Saint Peter 's Square .", "Mother Teresa of Calcutta (film). Mother Teresa of Calcutta is a 2003 biographical television film based on the life of Mother Teresa , the founder of the Missionaries of Charity religious institute . The film stars Olivia Hussey in the title role and received a CAMIE award in 2007 . The film was originally produced as the Italian television miniseries Madre Teresa .", "Mother Teresa Awards. The Mother Teresa Awards are awards to honour individuals and organizations that promote peace , equality and social justice , and aim to encourage the cause of justice and peaceful coexistence , while providing a impetus for society to imbibe these values . The award is given in honour of Mother Teresa .", "Mother Teresa (disambiguation). Mother Teresa or Mother Teresa of Calcutta usually refer to Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu ( 1910 -- 97 ) , an Albanian-born Catholic missionary nun and saint . Mother Teresa may also refer to : Mother Teresa Ball ( 1794 -- 1861 ) foundress of the Irish Branch of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother Teresa Lalor ( 1769 -- 1846 ) Irish-born American Catholic nun Mother Teresa of Calcutta may also refer to : Mother Teresa of Calcutta ( film ) 2003 documentary film", "Canonization. Canonization is the act by which the Catholic Church or the Anglican Communion declare that a person who has died was a saint , upon which declaration the person is included in the `` canon '' , or list , of recognized saints . Originally , persons were recognized as saints without any formal process . Later , different processes were developed , such as those used today in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church .", "List of saints named Teresa. Saints named Teresa include : Saint Teresa of Ávila ( 1515 -- 1582 ) , or Teresa of Jesus , Spaniard , founder of the Discalced Carmelites , and Doctor of the Church Saint Thérèse of Lisieux ( 1873 -- 1897 ) , or Teresa of the Child Jesus , French Discalced Carmelite nun , and Doctor of the Church Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross ( 1891 -- 1942 ) , Discalced Carmelite Nun , born Edith Stein Saint Teresa of Los Andes ( 1900 -- 1920 ) , Discalced Carmelite nun , born Juana Fernández del Solar Blessed Teresa of Portugal ( 1181 -- 1250 ) , Benedictine nun Mother Teresa , Saint `` Mother '' Teresa of Calcutta ( 1910 -- 1997 ) , founder of the Missionaries of Charity", "Teresa. Teresa , Theresa ( -LSB- / təˈriːzə / -RSB- or -LSB- / təˈriːsə / -RSB- ) , and Therese ( Thérèse ) are feminine given names . The name may be derived from the Greek verb θερίζω ( therízō ) , meaning to harvest . Its popularity likely increased because of the prominence of several Roman Catholic saints , including Teresa of Ávila , Thérèse of Lisieux and , most recently , Mother Teresa . The popularity of this name in the United States over the last 15 years is falling , according to the US Census . Spelled `` Theresa , '' it was ranked as the 852nd most popular name for girls born in 2008 , down from 226th in 1992 ( it ranked 65th in 1950 , and 102nd in 1900 ) . Spelled `` Teresa , '' it was the 580th most popular name for girls born in 2008 , down from 206th in 1992 ( it ranked 81st in 1950 , and 220th in 1900 ) .", "Veneration. Veneration ( Latin veneratio or dulia , Greek δουλεία , douleia ) , or veneration of saints , is the act of honoring a saint , a person who has been identified as having a high degree of sanctity or holiness . Angels are shown similar veneration in many religions . Philologically , `` to venerate '' derives from the Latin verb , venerare , meaning to regard with reverence and respect . Veneration of saints is practiced , formally or informally , by adherents of some branches of all major religions , including Christianity , Judaism , Hinduism , Islam , and Buddhism . Within Christianity , veneration is practiced by groups such as the Eastern Orthodox Church , the Roman Catholic , and Eastern Catholic Churches , all of which have varying types of canonization or glorification procedures . In the Catholic and Orthodox Churches , veneration is shown outwardly by respectfully bowing or making the sign of the cross before a saint 's icon , relics , or statue , or by going on pilgrimage to sites associated with saints . In general , veneration is not practiced by Protestants , with some denominations considering these practices heretical . Hinduism has a long tradition of veneration of saints , expressed toward various gurus and teachers of sanctity , both living and dead . Branches of Buddhism include formal liturgical worship of saints , with Mahayana Buddhism classifying degrees of sainthood . In Islam , veneration of saints is practiced by the adherents of Sunni Islam ( for example Barelvism etc ) , Shia Islam and Sufism , and in many parts of Southeast Asia , along with `` folk Islam '' , which often incorporates local beliefs and practices . Other sects , such as Wahhabists etc. , abhor the practice . In Judaism , there is no classical or formal recognition of saints , but there is a long history of reverence shown toward biblical heroes and martyrs . In some regions , for example within Judaism in Morocco , there is a long and widespread tradition of saint veneration .", "Sanctification. Sanctification is the act or process of acquiring sanctity , of being made or becoming holy . It is a gift given through the power of God to a person or thing which is then considered sacred or set apart in an official capacity within the religion , in general anything from a temple , to vessels , to days of the week , to a human believer who willingly accepts this gift can be sanctified . To sanctify is to literally `` set apart for particular use in a special purpose or work and to make holy or sacred . '' Etymologically , `` sanctify '' derives from the Latin verb sanctificare which in turn derives from sanctus `` holy '' and facere `` to make '' .", "Pope. The pope ( papa from πάππας pappas , a child 's word for `` father '' ) , also known as the pontiff , is the Bishop of Rome , and therefore ex officio the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . The primacy of the Roman bishop is largely derived from his role as the traditional successor to Saint Peter , to whom Jesus is supposed to have given the keys of Heaven and the powers of `` binding and loosing '' , naming him as the `` rock '' upon which the church would be built . The current pope is Francis , who was elected on 13 March 2013 , succeeding Benedict XVI . The office of the pope is the Papacy . His ecclesiastical jurisdiction , the Diocese of Rome , is often called `` the Holy See '' or `` the Apostolic See '' , the latter name being based upon the belief that the Bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter the Apostle . The pope is considered one of the world 's most powerful people because of his diplomatic and cultural influence . He is also head of state of Vatican City , a sovereign city-state entirely enclaved within the Italian capital city of Rome . The papacy is one of the most enduring institutions in the world and has had a prominent part in world history . The popes in ancient times helped in the spread of Christianity and the resolution of various doctrinal disputes . In the Middle Ages , they played a role of secular importance in Western Europe , often acting as arbitrators between Christian monarchs . Currently , in addition to the expansion of the Christian faith and doctrine , the popes are involved in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue , charitable work , and the defense of human rights . Popes , who originally had no temporal powers , in some periods of history accrued wide powers similar to those of temporal rulers . In recent centuries , popes were gradually forced to give up temporal power , and papal authority is now once again almost exclusively restricted to matters of religion . Over the centuries , papal claims of spiritual authority have been ever more firmly expressed , culminating in 1870 with the proclamation of the dogma of papal infallibility for rare occasions when the pope speaks ex cathedra -- literally `` from the chair ( of Saint Peter ) '' -- to issue a formal definition of faith or morals .", "Martin Luther. Martin Luther ( -LSB- ˈluːθər -RSB- -LSB- ˈmaɐ̯tiːn ˈlʊtɐ -RSB- ; 10 November 1483 -- 18 February 1546 ) , O.S.A. , was a German professor of theology , composer , priest , monk and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation . Luther came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church . He strongly disputed the Catholic view on indulgences as he understood it to be , that freedom from God 's punishment for sin could be purchased with money . Luther proposed an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences in his Ninety-five Theses of 1517 . His refusal to renounce all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the Pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Emperor . Luther taught that salvation and , consequently , eternal life are not earned by good deeds but are received only as the free gift of God 's grace through the believer 's faith in Jesus Christ as redeemer from sin . His theology challenged the authority and office of the Pope by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge from God and opposed sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood . Those who identify with these , and all of Luther 's wider teachings , are called Lutherans , though Luther insisted on Christian or Evangelical as the only acceptable names for individuals who professed Christ . His translation of the Bible into the vernacular ( instead of Latin ) made it more accessible to the laity , an event that had a tremendous impact on both the church and German culture . It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language , added several principles to the art of translation , and influenced the writing of an English translation , the Tyndale Bible . His hymns influenced the development of singing in Protestant churches . His marriage to Katharina von Bora , a former nun , set a model for the practice of clerical marriage , allowing Protestant clergy to marry . In two of his later works , Luther expressed antagonistic views towards Jews , writing that Jewish homes and synagogues should be destroyed , their money confiscated , and liberty curtailed . Condemned by virtually every Lutheran denomination , these statements and their influence on antisemitism have contributed to his controversial status .", "Gëzim Alpion. Dr Gëzim Alpion is an academic , political analyst , writer , playwright , and civil society activist . He holds a BA from Cairo University and a PhD from Durham University , UK . He is currently based in the Department of Sociology at the University of Birmingham , UK . Stephen Schwartz holds that Alpion is ' a pioneer in the academic study of the phenomenon of celebrity ' , and ` the most authoritative English-language author on Blessed Teresa of Kolkata ' . Referring to Alpion 's 2007 study Mother Teresa : Saint or Celebrity ? , Schwartz contends that ` in its depth , breadth , and seriousness ' , this book ` may stand for some time to come as the single most important biography of Mother Teresa in English . ' In his review of the same book for the American Communication Journal , Marvin Williams holds that ` Alpion 's examination of Mother Teresa 's celebrity is a case study of corporate identity management in today 's global media environment . His weaving of primary texts into the setting of this character piece creates a comprehensive cross-cultural examination that has the potential to become a new archetypal work of this mercurial personality . '", "Templeton Prize. The Templeton Prize is an annual award presented by the Templeton Foundation . Established in 1972 , it is awarded to a living person who , in the estimation of the judges , `` has made an exceptional contribution to affirming life 's spiritual dimension , whether through insight , discovery , or practical works '' . The prize is named after Sir John Templeton ( 1912 -- 2008 ) , an American-born British entrepreneur and businessman , who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1987 for his philanthropic efforts . Until 2001 , the name of the prize was `` Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion '' , and from 2002 to 2008 it was called the `` Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities '' . It has typically been presented by Prince Philip in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace . The monetary value of the prize is adjusted so that it exceeds that of the Nobel Prizes , as Templeton felt `` spirituality was ignored '' in the Nobel Prizes . At # 1,200,000 , as of 2015 , it is the second largest single annual financial prize award ( behind the Fundamental Physics Prize ) given to an individual by a philanthropic organization . The prize is awarded `` based on the decision of a panel of distinguished judges from various academic disciplines and religious traditions '' . Hindus , Christians , Jews , Buddhists , Muslims and atheists have been on the panel of judges and have been recipients of the prize . The prize has been criticized : British biologist Richard Dawkins said in his book The God Delusion that the prize was given `` usually to a scientist who is prepared to say something nice about religion '' . Sean M. Carroll , a research associate in the Department of Physics at the California Institute of Technology , criticized his colleagues for taking Templeton research grants when they did not support Templeton 's beliefs . Martinus J. G. Veltman , the 1999 Nobel laureate in physics , suggested the prize `` bridg -LSB- ed -RSB- the gap between sense and nonsense '' . The inaugural winner of the prize , in 1973 , was Mother Teresa , six years before she received the Nobel Peace Prize . She was cited by the Templeton Foundation `` for her extraordinary efforts to help the homeless and neglected children of Calcutta , '' work which `` inspired millions of others around the world '' .", "Christian. A Christian ( -LSB- pronaudio = En-us-Christian . oggˈkɹɪʃtʃən -RSB- or -LSB- ˈkɹɪstjən -RSB- ) is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity , an Abrahamic , monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ . `` Christian '' derives from the Koine Greek word Christós , a translation of the Biblical Hebrew term mashiach . While there are diverse interpretations of Christianity which sometimes conflict , they are united in believing that Jesus has a unique significance . The term `` Christian '' is also used as an adjective to describe anything associated with Christianity , or in a proverbial sense `` all that is noble , and good , and Christ-like . '' According to a 2011 Pew Research Center survey , there were 2.2 billion Christians around the world in 2010 , up from about 600 million in 1910 . By 2050 , the Christian population is expected to exceed 3 billion . According to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey Christianity will remain the world 's largest religion in 2050 , if current trends continue . Today , about 37 % of all Christians live in the Americas , about 26 % live in Europe , 24 % live in sub-Saharan Africa , about 13 % live in Asia and the Pacific , and 1 % live in the Middle east and North Africa . About half of all Christians worldwide are Catholic , while more than a third are Protestant ( 37 % ) . Orthodox communions comprise 12 % of the world 's Christians . Other Christian groups make up the remainder . Christians make up the majority of the population in 158 countries and territories . 280 million Christian live as a minority . Christians have significantly influenced and contributed to human progress in many fields , including philosophy , ethics , literature , business and economics , fine arts and architecture , music , theatre and medicine , as well as science and technology , both historically and in modern times .", "Nun. A nun is a member of a religious community of women , typically one living under vows of poverty , chastity , and obedience . She may have decided to dedicate her life to serving all other living beings , or she might be an ascetic who voluntarily chose to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent . The term `` nun '' is applicable to Catholics ( eastern and western traditions ) , Orthodox Christians , Anglicans , Lutherans , Jains , Buddhists , Taoists , Hindus and some other religious traditions . While in common usage the terms `` nun '' and `` sister '' are often used interchangeably ( the same title of `` Sister '' for an individual member of both forms ) , they are considered different ways of life , with a `` nun '' being a religious woman who lives a contemplative and cloistered life of meditation and prayer for the salvation of others , while a `` religious sister '' , in religious institutes like St. Mother Teresa 's Missionaries of Charity , lives an active vocation of both prayer and service , often to the needy , ill , poor , and uneducated .", "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ( the LDS Church or , informally , the Mormon Church ) is a Christian restorationist church that is considered by its members to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ . The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City , Utah , and has established congregations and built temples worldwide . According to the church , it has over 70,000 missionaries and a membership of over 15 million . It is ranked by the National Council of Churches as the fourth-largest Christian denomination in the United States . It is the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith during the period of religious revival known as the Second Great Awakening . Adherents , often referred to as `` Latter-day Saints '' , or , less formally , `` Mormons '' , view faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement as fundamental principles of their religion . LDS theology includes the Christian doctrine of salvation only through Jesus Christ , though LDS doctrines regarding the nature of God and the potential of mankind differ significantly from mainstream Christianity . The church has an open canon which includes four scriptural texts : the Bible ( both Old and New Testaments ) , the Book of Mormon , the Doctrine and Covenants , and the Pearl of Great Price . Other than the Bible , the majority of the LDS canon constitutes revelation spoken by Joseph Smith and recorded by his scribes which includes commentary and exegesis about the Bible , texts described as lost parts of the Bible , and other works believed to be written by ancient prophets . Because of some of the doctrinal differences , some Catholic , Orthodox , and Protestant churches consider the LDS Church to be distinct and separate from mainstream Christianity . Under the doctrine of continuing revelation , Latter-day Saints believe that the church president is a modern-day `` prophet , seer , and revelator '' and that Jesus Christ , under the direction of God the Father , leads the church by revealing his will to its president . The current president is Thomas S. Monson . Individual members of the church believe that they can also receive personal revelation from God in conducting their lives . The president heads a hierarchical structure with various levels reaching down to local congregations . Bishops , drawn from the laity , lead local congregations . Male members , after reaching age 12 , may be ordained to the priesthood , provided they are living the standards of the church . Women do not hold positions within the priesthood , but do occupy leadership roles in some church auxiliary organizations . Both men and women may serve as missionaries , and the church maintains a large missionary program which proselytizes and conducts humanitarian services worldwide . Faithful members adhere to church laws of sexual purity , health , fasting , and Sabbath observance , and contribute ten percent of their income to the church in tithing . In addition , the church teaches sacred ordinances through which adherents make covenants with God , including baptism , confirmation , the sacrament ( holy communion ) , endowment , and celestial marriage ( marriage blessings which extend beyond mortality ) -- all of which are of great significance to church members .", "Mother Teresa High School. Mother Teresa High School is a Catholic secondary school in the Nepean district of Ottawa , Ontario , Canada . It supports grades 7 -- 12 . The name of its sports team is the ` Titans ' . The motto of the school is Amor et Dignitas or `` love and dignity . '' The school received international attention when a graduating , underage student exposed his testicles in a yearbook photo , forcing the school to recall and sticker over 1,300 already-printed editions of the publication .", "Saint Peter. Saint Peter ( Syriac/Aramaic : ܫܸܡܥܘܿܢ ܟܹ݁ܐܦ݂ܵܐ , Shemayon Keppa , שמעון בר יונה , Πέτρος , according to the New Testament , was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ , leaders of the early Christian Great Church . Hippolytus of Rome , a 3rd-century theologian , gave him the title of `` Apostle of the Apostles '' . According to Catholic teaching , Peter was ordained by Jesus in the `` Rock of My Church '' dialogue in Matthew . He is traditionally counted as the first Bishop of Romeor popeand also by Eastern Christian tradition as the first Patriarch of Antioch . The ancient Christian churches all venerate Peter as a major saint and as the founder of the Church of Antioch and the Roman Church , but differ in their attitudes regarding the authority of his present-day successors . The New Testament indicates that Peter was the son of John ( or Jonah or Jona ) and was from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee or Gaulanitis . His brother Andrew was also an apostle . According to New Testament accounts , Peter was one of twelve apostles chosen by Jesus from his first disciples . Originally a fisherman , he played a leadership role and was with Jesus during events witnessed by only a few apostles , such as the Transfiguration . According to the gospels , Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah , was part of Jesus 's inner circle , thrice denied Jesus and wept bitterly once he realised his deed , and preached on the day of Pentecost . According to Christian tradition , Peter was crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero Augustus Caesar . It is traditionally held that he was crucified upside down at his own request , since he saw himself unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus . Tradition holds that he was crucified at the site of the Clementine Chapel . His remains are said to be those contained in the underground Confessio of St. Peter 's Basilica , where Pope Paul VI announced in 1968 the excavated discovery of a first-century Roman cemetery . Every 29 June since 1736 , a statue of Saint Peter in St. Peter 's Basilica is adorned with papal tiara , ring of the fisherman , and papal vestments , as part of the celebration of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul . According to Catholic doctrine , the direct papal successor to Saint Peter is the incumbent pope , currently Pope . Two general epistles in the New Testament are ascribed to Peter , but modern scholars reject the Petrine authorship of both . The Gospel of Mark was traditionally thought to show the influence of Peter 's preaching and eyewitness memories . Several other books bearing his namethe Acts of Peter , Gospel of Peter , Preaching of Peter , Apocalypse of Peter , and Judgment of Peterare considered by Christian denominations as apocryphal , and are thus not included in their Bible canons .", "Christianity. ChristianityFrom Ancient Greek Χριστός , Khristós ( Latinized as Christus ) , translating Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ , Māšîăḥ , meaning `` the anointed one '' , with the Latin suffixes - ian and - itas . is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ , who serves as the focal point for the religion . It is the world 's largest religion , with over 2.4 billion followers , or 33 % of the global population , known as Christians . Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the savior of humanity whose coming as the Messiah ( the Christ ) was prophesied in the Old Testament . Christian theology is summarized in creeds such as the Apostles ' Creed and Nicene Creed . These professions of faith state that Jesus suffered , died , was buried , descended into hell , and rose from the dead , in order to grant eternal life to those who believe in him and trust in him for the remission of their sins . The creeds further maintain that Jesus bodily ascended into heaven , where he reigns with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit , and that he will return to judge the living and the dead and grant eternal life to his followers . His incarnation , earthly ministry , crucifixion and resurrection are often referred to as `` the gospel '' , meaning `` good news '' . `` Good news '' is a translation of the Ancient Greek term εὐαγγέλιον euangélion , from which the terms evangelical and evangelism derive . The term gospel also refers to written accounts of Jesus 's life and teaching , four of which -- Matthew , Mark , Luke and John -- are considered canonical and included in the Christian Bible . Christianity is an Abrahamic religion that began as a Second Temple Judaic sect in the mid-1st century . Originating in Judea , it quickly spread to Europe , Syria , Mesopotamia , Asia Minor , Transcaucasia , Egypt , Ethiopia and India , and by the end of the 4th century had become the official state church of the Roman Empire . Following the Age of Discovery , Christianity spread to the Americas , Australasia , sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world through missionary work and colonization . Christianity has played a prominent role in the shaping of Western civilization . Throughout its history , Christianity has weathered schisms and theological disputes that have resulted in many distinct churches and denominations . Worldwide , the three largest branches of Christianity are the Catholic Church , the Eastern Orthodox Church and the various denominations of Protestantism . The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches broke communion with each other in the East -- West Schism of 1054 ; Protestantism came into existence in the Reformation of the 16th century , splitting from the Catholic Church .", "Church of Scientology. The Church of Scientology is a multinational network and hierarchy of numerous ostensibly independent but interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice , administration and dissemination of Scientology , a new religious movement . The Church of Scientology International ( CSI ) is officially the Church of Scientology 's parent organization , and is responsible for guiding local Scientology churches . At a local level , every church is a separate corporate entity set up as a licensed franchise and has its own board of directors and executives . The first Scientology church was incorporated in December 1953 in Camden , New Jersey by L. Ron Hubbard . Its international headquarters are located at the Gold Base , in an unincorporated area of Riverside County , California . The location at Gilman Hotsprings is kept secret from most Scientologists . Scientology Missions International is under CSI and overseers Scientology missions , which are local Scientology organizations smaller than churches . The Church of Spiritual Technology ( CST ) is the organization which owns all the copyrights of the estate of L. Ron Hubbard . The highest authority in the Church of Scientology is the Religious Technology Center ( RTC ) . The RTC claims to only be the `` holder of Scientology and Dianetics trademarks '' , but is in fact the main Scientology executive organization . RTC chairman David Miscavige is widely seen as the effective head of Scientology . All Scientology management organizations are controlled exclusively by members of the Sea Org , which is a legally nonexistent paramilitary organization for the `` elite , innermost dedicated core of Scientologists '' . David Miscavige is the highest-ranking Sea Org officer , holding the rank of captain . Although in some countries it has attained legal recognition as a religion , the movement has been the subject of a number of controversies , and has been accused by critics of being both a cult and a commercial enterprise .", "Mary, mother of Jesus. Mary ( -LSB- Μαρία , translit = María -RSB- -LSB- ܡܪܝܡ , translit = Mariam -RSB- -LSB- מִרְיָם , translit = Miriam -RSB- -LSB- مريم , translit = Mariam -RSB- ) , also known by various titles , styles and honorifics , was a 1st-century Galilean Jewish woman of Nazareth , and the mother of Jesus , according to the New Testament and the Quran . The gospels of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament and the Quran describe Mary as a virgin ( -LSB- παρθένος , translit = parthénos , links = no -RSB- ) and Christians believe that she conceived her son while a virgin by the Holy Spirit . The miraculous birth took place when she was already betrothed to Joseph and was awaiting the concluding rite of marriage , the formal home-taking ceremony . She married Joseph and accompanied him to Bethlehem , where Jesus was born . The Gospel of Luke begins its account of Mary 's life with the Annunciation , when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced her divine selection to be the mother of Jesus . According to canonical gospel accounts , Mary was present at the crucifixion and is depicted as a member of the early Christian community in Jerusalem . According to the Catholic and Orthodox teaching , at the end of her earthly life her body was assumed directly into Heaven ; this is known in the Christian West as the Assumption . Mary has been venerated since Early Christianity , and is considered by millions to be the most meritorious saint of the religion . She is claimed to have miraculously appeared to believers many times over the centuries . The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox , Roman Catholic , Anglican , and Lutheran churches believe that Mary , as mother of Jesus , is the Mother of God . There is significant diversity in the Marian beliefs and devotional practices of major Christian traditions . The Roman Catholic Church holds distinctive Marian dogmas , namely her status as the Mother of God , her Immaculate Conception , her perpetual virginity , and her Assumption into heaven . Many Protestants minimize Mary 's role within Christianity , based on the argued brevity of biblical references . Mary ( -LSB- مريم , translit = Maryām -RSB- ) also has a revered position in Islam , where one of the longer chapters of the Quran is devoted to her .", "United Nations. The United Nations ( UN ) is an intergovernmental organization to promote international co-operation and to create and maintain international order . A replacement for the ineffective League of Nations , the organization was established on 24 October 1945 after World War II in order to prevent another such conflict . At its founding , the UN had 51 member states ; there are now 193 . The headquarters of the UN is in Manhattan , New York City , and experiences extraterritoriality . Further main offices are situated in Geneva , Nairobi , and Vienna . The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states . Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security , promoting human rights , fostering social and economic development , protecting the environment , and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine , natural disaster , and armed conflict . The UN is the largest , most familiar , most internationally represented and most powerful intergovernmental organisation in the world . The UN Charter was drafted at a conference between April -- June 1945 in San Francisco , and was signed on 26 June 1945 at the conclusion of the conference ; this charter took effect 24 October 1945 , and the UN began operation . The UN 's mission to preserve world peace was complicated in its early decades by the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union and their respective allies . The organization participated in major actions in Korea and the Congo , as well as approving the creation of the state of Israel in 1947 . The organization 's membership grew significantly following widespread decolonization in the 1960s , and by the 1970s its budget for economic and social development programmes far outstripped its spending on peacekeeping . After the end of the Cold War , the UN took on major military and peacekeeping missions across the world with varying degrees of success . The UN has six principal organs : the General Assembly ( the main deliberative assembly ) ; the Security Council ( for deciding certain resolutions for peace and security ) ; the Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC ; for promoting international economic and social co-operation and development ) ; the Secretariat ( for providing studies , information , and facilities needed by the UN ) ; the International Court of Justice ( the primary judicial organ ) ; and the UN Trusteeship Council ( inactive since 1994 ) . UN System agencies include the World Bank Group , the World Health Organization , the World Food Programme , UNESCO , and UNICEF . The UN 's most prominent officer is the Secretary-General , an office held by Portuguese António Guterres since 2017 . Non-governmental organizations may be granted consultative status with ECOSOC and other agencies to participate in the UN 's work . The organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 , and a number of its officers and agencies have also been awarded the prize . Other evaluations of the UN 's effectiveness have been mixed . Some commentators believe the organization to be an important force for peace and human development , while others have called the organization ineffective , corrupt , or biased ." ]

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[ "The Smurfs (film). The Smurfs is a 2011 American 3D live-action/computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the comic book series of the same name created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo . It was directed by Raja Gosnell and stars Hank Azaria , Neil Patrick Harris , Jayma Mays and Sofía Vergara , with Jonathan Winters and Katy Perry as the voices of Papa Smurf and Smurfette . It is the first CGI/live-action hybrid film produced by Sony Pictures Animation , and the first in The Smurfs duology . The film tells the story of the Smurfs as they get lost in New York , and try to find a way to get back home before Gargamel catches them . After five years of negotiations , Jordan Kerner bought the rights in 2002 , and the film entered development with Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies , until Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation obtained the film rights in 2008 . Filming began in March 2010 in New York City . After having the release date changed three times , Columbia Pictures released The Smurfs on July 29 , 2011 . Box office analysts initially predicted the film would tie with Cowboys & Aliens , but The Smurfs ultimately came in second , grossing $ 35.6 million against Cowboys & Aliens $ 36.4 million gross . The Smurfs reached the $ 500 million milestone in the weekend of September 23 -- 25 , 2011 . A sequel , titled The Smurfs 2 , was released on July 31 , 2013 .", "The Smurfs 2. The Smurfs 2 is a 2013 American 3D live-action/computer-animated comedy film and a sequel to the 2011 film The Smurfs . It is loosely based on The Smurfs comic-book series created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo . It is the second and final installment of a projected duology , produced by Sony Pictures Animation and distributed by Columbia Pictures . The film is directed by Raja Gosnell , who helmed the first , with all the main cast returning . New cast members include Christina Ricci and J. B. Smoove as members of the Naughties , and Brendan Gleeson as Patrick Winslow 's stepfather . The film was released on July 31 , 2013 and is dedicated to Jonathan Winters , who voiced Papa Smurf and died on April 11 , 2013 . Its gross of $ 347 million was seen by Sony as a disappointment , which Box Office Mojo labelled as `` an unprecedented drop for a closely-timed family sequel '' and attributed to the negative reception of the first film and to the strong competition coming from another family sequel Despicable Me 2 .", "Smurfs: The Lost Village. Smurfs : The Lost Village is a 2017 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by Sony Pictures Animation and The Kerner Entertainment Company , with animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks , for Columbia Pictures . Sony , LStar Capital and Wanda Pictures co-financed the film . It is based on The Smurfs comic book series created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo , and is a reboot unrelated to Sony 's previous live-action/animated films based on the series . It was written by Stacey Harman and Pamela Ribon and directed by Kelly Asbury , and stars the voices of Demi Lovato , Rainn Wilson , Joe Manganiello , Mandy Patinkin , Jack McBrayer , Danny Pudi , Michelle Rodriguez , Ellie Kemper , Ariel Winter , Meghan Trainor , Jake Johnson , and Julia Roberts . In the story , a mysterious map prompts Smurfette , Brainy , Clumsy , and Hefty to find a lost village before Gargamel does . The film was released on April 7 , 2017 by Columbia Pictures to mixed reviews from critics , although many considered it an improvement over the previous Smurfs live-action/animated films . The film has grossed $ 185 million worldwide .", "The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol. The Smurfs : A Christmas Carol is an American computer/traditionally animated short film based on The Smurfs comic book series created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo . The animated short was written by Todd Berger and directed by Troy Quane , and it stars the voices of George Lopez , Jack Angel , Melissa Sturm , Fred Armisen , Gary Basaraba , Anton Yelchin and Hank Azaria . The film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation with the animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Duck Studios . The Smurfs : A Christmas Carol was released on DVD on December 2 , 2011 , attached to the The Smurfs film . The short is an adaptation of Charles Dickens ' novel A Christmas Carol . When Grouchy Smurf behaves badly to everyone and refuses to celebrate Christmas , the Smurfs of Christmas Past , Present and Future teach him to appreciate Christmas .", "The Smurfs (TV series). The Smurfs ( syndicated as Smurfs ' Adventures ) is an American-Belgian animated fantasy-comedy television series that aired on NBC from September 12 , 1981 , to December 2 , 1989 . Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions , it is based on the Belgian comic series by the same name , created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo ( who also served as story supervisor of this adaptation ) and aired for 256 episodes with a total of 418 stories , excluding three cliffhanger episodes and seven specials .", "The Smurfs and the Magic Flute. The Smurfs and the Magic Flute ( La Flûte à six schtroumpfs , lit . The Flute of Six Smurfs ) is a 1976 Belgian animated film starring the Smurfs , directed by their creator , Peyo . Though the film premiered in 1976 in Belgium , and 1979 in the United Kingdom , an English language version was not released in the United States until 1983 , in the wake of the characters ' newfound popularity . Although the Smurfs play a major part in the film , they do not appear until 35 minutes into the film . The film , set in the Middle Ages , mainly surrounds Johan and Peewit , a young squire and his jester sidekick . Johan and Peewit had also been created by Peyo in 1952 and it was in their adventures that the Smurfs were first introduced in 1958 . The film was not produced by Hanna-Barbera , the creators of The Smurfs television series , but by Brussels ' Belvision Studios and Éditions Dupuis . The voice talent from that show was not present in the English version either ; instead , the work was handled by a non-union crew whose members had previously appeared in anime dubs for U.S. television . A presentation of independent film company Atlantic Releasing in the United States , The Smurfs and the Magic Flute grossed over US$ 19 million . The film 's success led to the creation of Clubhouse Pictures , Atlantic 's children 's film division . The English language version of the film was presented in Dolby Stereo sound .", "The Smurfs in film. The Smurfs have appeared in three feature-length films and two short films loosely based on The Smurfs comic book series created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo and the 1980s animated TV series it spawned . The 2011 feature film of the same name and its 2013 sequel were produced by Sony Pictures Animation and released by Columbia Pictures . Live-action roles include Hank Azaria and Neil Patrick Harris , while the voice-over roles include Anton Yelchin , Jonathan Winters , Katy Perry , and George Lopez . A fully animated reboot titled Smurfs : The Lost Village was scheduled for release through Sony in April 2017 .", "The Smurfs (video game). The Smurfs : The Video Game is a video game published by Ubisoft exclusively for the Nintendo DS , coinciding with the release of film of the same name .", "The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow. The Smurfs : The Legend of Smurfy Hollow is an American computer/traditionally animated short film based on The Smurfs comic book series created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo . The animated short was written by Todd Berger and directed by Stephan Franck , and it stars the voices of Melissa Sturm , Fred Armisen , Anton Yelchin , Alan Cumming and Hank Azaria . The film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation with the animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Duck Studios . The Smurfs : The Legend of Smurfy Hollow was released on DVD on September 10 , 2013 . The film is loosely based on Washington Irving 's short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow .", "The Smurfs. The Smurfs ( French : Les Schtroumpfs ; Dutch : De Smurfen ) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small blue anthropomorphous creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest . The Smurfs was first created and introduced as a series of comic characters by the Belgian comics artist Peyo ( pen name of Pierre Culliford ) in 1958 , where they were known as Les Schtroumpfs . There are more than one hundred Smurf characters , and their names are based on adjectives that emphasize their characteristics , such as `` Jokey Smurf '' , who likes to play practical jokes on his fellow smurfs . `` Smurfette '' was the first female Smurf to be introduced in the series . The Smurfs wear Phrygian caps , which came to represent freedom during the modern era . The word `` Smurf '' is the original Dutch translation of the French `` Schtroumpf '' , which , according to Peyo , is a word invented during a meal with fellow cartoonist André Franquin , when he could not remember the word salt . The Smurfs franchise began as a comic and expanded into advertising , films , TV series , ice capades , video games , theme parks , and dolls .", "Les Aventures des Schtroumpfs. Les Aventures des Schtroumpfs ( lit . The Adventures of the Smurfs ) is a 1965 animated feature film based on the Belgian comic book series `` The Smurfs '' . It was the first animated feature film featuring the Smurf characters . The film was released in 1965 in Belgium . The Belvision film The Smurfs and the Magic Flute was released eleven years afterwards to successful box office returns .", "The Smurfs music. Singles and full albums of original music for The Smurfs cartoon series ( 1981 -- 1989 ) and the Smurfs movies have been released in different countries and languages , sometimes very successfully , with millions of copies sold .", "The Smurfs Specials. The Smurfs Specials is a series of six specials produced by Hanna-Barbera and aired on NBC from 1982 to 1987 based on the original series , The Smurfs . The first three specials are holiday-themed and the other three are regular .", "List of The Smurfs video games. This is a list of The Smurfs video games that have been published by Coleco , Infogrames , and Capcom . The Smurfs ( Les Schtroumpfs ) are a fictional group of small sky blue creatures who live in a Village in the woods . They were designed by Belgian cartoonist Peyo in 1958 and were featured in the Belgian comics magazine Spirou . They are widely known through the 1980s Hanna-Barbera animated television series of the same name . As a franchise , the Smurfs appeared in many video games throughout the 1980s and 1990s on many consoles . They have been released for the Nintendo Entertainment System , the Super Nintendo Entertainment System , the Game Boy line , the early Atari consoles , Coleco 's ColecoVision , most of Sega 's consoles , the PlayStation , the PC , iOS , Android , Nintendo DS , Wii , and Nintendo 3DS .", "The Incredibles. The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated superhero film written and directed by Brad Bird , produced by Pixar Animation Studios , and released by Walt Disney Pictures . The film follows a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers and live a quiet suburban life . Mr. Incredible 's desire to help people draws the entire family into a battle with his longtime enemy -- Syndrome , who was once his fan and now plots to wipe out every single superhuman being on Earth with his killer robot . Bird , who was Pixar 's first outside director , developed the film as an extension of 1960s comic books and spy films from his boyhood and personal family life . He pitched the film to Pixar after the box office disappointment of his first feature , The Iron Giant ( 1999 ) , and carried over much of its staff to develop The Incredibles . The animation team was tasked with animating an all-human cast , which required creating new technology to animate detailed human anatomy , clothing and realistic skin and hair . Michael Giacchino composed the film 's orchestral score . The film premiered on October 27 , 2004 , at the BFI London Film Festival and had its general release in the United States on November 5 , 2004 . The film performed well at the box office , grossing $ 633 million worldwide during its original theatrical run . The Incredibles was met with high critical acclaim , garnering high marks from professional critics , and provoking commentary on its themes . The film received the 2004 Annie Award for Best Animated Feature , along with two Academy Awards . It became the first entirely animated film to win the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation . A sequel , The Incredibles 2 , is scheduled for release on June 15 , 2018 .", "DreamWorks Animation. DreamWorks Animation SKG , Inc. ( known professionally as DreamWorks Animation or simply DreamWorks ) is an American animation studio that is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures , a division of NBCUniversal , itself a division of Comcast . It is based in Glendale , California and produces animated feature films , television programs and online virtual games . The studio has currently released a total of 34 feature films , including the franchises Shrek , its prequel-spinoff Puss in Boots , Madagascar , Kung Fu Panda , How to Train Your Dragon , and Trolls , and other hits including Monsters vs. Aliens ( 2009 ) , Rise of the Guardians ( 2012 ) , The Croods ( 2013 ) and Home ( 2015 ) . Originally formed under the banner of its main DreamWorks studio in 1997 by some of Amblin Entertainment 's former animation branch Amblimation alumni , it was spun off into a separate public company in 2004 . DreamWorks Animation currently maintains its Glendale campus , as well as satellite studios in India and China . On August 22 , 2016 , NBCUniversal acquired DreamWorks Animation for $ 3.8 billion , making it a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group . As of April 2017 , its feature films have grossed $ 14.20 billion worldwide , with a $ 417.8 million average gross per film . Shrek 2 ( 2004 ) is among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , and fourteen of the films are among the 50 highest-grossing animated films , with Shrek 2 being the ninth all-time highest . Although the studio also made traditionally animated films in the past , as well as stop-motion co-production with Aardman Animations , all of their films now use computer animation . The studio has received three Academy Awards , as well as 41 Emmy and numerous Annie Awards , and multiple Golden Globe & BAFTA nominations . In recent years , the animation studio has acquired and created new divisions in an effort to diversify beyond the high-risk movie business . Films produced by DreamWorks Animation were formerly distributed worldwide by its main DreamWorks studio and then by Paramount Pictures , who acquired the main DreamWorks studio in February 2006 and spun it off again in 2008 . In early 2013 , 20th Century Fox took over a theatrical distribution deal with DreamWorks Animation films starting on March 22 , 2013 with The Croods which will end on June 2 , 2017 with Captain Underpants : The First Epic Movie , after which its parent Universal Pictures will distribute subsequent DreamWorks Animation films , starting on March 1 , 2019 , with the release of How to Train Your Dragon 3 .", "The Smurfs merchandising. The Smurfs is a Belgian comic book series created by Peyo in 1958 . It became well-known worldwide with the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series in the 1980s . With the popularity of the Smurfs came a wide range of toys and spin-off products and use of the Smurfs in merchandising . Smurfs ' merchandising in 2008 generates about 5 to 12 million euro per year in Europe alone , while the total figure after fifty years worldwide is about $ 5 billion .", "List of The Smurfs episodes. This is the list of episodes for The Smurfs , a Belgian/American animated television series aired on NBC from September 12 , 1981 , to December 2 , 1989 . Created by Pierre `` Peyo '' Culliford and based on his comic series of the same name , it was composed by 256 episodes with 418 stories , but also of three cliffhanger episodes and seven specials . The series was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions with SEPP International S.A. and Lafig S.A. ( on Seasons from 1 to 7 for the first and 8 -- 9 for the second , respectively ) .", "Puss in Boots (2011 film). Puss in Boots is a 2011 American 3D computer-animated fantasy action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures . It was directed by Chris Miller ( who directed Shrek the Third in 2007 ) and written by Brian Lynch and Tom Wheeler . It stars Antonio Banderas , Salma Hayek , Zach Galifianakis , Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris . The film was released in theaters on October 28 , 2011 in Digital 3D and IMAX 3D . Although the character of Puss in Boots originated in a European fairy tale in 1697 , the film is a spin-off prequel to the Shrek franchise . It follows the character Puss in Boots on his adventures before his first appearance in Shrek 2 in 2004 . Accompanied by his friends , Humpty Dumpty and Kitty Softpaws , Puss is pitted against Jack and Jill , two murderous outlaws in ownership of legendary magical beans which lead to great fortune . Puss in Boots grossed $ 554.9 million at the box office . It was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 84th Academy Awards . A television series , titled The Adventures of Puss in Boots , premiered on Netflix in 2015 . A sequel film , titled Puss in Boots 2 : Nine Lives & 40 Thieves , was scheduled to be released in 2018 , but it was removed from the schedule in early 2015 .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "The Smurfs Dance Party. The Smurfs Dance Party is a dance game developed and published by Ubisoft , exclusively for the Wii . The game was released on July 19 , 2011 in North America , July 29 , 2011 in Europe and September 8 , 2011 in Australia .", "Sony Pictures Animation. Sony Pictures Animation is an American animation studio owned by Sony Pictures , founded in May 2002 . It works closely with Sony Pictures Imageworks , which handles digital production . All of its theatrical releases are distributed worldwide by Columbia Pictures , and direct-to-video releases are distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment . They are perhaps most known for the film franchises Open Season , Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs , The Smurfs and Hotel Transylvania , and the 2007 Oscar-nominated film Surf 's Up .", "Despicable Me. Despicable Me is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy film from Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment that was released on July 9 , 2010 in the United States . It is the debut film of Illumination Entertainment . The film was animated by the French animation studio Mac Guff , which was later acquired by Illumination Entertainment . It was directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud as their feature debut film , with a story by Sergio Pablos . The film stars the voice of Steve Carell as Gru , a supervillain who adopts three girls ( voiced by Miranda Cosgrove , Dana Gaier , and Elsie Fisher ) from an orphanage ; and the voice of Jason Segel as Vector , a rival of Gru who steals the Great Pyramid of Giza . When Gru learns of Vector 's heist , he plans an even greater heist : to shrink and steal the Earth 's moon . The film earned positive reviews from critics , and grossed over $ 543 million worldwide , against a budget of $ 69 million . It launched the Despicable Me franchise with a series of films , including the sequel Despicable Me 2 in 2013 , and the prequel Minions released in 2015 featuring Gru 's Minions as the main characters . Another sequel , Despicable Me 3 , is scheduled for release in 2017 .", "Shrek the Third. Shrek the Third is a 2007 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film , the third installment in the Shrek franchise and the sequel to Shrek 2 ( 2004 ) It was produced by DreamWorks Animation and is the first in the series to be distributed by Paramount Pictures which acquired DreamWorks Pictures in 2006 ( the former parent of DWA ) . Chris Miller and Raman Hui directed and co-directed the film , respectively , with the former also co-writing the screenplay with Jeffrey Price , Peter S. Seaman , and Aron Warner . Harry Gregson-Williams composed the original music for the film . The story takes place eight months after the marriage of Shrek and Fiona in the first film . Reluctantly reigning over the kingdom of Far , Far Away , Shrek sets out to find the next heir to the throne -- Fiona 's cousin Artie , while Prince Charming is plotting to overthrow Shrek and become king . In addition to Mike Myers , Eddie Murphy , Cameron Diaz , Antonio Banderas , Rupert Everett , Julie Andrews , and John Cleese , who reprise their roles from Shrek 2 , the film also features Justin Timberlake in the role of Arthur Pendragon and Eric Idle as Merlin . The film premiered on May 6 , 2007 , at the Mann Village Theatre , Westwood in Los Angeles , and was released in the United States theaters on May 18 , 2007 ( exactly six years after the first film ) . It was nominated for Best Animated Movie at the 2008 Kids ' Choice Awards , but lost to Ratatouille . It was also nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film at the 61st British Academy Film Awards . It was the final film in the Shrek franchise to be produced by Pacific Data Images before its closure in 2015 . The film grossed $ 799 million on a $ 160 million budget , becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2007 . A sequel , titled Shrek Forever After , was released in 2010 .", "The Muppets. The Muppets are an ensemble cast of puppet characters known for their self-aware , burlesque , and meta-referential style of variety-sketch comedy . Created by Jim Henson in 1955 , they are the namesake for the Disney media franchise that encompasses feature films , television series , music recordings , theme park attractions , print publications , merchandising , and other media works associated with the characters . The Muppets debuted on the television program Sam and Friends , which aired from 1955 to 1961 . After appearing on skits in several late night talk shows and advertising commercials during the 1960s , the Muppets began appearing on Sesame Street in 1969 . The Muppets attained celebrity status and international recognition through their breakout roles in The Muppet Show ( 1976 -- 1981 ) , a primetime television series that garnered four Primetime Emmy Award wins and twenty-one nominations during its five-year run . In the late 1970s and into the 1980s , the Muppets diversified into theatrical feature films , including The Muppet Movie ( 1979 ) , The Great Muppet Caper ( 1981 ) , and The Muppets Take Manhattan ( 1984 ) . The Walt Disney Company began involvement with the Muppets in the late 1980s , seeking to acquire the characters from the Jim Henson Company . The Muppets continued their presence in television and film in the 1990s with The Jim Henson Hour ( 1989 ) , Muppets Tonight ( 1996 -- 98 ) -- a series continuation of The Muppet Show -- and three films , The Muppet Christmas Carol ( 1992 ) , Muppet Treasure Island ( 1996 ) , and Muppets from Space ( 1999 ) . Disney acquired the rights to the Muppets in 2004 , allowing the characters to gain broader public exposure than in previous years . Under Disney 's control , the Muppets enjoyed revitalized success , starring in two films -- The Muppets ( 2011 ) and Muppets Most Wanted ( 2014 ) -- as well as a short-lived primetime television series on ABC . Throughout their six decades of existence , the Muppets have been regarded as a staple of the entertainment industry and popular culture in the United States , receiving recognition from various cultural institutions and organizations , such as the American Film Institute , Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences , Library of Congress , and the Hollywood Walk of Fame .", "Pixar. Pixar ( -LSB- ˈpɪksɑr -RSB- ) , also referred to as Pixar Animation Studios , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville , California that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company . Pixar began in 1979 as the Graphics Group , part of the Lucasfilm computer division , before its spin-out as a corporation in 1986 , with funding by Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs , who became the majority shareholder . Disney purchased Pixar in 2006 at a valuation of $ 7.4 billion , a transaction that resulted in Jobs becoming Disney 's largest single shareholder at the time . Pixar is best known for CGI-animated feature films created with RenderMan , Pixar 's own implementation of the industry-standard RenderMan image-rendering application programming interface , used to generate high-quality images . Pixar has produced seventeen feature films , beginning with Toy Story ( 1995 ) , which was the first-ever computer-animated feature film , and its most recent being Finding Dory ( 2016 ) . All 17 of its films have debuted with CinemaScore ratings of at least an `` A − , '' indicating positive receptions with audiences . The studio has also produced several short films . , its feature films have earned approximately $ 10.8 billion at the box office worldwide , with an average worldwide gross of $ 634 million per film . Finding Dory , along with its predecessor Finding Nemo ( 2003 ) , as well as Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) are among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , with the lattermost film being the third all-time highest-grossing animated film with a gross of $ 1.063 billion . Fourteen of Pixar 's films are also among the 50 highest-grossing animated films of all time . The studio has earned sixteen Academy Awards , seven Golden Globe Awards , and eleven Grammy Awards , among many other awards and acknowledgments . Many of Pixar 's films have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature since its inauguration in 2001 , with eight winning ; this includes Finding Nemo and Toy Story 3 , along with The Incredibles ( 2004 ) , Ratatouille ( 2007 ) , WALL-E ( 2008 ) , Up ( 2009 ) , Brave ( 2012 ) , and Inside Out ( 2015 ) . Monsters , Inc. ( 2001 ) and Cars ( 2006 ) are the only two films that were nominated for the award without winning it , while Cars 2 ( 2011 ) , Monsters University ( 2013 ) , The Good Dinosaur ( 2015 ) , and Finding Dory have not been nominated . Up and Toy Story 3 were also the respective second and third animated films to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture , the first being Walt Disney Animation Studios ' Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) . Luxo Jr. , a character from the studio 's 1986 short film of the same name , is the studio 's mascot . On September 6 , 2009 , Pixar executives John Lasseter , Brad Bird , Pete Docter , Andrew Stanton , and Lee Unkrich were presented with the Golden Lion award for Lifetime Achievement by the biennial Venice Film Festival . The award was presented by Lucasfilm 's founder George Lucas .", "Shrek. Shrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson in their directorial debut . It features the voices of Mike Myers , Eddie Murphy , Cameron Diaz , and John Lithgow . It is loosely based on William Steig 's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek ! , and somewhat serves as a parody film , targeting other films adapted from numerous children 's fantasies ( mainly animated Disney films ) . The film 's soundtrack includes music by Smash Mouth , Eels , Joan Jett , The Proclaimers , Jason Wade , Baha Men , and John Cale ( covering Leonard Cohen ) . The film focues on an ogre named Shrek ( voiced by Myers ) who finds his swamp overrun by fairy tale creatures who have been banished there by order of the evil Lord Farquaad ( voiced by Lithgow ) . In order to get his swamp back , Shrek makes a deal with Farquaad to bring him a queen in exchange for the deed for his swamp . Shrek sets out with a talking Donkey ( voiced by Murphy ) and they find Princess Fiona ( voiced by Diaz ) . While they take Fiona to Farquaad so she can marry him , Shrek starts to fall in love with the princess and soon discovers a shocking secret about her . The rights to Steig 's book were originally bought by Steven Spielberg in 1991 , before the founding of DreamWorks , when he thought about making a traditionally animated film based on the book . However , John H. Williams convinced him to bring the film to DreamWorks in 1994 , the time the studio was founded , and the film was put quickly into active development by Jeffrey Katzenberg after the rights were bought by the studio in 1995 . Shrek originally cast Chris Farley to do the voice for the title character , recording about 80 % -- 90 % of his dialogue . After Farley died in 1997 before he could finish , Mike Myers was brought in to work for the character , who after his first recording decided to record his voice in a Scottish accent . The film was also originally planned to be motion-captured , but after poor results , the studio decided to get Pacific Data Images to help Shrek get its final computer-animated look . The film grossed $ 484.4 million at the worldwide box office , and an estimated 47 million tickets were sold in the US . Shrek also received promotion from food chains such as Baskin-Robbins ( promoting the film 's DVD release ) and Burger King . It was acclaimed as an animated film worthy of adult interest , with many adult-oriented jokes and themes but a simple enough plot and humour to appeal to children . Shrek won the first ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay . The film was also nominated for six British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards , including the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Eddie Murphy for his voice-over performance as Donkey , and won the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay . The film 's main ( and title ) character was awarded his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2010 . Shrek established DreamWorks Animation as a prime competitor to Pixar in feature film animation , particularly in computer animation . The film 's success prompted DreamWorks to create three sequels -- Shrek 2 ( 2004 ) , Shrek the Third ( 2007 ) , and Shrek Forever After ( 2010 ) , two holiday specials -- Shrek the Halls ( 2007 ) and Scared Shrekless ( 2010 ) , and a spin-off film -- Puss in Boots ( 2011 ) . A fifth film , planned as the last of the series , was cancelled in 2009 with the announcement that the fourth film would conclude the series . However , the fifth film was revived in 2016 , with a planned release for 2019/2020 . The film 's success also inspired other merchandise , such as video games , a stage musical , and a comic book adaptation by Dark Horse Comics .", "The Avengers (2012 film). Marvel 's The Avengers ( classified under the name Marvel Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom and Ireland ) , or simply The Avengers , is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Hemsworth , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Tom Hiddleston , Clark Gregg , Cobie Smulders , Stellan Skarsgård , and Samuel L. Jackson . In the film , Nick Fury , director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D. , recruits Iron Man , Captain America , the Hulk , and Thor to form a team that must stop Thor 's brother Loki from subjugating Earth . The film 's development began when Marvel Studios received a loan from Merrill Lynch in April 2005 . After the success of the film Iron Man in May 2008 , Marvel announced that The Avengers would be released in July 2011 . With the signing of Johansson in March 2009 , the film was pushed back for a 2012 release . Whedon was brought on board in April 2010 and rewrote the original screenplay by Zak Penn. . Production began in April 2011 in Albuquerque , New Mexico , before moving to Cleveland , Ohio , in August and New York City in September . The film was converted to 3D in post-production . The Avengers premiered on April 11 , 2012 , at Hollywood 's El Capitan Theatre and was released theatrically in the United States on May 4 , 2012 . The film received positive reviews from critics , as well as numerous awards and nominations including Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for achievements in visual effects . It has set or tied numerous box office records , including the biggest opening weekend in North America . The Avengers grossed over $ 1.5 billion worldwide , and became the third-highest-grossing film during its theatrical run -- as well as the first Marvel production to generate $ 1 billion in ticket sales . The film was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on September 25 , 2012 . A sequel , titled Avengers : Age of Ultron , was released on May 1 , 2015 , while two additional sequels , Avengers : Infinity War and an untitled sequel , are currently in development , with Infinity War scheduled for a May 4 , 2018 release date , and its sequel scheduled to be released on May 3 , 2019 .", "Despicable Me 2. Despicable Me 2 is a 2013 American 3D computer-animated comedy film and the sequel to the 2010 animated film Despicable Me . Produced by Illumination Entertainment for Universal Pictures , and animated by Illumination Mac Guff , the film is directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud , and written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio . Steve Carell , Russell Brand , Miranda Cosgrove , Elsie Fisher , and Dana Gaier reprise their roles as Gru , Dr. Nefario , Margo , Agnes , and Edith respectively . Kristen Wiig , who played Miss Hattie in the first film , voices agent Lucy Wilde , while Ken Jeong , who played the Talk Show Host , voices Floyd Eagle-san . New cast members include Benjamin Bratt as Eduardo `` El Macho '' Pérez and Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom , head of the fictional Anti-Villain League ( AVL ) . Despicable Me 2 premiered on June 5 , 2013 in Australia , and was theatrically released in the United States on July 3 , 2013 . The film received mostly positive reviews from critics , and was nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and for Academy Award for Best Original Song ( for `` Happy '' ) , losing both to Walt Disney Animation Studios ' Frozen . Grossing over $ 970 million worldwide against its budget of $ 76 million , the film became the second-highest-grossing animated film of 2013 and the third-highest-grossing film of 2013 . It is also the most profitable film in the 101-year history of Universal Studios . A prequel/spin-off film , Minions , focusing on the little yellow henchmen before they met Gru , was released on July 10 , 2015 . A third film , Despicable Me 3 , is scheduled for release on June 30 , 2017 .", "Les Schtroumpfs Joueurs. The Gambler Smurfs ( original French name Les Schtroumpfs Jouers ) is the twenty-third album of the Smurfs comic series .", "Shrek Forever After. Shrek Forever After is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated fantasy film . It is the fourth installment in the Shrek series , produced by DreamWorks Animation . Mike Myers , Eddie Murphy , Cameron Diaz , Antonio Banderas , Julie Andrews , John Cleese reprise their previous roles , with Walt Dohrn joining them in the role of Rumpelstiltskin . Taking place after Shrek the Third , Shrek is now a family man and beloved among the local villagers . Yearning for the days when he was feared , he makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin and accidentally wipes out his entire existence . To restore his existence , Shrek has to regain Fiona 's love and kiss her before the sun rises , or he will disappear forever . The film premiered on April 21 , 2010 at the Tribeca Film Festival , and was theatrically released by Paramount Pictures on May 21 , 2010 in the United States . It was also released in 3D and IMAX 3D formats . The film was the # 1 film in the United States and Canada for three consecutive weeks and grossed a worldwide total of $ 752 million . Additionally , Shrek Forever After is DreamWorks Animation 's second highest-grossing film at the foreign box office .", "Despicable Me (franchise). Despicable Me is a computer-animated comedy film franchise produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures . It consists of three feature films , ten short films and additional merchandise . It centers on Gru , a super-villain ( who later becomes a dad and superhero ) ; his yellow-coloured Minions ; and his three orphan girls , Margo , Edith and Agnes . It began with the 2010 film , Despicable Me , and its 2013 sequel , Despicable Me 2 . A prequel featuring Gru 's Minions , titled Minions , was released in 2015 . The franchise also includes a simulator ride attraction Despicable Me : Minion Mayhem at Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood . Despicable Me 3 '' will be released on June 30 , 2017 ." ]

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[ "C. S. Forester. Cecil Louis Troughton Smith ( 27 August 1899 -- 2 April 1966 ) , known by his pen name Cecil Scott `` C. S. '' Forester , was an English novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare such as the 12-book Horatio Hornblower series , depicting a Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic wars . Two of the Hornblower books , A Ship of the Line and Flying Colours , were jointly awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction in 1938 . His other works include The African Queen ( 1935 ; filmed in 1951 by John Huston ) .", "Forester. A forester is a person who practices forestry , the science , art , and profession of managing forests . Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including timber harvesting , ecological restoration and management of protected areas . Foresters manage forests to provide a variety of objectives including direct extraction of raw material , outdoor recreation , conservation , hunting and aesthetics . Emerging management practices include managing forestlands for biodiversity , carbon sequestration and air quality . Many people confuse the role of the forester with that of the logger , but most foresters are concerned not only with the harvest of timber , but also with the sustainable management of forests to ( in the words of Gifford Pinchot ) `` provide the greatest good for the greatest number in the long term '' . Another notable forester , Jack C. Westoby , remarked that `` forestry is concerned not with trees , but with how trees can serve people '' .", "Horatio Hornblower. Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Napoleonic Wars era Royal Navy officer who is the protagonist of a series of novels by C. S. Forester . He was later the subject of films and radio and television programs . The original Hornblower tales began with the 1937 novel The Happy Return ( U.S. title Beat to Quarters ) with the appearance of a junior Royal Navy captain on independent duty on a secret mission to Central America . Later stories filled out his earlier years , starting with an unpromising beginning as a seasick midshipman . As the Napoleonic Wars progress , he gains promotion steadily as a result of his skill and daring , despite his initial poverty and lack of influential friends . After surviving many adventures in a wide variety of locales , he rises to the pinnacle of his profession , promoted to Admiral of the Fleet , knighted as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath ( GCB ) , and named the 1st Baron Hornblower . Ernest Hemingway is quoted as saying , `` I recommend Forester to everyone literate I know , '' and Winston Churchill stated , `` I find Hornblower admirable . ''", "Forester (disambiguation). A Forester is a person who practises forestry , the science and profession of managing forests . Forester may also refer to :", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "Christopher Columbus. Christopher Columbus ( Cristoforo Colombo -- 20 May 1506 ) was an Italian explorer , navigator , and colonizer . A citizen of the Republic of Genoa , under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean . Those voyages and his efforts to establish permanent settlements on the island of Hispaniola initiated the European colonization of the New World . At a time when European kingdoms were beginning to establish new trade routes and colonies , motivated by imperialism and economic competition , Columbus proposed to reach the East Indies by sailing westward . This eventually received the support of the Spanish Crown , which saw a chance to enter the spice trade with Asia through this new route . During his first voyage in 1492 , he reached the New World instead of arriving at Japan as he had intended , landing on an island in the Bahamas archipelago that he named `` San Salvador '' . Over the course of three more voyages , he visited the Greater and Lesser Antilles , as well as the Caribbean coast of Venezuela and Central America , claiming all of it for the Crown of Castile . Columbus was not the first European explorer to reach the Americas , having been preceded by the Viking expedition led by Leif Erikson in the 11th century , but his voyages led to the first lasting European contact with the Americas , inaugurating a period of exploration , conquest , and colonization that lasted several centuries . These voyages thus had an enormous effect on the historical development of the modern Western world . He spearheaded the transatlantic slave trade and has been accused by several historians of initiating the genocide of the Hispaniola natives . Columbus himself saw his accomplishments primarily in the light of spreading the Christian religion . Columbus never admitted that he had reached a continent previously unknown to Europeans , rather than the East Indies for which he had set course . He called the inhabitants of the lands that he visited indios ( Spanish for `` Indians '' ) . His strained relationship with the Spanish crown and its appointed colonial administrators in America led to his arrest and dismissal as governor of the settlements on the island of Hispaniola in 1500 , and later to protracted litigation over the benefits that he and his heirs claimed were owed to them by the crown .", "Forester Universe. The Forester Universe is the fictional setting of several novels , novellas , and short stories by Kyell Gold , consisting primarily of homosexual furry romance and erotica . Two of the novels have won the Ursa Major Award for Best Anthropomorphic Novel .", "The Foresters. The Foresters or , Robin Hood and Maid Marian is a play written by Alfred Tennyson and first produced with success in New York in 1892 . A set of incidental music in nine movements was composed for the play by Arthur Sullivan . The success of the first production led to productions in seven other American cities . A production opened in London in 1893 . Although the play was not well received in England , Sullivan 's incidental music was praised .", "The Captain from Connecticut. The Captain from Connecticut is a novel by C. S. Forester , the author of the novels about fictional Royal Navy officer Horatio Hornblower . The Captain from Connecticut is set at the tail end of the Napoleonic Wars , and the War of 1812 . It was written at the beginning of World War II . Forester wanted to write a novel where both American and British sailors could be heroic and admirable . Captain Josiah Peabody , United States Navy , in command of the USS Delaware , is the viewpoint character . Peabody has served in the Navy since its earliest days ; he also overcame alcoholism by sheer will power , having come from a family of alcoholics . To help save his brother from the same fate , he ships him aboard as captain 's clerk with the rank of midshipman . The Delaware escapes from blockaded New York City in the winter of 1813-1814 and sails south to destroy British commerce in the Caribbean . In doing so , a French vessel appears , and neither the Americans nor the British know that Napoleon has surrendered , the French monarchy has been restored , and France is now at peace with Britain . The French vessel carries the new Royalist , French governor of a Caribbean Island , and some of his beautiful relatives . The Delaware proceeds to capture a British post-office packet carrying the pay for the British Army in Canada , then raids several islands , including St. Kitts . In the course of action , off the weather shore of Martinique , Delaware encounters the frigate HMS Calypso , Sir Hugh Davenant , commanding , accompanied by two smaller ships . The action between the four is interrupted when the French inform both parties that they will not allow French neutrality to be violated . Both belligerents are trapped by a rule of international law which requires twenty-four hours to pass before ships of one belligerent power can sail after a ship of the opposing side can sail . Davenant , a man of hot-tempered speech , insists he sail first , because he can not allow the Americans a free hand at sea ; to do so would lead to his court-martial . Peabody replies `` We have courts-martial in our service , too . '' The Governor suggests anchoring overnight . The next morning , at the exact minute of dawn , both the Calypso and the Delaware cast loose and set sail for international waters . They are so closely matched that the French fire on both ships , warning them to come about . This time , the Governor suggests an armistice of a week . During the week , Peabody falls in love with Anne de Villebois , the daughter of the Governor , and marries her . Unfortunately , his nephew deserts the ship and marries another French planter . Both sides accept a temporary agreement to work together to eliminate a pirate who is plaguing local commerce under the assumption neither frigate can chase him . Peabody is wounded , though not seriously ; Davenant insists that his surgeon examine the wound . Both ships return to Martinique under the terms of the previous armistice . During this period , two British sailors desert the Calypso for the Delaware . Davenant requests that they be returned , but Peabody must refuse . Davenant comments that American deserters marry rich planters , especially if they are captain 's brothers . Peabody demands a duel . The duel is fought . Neither man is wounded , to each other 's relief . Peabody then challenges Davenant to a ship-to-ship duel , as the only way the Delaware can be free to take action against a British convoy forming to attack New Orleans . The novel ends with the Americans and British learning that peace has been declared in their war . The American and British captains both end up marrying beautiful French girls , becoming friends and brothers-in-law . Category :1941 British novels Category : Novels by C. S. Forester Category : Historical novels", "The General (C. S. Forester novel). The General is a 1936 novel by C. S. Forester , who is also known for his Horatio Hornblower novels and 1935 's The African Queen . The General follows the career of Herbert Curzon from his experiences as a junior officer in the Second Boer War to the day when he is given command of his lancer regiment on the outbreak of the Great War . While personally courageous and dedicated , Curzon is otherwise unexceptional : an officer like many others , and it is the very ordinariness of Forester 's character that serves to give the novel power . On mobilization in August 1914 , Curzon holds the rank of senior major in a not particularly fashionable regiment - the 22nd Lancers . During the Boer War he won some distinction in an old-style cavalry charge but his character-forming career since has been a matter of rigid and unimaginative peacetime routine . He is given a temporary promotion to regimental command and then quickly a brigade command . At the First Battle of Ypres he manages to keep his head about him and , upon the death of his brigadier , becomes a general . Curzon returns to England while his regiment remains in Belgium . He makes an advantageous marriage to the daughter of a Duke which gives him political connections to the opposition `` Bude House '' set . He is promoted again and again , eventually being placed in command of a hundred thousand men and orders attacks that condemn many of them to mutilation and death amongst the shells and the gas and the machine guns . At the end the Ninety-first Division , which he has brought to a high degree of efficiency , is forced to retreat in the March 1918 German offensive . But he decides to `` go up the line '' on his horse with a sword rather than face defeat and professional failure . The novel implies that he seeks death in battle ; he says `` We can still go down fighting '' . He is injured by a shell fragment , endures months of drugged agony and loses a leg . His war is over .", "Forrest Gump. Forrest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom . The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and stars Tom Hanks , Robin Wright , Gary Sinise , Mykelti Williamson , and Sally Field . The story depicts several decades in the life of Forrest Gump , a slow-witted but kind-hearted , good-natured and athletically prodigious man from Alabama , who witnesses , and in some cases influences , some of the defining events of the latter half of the 20th century in the United States ; more specifically , the period between Forrest 's birth in 1944 and 1982 . The film differs substantially from Winston Groom 's novel , including Gump 's personality and several events that were depicted . Principal photography took place in late 1993 , mainly in Georgia , North Carolina , and South Carolina . Extensive visual effects were used to incorporate the protagonist into archived footage and to develop other scenes . A comprehensive soundtrack was featured in the film , using music intended to pinpoint specific time periods portrayed on screen . Its commercial release made it a top-selling soundtrack , selling over twelve million copies worldwide . Released in the United States on July 6 , 1994 , Forrest Gump became a commercial success as the top-grossing film in North America released in that year , being the first major success for Paramount Pictures since the studio 's merger with Viacom , earning over worldwide during its theatrical run . In 1995 it won the Academy Awards for Best Picture , Best Director for Robert Zemeckis , Best Actor for Tom Hanks , Best Adapted Screenplay for Eric Roth , Best Visual Effects , and Best Film Editing . It also garnered multiple other awards and nominations , including Golden Globes , People 's Choice Awards , and Young Artist Awards , among others . Since the film 's release varying interpretations have been made of the film 's protagonist and its political symbolism . In 1996 , a themed restaurant , Bubba Gump Shrimp Company , opened based on the film and has since expanded to multiple locations worldwide . The scene of Gump running across the country is often referred to when real-life people attempt the feat . In 2011 , the Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .", "67th Academy Awards. The 67th Academy Awards ceremony , organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) took place on March 27 , 1995 , at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as the Oscars ) in 23 categories honoring the films released in 1994 . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Jeff Margolis . Comedian David Letterman hosted the show for the first time . Three weeks earlier in a ceremony held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California on March 4 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Jamie Lee Curtis . Forrest Gump won six awards , including Best Picture . Other winners included Ed Wood , The Lion King , and Speed with two awards , and The Adventures of Priscilla , Queen of the Desert , Blue Sky , Bob 's Birthday , Bullets over Broadway , Burnt by the Sun , Franz Kafka 's It 's a Wonderful Life , Legends of the Fall , The Madness of King George , Maya Lin : A Strong Clear Vision , Pulp Fiction , A Time for Justice , and Trevor with one . The telecast garnered more than 48 million viewers in the United States , making it the most watched Oscars telecast since the 55th Academy Awards in 1983 .", "Lieutenant Hornblower. Lieutenant Hornblower ( published 1952 ) is a Horatio Hornblower novel written by C. S. Forester . It is the second book in the series chronologically , but the seventh by order of publication . The book is unique in the series in being told not from Horatio Hornblower 's point of view , but rather from Bush 's . This helped Forester to explain Hornblower 's unsuitable first marriage besides giving an objective view of Hornblower himself . This unusual narrative perspective also allows Forester to sustain a mystery , advanced hint by hint in the course of the novel , about how Captain Sawyer came to be injured -- an event witnessed by Hornblower .", "The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck. The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck ( Little Brown , 1959 ) , also published as Hunting the Bismark ( Michael Joseph , 1959 ) , was written by C.S. Forester ( 1899-1966 ) , the author of the popular Horatio Hornblower series of naval-themed books . Closely based on the actual naval battle , the book is a novel with fictionalized dialogue and incidents . The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck tells the story of the breakout of the German battleship Bismarck into the Atlantic as a major threat to the convoys that sustained Britain in the early days of World War II and the Royal Navy 's desperate pursuit and destruction of the Bismarck . A movie based on Forester 's book , Sink the Bismarck ! was released by Twentieth Century-Fox in 1960 , with the book reprinted in paperback under the title Sink the Bismarck ! ( Bantam , 1959 ) as a promotional tie-in .", "Columbia Pictures. Columbia Pictures Industries , Inc. ( known as Columbia Pictures and Columbia , and formerly CBC Film Sales Corporation ) is an American film studio , production company and film distributor that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group , a division of Sony Entertainment 's Sony Pictures subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony . What would eventually become Columbia Pictures , CBC Film Sales Corporation , was founded on June 19 , 1918 by Harry Cohn , his brother Jack Cohn , and Joe Brandt . It adopted the Columbia Pictures name in 1924 , and went public two years later . Its name is derived from `` Columbia '' , a national personification of the United States , which is used as the studio 's logo . In its early years , it was a minor player in Hollywood , but began to grow in the late 1920s , spurred by a successful association with director Frank Capra . With Capra and others , Columbia became one of the primary homes of the screwball comedy . In the 1930s , Columbia 's major contract stars were Jean Arthur and Cary Grant . In the 1940s , Rita Hayworth became the studio 's premier star and propelled their fortunes into the late 1950s . Rosalind Russell , Glenn Ford , and William Holden also became major stars at the studio . It is one of the leading film studios in the world , and is a member of the `` Big Six '' major American film studios . It was one of the so-called `` Little Three '' among the eight major film studios of Hollywood 's Golden Age . Today , it has become the world 's fifth largest major film studio .", "Christian. A Christian ( -LSB- pronaudio = En-us-Christian . oggˈkɹɪʃtʃən -RSB- or -LSB- ˈkɹɪstjən -RSB- ) is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity , an Abrahamic , monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ . `` Christian '' derives from the Koine Greek word Christós , a translation of the Biblical Hebrew term mashiach . While there are diverse interpretations of Christianity which sometimes conflict , they are united in believing that Jesus has a unique significance . The term `` Christian '' is also used as an adjective to describe anything associated with Christianity , or in a proverbial sense `` all that is noble , and good , and Christ-like . '' According to a 2011 Pew Research Center survey , there were 2.2 billion Christians around the world in 2010 , up from about 600 million in 1910 . By 2050 , the Christian population is expected to exceed 3 billion . According to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey Christianity will remain the world 's largest religion in 2050 , if current trends continue . Today , about 37 % of all Christians live in the Americas , about 26 % live in Europe , 24 % live in sub-Saharan Africa , about 13 % live in Asia and the Pacific , and 1 % live in the Middle east and North Africa . About half of all Christians worldwide are Catholic , while more than a third are Protestant ( 37 % ) . Orthodox communions comprise 12 % of the world 's Christians . Other Christian groups make up the remainder . Christians make up the majority of the population in 158 countries and territories . 280 million Christian live as a minority . Christians have significantly influenced and contributed to human progress in many fields , including philosophy , ethics , literature , business and economics , fine arts and architecture , music , theatre and medicine , as well as science and technology , both historically and in modern times .", "Old Forester. Old Forester is a brand of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced by the Brown-Forman Corporation . It is officially the longest running Bourbon on the market today ( approximately 145 years as of 2016 ) , and was the first bourbon sold exclusively in sealed bottles . It was first bottled and marketed in 1870 by the former pharmaceutical salesman turned bourbon-merchant George Garvin Brown -- the founder of the Brown-Forman Corporation ( whose descendants still manage the company ) . During the Prohibition period from 1920 to 1933 , it was one of only 10 brands authorized for lawful production ( for medicinal purposes ) . Old Forester is produced under the supervision of Master Distiller Chris Morris ( as of 2006 ) at the Brown-Forman distillery in Shively , Kentucky ( which is located directly adjacent to the pre-merger Southwest boundary of Louisville ) using a mash bill of 72 % corn ( maize ) , 18 % rye , and 10 % malted barley ( the same mash bill used for Woodford Reserve ) . Its mash bill has been described as `` pretty standard '' and `` richer in rye than most bourbons '' . Bottling variations include Old Forester Classic ( 86 proof / 43 % abv , 4 years old ) , Old Forester Signature ( 100 proof / 50 % abv ) , and Old Forester Birthday Bourbon ( introduced in 2002 , 95 proof / 47.5 % abv in 2010 bottling ) .", "Christianity. ChristianityFrom Ancient Greek Χριστός , Khristós ( Latinized as Christus ) , translating Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ , Māšîăḥ , meaning `` the anointed one '' , with the Latin suffixes - ian and - itas . is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ , who serves as the focal point for the religion . It is the world 's largest religion , with over 2.4 billion followers , or 33 % of the global population , known as Christians . Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the savior of humanity whose coming as the Messiah ( the Christ ) was prophesied in the Old Testament . Christian theology is summarized in creeds such as the Apostles ' Creed and Nicene Creed . These professions of faith state that Jesus suffered , died , was buried , descended into hell , and rose from the dead , in order to grant eternal life to those who believe in him and trust in him for the remission of their sins . The creeds further maintain that Jesus bodily ascended into heaven , where he reigns with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit , and that he will return to judge the living and the dead and grant eternal life to his followers . His incarnation , earthly ministry , crucifixion and resurrection are often referred to as `` the gospel '' , meaning `` good news '' . `` Good news '' is a translation of the Ancient Greek term εὐαγγέλιον euangélion , from which the terms evangelical and evangelism derive . The term gospel also refers to written accounts of Jesus 's life and teaching , four of which -- Matthew , Mark , Luke and John -- are considered canonical and included in the Christian Bible . Christianity is an Abrahamic religion that began as a Second Temple Judaic sect in the mid-1st century . Originating in Judea , it quickly spread to Europe , Syria , Mesopotamia , Asia Minor , Transcaucasia , Egypt , Ethiopia and India , and by the end of the 4th century had become the official state church of the Roman Empire . Following the Age of Discovery , Christianity spread to the Americas , Australasia , sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world through missionary work and colonization . Christianity has played a prominent role in the shaping of Western civilization . Throughout its history , Christianity has weathered schisms and theological disputes that have resulted in many distinct churches and denominations . Worldwide , the three largest branches of Christianity are the Catholic Church , the Eastern Orthodox Church and the various denominations of Protestantism . The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches broke communion with each other in the East -- West Schism of 1054 ; Protestantism came into existence in the Reformation of the 16th century , splitting from the Catholic Church .", "The Commodore. The Commodore ( published 1945 ) is a Horatio Hornblower novel written by C. S. Forester . It was published in the United States under the title Commodore Hornblower .", "CBS. CBS ( an initialism of the network 's former name , the Columbia Broadcasting System ) is an American English language commercial broadcast television network that is a flagship property of CBS Corporation . The company is headquartered at the CBS Building in New York City with major production facilities and operations in New York City ( at the CBS Broadcast Center ) and Los Angeles ( at CBS Television City and the CBS Studio Center ) . CBS is sometimes referred to as the `` Eye Network '' , in reference to the company 's iconic logo , in use since 1951 . It has also been called the `` Tiffany Network '' , alluding to the perceived high quality of CBS programming during the tenure of William S. Paley . It can also refer to some of CBS 's first demonstrations of color television , which were held in a former Tiffany & Co. building in New York City in 1950 . The network has its origins in United Independent Broadcasters Inc. , a collection of 16 radio stations that was purchased by Paley in 1928 and renamed the Columbia Broadcasting System . Under Paley 's guidance , CBS would first become one of the largest radio networks in the United States , and eventually one of the Big Three American broadcast television networks . In 1974 , CBS dropped its former full name and became known simply as CBS , Inc. . The Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired the network in 1995 , renamed its corporate entity to the current CBS Broadcasting , Inc. in 1997 , and eventually adopted the name of the company it had acquired to become CBS Corporation . In 2000 , CBS came under the control of Viacom , which was formed as a spin-off of CBS in 1971 . In late 2005 , Viacom split itself into two separate companies , and re-established CBS Corporation -- through the spin-off of its broadcast television , radio and select cable television and non-broadcasting assets -- with the CBS television network at its core . CBS Corporation is controlled by Sumner Redstone through National Amusements , which also controls the current Viacom . CBS continues to operate the CBS Radio network , which now mainly provides news and features content for its portfolio of owned-and-operated radio stations in large and mid-sized markets , and affiliated radio stations in various other markets . The television network has more than 240 owned-and-operated and affiliated television stations throughout the United States .", "Chicago. Chicago ( -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɑːɡoʊ -RSB- or -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɔːɡoʊ -RSB- ) , officially the City of Chicago , is the third-most populous city in the United States . With over 2.7 million residents , it is also the most populous city in both the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States . It is the county seat of Cook County . The Chicago metropolitan area , often referred to as Chicagoland , has nearly 10 million people and is the third-largest in the U.S. Chicago has been called a global architecture capital . In terms of wealth and economy , Chicago is considered one of the most important business centers in the world . Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 , near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed , and grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century . Positioned along Lake Michigan , the city is an international hub for finance , commerce , industry , technology , telecommunications , and transportation : O'Hare International Airport is the second-busiest airport in the world when measured by aircraft traffic ; the region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and rail road freight . In 2012 , Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , and ranked seventh in the world in the 2016 Global Cities Index . Chicago has the third-largest gross metropolitan product in the United States -- about $ 640 billion according to 2015 estimates . The city has one of the world 's largest and most diversified economies with no single industry employing more than 14 % of the workforce . In 2016 , Chicago hosted over 54 million domestic and international visitors , a new record making it one of the top visited cities in the nation . Landmarks in the city include Millennium Park , Navy Pier , the Magnificent Mile , Art Institute of Chicago , Museum Campus , the Willis ( Sears ) Tower , Museum of Science and Industry , and Lincoln Park Zoo . Chicago 's culture includes the visual arts , novels , film , theater , especially improvisational comedy , and music , particularly jazz , blues , soul , hip hop , gospel and house music . There are many colleges and universities in the Chicago area ; among these , Northwestern University , University of Chicago , and the University of Illinois at Chicago are classified as `` highest research '' doctoral universities . Additionally , Chicago has professional sports teams in each of the major professional leagues . The city has many nicknames , the best-known being the Windy City .", "Columbus, Ohio. Columbus ( -LSB- kəˈlʌmbəs -RSB- ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Ohio . It is the 14th-largest city in the United States , with a population of 860,090 as of 2016 estimates . This makes Columbus the third-most populous state capital in the United States , and the second-largest city in the Midwestern United States , after Chicago . It is the core city of the Columbus , Ohio , Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses ten counties . With a population of 2,021,632 , it is Ohio 's third-largest metropolitan area . Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County . The city proper has also expanded and annexed portions of adjoining Delaware County and Fairfield County . Named for explorer Christopher Columbus , the city was founded in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers , and assumed the functions of state capital in 1816 . The city has a diverse economy based on education , government , insurance , banking , defense , aviation , food , clothes , logistics , steel , energy , medical research , health care , hospitality , retail , and technology . Columbus is home to the Battelle Memorial Institute , the world 's largest private research and development foundation ; Chemical Abstracts Service , the world 's largest clearinghouse of chemical information ; NetJets , the world 's largest fractional ownership jet aircraft fleet ; and The Ohio State University , one of the largest universities in the United States . , the city has the headquarters of five corporations in the U.S. Fortune 500 : Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company , American Electric Power , L Brands , Big Lots , and Cardinal Health . The food service corporations Wendy 's , Donatos Pizza , Bob Evans , Max & Erma 's and White Castle and the nationally known companies Red Roof Inn , Rogue Fitness , and Safelite are also based in the metropolitan area . In 2012 , Columbus was ranked in BusinessWeeks 50 best cities in America . In 2013 , Forbes gave Columbus an `` A '' rating as one of the top cities for business in the U.S. , and later that year included the city on its list of Best Places for Business and Careers . Columbus was also ranked as the No. 1 up-and-coming tech city in the nation by Forbes in 2008 , and the city was ranked a top-ten city by Relocate America in 2010 . In 2007 , fDi Magazine ranked the city no. 3 in the U.S. for cities of the future , and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was rated no. 1 in 2009 by USA Travel Guide .", "Forester Pass. Forester Pass is a mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada . Located on the Kings-Kern Divide on the boundary between Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park , Forester Pass connects the drainages of Bubbs Creek and the Kern River . At 13153 ft , Forester Pass is the highest point along the Pacific Crest Trail . Originally discovered by a group of United States Forest Service workers , it was subsequently named in their honor . On August 26 , 1930 , four men , including 18-year-old Donald Downs were injured during construction of the pass . A boulder let loose during blasting of the trail crushed Mr. Downs ' arm . The men were evacuated by stretcher , Downs to Baxter Cabin and the others to Independence . Mr. Down 's arm was amputated . He died on Sept. 2 , 1930 from complications of surgery . A plane crashed at Tyndall Creek after dropping medicine for Downs . A plaque commemorating his death is found on the southern side of the pass , most easily seen while walking in a northerly direction .", "Cincinnati. Cincinnati ( -LSB- ˌsɪnsᵻˈnæti -RSB- ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio that serves as county seat of Hamilton County . Settled in 1788 , the city is located on the north side of the confluence of the Licking with the Ohio River . With a population of 298,800 , Cincinnati is the third-largest city in Ohio and the 65th-largest city in the United States . Its metropolitan statistical area is the 28th-largest in the United States and the largest centered in Ohio . The city is also part of the larger Cincinnati -- Middletown -- Wilmington combined statistical area , which had a population of 2,172,191 in the 2010 census . In the 19th century , Cincinnati was an American boomtown in the heart of the country ; it rivaled the larger coastal cities in size and wealth . Throughout much of the 19th century , it was listed among the top 10 U.S. cities by population , surpassed only by New Orleans and the older , established settlements of the Eastern Seaboard ; at one point holding the position of America 's sixth-largest city for a period spanning consecutive census reports from 1840 until 1860 . It was by far the largest city in the west . Because it is the first major American city founded after the American Revolution as well as the first major inland city in the country , Cincinnati is sometimes thought of as the first purely `` American '' city . Cincinnati developed with less European immigration or influence than eastern cities attracted in the same period ; however , it received a significant number of German immigrants , who founded many of the city 's cultural institutions . By the end of the 19th century , with the shift from steamboats to railroads drawing off freight shipping , trade patterns had altered and Cincinnati 's growth slowed considerably . The city was surpassed in population by other inland cities , particularly Chicago , which developed based on commodity exploitation and the railroads , and St. Louis , for decades after the Civil War the gateway to westward migration . Cincinnati is home to two major sports teams , the Cincinnati Reds , the oldest franchise in Major League Baseball , and the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League . The University of Cincinnati , founded in 1819 , is one of the 50 largest in the United States . Cincinnati is known for its historic architecture . In the late 1800s , Cincinnati was commonly referred to as `` Paris of America '' , due mainly to such ambitious architectural projects as the Music Hall , Cincinnatian Hotel , and Shillito Department Store .", "Americas. The Americas ( also collectively called America ) encompass the totality of the continents of North and South America . Together , they make up most of the land in Earth 's western hemisphere and comprise the New World . Along with their associated islands , they cover 8 % of Earth 's total surface area and 28.4 % of its land area . The topography is dominated by the American Cordillera , a long chain of mountains that runs the length of the west coast . The flatter eastern side of the Americas is dominated by large river basins , such as the Amazon , St. Lawrence River / Great Lakes basin , Mississippi , and La Plata . Since the Americas extend 14000 km from north to south , the climate and ecology vary widely , from the arctic tundra of Northern Canada , Greenland , and Alaska , to the tropical rain forests in Central America and South America . Humans first settled the Americas from Asia between 42,000 and 17,000 years ago . A second migration of Na-Dene speakers followed later from Asia . The subsequent migration of the Inuit into the neoarctic around 3500 BCE completed what is generally regarded as the settlement by the indigenous peoples of the Americas . The first known European settlement in the Americas was by the Norse explorer Leif Ericson . However , the colonization never became permanent and was later abandoned . The voyages of Christopher Columbus from 1492 to 1502 resulted in permanent contact with European ( and subsequently , other Old World ) powers , which led to the Columbian exchange . Diseases introduced from Europe and West Africa devastated the indigenous peoples , and the European powers colonized the Americas . Mass emigration from Europe , including large numbers of indentured servants , and importation of African slaves largely replaced the indigenous peoples . Decolonization of the Americas began with the American Revolution in 1776 and Haitian Revolution in 1791 . Currently , almost all of the population of the Americas resides in independent countries ; however , the legacy of the colonization and settlement by Europeans is that the Americas share many common cultural traits , most notably Christianity and the use of Indo-European languages ; primarily Spanish , English , Portuguese , French , and to a lesser extent , Dutch . The population is over 1 billion , with over 65 % of them living in one of the three most populous countries ( the United States , Brazil , and Mexico ) . As of the beginning of the 2010s , the most populous urban agglomerations are Mexico City ( Mexico ) , New York ( U.S. ) , Sao Paulo ( Brazil ) , Los Angeles ( U.S. ) , Buenos Aires ( Argentina ) and Rio de Janeiro ( Brazil ) , all of them megacities ( metropolitan areas with ten million inhabitants or more ) .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "The Happy Return. The Happy Return ( Beat to Quarters in the US ) was the first of the Horatio Hornblower novels published by C. S. Forester . It appeared in 1937 . The American name is derived from the expression `` beat to quarters '' , which was the signal to prepare for combat . This book is sixth by internal chronology of the series ( including the unfinished Hornblower and the Crisis ) . Hornblower 's past history as narrated in the book does not entirely accord with his history as revealed in the books of the series written later , but Forester never revised the book . It is one of three Hornblower novels adapted into the 1951 British-American film Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. .", "The Last Encounter. `` The Last Encounter '' is a short story by C. S. Forester , providing the final chapter in the life of his fictional naval hero , Horatio Hornblower . It was published together with the unfinished novel Hornblower and the Crisis and another short story , `` Hornblower and the Widow McCool '' .", "Facebook. Facebook is an American for-profit corporation and an online social media and social networking service based in Menlo Park , California . The Facebook website was launched on February 4 , 2004 , by Mark Zuckerberg , along with fellow Harvard College students and roommates , Eduardo Saverin , Andrew McCollum , Dustin Moskovitz , and Chris Hughes . The founders had initially limited the website 's membership to Harvard students ; however , later they expanded it to higher education institutions in the Boston area , the Ivy League schools , and Stanford University . Facebook gradually added support for students at various other universities , and eventually to high school students as well . Since 2006 , anyone age 13 and older has been allowed to become a registered user of Facebook , though variations exist in the minimum age requirement , depending on applicable local laws . The Facebook name comes from the face book directories often given to United States university students . Facebook may be accessed by a large range of desktops , laptops , tablet computers , and smartphones over the Internet and mobile networks . After registering to use the site , users can create a user profile indicating their name , occupation , schools attended and so on . Users can add other users as `` friends '' , exchange messages , post status updates and digital photos , share digital videos and links , use various software applications ( `` apps '' ) , and receive notifications when others update their profiles or make posts . Additionally , users may join common-interest user groups organized by workplace , school , hobbies or other topics , and categorize their friends into lists such as `` People From Work '' or `` Close Friends '' . In groups , editors can pin posts to top . Additionally , users can complain about or block unpleasant people . Because of the large volume of data that users submit to the service , Facebook has come under scrutiny for its privacy policies . Facebook makes most of its revenue from advertisements which appear onscreen . Facebook , Inc. held its initial public offering ( IPO ) in February 2012 , and began selling stock to the public three months later , reaching an original peak market capitalization of $ 104 billion . On July 13 , 2015 , Facebook became the fastest company in the Standard & Poor 's 500 Index to reach a market cap of $ 250 billion . Facebook has more than 1.94 billion monthly active users as of March 31 , 2017 . As of April 2016 , Facebook was the most popular social networking site in the world , based on the number of active user accounts . Facebook classifies users from the ages of 13 to 18 as minors and therefore sets their profiles to share content with friends only .", "Carl Reiner. Carl Reiner ( born March 20 , 1922 ) is an American comedian , actor , director and writer whose career spans nearly seven decades . During the early years of television comedy , from 1950 to 1957 , he co-wrote and acted on Caesar 's Hour and Your Show of Shows , starring comedian Sid Caesar . In the 1960s Reiner was best known as the creator , producer , writer , and actor on The Dick Van Dyke Show . He also had great success as a film director and writer , and partnered with Steve Martin in the 1970s when Reiner co-wrote and/or directed some of Martin 's most successful films , including 1979 's The Jerk . Reiner played a comedy duo in `` 2000 Year Old Man '' with Mel Brooks , and acted in films such as The Russians Are Coming , the Russians Are Coming ( 1966 ) and the Ocean 's Trilogy ( 2001-2007 ) . Reiner has won nine Emmy Awards and one Grammy Award during his career . He is the father of actor and director Rob Reiner and author Annie Reiner .", "Missouri. Missouri ( see pronunciations ) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States , achieving statehood in 1821 . With over six million residents , it is the eighteenth most populous state and host to the mean center of United States population . The largest urban areas are St. Louis , Kansas City , Springfield , and Columbia . The capitol is in Jefferson City on the Missouri River . The state is the twenty-first most extensive by area and is geographically diverse . The Northern Plains were once covered by glaciers , then tallgrass prairie , and now the deep soils yield great agricultural productivity . In the South are the Ozarks , a forested highland , providing timber , minerals , and recreation . The Mississippi River forms the eastern border of the state , eventually flowing into the swampy Missouri Bootheel . Humans have inhabited the land now known as Missouri for at least 12,000 years . The Mississippian culture built cities and mounds , before declining in the 1300s . When European explorers arrived in the 1600s they encountered the Osage and Missouria nations . The French established Louisiana , a part of New France , and founded Ste. Genevieve in 1735 and St. Louis in 1764 . After a brief period of Spanish rule , the United States acquired the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 . Americans from the Upland South , including enslaved African Americans , rushed into the new Missouri Territory . Many from Virginia , Kentucky , and Tennessee settled in the Boonslick area of Mid-Missouri . Soon after , heavy German immigration formed the Missouri Rhineland . Missouri played a central role in the westward expansion of the United States , as memorialized by the Gateway Arch . The Pony Express , Oregon Trail , Santa Fe Trail , and California Trail all began in Missouri . As a border state , Missouri 's role in the American Civil War was complex and there were many conflicts within . After the war , both Greater St. Louis and the Kansas City metropolitan area became centers of industrialization and business . Today , the state is divided into 114 counties and the independent city of St. Louis . Missouri 's culture blends elements from the Midwestern and Southern United States . The musical styles of ragtime , Kansas City jazz , and St. Louis Blues , developed in Missouri . The well-known Kansas City-style barbecue , and lesser-known St. Louis-style barbecue can be found across the state and beyond . St. Louis is also a major center of beer brewing ; Anheuser-Busch is the largest producer in the world . Missouri wine is produced in the nearby Missouri Rhineland and Ozarks . Missouri 's alcohol laws are among the most permissive in the United States . Outside of the large cities popular tourist destinations include the Lake of the Ozarks and Branson . U.S. President Harry S. Truman is from Missouri . Other well known Missourians include Mark Twain , Walt Disney , Chuck Berry and Nelly . Some of the largest companies based in the state include Cerner , Express Scripts , Monsanto , Emerson Electric , Edward Jones , H&R Block , Wells Fargo Advisors and O'Reilly Auto Parts . Missouri has been called the `` Mother of the West '' and the `` Cave State '' ; however , Missouri 's most famous nickname is the `` Show Me State '' , as Missourians are known for being skeptical .", "Oregon. Oregon ( -LSB- ˈɒrᵻɡən -RSB- ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region on the West coast of the United States . The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon 's northern boundary along Washington state , while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary along Idaho . The parallel 42 ° north delineates the southern boundary with California and Nevada . It is one of only three states of the contiguous United States to have a coastline on the Pacific Ocean . Oregon was inhabited by many indigenous tribes before Western traders , explorers , and settlers arrived . An autonomous government was formed in the Oregon Country in 1843 before the Oregon Territory was created in 1848 . Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14 , 1859 . Today , at 98,000 square miles ( 255,000 km ² ) , Oregon is the ninth largest and , with a population of 4 million , 27th most populous U.S. state . The state capital , Salem , is the second most populous of its cities , with 164,549 residents , while Portland , with 632,309 residents , is the most populous , ranking as the 26th most populous city in the United States . Portland 's metro population of 2,389,228 ranks the 23rd largest metro in the nation . Oregon is one of the most geographically diverse states in the United States , marked by volcanoes , abundant bodies of water , dense evergreen and mixed forests , as well as high deserts and semi-arid shrublands . At 11249 ft , Mount Hood is the state 's highest point . Oregon 's only national park , Crater Lake National Park , comprises the caldera surrounding Crater Lake , the deepest lake in the United States . The state is also home to the single largest organism in the world , Armillaria ostoyae , a fungus that runs beneath 8.9 km2 of the Malheur National Forest . Because of its diverse landscapes and waterways , Oregon 's economy is largely powered by various forms of agriculture , fishing , and hydroelectric power . It is also the top timber-producer of the lower 48 states . Technology is another one of the state 's major economic forces , which began in the 1970s with the establishment of the Silicon Forest and the expansion of Tektronix and Intel . Sportswear company Nike , Inc. , headquartered in Beaverton , is the state 's largest public corporation with an annual revenue of $ 30.6 billion ." ]

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[ "Kong: Skull Island. Kong : Skull Island is a 2017 American action-adventure monster film directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and written by Dan Gilroy , Max Borenstein and Derek Connolly , from a story by John Gatins . The film is a reboot of the King Kong franchise and serves as the second film in Legendary 's MonsterVerse . It stars an ensemble cast consisting of Tom Hiddleston , Samuel L. Jackson , John Goodman , Brie Larson , Jing Tian , Toby Kebbell , John Ortiz , Corey Hawkins , Jason Mitchell , Shea Whigham , Thomas Mann , Terry Notary and John C. Reilly . The film follows a team of scientists and Vietnam War soldiers who travel to an uncharted island in the Pacific and encounter terrifying creatures and the mighty Kong . Principal photography took place from October 2015 to March 2016 in Hawaii and various locations around Vietnam . Kong : Skull Island premiered on February 28 , 2017 , in London and was released in the United States on March 10 , 2017 , in 2D , 3D , IMAX 3D and in Dolby Cinemas . The film was a critical and commercial success , grossing $ 565 million worldwide against its $ 185 million budget and making it the fifth highest-grossing film of 2017 .", "King Kong. King Kong is a giant movie monster , resembling a giant ape , that has appeared in various media since 1933 . The character first appeared in the 1933 film King Kong from RKO Pictures , which received universal acclaim upon its initial release and re-releases . A sequel quickly followed that same year with Son of Kong , featuring a Little Kong . In the 1960s , Toho produced King Kong vs. Godzilla ( 1962 ) , pitting a much larger Kong against Toho 's own Godzilla , and King Kong Escapes ( 1967 ) , based on The King Kong Show ( 1966 -- 69 ) from Rankin/Bass Productions . In 1976 , Dino De Laurentiis produced a modern remake of the original film directed by John Guillermin . A sequel , King Kong Lives , followed a decade later featuring a Lady Kong . Another remake of the original , this time set in 1933 , was released in 2005 from filmmaker Peter Jackson . The most recent film , Kong : Skull Island ( 2017 ) , set in 1973 , is part of Legendary Entertainment 's MonsterVerse , which began with Legendary 's reboot of Godzilla in 2014 . A crossover sequel , Godzilla vs. Kong , once again pitting the characters against one another , is currently planned for 2020 . The character of King Kong has become one of the world 's most famous movie icons , having inspired countless sequels , remakes , spin-offs , imitators , parodies , cartoons , books , comics , video games , theme park rides , and a stage play . His role in the different narratives varies , ranging from a rampaging monster to a tragic antihero .", "Skull Island (disambiguation). Skull Island is a fictional island in the King Kong franchise . Skull Island may also refer to :", "King Kong (disambiguation). King Kong is a fictional giant ape from Skull Island who has appeared in several works since 1933 . King Kong may also refer to :", "Skull Island. Skull Island is the name most often used to describe a fictional island that first appeared in the 1933 film King Kong and later appearing in its sequels , the two remakes , and any other King Kong-based media . It is the home of the eponymous King Kong and several other species of creatures , mostly prehistoric and in some cases species that should have been extinct long before the rise of mammalian creatures , along with a primitive society of humans . In the 1962 film King Kong vs. Godzilla and the 1967 film King Kong Escapes , the comparable islands are called `` Farou Island '' and `` Mondo Island '' , respectively . Kong plays a similar role in these islands as the godlike being of the land , a role he plays in all versions of the King Kong story . Skull Island 's origins are unknown , but Kong appears to be the only giant gorilla known to exist on the island . However , the 2005 remake shows other skeletons of Kong-sized gorillas , indicating that there was once a group of such creatures of an unknown number living on the island . Additionally , 2017 's Kong : Skull Island showed the skeletons of Kong 's parents .", "King Kong (1933 film). King Kong is a 1933 American pre-Code monster adventure film directed and produced by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack . The screenplay by James Ashmore Creelman and Ruth Rose was from an idea conceived by Cooper and Edgar Wallace . It stars Fay Wray , Bruce Cabot and Robert Armstrong , and opened in New York City on March 2 , 1933 , to rave reviews . It has been ranked by Rotten Tomatoes as the greatest horror film of all time and the twentieth greatest film of all time . The film tells of a gigantic , prehistoric , island-dwelling ape called Kong who dies in an attempt to possess a beautiful young woman . King Kong is especially noted for its stop-motion animation by Willis O'Brien and a groundbreaking musical score by Max Steiner . In 1991 , it was deemed `` culturally , historically and aesthetically significant '' by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry . It has been remade twice , in 1976 and 2005 , while a reboot , Kong : Skull Island , was released in 2017 .", "King Kong (2005 film). King Kong is a 2005 epic monster adventure film co-written , produced , and directed by Peter Jackson . A remake of the 1933 film of the same name , the film stars Naomi Watts , Jack Black , Adrien Brody , and , through motion capture , Andy Serkis as the title character . Set in 1933 , King Kong tells the story of an ambitious filmmaker who coerces his cast and hired ship crew to travel to the mysterious Skull Island . There they encounter Kong , a legendary giant gorilla , whom they capture and take to New York City . Filming for King Kong took place in New Zealand from September 2004 to March 2005 . The project 's budget climbed from an initial $ 150 million to a then-record-breaking $ 207 million . It was released on December 14 , 2005 in Germany and on December 16 in the United States , and made an opening of $ 50.1 million . While it performed lower than expected , King Kong made domestic and worldwide grosses that eventually added up to $ 550 million , becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film in Universal Pictures history . It also generated $ 100 million in DVD sales upon its home video release . The film garnered positive reviews from critics and appeared on several top ten lists for 2005 . It was praised for its special effects , performances , sense of spectacle and comparison to the 1933 original . It won three Academy Awards for Best Sound Editing , Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects .", "Donkey Kong. is a series of video games featuring the adventures of an ape-like character called Donkey Kong , conceived by Shigeru Miyamoto in 1981 . The franchise mainly comprises two different game genres , plus spin-off titles of various genres . The games of the first genre are mostly single-screen platform/action puzzle types , featuring Donkey Kong as the adversary in an industrial construction setting . Donkey Kong first made his appearance in the 1981 arcade machine called Donkey Kong , in which he faced Mario , now Nintendo 's flagship character . This game was also the first appearance of Mario , pre-dating the well-known Super Mario Bros. by four years . In 1994 , the series was revived as the Donkey Kong Country series , featuring Donkey Kong and his clan as protagonists in their native jungle setting versus a variety of anthropomorphic enemies , usually against the Kremlings , a clan of crocodiles , and their leader King K. Rool . These are side-scrolling platform games . Titles outside these two genres have included rhythm games ( Donkey Konga ) , racing games ( Diddy Kong Racing ) , and edutainment ( Donkey Kong Jr. . Math ) . A hallmark of the Donkey Kong series are barrels , which the Kongs use as weapons , vehicles , furniture , and lodging . The Donkey Kong character is highly recognizable and very popular ; the franchise has sold over 40 million units worldwide .", "Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World. Kong : The 8th Wonder of the World is an action/adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance . In Europe , it is known as King Kong : The Official Game of the Movie . Due to the limited technology the Game Boy Advance has , King Kong : The 8th Wonder of the World is very different from the home console versions of the game . In this game , players switch between various roles - one being the movie exhibition visiting Skull Island to do filming which comprises actress Ann Darrow , director Carl Denham and scriptwriter Jack Driscoll , and the 25 ft gorilla and king of Skull Island , King Kong . While the overhead human section focuses on puzzle-solving and adventuring elements , Kong sections are combat-oriented side-scrollers .", "Jurassic Park. Jurassic Park is an American science fiction media franchise centered on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park of cloned dinosaurs . It began in 1990 when Universal Studios bought the rights to the novel by Michael Crichton before it was even published . The book was successful , as was the 1993 film adaptation , which led to three sequels , although the third and fourth films were not based on novels as the first two were . The software developers Ocean Software , BlueSky Software , Sega of America , and Telltale Games have had the rights to develop video games ever since the 1993 film , and numerous games have been produced . The Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy was released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 25 , 2011 , in North America . The first film was re-released in 3D on April 5 , 2013 . Since 1996 , several water rides based on the series have been opened at various Universal theme parks . On June 1 , 2016 , the first three films in the franchise were added to the Netflix streaming service , but were removed on September 1 , 2016 . The fourth film , Jurassic World , was initially scheduled to be released in the summer of 2005 , but was delayed numerous times and was ultimately released in June 2015 . It has grossed more than $ 1.66 billion , making it the fourth highest-grossing film of all time . When adjusted for monetary inflation , however , this film is the second highest grossing in the franchise after Jurassic Park . A fifth film , Jurassic World 2 , is scheduled for a June 22 , 2018 , release date . As of 2000 , the franchise had generated $ 5 billion in revenue , making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time .", "King Kong: 360 3-D. King Kong : 360 3-D is an attraction which is included in the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood . The attraction takes guests to a recreated version of Skull Island from Peter Jackson 's 2005 award-winning blockbuster remake King Kong . It employs 3-D HD imagery on two 200 ft wide screens , tram motion , wind , water , and scent resulting in an immersive two and a half minute film . The attraction replaced King Kong Encounter which burned down in 2008 . King Kong : 360 3-D made its debut on the Studio Tour on July 1 , 2010 .", "Skull Island: Reign of Kong. Skull Island : Reign of Kong is a ride at Islands of Adventure theme park at Universal Orlando in Florida . It began soft openings on June 9 , 2016 , and officially opened on July 13 , 2016 .", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "King Kong (1976 film). King Kong is a 1976 American monster film produced by Dino De Laurentiis and directed by John Guillermin . It is a modern remake of the 1933 classic film of the same name , about a giant ape that is captured and imported to New York City for exhibition . Featuring special effects by Carlo Rambaldi , it stars Jeff Bridges , Charles Grodin , and Jessica Lange in her first film role . The remake 's screenplay was written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. , based on the 1933 screenplay by James Ashmore Creelman and Ruth Rose , from the original idea by Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace . The film was the fifth highest grossing film of 1977 according to box office statistics compiled during its release by Variety , Box Office Mojo published a list indicating it was the 7th highest grossing film of 1976 in North America . It won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects , and was also nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Sound . It is the only King Kong film to feature the World Trade Center instead of the Empire State Building . A sequel titled King Kong Lives was released in 1986 .", "Planet of the Apes. Planet of the Apes is an American science fiction media franchise consisting of films , books , television series , comics , and other media about a world in which humans and intelligent apes clash for control . The series began with French author Pierre Boulle 's 1963 novel La Planète des Singes , translated into English as Planet of the Apes or Monkey Planet . The 1968 film adaptation , Planet of the Apes , was a critical and commercial hit , initiating a series of sequels , tie-ins , and derivative works . Arthur P. Jacobs produced the series under APJAC Productions until his death in 1973 ; since then 20th Century Fox has owned the franchise . Four sequels followed the original film between 1970 and 1973 : Beneath the Planet of the Apes , Escape from the Planet of the Apes , Conquest of the Planet of the Apes , and Battle for the Planet of the Apes . They did not approach the critical acclaim of the original , but were commercially successful . The series also spawned two television series in 1974 and 1975 . Plans for a film remake stalled in `` development hell '' for over ten years before Tim Burton 's Planet of the Apes was released in 2001 . A new reboot film series commenced in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes , which was followed by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes in 2014 ; another sequel , titled War for the Planet of the Apes , is planned for a 2017 release . Other media and merchandising tie-ins include books , comics , video games , and toys . Planet of the Apes has received particular attention for its treatment of race , which critics consider its primary theme . Critics have also written on its Cold War and animal rights themes . The series has had a wide influence on subsequent films , media , and art , as well as popular culture and political discourse .", "Henry Jackman. Henry Pryce Jackman ( born 1974 ) is an English composer , conductor , arranger , pianist , musician , and songwriter . He is best known for composing major hit films such as Kong : Skull Island , X-Men : First Class , Wreck-It Ralph , Captain Phillips , Captain America : The Winter Soldier , Captain America : Civil War , Kick-Ass , Kick-Ass 2 , Big Hero 6 and The Interview , as well as the video games Uncharted 4 : A Thief 's End and Just Cause 3 .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Kong: The Animated Series. Kong : The Animated Series was an American-Canadian television series for children that follows King Kong , the monster of the 1933 film of the same name . Kong was created to compete with Godzilla : The Series , and first aired on BKN in 2000 . In May 2001 , Fox Kids began airing reruns of the first 13 episodes . Then , Jetix began airing reruns on September 9 , 2005 , as a prelude to the release of Peter Jackson 's King Kong . Additionally , two direct-to-DVD movies based on the series were released : Kong : King of Atlantis , where Kong fights to save the mythic island from a vicious snake sorceress ( and which also contains three musical numbers ; the only Kong film to do so ) in 2005 and Kong : Return to the Jungle , where poachers capture Kong and other animals from his island to sell to a zoo , in 2007 .", "Film. A film , also called a movie , motion picture , theatrical film , or photoplay , is a series of still images which , when shown on a screen , creates the illusion of moving images due to the phi phenomenon . This optical illusion causes the audience to perceive continuous motion between separate objects viewed rapidly in succession . The process of filmmaking is both an art and an industry . A film is created by photographing actual scenes with a motion picture camera ; by photographing drawings or miniature models using traditional animation techniques ; by means of CGI and computer animation ; or by a combination of some or all of these techniques and other visual effects . The word `` cinema '' , short for cinematography , is often used to refer to the industry of films and filmmaking or to the art of filmmaking itself . The contemporary definition of cinema is the art of simulating experiences to communicate ideas , stories , perceptions , feelings , beauty or atmosphere by the means of recorded or programmed moving images along with other sensory stimulations . Films were originally recorded onto plastic film through a photochemical process and then shown through a movie projector onto a large screen . The adoption of CGI-based special effects led to the use of digital intermediates . Most contemporary films are now fully digital through the entire process of production , distribution , and exhibition from start to finish . Films recorded in a photochemical form traditionally included an analogous optical soundtrack , which is a graphic recording of the spoken words , music and other sounds that accompany the images . It runs along a portion of the film exclusively reserved for it and is not projected . Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures . They reflect those cultures , and , in turn , affect them . Film is considered to be an important art form , a source of popular entertainment , and a powerful medium for educating -- or indoctrinating -- citizens . The visual basis of film gives it a universal power of communication . Some films have become popular worldwide attractions by using dubbing or subtitles to translate the dialog into the language of the viewer . Some have criticized the film industry 's glorification of violence and its potentially negative treatment of women . The individual images that make up a film are called frames . During projection of traditional films , a rotating shutter causes intervals of darkness as each frame , in turn , is moved into position to be projected , but the viewer does not notice the interruptions because of an effect known as persistence of vision , whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after the source has been removed . The perception of motion is due to a psychological effect called phi phenomenon . The name `` film '' originates from the fact that photographic film ( also called film stock ) has historically been the medium for recording and displaying motion pictures . Many other terms exist for an individual motion picture , including picture , picture show , moving picture , photoplay , and flick . The most common term in the United States is movie , while in Europe film is preferred . Terms for the field , in general , include the big screen , the silver screen , the movies , and cinema ; the latter is commonly used in scholarly texts and critical essays , especially by European writers . In early years , the word sheet was sometimes used instead of screen .", "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a 2008 American action adventure film . It is the fourth installment in the Indiana Jones series created by George Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg . Released nineteen years after the previous film , the film acknowledges the age of its star Harrison Ford by being set in 1957 . It pays tribute to the science fiction B-movies of the era , pitting Indiana Jones against Soviet agents -- led by Irina Spalko ( Cate Blanchett ) -- searching for a telepathic crystal skull . Indiana is aided by his former lover , Marion Ravenwood ( Karen Allen ) , and their son , Mutt Williams ( Shia LaBeouf ) . Ray Winstone , John Hurt and Jim Broadbent are also part of the supporting cast . Screenwriters Jeb Stuart , Jeffrey Boam , Frank Darabont , and Jeff Nathanson wrote drafts before David Koepp 's script satisfied the producers . Shooting began on June 18 , 2007 , at various locations in New Mexico ; New Haven , Connecticut ; Hawaii ; and Fresno , California , as well as on sound stages in Los Angeles . To maintain aesthetic continuity with the previous films , the crew relied on traditional stunt work instead of computer-generated stunt doubles , and cinematographer Janusz Kamiński studied Douglas Slocombe 's style from the previous films . The film premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival on May 18 , 2008 , and was released worldwide on May 22 , 2008 to generally positive reviews from critics , although audience reception was more mixed . There was significant praise for the performances , action scenes , John Williams ' musical score , and the costume design . Criticism , however , focused on the dialogue , storyline , pacing , and overuse of CGI . It was also a financial success like the previous three films in the series , grossing over $ 786 million worldwide , becoming the franchise 's highest-grossing film when not adjusted for inflation , and the second highest-grossing film of 2008 . Marketing relied heavily on the public 's nostalgia for the series , with products taking inspiration from all four films . Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is also the last film in the series to be distributed by Paramount Pictures , as Walt Disney Studios has become the distributor of its future films , since its parent company 's acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012 . It will be followed by an untitled fifth film planned for release on July 10 , 2020 , in which both Spielberg and Ford will return .", "Pixar. Pixar ( -LSB- ˈpɪksɑr -RSB- ) , also referred to as Pixar Animation Studios , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville , California that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company . Pixar began in 1979 as the Graphics Group , part of the Lucasfilm computer division , before its spin-out as a corporation in 1986 , with funding by Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs , who became the majority shareholder . Disney purchased Pixar in 2006 at a valuation of $ 7.4 billion , a transaction that resulted in Jobs becoming Disney 's largest single shareholder at the time . Pixar is best known for CGI-animated feature films created with RenderMan , Pixar 's own implementation of the industry-standard RenderMan image-rendering application programming interface , used to generate high-quality images . Pixar has produced seventeen feature films , beginning with Toy Story ( 1995 ) , which was the first-ever computer-animated feature film , and its most recent being Finding Dory ( 2016 ) . All 17 of its films have debuted with CinemaScore ratings of at least an `` A − , '' indicating positive receptions with audiences . The studio has also produced several short films . , its feature films have earned approximately $ 10.8 billion at the box office worldwide , with an average worldwide gross of $ 634 million per film . Finding Dory , along with its predecessor Finding Nemo ( 2003 ) , as well as Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) are among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , with the lattermost film being the third all-time highest-grossing animated film with a gross of $ 1.063 billion . Fourteen of Pixar 's films are also among the 50 highest-grossing animated films of all time . The studio has earned sixteen Academy Awards , seven Golden Globe Awards , and eleven Grammy Awards , among many other awards and acknowledgments . Many of Pixar 's films have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature since its inauguration in 2001 , with eight winning ; this includes Finding Nemo and Toy Story 3 , along with The Incredibles ( 2004 ) , Ratatouille ( 2007 ) , WALL-E ( 2008 ) , Up ( 2009 ) , Brave ( 2012 ) , and Inside Out ( 2015 ) . Monsters , Inc. ( 2001 ) and Cars ( 2006 ) are the only two films that were nominated for the award without winning it , while Cars 2 ( 2011 ) , Monsters University ( 2013 ) , The Good Dinosaur ( 2015 ) , and Finding Dory have not been nominated . Up and Toy Story 3 were also the respective second and third animated films to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture , the first being Walt Disney Animation Studios ' Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) . Luxo Jr. , a character from the studio 's 1986 short film of the same name , is the studio 's mascot . On September 6 , 2009 , Pixar executives John Lasseter , Brad Bird , Pete Docter , Andrew Stanton , and Lee Unkrich were presented with the Golden Lion award for Lifetime Achievement by the biennial Venice Film Festival . The award was presented by Lucasfilm 's founder George Lucas .", "Hawaii. Hawaii ( -LSB- langpronaudio = en-us-Hawaii . ogghəˈwaɪ.i , _ - ji , _ - ʔi -RSB- ; Hawai -LSB- - hawhəˈvɐjʔi -RSB- ) is the 50th and most recent state to have joined the United States of America , having received statehood on August 21 , 1959 . Hawaii is the only U.S. state located in Oceania and the only one composed entirely of islands . It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia , occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean . Hawaii is the only U.S. state not located in the Americas . The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian archipelago , which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1500 mi . At the southeastern end of the archipelago , the eight main islands are -- in order from northwest to southeast : Niihau , Kauai , Oahu , Molokai , Lānai , Kahoolawe , Maui , and the Island of Hawaii . The last is the largest island in the group ; it is often called the `` Big Island '' or `` Hawaii Island '' to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago . The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania . Hawaii 's diverse natural scenery , warm tropical climate , abundance of public beaches , oceanic surroundings , and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists , surfers , biologists , and volcanologists . Because of its central location in the Pacific and 19th-century labor migration , Hawaii 's culture is strongly influenced by North American and Asian cultures , in addition to its indigenous Hawaiian culture . Hawaii has over a million permanent residents , along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel . Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oahu . Hawaii is the 8th-smallest and the 11th-least populous , but the 13th-most densely populated of the fifty U.S. states . It is the only state with an Asian plurality . The state 's coastline is about 750 mi long , the fourth longest in the U.S. after the coastlines of Alaska , Florida , and California .", "Entertainment. Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience , or gives pleasure and delight . It can be an idea or a task , but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousands of years specifically for the purpose of keeping an audience 's attention . Although people 's attention is held by different things , because individuals have different preferences in entertainment , most forms are recognisable and familiar . Storytelling , music , drama , dance , and different kinds of performance exist in all cultures , were supported in royal courts , developed into sophisticated forms and over time became available to all citizens . The process has been accelerated in modern times by an entertainment industry that records and sells entertainment products . Entertainment evolves and can be adapted to suit any scale , ranging from an individual who chooses a private entertainment from a now enormous array of pre-recorded products ; to a banquet adapted for two ; to any size or type of party , with appropriate music and dance ; to performances intended for thousands ; and even for a global audience . The experience of being entertained has come to be strongly associated with amusement , so that one common understanding of the idea is fun and laughter , although many entertainments have a serious purpose . This may be the case in the various forms of ceremony , celebration , religious festival , or satire for example . Hence , there is the possibility that what appears as entertainment may also be a means of achieving insight or intellectual growth . An important aspect of entertainment is the audience , which turns a private recreation or leisure activity into entertainment . The audience may have a passive role , as in the case of persons watching a play , opera , television show , or film ; or the audience role may be active , as in the case of games , where the participant/audience roles may be routinely reversed . Entertainment can be public or private , involving formal , scripted performance , as in the case of theatre or concerts ; or unscripted and spontaneous , as in the case of children 's games . Most forms of entertainment have persisted over many centuries , evolving due to changes in culture , technology , and fashion . Films and video games , for example , although they use newer media , continue to tell stories , present drama , and play music . Festivals devoted to music , film , or dance allow audiences to be entertained over a number of consecutive days . Some activities that were once considered entertaining , particularly public punishments , have been removed from the public arena . Others , such as fencing or archery , once necessary skills for some , have become serious sports and even professions for the participants , at the same time developing into entertainment with wider appeal for bigger audiences . In the same way , other necessary skills , such as cooking , have developed into performances among professionals , staged as global competitions and then broadcast for entertainment . What entertainment is for one group or individual may be regarded as work by another . The familiar forms of entertainment have the capacity to cross over different media and have demonstrated a seemingly unlimited potential for creative remix . This has ensured the continuity and longevity of many themes , images , and structures .", "Peter Jackson's King Kong. Peter Jackson 's King Kong is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Ubisoft , based on the 2005 film King Kong . The game was created in collaboration between the film 's director , Peter Jackson , and game designer , Michel Ancel . The game allows players to play as both Jack Driscoll and King Kong . The King Kong segment are played from a third-person perspective , while human levels are played from a first-person perspective . The game de-emphasizes the role of a heads-up display , with the developers explaining that this conceivably would help players to further immersed into the game . It was released on PC and sixth generation platforms and a Nintendo DS version on November 21 , 2005 , while it was released on November 22 , 2005 on the Xbox 360 as a launch title , as well as a Game Boy Advance version titled Kong : The 8th Wonder of the World , also a PlayStation Portable version was released December 20 , 2005 . All film cast members reprise their roles . Upon release , the game received critical acclaim , with critics praising the game 's immersive environments . However , the DS version was panned due to the bugs featured in these versions . And the PSP version received mix reception due to the shorter length and parts cut out from the console and PC versions .", "Donkey Kong (video game). is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981 . It is an early example of the platform game genre , as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles . In the game , Mario ( originally named Mr. Video and then Jumpman ) must rescue a damsel in distress named Pauline ( originally named Lady ) , from a giant ape named Donkey Kong . The hero and ape later became two of Nintendo 's most popular and recognizable characters . Donkey Kong is one of the most important titles from the Golden Age of Video Arcade Games , and is one of the most popular arcade games of all time . The game was the latest in a series of efforts by Nintendo to break into the North American market . Hiroshi Yamauchi , Nintendo 's president at the time , assigned the project to a first-time video game designer named Shigeru Miyamoto . Drawing from a wide range of inspirations , including Popeye , Beauty and the Beast , and King Kong , Miyamoto developed the scenario and designed the game alongside Nintendo 's chief engineer , Gunpei Yokoi . The two men broke new ground by using graphics as a means of characterization , including cutscenes to advance the game 's plot , and integrating multiple stages into the gameplay . Regardless of initial doubts by Nintendo 's American staff , Donkey Kong succeeded commercially and critically in North America and Japan . Nintendo licensed the game to Coleco , who developed home console versions for numerous platforms . Other companies cloned Nintendo 's hit and avoided royalties altogether . Miyamoto 's characters appeared on cereal boxes , television cartoons , and dozens of other places . A lawsuit brought on by Universal City Studios , alleging Donkey Kong violated their trademark of King Kong , ultimately failed . The success of Donkey Kong and Nintendo 's victory in the courtroom helped to position the company for video game market dominance from its release in 1981 until the late 1990s ( 1996 -- 1999 ) .", "Kong (roller coaster). Kong is a steel Suspended Looping Coaster , made by Vekoma , located at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo , California .", "Sequel. A sequel is a narrative , documental , or other work of literature , film , theatre , television , music or video game that continues the story of , or expands upon , some earlier work . In the common context of a narrative work of fiction , a sequel portrays events set in the same fictional universe as an earlier work , usually chronologically following the events of that work . In many cases , the sequel continues elements of the original story , often with the same characters and settings . A sequel can lead to a series , in which key elements appear repeatedly . Although the difference between more than one sequel and a series is somewhat arbitrary , it is clear that some media franchises have enough sequels to become a series , whether originally planned as such or not . Sequels are attractive to creators and to publishers because there is less risk involved in returning to a story with known popularity rather than developing new and untested characters and settings . Audiences are sometimes eager for more stories about popular characters or settings , making the production of sequels financially appealing . In movies , sequels are common . There are many name formats for sequels . Sometimes , they either have unrelated titles or have a letter added on the end . More commonly , they have numbers at the end or have an added word on the end . It is also common for a sequel to have a variation of the original title or have a subtitle . In the 1930s , many musical sequels had the year included in the title . Sometimes sequels are released with different titles in different countries , because of the perceived brand recognition . There are several ways that subsequent works can be related to the chronology of the original . Various neologisms have been coined to describe them .", "Sony Pictures. Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. ( known professionally as Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Pictures and abbreviated as SPE ) is an American entertainment company that produces , acquires and distributes filmed entertainment ( theatrical motion pictures , television programs and recorded videos ) through multiple platforms . It operates as a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc. , which is the parent company for both the music and motion picture businesses of Sony Corporation . Based in Culver City , California , it encompasses Sony 's motion picture , television production and distribution units . Its group sales in the fiscal year 2015 ( April 2015-March 2016 ) has been reported to be of $ 8.3 billion . Sony Pictures is one of Hollywood 's major film studios and a member of the Motion Picture Association of America . Sony Pictures ' film franchises include The Karate Kid , Ghostbusters , Spider-Man , Men in Black , Underworld , Resident Evil , Robert Langdon , The Smurfs , and many more .", "Out of print. Out of print refers to an item , typically a book ( see : out-of-print book ) , but can include any print or visual medium or sound recording , that is no longer being published . The abbreviation OOP ( also OP ) is a more general term that encompasses craft , hobby , toy , and collectable items that are out of production . An item goes out of print when a publisher does not reprint , re-press , or reissue after all copies have been sold to retailers . Reasons may include : the perception of the publisher that continuing to produce the work is no longer a commercially viable venture , i.e. that there is no longer a market for it a limited print run ( Timothy McSweeney 's Quarterly Concern ) antiquation , or the obsolescence of content or format ( laserdisc , VHS , compact cassette ) plans for a revised or reformatted edition the presence of errors , flaws , fabrication , offensive content , or plagiarism ( sometimes preceded by a recall ) banning or censorship intellectual property obstacles , such as the expiration of a publisher 's license to release content owned by another copyright holder . For example , a novelization of a film that was released 10 years ago is likely to go OOP for this reason . See licensing section in The Criterion Collection article for an example . Out of print items are often pursued by collectors through aftermarket retailers such as used bookstores , record shops , and online auction sites . Sellers of out of print merchandise on auction sites will typically include `` OOP '' or its equivalent in product descriptions . The designation is sometimes misappropriated -- an example is in keyword stuffing , where the acronym is used to generate numerous search results even as it does not apply to the items retrieved . The abbreviation is sometimes placed in descriptions of items whose publication or production status is unclear ( such as DVDs said to be returning to the `` Disney Vault '' ) to affect interest in the product .", "Blu-ray. Blu-ray or Blu-ray Disc ( BD ) is a digital optical disc data storage format . It was designed to supersede the DVD format , in that it is capable of storing high-definition ( 720p and 1080p ) and ultra high-definition video resolution ( 2160p ) . The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick , the same size as DVDs and CDs . Conventional ( pre-BD-XL ) Blu-ray Disc discs contain 25 GB per layer , with dual layer discs ( 50 GB ) being the industry standard for feature-length video discs . Triple-layer discs ( 100 GB ) and quadruple layers ( 128 GB ) are available for BD-XL re-writer drives . The name `` Blu-ray '' refers to the blue laser ( specifically , a violet laser ) used to read the disc , which allows information to be stored at a greater density than is possible with the longer-wavelength red laser used for DVDs . The main application of Blu-ray is as a medium for video material such as feature films and physical distribution of video games for the PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , and Xbox One . Besides the hardware specifications , Blu-ray is associated with a set of multimedia formats . High-definition video may be stored on Blu-ray discs with up to 2160p resolution ( 3840 × 2160 pixels ) , at up to 60 frames per second . DVD discs had been limited to a maximum resolution of 480p ( NTSC , 720 × 480 pixels ) or 576p ( PAL , 720 × 576 pixels ) . The BD format was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association , a group representing makers of consumer electronics , computer hardware , and motion pictures . Sony unveiled the first Blu-ray disc prototypes in October 2000 , and the first prototype player was released in April 2003 in Japan . Afterwards , it continued to be developed until its official release in June 2006 . During the high definition optical disc format war , Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format . Toshiba , the main company that supported HD DVD , conceded in February 2008 , releasing its own Blu-ray Disc player in late 2009 . According to Media Research , high-definition software sales in the US were slower in the first two years than DVD software sales . Blu-ray faces competition from video on demand and the continued sale of DVDs . As of January 2016 , 44 % of U.S. broadband households had a Blu-ray player .", "Harry Potter. Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling . The novels chronicle the life of a young wizard , Harry Potter , and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley , all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . The main story arc concerns Harry 's struggle against Lord Voldemort , a dark wizard who intends to become immortal , overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic , and subjugate all wizards and Muggles , a reference term that means non-magical people . Since the release of the first novel , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , on 26 June 1997 , the books have found immense popularity , critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide . The series has now been translated into multiple languages including French , Irish , Spanish , German and Swedish to name a few . They have attracted a wide adult audience as well as younger readers , and are often considered cornerstones of modern young adult literature . The series has also had its share of criticism , including concern about the increasingly dark tone as the series progressed , as well as the often gruesome and graphic violence it depicts . , the books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide , making them the best-selling book series in history , and have been translated into seventy-three languages . The last four books consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history , with the final instalment selling roughly eleven million copies in the United States within twenty-four hours of its release . The series was originally published in English by two major publishers , Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom and Scholastic Press in the United States . A play , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , based on a story co-written by Rowling , premiered in London on 30 July 2016 at the Palace Theatre , and its script was published by Little , Brown as the eighth book in the series . The original seven books were adapted into an eight-part film series by Warner Bros. . Pictures , which has become the second highest-grossing film series of all time . In 2016 , the total value of the Harry Potter franchise was estimated at $ 25 billion , making Harry Potter one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time . A series of many genres , including fantasy , drama , coming of age , friendship , and the British school story ( which includes elements of mystery , thriller , adventure , horror and romance ) , the world of Harry Potter explores numerous themes and includes many cultural meanings and references . According to Rowling , the main theme is death . Other major themes in the series include prejudice , corruption , and madness . The success of the books and films has ensured that the Harry Potter franchise continues to expand , with numerous derivative works , a travelling exhibition that premiered in Chicago in 2009 , a studio tour in London that opened in 2012 , a digital platform on which J.K. Rowling updates the series with new information and insight , and a pentalogy of spin-off films premiering in November 2016 , among many other developments . Most recently , themed attractions , collectively known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , have been built at several Universal Parks & Resorts amusement parks around the world .", "Book. A book is a set of sheets of paper , parchment , or similar materials that are fastened together to hinge at one side . A single sheet within a book is a leaf , and each side of a leaf is a page . Writing or images can be printed or drawn on a book 's pages . An electronic image that is formatted to resemble a book on a computer screen , smartphone or e-reader device is known as an electronic book or e-book . The term `` books '' may also refer to a body of works of literature , or a main division of literature ( e.g. , children 's literature ) . In library and information science , a book is called a monograph , to distinguish it from serial periodicals such as magazines , journals , or newspapers . In novels and sometimes other types of books ( for example , biographies ) , a book may be divided into several large sections , also called books ( Book 1 , Book 2 , Book 3 , and so on ) . An avid reader or collector of books or a book lover is a bibliophile or colloquially , `` bookworm '' . A shop where books are bought and sold is a bookshop or bookstore . Books are also sold in some department stores , drugstores and newspaper vendors . Books can also be borrowed from libraries . Google has estimated that as of 2010 , approximately 130,000,000 distinct titles had been published . In some wealthier nations , the sale of printed books has decreased because of the use of e-books , though sales of e-books declined in the first half of 2015 ." ]

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[ "The Challenge (TV series). The Challenge ( originally known as Road Rules : All Stars , followed by Real World/Road Rules Challenge ) is a reality game show on MTV that is spun off from the network 's two reality shows , Real World and Road Rules . It features alumni from these two shows , in addition to first-time cast members called ` Fresh Meat ' , alumni from Are You the One ? , and relatives of these cast members called ` Bloodlines ' , competing against one another for a cash prize . The Challenge is currently hosted by T. J. Lavin . The series premiered on June 1 , 1998 . The title of the show was originally Road Rules : All Stars before it was renamed Real World/Road Rules Challenge by the show 's 2nd season , then later abridged to simply The Challenge by the show 's 19th season . The series initially used no hosts but instead a former cast member who had been kicked off his or her season , providing assignments as `` Mr. '' or `` Ms. Big '' ( David `` Puck '' Rainey , David Edwards , and Gladys Sanabria served this role ) . Later on , however , the series began using hosts : Eric Nies and Mark Long co-hosted a season , and Jonny Moseley and Dave Mirra hosted various seasons before T. J. Lavin became the show 's regular host by the 11th season . Since the 4th season , each season has supplied the show with a unique subtitle , such as Rivals . Each season consists of a format and theme whereby the subtitle is derived . Of each season 's format and theme , 8 have been repeated or revamped through sequel seasons with shared subtitles . In chronological order , these include : Battle of the Sexes ( tied to Battle of the Sexes II , the show 's first sequel season ) ; The Inferno ( tied to The Inferno II and The Inferno III , the show 's first trilogy ) ; The Gauntlet ( tied to The Gauntlet II and The Gauntlet III ) ; The Duel ( tied to The Duel II ) ; Fresh Meat ( tied to Fresh Meat II ) , Battle of the Seasons ( tied to the second Battle of the Seasons ) ; Rivals ( tied to Rivals II and Rivals III ) ; and Battle of the Exes ( tied to Battle of the Exes II ) . The current 29th season , entitled Invasion of the Champions , premiered on February 7 , 2017 and concluded on May 16 , 2017 .", "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Island. Real World/Road Rules Challenge : The Island is the 16th season of the MTV reality game show , The Challenge ( at the time known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge ) . Like previous seasons of The Challenge , The Island featured cast members from various past seasons of The Real World and Road Rules , of which The Challenge was a spin-off , competing along with several cast members from the Fresh Meat challenge . This season featured the contestants `` stranded '' on an island off the coast of Panama , where the cast competed for a buried treasure chest filled with $ 300,000 USD in gold . Unlike in previous Challenges , the cast was not housed in a luxurious dwelling , but was `` forced '' to improvise and `` work '' for the basic necessities of food and shelter , as on the TV series Survivor . Unlike previous seasons of The Challenge , there were no predetermined teams . Instead , the cast members had to forge their own alliances . Of the twenty cast members , there were only four winners . The Island premiered on September 10 , 2008 , and concluded on October 29 , 2008 .", "Real World/Road Rules Challenge (season). Real World/Road Rules Challenge is the 2nd season of the MTV reality game show , The Challenge ( sometimes incorrectly referred to as the show 's 1st season ) . The season marked the first time in which `` Real World/Road Rules Challenge '' would be used as the show 's main title ( by the 19th season , however , the program would be renamed yet again simply to The Challenge ) . In addition , it 's one of two seasons absent of a subtitle ( though the other , season 3 , did have the year of its production as part of its title ) , a trend that would n't truly emerge until the show 's 4th season . It is the first six-on-six Challenge in the series . The teams traveled via tour bus and RV starting in San Francisco , ending in Universal City , California , competing in different individual challenges . The winning team had the right to travel in a tour bus , while the losing team had to travel in an RV . Each time a team won an individual challenge , they won the right to spend time in a `` money machine '' . The `` money machine '' , set up outside Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City , California was a huge wind chamber that contained up to $ 50,000 . Whatever the casts could keep on them , they were guaranteed to keep . This season also featured an additional challenge where the two teams competed over possession of a teddy bear . Whichever team had the teddy bear in their possession at an unknown , predetermined point in the challenge , would win the additional challenge .", "Reality television. Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents supposedly unscripted real-life situations , and often features an otherwise unknown cast of individuals who are typically not professional actors , although in some shows celebrities may participate . It differs from documentary television in that the focus tends to be on drama , personal conflict , and entertainment rather than educating viewers . The genre has various standard tropes , including `` confessionals '' ( also called talking heads or interview segments ) used by cast members to express their thoughts , which often double as the shows ' narration . In competition-based reality shows , a notable subset , there are other common elements such as one participant being eliminated per episode , a panel of judges , and the concept of `` immunity from elimination . '' An early example of the genre was the 1991 Dutch series Nummer 28 , which was the first show to bring together strangers and record their interactions . It then exploded as a phenomenon in the late 1990s and early 2000s with the global success of the series Survivor , Idols , and Big Brother . These shows and a number of others ( usually also competition-based ) became global franchises , spawning local versions in dozens of countries . Reality television as a whole has become a fixture of television programming . In the United States , various channels have retooled themselves to focus on reality programs , most famously MTV , which began in 1981 as a music video pioneer , before switching to a nearly all-reality format in the early 2000s . There are grey areas around what is classified as reality television . Documentaries , television news , sports television , talk shows , and traditional game shows are not classified as reality television , even though they contain elements of the genre , such as unscripted situations and sometimes unknown participants . Other genres that predate the reality television boom have sometimes been retroactively grouped into reality TV , including hidden camera shows such as Candid Camera ( 1948 ) , talent-search shows such as The Original Amateur Hour ( 1948 ) , documentary series about ordinary people such as the Up Series ( 1964 ) , high-concept game shows such as The Dating Game ( 1965 ) , home improvement shows such as This Old House ( 1979 ) , and court shows featuring real-life cases such as The People 's Court ( 1981 ) . Reality television has faced significant criticism since its rise in popularity . Much of the criticism has centered on the use of the word `` reality '' , and such shows ' attempt to present themselves as a straightforward recounting of events that have occurred . Critics have argued that reality television shows do not accurately reflect reality , in ways both implicit ( participants being placed in artificial situations ) , and deceptive or even fraudulent , such as misleading editing , participants being coached in what to say or how to behave , storylines generated ahead of time , and scenes being staged or re-staged for the cameras . Other criticisms of reality television shows include that they are intended to humiliate or exploit participants ( particularly on competition shows ) ; that they make stars out of either untalented people unworthy of fame , infamous personalities , or both ; and that they glamorize vulgarity and materialism .", "The Challenge: Invasion of the Champions. The Challenge : Invasion of the Champions ( originally promoted and titled as The Challenge : Invasion ) is the 29th season of the MTV reality game show , The Challenge . The new individual format was filmed in Krabi , Thailand during October and November 2016 , and features alumni from Real World , Road Rules , Spring Break Challenge , Fresh Meat II , and Are You the One ? competing . The season premiered on February 7 , 2017 , and concluded with the reunion special on May 16 , 2017 .", "The Challenge: Free Agents. The Challenge : Free Agents is the 25th season of the MTV reality game show , The Challenge . The season is located in Uruguay and Chile , with former cast members from MTV 's The Real World , Fresh Meat II and Spring Break Challenge competing . This season marks the first since season 12 that does not include any cast members from The Real World : Austin or the first Fresh Meat challenge . The season follows a new format , featuring each contestant competing in either teams , pairs or for themselves , for a share of $ 350,000 in prize money . The season premiered on April 10 , 2014 on MTV , marking the first time that the show has aired on a night other than a Wednesday since season 14 aired in 2007 . The season concluded on June 26 , 2014 , with the Reunion special .", "Survivor (franchise). Survivor is a reality competition television franchise produced in many countries throughout the world . The show features a group of contestants who are marooned in an isolated location , where they must provide food , water , fire , and shelter for themselves . The contestants compete in challenges for rewards and immunity from elimination . The contestants are progressively eliminated from the game as they are voted out by their fellow contestants until only one remains and is declared the winner and awarded the grand prize and is named the `` Sole Survivor . '' The format for Survivor was created in 1992 by the British television producer Charlie Parsons for a United Kingdom TV production company called Planet 24 , but the Swedish version , which debuted in 1997 , was the first Survivor series to actually make it to television .", "The Amazing Race. The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams . Contestants strive to arrive first at `` Pit Stops '' at the end of each leg of the race to win prizes and to avoid coming in last , which carries the possibility of elimination or a significant disadvantage in the following leg . Contestants travel to and within multiple countries in a variety of transportation modes , including airplanes , hot air balloons , helicopters , trucks , bicycles , taxicabs , cars , trains , buses , boats , and by foot . Clues provided in each leg lead the teams to the next destination or direct them to perform a task , either together or by a single member . These challenges are related in some manner to the country wherein they are located or its culture . Teams are progressively eliminated until three are left ; at that point , the team that arrives first in the final leg is awarded the grand prize . Created by Elise Doganieri and Bertram van Munster , the original series has aired in the United States since 2001 and has earned thirteen Primetime Emmy Awards , including every award from 2003 to 2009 for `` Outstanding Reality-Competition Program . '' Emmy-award-winning New Zealand television personality Phil Keoghan has been the host of the U.S. version of the show since its inception . The show has branched out to include a number of international versions following a similar format .", "Scripted reality. Scripted reality ( sometimes also euphemized as structured reality ) in television and entertainment is a subgenre of reality television with major or typically all parts of the contents being scripted , i.e. pre-arranged by the production company and thus fictional . Typical examples are docufictions and court shows . While there is considerable overlap in the usage of the terms scripted reality TV and reality TV , the scripted variant will never leave the plot or the story 's outcome to chance whereas the latter may compensate for chance elements with highlighting suitably entertaining parts of an otherwise real story .", "America's Got Talent. America 's Got Talent ( sometimes abbreviated as AGT ) is an American reality television series on the NBC television network , and part of the global Got Talent franchise . It is a talent show that features singers , dancers , magicians , comedians , and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of one million dollars . The show debuted in June 2006 for the summer television season . From season three ( 2008 ) onwards , the prize includes the one million dollars , payable in a financial annuity over 40 years , and a chance to headline a show on the Las Vegas Strip . Among its significant features is that it gives an opportunity to talented amateurs or unknown performers , with the results decided by an audience vote . The format is a popular one and has often been reworked for television in the United States and the United Kingdom . This incarnation was created by Simon Cowell , and was originally due to be a 2005 British series called Paul O'Grady 's Got Talent but was postponed due to O'Grady 's acrimonious split with broadcaster ITV ( later launching as Britain 's Got Talent in 2007 ) . As such , the U.S. version became the first full series of the franchise . The original judging panel consisted of David Hasselhoff , Brandy Norwood , and Piers Morgan . Sharon Osbourne replaced Norwood in season two ( 2007 ) , and Howie Mandel replaced Hasselhoff in season five ( 2010 ) . Howard Stern replaced Morgan in season seven ( 2012 ) . Mel B replaced Osbourne in season eight ( 2013 ) , while Heidi Klum joined as a fourth judge . Simon Cowell replaced Stern for season eleven ( 2016 ) . Regis Philbin was the original host ( season one ) , followed by Jerry Springer for two seasons ( 2007 -- 2008 ) , followed by Nick Cannon for eight seasons ( 2009 -- 2016 ) . Supermodel and host Tyra Banks replaced Cannon for the twelfth season . On August 2 , 2016 , NBC renewed the series for a twelfth season , which premiered on May 30 , 2017 .", "Challenge (TV channel). Challenge is a British digital television channel owned by Sky plc. . The channel mostly transmits game shows from the UK and around the world , with some original productions .", "Challenge (competition). A challenge is a request made to the holder of a competitive title for a match between champion and challenger , the winner of which will acquire or retain the title . In some cases the champion has the right to refuse a challenge ; in others , this results in forfeiting the title . The challenge system derives from duelling and its code of honour . While many competitive sports use some form of tournament to determine champions , a challenge match is the normal way of deciding professional boxing titles and the World Chess Championship . Some racket sports clubs have a reigning champion who may be challenged by any other club member ; a ladder tournament extends the challenge concept to all players , not just the reigning champion . At élite-level competition , there is usually some governing body which authorises and regulates challenges , such as FIDE in chess . In some cases there is a challengers ' tournament , the winner of which gains the right to play the challenge round against the reigning champion ; in tennis this was the case at Wimbledon until 1922 and in the Davis Cup until 1972 . The FA Cup 's official name remains the `` Football Association Challenge Cup '' , although not since its second season in 1873 has the reigning champion receive a bye to the final . The America 's Cup is contested according to the terms of its 1887 deed of gift between yachts representing the champion yacht club and a challenging club . Since 1970 , the usual practice , by mutual consent , is for an initial formal `` challenger of record '' replaced by the actual challenger after a qualifying tournament . However , in 1988 and 2010 there were court cases arising from non-consensual challenges . When the champion dies or otherwise vacates the title , a tournament among leading contenders may be used to crown a new champion prior to the resumption of challenges .", "The X Factor (U.S. TV series). The X Factor is an American reality television music competition show created by Simon Cowell and produced by FremantleMedia North America and SYCOtv , a partnership between Cowell and Sony Music Entertainment , which aired on Fox from 2011 to 2013 . Based on the original UK show , and an addition to the The X Factor franchise , the series found new singing talent ( solo artists and groups ages 12 and over ) , drawn from public auditions , and they competed against each other for votes . The winner was determined by the show 's viewers via telephone , the Internet , and SMS text voting , and was awarded a recording contract with Cowell 's record label Syco Music , worth $ 5 million in seasons one and two , and $ 1 million in season three . America voted for the following winners : Melanie Amaro , Tate Stevens , and Alex & Sierra , respectively . The show began airing on September 21 , 2011 , and aired annually from September through December until 2013 . The series employed a panel of judges who critiqued the contestants ' performances . Each contestant was assigned to one of four categories . The group acts were one category and the others were based on age or gender . For example , in season 1 the categories were girls , boys , groups , and over 30s . Each judge was assigned to one of the categories , and acted as mentor to the contestants in his or her category , helping to decide song choices , styling , and staging , while also judging contestants from the other categories after each of the live performances . They competed with each other to try to get one of the contestants in their category to win the competition , thus making them the winning judge . The most successful contestants to have emerged from the series are Fifth Harmony , namely . The original judging panel consisted of Cowell , Paula Abdul , Cheryl Cole and L.A. Reid , with Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones as co-hosts . Scherzinger later replaced Cole on the panel after two audition sites . Demi Lovato and Britney Spears joined the panel in the second season as replacements for Abdul and Scherzinger , while Khloé Kardashian and Mario Lopez replaced Jones as co-hosts . Spears and Reid did not return for the third season and were replaced by Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio , while Lopez became sole host after Kardashian was not asked to come back . On February 7 , 2014 , Fox announced that The X Factor would not be renewed for a fourth season , following Cowell 's decision to return to the UK version of the series a day earlier .", "The Challenge: Rivals. The Challenge : Rivals is the 21st season of the MTV reality game show , The Challenge . Rivals takes place in Costa Rica , Argentina , and Patagonia . The season used former cast members from MTV 's The Real World , Fresh Meat , Fresh Meat II , and Spring Break Challenge . Rivals marked the first season of The Challenge to not include any cast members from cancelled series Road Rules . The season featured an incendiary format in which players were teamed with their arch enemies from past seasons of The Real World and The Challenge . The season premiered on June 22 , 2011 , and concluded with the `` S # ! % They Should Have Shown '' special on September 7 , 2011 . This is the first edition of the Rivals series , with Rivals II airing in 2013 and Rivals III following in 2016 .", "The Challenge: Battle of the Exes II. The Challenge : Battle of the Exes II is the 26th season of MTV 's reality game show , The Challenge , and the sequel to the show 's 22nd season , Battle of the Exes . Filming occurred in Pedasí , Panama and Ørsta , Norway in August and September 2014 , with former cast members from MTV 's The Real World , Fresh Meat , Fresh Meat II , and Are You the One ? competing . With Are You the One ? , this season marks the first to feature cast members from a show not produced by Bunim-Murray Productions . The season was dedicated to cast members Diem Brown and Ryan Knight , both of whom died in November 2014 , two months after filming ended . Brown was featured in an MTV special titled `` We Heart Diem '' that aired on December 9 , 2014 . A launch special , `` EX-tra Baggage , '' hosted by T. J. Lavin and Battle of the Exes champion Camila Nakagawa , aired on December 30 , 2014 . The season premiered on January 6 , 2015 , and concluded on March 24 , 2015 , with the Reunion and `` The S. . . They Should 've Shown '' specials .", "Spring Break Challenge. Spring Break Challenge is a one-off MTV reality game show spun off from MTV 's long-running reality game show , The Challenge . The spin-off series was somewhat cast-contestant dependent on The Challenge in that the Spring Break Challenge used various contestants from the precursor program . ( To date , The Challenge has only used one contestant from Spring Break Challenge . ) Spring Break Challenge is also cast-contestant dependent on MTV 's two flagship reality programs , The Real World and the now cancelled series Road Rules . As with The Challenge , T. J. Lavin was the host of Spring Break Challenge . The program aired from March 22-26 , 2010 in Acapulco , Mexico ( prior to the airing of The Challenge 's 19th season ) , during MTV 's annual spring break coverage . This spin-off featured teams of college-aged friends in various challenges of old and new based on previous seasons of The Challenge . The Spring Break Challenge cast was made up of original contestants from colleges across the country , as well as alumni from previous seasons of The Real World , Road Rules , and the Fresh Meat challenge serving as coaches .", "The Challenge: Battle of the Exes. The Challenge : Battle of the Exes is the 22nd season of the MTV reality game show , The Challenge . It takes place in the Dominican Republic and Iceland , with former cast members from MTV 's The Real World , Road Rules , Fresh Meat , Fresh Meat II , and the Spring Break Challenge competing . A launch special , `` The Pre-Game , '' premiered on January 11 , 2012 , explaining the previous history of how the couples broke up . The season premiered on January 25 , 2012 , and concluded on April 4 , 2012 , with the Reunion special . After a seven-year-long absence from The Challenge , Mike `` The Miz '' Mizanin returned to the reality show as the host of the Battle of the Exes ' Season Finale and Reunion Special . This is the first edition of the Battle of the Exes series , with Battle of the Exes II following in 2015 .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "The Apprentice (U.S. TV series). The Apprentice is an American game show that judges the business skills of a group of contestants . It has run in various formats across fourteen seasons since January 2004 on NBC . The Apprentice was created by British-born American television producer Mark Burnett . Billed as `` The Ultimate Job Interview '' , the show features sixteen to eighteen business people who compete over the course of a season , with usually one contestant eliminated per episode . Contestants are split into two `` corporations '' ( teams ) , with one member from each volunteering as a project manager on each new task . The corporations complete business-related tasks such as selling products , raising money for charity , or creating an advertising campaign , with one corporation selected as the winner based on objective measures and subjective opinions of the host and his advisors who monitor the teams ' performance on tasks . The losing corporation attends a boardroom meeting with the show 's host and their advisors to break down why they lost and determine who contributed the least to the team . Episodes ended with the host eliminating the poorest contributor from the competition , with the words `` You 're fired ! '' Seven of the show 's seasons featured aspiring , but otherwise unknown , businesspersons who would vie for the show 's prize , a one-year $ 250,000 starting contract to run one of Donald Trump 's companies . There have also been seven seasons of The Celebrity Apprentice since 2008 , In this format , several celebrities would participate to win money for their chosen charities , with the final prize being a large donation to the celebrity 's charity and the title of `` Apprentice '' . A reboot of this format , The New Celebrity Apprentice , aired in January 2017 . The U.S. series originated a franchise of international television shows collectively known as The Apprentice , which has had over 20 local versions . Real estate tycoon and now President Donald Trump was the show 's host for the first fourteen seasons . After Trump declared that he would run for President , it was announced the fifteenth season would be hosted by actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger , which debuted in January 2017 . Lifestyle mogul Martha Stewart hosted the one-season spin-off The Apprentice : Martha Stewart in 2005 .", "Beauty and the Geek. Beauty and the Geek is a reality television series that is an international franchise , the U.S version is shown on The CW . It has been advertised as `` The Ultimate Social Experiment '' and is produced by Ashton Kutcher , Jason Goldberg and Nick Santora . The premise of the show consists of a group of `` Beauties '' ( young women who have relied primarily on their looks ) and a group of `` Geeks '' ( young men who have relied primarily on intellect rather than social aptitude or looks ) who are paired up to compete as couples for a shared $ 250,000 and other prizes . ( For the fourth season , the producers modified the formula to include an extra team consisting of a male `` beauty '' and a female `` geek '' . For the fifth season , the beauties and geeks competed against each other at first , and teams of one beauty and one geek were not selected until the end of episode three . ) Each beauty lives together in a room with her geek during the course of the competition . There are challenges shown each episode , one testing the beauties on a primarily academic subject , and another that has the geeks competing in a more popular/social realm . The winners of the challenges select two teams to compete against each other in a pure `` quiz show '' type question and answer session : the team with fewer correct answers gets eliminated . By the end of the competition , many of the contestants say that they have learned much about interacting with people from a different social group ( and positive lessons about the character of people from that group ) , positive things about themselves and their own character , and often something about human nature in general . After the airing of season 5 , production has stopped and has been effectively cancelled .", "The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros. The Challenge : Champs vs. Pros is a special mini-series that is spun off from MTV 's long-running reality game show , The Challenge . In the six-week event , ten Challenge greats will compete against ten professional athletes . The series premiered on Tuesday , May 16 , 2017 , and is hosted by NFL wide receiver Victor Cruz . Contestants will be competing to win $ 50,000 to donate to the charity of their choice . The format features alumni from Real World , Road Rules , Spring Break Challenge , and Fresh Meat II , competing with athletes who have participated in professional leagues and events such as the National Football League , Women 's National Basketball Association , Ultimate Fighting Championship , World Surfing Championship , along with the Winter and Summer Olympics .", "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes 2. Real World/Road Rules Challenge : Battle of the Sexes 2 is the 9th season of the MTV reality game show The Challenge ( at the time known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge ) . The season directly follows The Inferno . Battle of the Sexes 2 is the first season of The Challenge to be a sequel from an earlier season , the show 's sixth season , Battle of the Sexes . A casting special , He Says She Says : The Battle for the Battle of the Sexes 2 was aired on September 27 , 2004 . Battle of the Sexes 2 was premiered on October 4 , 2004 , and concluded on January 31 , 2005 . The Challenge took place in Santa Fe , New Mexico . Before each challenge , each team would choose three leaders . If the team won , those leaders could vote off anyone else ; if the team lost , one of those leaders would be voted off . No life-shields were used during this season .", "It's Not What You Know. It 's Not What You Know ( sometimes styled as Chris Tarrant 's It 's Not What You Know ) is a game show hosted by Chris Tarrant , which aired on the British digital TV channel Challenge from 28 April to 6 June 2008 . The show was unusual as Challenge tends to air repeats of classic game shows that were originally commissioned by other broadcasters , very rarely producing original content . This game show also claimed to be the first ever show where people could win money by not answering any of the questions on the show correctly .", "Game of Thrones. Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss . It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire , George R. R. Martin 's series of fantasy novels , the first of which is A Game of Thrones . It is filmed at Titanic Studios in Belfast , on location in the United Kingdom , and in Canada , Croatia , Iceland , Malta , Morocco , Spain , and the United States . The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17 , 2011 , and its sixth season ended on June 26 , 2016 . The series was renewed for a seventh season , which is scheduled to premiere on July 16 , 2017 , and will conclude with its eighth season in 2018 . Set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos , Game of Thrones has several plot lines and a large ensemble cast . The first story arc follows a dynastic conflict among competing claimants for succession to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms , with other noble families fighting for independence from the throne . The second covers attempts to reclaim the throne by the exiled last scion of the realm 's deposed ruling dynasty ; the third chronicles the threat of the impending winter and the legendary creatures and fierce peoples of the North . Game of Thrones has attracted record viewership on HBO and has a broad , active , international fan base . It has been acclaimed by critics , particularly for its acting , complex characters , story , scope , and production values , although its frequent use of nudity and violence ( including sexual violence ) has attracted criticism . The series has received 38 Primetime Emmy Awards , including Outstanding Drama Series in 2015 and 2016 , more than any other primetime scripted television series . Its other awards and nominations include three Hugo Awards for Best Dramatic Presentation ( 2012 -- 2014 ) , a 2011 Peabody Award , and four nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama ( 2012 and 2015 -- 2017 ) . Of the ensemble cast , Peter Dinklage has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series ( 2011 and 2015 ) and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Series , Miniseries or Television Film ( 2012 ) for his performance as Tyrion Lannister . Lena Headey , Emilia Clarke , Kit Harington , Maisie Williams , Diana Rigg , and Max von Sydow have also received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for their performances in the series .", "Got Talent. Got Talent is a British talent show television format conceived and owned by Simon Cowell 's SYCOtv company . A pilot was made in the United Kingdom in 2005 , hosted by Paul O'Grady , but after O'Grady 's split with ITV , the series was postponed , resulting in NBC 's America 's Got Talent -- the first full series of the format . It has spawned spin-offs in over 58 countries ( as of April 2014 ) , in what is now referred to as the ` Got Talent ' format , similar to that described by FremantleMedia of the Idol and The X Factor formats . Unlike those shows , Got Talent showcases several artistic disciplines in addition to singing . In April 2014 , the format was named the world 's most successful reality TV format ever by the Guinness World Records .", "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno. Real World/Road Rules Challenge : The Inferno is the 8th season of the MTV reality game show , The Challenge ( at the time known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge ) . The season is directly subsequent to The Gauntlet . The Inferno aired in 2004 . The season was composed of twenty cast members , and took place in Acapulco , Mexico . In this challenge , the winning teams would receive a prize at the end of each mission . They would then nominate two players from their team to the Inferno elimination challenge . Unlike The Gauntlet , there would be another challenge with an immunity life-saver up for grabs before the Inferno . Each team then selected one of the two nominees from the opposing team to go into the Inferno . This is the first edition of The Inferno series , with The Inferno II following in 2005 and The Inferno 3 following in 2007 .", "Road Rules: All Stars. Road Rules : All Stars is the first season of the MTV reality game show , The Challenge . Unlike later seasons , the show followed alumni of The Real World as they went on a typical Road Rules-type adventure around the United States in a non-competitive format . It is the only season without the term Challenge in its title . The season premiered on June 1 , 1998 .", "The X Factor. The X Factor is a television music competition franchise created by Simon Cowell . It originated in the United Kingdom , where it was devised as a replacement for Pop Idol ( 2001 -- 03 ) . It is held in various countries . The programmes are produced by executive producer Simon Cowell and his company SYCOtv . The `` X Factor '' of the title refers to the undefinable `` something '' that makes for star quality . The prize is usually a recording contract , in addition to the publicity that appearance in the later stages of the show itself generates , not only for the winner but also for other highly ranked contestants . The similarities between The X Factor and Idols prompted Idol creator Simon Fuller , along with 19 Entertainment , to file a lawsuit against Cowell , SYCOtv , and FremantleMedia in 2004 . An out-of-court settlement was reached in 2005 allowing Fuller to gain a 10 % share in The X Factor format , and preventing an American version until 2010 . Fuller later filed another lawsuit in 2011 , claiming that he had also been promised that he would be credited as an executive producer of The X Factor USA , but that Syco , FremantleMedia , and Fox Broadcasting Company had failed to fulfill that promise ; that lawsuit is pending . Unlike Idol , where the judges only critique the contestants ' performances , on The X Factor each judge `` mentors '' the finalists in a particular category , aiding them with song selection and styling , while also participating together in judging the contestants in the other categories . Not only Idol , but also new singing shows The Voice and Rising Star have become rival shows to The X Factor .", "Survivor (U.S. TV series). Survivor is the American version of the international Survivor reality competition television franchise , itself derived from the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson created by Charlie Parsons which premiered in 1997 . The American series premiered on May 31 , 2000 , on CBS . It is hosted by television personality Jeff Probst , who is also an executive producer along with Mark Burnett and original creator , Parsons . The show maroons a group of strangers in an isolated location , where they must provide food , water , fire , and shelter for themselves . The contestants compete in challenges for rewards and immunity from elimination . The contestants are progressively eliminated from the game as they are voted out by their fellow contestants , until only one remains and is given the title of `` Sole Survivor '' and is awarded the grand prize of US$ 1,000,000 . The American version has been very successful . From the 2000 -- 01 through the 2005 -- 06 television seasons , its first eleven seasons ( competitions ) rated amongst the top ten most watched shows . It is commonly considered the leader of American reality TV because it was the first highly rated and profitable reality show on broadcast television in the U.S. , and is considered one of the best shows of the 2000s ( decade ) . The series has been nominated for several Emmy Awards , including winning for Outstanding Sound Mixing in 2001 , Outstanding Special Class Program in 2002 , and was subsequently nominated four times for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program when the category was introduced in 2003 . Jeff Probst won the award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program four consecutive times after the award was introduced in 2008 . In 2007 , the series was included in Time magazine 's list of the 100 greatest TV shows of all-time . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked it at # 39 on its list of the `` 60 Best Series of All Time '' . The 34th season , Survivor : Game Changers , premiered on March 8 , 2017 and ended on May 24 , 2017 . The series has been renewed for a 35th season , Survivor : Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers , which air through the 2017 -- 18 television season .", "Friends. Friends ( stylized as F • R • I • E • N • D • S ) is an American television sitcom , created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman , which aired on NBC from September 22 , 1994 , to May 6 , 2004 , lasting ten seasons . With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer , the show revolves around six 20-30 something friends living in Manhattan . The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions , in association with Warner Bros. . Television . The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright , Marta Kauffman , and David Crane . Kauffman and Crane began developing Friends under the title Insomnia Cafe between November and December 1993 . They presented the idea to Bright , and together they pitched a seven-page treatment of the show to NBC . After several script rewrites and changes , including a title change to Six of One and Friends Like Us , the series was finally named Friends . Filming took place at Warner Bros. . Studios in Burbank , California . All ten seasons of Friends ranked within the top ten of the final television season ratings ; ultimately reaching the No. 1 spot with its eighth season . The series finale on May 6 , 2004 , was watched by around 52.5 million American viewers , making it the fifth most watched series finale in television history , and the most watched television episode of the 2000s decade . Friends received acclaim throughout its run , becoming one of the most popular television shows of all time . The series was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards , winning the Outstanding Comedy Series award in 2002 for its eighth season . The show ranked no. 21 on -LSB- -LSB- TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time | TV Guide '' 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time -RSB- -RSB- and no. 7 on Empire magazine 's The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 1997 , the episode `` The One with the Prom Video '' was ranked no. 100 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2013 , Friends '' ranked no. 24 on the Writers Guild of America 's 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time and no. 28 on TV Guide 's 60 Best TV Series of All Time .", "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet 2. Real World/Road Rules Challenge : The Gauntlet 2 is the 11th season of the MTV reality game show , The Challenge ( at the time known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge ) . The season is directly subsequent to The Inferno II . The Gauntlet II marked T. J. Lavin 's first time presenting the series , regularly hosting the program from this season forward . Prior seasons only used temporary hosts . The season is the second in the Gauntlet series , with the original Gauntlet airing in 2003 -- 2004 and The Gauntlet III following in 2008 . The Gauntlet II aired in late 2005 and into 2006 with 32 contestants and took place in Trinidad and Tobago . The teams were designated Veterans and Rookies , based on the number of prior Challenge seasons on which each cast member had competed . Those on the Veterans team had been on at least two prior seasons , and those on the Rookies team had been on fewer than two seasons . For this season , a male and female captain were determined at the beginning of the season . After each team challenge , the losing team captain was sent to the `` Gauntlet '' , where they would face an opponent of the same sex and same team who was voted into the Gauntlet by the respective team . Gauntlets alternated between `` Male Gauntlets '' and `` Female Gauntlets '' .", "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins. Real World Road Rules Challenge : The Ruins is the 18th season of the MTV reality television game show , The Challenge ( at the time known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge ) . The Ruins took place in Phuket , Thailand , with cast members from The Real World , Road Rules and Fresh Meat competing . This season was played in the format of two teams -- Champions and Challengers ; players on the Champions team had won at least one previous challenge , while players on the Challengers team had never won a challenge . This is the last season to use Real World/Road Rules in the on-screen title , before being shortened to The Challenge in the 19th season . The season premiered on September 30 , 2009 and concluded with the `` S # ! t They Should Have Shown '' special on December 23 , 2009 ." ]

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[ "Berlin. Berlin ( -LSB- bəɹˈlɪn -RSB- , -LSB- bɛɐ̯ˈliːn -RSB- ) is the capital and the largest city of Germany as well as one of its 16 constituent states . With a population of approximately 3.7 million , Berlin is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union . Located in northeastern Germany on the banks of the rivers Spree and Havel , it is the centre of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Region , which has roughly 6 million residents from more than 180 nations . Due to its location in the European Plain , Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate . Around one-third of the city 's area is composed of forests , parks , gardens , rivers , canals and lakes . First documented in the 13th century and situated at the crossing of two important historic trade routes , Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg ( 14171701 ) , the Kingdom of Prussia ( 1701 -- 1918 ) , the German Empire ( 1871 -- 1918 ) , the Weimar Republic ( 1919 -- 1933 ) and the Third Reich ( 1933 -- 1945 ) . Berlin in the 1920s was the third largest municipality in the world . After World War II and its subsequent occupation by the victorious countries , the city was divided ; East Berlin was declared capital of East Germany , while West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave , surrounded by the Berlin Wall ( 1961 -- 1989 ) and East German territory . Following German reunification in 1990 , Berlin once again became the capital of all-Germany . Berlin is a world city of culture , politics , media and science . Its economy is based on high-tech firms and the service sector , encompassing a diverse range of creative industries , research facilities , media corporations and convention venues . Berlin serves as a continental hub for air and rail traffic and has a highly complex public transportation network . The metropolis is a popular tourist destination . Significant industries also include IT , pharmaceuticals , biomedical engineering , clean tech , biotechnology , construction and electronics . Modern Berlin is home to world renowned universities , orchestras , museums , entertainment venues and is host to many sporting events . Its urban setting has made it a sought-after location for international film productions . The city is well known for its festivals , diverse architecture , nightlife , contemporary arts and a high quality of living . Since the 2000s Berlin has seen the emergence of a cosmopolitan entrepreneurial scene .", "Geography of Berlin. Berlin is the capital city of Germany and one of the 16 states of Germany . With a population of 3.4 million people , Berlin is the second most populous city proper , the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union , and the largest German city . Located in northeastern Germany on the River Spree , it is the center of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Region , which has about 6 million residents from over 180 nations . Due to its location in the European Plain , Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate . Around one third of the city 's area is composed of forests , parks , gardens , rivers and lakes.Berlin is surrounded by the state of Brandenburg .", "Germany. Germany ( listen ) , is a federal parliamentary republic in central-western Europe . It includes 16 constituent states , covers an area of 357,021 km2 , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With about 82 million inhabitants , Germany is the most populous member state of the European Union . After the United States , it is the second most popular immigration destination in the world . Germany 's capital and largest metropolis is Berlin , while its largest conurbation is the Ruhr ( main centres : Dortmund and Essen ) . The country 's other major cities are Hamburg , Munich , Cologne , Frankfurt , Stuttgart , Düsseldorf , Leipzig , Bremen , Dresden , Hannover and Nuremberg . Various Germanic tribes have inhabited the northern parts of modern Germany since classical antiquity . A region named Germania was documented before 100 AD . During the Migration Period the Germanic tribes expanded southward . Beginning in the 10th century , German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire . During the 16th century , northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation . The remains of the Holy Roman Empire formed the German Confederation in 1815 , while the German revolutions of 1848 -- 49 established major democratic rights first . In 1871 , Germany became a nation state when most of the German states were unified into the Prussian-dominated German Empire . After World War I and the German Revolution of 1918 -- 1919 , the Empire was replaced by the parliamentary Weimar Republic . In 1933 the Nazi seizure of power quickly led to the establishment of Nazi Germany which was built upon a dictatorship and consequently led to World War II and one of the biggest genocides in history , the Holocaust . By 1945 Germany and most of Europe were left in destruction and ruins . After the end of World War II in Europe and a period of Allied occupation , two German states were founded : the democratic Federal Republic of Germany ( commonly known as West Germany ) and the socialist German Democratic Republic ( commonly known as East Germany ) . A wall encircling West Berlin was created on August 13 , 1961 , and was torn down on November 9 , 1989 . On 3 October 1990 , the country was reunified . In the 21st century , Germany is a great power and has the world 's fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP , as well as the fifth-largest by PPP . As a global leader in several industrial and technological sectors , it is both the world 's third-largest exporter and importer of goods . Germany is a developed country with a very high standard of living sustained by a skilled and productive society . It upholds a social security and universal health care system , environmental protection and a tuition-free university education . The Federal Republic of Germany was a founding member of the European Economic Community in 1957 and the European Union in 1993 . It is part of the Schengen Area , and became a co-founder of the Eurozone in 1999 . Germany is a member of the United Nations , NATO , the G8 , the G20 , and the OECD . The national military expenditure is the 9th highest in the world . Known for its rich cultural history , Germany has been continuously the home of influential and successful artists , philosophers , musicians , sportspeople , entrepreneurs , scientists , engineers , and inventors .", "Berlin (disambiguation). Berlin is the capital of Germany . Berlin may also refer to :", "Capital of Germany. The capital of Germany is the city state of Berlin . It is the seat of the President of Germany , whose official residence is Schloss Bellevue . The Bundesrat ( `` federal council '' ) is the representation of the Federal States ( Bundesländer ) of Germany and has its seat at the former Prussian Herrenhaus ( House of Lords ) . Though most of the ministries are seated in Berlin , some of them , as well as some minor departments , are seated in Bonn , the former capital of West Germany .", "Politics of Berlin. Berlin is a city-state and the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany . The President of Germany , whose functions are primarily ceremonial under the German constitution , has his official residence in Schloss Bellevue . Berlin is the seat of the German executive , housed in the Chancellery ( the Bundeskanzleramt ) . Facing the Chancellery is the Bundestag , the German Parliament , housed in the renovated Reichstag building since the government 's move to Berlin in 1998 . The Bundesrat ( `` federal council '' , functioning as an upper house ) represents the Federal States ( Bundesländer ) of Germany and has its seat at the former Prussian House of Lords .", "List of quotes featuring Berlin. This articles shows a list of quotes featuring Berlin , the capital city of Germany .", "Outline of Germany. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Germany : Germany -- federal parliamentary republic in western-central Europe consisting of 16 constituent states , which retain limited sovereignty . Its capital and largest city is Berlin . With more than 80 million inhabitants , it is the most populous member state in the European Union . Germany is a major economic and political power of the European continent and a historic leader in many cultural , theoretical and technical fields . After losing World War I , Germany fell under the control of Adolf Hitler , who started World War II . After losing World War II , Germany was divided into East Germany and West Germany , each on opposite sides in the Cold War . In October 1990 , after the Cold War ended , the country was reunified . Germany has since grown to become the world 's fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP .", "Federal capital. A federal capital is a political entity , often a municipality or capital city , that enjoys status as a seat of government in a federal state . A federal capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the offices and meeting places of its respective government , where its location and relationship to subnational states are fixed by law or federal constitution . Federal capitals may or may not be considered states in themselves , and either exercise significant political autonomy from the federation or are directly ruled by the national government located within their premises , as federal districts . Examples of well-known federal capitals include Washington , D.C. , which is not part of any U.S. state but borders Maryland and Virginia ; Berlin , which is a state of Germany in its own right and forms an enclave within the much larger state of Brandenburg ; and the Australian Capital Territory , a territory of Australia which includes the capital city of Australia , Canberra .", "Bonn. The Federal City of Bonn ( -LSB- ˈbɔn -RSB- ) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia , with a population of 311,287 . About 24 km south-southeast of Cologne , Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr region , Germany 's largest metropolitan area , with over 11 million inhabitants . Together with the capital Berlin , the city is the de facto joint seat of government of Germany , with the President , the Chancellor , and many federal government ministries maintaining substantial presences in Bonn . The title of Federal City ( Bundesstadt ) reflects its important political status within Germany . Founded in the 1st century BC as a Roman settlement , Bonn is one of Germany 's oldest cities . From 1597 to 1794 , Bonn was the capital of the Electorate of Cologne , and residence of the Archbishops and Prince-electors of Cologne . Composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born here in 1770 . From 1949 to 1990 , Bonn was the capital of West Germany , and it is here that Germany 's present constitution , the Grundgesetz , was declared in 1949 . From 1990 to 1999 , Bonn served as the seat of government -- but no longer capital -- of reunited Germany . The headquarters of Deutsche Post DHL and Deutsche Telekom , both DAX-listed corporations , are in Bonn . The city is home to the University of Bonn and a total of 19 United Nations institutions .", "History of Berlin. The history of Berlin starts with its foundation in the 13th century , and later became the capital of the small country of Prussia . Prussia grew rapidly in the 18th and 19th century , and formed the basis of the German Empire in 1871 . After 1900 Berlin became a major world city , known for its leadership roles in science , the humanities , music , museums , higher education , government , diplomacy and military affairs . It also had a role in manufacturing and finance . During World War II , it was virtually destroyed by bombing , artillery , and ferocious street-by-street fighting . It was split between the victors , and lost its world leadership roles . With the reunification of Germany in 1990 , Berlin was restored as a capital and as a major world city .", "Brandenburg. Brandenburg ( ; Brannenborg , Lower Sorbian : Bramborska ) is one of the sixteen federated states of Germany . It lies in the northeast of the country covering an area of 29,478 square kilometers and has 2.48 million inhabitants . The capital and largest city is Potsdam . Brandenburg surrounds but does not include the national capital and city-state Berlin forming a metropolitan area . Originating in the medieval Northern March , the Margraviate of Brandenburg grew to become the core of the Kingdom of Prussia , which would later become the Free State of Prussia with part being the province of Brandenburg . Brandenburg is one of the federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former East Germany and West Germany .", "West Germany. West Germany is the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG ( -LSB- Bundesrepublik Deutschland or BRD ( Germany ) , BRD -RSB- République fédérale d'Allemagne or RFA ) in the period between its creation on 23 May 1949 and German reunification on 3 October 1990 . During this Cold War era , NATO-aligned West Germany and Warsaw Pact-aligned East Germany were divided by the Inner German border . After 1961 West Berlin was physically separated from East Berlin as well as from East Germany by the Berlin Wall . This situation ended when East Germany was dissolved and its five states joined the ten states of the Federal Republic of Germany along with the reunified city-state of Berlin . With the reunification of West and East Germany , the Federal Republic of Germany , enlarged now to sixteen states , became known simply as `` Germany '' . This period is referred to as the Bonn Republic ( Bonner Republik ) by historians , alluding to the interwar Weimar Republic and the post-reunification Berlin Republic . The Federal Republic of Germany was established from eleven states formed in the three Allied Zones of occupation held by the United States , the United Kingdom and France ( the `` Western Zones '' ) . US and British forces remained in the country throughout the Cold War . Its population grew from roughly 51 million in 1950 to more than 63 million in 1990 . The city of Bonn was its de facto capital city ( Berlin was symbolically named the de jure capital city in the West German Basic Law ) . The fourth Allied occupation zone ( the East Zone , or Ostzone ) was held by the Soviet Union . The parts of this zone lying east of the Oder-Neisse were annexed by Communist Poland ; the remaining central part around Berlin became the communist German Democratic Republic ( abbreviated GDR ; in German Deutsche Demokratische Republik or DDR ) with its de facto capital in East Berlin . As a result , West Germany had a territory about half the size of the interbellum democratic Weimar Republic . At the onset of the Cold War , Europe was divided among the Western and Eastern blocs . Germany was de facto divided into two countries and two special territories , the Saarland and divided Berlin . The Federal Republic of Germany claimed an exclusive mandate for all of Germany , considering itself to be the democratically reorganised continuation of the 1871 -- 1945 German Reich . It took the line that the GDR was an illegally constituted puppet state . Though the GDR did hold regular elections , these were not free and fair . From the West German perspective the GDR was therefore illegitimate . Three southwestern states of West Germany merged to form Baden-Württemberg in 1952 , and the Saarland joined the Federal Republic of Germany in 1957 . In addition to the resulting ten states , West Berlin was considered an unofficial de facto 11th state . While legally not part of the Federal Republic of Germany , as Berlin was under the control of the Allied Control Council , West Berlin aligned itself politically with West Germany and was directly or indirectly represented in its federal institutions . Relations with the Soviet bloc improved during the era of `` Neue Ostpolitik '' around 1970 , and West Germany began taking the line of `` two German states within one German nation '' , but formally maintained the exclusive mandate . It recognised the GDR as a de facto government within a single German nation that in turn was represented de jure by the West German state alone . From 1973 onward , East Germany recognised the existence of two German countries de jure , and the West as both de facto and de jure foreign country . The Federal Republic and the GDR agreed that neither of them could speak in the name of the other . The foundation for the influential position held by Germany today was laid during the Wirtschaftswunder ( economic miracle ) of the 1950s when West Germany rose from the enormous destruction wrought by World War II to become the world 's third largest economy . The first chancellor Konrad Adenauer , who remained in office until 1963 , had worked for a full alignment with NATO rather than neutrality . He not only secured a membership in NATO but was also a proponent of agreements that developed into the present-day European Union . When the G6 was established in 1975 , there was no question whether the Federal Republic of Germany would be a member as well . With the collapse of communism in Central and Eastern Europe in 1989 , symbolised by the opening of the Berlin Wall , there was a rapid move towards German reunification . East Germany voted to dissolve itself and accede to the Federal Republic in 1990 . Its five post-war states ( Länder ) were reconstituted along with the reunited Berlin , which ended its special status and formed an additional Land . They formally joined the Federal Republic on 3 October 1990 , raising the number of states from 10 to 16 , ending the division of Germany . The expanded Federal Republic retained West Germany 's political culture and continued its existing memberships in international organisations , as well as its Western foreign policy alignment and affiliation to Western alliances like NATO and the European Union .", "Potsdam. Potsdam ( -LSB- ˈpɔtsdam -RSB- ) is the capital and largest city of the German federal state of Brandenburg . It directly borders the German capital Berlin and is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region . It is situated on the River Havel , 24 km southwest of Berlin 's city centre . Potsdam was a residence of the Prussian kings and the German Kaiser , until 1918 . Its planning embodied ideas of The Age of Enlightenment : through a careful balance of architecture and landscape Potsdam was intended as `` a picturesque , pastoral dream '' which reminded its residents of their relationship with nature and reason . Around the city there are a series of interconnected lakes and cultural landmarks , in particular the parks and palaces of Sanssouci , the largest World Heritage Site in Germany . The Potsdam Conference in 1945 was held at the palace Cecilienhof . Babelsberg , in the south-eastern part of Potsdam , was a major film production studio before the 1930s and has enjoyed success as a major center of European film production since the fall of the Berlin Wall . The Filmstudio Babelsberg is the oldest large-scale film studio in the world . Potsdam developed into a centre of science in Germany in the 19th century . Today , there are three public colleges , the University of Potsdam , and more than 30 research institutes in the city .", "Air Berlin. Air Berlin PLC & Co. . Luftverkehrs KG , branded as airberlin or airberlin.com , is Germany 's second largest airline , after Lufthansa , and Europe 's seventh largest airline in terms of passengers carried . It maintains hubs at Berlin Tegel Airport and Düsseldorf Airport and operates a route network that includes a total of 12 German cities , some European metropolitan and intercontinental services to destinations in the Caribbean and the Americas . Air Berlin is a member of the Oneworld alliance , and owns the subsidiary Belair in Switzerland while the sale of its 49 % stake Austrian subsidiary NIKI to Etihad Airways was announced in December 2016 . It is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange . Etihad Airways is the largest shareholder , having increased its shareholding to 29.21 % in 2011 . Air Berlin is headquartered in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf , a borough of Berlin .", "Frankfurt. Frankfurt am Main ( -LSB- ˈfʁaŋkfʊɐ̯t am ˈmaɪ̯n -RSB- ) is a metropolis and the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany , with a 2015 population of 731,095 within its administrative boundaries , and 2.3 million in its urban area . The city is at the centre of the larger Frankfurt Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region , which has a population of 5.8 million and is Germany 's second-largest metropolitan region after Rhine-Ruhr . Since the enlargement of the European Union in 2013 , the geographic centre of the EU is about 40 km to the east of Frankfurt 's CBD , the Bankenviertel . Frankfurt is culturally and ethnically diverse , with around half of the population , and a majority of young people , having a migration background . A quarter of the population are foreign nationals , including many expatriates . Frankfurt is an alpha world city and a global hub for commerce , culture , education , tourism and transportation . It 's the site of many global and European corporate headquarters . Frankfurt Airport is among the world 's busiest . Frankfurt is the major financial centre of the European continent , with the HQs of the European Central Bank , German Federal Bank , Frankfurt Stock Exchange , Deutsche Bank , Commerzbank , DZ Bank , KfW , several cloud and fintech startups and other institutes . Automotive , technology and research , services , consulting , media and creative industries complement the economic base . Frankfurt 's DE-CIX is the world 's largest internet exchange point . Messe Frankfurt is one of the world 's largest trade fairs . Major fairs include the Frankfurt Motor Show , the world 's largest motor show , the Music Fair , and the Frankfurt Book Fair , the world 's largest book fair . Frankfurt is home to influential educational institutions , including the Goethe University , the UAS , the FUMPA , and graduate schools like the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management . Its renowned cultural venues include the concert hall Alte Oper , Europe 's largest English Theatre and many museums ( e.g. the Museumsufer ensemble with Städel and Liebieghaus , Senckenberg Natural Museum , Goethe House ) , the Schirn art venue at the old town . Frankfurt 's skyline is shaped by some of Europe 's tallest skyscrapers . The city is also characterised by various green areas and parks , including the central Wallanlagen , the City Forest and two major botanical gardens , the Palmengarten and the University 's Botanical Garden . In electronic music , Frankfurt has been a pioneering city since the 1980s , with renowned DJs including Sven Väth , Marc Trauner , Scot Project , Kai Tracid , and the clubs Dorian Gray , U60311 , Omen and Cocoon . In sports , the city is known as the home of the top tier football club Eintracht Frankfurt , the basketball club Frankfurt Skyliners , the Frankfurt Marathon and the venue of Ironman Germany . It 's the seat of German sport unions for Olympics , football and motor sports .", "Berlin, New York. Berlin is a town in Rensselaer County , New York , United States . The population was 1,880 at the 2010 census . The town is named after Berlin in Germany , although natives pronounce the name differently , with the accent on the first syllable . The Town of Berlin is located on the eastern border of the county .", "Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall ( Berliner Mauer ) was a guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989 . Constructed by the German Democratic Republic ( GDR , East Germany ) , starting on 13 August 1961 , the Wall completely cut off ( by land ) West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin until government officials opened it in November 1989 . Its demolition officially began on 13 June 1990 and was completed in 1992 . The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls , which circumscribed a wide area ( later known as the `` death strip '' ) that contained anti-vehicle trenches , `` fakir beds '' and other defenses . The Eastern Bloc claimed that the Wall was erected to protect its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the `` will of the people '' in building a socialist state in East Germany . In practice , the Wall served to prevent the massive emigration and defection that had marked East Germany and the communist Eastern Bloc during the post-World War II period . The Berlin Wall was officially referred to as the Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart ( Antifaschistischer Schutzwall ) by GDR authorities , implying that the NATO countries and West Germany in particular were considered equal to fascists . The West Berlin city government sometimes referred to it as the `` Wall of Shame '' , a term coined by mayor Willy Brandt in reference to the Wall 's restriction on freedom of movement . Along with the separate and much longer Inner German border ( IGB ) , which demarcated the border between East and West Germany , it came to symbolize a physical marker of the `` Iron Curtain '' that separated Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War . Before the Wall 's erection , 3.5 million East Germans circumvented Eastern Bloc emigration restrictions and defected from the GDR , many by crossing over the border from East Berlin into West Berlin ; from which they could then travel to West Germany and other Western European countries . Between 1961 and 1989 , the Wall prevented almost all such emigration . During this period , around 5,000 people attempted to escape over the Wall , with an estimated death toll ranging from 136 to more than 200 in and around Berlin . In 1989 , a series of revolutions in nearby Eastern Bloc countries -- Poland and Hungary in particular -- caused a chain reaction in East Germany that ultimately resulted in the demise of the Wall . After several weeks of civil unrest , the East German government announced on 9 November 1989 that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin . Crowds of East Germans crossed and climbed onto the Wall , joined by West Germans on the other side in a celebratory atmosphere . Over the next few weeks , euphoric people and souvenir hunters chipped away parts of the Wall ; the governments later used industrial equipment to remove most of what was left . Contrary to popular belief the Wall 's actual demolition did not begin until the summer of 1990 and was not completed until 1992 . The fall of the Berlin Wall paved the way for German reunification , which was formally concluded on 3 October 1990 .", "Berlin (sculpture). Berlin is the name of a sculpture on the Tauentzienstraße in western Berlin , the capital of Germany . First conceived in 1985 and unveiled by the husband-and-wife sculpting team of Brigitte Matschinsky-Denninghoff and Martin Matschinsky in 1987 , the sculpture 's principal motif , a `` broken chain '' , was meant to symbolize the severed connections between West and East Berlin due to the construction of the Berlin Wall . Even though the Wall has since been dismantled , the sculpture was bought by the city from Mrs. Matschinsky-Denninghoff to commemorate the unfortunate chapter in German history .", "Munich. Munich ( -LSB- ˈmjuːnɪk -RSB- München , -LSB- ˈmʏnçn̩ -RSB- , Minga -LSB- -LSB- ˈmɪŋ ɐ -RSB- -RSB- ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Bavaria , on the banks of River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps . Munich is the third largest city in Germany , after Berlin and Hamburg , and the 12th biggest city of the European Union , with a population of around 1.5 million . The Munich Metropolitan Region is home to 6 million people . The city is a major centre of art , advanced technologies , finance , publishing , culture , innovation , education , business , and tourism in Germany and Europe and enjoys a very high standard and quality of living , reaching # 1 in Germany and # 4 worldwide according to the 2015 Mercer survey . According to the Globalization and World Rankings Research Institute Munich is considered an alpha-world city , . The name of the city is derived from the Old/Middle High German term Munichen , meaning `` by the monks '' , which in turn is derived from Mönch ( which in the end derives from ancient Greek μοναχός ) . It derives from the monks of the Benedictine order , who ran a monastery at the place that was later to become the Old Town of Munich ; hence the monk depicted on the city 's coat of arms . Munich was first mentioned in 1158 . From 1255 the city was seat of the Bavarian Dukes . Black and gold - the colours of the Holy Roman Empire - have been the city 's official colours since the time of Ludwig the Bavarian , when it was an imperial residence . Following a final reunification of the Wittelsbachian Duchy of Bavaria , previously divided and sub-divided for more than 200 years , the town became the country 's sole capital in 1506 . Catholic Munich was a cultural stronghold of the Counter-Reformation and a political point of divergence during the resulting Thirty Years ' War , but remained physically untouched despite an occupation by the Protestant Swedes ; as the townsfolk would rather open the gates of their town than risk siege and almost inevitable destruction . Like wide parts of the Holy Roman Empire , the area recovered slowly economically . Having evolved from a duchy 's capital into that of an electorate ( 1623 ) , and later a sovereign kingdom ( 1806 ) , Munich has been a major European centre of arts , architecture , culture and science since the early 19th century , heavily sponsored by the Bavarian monarchs . In 1918 , during the German Revolution , the ruling house of Wittelsbach , which governed Bavaria since 1180 , was forced to abdicate in Munich and a short-living socialist republic was declared . In the 1920s , Munich became home to several political factions , among them the NSDAP , which was founded in the city in 1920 . Though the first attempt of the Nazi movement to overtake the German government in 1923 with the Beer Hall Putsch , which was stopped by the Bavarian police in Munich with gunfire , the Nazis declared the city after their rise to power to be Hauptstadt der Bewegung ( lit. : `` Capital of the movement '' ) . During World War II , Munich was heavily bombed and more than 50 % of the entire city and up to 90 % of the historic centre were destroyed . The postwar period was characterised by American occupation until 1949 and a strong increase of population and economic power during the years of the Wirtschaftswunder ( lit. : economic miracle ) after 1949 . Unlike many other German cities which were heavily bombed and destroyed during World War II , Munich rebuilt most of its traditional cityscape and added a modern face to the city with the Olympic Stadium , while hosting the 1972 Summer Olympics . In addition the Allianz Arena was inaugurated in 2005 . The stadium is owned by FC Bayern Munich - the most successful German football club both in terms of domestic and international success . Especially since the 1980s , Munich and the entire surrounding region was characterised by a strong economic growth , the location of high-tech industries and scientific institutions , very low unemployment rates and a strong influx of people . The city is home to major corporations like BMW , Siemens , MAN , Linde , Allianz and MunichRE as well as many small and medium-sized companies . Munich is home to many national and international authorities , major universities , major museums and theatres . Its numerous architectural attractions , international sports events , exhibitions and conferences and its annual Oktoberfest attract considerable tourism . Munich is one of the most prosperous and fastest growing cities in Germany . It is a top-ranked destination for migration and expatriate location , despite being the municipality with the highest density of population ( 4,500 inh . per km ² ) in Germany . Munich nowadays hosts more than 530,000 people of foreign background , making up 37.7 % of the entire population .", "Capital city. A capital city ( or simply capital ) is the municipality exercising primary status in a country , state , province , or other region , usually as its seat of government . A capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the offices and meeting places of its respective government ; the status as capital is often designated by its law or constitution . In some jurisdictions , including several countries , the different branches of government are located in different settlements . In some cases , a distinction is made between the official ( constitutional ) capital and the seat of government , which is in another place .", "East Berlin. East Berlin existed between 1949 and 1990 and consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin established in 1945 . The American , British , and French sectors became West Berlin , strongly associated with West Germany , while East Berlin was the de facto capital of East Germany . From 13 August 1961 until 9 November 1989 , East Berlin was separated from West Berlin by the Berlin Wall . In East German official usage , it became widespread in the 1970s to refer to the Western part of the city as `` Westberlin '' , whilst calling the Eastern part simply `` Berlin '' . ( See also Naming conventions )", "Culture in Berlin. Berlin is recognized as a world city of culture and creative industries . Numerous cultural institutions , many of which enjoy international reputation are representing the diverse heritage of the city . Many young people , cultural entrepreneurs and international artists continue to settle in the city . Berlin has established itself as a popular entertainment center in Europe . The expanding cultural role of Berlin was underscored by the relocation of the Universal Music Group who decided to move their European headquarters and main studios to the banks of the River Spree . The city has a very diverse art scene and is home to over 700 art galleries . In 2005 , Berlin was awarded the title `` City of Design '' by UNESCO .", "Little Berlin. Little Berlin is a name given in reference to the German capital city Berlin , to describe : Mödlareuth , a village situated in the German states of Bavaria ( formerly West Germany ) and Thuringia ( formerly East Germany ) , divided by a wall like Berlin until 1989 . Williamsburg , Brooklyn , New York City , a neighbourhood renowned for its cultural and art scene and nightlife , thus nicknamed in reference to contemporary Berlin .", "Decision on the Capital of Germany. The capital decision ( German : Hauptstadtbeschluss ) refers to the decision made by the German Bundestag on June 20 , 1991 , as a result of German reunification , to move its headquarters from Bonn to Berlin . The term is misleading , since Berlin had already become the federal capital of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990 as one of the stipulations of the Unification Treaty .", "Leipzig. Leipzig ( -LSB- ˈlaɪpsɪg -RSB- -LSB- ˈlaɪptsɪç -RSB- ) is the largest city in the federal state of Saxony , Germany . With a population of 570,087 inhabitants ( 1.1 million residents in the larger urban zone ) it is Germany 's tenth most populous city . Leipzig is located about 160 km southwest of Berlin at the confluence of the White Elster , Pleisse , and Parthe rivers at the southern end of the North German Plain . Leipzig has been a trade city since at least the time of the Holy Roman Empire . The city sits at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii , two important medieval trade routes . Leipzig was once one of the major European centers of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing . Leipzig became a major urban center within the German Democratic Republic ( East Germany ) after the Second World War , but its cultural and economic importance declined . Leipzig later played a significant role in instigating the fall of communism in Eastern Europe , through events which took place in and around St. Nicholas Church . Since the reunification of Germany , Leipzig has undergone significant change with the restoration of some historical buildings , the demolition of others , and the development of a modern transport infrastructure . Leipzig today is an economic center and the most livable city in Germany , according to the GfK marketing research institution . Oper Leipzig is one of the most prominent opera houses in Germany , and Leipzig Zoological Garden is one of the most modern zoos in Europe and ranks first in Germany and second in Europe according to Anthony Sheridan . Since the opening of the Leipzig City Tunnel in 2013 , Leipzig forms the centerpiece of the S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland public transit system . Leipzig is currently listed as Gamma World City and Germany 's `` Boomtown '' . Outside of Leipzig the Neuseenland district forms a huge lake area of approximately 300 km2 .", "Cologne. Cologne ( -LSB- langpronkəˈloʊn -RSB- Köln , -LSB- kœln -RSB- , Kölle -LSB- ˈkœɫə -RSB- ) is the largest city in the German federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the fourth-largest city in Germany ( after Berlin , Hamburg , and Munich ) . It is located within the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region , one of the major European metropolitan areas , and with more than ten million inhabitants , the largest in Germany . Cologne is about 45 km southwest of North Rhine-Westphalia 's capital of Dusseldorf and 25 km northwest of Bonn . Cologne is located on both sides of the Rhine River , near Germany 's borders with Belgium and the Netherlands . The city 's famous Cologne Cathedral ( Kölner Dom ) is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne . The University of Cologne ( Universität zu Köln ) is one of Europe 's oldest and largest universities . Cologne was founded and established in Ubii territory in the first century AD as the Roman Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium , from which it gets its name . `` Cologne '' , the French version of the city 's name , has become standard in English as well . The city functioned as the capital of the Roman province of Germania Inferior and as the headquarters of the Roman military in the region until occupied by the Franks in 462 . During the Middle Ages it flourished on one of the most important major trade routes between east and west in Europe . Cologne was one of the leading members of the Hanseatic League and one of the largest cities north of the Alps in medieval and Renaissance times . Prior to World War II the city had undergone several occupations by the French and also by the British ( 1918 -- 1926 ) . Cologne was one of the most heavily bombed cities in Germany during World War II , with the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) dropping 34,711 long ton of bombs on the city . The bombing reduced the population by 95 % , mainly due to evacuation , and destroyed almost the entire city . With the intention of restoring as many historic buildings as possible , the successful postwar rebuilding has resulted in a very mixed and unique cityscape . Cologne is a major cultural centre for the Rhineland ; it hosts more than thirty museums and hundreds of galleries . Exhibitions range from local ancient Roman archeological sites to contemporary graphics and sculpture . The Cologne Trade Fair hosts a number of trade shows such as Art Cologne , imm Cologne , Gamescom , and the Photokina .", "Hamburg. Hamburg ( -LSB- ˈhæmbɜrɡ -RSB- -LSB- ˈhambʊɐk -RSB- , local pronunciation -LSB- ˈhambʊɪ̯ç -RSB- ; Low German/Low Saxon : Hamborg -LSB- ˈhambɔːç -RSB- ) , officially Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg ( Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg ) , is the second largest city in Germany , with a population of over 1.7 million people . The official name reflects Hamburg 's history as a member of the medieval Hanseatic League , a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire , a city-state , and one of the 16 states of Germany . Before the 1871 Unification of Germany , it was a fully sovereign state . Prior to the constitutional changes in 1919 , the civic republic was ruled by a class of hereditary grand burghers or Hanseaten . Though repeatedly destroyed by the Great Fire of Hamburg , the floods and military conflicts including WW2 bombing raids , the city managed to recover and emerge wealthier after each catastrophe . On the river Elbe , Hamburg is a major port and a global service , media , logistics and industrial hub , with headquarters and facilities of Airbus , Blohm + Voss , Aurubis , Beiersdorf and Unilever . The radio and television broadcaster NDR , Europe 's largest printing and publishing firm Gruner + Jahr and Spiegel are also based in Hamburg . Hamburg has been an important financial centre for centuries , and is the seat of Germany 's oldest stock exchange and the world 's second oldest bank , Berenberg Bank . With the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea , the EU-LAC Foundation , the UNESCO Institute of Lifelong Learning , many consular and diplomatic missions and various international conferences like Hamburg Summit : China meets Europe and the 2017 G20 Hamburg summit , the city is also a factor in world politics and international law . The city is a tourist destination for both domestic and international visitors , ranked 18th in the world for livability in 2016 . The ensemble Speicherstadt and Kontorhausviertel was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 2015 . Hamburg is a major European science , research and education hub with several universities and institutes . Its creative industries and cultural sites include the Elbphilharmonie and Laeisz concert halls , art venues , music producers and artists . It gave birth to movements like Hamburger Schule and paved the way for bands including The Beatles . Hamburg is also known for several theatres and a variety of musical shows . St. Pauli 's Reeperbahn is among the best known European entertainment districts .", "Bavaria. Bavaria ( -LSB- bəˈvɛəriə -RSB- Freistaat Bayern -LSB- ˈfʁaɪʃtaːt ˈbaɪɐn -RSB- Bavorsko ) is a free state and one of 16 federal states of Germany . Located in the German southeast with an area of 70,548 square kilometres ( 27,200 sq mi ) , Bavaria is the largest German state . Its territory comprises roughly a fifth of the total land area of Germany , and , with 12.9 million inhabitants , it is Germany 's second most populous state . Munich , Bavaria 's capital and largest city , is the third largest city in Germany . The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and formation as a duchy in the 6th century CE ( AD ) through the Holy Roman Empire to becoming an independent kingdom and finally a state of the Federal Republic of Germany . The Duchy of Bavaria dates back to the year 555 . In the 17th century CE ( AD ) , the Duke of Bavaria became a Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire . The Kingdom of Bavaria existed from 1806 to 1918 , when Bavaria became a republic . In 1946 , the Free State of Bavaria re-organised itself on democratic lines after the Second World War . Bavaria has a unique culture , largely because of the state 's Catholic majority ( 52 % ) and conservative traditions . Bavarians have traditionally been proud of their culture , which includes festivals such as Oktoberfest and elements of Alpine symbolism . The state also has the second largest economy among the German states by GDP figures , giving it a status as a rather wealthy German region . Modern Bavaria also includes parts of the historical regions of Franconia , Upper Palatinate and Swabia .", "Boroughs and neighborhoods of Berlin. Berlin is both a city and one of Germany 's federal states ( See : City state ) . Since a 2001 administrative reform , it has been made up of twelve boroughs or districts ( Bezirke , -LSB- bəˈtsɪʁkə -RSB- ) , each with its own local government , though all boroughs are subject to Berlin 's city and state government . Each borough is governed by a council ( Bezirksamt ) with five councillors ( Bezirksstadträte ) and a borough mayor ( Bezirksbürgermeister ) . The borough council is elected by the borough assembly ( Bezirksverordnetenversammlung ) . The borough governments ' power is limited , and subordinate to the Berlin Senate . The borough mayors form a council of mayors ( Rat der Bürgermeister , led by the city 's governing mayor ) , which advises the Senate .", "London. London -LSB- ˈlʌndən -RSB- is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom . Standing on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain , London has been a major settlement for two millennia . It was founded by the Romans , who named it Londinium . London 's ancient core , the City of London , largely retains its 1.12 sqmi medieval boundaries . Since at least the 19th century , `` London '' has also referred to the metropolis around this core , historically split between Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which today largely makes up Greater London , See also : Independent city § National capitals . governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.The London Mayor is not to be confused with the Lord Mayor of London who heads the City of London Corporation , which administers the City of London . London is a leading global city in the arts , commerce , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , professional services , research and development , tourism , and transportation . It is crowned as the world 's largest financial centre and has the fifth - or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world.Rankings of cities by metropolitan area GDP can vary as a result of differences in the definition of the boundaries and population sizes of the areas compared , exchange rate fluctuations and the method used to calculate output . London and Paris are of broadly similar size in terms of total economic output which can result in third party sources varying as to which is the fifth-largest city GDP in the world . A report by the McKinsey Global Institute published in 2012 estimated that London had a city GDP of US$ 751.8 billion in 2010 , compared to US$ 764.2 billion for Paris , making them respectively the sixth - and fifth-largest in the world . A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers published in November 2009 estimated that London had a city GDP measured in purchasing power parity of US$ 565 billion in 2008 , compared to US$ 564 billion for Paris , making them respectively the fifth - and sixth-largest in the world . The McKinsey Global Institute study used a metropolitan area with a population of 14.9 million for London compared to 11.8 million for Paris , whilst the PricewaterhouseCoopers study used a metropolitan area with a population of 8.59 million for London compared to 9.92 million for Paris . London is a world cultural capital . It is the world 's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the world 's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic . London is the world 's leading investment destination , hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city . London 's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe . In 2012 , London became the first city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times . London has a diverse range of people and cultures , and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region . Its estimated mid-2015 municipal population ( corresponding to Greater London ) was 8,673,713 , the largest of any city in the European Union , and accounting for 12.5 % of the UK population . London 's urban area is the second most populous in the EU , after Paris , with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census . The city 's metropolitan area is the most populous in the EU with 13,879,757 inhabitants , while the Greater London Authority states the population of the city-region ( covering a large part of the south east ) as 22.7 million . London was the world 's most populous city from around 1831 to 1925 . London contains four World Heritage Sites : the Tower of London ; Kew Gardens ; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster , Westminster Abbey , and St Margaret 's Church ; and the historic settlement of Greenwich ( in which the Royal Observatory , Greenwich marks the Prime Meridian , 0 ° longitude , and GMT ) . Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul 's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , Trafalgar Square , and The Shard . London is home to numerous museums , galleries , libraries , sporting events , and other cultural institutions , including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and West End theatres . The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world .", "New York City. The City of New York , often called New York City or simply New York , is the most populous city in the United States . With an estimated 2016 population of 8,537,673 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 sqmi , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the United States . Located at the southern tip of the state of New York , the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area , one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . A global power city , New York City exerts a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . Home to the headquarters of the United Nations , New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world . Situated on one of the world 's largest natural harbors , New York City consists of five boroughs , each of which is a separate county of New York State . The five boroughs -- Brooklyn , Queens , Manhattan , The Bronx , and Staten Island -- were consolidated into a single city in 1898 . The city and its metropolitan area constitute the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States , and as many as 800 languages are spoken in New York , making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world . New York City is home to more than 3.2 million residents born outside the United States , the world 's largest foreign-born population of any city . By 2016 estimates , the New York City metropolitan region remains by a significant margin the most populous in the United States , as defined by both the Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) , 20.2 million residents , and the Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , 23.7 million residents . In 2013 , the MSA produced a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of nearly US$ 1.39 trillion . In 2012 , the CSA generated a GMP of over US$ 1.55 trillion . NYC 's MSA and CSA GDP are higher than the GDPs of all but 11 and 12 countries , respectively . New York City traces its origin to its 1624 founding in Lower Manhattan as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626 . The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother , the Duke of York . New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790 . It has been the country 's largest city since 1790 . The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a symbol of the United States and its democracy . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known , and the city received a record of nearly 60 million tourists in 2015 , hosting three of the world 's ten most visited tourist attractions in 2013 . Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world . Times Square , iconic as the world 's `` heart '' and its `` Crossroads '' , is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District , one of the world 's busiest pedestrian intersections , and a major center of the world 's entertainment industry . The names of many of the city 's bridges , tapered skyscrapers , and parks are known around the world . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and the city is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization , the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Manhattan 's real estate market is among the most expensive in the world . Manhattan 's Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere , with multiple signature Chinatowns developing across the city . Providing continuous 24/7 service , the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive metro systems worldwide , with stations in operation . Over 120 colleges and universities are located in New York City , including Columbia University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world ." ]

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[ "South Korea. South Korea , officially the Republic of Korea ( ROK ; ) , is a sovereign state in East Asia , constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula . Officially , its territory consists of the whole Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands , which are largely mountainous . South Koreans lead a distinctive urban lifestyle , as half of them live in high-rises concentrated in the Seoul Capital Area with 25 million residents and the world 's sixth leading global city with the fourth largest economy and seventh most sustainable city in the world . The earliest neolithic Korean pottery dates to 8000 BC , with three kingdoms flourishing in the 1st century BC . The name Korea is derived from one of them , Goguryeo , also known as Koryŏ , which was a Han Chinese tributary state kingdom in East Asia that sent yearly tribute to the Emperor of China , ruling most of the Korean Peninsula and a small portion of Siberia and Inner Mongolia under Gwanggaeto the Great . Since their unification into Later Silla and Balhae in the 7th century , Korea enjoyed over a millennium of relative tranquility under long lasting dynasties . Under Sejong the Great in the 15th century , Koreans had one of the highest living standards in the world along with the Han Chinese and Japanese and developed improved versions many advanced innovations such as the metal movable type printing press in 1377 A.D. which was developed based on the previous Han Chinese Porcelain movable type printing press , used to print and publish the Jikji , the world 's oldest extant movable metal type printed paper book using the 8,000 year old traditional ancient Chinese writing system . Additionally , in 1443 Hangul was invented by the Korean King Sejong the Great as an easier alternative to the complex and difficult to learn ancient Chinese writing system which was usually reserved for elite academic scholars preparing for the imperial examinations of China . Hangul enabled anyone in the general Korean population to easily learn to read and write and transfer written information rather than spending years learning complicated ancient Chinese . Its rich and vibrant culture left 19 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity , the third largest in the world , along with 12 World Heritage Sites . Annexed into Imperial Japan in 1910 , Korea was divided after its surrender in 1945 , but a North Korean invasion led to the Korean War ( 1950 -- 1953 ) . Peace has since mostly continued with the two agreeing to work peacefully for reunification and the South solidifying peace as a regional power with the world 's 10th largest defence budget . South Korea , along with Taiwan , Singapore and Hong Kong ( China ) is one of the four high-tech industrialized developed countries often referred to as the Four Asian Economic Dragons . The South Korean economy soared at an annual average of 10 % for over 30 years in a period of rapid transformation called the Miracle on the Han River . A long legacy of openness and focus on innovation made it successful . Today , it is the world 's seventh largest advanced economy and fifth largest exporter with the G20 's largest budget surplus and highest credit rating of any country in East Asia . It has free trade agreements with 75 % of the world economy and is the only G20 nation trading freely with China , the US and the EU simultaneously . Since 1988 , its constitution guarantees a liberal democracy with high government transparency and many fundamental rights such as universal healthcare . High personal freedoms led to the rise of a globally influential pop culture such as K-pop and K-drama , a phenomenon called the Korean Wave , known for its distinctive fashionable and trendy style . Home of the UN Green Climate Fund and GGGI , South Korea is a leader in low carbon green growth , committed to helping developing countries as a major DAC and Paris Club contributor . It is the world 's third least ignorant country in the Index of Ignorance , ranking eighth highest for peaceful tolerance and inclusion of minorities on the Fragile States Index . South Korea is a technologically advanced developed country driven by a highly educated and skilled workforce , having the world 's eighth highest median household income , the highest in Asia . Globally , it ranks highly in personal safety , job security , ease of doing business and healthcare quality , with the world 's third highest health adjusted life expectancy and fourth most efficient healthcare system . It is the world 's largest spender on R&D per GDP , leading the OECD in graduates in science and engineering and ranking third in the Youth Wellbeing Index . Home of Samsung , LG and Hyundai-Kia , South Korea was named the world 's most innovative country for 4 consecutive years since 2014 in the Bloomberg Innovation Index , ranking first in business R&D intensity , manufacturing value-added , patents filed per GDP , second in higher education efficiency and fourth in high-tech density and researcher concentration . In 2005 , it became the world 's first country to fully transition to high-speed Internet and today it has the world 's fastest Internet speed and highest smartphone ownership , ranking first in ICT Development , e-Government and 4G LTE coverage .", "Seoul. Seoul ( -LSB- soʊl -RSB- 서울 ; -LSB- sʌ.ul -RSB- ) , formerly Wiryeseong , Hanseong , Keijo , and others , -- officially the Seoul Special City -- is the capital and largest metropolis of the Republic of Korea ( commonly known as South Korea ) , forming the heart of the Seoul Capital Area , which includes the surrounding Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province , the world 's 16th largest city . The Seoul Capital Area houses up to half of the country 's population of 50.22 million people with 678,102 international residents . Situated on the Han River , Seoul 's history stretches back more than two thousand years when it was founded in 18 BCE by Baekje , one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea . It continued as the capital of Korea under the Joseon Dynasty . The Seoul Capital Area contains five UNESCO World Heritage Sites : Changdeok Palace , Hwaseong Fortress , Jongmyo Shrine , Namhansanseong and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty . Seoul is surrounded by mountains , the tallest being Mt. Bukhan , the world 's most visited national park per square foot . Modern landmarks include the iconic N Seoul Tower , the gold-clad 63 Building , the neofuturistic Dongdaemun Design Plaza , Lotte World , the world 's largest indoor theme park , Moonlight Rainbow Fountain , the world 's longest bridge fountain and the Sevit Floating Islands . The birthplace of K-pop and the Korean Wave , Seoul received over 10 million international visitors in 2014 , making it the world 's 9th most visited city and 4th largest earner in tourism . Today , Seoul is considered a leading and rising global city , resulting from an economic boom called the Miracle on the Han River which transformed it to the world 's 4th largest metropolitan economy with a GDP of US$ 845.9 billion in 2014 after Tokyo , New York City and Los Angeles . In 2015 , it was rated Asia 's most livable city with the second highest quality of life globally by Arcadis . A world leading technology hub centered on Gangnam and Digital Media City , the Seoul Capital Area boasts 15 Fortune Global 500 companies such as Samsung , one of the world 's largest technology companies , as well as LG and Hyundai-Kia . In 2014 , the city 's GDP per capita ( PPP ) of $ 39,786 was comparable to that of France and Finland . Ranked sixth in the Global Power City Index and Global Financial Centres Index , the metropolis exerts a major influence in global affairs as one of the five leading hosts of global conferences . Seoul is the world 's most wired city and ranked first in technology readiness by PwC 's Cities of Opportunity report . It is served by the KTX high-speed rail and the Seoul Subway , providing 4G LTE , WiFi and DMB inside subway cars as well as wifi at every station . Seoul is connected via AREX to Incheon International Airport , rated the world 's best airport nine years in a row ( 2005 -- 2013 ) by Airports Council International . Lotte World Tower , a 556 m supertall skyscraper with 123 floors , has been built in Seoul and become the OECD 's tallest in 2016 , with the world 's tallest art gallery . Its Lotte Cinema houses the world 's largest cinema screen . Seoul 's COEX Mall is the world 's largest underground shopping mall . Seoul hosted the 1986 Asian Games , 1988 Summer Olympics , 2002 FIFA World Cup , the Miss Universe 1980 pageant , and the 2010 G-20 Seoul summit . A UNESCO City of Design , Seoul was named the 2010 World Design Capital .", "Outline of South Korea. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to South Korea : South Korea -- densely populated sovereign presidential republic located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia . Also known as the `` Land of the Morning Calm '' . It is neighbored by China to the west , Japan to the east and North Korea to the north . South Korea 's capital and largest city is Seoul , the world 's second largest metropolitan city . Korea has a history of 5,000 years , with its foundation dating back to 2333 BC by the legendary Dangun . Following the unification of the Three Korean Kingdoms under Silla in AD 668 , Korea went through the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until annexed by Japan in 1910 . After Japan 's defeat in World War II , Korea was divided , and South Korea was established in 1948 . It has since developed a successful democracy , maintaining a strong alliance with the United States . South Korea has the fourth-largest economy in Asia . It had one of the world 's fastest growing economies from the 1960s until 1980 and is now considered a developed economy . It is an G20 and OECD member . In response to tension with North Korea , it has developed the world 's sixth largest armed forces and has one of the 10-largest defence budgets in the world . South Korean industries have a strong focus on science and technology . It has an advanced infrastructure and information technology such as electronics , semiconductors , LCD displays , computers and mobile phones , led by Chaebol , a kind of family-owned conglomerate . The economy also has a strong focus on engineering , construction , machinery , textiles , petrochemicals , biotechnology and robotics .", "Economy of South Korea. The economy of South Korea is the fourth largest economy in Asia and the 11th largest in the world . It is a mixed economy dominated by family-owned conglomerates called chaebols , however , the dominance of chaebol is unlikely and at risk to support the transformation of Korean economy for the future generations . South Korea is famous for its spectacular rise from one of the poorest countries in the world to a developed , high-income country in just one generation . This economic miracle , commonly known as the Miracle on the Han River , brought South Korea to the ranks of elite countries in the OECD and the G-20 . South Korea still remains one of the fastest growing developed countries in the world following the Great Recession . It is included in the group of Next Eleven countries that will dominate the global economy in the middle of the 21st century . By creating favorable policy directive for economic development as preceded by Japanese economic recovery as the logistic supplying bastion for American troops in the Korean peninsula during and after the Korean War , South Korea 's rigorous education system and the establishment of a highly motivated and educated populace is largely responsible for spurring the country 's high technology boom and rapid economic development . Having almost no natural resources and always suffering from overpopulation in its small territory , which deterred continued population growth and the formation of a large internal consumer market , South Korea adapted an export-oriented economic strategy to fuel its economy , and in 2014 , South Korea was the seventh largest exporter and seventh largest importer in the world . Bank of Korea and Korea Development Institute periodically release major economic indicators and economic trends of the economy of South Korea . In the 1997 Asian financial crisis , the South Korean economy suffered a liquidity crisis and relied on the bailout by the IMF that restructured and modernized the South Korean economy with successive DJnomics policy by President Kim Dae Jung , including the resultant of the national development of the ICT industry . Historically , subsidies were used as means of speeding up adoption of new technology in Korea and has ultimately helped the adoption and development of faster mobile standards for the economy of South Korea . The growth of ICT industry has been far concentrated on the hardware sector , which focuses on expanding wired and wireless telecommunication network penetration rather than the software sector , which creates innovative applications and value-added services . The economy of South Korea is the global leader of consumer electronics , mobile broadband and smartphones . South Korea 's LCD TV global market share also jumped to 37 percent in 2009 , from 27 percent at the end of 2007 , and it will soon replace Japan as the world 's number-one LCD TV supplier . The economy of South Korea ranks No. 1 in the world in ICT Development Index 2015 and 2015 Bloomberg Innovation Index . Despite the South Korean economy 's high growth potential and apparent structural stability , South Korea suffers perpetual damage to its credit rating in the stock market due to the belligerence of North Korea in times of deep military crises , which has an adverse effect on the financial markets of the South Korean economy . However , renowned financial organizations , such as the International Monetary Fund , also compliment the resilience of the South Korean economy against various economic crises , citing low state debt , and high fiscal reserves that can quickly be mobilized to address any expected financial emergencies . Other financial organizations like the World Bank describe Korea as one of the fastest-growing major economies of the next generation along with BRIC and Indonesia . South Korea was one of the few developed countries that was able to avoid a recession during the global financial crisis , and its economic growth rate will reach 6.1 % in 2010 , a sharp recovery from economic growth rates of 2.3 % in 2008 and 0.2 % in 2009 when the global financial crisis hit . The South Korean economy again recovered with the record-surplus of US$ 70.7 billion mark of the current account in the end of 2013 , up 47 percent growth from 2012 , amid uncertainties of the global economic turmoil , with major economic output being the technology products exports . South Korea was a historical recipient of official development assistance ( ODA ) from OECD . Throughout the 1980s until the mid-1990s , South Korea 's economic prosperity as measured in GDP by PPP per capita was still only a fraction of industrialized nations . In 1980 , the South Korean GDP per capita was $ 2,300 , about one-third of nearby developed Asian economies such as Singapore , Hong Kong , and Japan . Since then , South Korea has advanced into a developed economy to eventually attain a GDP per capita of $ 30,000 in 2010 , almost thirteen times the figure thirty years ago . The whole country 's GDP increased from $ 88 billion to $ 1,460 billion in the same time frame . In 2009 , South Korea officially became the first major recipient of ODA to have ascended to the status of a major donor of ODA . Between 2008 and 2009 , South Korea donated economic aid of $ 1.7 billion to countries other than North Korea . South Korea 's separate annual economic aid to North Korea has historically been more than twice its ODA . On June 23 , 2012 , South Korea was landmarked to become the 7th member of the 20-50 club ( with the population surpassing 50 million and maintaining per capita income of US$ 20,000 ) , chronologically , after Japan , United States of America , France , Italy , Germany and United Kingdom . A free trade agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea was concluded on April 1 , 2007 . The European Union -- South Korea Free Trade Agreement was signed on 15 October 2009 . The South Korean economy is heavily dependent on the energy imports and the related refinery technologies in association with the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and in accordance with the South Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement . The Canada -- South Korea Free Trade Agreement was concluded in 2014 . China -- South Korea Free Trade Agreement went official on November 10 , 2014 . South Korea has the largest indoor Amusement park in the world , Lotte World , adding to the notable export-oriented music industry guided by the Ministry of Culture , Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea ( for more , see Korea K-Pop Hot 100 ) .", "North Korea. North Korea , officially the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea ( DPRK ) , is a country in East Asia constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula . Pyongyang is the nation 's capital and largest city . To the north and northwest the country is bordered by China and by Russia along the Amnok ( known as the Yalu in China ) and Tumen rivers ; it is bordered to the south by South Korea , with the heavily fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone ( DMZ ) separating the two . In 1910 , Korea was annexed by the Empire of Japan . After the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945 , Korea was divided into two zones along the 38th parallel by the United States and the Soviet Union , with the north occupied by the Soviets and the south by the Americans . Negotiations on reunification failed , and in 1948 , separate governments were formed : the socialist Democratic People 's Republic of Korea in the north , and the capitalist Republic of Korea in the south . An invasion initiated by North Korea led to the Korean War ( 1950 -- 1953 ) . The Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire , but no peace treaty was signed . North Korea officially describes itself as a self-reliant socialist state and formally holds elections . Critics regard it as a totalitarian dictatorship . Various media outlets have called it Stalinist , particularly noting the elaborate cult of personality around Kim Il-sung and his family . International organizations have assessed that human rights violations in North Korea have no parallel in the contemporary world . The Workers ' Party of Korea ( WPK ) , led by a member of the ruling family , holds power in the state and leads the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland of which all political officers are required to be members . Juche , an ideology of national self-reliance , was introduced into the constitution as a `` creative application of Marxism -- Leninism '' in 1972 . The means of production are owned by the state through state-run enterprises and collectivized farms . Most services such as healthcare , education , housing and food production are subsidized or state-funded . From 1994 to 1998 , North Korea suffered a famine that resulted in the deaths of between 240,000 and 3.5 million people , and the country continues to struggle with food production . North Korea follows Songun , or `` military-first '' policy . It is the country with the highest number of military and paramilitary personnel , with a total of 9,495,000 active , reserve , and paramilitary personnel . Its active duty army of 1.21 million is the fourth largest in the world , after China , the United States , and India . It possesses nuclear weapons . North Korea is an atheist state with no official religion and where public religion is discouraged .", "Developed country. A developed country , industrialized country , more developed country , or `` more economically developed country '' ( MEDC ) , is a sovereign state that has a highly developed economy and advanced technological infrastructure relative to other less industrialized nations . Most commonly , the criteria for evaluating the degree of economic development are gross domestic product ( GDP ) , gross national product ( GNP ) , the per capita income , level of industrialization , amount of widespread infrastructure and general standard of living . Which criteria are to be used and which countries can be classified as being developed are subjects of debate . Developed countries have post-industrial economies , meaning the service sector provides more wealth than the industrial sector . They are contrasted with developing countries , which are in the process of industrialization , or undeveloped countries , which are pre-industrial and almost entirely agrarian . As of 2015 , advanced economies comprise 60.8 % of global GDP based on nominal values and 42.9 % of global GDP based on purchasing-power parity ( PPP ) according to the International Monetary Fund . In 2015 , the ten largest advanced economies by GDP in both nominal and PPP terms were Australia , Canada , France , Germany , Italy , Japan , South Korea , Spain , the United Kingdom , and the United States .", "Dual education system. A dual education system combines apprenticeships in a company and vocational education at a vocational school in one course . This system is practiced in several countries , notably Germany , Austria , and Switzerland but also for some years now in South Korea . In the Duales Ausbildungssystem young German people can learn one of 356 ( as of 2005 ) apprenticeship occupations ( Ausbildungsberufe ) , such as Doctor 's Assistant , Dispensing Optician or Oven Builder . The precise skills and theory taught are strictly regulated and defined by national standards : An Industriekaufmann ( Industrial Manager ) has always acquired the same skills and taken the same courses in production planning , accounting and controlling , marketing , HR management , trade laws , etc. . Especially in southern Germany this model is also used for a special college system called Duale Hochschule . In France , dual education ( formation en alternance ) has gained a lot of popularity since the 1990s , with information technology being the greatest draw . In South Korea , the German and Swiss dual apprenticeship system was studied and implemented by then Prime Minister Park Geun-hye to address South Korea 's more glaring employment needs including tackling the country 's high youth employment rate and as well as reforming South Korea 's entire education system . Since the rise of Meister schools and modern reforms through the implementation of vocational education in the South Korean education system , graduates from vocational high schools have been successful in navigating through South Korea 's highly competitive and sluggish job market as they possess relevant skill sets that are in high demand in the South Korean economy .", "Korea. Korea is a historical state in East Asia , since 1945 divided into two distinct sovereign states : North Korea ( officially the `` Democratic People 's Republic of Korea '' ) and South Korea ( officially the `` Republic of Korea '' ) . Located on the Korean Peninsula , Korea is bordered by China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast . It is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait and the Sea of Japan ( East Sea ) . Korea emerged as a singular political entity after centuries of conflict among the Three Kingdoms of Korea , which were unified as Later Silla to the south and Balhae to the north . Later Silla divided into three separate states during the Later Three Kingdoms period . Goryeo , which had succeeded Goguryeo , defeated the two other states and united the Korean Peninsula . Around the same time , Balhae collapsed and its last crown prince fled south to Goryeo . Goryeo ( also spelled as Koryŏ ) , whose name developed into the modern exonym `` Korea '' , was a highly cultured state that created the world 's first metal movable type in 1234 . However , multiple invasions by the Mongol Yuan Dynasty during the 13th century greatly weakened the nation , which eventually agreed to become a vassal state after decades of fighting . Following the Yuan Dynasty 's collapse , severe political strife followed , and Goryeo eventually fell to a coup led by General Yi Seong-gye , who established Joseon in 1388 . The first 200 years of Joseon were marked by relative peace and saw the creation of the Korean alphabet by Sejong the Great in the 14th century and the increasing influence of Confucianism . During the later part of the dynasty , however , Korea 's isolationist policy earned it the Western nickname of the `` Hermit Kingdom '' . By the late 19th century , the country became the object of imperial design by the Empire of Japan . Despite attempts at modernization by the Korean Empire , in 1910 Korea was annexed by Japan and remained a part of Imperial Japan until the end of World War II in August 1945 . In 1945 , the Soviet Union and the United States agreed on the surrender of Japanese forces in Korea in the aftermath of World War II , leaving Korea partitioned along the 38th parallel , with the North under Soviet occupation and the South under U.S. occupation . These circumstances soon became the basis for the division of Korea by the two superpowers , exacerbated by their incapability to agree on the terms of Korean independence . The Communist-inspired government in the North received backing from the Soviet Union in opposition to the pro-Western government in the South , leading to Korea 's division into two political entities : North Korea ( formally the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea ) , and South Korea ( formally the Republic of Korea ) . This eventually led to the Korean War in 1950 , which ended in a stalemate without a formalized peace treaty in 1953 , a factor that contributes to the high tensions which continue to divide the peninsula . To date , both countries continue to compete with each other as the sole legitimate government of all of Korea .", "Education in South Korea. Education in South Korea is provided by both public schools and private schools . Both types of schools receive funding from the government , although the amount that the private schools receive is less than the amount of the state schools .", "Higher education. Higher education , post-secondary education , or third level education is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completion of secondary education . Often delivered at universities , academies , colleges , seminaries , conservatories , and institutes of technology , higher education is also available through certain college-level institutions , including vocational schools , trade schools , and other career colleges that award academic degrees or professional certifications . Tertiary education at non-degree level is sometimes referred to as further education or continuing education as distinct from higher education . The right of access to higher education is mentioned in a number of international human rights instruments . The UN International Covenant on Economic , Social and Cultural Rights of 1966 declares , in Article 13 , that `` higher education shall be made equally accessible to all , on the basis of capacity , by every appropriate means , and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education '' . In Europe , Article 2 of the First Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights , adopted in 1950 , obliges all signatory parties to guarantee the right to education . In the days when few pupils progressed beyond primary education , the term `` higher education '' was often used to refer to secondary education , which can create some confusion . Higher education includes teaching , research , exacting applied work ( e.g. in medical schools and dental schools ) , and social services activities of universities . Within the realm of teaching , it includes both the undergraduate level , and beyond that , graduate-level ( or postgraduate level ) . The latter level of education is often referred to as graduate school , especially in North America . Since World War II , developed and many developing countries have increased the participation of the age group who mostly studies higher education from the elite rate , of up to 15 per cent , to the mass rate of 16 to 50 per cent . In many developed countries , participation in higher education has continued to increase towards universal or , what Trow later called , open access , where over half of the relevant age group participate in higher education . Higher education is important to national economies , both as an industry , in its own right , and as a source of trained and educated personnel for the rest of the economy . College educated workers have commanded a measurable wage premium and are much less likely to become unemployed than less educated workers . However , the admission of so many students of only average ability to higher education inevitably requires a decline in academic standards , facilitated by grade inflation . Also , the supply of graduates in many fields of study is exceeding the demand for their skills , which aggravates graduate unemployment and underemployment , as well as credentialism and educational inflation .", "Talent Award of Korea. The Talent Award of Korea is an award bestowed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education of Korea . It recognizes those individuals who are likely to become Korea 's future leaders and have performed exemplary talents or outstanding meritorious service . 50 high school students , 40 college students , and 10 adults are selected based on their intelligence , passion , creativity , and community spirit . . The recipients are given 3,000,000 KRW .", "Koreans. Koreans ( ; alternatively , see names of Korea ) are an ethnic group native to the whole Korean Peninsula and southeastern Manchuria . Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states , South Korea and North Korea ( collectively referred to simply as Korea ) , but are also an officially recognized minority in China , Vietnam , Japan and Philippines , plus a number of former Soviet states , such as Russia and Uzbekistan . Over the course of the 20th century , significant Korean communities have emerged in Australia , Canada , United States and , to a lesser extent , other nations with a primarily immigrant background . As of 2013 , there were an estimated 7.4 million ethnic Korean expatriates worldwide .", "Changwon National University. Changwon National University is a public institution of higher education located in Changwon , an industrial city in the southeast of South Korea . It is home to the country 's first graduate school of labor . The school enrolls close to 15,000 students , and employs 304 instructors as of 2004 .", "Demographics of South Korea. This article is about the demographic features of the population of South Korea , including population density , ethnicity , education level , health of the populace , economic status , religious affiliations and other aspects of the population . In June 2012 , South Korea 's population reached 50 million .", "Capital of Korea. Korea has had a number of capitals . Korea is a peninsula in East Asia , currently the peninsula is divided into two countries : North Korea , capital Pyongyang , and South Korea , capital Seoul .", "Human capital. Human capital is a term popularized by Gary Becker , an economist from the University of Chicago , and Jacob Mincer that refers to the stock of knowledge , habits , social and personality attributes , including creativity , embodied in the ability to perform labor so as to produce economic value . Alternatively , human capital is a collection of traits -- all the knowledge , talents , skills , abilities , experience , intelligence , training , judgment , and wisdom possessed individually and collectively by individuals in a population . These resources are the total capacity of the people that represents a form of wealth which can be directed to accomplish the goals of the nation or state or a portion thereof . It is an aggregate economic view of the human being acting within economies , which is an attempt to capture the social , biological , cultural and psychological complexity as they interact in explicit and/or economic transactions . Many theories explicitly connect investment in human capital development to education , and the role of human capital in economic development , productivity growth , and innovation has frequently been cited as a justification for government subsidies for education and job skills training . `` Human capital '' has been and continues to be criticized in numerous ways . Michael Spence offers signaling theory as an alternative to human capital . Pierre Bourdieu offers a nuanced conceptual alternative to human capital that includes cultural capital , social capital , economic capital , and symbolic capital . These critiques , and other debates , suggest that `` human capital '' is a reified concept without sufficient explanatory power . It was assumed in early economic theories , reflecting the context , i.e. , the secondary sector of the economy was producing much more than the tertiary sector was able to produce at the time in most countries -- to be a fungible resource , homogeneous , and easily interchangeable , and it was referred to simply as workforce or labor , one of three factors of production ( the others being land , and assumed-interchangeable assets of money and physical equipment ) . Just as land became recognized as natural capital and an asset in itself , human factors of production were raised from this simple mechanistic analysis to human capital . In modern technical financial analysis , the term `` balanced growth '' refers to the goal of equal growth of both aggregate human capabilities and physical assets that produce goods and services . The assumption that labour or workforces could be easily modelled in aggregate began to be challenged in 1950s when the tertiary sector , which demanded creativity , begun to produce more than the secondary sector was producing at the time in the most developed countries in the world . Accordingly , much more attention was paid to factors that led to success versus failure where human management was concerned . The role of leadership , talent , even celebrity was explored . Today , most theories attempt to break down human capital into one or more components for analysis -- usually called `` intangibles '' . Most commonly , social capital , the sum of social bonds and relationships , has come to be recognized , along with many synonyms such as goodwill or brand value or social cohesion or social resilience and related concepts like celebrity or fame , as distinct from the talent that an individual ( such as an athlete has uniquely ) has developed that can not be passed on to others regardless of effort , and those aspects that can be transferred or taught : instructional capital . Less commonly , some analyses conflate good instructions for health with health itself , or good knowledge management habits or systems with the instructions they compile and manage , or the `` intellectual capital '' of teams -- a reflection of their social and instructional capacities , with some assumptions about their individual uniqueness in the context in which they work . In general these analyses acknowledge that individual trained bodies , teachable ideas or skills , and social influence or persuasion power , are different . Management accounting is often concerned with questions of how to model human beings as a capital asset . However it is broken down or defined , human capital is vitally important for an organization 's success ( Crook et al. , 2011 ) ; human capital increases through education and experience . Human capital is also important for the success of cities and regions : a 2012 study examined how the production of university degrees and R&D activities of educational institutions are related to the human capital of metropolitan areas in which they are located . In 2010 , the OECD ( the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development ) encouraged the governments of advanced economies to embrace policies to increase innovation and knowledge in products and services as an economical path to continued prosperity . International policies also often address human capital flight , which is the loss of talented or trained persons from a country that invested in them , to another country which benefits from their arrival without investing in them . Studies of structural unemployment have increasingly focused on a mismatch between the stock of job-specific human capital and the needs of employers . In other words , there is increasingly a recognition that human capital may be specific to particular jobs or tasks and not general and readily transferable . Recent work has attempted to improve the linkages between education and the needs of the labor market by linking labor market data to education loan pricing .", "Seoul Capital Area. The Seoul Capital Area ( SCA ) is the metropolitan area centered on Seoul located in the north-west of South Korea . It is referred to as Sudogwon ( , -LSB- sʰudoɡwʌn -RSB- ) or Gyeonggi region in Korean , and besides Seoul , it also contains two more different administrative districts ; Incheon and Gyeonggi-do . The Seoul Capital Area has a population of 24 million ( as of 2012 ) and is ranked as the fourth largest metropolitan area in the world . Its area is about 11,704 km2 . It forms the cultural , commercial , financial , industrial , and residential center of South Korea . The largest city is Seoul , with a population of approximately 10 million people , followed by Incheon , with 3 million inhabitants .", "Daejeon. Daejeon ( -LSB- tɛ̝.dʑʌn -RSB- ) is South Korea 's fifth-largest metropolis . Daejeon had a population of over 1.5 million in 2010 . Located in the central region of South Korea , Daejeon serves as a hub of transportation and is at the crossroads of major transport routes . The capital Seoul is about 50 minutes away by high-speed train . Daejeon is one of South Korea 's administration hubs with the Daejeon Government Complex ( Other administrative hubs : Seoul , Gwacheon and Sejong ) . The Korean administration in the 1980s decided to relocate some of its functions from Seoul , the national capital , to other cities . Currently , 12 national government offices , including Korea Customs Service , Small and Medium Business Administration , Public Procurement Service , National Statistical Office , Military Manpower Administration , Korea Forest Service , Cultural Heritage Administration , and Korean Intellectual Property Office , as well as Patent Court of Korea , are located in Daejeon . Korea Railroad Corporation , Korea Water Resources Corporation , and Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation are also headquartered in the city . Daejeon has 18 universities , including Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology , Chungnam National University , Hanbat National University , Hannam University , and Korea University of Science and Technology . Daejeon has earned its name as `` Asia 's Silicon Valley '' and `` high technology city '' . The city hosted the Taejon Expo '93 and the International Mathematical Olympiads in 2000 . Several important research institutes are based in the city . Daedeok Innopolis ( Daedeok Research and Development Special Zone ) is composed of 28 government-funded research institutions , as well as 79 private research institutes with as many as 20,000 researchers . In addition , Daejeon established the World Technopolis Association ( WTA ) in 1998 with the view of realizing regional development through international cooperation with world science cities . The WTA has grown to have 67 members from 32 countries , and it actively cooperates with many international organizations including UNESCO as its official consultative body .", "Busan. Busan ( -LSB- pu.san -RSB- ) , formerly known as Pusan and now officially is South Korea 's second most-populous city after Seoul . It is the economic , cultural , and educational center of southeastern Korea , with its port -- Korea 's busiest and the 10th-busiest in the world -- only about 120 mi from the Japanese islands of Honshu and Kyushu . Its surrounding `` Southeast Economic Zone '' ( including Ulsan and South Gyeongsang ) is now South Korea 's largest industrial area . Busan is divided into 15 major administrative districts and a single county , together housing a population of approximately 3.6 million . The full metropolitan area , including the adjacent cities of Gimhae and Yangsan , has a population of approximately 4.6 million . The most densely built-up areas of the city are situated in a number of narrow valleys between the Nakdong and the Suyeong Rivers , with mountains separating most of the districts . The Nakdong is Korea 's longest river and Busan 's Haeundae Beach is also the country 's largest . Busan is a center for international conventions , hosting APEC in 2005 . It is also a center for sports tournaments in Korea , having hosted the 2002 Asian Games and FIFA World Cup . It is home to the world 's largest department store , the Shinsegae Centum City .", "Transport in South Korea. Transportation in South Korea is provided by extensive networks of railways , highways , bus routes , ferry services and air routes that criss-cross the country . South Korea is the third country in the world to operate a commercial maglev train .", "Korea National University of Education. Korea National University of Education ( Acronym : KNUE ; Korean : 한국교원대학교 , Hanguk Kyowon Daehakgyo , colloquially Kyowondae ) is a South Korean national university which specializes in teacher training and educational research . It comprises four colleges and three graduate schools . The student body consists of about 2,400 undergraduate and 3,300 graduate students . The university is widely regarded as the top South Korean university in the field of education .", "Culture of South Korea. The contemporary culture of South Korea developed from the traditional culture of Korea which was prevalent in the early Korean nomadic tribes . By maintaining thousands of years of ancient Korean with influence from ancient Chinese culture South Korea split on its own path of cultural development away from North Korean culture since the division of Korea in 1948 . The industrialization , urbanization and westernization of South Korea , especially Seoul , have brought many changes to the way Korean people live . Changing economics and lifestyles have led to a concentration of population in major cities ( and depopulation of the rural countryside ) , with multi-generational households separating into nuclear family living arrangements .", "South Korean. South Korean may refer to : Something of , from , or related to South Korea , a country in East Asia , in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula . For information about the South Korean people , see : Demographics of South Korea Culture of South Korea the Korean language as spoken in South Korea", "List of companies of South Korea. South Korea is a sovereign state in East Asia , constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula . Highly urbanized at 92 % , South Koreans lead a distinctive urban lifestyle ; half of them live in high-rises concentrated in the Seoul Capital Area with 25 million residents and the world 's sixth leading global city with the fourth largest economy and seventh most sustainable city in the world . South Korea is East Asia 's most developed country in the Human Development Index . Driven by a highly educated and skilled workforce , it has the world 's eighth highest median household income , the highest in Asia , and its singles in particular earn more than all G7 nations . Globally , it ranks highly in personal safety , job security , ease of doing business and healthcare quality , with the world 's third highest health adjusted life expectancy and fourth most efficient healthcare system . It is the world 's largest spender on R&D per GDP , leading the OECD in graduates in science and engineering and ranking third in the Youth Wellbeing Index . Home of Samsung , LG and Hyundai-Kia , South Korea was named the world 's most innovative country in the Bloomberg Innovation Index , ranking first in business R&D intensity and patents filed per GDP . In 2005 , it became the world 's first country to fully transition to high-speed Internet and today it has the world 's fastest Internet speed and highest smartphone ownership , ranking first in ICT Development , e-Government and 4G LTE coverage . For further information on the types of business entities in this country and their abbreviations , see `` Business entities in South Korea '' .", "Incheon. Incheon ( ; -LSB- in.tɕʰʌn -RSB- ; formerly romanized as Inchon ; literally `` kind river '' ) , officially the Incheon Metropolitan City , is a city located in northwestern South Korea , bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi to the east . Inhabited since the Neolithic , Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883 . Today , about 3 million people live in the city , making it Korea 's third most populous city after Seoul and Busan . The city 's growth has been assured in modern times with the development of its port due to its natural advantages as a coastal city and its proximity to the South Korean capital . It is part of the Seoul Capital Area , along with Seoul itself and Gyeonggi Province , forming the world 's fourth largest metropolitan area by population . Incheon has since led the economic development of Korea by opening its port to the outside world , ushering in the modernization of Korea as a center of industrialization . In 2003 , the city was designated as Korea 's first free economic zone . Since then , large local companies and global enterprises have increasingly invested in the Incheon Free Economic Zone , including Samsung which chose Songdo International City as its new investment destination for its bio industry . As an international city , Incheon has held numerous large scale international conferences , such as the Incheon Global Fair & Festival in 2009 . The 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 was also held in Incheon on 19 September 2014 . Incheon has established itself as a major transportation hub in northeast Asia with the world-renowned Incheon International Airport and Incheon Port . The city is also home to the Green Climate Fund , an international organization addressing environmental issues .", "Seoul National University. Seoul National University ( SNU ; Korean , 서울대학교 , Seoul Daehakgyo , colloquially Seouldae ) is a national research university located in Seoul , South Korea , and was founded in 1946 . Seoul National University is widely considered to be the most prestigious university in the country . It is located on three campuses : the main campus is in Gwanak and two additional campuses in Daehangno and Pyeongchang . The university comprises sixteen colleges , one graduate school , and nine professional schools . The student body consists of nearly 17,000 undergraduate and 11,000 graduate students . According to data compiled by KEDI , the university spends more on its students per capita than any other university in the country that enrolls at least 10,000 students . Seoul National University holds a memorandum of understanding with over 700 academic institutions in 40 countries , the World Bank , and a general academic exchange program with the University of Pennsylvania . The Graduate School of Business offers dual master 's degrees with Duke University , ESSEC Business School , and Peking University , double-degrees with the MIT Sloan School of Management and Yale School of Management , and MBA - , MS - , and PhD-candidate exchange programs with universities in ten countries on four continents . Following a government mandate to globalize Korean universities , the university 's international faculty head count peaked at 242 or 4 % of the total in 2010 but subsequently declined .", "Samsung. Samsung Group ( ; -LSB- sʰamsʰʌŋ -RSB- ) is a South Korean multinational conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town , Seoul . It comprises numerous affiliated businesses , most of them united under the Samsung brand , and is the largest South Korean chaebol ( business conglomerate ) . Samsung was founded by Lee Byung-chul in 1938 as a trading company . Over the next three decades , the group diversified into areas including food processing , textiles , insurance , securities and retail . Samsung entered the electronics industry in the late 1960s and the construction and shipbuilding industries in the mid-1970s ; these areas would drive its subsequent growth . Following Lee 's death in 1987 , Samsung was separated into four business groups -- Samsung Group , Shinsegae Group , CJ Group and Hansol Group . Since 1990 , Samsung has increasingly globalised its activities and electronics ; in particular , its mobile phones and semiconductors have become its most important source of income . Notable Samsung industrial affiliates include Samsung Electronics ( the world 's 2nd largest information technology company measured by 2015 revenues , and 5th in market value ) , Samsung Heavy Industries ( the world 's 2nd largest shipbuilder measured by 2010 revenues ) , and Samsung Engineering and Samsung C&T ( respectively the world 's 13th and 36th largest construction companies ) . Other notable subsidiaries include Samsung Life Insurance ( the world 's 14th largest life insurance company ) , Samsung Everland ( operator of Everland Resort , the oldest theme park in South Korea ) and Cheil Worldwide ( the world 's 15th largest advertising agency measured by 2012 revenues ) . Samsung has a powerful influence on South Korea 's economic development , politics , media and culture and has been a major driving force behind the `` Miracle on the Han River '' . Its affiliate companies produce around a fifth of South Korea 's total exports . Samsung 's revenue was equal to 17 % of South Korea 's $ 1,082 billion GDP .", "Ulsan. Ulsan ( ; -LSB- ul.s͈an -RSB- ) , officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City , is South Korea 's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million . It is located in the south-east of the country , neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north . Ulsan is the industrial powerhouse of South Korea , forming the heart of the Ulsan Industrial District , which is home to the world 's largest automobile assembly plant operated by the Hyundai Motor Company , the world 's largest shipyard operated by Hyundai Heavy Industries and the world 's second largest oil refinery , owned by SK Energy . In 2012 , Ulsan had a GDP per capita of $ 79,623 , the highest of any region in South Korea .", "Korea University. Korea University ( KU , ) is a private research university in Seoul , South Korea . Established in 1905 , it is one of the nation 's oldest and most prominent institutions of higher education . It is considered one of SKY universities , known for being one of the best universities in the country . The student body consists of over 20,000 undergraduate students and over 10,000 graduate students . The university 's academic breadth is broad with its 81 departments in 19 colleges and divisions , and 18 graduate schools . It has over 1,500 full-time faculty members with over 95 % of them holding Ph.D. or equivalent qualification in their field . The Korea University Alumni Association consists of more than 280,000 university graduates . Korea University is a large research institution , notable in South Korean history for being the first educational institution to offer academic programs in Korea in various disciplines , such as law , economics , and journalism . It is particularly well known for its College of Law , which is widely considered to be one of the most well-known undergraduate law programs in South Korea . Korea University also has auxiliary educational facilities such as the Institute of Foreign Language Studies , the Institute for Continuing Education , the Institute of International Education , and the Center for Teaching and Learning . There are 115 research institutes , including the Battelle@KU Laboratory , the Ilmin International Relations Institute , and the Center for Information Security Technologies .", "Agriculture in South Korea. Agriculture in South Korea is a sector of the Economy of South Korea . The natural resource for agriculture in South Korea is not abundant . Two thirds of the country are mountains and hills . Arable land only accounts for 22 percent of the country 's land . The most important crop in South Korea is rice , accounting about 90 percent of the country 's total grain production and over 40 percent of farm income . Other grain products heavily rely on imports from other countries . With the rapid growth of South Korea 's economy and urbanization , areas of farmland have been decreasing and rural populations have moved from the countryside to cities . National Agricultural Cooperative Federation ( NACF ) is South Korea 's Agricultural cooperative , which is a nationwide organization in charge of agriculture banking , supply of agriculture input factors and sales of agriculture products .", "Korea Polytechnics. Korea Polytechnics ( Korean : 한국폴리텍대학 ) mean two or three-years public vocational school in South Korea . It has 11 colleges in 34 cities .", "Samsung Electronics. Samsung Electronics Co. , Ltd. ( Korean : 삼성전자 ; Hanja : 三星電子 ( Literally `` tristar electronics '' ) ) is a South Korean multinational electronics company headquartered in Suwon , South Korea . Through extremely complicated ownership structure with some circular ownership , it is the flagship division of the Samsung Group , accounting for 70 % of the group 's revenue in 2012 . It is the world 's second largest information technology company by revenue , after Apple . Samsung Electronics has assembly plants and sales networks in 80 countries and employs around 370,000 people . Since 2012 , Kwon Oh-hyun has served as the company 's CEO . Samsung has long been a major manufacturer of electronic components such as lithium-ion batteries , semiconductors , chips , flash memory and hard drive devices for clients such as Apple , Sony , HTC and Nokia . It is the world 's largest manufacturer of mobile phones and smartphones fueled by the popularity of its Samsung Galaxy line of devices . The company is also a major vendor of tablet computers , particularly its Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab collection , and is generally regarded as pioneering the phablet market through the Samsung Galaxy Note family of devices . Samsung has been the world 's largest television manufacturer since 2006 , and the world 's largest manufacturer of mobile phones since 2011 . Samsung Electronics is a major part of the South Korean economy ; in 2012 it was responsible for 20 % of GDP ." ]

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[ "Hacksaw Ridge. Hacksaw Ridge is a 2016 biographical war drama film about the World War II experiences of Desmond Doss , an American pacifist combat medic who was a Seventh-day Adventist Christian , refusing to carry or use a firearm or weapons of any kind . Doss became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor , for service above and beyond the call of duty during the Battle of Okinawa . The film was directed by Mel Gibson and written by Andrew Knight and Robert Schenkkan , based on a 2004 documentary about Doss , and stars Andrew Garfield as Doss , with Sam Worthington , Luke Bracey , Teresa Palmer , Hugo Weaving , Rachel Griffiths and Vince Vaughn in supporting roles . It was released in the United States on November 4 , 2016 , received positive reviews and grossed $ 175.3 million worldwide . Hacksaw Ridge was chosen by the American Film Institute as one of its top ten Movies of the Year , and has received numerous awards and nominations . The film received six Oscar nominations at the 89th Academy Awards , including Best Picture , Best Director , Best Actor for Garfield and Best Sound Editing , winning the awards for Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing . It also received Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture , Best Director and Best Actor , and 12 AACTA Awards nominations , winning the majority , including Best Film , Best Direction , Best Original Screenplay , Best Actor for Garfield , and Best Supporting Actor for Weaving .", "List of accolades received by Hacksaw Ridge. Hacksaw Ridge is a 2016 biographical war film , directed by Mel Gibson and written by Andrew Knight and Robert Schenkkan . Starring Andrew Garfield , the film focuses on the World War II experiences of Desmond Doss , an American pacificist combat medic who was a Seventh-day Adventist Christian , refusing to carry or use a firearm or weapons of any kind . He became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor , for service above and beyond the call of duty . It was released in the United States on November 4 , 2016 . The film was released to positive reviews , with a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 87 % , based on 223 reviews , and an average rating of 7.2 / 10 . Metacritic lists a score of 71 out of 100 , based on 47 reviews . Hacksaw Ridge won Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing and was nominated for Best Picture , Best Director , Best Actor for Garfield and Best Sound Editing at the Academy Awards . The film won Best Editing and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Garfield , Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Sound and Best Makeup and Hair at the British Academy Film Awards . The film won Best Action Movie and Best Actor in an Action Movie for Garfield and was nominated for Best Picture , Best Director , Best Actor for Garfield , Best Editing and Best Hair and Makeup at the Critics ' Choice Awards . The film received three nominations at the Golden Globe Awards , including Best Motion Picture -- Drama , Best Actor -- Motion Picture Drama for Garfield and Best Director . The film won Best Actor for Garfield , Best Film Editing and Best Sound and was nominated for Best Film , Best Director , Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Cinematography , Best Original Score and Best Art Direction and Production Design at the Satellite Awards .", "Saw V. Saw is a 2008 Canadian-American horror film directed by David Hackl and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan and stars Tobin Bell , Costas Mandylor , Scott Patterson , Betsy Russell , Mark Rolston , Julie Benz , Carlo Rota , and Meagan Good . It is the fifth installment of the Saw franchise , and was released on October 23 , 2008 in Australia and October 24 , 2008 in North America . David Hackl , who served as the production designer of Saw , Saw , and Saw IV , and second-unit director for Saw and Saw IV made his directorial debut with Saw . Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan , the writers of the previous film , returned to write the film . Charlie Clouser , who provided the score for all previous Saw films , also returned to compose the score for the film . Saw creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell served as executive producers . The film focuses primarily on the events that led up to Detective Mark Hoffman becoming an apprentice of the Jigsaw Killer , as well as his efforts to prevent anyone else from learning his secret .", "Fallout 4. Fallout 4 is an action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks for Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 4 , and Xbox One . Released worldwide on November 10 , 2015 , it is the fifth major installment in the Fallout series . The game is set within an open world post-apocalyptic environment that encompasses the city of Boston and the surrounding Massachusetts region known as `` The Commonwealth '' . The main story takes place in the year 2287 , ten years after the events of Fallout 3 and 210 years after `` The Great War '' , which caused catastrophic nuclear devastation across the United States . The player assumes control of a character referred to as the `` Sole Survivor '' , who emerges from a long-term cryogenic stasis in Vault 111 , an underground nuclear fallout shelter . After witnessing the murder of their spouse and kidnapping of their son , the Sole Survivor ventures out into the Commonwealth to search for their missing child . The player will subsequently explore the game 's dilapidated world , complete various quests , help out factions , and acquire experience points to level up and increase the abilities of their character . New features to the series include the ability to develop and manage settlements , and an extensive crafting system where materials scavenged from the environment can be used to craft drugs and explosives , upgrade weapons and armor , and construct , furnish and improve settlements . Fallout 4 also marks the first game in the series to feature full voice acting for the protagonist . Fallout 4 received positive reviews from critics with many praising the world depth , player freedom , overall amount of content , crafting , and soundtrack , whilst criticism was mainly directed at the game 's visuals and technical issues . The game was a commercial and critical success , generating US$ 750 million within the first 24 hours of its launch , and received numerous accolades from various gaming publications and award events , including the respective awards for Game of the Year and Best Game at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and British Academy Games Awards . Bethesda has released six downloadable content add-ons , including the expansions Far Harbor and Nuka-World .", "PlayStation 4. PlayStation 4 ( PS4 ) is a line of home video game consoles developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment . Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 during a press conference on February 20 , 2013 , it was launched on November 15 in North America , November 29 in Europe , South America and Australia ; and February 22 , 2014 , in Japan . It competes with Nintendo 's Wii U and Microsoft 's Xbox One , as part of the eighth generation of video game consoles . Moving away from the more complex Cell microarchitecture of its predecessor , the console features an AMD Accelerated Processing Unit ( APU ) built upon the x86-64 architecture , which can theoretically peak at 1.84 teraflops ; AMD stated that it was the `` most powerful '' APU it had developed to date . The PlayStation 4 places an increased emphasis on social interaction and integration with other devices and services , including the ability to play games off-console on PlayStation Vita and other supported devices ( `` Remote Play '' ) , the ability to stream gameplay online or to friends , with them controlling gameplay remotely ( `` Share Play '' ) . The console 's controller was also redesigned and improved over the PlayStation 3 , with improved buttons and analog sticks , and an integrated touchpad among other changes . The console also supports HDR10 high-dynamic-range color and playback of 4K multimedia . Reception to the original PlayStation 4 model was positive , with critics praising Sony for acknowledging its consumers ' needs , embrace of independent game development , and for not imposing restrictive digital rights management schemes that Microsoft had previously announced for Xbox One prior to its release . Critics and third-party studios also praised the capabilities of the PlayStation 4 in comparison to its competitors ; developers described the performance difference between the console and Xbox One as being `` significant '' and `` obvious '' . Heightened demand also helped Sony top global console sales . By the end of 2016 , more than 53 million consoles have been sold worldwide , with more than 57 million shipped . On September 7 , 2016 , Sony unveiled two hardware revisions of PlayStation 4 ; a slim build of the console , and a `` Pro '' version with an upgraded GPU and higher CPU clock rate to support 4K gameplay on supported titles .", "Watch Dogs. Watch Dogs ( stylized as WATCH_DOGS ) is an open world action-adventure third-person shooter video game developed and published by Ubisoft . It was released worldwide on 27 May 2014 for Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , Xbox 360 and Xbox One , while a Wii U version was released in November 2014 . Set within a fictionalized version of Chicago , Illinois , the single-player story follows a hacker and his efforts to seek revenge after the killing of his niece . The open world design lets players freely roam Chicago , which includes the urban city , suburbs , open countryside , and the run-down neighborhoods that surround downtown . The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on-foot or by vehicle . Players control Aiden Pearce , a highly skilled grey hat hacker who can hack into the `` ctOS '' , a centralized operating system which manages the hyper-connected city of Chicago , and formed after the Northeast blackout of 2003 was caused by a hacker . An online multiplayer mode is also provided in the game , allowing up to eight players to engage in both cooperative and competitive gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting . Development on the game began in 2009 . As part of their research for the open world , the developers conducted field research around Chicago throughout development and captured footage for the design team . Development duties were shared between many of Ubisoft 's studios worldwide . Following its announcement in June 2012 , Watch Dogs was widely anticipated . At release , it received a polarized reception ; praise was particularly directed at the game 's hacking elements and mission variety . The game received criticism concerning discrepancies in graphics performance between marketing and the real game and also concerning the overall gameplay , plot , protagonist , and some technical issues . Watch Dogs was a commercial success , breaking the record for the biggest first day sales of a Ubisoft game , and becoming the biggest launch of a new IP ever in the United Kingdom at the time . As of 1 January 2015 , the game has shipped over 10 million copies . It was followed by a sequel , Watch Dogs 2 , in November 2016 .", "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (film). Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ( stylised as Pride + Prejudice + Zombies ) is a 2016 British-American historical comedy horror film based on Seth Grahame-Smith 's 2009 novel , Pride and Prejudice and Zombies , which parodies the 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen . The film is directed by Burr Steers , who wrote the adapted screenplay , and stars Lily James , Sam Riley , Jack Huston , Bella Heathcote , Douglas Booth , Matt Smith , Charles Dance , and Lena Headey . The film was released by Screen Gems on February 5 , 2016 in the United States , and by Lionsgate on February 11 in the United Kingdom . The film grossed just $ 16 million worldwide against a budget of $ 28 million , making it a box office bomb .", "Woodshock. Woodshock is an upcoming American drama film written and directed by Kate and Laura Mulleavy , in their directorial debut . It stars Kirsten Dunst , Joe Cole and Pilou Asbæk . It is scheduled to be released on September 15 , 2017 , by A24 .", "Black Hills. The Black Hills ( Ȟe Sápa , Moʼȯhta-voʼhonáaeva , awaxaawi shiibisha ) are a small , isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming , United States . Black Elk Peak , which rises to 7244 ft , is the range 's highest summit . The Black Hills encompass the Black Hills National Forest . The name `` Black Hills '' is a translation of the Lakota Pahá Sápa . The hills were so-called because of their dark appearance from a distance , as they were covered in trees . Native Americans have a long history in the Black Hills . After conquering the Cheyenne in 1776 , the Lakota took over the territory of the Black Hills , which became central to their culture . In 1868 , the U.S. government signed the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 , establishing the Great Sioux Reservation west of the Missouri River , and exempting the Black Hills from all white settlement forever . However , when settlers discovered gold there in 1874 , as a result of George Armstrong Custer 's Black Hills Expedition , miners swept into the area in a gold rush . The US government took back the Black Hills and in 1889 reassigned the Lakota , against their wishes , to five smaller reservations in western South Dakota , selling off 9 million acres of their former land . Unlike most of South Dakota , the Black Hills were settled by European Americans primarily from population centers to the west and south of the region , as miners flocked there from earlier gold boom locations in Colorado and Montana . As the economy of the Black Hills has shifted from natural resources ( mining and timber ) since the late 20th century , the hospitality and tourism industries have grown to take its place . Locals tend to divide the Black Hills into two areas : `` The Southern Hills '' and `` The Northern Hills '' . The Southern Hills is home to Mount Rushmore National Memorial , Wind Cave National Park , Jewel Cave National Monument , Black Elk Peak ( the highest point in the United States east of the Rockies , formerly known as Harney Peak ) , Custer State Park ( the largest state park in South Dakota ) , the Crazy Horse Memorial ( the largest sculpture in the world ) , and the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs , the world 's largest mammoth research facility . Attractions in the Northern Hills include Spearfish Canyon , historic Deadwood , and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally , held each August . The first Rally was held on August 14 , 1938 and the 75th Rally in 2015 saw more than 1 million bikers visit the Black Hills . Devils Tower National Monument , located in the Wyoming Black Hills , is an important nearby attraction and was the United States ' first national monument .", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "Mel Gibson. Mel Colmcille Gerard Gibson ( born January 3 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He was born in Peekskill , New York , and moved with his parents to Sydney , Australia , when he was 12 years old . Gibson is best known as an action hero , for roles such as Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon buddy cop film series , and Max Rockatansky in the first three films in the Mad Max post-apocalyptic action series . He studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art . During the 1980s , he founded Icon Entertainment , a production company which independent film director Atom Egoyan has called , `` an alternative to the studio system '' . Director Peter Weir cast him as one of the leads in the critically acclaimed World War I drama Gallipoli ( 1981 ) , which earned Gibson a Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute . The film also helped to earn Gibson the reputation of a serious , versatile actor . Gibson produced , directed , and starred in the epic historical drama film Braveheart ( 1995 ) , for which he won the Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for Best Director , along with the Academy Award for Best Picture . He later directed and produced the financially successful and controversial , biblical drama film The Passion of the Christ ( 2004 ) . He received further critical notice for his directorial work of the action-adventure film Apocalypto ( 2006 ) , which is set in Mesoamerica during the early 16th century . After a 10-year hiatus from directing , Gibson returned with the critically praised and financially successful Hacksaw Ridge ( 2016 ) , which won the Academy Awards for Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing and earned Gibson his second nomination for Best Director .", "Saw IV. Saw is a 2007 Canadian-American horror film and the fourth installment of the Saw franchise . It was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by newcomers Marcus Dunstan , Patrick Melton , and Thomas Fenton . It stars Tobin Bell , Scott Patterson , Costas Mandylor , Betsy Russell , and Lyriq Bent . The film continues the story of the Jigsaw Killer 's obsession with teaching people the value of their lives . Despite Jigsaw 's death in the previous installment , the film focuses on his ability to manipulate people into continuing his work . The story follows Lieutenant Daniel Rigg being put through a series of tests in order to try to let go of his obsession with saving everyone , whilst at the same time attempting to save his partner . The film was released in North America on October 26 , 2007 to generally negative reviews from critics . Despite this , the film was a box office success , grossing $ 139 million worldwide . It was followed by Saw on October 24 , 2008 .", "Staind. Staind ( -LSB- ˈsteɪnd -RSB- ) is an American rock band , formed in 1995 in Springfield , Massachusetts . The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis , lead guitarist Mike Mushok , bassist and backing vocalist Johnny April , and drummer Jon Wysocki ( who left in May 2011 ) . To date , the band has recorded seven studio albums : Tormented ( 1996 ) , Dysfunction ( 1999 ) , Break the Cycle ( 2001 ) , 14 Shades of Grey ( 2003 ) , Chapter V ( 2005 ) , The Illusion of Progress ( 2008 ) , and Staind ( 2011 ) . The band has sold over 15 million records worldwide .", "58th Annual Grammy Awards. The 58th Annual Grammy Awards was held on February 15 , 2016 , at the Staples Center in Los Angeles . The ceremony recognizes the best recordings , compositions and artists of the eligibility year , which was from October 1 , 2014 , to September 30 , 2015 . The `` pre-telecast '' ceremony , officially known as the Premiere Ceremony , in which the majority of awards were presented , was held at the nearby Microsoft Theater . It was the sixteenth Grammy ceremony to be held at the Staples Center , tying the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles for hosting the most Grammy ceremonies . It also marks the latest date for a Grammy ceremony since 2003 , which were held on February 23 . Unlike previous years , where it was held on a Sunday , the 2016 edition was held on a Monday for the first time to take advantage of the U.S. Presidents ' Day long weekend . The ceremony was televised in the United States by CBS ; for the first time , CBS affiliates in the western half of the country had the option of broadcasting the Grammys live from the East coast feed , in addition to an encore in local primetime . Nominations for the 58th Grammy Awards ceremony were announced on December 7 , 2015 , returning to the traditional format of an immediate press conference/release reveal of all nominees rather than the `` all-day event '' unveiling attempted by The Recording Academy and CBS over the previous few years . Kendrick Lamar received the most nominations with 11 . For the latter , he went on to pass Eminem as the rapper with the most nominations in a single night , and second overall behind Michael Jackson ( 12 nominations in 1984 ) . Taylor Swift and The Weeknd received seven nominations each . Producer Max Martin received the most nominations for a non-performing artist , with six . LL Cool J hosted for the fifth consecutive year . As part of a commercial break on the U.S. broadcast paid for by Target , Gwen Stefani also presented a live music video for her new single `` Make Me Like You '' . Kendrick Lamar led the winners with five trophies , including Best Rap Album for To Pimp a Butterfly . Taylor Swift won three awards , including Album of the Year for 1989 , becoming the first female artist to win Album of the Year twice as main credited artist . Alabama Shakes also won three including Best Alternative Music Album for Sound & Color . Ed Sheeran won two including Song of the Year for `` Thinking Out Loud '' . Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars ' `` Uptown Funk '' won for Record of the Year and Meghan Trainor won for Best New Artist .", "Ratchet & Clank (film). Ratchet & Clank is a 2016 American-Canadian 3D computer-animated science-fiction action comedy film based on the video game series of the same name . The film stars the voices of James Arnold Taylor , David Kaye , Paul Giamatti , John Goodman , Bella Thorne , Rosario Dawson , and Sylvester Stallone . Series creators Insomniac Games helped with the film 's production , screenplay , character development and animation . The film was directed by Jericca Cleland and Kevin Munroe , featuring an original story written by Munroe , Gerry Swallow and former Insomniac Games Senior Writer T.J. Fixman , who started writing for the series with the Future saga . Several cast members from the games reprised their respective voice roles , and assets from the video games were utilized in the film . The film was released on April 29 , 2016 , by Gramercy Pictures . The film received negative reviews from critics and failed at the box office .", "The Last of Us. The Last of Us is an action-adventure survival horror video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment . It was released for the PlayStation 3 worldwide on June 14 , 2013 . Players control Joel , a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl named Ellie across a post-apocalyptic United States . The Last of Us is played from a third-person perspective ; players use firearms and improvised weapons , and can use stealth to defend against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus . In the game 's online multiplayer mode , up to eight players engage in co-operative and competitive gameplay . Development of The Last of Us began in 2009 , soon after the release of Naughty Dog 's previous game , Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves . The relationship between Joel and Ellie became the central focus of the game , with all other elements developed around it . Actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson portrayed Joel and Ellie respectively through voice and motion capture , and assisted creative director Neil Druckmann with the development of the characters and story . The original score was composed and performed by Gustavo Santaolalla . Following its announcement in December 2011 , The Last of Us was widely anticipated . Upon release , it received universal acclaim , with praise directed at its narrative , gameplay , visual and sound design , characterization , and depiction of female characters . The Last of Us became one of the best-selling games on the PlayStation 3 , selling over 1.3 million units in its first week and over eight million units within fourteen months . It won year-end accolades , including multiple Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications , critics , and game award ceremonies , making it one of the most awarded games in history , and it is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time . After the game 's release , Naughty Dog released several downloadable content additions ; The Last of Us : Left Behind adds a single-player campaign following Ellie and her best friend Riley . An enhanced edition of the original game , The Last of Us Remastered , was released for the PlayStation 4 in July 2014 . A sequel , The Last of Us Part II , was announced in December 2016 .", "Split (2016 American film). Split is a 2016 American psychological horror-thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan . The film stars James McAvoy , Anya Taylor-Joy , and Betty Buckley , and follows Kevin Wendell Crumb , a man with 23 different personalities who kidnaps and imprisons three teenage girls in an isolated underground facility . Principal photography began on November 11 , 2015 , in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . The film premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 26 , 2016 , and was released in the United States on January 20 , 2017 , by Universal Pictures . The film received general acclaim , with some critics labeling it a welcoming return for Shyamalan , and was a massive financial success , grossing $ 276 million worldwide on a budget of $ 9 million . The film is a sequel to the 2000 movie Unbreakable which was also written , produced and directed by M. Night Shaymalan . A sequel has been confirmed which will be titled Glass .", "Saw (franchise). Saw is an American horror franchise distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment , produced by Twisted Pictures and created by two Australians , director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell , that consists of seven feature films and additional media . In 2003 , James Wan and Leigh Whannell created a short film to help pitch as a potential feature film . This was successfully done in 2004 with the release of the first installment at the Sundance Film Festival . It was released theatrically that October . The sequels were directed by Darren Lynn Bousman , David Hackl , and Kevin Greutert , and were written by Wan , Whannell , Bousman , Patrick Melton , and Marcus Dunstan , and were released subsequently every October , on the Friday before Halloween , between 2004 and 2010 . Both of the creators remained with the franchise as executive producers . On July 22 , 2010 , producer Mark Burg confirmed that the seventh film , Saw 3D , is the final installment of the series . Series creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell are still open to continuing the series , however , if they can do something `` different '' with the material . The films collectively grossed over $ 873 million at the box office worldwide . Lionsgate reportedly expressed interest in continuing the franchise in 2012 with a reboot . However , in November 2013 , it was reported that they were in active development of a sequel . The franchise revolves around John Kramer , also called the `` Jigsaw Killer '' or simply `` Jigsaw '' . He was introduced briefly in Saw and developed in more detail in Saw II . Rather than killing his victims outright , Jigsaw traps them in situations that he calls `` tests '' or `` games '' to test their will to live through physical or psychological torture . Despite the fact that John was murdered in Saw III , the films continue to focus on the posthumous influence of the Jigsaw Killer and his apprentices by exploring his character via flashbacks . The film series as a whole has received mostly mixed to negative reviews by critics , but has been a financial success at the box office and is one of the highest grossing horror film franchies of all time . While the films are often compared to the American horror film Hostel ( 2005 ) and classified as torture porn by critics , the creators of Saw disagree with the term `` torture porn '' . Writer Luke Y. Thompson of OC Weekly argued that , unlike Hostel , the Saw films actually have less torture than most in the sense of sadism or masochism , as Jigsaw believes that those who survive his methods will be stronger people for it . He called him a kind of a '' ( deranged ) philanthropist '' .", "Black Hawk War. The Black Hawk War was a brief 1832 conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk , a Sauk leader . The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks , Meskwakis , and Kickapoos , known as the `` British Band '' , crossed the Mississippi River , into the US state of Illinois , from Iowa Indian Territory in April 1832 . Black Hawk 's motives were ambiguous , but he was apparently hoping to avoid bloodshed while resettling on tribal land that had been ceded to the United States in the disputed 1804 Treaty of St. Louis . US officials , convinced that the British Band was hostile , mobilized a frontier militia and opened fire on a delegation from the Native Americans on May 14 , 1832 . Black Hawk responded by successfully attacking the militia at the Battle of Stillman 's Run . He led his band to a secure location in what is now southern Wisconsin and was pursued by US forces . Meanwhile , other Native Americans conducted raids against forts and settlements largely unprotected with the absence of US troops . Some Ho-Chunk and Potawatomi warriors with grievances against European-Americans took part in these raids , although most tribe members tried to avoid the conflict . The Menominee and Dakota tribes , already at odds with the Sauks and Meskwakis , supported the US . Commanded by General Henry Atkinson , the US troops tracked the British Band . Militia under Colonel Henry Dodge caught up with the British Band on July 21 and defeated them at the Battle of Wisconsin Heights . Black Hawk 's band was weakened by hunger , death , and desertion and many native survivors retreated towards the Mississippi . On August 2 , US soldiers attacked the remnants of the British Band at the Battle of Bad Axe , killing many or capturing most who remained alive . Black Hawk and other leaders escaped , but later surrendered and were imprisoned for a year . The Black Hawk War gave the young captain Abraham Lincoln his brief military service . Other participants who later became famous included Winfield Scott , Zachary Taylor , and Jefferson Davis . The war gave impetus to the US policy of Indian removal , in which Native American tribes were pressured to sell their lands and move west of the Mississippi River and stay there .", "Thanksgiving (United States). Thanksgiving , or Thanksgiving Day , is a public holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States . It originated as a harvest festival . Thanksgiving has been celebrated nationally on and off since 1789 , after a proclamation by George Washington . It has been celebrated as a federal holiday every year since 1863 , when , during the American Civil War , President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of `` Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens , '' to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November . Together with Christmas and the New Year , Thanksgiving is a part of the broader holiday season . The event that Americans commonly call the `` First Thanksgiving '' was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621 . This feast lasted three days , and -- as accounted by attendee Edward Winslow -- it was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims . The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating `` thanksgivings '' -- days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought .", "7th Critics' Choice Television Awards. The 7th Critics ' Choice Television Awards , presented by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association ( BTJA ) , honoring the best in primetime television programming from January 1 , 2016 until November 10 , 2016 , were held on December 11 , 2016 at the Santa Monica Airport Barker Hangar Performing Arts Theater in Santa Monica , California . The nominations were announced on November 14 , 2016 . Channelwise , HBO lead with 22 nominations , followed by ABC and Netflix with 12 each . Actor and comedian T. J. Miller hosted the ceremony for the second consecutive time within the same year . The People v. O. J. Simpson : American Crime Story won four awards , becoming the biggest winner of the night , followed by Saturday Night Live and Westworld , each of them with two .", "43rd People's Choice Awards. The 43rd People 's Choice Awards , honoring the best in popular culture for 2016 , were held on January 18 , 2017 , at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles , California , and were broadcast live on CBS . The ceremony was hosted by Joel McHale . On November 15 , 2016 , the nominees were announced . The movie Captain America : Civil War received the most nominations of the year with seven . The TV series Grey 's Anatomy and actor Kevin Hart each received five nominations and singer , Britney Spears and Zootopia received four nominations . The biggest winner of the evening was Spears , who won a total of four awards , and Ellen DeGeneres , who won three and became the most awarded person in the show 's history .", "Oklahoma. Oklahoma ( -LSB- oʊkləˈhoʊmə -RSB- Cherokee : Asgaya gigageyi / ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎩᎦᎨᏱ ; Pawnee : Uukuhuúwa , Cayuga : Gahnawiyoˀgeh ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States . It is the 20th-most extensive and the 28th-most populous of the 50 United States . The state 's name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma , meaning `` red people . '' It is also known informally by its nickname , `` The Sooner State , '' in reference to the non-Native settlers who staked their claims on the choicest pieces of land before the official opening date and the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889 , which opened the door for white settlement in America 's Indian Territory . The name was settled upon statehood . Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory were merged and Indian was dropped from the name . On November 16 , 1907 , Oklahoma became the 46th state to enter the union . Its residents are known as Oklahomans , '' or informally `` Okies '' , and its capital and largest city is Oklahoma City . A major producer of natural gas , oil , and agricultural products , Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation , energy , telecommunications , and biotechnology . In 2007 , it had one of the fastest-growing economies in the United States , ranking among the top states in per capita income growth and gross domestic product growth . Both Oklahoma City and Tulsa serve as Oklahoma 's primary economic anchors , with nearly two-thirds of Oklahomans living within their metropolitan statistical areas . With small mountain ranges , prairie , mesas , and eastern forests , most of Oklahoma lies in the Great Plains , Cross Timbers , and the U.S. Interior Highlands , a region prone mainly to severe weather . In addition to having a prevalence of English , German , Scottish , Scotch-Irish , and Native American ancestry , more than 25 Native American languages are spoken in Oklahoma , third only to Alaska and California . Oklahoma is on a confluence of three major American cultural regions and historically served as a route for cattle drives , a destination for southern settlers , and a government-sanctioned territory for Native Americans .", "For Honor. For Honor is a hack and slash fighting game developed and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 4 , and Xbox One . The game allows players to play the roles of historical forms of soldiers and warriors , including knights , samurai , and vikings within a medieval setting , controlled using a third-person perspective . Announced at Electronic Entertainment Expo 2015 , the game was developed primarily by Ubisoft 's studio in Montreal , and released worldwide on February 14 , 2017 . Reception of the game was generally positive , with criticism mostly directed at the multiplayer matchmaking and technical issues regarding it .", "Saw VI. Saw is a 2009 American horror film directed by Kevin Greutert from a screenplay written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan . It is the sixth installment in the seven -- part Saw franchise and stars Tobin Bell , Costas Mandylor , Betsy Russell , Mark Rolston , Peter Outerbridge , and Shawnee Smith . It was produced by Mark Burg and Oren Koules of Twisted Pictures and distributed by Lionsgate . Saw continues the franchise 's focus on the posthumous effects of the Jigsaw Killer and the progression of his successor , Mark Hoffman . In this film , Hoffman sets a series of traps for an insurance executive , William Easton , and his employees . Meanwhile , the FBI trails Peter Strahm , now suspected of being Jigsaw 's last accomplice , and Hoffman is drawn into motion to protect his secret identity . Greutert , who served as editor for all the previous Saw films , made his directorial debut with Saw . Melton and Dunstan , the writers for both Saw and Saw , returned to write the screenplay and Charlie Clouser , who provided the score for all previous Saw films , composed the score . Filming took place in Toronto from March to May 2009 with a budget of $ 11 million . The film was released in New Zealand and Australia on October 22 , 2009 , and October 23 , 2009 in the United States and Canada . In Spain it was the first film to receive a Película X rating for violence ( a rating usually reserved for pornographic films ) ; the rating restricted screenings to eight select theaters in that country . It was released almost a year later on October 8 , 2010 in Spain with an `` 18 '' rating , after the producers had the offensive content edited out , according to the rating board . With gross receipts of $ 14 million in its opening weekend , Saw placed second to Paranormal Activity $ 21 million . Saw went on to gross over $ 68 million worldwide , the lowest-grossing Saw film to date , but still a financial success compared to its small budget . Reviews were mixed , with some criticizing the acting and others praising Greutert 's directing .", "Blink-182. Blink-182 ( often stylized as blink-182 ; pronounced `` blink one eighty two '' ) is an American rock band formed in Poway , California in 1992 . The band currently consists of bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus , drummer Travis Barker , and guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba . Founded by guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge , bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus and drummer Scott Raynor , the band emerged from the Southern California punk scene of the early 1990s and first gained notoriety for high-energy live shows and irreverent lyrical toilet humor . Blink-182 was initially known as Blink until an Irish band of the same name threatened legal action ; in response , the band appended the meaningless number '' -182 '' . In its early years , Blink-182 toured heavily behind the band 's debut , Cheshire Cat ( 1995 ) . The group signed with major label MCA Records to co-distribute its second album , Dude Ranch ( 1997 ) . Raynor was fired midway through a 1998 tour and replaced by Barker . The group 's next two releases , Enema of the State ( 1999 ) and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket ( 2001 ) , were enormous successes on the strength of radio and MTV airplay . The eponymously titled Blink-182 followed in 2003 and marked a stylistic shift for the group . DeLonge quit in 2005 , sending the band into what was termed an `` indefinite hiatus '' . They reunited in 2009 , producing the trio 's sixth album , Neighborhoods ( 2011 ) . In 2015 , DeLonge again exited and was replaced by Alkaline Trio guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba . The band 's seventh studio album , California , was released on July 1 , 2016 . Blink-182 is considered a key group in the development of pop punk ; the band 's combination of pop melodies with fast-paced punk rock featured a more radio-friendly accessibility than prior bands . The trio has sold over thirteen million albums in the United States , and over 50 million albums worldwide . In 2011 , The New York Times asserted , `` no punk band of the 1990s has been more influential than Blink-182 , '' and even as the band receded after its 2005 split , `` its sound and style could be heard in the muscular pop punk of Fall Out Boy or in the current wave of high-gloss Warped Tour punk bands , like All Time Low and The Maine . ''", "2016 in home video. The following films , television shows and miniseries were released on Blu-ray Disc or DVD on the following dates in 2016 in the United States and Canada . March 1 , 2016 , marked the first availability of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray titles .", "89th Academy Awards. The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2016 , and took place on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles , California , at 5:30 p.m. PST . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd and directed by Glenn Weiss . Comedian Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony for the first time . In related events , the Academy held its 8th Annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 12 , 2016 . On February 11 , 2017 , in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Scientific and Technical Awards were presented by hosts John Cho and Leslie Mann . Moonlight won three awards , including Best Picture , and La La Land won the most awards of the ceremony with six after receiving a record-tying 14 nominations . In an event unprecedented in the history of the Oscars , La La Land was incorrectly announced as the Best Picture ; after a few minutes the error was corrected and Moonlight was declared the winner . Moonlight became the first film with an all-black cast and the first LGBT-themed film to win Best Picture . Hacksaw Ridge and Manchester by the Sea won two awards each . Winners with one award include Arrival , Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , Fences , The Jungle Book , O.J. : Made in America , Piper , The Salesman , Sing , Suicide Squad , The White Helmets , and Zootopia .", "Philadelphia. Philadelphia ( -LSB- ˌfɪləˈdɛlfi.ə -RSB- ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States , with an estimated population of 1,567,872 and more than 6 million in the seventh-largest metropolitan statistical area , . Philadelphia is the economic and cultural anchor of the Delaware Valleya region located in the Northeastern United States at the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers with 7.2 million people residing in the eighth-largest combined statistical area in the United States . In 1682 , William Penn , an English Quaker , founded the city to serve as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony . Philadelphia played an instrumental role in the American Revolution as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States , who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787 . Several other key Philadelphia events during the Revolution include the First and Second Continental Congress , the preservation of the Liberty Bell , the Battle of Germantown , the Siege of Fort Mifflin , and the Philadelphia Convention . Philadelphia was one of the nation 's capitals in the Revolutionary War , and served as temporary U.S. capital while Washington , D.C. , was under construction . In the 19th century , Philadelphia became a major industrial center and railroad hub that grew from an influx of European immigrants . The majority of European immigrants have come from Ireland , Italy and Germany -- the three largest reported ancestry groups in the city . The city became a prime destination for African Americans during the Great Migration of the 20th century , as well as Puerto Ricans , surpassing two million occupants by 1950 . The area 's many universities and colleges make Philadelphia a top international study destination , as the city has evolved into an educational and economic hub . With a gross domestic product of $ 388 billion , Philadelphia ranks ninth among world cities and fourth in the nation . Philadelphia is the center of economic activity in Pennsylvania and is home to seven Fortune 1000 companies . The Philadelphia skyline is growing , with a market of almost 81,900 commercial properties in 2016 including several nationally prominent skyscrapers . The city is known for its arts , culture , and rich history , attracting over 41 million domestic tourists alone in 2015 . Philadelphia has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city . Fairmount Park , when combined with the adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed , is one of the largest contiguous urban park areas in the United States . The 67 National Historic Landmarks in the city helped account for the $ 10 billion generated by tourism . Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps , and is also the home of many U.S. firsts , including the first library ( 1731 ) , first hospital ( 1751 ) and medical school ( 1765 ) , first Capital ( 1777 ) , first stock exchange ( 1790 ) , first zoo ( 1874 ) , and first business school ( 1881 ) . Philadelphia is the only World Heritage City in the United States .", "W.O.A.R./W.O.A.. W.O.A.R. / W.O.A. is a split 12 '' record released on Portland , Oregon label Holy Mountain . The a-side of the album features twelve short songs by Scottish art punk outfit The Country Teasers . Though the sleeve art , song format and titles are consistent with Ben Wallers ' work under the name The Rebel , the music here is credited to Leighton Crook , Sophie Politowicz and Wallers . The b-side contains two songs by Michigan musician and one-man band Anthony Petrovic ( also of The Hospitals ) under the name Ezee Tiger .", "Ramones. The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills , Queens , in 1974 . They are often cited as the first band to define the punk-rock sound . Despite achieving only limited commercial success , the band was a major influence on the 1970s punk movement in both the United States and United Kingdom . All of the band members adopted pseudonyms ending with the surname `` Ramone '' , although none of them were related . They performed 2,263 concerts , touring virtually nonstop for 22 years . In 1996 , after a tour with the Lollapalooza music festival , the band played a farewell concert and disbanded . By 2014 , all four of the band 's original members , lead singer Joey Ramone ( 1951 -- 2001 ) , bass guitarist Dee Dee Ramone ( 1951 -- 2002 ) , lead guitarist Johnny Ramone ( 1948 -- 2004 ) and drummer Tommy Ramone ( 1949 -- 2014 ) , had died . Recognition of the band 's importance built over the years , and they are now mentioned in many assessments of all-time great rock music , such as number 26 in the Rolling Stone magazine list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' and number 17 in VH1 's `` 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock '' . In 2002 , the Ramones were ranked the second-greatest band of all time by Spin magazine , trailing only the Beatles . On March 18 , 2002 , the original four members and Tommy 's replacement on drums , Marky Ramone , were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . In 2011 , the group was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award .", "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Call of Duty 4 : Modern Warfare is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision . The fourth installment in the Call of Duty series , it was released in 2007 for the PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360 , and Microsoft Windows . The game breaks away from the World War II setting of previous entries in the series and is instead set in modern times . Developed for over two years , the game uses a proprietary game engine . The story takes place in the year 2011 , where a radical leader has executed the president of an unnamed country in the Middle East , and an ultranationalist movement ignites a civil war in Russia . The conflicts are seen from the perspectives of a U.S. Force Reconnaissance Marine and a British SAS commando , and are set in various locales , such as the United Kingdom , the Middle East , Azerbaijan , Russia , and Ukraine . The multiplayer portion of the game features various game modes , and contains a leveling system that allows the player to unlock additional weapons , weapon attachments , and camouflage schemes as they advance . Critically acclaimed , the game received an aggregated score of 94 % from both GameRankings and Metacritic . The gameplay and story received particular praise , while criticism targeted the failure of the game to substantially innovate the first-person shooter genre . The game won numerous awards from gaming websites , including IGN 's Best Xbox 360 Game . It was the top-selling game worldwide for 2007 , selling around seven million copies by January 2008 and almost sixteen million by November 2013 . A remastered version of the game , Call of Duty : Modern Warfare Remastered , was released on PlayStation 4 , Xbox One and PC alongside the Legacy and Deluxe Editions of Call of Duty : Infinite Warfare on November 4 , 2016 ." ]

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[ "Michael Fassbender. Michael Fassbender ( born 2 April 1977 ) is a German-born Irish actor . His feature film debut was in the fantasy war epic 300 ( 2007 ) as a Spartan warrior ; his earlier roles included various stage productions , as well as starring roles on television such as in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers ( 2001 ) and the Sky One fantasy drama Hex ( 2004 -- 05 ) . He first came to prominence for his role as IRA activist Bobby Sands in Hunger ( 2008 ) , for which he won a British Independent Film Award . Subsequent roles include in the independent film Fish Tank ( 2009 ) , as a Royal Marines lieutenant in Inglourious Basterds ( 2009 ) , as Edward Rochester in the 2011 film adaptation of Jane Eyre , as Carl Jung in A Dangerous Method ( 2011 ) , as a sentient android in Prometheus ( 2012 ) and its sequel , Alien : Covenant ( 2017 ) , and in the musical comedy-drama Frank ( 2014 ) as an eccentric musician loosely inspired by Frank Sidebottom . In 2011 , Fassbender debuted as the Marvel Comics antihero Magneto in X-Men : First Class , and went on to share the role with Ian McKellen in X-Men : Days of Future Past ( 2014 ) , and reprise it again in X-Men : Apocalypse ( 2016 ) . Also in 2011 , Fassbender 's performance as a sex addict in Shame earned him the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival and was nominated for Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards . In 2013 , his role as slave owner Edwin Epps in the slavery epic 12 Years a Slave was similarly praised , earning him his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor . In 2013 , Fassbender appeared in another Ridley Scott film , The Counselor . In 2015 , he portrayed the title role in the Danny Boyle-directed biopic Steve Jobs ( 2015 ) , and played Macbeth in Justin Kurzel 's adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play . For the former , he has received Academy Award , BAFTA , Golden Globe and SAG nominations . In 2015 , he produced the western Slow West , in which he also starred .", "Michael Fassbender filmography. Michael Fassbender is a German-Irish actor who made his screen debut in the 2001 war drama miniseries Band of Brothers as Sgt. Burton `` Pat '' Christenson . Fassbender followed this with a number of television roles including a German motorcycle courier in the drama Hearts and Bones ( 2001 ) , Guy Fawkes in the miniseries Gunpowder , Treason & Plot ( 2004 ) , Lt. Harry Colebourn in the film A Bear Named Winnie ( 2004 ) , and Azazeal in the series Hex ( 2004 -- 05 ) . He made his film debut playing a Spartan soldier in Zack Snyder 's 300 ( 2007 ) . The following year Fassbender portrayed Irish republican Bobby Sands during the events of the 1981 Irish hunger strike in Steve McQueen 's historical drama Hunger . His performance garnered him the Best Actor award at the British Independent Film Awards , and the Irish Film and Television Awards . Fassbender appeared as a British soldier in Quentin Tarantino-directed film Inglourious Basterds ( 2009 ) . Two years later , he played Carl Jung in David Cronenberg 's A Dangerous Method , and a man suffering with sex addiction in McQueen 's Shame . His performance in the latter earned him the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival . In the same year he also appeared in superhero film X-Men : First Class as Magneto . In 2013 , Fassbender reteamed with McQueen on the period drama 12 Years a Slave . For his role as a slave owner in the film he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . The following year , he reprised his role as Magneto in the superhero sequel X-Men : Days of Future Past which grossed a box-office total of over $ 747 million -- his highest grossing release as of April 2016 . In 2015 , he appeared as the title character in Justin Kurzel 's film adaptation of the play Macbeth . In the same year , Fassbender 's portrayal of Steve Jobs in Danny Boyle 's eponymous film garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor .", "Empire Award for Best Supporting Actor. The Empire Award for Best Supporting Actor is an Empire Award presented annually by the British film magazine Empire to honor an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while working within the film industry . The Empire Award for Best Supporting Actor is one of two ongoing awards which were first introduced at the 19th Empire Awards ceremony in 2014 ( along with Best Supporting Actress ) with Michael Fassbender receiving the award for his role in 12 Years a Slave . Winners are voted by the readers of Empire magazine .", "The Last Airbender. The Last Airbender is a 2010 American action fantasy adventure film written , co-produced , and directed by M. Night Shyamalan . It is based on the first season of the 2000s Nickelodeon animated series Avatar : The Last Airbender . The film stars Noah Ringer as Aang , with Dev Patel as Prince Zuko , Nicola Peltz as Katara , and Jackson Rathbone as Sokka . Development for the film began in 2007 . It was produced by Nickelodeon Movies and distributed by Paramount Pictures . Premiering in New York City on June 30 , 2010 , it opened the following day in the rest of the country , grossing an estimated $ 16 million . The film was lambasted by critics upon release , with many reviewers citing inconsistencies between the plot , screenplay , and source material as well as deriding the acting , writing , casting , and dialogue . However , some praised the visual style , James Newton Howard 's soundtrack , and the performances from Dev Patel , Aasif Mandvi , and Shaun Toub . The film swept the Golden Raspberry Awards in 2010 , with five `` wins '' including Worst Picture ; the film is sometimes considered one of the worst ever made . Despite the negative reviews , The Last Airbender opened in second place at the box office behind The Twilight Saga : Eclipse . Produced on a $ 150 million budget , the film grossed $ 131 million domestically and $ 319 million worldwide . It is currently the fourth highest grossing Nickelodeon film , behind The SpongeBob Movie : Sponge Out of Water ( 2015 ) , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ( 2014 ) , and The Adventures of Tintin ( 2011 ) .", "Academy Award for Best Actor. The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the film industry . The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Emil Jannings receiving the award for his roles in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . In the first three years of the awards , actors were nominated as the best in their categories . At that time , all of their work during the qualifying period ( as many as three films , in some cases ) was listed after the award . However , during the 3rd ceremony held in 1930 , only one of those films was cited in each winner 's final award , even though each of the acting winners had two films following their names on the ballots . The following year , this unwieldy and confusing system was replaced by the current system in which an actor is nominated for a specific performance in a single film . Starting with the 9th ceremony held in 1937 , the category was officially limited to five nominations per year . Since its inception , the award has been given to 79 actors . Daniel Day-Lewis has received the most awards in this category with three Oscars . Spencer Tracy and Laurence Olivier were nominated on nine occasions , more than any other actor . As of the 2017 ceremony , Casey Affleck is the most recent winner in this category for his role as Lee Chandler in Manchester by the Sea .", "Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while working within the film industry . At the 9th Academy Awards ceremony held in 1937 , Walter Brennan was the first winner of this award for his role in Come and Get It . Initially , winners in both supporting acting categories were awarded plaques instead of statuettes . Beginning with the 16th ceremony held in 1944 , however , winners received full-sized statuettes . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . Since its inception , the award has been given to 72 actors . Brennan has received the most awards in this category with three awards . Brennan , Jeff Bridges , Robert Duvall , Arthur Kennedy , Jack Nicholson , and Claude Rains were nominated on four occasions , more than any other actor . As of the 2017 ceremony , Mahershala Ali is the most recent winner in this category for his role as Juan in Moonlight .", "Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while working within the film industry . At the 9th Academy Awards ceremony held in 1937 , Gale Sondergaard was the first winner of this award for her role in Anthony Adverse . Initially , winners in both supporting acting categories were awarded plaques instead of statuettes . Beginning with the 16th ceremony held in 1944 , however , winners received full-sized statuettes . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . Since its inception , the award has been given to 78 actresses . Dianne Wiest and Shelley Winters have received the most awards in this category with two awards each . Despite winning no awards , Thelma Ritter was nominated on six occasions , more than any other actress . As of the 2017 ceremony , Viola Davis is the most recent winner in this category for her role as Rose Maxson in Fences .", "Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film. The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Miniseries or Television Film is an award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association ( HFPA ) . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a miniseries or motion picture made for television for the calendar year . The award was first presented at the 39th Golden Globe Awards on January 30 , 1982 to Mickey Rooney for his role on Bill . Performances by actor in a miniseries or television film were originally awarded in the Best Actor -- Television Series Drama category before the creation of this category . Since its inception , the award has been given to 33 actors . Oscar Isaac is the current recipient of the award for his portrayal of Nick Wasicsko on Show Me a Hero . Robert Duvall , James Garner , and Al Pacino have won the most awards in this category with two each . James Woods has been nominated for the award on seven occasions , the most within the category .", "The Counselor. The Counselor is a 2013 British-American dark thriller film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Cormac McCarthy . It stars Michael Fassbender as the eponymous Counselor as well as Penélope Cruz , Cameron Diaz , Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt . The film deals with primal human concerns like greed , mortality , love , and trust related to the theme of corruption and profit in a high stakes criminal environment . Fassbender plays the eponymous Counselor who out of greed gets irrevocably in over his head in a drug deal around the troubled Ciudad Juarez , Mexico / Texas border area . The Counselor was chosen as the closing film at the 2013 Morelia Film Festival and also played the Cork Film Festival . The London premiere was held on October 3 , 2013 in Leicester Square . The New York City premiere was held on October 9 , 2013 . The film was theatrically released on October 25 , 2013 . It is dedicated to Scott 's brother , Tony , who died in 2012 .", "Screen Actors Guild Award. The Screen Actors Guild Award ( also known as the SAG Award ) is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists ( SAG-AFTRA ) to recognize outstanding performances in film and primetime television . The statuette given , a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy , is called `` The Actor '' . It is 16 in tall , weighs over 12 lb , is cast in solid bronze , and produced by the American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank , California . SAG Awards have been one of the major awards events in Hollywood since 1995 . Nominations for the awards come from two committees , one for film and one for television , each numbering 2100 members of the union , randomly selected anew each year , with the full membership ( 165,000 as of 2012 ) available to vote for the winners . It is considered an indicator of success at the Academy Awards . The awards have been telecast since 1998 on TNT , and since 2007 have been simulcast on TBS . The inaugural SAG Awards aired live on February 25 , 1995 from Universal Studios ' Stage 12 . The second SAG awards aired live from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium , while subsequent awards have been held at the Shrine Exposition Center .", "Assassin's Creed (film). Assassin 's Creed is a 2016 American science fiction action adventure film based on the video game franchise of the same name . The film is directed by Justin Kurzel , written by Michael Lesslie , Adam Cooper and Bill Collage , and stars Michael Fassbender ( who also produced ) , Marion Cotillard , Jeremy Irons , Brendan Gleeson , Charlotte Rampling and Michael K. Williams . The film is set in the same universe as the video games but features an original story that expands the series ' mythology , taking place during the Spanish Inquisition . Filming began in late August 2015 and concluded in January 2016 . Assassin 's Creed was released on December 21 , 2016 , in the United States and France . It received negative reviews from critics and grossed $ 240 million worldwide against its $ 125 million budget .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Avatar: The Last Airbender. Avatar : The Last Airbender ( Avatar : The Legend of Aang in some regions ) is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons ( referred to as `` books '' in each episode 's title card ) on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008 . Avatar : The Last Airbender is set in an Asiatic-like world in which some people are able to manipulate the classical elements by use of psychokinetic variants of Chinese martial arts , known as `` bending '' . The show combines the styles of anime and American cartoons , and relies on the imagery of various East Asian , Inuit , Southeast Asian , South Asian , and New World societies . Therefore , whether or not the series can be considered as an anime work is often discussed . The series follows the adventures of protagonist twelve-year-old Aang and his friends , who must bring peace and unity to the world by ending the Fire Lord 's war against the other three nations . The pilot episode first aired on February 21 , 2005 , and the series concluded with a widely praised two-hour episode on July 19 , 2008 . The show is obtainable from various sources , including DVD , the iTunes Store , the Zune Marketplace , the Xbox Live Marketplace , the PlayStation Store , Netflix , Amazon Video , and the Nicktoons Network . Throughout its run , Avatar : The Last Airbender was universally acclaimed by audiences and critics alike . Praises went to the art direction , humor , cultural references , characters , and themes . It was also commercially successful , garnering 5.6 million viewers on its best-rated showing and receiving high ratings in the Nicktoons lineup , even outside of its 6 - to 11-year-old demographic . The series has been nominated for and won awards from the Annie Awards , the Genesis Awards , a Primetime Emmy Award and a Peabody Award , among others . The first season 's success prompted Nickelodeon to order second and third seasons . In other media , the series has spawned a critically panned , but financially successful , live-action film , titled The Last Airbender , directed by M. Night Shyamalan ; scaled action figures ; a trading card game ; three video games ; stuffed animals distributed by Paramount Parks and two Lego sets . An art book was also released in mid-2010 . A sequel series , The Legend of Korra , aired from 2012 to 2014 .", "Leading actor. A leading actor , leading actress , star , or simply lead , plays the role of the protagonist of a film or play . The word lead may also refer to the largest role in the piece and leading actor may refer to a person who typically plays such parts or an actor with a respected body of work . Some actors are typecast as leads , but most play the lead in some performances and supporting or character roles in others . Sometimes there is more than one significant leading role in a dramatic piece , and the actors are said to play co-leads ; a large supporting role may be considered a secondary lead . Award nominations for acting often reflect such ambiguities . Thus , sometimes two actors in the same performance piece are nominated for Best Actor or Best Actress -- categories traditionally reserved for leads . For example , in 1935 Clark Gable , Charles Laughton and Franchot Tone were each nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award for Mutiny on the Bounty . There can even be controversy over whether a particular performance should be nominated in the Best Actor/Actress or Best Supporting Actor/Actress category . A title role is often but not necessarily the lead .", "Steve Jobs (film). Steve Jobs is a 2015 American biographical drama film directed by Danny Boyle and written by Aaron Sorkin . Based on the biography of the same name by Walter Isaacson as well as interviews conducted by Sorkin , the film is structured into three acts which cover fourteen years ( 1984 -- 1998 ) in the life of personal computing innovator and Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs , with each act taking place immediately prior to the launch of a key product -- the Apple Macintosh , the NeXT Computer and the iMac . Jobs is portrayed by Michael Fassbender , with Kate Winslet , Seth Rogen , Katherine Waterston , Michael Stuhlbarg and Jeff Daniels in supporting roles . Development on the project began in 2011 after the rights to Isaacson 's book were acquired . Sorkin wrote the screenplay with filming beginning in January 2015 . A variety of actors were considered and cast before Fassbender eventually took the role . Editing was extensive on the project , with editor Elliot Graham noting that he was working on existing footage while the film was still shooting . Daniel Pemberton served as the film 's composer , with a focus dedicated to dividing the score into three distinguishable sections . Steve Jobs premiered at the 2015 Telluride Film Festival on September 5 , 2015 , and began a limited release in New York City and Los Angeles on October 9 , 2015 . It opened nationwide in the U.S. on October 23 , 2015 to critical acclaim . Individuals close to Jobs such as Steve Wozniak and John Sculley would praise the film 's performances , but the film also received criticisms for its inaccuracy in some of its scenes . Winslet won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress and Sorkin won the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay at the 73rd Golden Globes , while Fassbender and Winslet received nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress , respectively , at the 88th Academy Awards .", "Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan . The show originally aired on the AMC network for five seasons , from January 20 , 2008 , to September 29 , 2013 . It tells the story of Walter White ( Bryan Cranston ) , a struggling high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer . Together with his former student Jesse Pinkman ( Aaron Paul ) , White turns to a life of crime , producing and selling crystallized methamphetamine to secure his family 's financial future before he dies , while navigating the dangers of the criminal world . The title is from a Southern colloquialism meaning to `` raise hell '' . Breaking Bad is set and was filmed in Albuquerque , New Mexico . Walter 's family consists of his wife Skyler ( Anna Gunn ) and children , Walter , Jr. ( RJ Mitte ) and Holly ( Elanor Anne Wenrich ) . The show also features Skyler 's sister Marie Schrader ( Betsy Brandt ) , and her husband Hank ( Dean Norris ) , a Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) agent . Walter hires lawyer Saul Goodman ( Bob Odenkirk ) , who connects him with private investigator and fixer Mike Ehrmantraut ( Jonathan Banks ) and in turn Mike 's employer , drug kingpin Gus Fring ( Giancarlo Esposito ) . The final season introduces the characters Todd Alquist ( Jesse Plemons ) and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle ( Laura Fraser ) . Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time . By the time the series finale aired , the series was among the most-watched cable shows on American television . The show received numerous awards , including sixteen Primetime Emmy Awards , eight Satellite Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two Peabody Awards , two Critics ' Choice Awards , and four Television Critics Association Awards . For his leading performance , Cranston won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times , while Aaron Paul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times ; Anna Gunn won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series twice . In 2013 , Breaking Bad entered the Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed show of all time .", "Shame (2011 film). Shame is a 2011 British-American drama film directed and co-written by Steve McQueen , starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan as grown siblings . It was co-produced by Film4 and See-Saw Films . The film 's explicit scenes reflecting the protagonist 's sexual addiction resulted in a rating of NC-17 in the United States . Shame was released in the United Kingdom on 13 January 2012 .", "Academy Award for Best Actress. The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the film industry . The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Janet Gaynor receiving the award for her roles in 7th Heaven , Street Angel , and Sunrise . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . In the first three years of the awards , actresses were nominated as the best in their categories . At that time , all of their work during the qualifying period ( as many as three films , in some cases ) was listed after the award . However , during the 3rd ceremony held in 1930 , only one of those films was cited in each winner 's final award , even though each of the acting winners had two films following their names on the ballots . The following year , this unwieldy and confusing system was replaced by the current system in which an actress is nominated for a specific performance in a single film . Starting with the 9th ceremony held in 1937 , the category was officially limited to five nominations per year . One actress has been nominated posthumously , Jeanne Eagels . Only three film characters have been nominated more than once in this category . Elizabeth I of England ( two times by Cate Blanchett ) , Leslie Crosbie in The Letter , and Esther Blodgett in A Star is Born . Six women on the list have received an Honorary Academy Award for their acting ; they are Greta Garbo , Barbara Stanwyck , Mary Pickford , Deborah Kerr , Gena Rowlands , and Sophia Loren . Since its inception , the award has been given to 74 actresses . Katharine Hepburn has won the most awards in this category , with four Oscars . Meryl Streep , who has a total of 20 Oscar nominations ( three wins ) , has been nominated in this category on 16 occasions , resulting in two awards . As of the 2017 ceremony , Emma Stone is the most recent winner in this category for her role as Mia Dolan in La La Land .", "Frank (film). Frank is a 2014 comedy-drama film directed by Lenny Abrahamson , produced by David Barron , Ed Guiney and Stevie Lee and written by Jon Ronson and Peter Straughan . It stars Michael Fassbender , Domhnall Gleeson , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Scoot McNairy , and François Civil . The film premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival . It was released theatrically in Ireland on 9 May 2014 and on DVD and On-Demand on 12 September 2014 . It was released in cinemas in the United Kingdom on 9 May 2014 .", "Hunger (2008 film). Hunger is a 2008 British-Irish historical drama film directed by Steve McQueen and starring Michael Fassbender , Liam Cunningham , and Liam McMahon , about the 1981 Irish hunger strike . It was written by Enda Walsh and McQueen . It premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival , winning the prestigious Caméra d'Or award for first-time filmmakers . It went on to win the Sydney Film Prize at the Sydney Film Festival , the Grand Prix of the Belgian Syndicate of Cinema Critics , best picture from the Evening Standard British Film Awards , and received two BAFTA nominations , winning one . The film was also nominated for eight awards at the 2009 IFTAs , winning six at the event . The film stars Fassbender as Bobby Sands , the Provisional Irish Republican Army ( IRA ) volunteer and MP who led the second IRA hunger strike and participated in the no wash protest ( led by Brendan `` The Dark '' Hughes ) in which Irish republican prisoners tried to regain political status after it had been revoked by the British government in 1976 . It dramatises events in the Maze Prison in the period leading up to the hunger strike and its aftermath .", "The Shield. The Shield is an American crime drama television series starring Michael Chiklis that premiered on March 12 , 2002 , on FX in the United States , and concluded on November 25 , 2008 , after seven seasons . Known for its portrayal of corrupt police officers , it was originally advertised as Rampart in reference to the true life Rampart Division police scandal , on which the show 's Strike Team was loosely based . The series was created by Shawn Ryan and The Barn Productions for Fox Television Studios and Sony Pictures Television . Several notable film actors took extended roles on the show , including Glenn Close , who was the female lead during the fourth season , Forest Whitaker , who guest starred in seasons 5 and 6 , Laura Harring , in season 5 , Franka Potente , in season 6 , and Laurie Holden , in season 7 . The series has received critical acclaim , as well as several awards and nominations . It won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama in 2002 , and the final season won a 2008 AFI Award for best television series . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked The Shield # 50 on its list of the 60 Best Series of All Time . Chiklis won both the Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama in 2002 .", "Transformers (film). Transformers is a 2007 American science fiction action film based on the toy line of the same name created by Hasbro . The film , which combines computer animation with live-action filming , was directed by Michael Bay , with Steven Spielberg serving as executive producer . It was produced by Don Murphy and Tom DeSanto , and is the first installment in the live-action Transformers film series . The film stars Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky , a teenager who gets caught up in a war between the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons , two factions of alien robots who can disguise themselves by transforming into everyday machinery , primarily vehicles . The Autobots intend to use the AllSpark , the object that created their robotic race , to rebuild their home planet Cybertron and end the war , while the Decepticons have the intention of using it to build an army by giving life to the machines of Earth . Tyrese Gibson , Josh Duhamel , Anthony Anderson , Megan Fox , Rachael Taylor , John Turturro , and Jon Voight also star , while voice actors Peter Cullen and Hugo Weaving voice Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively . Murphy and DeSanto developed the project in 2003 , and DeSanto wrote a treatment . Steven Spielberg came on board the following year , hiring Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman to write the screenplay . The U.S. Armed Forces and General Motors ( GM ) loaned vehicles and aircraft during filming , which saved money for the production and added realism to the battle scenes . Hasbro 's promotional campaign for the film included deals with various companies ; advertising included a viral marketing campaign , coordinated releases of prequel comic books , toys , and books , as well as product placement deals with companies such as GM , Burger King , and eBay . Transformers received mixed to positive reviews from critics and fans , and is the 87th highest-grossing film of all-time and was the fifth highest-grossing film of 2007 , grossing $ 709 million worldwide , with an estimated 46 million tickets sold in the US . The film won four awards from the Visual Effects Society and was nominated for three Academy Awards , for Best Sound Editing , Best Sound Mixing , and Best Visual Effects . LaBeouf 's performance was praised by Empire , and Cullen 's reprisal of Optimus Prime from the 1980s television series was well received by fans . It was soon followed by four sequels : Revenge of the Fallen ( 2009 ) , Dark of the Moon ( 2011 ) , and Age of Extinction ( 2014 ) , the later two of which grossed $ 1 billion . A fifth installment , titled The Last Knight , is scheduled for release on June 23 , 2017 .", "Supporting actor. A supporting actor is an actor who performs a role in a play or film below that of the leading actor ( s ) , and above that of a bit part . In recognition of important nature of this work , the theater and film industries give separate awards to the best supporting actors and actresses . These range from minor roles to principal players and are often pivotal or vital to the story as in a best friend , love interest , sidekick ( such as Robin in the Batman series ) , or antagonist ( such as the villain ) . They are sometimes but not necessarily character roles . In earlier times , these could often be ethnic stereotypes . A supporting actor should usually not upstage the starring or main actor or actress . The title of the role is usually specific to the performance ; that is , a person may be a supporting actor in one film and the lead in another . In television , the term day player is used to refer to most performers with supporting speaking roles hired on a daily basis without long-term contracts .", "Macbeth (2015 film). Macbeth is a 2015 British-French-American war historical drama film based on William Shakespeare 's play of the same name , directed by Justin Kurzel and written by Jacob Koskoff , Todd Louiso , and Michael Lesslie . The film stars Michael Fassbender in the title role and Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth . The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival . The film was theatrically released on December 4 , 2015 on the United States while in the UK , it was released on October 2 , 2015 . Upon its release , Macbeth received generally positive reviews from film critics who highly praised the lead character 's depiction by Fassbender as well as praising the rest of the cast , the visual style , the script , the direction and the war sequences . However , despite positive critical reaction , the film was a commercial failure , grossing $ 16 million worldwide against production budget of $ 20 million .", "Hanging Up. Hanging Up is a 2000 American comedy-drama film about a trio of sisters who bond over the approaching death of their curmudgeonly father to whom none of them were particularly close . The film stars Diane Keaton ( who also directed ) , Meg Ryan , and Lisa Kudrow as the three sisters , and Walter Matthau ( in his final film appearance ) as the father . The film is based on 1995 book of the same name by Delia Ephron .", "Academy Award for Best Picture. The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually since the awards debuted in 1929 , by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only category in which every member is eligible to submit a nomination and vote on the final ballot . The actors or actresses in the film will not accept this award unless he or she produced the film . Best Picture is considered the premier award of the Academy Awards , as it represents all the directing , acting , music composing , writing , editing , and other efforts put forth into a film production . Since 1973 , it is the final award presented at the ceremony and a drum roll was used when the winner is announced . The Grand Staircase columns at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles , where the Academy Awards ceremonies have been held since 2002 , showcase every film that has won the Best Picture title since the award 's inception . As of 2017 , there have been 537 films nominated for Best Picture .", "List of awards and nominations received by Michael Fassbender. The following is a list of awards and nominations received by Irish-German actor Michael Fassbender throughout his acting career .", "Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. The Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Series , Miniseries , or Television Film is an award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association ( HFPA ) . It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role on a television series , miniseries or motion picture made for television for the calendar year . The award was first presented at the 28th Golden Globe Awards on February 5 , 1971 to Gail Fisher for her role on Mannix . It was presented under the title Best Supporting Actress -- Television Series before changing to its current title in 1980 . Since its inception , the award has been given to 44 actresses . Olivia Colman is the current recipient of the award for her portrayal of Angela Burr on The Night Manager . Valerie Bertinelli , Faye Dunaway , and Polly Holliday have won the most awards in this category with two each . Rhea Perlman has been nominated for the award on six occasions , the most within the category .", "National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor. The National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor is an annual award given by the National Society of Film Critics to honor the best leading actor of the year .", "National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film. The National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Picture is an annual award given by National Society of Film Critics to honor the best film of the year . In the past 40 years , the Society only agreed with the Academy Award for Best Picture seven times : Annie Hall ( 1977 ) , Unforgiven ( 1992 ) , Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) , Million Dollar Baby ( 2004 ) , The Hurt Locker ( 2009 ) , Spotlight ( 2015 ) , and Moonlight ( 2016 ) . Five others have received the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film : Z , Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie ( The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie ) , La nuit américaine ( Day for Night ) , Préparez vos mouchoirs ( Get Out Your Handkerchiefs ) , and Amour .", "85th Academy Awards. The 85th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2012 and took place on February 24 , 2013 , at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . The ceremony was the first in the Academy 's 85-year history to adopt the phrase `` The Oscars '' as the ceremony 's official name during the broadcast and marketing . During the ceremony , the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC , and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and directed by Don Mischer . Actor Seth MacFarlane hosted the show for the first time . In related events , the Academy held its 4th annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on December 1 , 2012 . On February 9 , 2013 , in a ceremony at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by hosts Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana . Life of Pi won four awards including Best Director for Ang Lee . Argo won three awards , including Best Picture , the fourth film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture without its director nominated . Other winners included Les Misérables also with three awards , Django Unchained , Lincoln , and Skyfall with two , and Amour , Anna Karenina , Brave , Curfew , Inocente , Paperman , Searching for Sugar Man , Silver Linings Playbook , and Zero Dark Thirty with one . The telecast garnered more than 40 million viewers in the United States .", "Changing Lanes. Changing Lanes is a 2002 American drama-thriller film directed by Roger Michell , and stars Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson . The film follows a successful , young Wall Street lawyer ( Affleck ) who accidentally crashes his car into a vehicle driven by a middle-aged , recovering alcoholic insurance salesman ( Jackson ) . After the lawyer leaves the scene of the accident , the two men try to get back at each other , engaging in a variety of immoral and illegal actions that end up having a major impact on each man 's life . The film was released on April 12 , 2002 in North America by Paramount Pictures . The film was favourably reviewed by critics and it was a box office success , earning almost $ 95 million against a $ 45 million budget . Writers Chap Taylor and Michael Tolkin were nominated for the WAFCA Award for Best Original Screenplay for their work ." ]

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[ "Red Headed Stranger (film). Red Headed Stranger is a 1986 American western drama film written and directed by William D. Wittliff . The film stars Willie Nelson and Morgan Fairchild . It is based on Nelson 's album '' Red Headed Stranger ( 1975 ) .", "Red Headed Stranger. Red Headed Stranger is a 1975 album by American outlaw country singer Willie Nelson . After the wide success of his recordings with Atlantic Records , coupled with the negotiating skills of his manager , Neil Reshen , Nelson signed a contract with Columbia Records , a label that gave him total creative control over his works . The concept for the album was inspired by the `` Tale of the Red Headed Stranger '' , a song that Nelson used to play as a disk jockey on his program in Fort Worth , Texas . After signing with Columbia he decided to record the song , and arranged the details during his return to Austin , Texas , from a trip to Colorado . It was recorded at low cost at Autumn Sound Studios in Garland , Texas . The songs featured sparse arrangements , largely limited to Nelson 's guitar , piano and drums . Nelson presented the finished material to Columbia executives , who were dubious about releasing an album that they at first thought was a demo . However , Nelson had creative control , so no further production was added . A concept album , Red Headed Stranger is about a fugitive on the run from the law after killing his wife and her lover . The content consists of songs with brief poetic lyrics and arrangements of older material such as Fred Rose 's `` Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain '' , Wolfe Gilbert 's `` Down Yonder '' and Juventino Rosas ' `` O'er the Waves '' . Despite Columbia 's doubts and the limited instrumentation , Red Headed Stranger was a blockbuster among country music and mainstream audiences . It was certified multi-platinum , and made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music . The cover of `` Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain '' , released as a single previous to the album full release became Nelson 's first number one hit . The title of the album would become a lasting nickname for Nelson . It was ranked # 183 on Rolling Stones list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time , and number one on CMT 's 40 Greatest Albums in Country Music . In 2010 it was inducted to the National Recording Registry . In 1986 Nelson starred as the Red Headed Stranger in a movie of the same name , based on the story of the album . The album has had a strong cultural impact ; the song `` Time of the Preacher '' has been used often in the series Edge of Darkness , and its lyrics were used as well in the first issue of the comic Preacher .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Academy Award for Best Director. The Academy Award for Best Director ( officially known as the Academy Award for Best Directing ) is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of a film director who has exhibited outstanding directing while working in the film industry . The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with the award being split into `` Dramatic '' and `` Comedy '' categories ; Frank Borzage and Lewis Milestone won for Seventh Heaven and Two Arabian Knights , respectively . However , these categories were merged for all subsequent ceremonies . Nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the directors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . For the first eleven years of the Academy Awards , directors were allowed to be nominated for multiple films in the same year . However , after the nomination of Michael Curtiz for two films , Angels with Dirty Faces and Four Daughters , at the 11th Academy Awards , the rules were revised so that an individual could only be nominated for one film at each ceremony . That rule has since been amended , although the only director who has received multiple nominations in the same year was Steven Soderbergh for Erin Brockovich and Traffic in 2000 , winning the award for the latter . The Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture have been very closely linked throughout their history . Of the 89 films that have been awarded Best Picture , 63 have also been awarded Best Director . Since its inception , the award has been given to 69 directors or directing teams . John Ford has received the most awards in this category with four . William Wyler was nominated on twelve occasions , more than any other individual . As of the 2017 ceremony , Damien Chazelle is the most recent winner in this category for his work on La La Land . Chazelle also became the youngest director in history to receive this award , at the age of 32 . Two directing teams have shared the award ; Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins for West Side Story in 1961 and Joel and Ethan Coen for No Country for Old Men in 2007 . The Coen brothers are the only siblings to have won the award .", "Red-Headed Woman. Red-Headed Woman is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic comedy film , produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , based on a novel of the same name by Katherine Brush , and with a screenplay by Anita Loos . It was directed by Jack Conway , and stars Jean Harlow as a woman who uses sex to advance her social position . During the course of the film , Harlow breaks up a marriage , has multiple affairs and pre-marital sex , and attempts to kill a man .", "Biographical film. A biographical film , or biopic ( -LSB- ˈbaɪəʊpɪk -RSB- abbreviation for biographical motion picture ) , is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people . Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character 's real name is used . They differ from films `` based on a true story '' or `` historical drama films '' in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a single person 's life story or at least the most historically important years of their lives . Because the figures portrayed are actual people , whose actions and characteristics are known to the public ( or at least historically documented ) , biopic roles are considered some of the most demanding of actors and actresses . Ben Kingsley , Johnny Depp , Jim Carrey , and Jamie Foxx all gained new-found respect as dramatic actors after starring in biopics : Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi ( 1982 ) , Depp as Ed Wood in Ed Wood ( 1994 ) , Carrey as Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon ( 1999 ) , and Foxx as Ray Charles in Ray ( 2004 ) . In rare cases , sometimes called auto biopics , the subject of the film plays himself or herself : Jackie Robinson in The Jackie Robinson Story ; Muhammad Ali in The Greatest ; Audie Murphy in To Hell and Back ; Patty Duke in Call Me Anna ; Bob Mathias in The Bob Mathias Story , Arlo Guthrie in Alice 's Restaurant ; and Howard Stern in Private Parts . Biopic scholars include George F. Custen of the College of Staten Island and Dennis P. Bingham of Indiana University -- Purdue University Indianapolis . Custen , in Bio/Pics : How Hollywood Constructed Public History ( 1992 ) , regards the genre as having died with the Hollywood studio era , and in particular , Darryl F. Zanuck . On the other hand , Bingham 's 2010 study Whose Lives Are They Anyway ? The Biopic as Contemporary Film Genre shows how it perpetuates as a codified genre using many of the same tropes used in the studio era that has followed a similar trajectory as that shown by Rick Altman in his study , Film/Genre . Bingham also addresses the male biopic and the female biopic as distinct genres from each other , the former generally dealing with great accomplishments , the latter generally dealing with female victimization . Ellen Cheshire 's Bio-Pics : a life in pictures ( 2014 ) examines UK/US films from the 1990s and 2000s . Each chapter reviews key films linked by profession and concludes with further viewing list . Christopher Robé has also written on the gender norms that underlie the biopic in his article , `` Taking Hollywood Back '' in the 2009 issue of Cinema Journal . Roger Ebert defended The Hurricane and distortions in biographical films in general , stating `` those who seek the truth about a man from the film of his life might as well seek it from his loving grandmother . ... The Hurricane is not a documentary but a parable . '' Some biopics purposely stretch the truth . Confessions of a Dangerous Mind was based on game show host Chuck Barris ' widely debunked yet popular memoir of the same name , in which he claimed to be a CIA agent . Kafka incorporated both the life of author Franz Kafka and the surreal aspects of his fiction . The Errol Flynn film They Died with Their Boots On tells the story of Custer but is highly romanticized . The Oliver Stone film The Doors , mainly about Jim Morrison , was highly praised for the similarities between Jim Morrison and actor Val Kilmer , look-wise and singing-wise , but fans and band members did not like the way Oliver Stone portrayed Jim Morrison , and a few of the scenes were even completely made up . Casting can be controversial for biographical films . Casting is often a balance between similarity in looks and ability to portray the characteristics of the person . Anthony Hopkins felt that he should not have played Richard Nixon in Nixon because of a lack of resemblance between the two . The casting of John Wayne as Genghis Khan in The Conqueror was objected to because of the American Wayne being cast as the Mongol warlord . Egyptian critics criticized the casting of Louis Gossett , Jr. , an African American actor , as Egyptian president Anwar Sadat in the 1982 TV miniseries Sadat . Also , some objected to the casting of Jennifer Lopez in Selena because she is a New York City native of Puerto Rican descent while Selena was Mexican-American .", "Stranger Things. Stranger Things is an American science fiction-horror web television series created , written , directed and co-executive produced by the Duffer Brothers , as well as co-executive-produced by Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen . The first season stars Winona Ryder , David Harbour , Finn Wolfhard , Millie Bobby Brown , Gaten Matarazzo , Caleb McLaughlin , Natalia Dyer , Charlie Heaton , Cara Buono , and Matthew Modine , with Noah Schnapp and Joe Keery in recurring roles . The second season will see Schnapp and Keery promoted to series regulars , along with the addition of Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery . Set in the fictional town of Hawkins , Indiana in the 1980s , the first season focuses on the investigation into the disappearance of a young boy by his friends , older brother and traumatized mother and the local police chief , amid supernatural events occurring around the town including the appearance of a psychokinetic girl who helps the missing boy 's friends in their own search . The second season is set a year after the first , and deals with attempts of the characters to return to normal and consequences from that season . The Duffer Brothers developed the series as a mix of investigative drama alongside supernatural elements with childlike sensibilities , establishing its time frame in the 1980s and creating a homage #Noun to pop culture of that decade . Several themes and directorial aspects were inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Steven Spielberg , John Carpenter , and Stephen King , among others . The series was released on Netflix on July 15 , 2016 . It received critical acclaim for its characterization , pacing , atmosphere , acting , soundtrack , directing , writing and homages to 1980s genre films . The series has received several industry nominations and awards , including winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2016 . On August 31 , 2016 , Netflix renewed the series for a second season of nine episodes , which is set to be released on October 31 , 2017 .", "Barbra Streisand. Barbara Joan `` Barbra '' Streisand ( -LSB- ˈstraɪsænd -RSB- born April 24 , 1942 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress , and filmmaker . In a career spanning six decades , she has become an icon in multiple fields of entertainment and has been recognized with two Academy Awards , ten Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Grammy Legend Award , five Emmy Awards including one Daytime Emmy , a Special Tony Award , an American Film Institute award , a Kennedy Center Honors prize , four Peabody Awards , the Presidential Medal of Freedom , and nine Golden Globes . She is among a small group of entertainers who have been honored with an Emmy , Grammy , Oscar , and Tony Award , and is one of only two artists who have also won a Peabody . Streisand is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , with more than 68.5 million albums in the United States and with a total of 145 million records sold worldwide making her the best-selling female artist among the top-selling artists recognized by the Recording Industry Association of America . After beginning a successful recording career in the 1960s , Streisand ventured into film by the end of that decade . She starred in the critically acclaimed Funny Girl , for which she won the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . Her other films include The Owl and the Pussycat , The Way We Were , and A Star Is Born , for which she received her second Academy Award , composing music for the love theme `` Evergreen '' , the first woman to be honored as a composer . With the release of Yentl in 1983 , Streisand became the first woman to write , produce , direct , and star in a major studio film . The film won an Oscar for Best Score and a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical ; Streisand received the Golden Globe Award for Best Director , the first ( and to date only ) woman to win that award . The RIAA and Billboard recognize Streisand as holding the record for the most top 10 albums of any female recording artist : a total of 34 since 1963 . According to Billboard , Streisand holds the record for the female with the most number one albums ( 11 ) . Billboard also recognizes Streisand as the greatest female of all time on its Billboard 200 chart and one of the greatest artists of all time on its Hot 100 chart . Streisand is the only recording artist to have a number-one album in each of the last six decades , having released 53 gold albums , 31 platinum albums , and 14 multi-platinum albums in the United States .", "Technicolor. Technicolor is a series of color motion picture processes , the first version dating from 1916 , and followed by improved versions over several decades . It was the second major color process , after Britain 's Kinemacolor , and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952 . Technicolor became known and celebrated for its highly saturated color , and was initially most commonly used for filming musicals such as The Wizard of Oz ( 1939 ) and Down Argentine Way ( 1940 ) , costume pictures such as The Adventures of Robin Hood ( 1938 ) and Gone with the Wind ( 1939 ) , and animated films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( 1937 ) and Fantasia ( 1940 ) . As the technology matured it was also used for less spectacular dramas and comedies . Occasionally , even a film noir -- such as Leave Her to Heaven ( 1945 ) or Niagara ( 1953 ) -- was filmed in Technicolor . `` Technicolor '' is the trademark for a series of color motion picture processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation ( a subsidiary of Technicolor , Inc. ) , now a division of the French company Technicolor SA . The Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation was founded in Boston in 1914 ( incorporated in Maine in 1915 ) by Herbert Kalmus , Daniel Frost Comstock , and W. Burton Wescott . The `` Tech '' in the company 's name was inspired by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , where both Kalmus and Comstock received their undergraduate degrees and were later instructors . Technicolor , Inc. was chartered in Delaware in 1921 . Most of Technicolor 's early patents were taken out by Comstock and Wescott , while Kalmus served primarily as the company 's president and chief executive officer .", "Jake Gyllenhaal. Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal ( -LSB- ˈdʒɪlənhɑːl -RSB- ; born December 19 , 1980 ) is an American actor . A member of the Gyllenhaal family and the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner , Gyllenhaal began acting as a child with a screen debut in City Slickers ( 1991 ) , followed by roles in A Dangerous Woman ( 1993 ) and Homegrown ( 1998 ) . His breakthrough performance was as Homer Hickam in October Sky ( 1999 ) and he garnered an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Male Lead for playing the title character in the indie cult hit Donnie Darko ( 2001 ) , in which he played a psychologically troubled teenager alongside his older sister , Maggie Gyllenhaal . He subsequently appeared in another indie film , The Good Girl ( 2002 ) and the climate fiction-disaster film The Day After Tomorrow ( 2004 ) , portraying a student caught in a cataclysmic climate event . In 2005 , Gyllenhaal portrayed Anthony `` Swoff '' Swofford in Jarhead , Gwyneth Paltrow 's love interest in Proof , and Jack Twist in Ang Lee 's Brokeback Mountain . For his performance in Brokeback Mountain , he received critical acclaim and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role , the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture , and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Gyllenhaal received further recognition for roles in Zodiac ( 2007 ) , Brothers ( 2009 ) , Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time ( 2010 ) , Love & Other Drugs ( 2010 ) , for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy , Source Code ( 2011 ) , End of Watch ( 2012 ) , Prisoners , Enemy ( both 2013 ) , Nightcrawler ( 2014 ) , Southpaw ( 2015 ) and Nocturnal Animals ( 2016 ) . For Nightcrawler , his performance was widely acclaimed and received rave reviews from critics and he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Drama , the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role , and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role .", "Martin Scorsese. Martin Charles Scorsese ( -LSB- skɔːrˈsɛsi -RSB- -LSB- skorˈseːze -RSB- ; born November 17 , 1942 ) is an American director , producer , screenwriter , and film historian , whose career spans more than 50 years . Scorsese 's body of work addresses such themes as Sicilian-American identity , Roman Catholic concepts of guilt and redemption , faith , machismo , modern crime , and gang conflict . Many of his films are also known for their depiction of violence and liberal use of profanity . Part of the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking , he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and influential filmmakers in cinematic history . In 1990 , he founded The Film Foundation , a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation , and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation . He is a recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to the cinema , and has won an Academy Award , a Palme d'Or , Cannes Film Festival Best Director Award , Silver Lion , Grammy Award , Emmys , Golden Globes , BAFTAs , and DGA Awards . He has directed works such as the crime film Mean Streets ( 1973 ) , the vigilante-thriller Taxi Driver ( 1976 ) , the biographical sports drama Raging Bull ( 1980 ) , the black comedy The King of Comedy ( 1983 ) , the religious epic drama The Last Temptation of Christ ( 1988 ) , the crime film Goodfellas ( 1990 ) , the psychological thriller Cape Fear ( 1991 ) and the crime film Casino ( 1995 ) , some of which he collaborated on with actor and close friend Robert De Niro . Scorsese has also been noted for his successful collaborations with actor Leonardo DiCaprio , having directed him in five films , beginning with Gangs of New York ( 2002 ) and most recently The Wolf of Wall Street ( 2013 ) . Their third film together , The Departed , won Scorsese the Academy Award for Best Director in addition to the film winning the award for Best Picture . Their collaborations have resulted in numerous Academy Award nominations for both as well as them winning several other prestigious awards . Scorsese 's other film work includes the concert film The Last Waltz ( 1978 ) , the black comedy After Hours ( 1985 ) , the biographical drama The Aviator ( 2004 ) , the psychological thriller Shutter Island ( 2010 ) , the historical adventure drama Hugo ( 2011 ) and the religious epic Silence ( 2016 ) . His work in television includes the pilot episode of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire and Vinyl , the latter of which he also co-created . He won the Academy Award for Best Director for the crime drama The Departed ( 2006 ) . With eight Best Director nominations , he is the most nominated living director and is tied with Billy Wilder for the second most nominations overall .", "Golden Globe Award. Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association , recognizing excellence in film and television , both domestic and foreign . The annual ceremony at which the awards are presented is a major part of the film industry 's awards season , which culminates each year in the Academy Awards . The 74th Golden Globe Awards , honoring the best in film and television in 2016 , was broadcast live on January 8 , 2017 . Jimmy Fallon hosted the show .", "Tom Cruise. Thomas Cruise Mapother IV ( born July 3 , 1962 ) , known professionally as Tom Cruise , is an American actor and producer . He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and has won three Golden Globe Awards . He started his career at age 19 in the film Endless Love ( 1981 ) . After portraying supporting roles in Taps ( 1981 ) and The Outsiders ( 1983 ) , his first leading role was in the romantic comedy Risky Business , released in August 1983 . Cruise became a full-fledged movie star after starring as Pete `` Maverick '' Mitchell in the action drama Top Gun ( 1986 ) . One of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood , Cruise starred in several more successful films in the 1980s , including the dramas The Color of Money ( 1986 ) , Cocktail ( 1988 ) , Rain Man ( 1988 ) , and Born on the Fourth of July ( 1989 ) . In the 1990s , he starred in a number of hit films , including the romance Far and Away ( 1992 ) , the drama A Few Good Men ( 1992 ) , the legal thriller The Firm ( 1993 ) , the drama horror film Interview with the Vampire ( 1994 ) , the romantic comedy-drama sports film Jerry Maguire ( 1996 ) , the erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut , and the drama Magnolia ( both 1999 ) . Since 1996 , Cruise has been well known for his role as IMF agent Ethan Hunt in the Mission : Impossible film series , whose most recent film , Mission : Impossible -- Rogue Nation , was released in 2015 . In the 2000s , Cruise starred in a number of successful films , including the science fiction thrillers Vanilla Sky ( 2001 ) and Minority Report ( 2002 ) , the epic war film The Last Samurai ( 2003 ) , the crime film Collateral ( 2004 ) , the science fiction disaster thriller War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) , and the historical thriller Valkyrie ( 2008 ) . In the 2010s , he has starred in the action comedy Knight and Day ( 2010 ) , the thriller Jack Reacher ( 2012 ) , the post-apocalyptic science fiction film Oblivion ( 2013 ) , and the military science fiction film Edge of Tomorrow ( 2014 ) . In 2012 , Cruise was Hollywood 's highest-paid actor . 16 of his films grossed over $ 100 million domestically ; 22 have grossed in excess of $ 200 million worldwide . He has won Golden Globe Awards for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in Drama in 1990 for Born on the Fourth of July ; Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in Comedy/Musical in 1997 for Jerry Maguire ; and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in 2000 for Magnolia . In 2002 , Cruise won the Saturn Award for Best Actor for Vanilla Sky . In 2003 , he won an AFI Movie of the Year Award for The Last Samurai and an Empire Award for Best Actor for Minority Report . Cruise is an outspoken advocate for the Church of Scientology and its associated social programs , and credits it with helping him overcome dyslexia . In the 2000s , his criticisms of psychiatry and anti-depressant drugs , particularly therapy for 9/11 rescue workers , and efforts to promote Scientology as a religion in Europe , sparked controversies , as did a leaked video interview of him promoting Scientology .", "Michael Keaton. Michael John Douglas ( born September 5 , 1951 ) , known professionally as Michael Keaton , is an American actor , producer and director . He first rose to fame for his comedic film roles in Night Shift ( 1982 ) , Mr. Mom ( 1983 ) , Johnny Dangerously ( 1984 ) and Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , and he earned further acclaim for his dramatic portrayal of the title character in Tim Burton 's Batman ( 1989 ) and Batman Returns ( 1992 ) . Since then , he has appeared in a variety of films ranging from dramas and romantic comedies to thriller and action films ; such as Clean and Sober ( 1988 ) , The Dream Team ( 1989 ) , Pacific Heights ( 1990 ) , Much Ado About Nothing ( 1993 ) , My Life ( 1993 ) , The Paper ( 1994 ) , Multiplicity ( 1996 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Herbie : Fully Loaded ( 2005 ) , The Other Guys ( 2010 ) , Need for Speed ( 2014 ) , RoboCop ( 2014 ) , Spotlight ( 2015 ) and The Founder ( 2016 ) , and he has also provided voices for characters in animated films such as Cars ( 2006 ) , Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) and Minions ( 2015 ) . In 2017 , Keaton will play the role of Marvel Comics supervillain the Vulture in Spider-Man : Homecoming . Keaton 's lead performance in Birdman or ( The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance ) ( 2014 ) earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy , the Critics ' Choice Award for Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy , and nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award , British Academy Film Award , and Academy Award for Best Actor . He previously received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance in Live from Baghdad ( 2002 ) and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for The Company ( 2007 ) . Keaton was awarded a Career Achievement Award from both the Hollywood Film Festival and Zurich Film Festivals . On January 18 , 2016 , he was named Officer of Order of Arts and Letters in France . He is also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University . </span>", "Cult film. A cult film , also commonly referred to as a cult classic , is a film that has acquired a cult following . Cult films are known for their dedicated , passionate fanbase , an elaborate subculture that engage in repeated viewings , quoting dialogue , and audience participation . Inclusive definitions allow for major studio productions , especially box office bombs , while exclusive definitions focus more on obscure , transgressive films shunned by the mainstream . The difficulty in defining the term and subjectivity of what qualifies as a cult film mirror classificatory disputes about art . The term cult film itself was first used in the 1970s to describe the culture that surrounded underground films and midnight movies , though cult was in common use in film analysis for decades prior to that . Cult films trace their origin back to controversial and suppressed films kept alive by dedicated fans . In some cases , reclaimed or rediscovered films have acquired cult followings decades after their original release , occasionally for their camp value . Other cult films have since become well-respected or reassessed as classics ; there is debate as to whether these popular and accepted films are still cult films . After failing in the cinema , some cult films have become regular fixtures on cable television or profitable sellers on home video . Others have inspired their own film festivals . Cult films can both appeal to specific subcultures and form their own subcultures . Other media that reference cult films can easily identify which demographics they desire to attract and offer savvy fans an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge . Cult films frequently break cultural taboos , and many feature excessive displays of violence , gore , sexuality , profanity , or combinations thereof . This can lead to controversy , censorship , and outright bans ; less transgressive films may attract similar amounts of controversy when critics call them frivolous or incompetent . Films that fail to attract requisite amounts of controversy may face resistance when labeled as cult films . Mainstream films and big budget blockbusters have attracted cult followings similar to more underground and lesser known films ; fans of these films often emphasize the films ' niche appeal and reject the more popular aspects . Fans who like the films for the wrong reasons , such as perceived elements that represent mainstream appeal and marketing , will often be ostracized or ridiculed . Likewise , fans who stray from accepted subcultural scripts may experience similar rejection . Since the late 1970s , cult films have become increasingly popular . Films that once would have been limited to obscure cult followings are now capable of breaking into the mainstream , and showings of cult films have proved to be a profitable business venture . Overbroad usage of the term has resulted in controversy , as purists state it has become a meaningless descriptor applied to any film that is the slightest bit weird or unconventional ; others accuse Hollywood studios of trying to artificially create cult films or use the term as a marketing tactic . Films are frequently stated to be an `` instant cult classic '' now , occasionally before they are released . Fickle fans on the Internet have latched on to unreleased films only to abandon them later on release . At the same time , other films have acquired massive , quick cult followings , thanks to spreading virally through social media . Easy access to cult films via video on demand and peer-to-peer file sharing has led some critics to pronounce the death of cult films .", "David Lynch. David Keith Lynch ( born January 20 , 1946 ) is an American director , screenwriter , producer , painter , musician , and photographer . He has been described by The Guardian as `` the most important director of this era . '' AllMovie called him `` the Renaissance man of modern American filmmaking '' , while the success of his films has led to him being labelled `` the first popular Surrealist . '' Born to a middle-class family in Missoula , Montana , Lynch spent his childhood traveling around the United States , before going on to study painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia , where he first made the transition to producing short films . He moved to Los Angeles , where he produced his first motion picture , the surrealist horror film Eraserhead ( 1977 ) . After Eraserhead became a cult classic on the midnight movie circuit , Lynch was employed to direct a biographical film about a deformed man , Joseph Merrick , titled The Elephant Man ( 1980 ) , from which he gained mainstream success . He was then employed by the De Laurentiis Entertainment Group , and proceeded to make two films : the science-fiction epic Dune ( 1984 ) , which proved to be a critical and commercial failure , and then a neo-noir crime film , Blue Velvet ( 1986 ) , which stirred controversy over its violence but grew in critical reputation later on . Next , Lynch created his own television series with Mark Frost , the popular murder mystery Twin Peaks ( 1990 -- 1991 ; 2017 ) : he also created a cinematic prequel , Twin Peaks : Fire Walk with Me ( 1992 ) ; a road movie , Wild at Heart ( 1990 ) ; and a family film , The Straight Story ( 1999 ) ; in the same period . Turning further towards surrealist filmmaking , three of his subsequent films operated on `` dream logic '' , non-linear narrative structures : the psychological thriller Lost Highway ( 1997 ) , the neo-noir mystery film Mulholland Drive ( 2001 ) and the mystery film Inland Empire ( 2006 ) . Meanwhile , Lynch embraced the Internet as a medium , producing several web-based shows , such as the animated DumbLand ( 2002 ) and the surreal sitcom Rabbits ( 2002 ) . Other endeavours of his include : his work as a singer-songwriter , having released two solo albums -- Crazy Clown Time ( 2011 ) and The Big Dream ( 2013 ) ; music for various of his films including `` Ghost of Love '' for Inland Empire ; the David Lynch Foundation , which he founded to fund the teaching of Transcendental Meditation in schools ; painting and photography ; writing two books -- Images ( 1994 ) and Catching the Big Fish ( 2006 ) ; and directing several music videos and commercials . Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director and a nomination for best screenplay . He has won France 's César Award for Best Foreign Film twice , as well as the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival . The French government awarded him the Legion of Honor , the country 's top civilian honor , as a Chevalier in 2002 and then an Officier in 2007 . Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive are widely considered by critics to be among the greatest films of their respective decades .", "Red Cloud: Deliverance. Red Cloud : Deliverance is a 2013 film , about a Native American gun for hire , Jake Red Cloud , played by Alex Kruz , who is befriended by a young emotionally damaged girl Ann ( Breanna Lakatos ) . The film champions the importance of children and their emotional life which the main character uses Native American spirituality to heal . Based on the comic book character Jake Red Cloud , Quechua from Red Cloud Comics in 2014 , Red Cloud : Deliverance was awarded the Spirit of Comic Con by Wizard Entertainment to show at Comic Con Conventions during 2014 to 2015 . The film and Alex Kruz won several notable awards at Mexico International Film Festival , Action On Film International Film Festival , Accolade Competition , Bare Bones International Film Festival , DC Independent Film Festival , Amiens International Film Festival , and nominated for best performance by the Maverick Movie Awards . The film was named `` One of the Top 10 Comic Book Movies of All Time '' by Cinema Crazed .", "Film. A film , also called a movie , motion picture , theatrical film , or photoplay , is a series of still images which , when shown on a screen , creates the illusion of moving images due to the phi phenomenon . This optical illusion causes the audience to perceive continuous motion between separate objects viewed rapidly in succession . The process of filmmaking is both an art and an industry . A film is created by photographing actual scenes with a motion picture camera ; by photographing drawings or miniature models using traditional animation techniques ; by means of CGI and computer animation ; or by a combination of some or all of these techniques and other visual effects . The word `` cinema '' , short for cinematography , is often used to refer to the industry of films and filmmaking or to the art of filmmaking itself . The contemporary definition of cinema is the art of simulating experiences to communicate ideas , stories , perceptions , feelings , beauty or atmosphere by the means of recorded or programmed moving images along with other sensory stimulations . Films were originally recorded onto plastic film through a photochemical process and then shown through a movie projector onto a large screen . The adoption of CGI-based special effects led to the use of digital intermediates . Most contemporary films are now fully digital through the entire process of production , distribution , and exhibition from start to finish . Films recorded in a photochemical form traditionally included an analogous optical soundtrack , which is a graphic recording of the spoken words , music and other sounds that accompany the images . It runs along a portion of the film exclusively reserved for it and is not projected . Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures . They reflect those cultures , and , in turn , affect them . Film is considered to be an important art form , a source of popular entertainment , and a powerful medium for educating -- or indoctrinating -- citizens . The visual basis of film gives it a universal power of communication . Some films have become popular worldwide attractions by using dubbing or subtitles to translate the dialog into the language of the viewer . Some have criticized the film industry 's glorification of violence and its potentially negative treatment of women . The individual images that make up a film are called frames . During projection of traditional films , a rotating shutter causes intervals of darkness as each frame , in turn , is moved into position to be projected , but the viewer does not notice the interruptions because of an effect known as persistence of vision , whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after the source has been removed . The perception of motion is due to a psychological effect called phi phenomenon . The name `` film '' originates from the fact that photographic film ( also called film stock ) has historically been the medium for recording and displaying motion pictures . Many other terms exist for an individual motion picture , including picture , picture show , moving picture , photoplay , and flick . The most common term in the United States is movie , while in Europe film is preferred . Terms for the field , in general , include the big screen , the silver screen , the movies , and cinema ; the latter is commonly used in scholarly texts and critical essays , especially by European writers . In early years , the word sheet was sometimes used instead of screen .", "Scarlett Johansson. Scarlett Johansson ( -LSB- dʒoʊˈhænsən -RSB- born November 22 , 1984 ) is an American actress , model , and singer . She made her film debut in the fantasy comedy North ( 1994 ) . Johansson subsequently starred in Manny & Lo ( 1996 ) , and garnered further acclaim and prominence with roles in The Horse Whisperer ( 1998 ) and Ghost World ( 2001 ) . She shifted to adult roles with her performances in Girl with a Pearl Earring ( 2003 ) and Lost in Translation ( 2003 ) , for which she won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role . Her subsequent films included A Love Song for Bobby Long ( 2004 ) , Match Point ( 2005 ) , The Island ( 2005 ) , The Black Dahlia ( 2006 ) , The Prestige ( 2006 ) , The Other Boleyn Girl ( 2008 ) , Vicky Cristina Barcelona ( 2008 ) , He 's Just Not That Into You ( 2009 ) , Don Jon ( 2013 ) , Her ( 2013 ) , Under the Skin ( 2013 ) , Lucy ( 2014 ) , The Jungle Book ( 2016 ) , and Ghost in the Shell ( 2017 ) . Since 2008 , Johansson has also portrayed the Marvel Comics character Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . She won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in the 2010 Broadway revival of A View from the Bridge . As a singer , Johansson has released two albums , Anywhere I Lay My Head ( 2008 ) and Break Up ( 2009 ) . Johansson is considered one of Hollywood 's modern sex symbols , and has frequently appeared in published lists of the sexiest women in the world . , she is the highest-grossing actress of all time in North America , with her films making over $ 3.6 billion . In 2016 , she was the highest-grossing actress , with a $ 1.2 billion total for the year .", "Film genre. A film genre ( -LSB- ˈʒɒnrə -RSB- or -LSB- ˈdʒɒnrə -RSB- ) is a motion picture category based on similarities in either the narrative elements or the emotional response to the film ( namely , serious , comic , etc. ) . Most theories of film genre are borrowed from literary genre criticism . The basic genres include fiction and documentary , from which subgenres have emerged , such as docufiction and docudrama . Other subgenres include the courtroom and trial-focused drama known as the legal drama . Types of fiction which may seem unrelated can also be combined to form hybrid subgenres , such as the melding of horror and comedy in the Evil Dead films . Other popular combinations are the romantic comedy and the action comedy film . Films can also be classified by the setting , theme , topic , mood , format , target audience or budget . The setting is the environment where the story and action take place ( e.g. , a war film , a Western film , or a space opera film ) . The theme or topic refers to the issues or concepts that the film revolves around ( e.g. , science fiction film , sports film , or crime film ) . The mood is the emotional tone of the film ( e.g. , comedy film , horror film , or tearjerker film ) . Format refers to the way the film was shot ( e.g. , anamorphic widescreen ) or the manner of presentation ( e.g. : 35 mm , 16 mm or 8 mm ) . Additional ways of categorizing film genres is by the target audience ( e.g. , children 's film , teen film or women 's film ) or by type of production ( e.g. , B movie , big-budget blockbuster or low-budget film ) .", "James Cromwell. James Oliver Cromwell ( born January 27 , 1940 ) is an American actor and producer . Some of his more notable films include Star Trek : First Contact ( 1996 ) , L.A. Confidential ( 1997 ) , The Green Mile ( 1999 ) , Space Cowboys ( 2000 ) , The Sum of All Fears ( 2002 ) , I , Robot ( 2004 ) , The Longest Yard ( 2005 ) , The Queen ( 2006 ) , Secretariat ( 2010 ) and The Artist ( 2011 ) , as well as the television series Six Feet Under ( 2003 -- 2005 ) , 24 ( 2007 ) and Halt and Catch Fire ( 2015 ) . Cromwell has been nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards and four Screen Actors Guild Awards , as well as the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Babe ( 1995 ) . He won his first Primetime Emmy Award for his role in American Horror Story : Asylum ( 2012 ) and a Canadian Screen Award for his role in Still Mine ( 2013 ) .", "Johnny Depp. John Christopher Depp II ( born June 9 , 1963 ) is an American actor , producer , and musician . He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor . He rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street , becoming a teen idol . Depp has taken on the task of challenging himself to portray `` larger-than-life '' roles , starting with a supporting role in Oliver Stone 's Vietnam War film Platoon in 1986 , then playing the title character in the romantic dark fantasy Edward Scissorhands ( 1990 ) . He later found box office success in the fantasy adventure film Sleepy Hollow ( 1999 ) , the fantasy swashbuckler film Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse of the Black Pearl ( 2003 ) and its sequels , the fantasy film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 2005 ) , the fantasy film Alice in Wonderland ( 2010 ) and voicing the title character in the animated action comedy western Rango ( 2011 ) . He has collaborated on nine films with director , producer and friend Tim Burton . Depp is regarded as one of the world 's biggest film stars . He has gained worldwide critical acclaim for his portrayals of such people as screenwriter-director Ed Wood in Ed Wood , undercover FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone in Donnie Brasco , `` gonzo '' journalist Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , cocaine kingpin George Jung in Blow , author J. M. Barrie in Finding Neverland , the Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger in Michael Mann 's Public Enemies , and the Boston gangster Whitey Bulger in Black Mass. . Films featuring Depp have grossed over $ 3.2 billion at the United States box office and over $ 8 billion worldwide . His most commercially successful films are the Pirates of the Caribbean films , which have grossed $ 3 billion , Alice in Wonderland , which grossed $ 1 billion , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , which grossed $ 474 million , and The Tourist , which grossed $ 278 million . Depp has been nominated for major acting awards , including three nominations for Academy Award for Best Actor . Depp won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for The Curse of the Black Pearl . He has been listed in the 2012 Guinness World Records as the highest paid actor , with earnings of $ 75 million . Depp was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2015 .", "The Red Headed Stranger. The Red Headed Stranger is an interpretation by Carla Bozulich of Willie Nelson 's 1975 multi-platinum album Red Headed Stranger , released in 2003 . Nelson appears on three tracks .", "Christopher Nolan. Christopher Edward Nolan ( -LSB- ˈnoʊlən -RSB- born 30 July 1970 ) is an English-American film director , screenwriter and producer . He is one of the highest-grossing directors in history , and among the most successful and acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century . Having made his directorial debut with Following ( 1998 ) , Nolan gained considerable attention for his second feature , Memento ( 2000 ) , for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay . The acclaim garnered by his independent films gave Nolan the opportunity to make the big-budget thriller Insomnia ( 2002 ) and the mystery drama The Prestige ( 2006 ) . He found further popular and critical success with The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) ; Inception ( 2010 ) , for which he received a second Original Screenplay nomination and one for the Academy Award for Best Picture ; and Interstellar ( 2014 ) . His nine films have grossed over US$ 4.2 billion worldwide and garnered a total of 26 Oscar nominations and seven wins . Nolan has co-written several of his films with his younger brother , Jonathan , and runs the production company Syncopy Inc. with his wife , Emma Thomas . Nolan 's films are rooted in philosophical , sociological and ethical concepts , exploring human morality , the construction of time , and the malleable nature of memory and personal identity . His body of work is permeated by materialistic perspectives , labyrinthine plots , nonlinear storytelling , practical special effects , and analogous relationships between visual language and narrative elements .", "Quentin Tarantino. Quentin Jerome Tarantino ( -LSB- ˌtærənˈtiːnoʊ -RSB- born March 27 , 1963 ) is an American director , writer , and actor . His films are characterized by nonlinear storylines , satirical subject matter , an aestheticization of violence , extended scenes of dialogue , ensemble casts consisting of established and lesser-known performers , references to popular culture , soundtracks primarily containing songs and score pieces from the 1960s to the 1980s , and features of neo-noir film . He is widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation . His career began in the late 1980s , when he wrote and directed My Best Friend 's Birthday , the screenplay of which formed the basis for True Romance . In the early 1990s , he began his career as an independent filmmaker with the release of Reservoir Dogs in 1992 ; regarded as a classic and cult hit , it was called the `` Greatest Independent Film of All Time '' by Empire . Its popularity was boosted by his second film , Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , a black comedy crime film that was a major success both among critics and audiences . Judged the greatest film from 1983 -- 2008 by Entertainment Weekly , many critics and scholars have named it one of the most significant works of modern cinema . For his next effort , Tarantino paid homage to the blaxploitation films of the 1970s with Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , an adaptation of the novel Rum Punch . Kill Bill , a highly stylized `` revenge flick '' in the cinematic traditions of Kung fu films , Japanese martial arts , Spaghetti Westerns and Italian horror , followed six years later , and was released as two films : Volume 1 in 2003 and Volume 2 in 2004 . Tarantino directed Death Proof ( 2007 ) as part of a double feature with friend Robert Rodriguez , under the collective title Grindhouse . His long-postponed Inglourious Basterds , which tells the fictional alternate history story of two plots to assassinate Nazi Germany 's political leadership , was released in 2009 to positive reviews . After that came 2012 's critically acclaimed Django Unchained , a Western film set in the antebellum era of the Deep South . It became the highest-grossing film of his career so far , making over $ 425 million at the box office . His eighth film , the mystery Western The Hateful Eight , was released in its roadshow version December 25 , 2015 , in 70 mm film format , complete with opening `` overture '' and halfway-point intermission , after the fashion of big-budget films of the 1960s and early 1970s . Tarantino 's films have garnered both critical and commercial success . He has received many industry awards , including two Academy Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two BAFTA Awards and the Palme d'Or , and has been nominated for an Emmy and a Grammy . He was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time in 2005 . Filmmaker and historian Peter Bogdanovich has called him `` the single most influential director of his generation '' . In December 2015 , Tarantino received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry .", "Ordinary People. Ordinary People is a 1980 American drama film that marked the directorial debut of actor Robert Redford . The film stars Donald Sutherland , Mary Tyler Moore , Judd Hirsch , and Timothy Hutton . The story concerns the disintegration of an upper-middle class family in Lake Forest , Illinois , following the death of one of their sons in a boating accident . The screenplay by Alvin Sargent was based upon the 1976 novel Ordinary People by Judith Guest . The film received six Academy Award nominations and won four : the Academy Award for Best Picture , Best Director for Redford , Adapted Screenplay for Sargent , and Supporting Actor for Hutton . In addition , it won five Golden Globes : Best Motion Picture -- Drama , Best Director ( Redford ) , Best Actress in a Drama ( Tyler Moore ) , Best Supporting Actor ( Hutton ) , and Best Screenplay ( Sargent ) .", "Academy Award for Best Picture. The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually since the awards debuted in 1929 , by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only category in which every member is eligible to submit a nomination and vote on the final ballot . The actors or actresses in the film will not accept this award unless he or she produced the film . Best Picture is considered the premier award of the Academy Awards , as it represents all the directing , acting , music composing , writing , editing , and other efforts put forth into a film production . Since 1973 , it is the final award presented at the ceremony and a drum roll was used when the winner is announced . The Grand Staircase columns at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles , where the Academy Awards ceremonies have been held since 2002 , showcase every film that has won the Best Picture title since the award 's inception . As of 2017 , there have been 537 films nominated for Best Picture .", "Ryan Gosling. Ryan Thomas Gosling ( born November 12 , 1980 ) is a Canadian actor and musician . He began his career as a child star on the Disney Channel 's Mickey Mouse Club ( 1993 -- 95 ) and went on to appear in other family entertainment programs including Are You Afraid of the Dark ? ( 1995 ) and Goosebumps ( 1996 ) . His first starring film role was as a Jewish neo-Nazi in The Believer ( 2001 ) , and he went on to star in several independent films , including Murder by Numbers ( 2002 ) , The Slaughter Rule ( 2002 ) , and The United States of Leland ( 2003 ) . Gosling came to the attention of a wider audience in 2004 with a leading role in the commercially successful romantic drama The Notebook . His performance as a drug-addicted teacher in Half Nelson ( 2006 ) was nominated for an Academy Award and his performance as a socially inept loner in Lars and the Real Girl ( 2007 ) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award . After a three-year acting hiatus , Gosling starred in the marital drama Blue Valentine ( 2010 ) , earning him a second Golden Globe nomination . Gosling co-starred in three mainstream films in 2011the romantic comedy-drama Crazy , Stupid , Love , the political drama The Ides of March , and the action thriller Driveand received two more Golden Globe nominations . Gosling 's directorial debut Lost River was released in 2014 to poor reviews . Greater success came to Gosling when he starred in two critically acclaimed filmsthe financial comedy-drama The Big Short ( 2015 ) and the musical La La Land ( 2016 ) . For the latter , he won a Golden Globe Award and received a second Oscar nomination . Gosling 's band , Dead Man 's Bones , released their self-titled debut album and toured North America in 2009 . He is a co-owner of Tagine , a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills , California . He is a supporter of PETA , Invisible Children and the Enough Project and has traveled to Chad , Uganda and eastern Congo to raise awareness about conflicts in the regions .", "Robert Redford. Charles Robert Redford Jr. ( born August 18 , 1936 ) is an American actor , director , producer , businessman , environmentalist , and philanthropist . Redford is the founder of the Sundance Film Festival . Redford 's career began in 1960 as a guest star on numerous TV shows , including : The Untouchables , Perry Mason , Alfred Hitchcock Presents , and The Twilight Zone , among others . He earned an Emmy nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Voice of Charlie Pont ( 1962 ) . His greatest Broadway success was as the stuffy newlywed husband of Elizabeth Ashley in Neil Simon 's Barefoot in the Park ( 1963 ) . Redford made his film debut in War Hunt ( 1962 ) . His role in Inside Daisy Clover ( 1965 ) won him a Golden Globe for best new star . He starred in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ( 1969 ) , which was a huge success and made him a major star . In 1972 , he had a critical and box office hit with Jeremiah Johnson ( 1972 ) , and in 1973 had the greatest hit of his career , the blockbuster crime caper The Sting , for which he was nominated for an Academy Award . The popular and acclaimed All the President 's Men ( 1976 ) was a landmark film for Redford . The first film that Redford directed , Ordinary People ( 1980 ) , was one of the most critically and publicly acclaimed films of the decade , winning four Oscars , and in the same year , he starred in Brubaker ( 1980 ) . He starred in Out of Africa ( 1985 ) , which was an enormous critical and box office success , and won seven Oscars including Best Picture , proving to be his greatest success of the decade . He released his third film as a director , A River Runs Through It , in 1992 . Redford won the Academy Award for Best Director in 1981 for directing Ordinary People . He was previously nominated for Best Actor in 1974 for his performance in The Sting , and went on to receive Best Director and Best Picture nominations in 1995 for Quiz Show . He won a second Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2002 . In 2010 , he was made a chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur . He has won BAFTA , Directors Guild of America , Golden Globe , and Screen Actors Guild Awards . In April 2014 , Time magazine included Redford in their annual Time 100 as one of the `` Most Influential People in the World '' , declaring him the `` Godfather of Indie Film '' . In 2016 , President Barack Obama honored Redford with a Presidential Medal of Freedom .", "Clark Gable. William Clark Gable ( February 1 , 1901 -- November 16 , 1960 ) was an American film actor , often referred to as `` The King of Hollywood '' or just simply as `` The King '' . Gable began his career as a stage actor and appeared as an extra in silent films between 1924 and 1926 , and progressed to supporting roles with a few films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1931 . The next year , he landed his first leading Hollywood role and over the next three decades he became a leading man in more than 60 motion pictures . Gable won an Academy Award for Best Actor for It Happened One Night ( 1934 ) , and was nominated for leading roles in Mutiny on the Bounty ( 1935 ) and for his arguably best-known role as Rhett Butler in the epic Civil War drama Gone with the Wind ( 1939 ) . Gable also found success commercially and critically with films such as Red Dust ( 1932 ) , Manhattan Melodrama ( 1934 ) , San Francisco ( 1936 ) , Saratoga ( 1937 ) Boom Town ( 1940 ) , The Hucksters ( 1947 ) , Homecoming ( 1948 ) , and The Misfits ( 1961 ) , which was his final screen appearance . Gable appeared opposite some of the most popular actresses of the time . Joan Crawford was his favorite actress to work with , and she was partnered with Gable in eight films . Myrna Loy worked with him seven times , and he was paired with Jean Harlow in six productions . He also starred with Lana Turner in four features , and with Norma Shearer and Ava Gardner in three each . Gable 's final film , The Misfits ( 1961 ) , united him with Marilyn Monroe ( also in her last screen appearance ) . Gable is considered one of the most consistent box-office performers in history , appearing on Quigley Publishing 's annual Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll 16 times . He was named the seventh-greatest male star of classic American cinema by the American Film Institute .", "Citizen Kane. Citizen Kane is a 1941 American mystery drama film by Orson Welles , its producer , co-screenwriter , director and star . The picture was Welles 's first feature film . Nominated for Academy Awards in nine categories , it won an Academy Award for Best Writing ( Original Screenplay ) by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Welles . Considered by many critics , filmmakers , and fans to be the greatest film of all time , Citizen Kane was voted as such in five consecutive British Film Institute Sight & Sound polls of critics , until it was displaced by Vertigo in the 2012 poll . It topped the American Film Institute 's 100 Years ... 100 Movies list in 1998 , as well as its 2007 update . Citizen Kane is particularly praised for its cinematography , music , and narrative structure , which have been considered innovative and precedent-setting . The quasi-biographical film examines the life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane , played by Welles , a character based in part upon the American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst , Chicago tycoons Samuel Insull and Harold McCormick , and aspects of Welles 's own life . Upon its release , Hearst prohibited mention of the film in any of his newspapers . Kane 's career in the publishing world is born of idealistic social service , but gradually evolves into a ruthless pursuit of power . Narrated principally through flashbacks , the story is told through the research of a newsreel reporter seeking to solve the mystery of the newspaper magnate 's dying word : `` Rosebud . '' After the Broadway successes of Welles 's Mercury Theatre and the controversial 1938 radio broadcast `` The War of the Worlds '' on The Mercury Theatre on the Air , Welles was courted by Hollywood . He signed a contract with RKO Pictures in 1939 . Unusually for an untried director , he was given the freedom to develop his own story , to use his own cast and crew , and to have final cut privilege . Following two abortive attempts to get a project off the ground , he wrote the screenplay for Citizen Kane , collaborating on the effort with Herman Mankiewicz . Principal photography took place in 1940 and the film received its American release in 1941 . While a critical success , Citizen Kane failed to recoup its costs at the box office . The film faded from view after its release but was subsequently returned to the public 's attention when it was praised by such French critics as André Bazin and given an American revival in 1956 . The film was released on Blu-ray on September 13 , 2011 , for a special 70th anniversary edition .", "Student Academy Awards. The Student Academy Awards is the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ' annual competition for college and university filmmakers . The awards were originally named the Student Film Awards and were first presented in 1973 . Since 1975 , the awards have been given annually , usually in June . The current name was adopted effective in 1991 . The awards offer prizes in four categories : alternative ( experimental film ) , animation , documentary , and narrative . Gold , silver , and bronze awards may be given in each category , with accompanying cash grants of $ 5,000 , $ 3,000 , and $ 2,000 , respectively , as of 2005 . Since 1981 , a separate award has been given annually to a student filmmaker from outside the United States . Several award winners have gone on to significant achievement as filmmakers , including Robert Zemeckis , Bob Saget , Spike Lee , Trey Parker , Pete Docter and John Lasseter . Some of the award-winning student films have themselves been nominated for Academy Award in the short film categories , including Chicks in White Satin , The Janitor , Karl Hess : Toward Liberty , The Lunch Date , 9 , Quiero ser ( I Want to Be ... ) , The Red Jacket , On the Line ( Auf der Strecke ) , God of Love and The Confession . To extend the impact and honor beyond the competition , a compilation presentation of the gold medal award-winning films is circulated each year free of charge to educational and non-profit organizations nationwide ." ]

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[ "Paul Bettany. Paul Bettany ( born 27 May 1971 ) is an English actor . He is known for his voice role as J.A.R.V.I.S. in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , specifically the films Iron Man ( 2008 ) , Iron Man 2 ( 2010 ) , The Avengers ( 2012 ) , Iron Man 3 ( 2013 ) , and Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) , in which he also portrayed the Vision , in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for which he garnered praise . He reprised his role as the Vision in Captain America : Civil War ( 2016 ) . He first came to the attention of mainstream audiences when he appeared in the British film Gangster No. 1 ( 2000 ) , and director Brian Helgeland 's film A Knight 's Tale ( 2001 ) . He has gone on to appear in a wide variety of films , including A Beautiful Mind ( 2001 ) , Master and Commander : The Far Side of the World ( 2003 ) , Dogville ( 2003 ) , Wimbledon ( 2004 ) , and the adaptation of the novel The Da Vinci Code ( 2006 ) . He has been nominated for various awards , including BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture . Bettany is married to American actress Jennifer Connelly , with whom he has two children . His most commercially successful films have been The Avengers , which grossed over US$ 1.5 billion , its sequel Avengers : Age of Ultron , which grossed over $ 1.4 billion , Iron Man 3 , which grossed over US$ 1.2 billion , Captain America : Civil War , which grossed over US$ 1.1 billion , and The Da Vinci Code , which grossed US$ 758 million .", "Vision (Marvel Comics). Vision is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The first iteration was an alien created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby who first appeared in Marvel Mystery Comics # 13 ( November 1940 ) . The second iteration is an android and a member of the Avengers who first appeared in The Avengers # 57 ( October 1968 ) by Roy Thomas , Stan Lee and John Buscema . The third Vision is a time traveler that fused with the second version 's operating system . The character is portrayed by Paul Bettany in the 2015 film Avengers : Age of Ultron and the 2016 film Captain America : Civil War .", "Visions (Paul Field album). Visions is the title of the fourth solo album , a double LP , by the Christian singer-songwriter Paul Field . It is a musical , or rather `` a message to the nation that God is great , a message to the church that God is powerful and a message to Christians everywhere that God 's resources are available to them '' ( Paul Field , March 1985 , cover notes on the Visions LP ) .", "The Parallax View. The Parallax View is a 1974 American political thriller film directed and produced by Alan J. Pakula , and starring Warren Beatty , Hume Cronyn , William Daniels and Paula Prentiss . The film was adapted by David Giler , Lorenzo Semple Jr and an uncredited Robert Towne from a 1970 novel by Loren Singer . The story concerns a reporter 's investigation into a secretive organization , the Parallax Corporation , whose primary focus is political assassination . The Parallax View is the second installment of Pakula 's Political Paranoia trilogy , along with Klute ( 1971 ) and All the President 's Men ( 1976 ) . In addition to being the only film in the trilogy not to be distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures , The Parallax View is also the only one of the three not to be nominated for an Academy Award .", "Priest (2011 film). Priest is a 2011 American post-apocalyptic dystopian science fiction action horror film starring Paul Bettany as the title character . The film , directed by Scott Stewart , is loosely based on the Korean comic of the same name by Hyung Min-woo . In an alternate world , humanity and vampires have warred for centuries . After the last Vampire War , a veteran Warrior Priest ( Bettany ) lives in obscurity with other humans inside one of the Church 's walled cities . When the Priest 's niece ( Lily Collins ) is kidnapped by vampires , the Priest breaks his vows to hunt them down . He is accompanied by the niece 's boyfriend Hicks ( Cam Gigandet ) , who is a wasteland sheriff , and a former Warrior Priestess ( Maggie Q ) . The film first entered development in 2005 , when Screen Gems bought the spec script by Cory Goodman . In 2006 Andrew Douglas was attached to direct and Gerard Butler was attached to star . They were eventually replaced by Stewart and Bettany in 2009 and filming started in Los Angeles , California , later in the year . The film changed release dates numerous times throughout 2010 and 2011 . It was especially pushed back from 2010 to 2011 to convert the film from 2D to 3D . It was released in the United States and Canada on , 2011 . The film earned over $ 78 million at the box office against a $ 60 million production budget , but it was panned by critics , who , while noting the film 's visual style , criticized the movie 's use of genre clichés .", "Double Vision (1971 film). Double Vision is one of the earliest and best known video works by American ( born 1937 ) artist Peter Campus . Running 14 minutes and 22 seconds , It is a single channel video created with two video cameras fed through a mixer , providing the effect of a photographic double exposure . The video is divided into seven parts , each referencing a phenomenal mode of perception or form of biological sight . Each part utilizes a different configuration of the video cameras to film the interior of a small loft space . It opens with the title Double Vision superimposed over a photograph of a fundus ( the back layer of the retina ) taken through an ophthalmoscope . Campus described the video as `` an exploration of double or two-camera images , relating to the evolution of sight in animals . The tape begins with an uncoordinated two-camera image and works its way up to an eye-brain model , always conscious of how this model differed from its subject matter . '' Campus 's contemporary Bill Viola wrote in Art in America : `` Unlike many of his contemporaries who used the surveillance camera as a detached , fixed observer documenting the performer 's actions , Campus assigned an active , independent ontological status to the camera eye . '' The room the video takes place in has also been said to take on the role of subject . Campus said in 2003 , `` When I was young I made myself a prisoner of my room . It became part of me , an extension of my being . I thought of the walls as my shell . The room as a container had some relationship to the imaginary space inside a monitor . ''", "Visionary. Defined broadly , a visionary is one who can envision the future . For some groups this can involve the supernatural . The visionary state is achieved via meditation , drugs , lucid dreams , daydreams , or art . One example is Hildegard of Bingen , a 12th-century artist and Catholic saint . Other visionaries in religion are St Bernadette and Joseph Smith , said to have had visions of and communed with the Blessed Virgin and the Angel Moroni , respectively .", "Blood (2012 film). Blood is a 2012 thriller that follows two brothers who are policemen and charts the moral collapse of a police family . The two brothers , played by Paul Bettany ( Joe Fairburn ) and Stephen Graham ( Christie Fairburn ) must investigate a despicable crime in a small town , in the shadow of their former police chief father . It was directed by Nick Murphy and written by Bill Gallagher . The film is a cinematic remake of the 2004 BBC television mini series Conviction , which Gallagher also wrote .", "Pope John Paul II (film). Pope John Paul II is a 1984 American biopic drama television film based on the life of Karol Wojtyła , from his early days as an activist in Poland to his installation as Pope John Paul II . Written by Christopher Knopf and directed by Herbert Wise , the film stars Albert Finney , Caroline Bliss , Brian Cox , and John Forgeham . The film marks both Albert Finney 's American television debut and the first script Finney had ever turned down upon initial reading .", "The Usual Suspects. The Usual Suspects is a 1995 American neo-noir mystery film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie . It stars Stephen Baldwin , Gabriel Byrne , Benicio del Toro , Kevin Pollak , Chazz Palminteri , Pete Postlethwaite , and Kevin Spacey . The film follows the interrogation of Roger `` Verbal '' Kint , a small-time con man who is one of only two survivors of a massacre and fire on a ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles . He tells an interrogator a convoluted story about events that led him and his partners in crime to the boat , and about a mysterious mob boss known as Keyser Söze who commissioned their work . Using flashback and narration , Kint 's story becomes increasingly complex . The film , shot on a $ 6 million budget , began as a title taken from a column in Spy magazine called The Usual Suspects , after one of Claude Rains ' most memorable lines in the classic film Casablanca . Singer thought it would make a good title for a film , the poster for which he and McQuarrie had developed as the first visual idea . The film was shown out of competition at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival , and then initially released in a few theaters . It received favorable reviews , and was eventually given a wider release . McQuarrie won an Academy Award for Best Writing ( Original Screenplay ) and Spacey won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance . The Writers Guild of America ranked the film as having the 35th greatest screenplay of all time . It is now remembered for having one of the most celebrated plot twists in cinematic history .", "Eye beam. In the physics inherited from Plato ( although rejected by Aristotle ) , an eye beam generated in the eye was thought to be responsible for the sense of sight . The eye beam darted by the imagined basilisk , for instance , was the agent of its lethal power , given the technical term extramission . The exaggerated eyes of fourth-century Roman emperors like Constantine the Great ( illustration ) reflect this character . The concept found expression in poetry into the 17th century , most famously in John Donne 's poem `` The Extasie '' : Our eye-beams twisted , and did thred Our eyes , upon one double string ; So to'entergraft our hands , as yet Was all the meanes to make us one , And pictures in our eyes to get Was all our propagation . In the same period John Milton wrote , of having gone blind , `` When I consider how my light is spent '' , meaning that he had lost the capacity to generate eye beams . Later in the century , Newtonian optics and increased understanding of the structure of the eye rendered the old concept invalid , but it was revived as an aspect of monstrous superhuman capabilities in popular culture of the 20th century . The emission theory of sight seemed to be corroborated by geometry and was reinforced by Robert Grosseteste . In Algernon Swinburne 's `` Atalanta in Calydon '' the conception is revived for poetic purposes , enriching the poem 's pagan context in the Huntsman 's invocation of Artemis : Hear now and help , and lift no violent hand , But favourable and fair as thine eye 's beam , Hidden and shown in heaven '' . In T.S. Eliot 's rose garden episode that introduces `` Burnt Norton '' eyebeams persist in the fusion of possible pasts and presents like unheard music : The unheard music hidden in the shrubbery And the unseen eyebeam crossed , for the roses Had the look of flowers that are looked at . The New Zealand poet Edward Tregear instanced `` the lurid eye-beam of the angry Bull '' -- Taurus of the zodiac -- among the familiar stars above the alien wilderness of New Zealand . In computer graphics , the concept of eye beams is fruitfully resurrected in ray tracing ( in which the bouncing of eye beams around a scene is simulated computationally ) .", "Tomorrowland (film). Tomorrowland ( subtitled A World Beyond in some regions ) is a 2015 American science-fiction mystery adventure film directed and co-written by Brad Bird . Bird co-wrote the film 's screenplay with Damon Lindelof , from an original story treatment by Bird , Lindelof and Jeff Jensen . The film stars George Clooney , Hugh Laurie , Britt Robertson , Raffey Cassidy , Tim McGraw , Kathryn Hahn and Keegan-Michael Key . In the film , a disillusioned genius inventor and a teenage science enthusiast embark to an ambiguous alternate dimension known as `` Tomorrowland '' where their actions directly affect the world and themselves . Walt Disney Pictures originally announced the film in June 2011 under the working title 1952 , and later retitled it to Tomorrowland , after the futuristic themed land found at Disney theme parks . In drafting their story , Bird and Lindelof took inspiration from the progressive cultural movements of the Space Age , as well as Walt Disney 's optimistic philosophy of the future , notably his conceptual vision for the planned community known as EPCOT . Principal photography began in August 2013 , with footage shot in British Columbia , Alberta , Florida , and Spain with second unit filming in France , California and the Bahamas . Tomorrowland was released in conventional and IMAX formats on May 22 , 2015 , and was the first theatrical film to be released in Dolby Vision and Dolby Cinema . Upon its release , the film received mixed reviews from critics ; earning praise for its original premise , musical score , action , visuals , and themes , but criticism in regards to the screenplay 's uneven writing and tone . The film grossed $ 209 million worldwide against a total production and marketing cost of $ 330 million , losing Disney $ 120 -- 140 million .", "Much Ado. Much Ado , Bernard J. Taylor 's musical version of Shakespeare 's Much Ado About Nothing , was recorded as a concept album in 1995 , featuring Paul McGann , Peter Karrie and other West End stars . It received its world premiere at Stratford-on-Avon in 1996 . It was partly inspired by the Kenneth Branagh film version . The most recent production was in Budapest , Hungary , opening in June 2007 . Terry Wardrope , critic for the European musicals magazine Words and Music , wrote : `` The usual fine cast once again give full throat to a grand selection of songs . One of the strongest facets of Mr Taylor 's musical talents I have found is his ability to write music in the style befitting the age his work is set , as MUCH ADO so admirably demonstrates . Paul McGann 's singing voice adds style . and panache to his solo numbers ( If I Could Write A Sonnet and The Strange Affliction Called Love ) as well as a pleasing accompaniment to the redoubtable Claire Moore In Disdain '' and Then Kill For Me . Of course , as always Claire Moore gives a breathtaking performance with ( among others ) I 'll Never Marry and How Can This Be , but then that lady can do no wrong in my book . It 's another impressive piece from Bernard Taylor , reinforcing my impression that he is one of the finest British musical talents we have . '' Mike Gibb , editor of Masquerade , the British musicals review magazine , wrote : `` It proves to be yet another fine slab of musical writing , full of invention and , as with all BJT offerings , dripping with melody . It also succeeds in capturing the mood of the period courtesy of a medieval English feel amongst the diverse musical influences . Paul McGann and Simon Burke must have been delighted with the quality of the material they were offered with the likes of I 'll Never Love Again and If I Could Write A Sonnet - both grade ` A ' Taylor ballads - gentle , flowing , melodious . ''", "Vision Festival. The Vision Festival is the world 's premier festival of experimental music ( typically free jazz/avant-garde jazz ) , art , film and dance , held annually in May/June on the Lower East Side of New York City from 1996 to 2011 , in Brooklyn from 2012-2014 , and returning to Manhattan in 2015 . It usually consists of between thirty and sixty performances , spread out over a number of days . Inspired by the 1984 and 1988 Sound Unity Festivals , it was a direct outgrowth of the seminal but short-lived Improvisors Collective ( 1994-95 ) . In 1996 , the collective 's founder , dancer-choreographer Patricia Nicholson Parker , staged the first Vision Festival at the Learning Alliance on Lafayette Street , and subsequently founded the not-for-profit Arts for Art , Inc to organize the festival on an annual basis , along with other events and concert series throughout the year . In addition to Nicholson Parker , other members of Arts for Art 's Board of Directors include : Hal Connolly , Patricia Ali , Jo Wood Brown , Whit Dickey , Judy Gage , Patricia Nicholson Parker , William Parker , Todd Nicholson and Patricia Wilkins . Over the years , the festival has taken place in numerous venues , including the Angel Orensanz Center for the Arts , the St. Nicholas of Myra church basement , the New Age Cabaret ( formerly known as the Electric Circus ) , the Knitting Factory , St. Patrick 's youth center , CBGB , Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center , the Abrons Arts Center , Roulette Intermedium and Judson Memorial Church .", "Graham Betchart. Graham Betchart ( born April 30 , 1978 ) is a sports psychology mental skills coach and current director of mental training for Lucid Performance . He is known for the concept `` Play Present , '' which teaches that an athlete needs to stay focused on the task at hand and immediately move on to the next play despite results or outcomes . He is also noted for the `` MVP '' program ( Mediate , Visualize , Positive affirmation ) , a sports psychology mental training tool , as well as `` WIN '' ( What is Important Now ) , which asserts that a player can only control attitude , effort , and focus . Notable athletes Betchart has coached include Andrew Wiggins , Karl-Anthony Towns , and Ben Simmons , the first overall picks for the 2014 , 2015 , and 2016 NBA drafts , respectively .", "Affliction (film). Affliction is an American drama film produced in 1997 , written and directed by Paul Schrader from the novel by Russell Banks . It stars Nick Nolte , Sissy Spacek , James Coburn and Willem Dafoe . Affliction tells the story of Wade Whitehouse , a small-town policeman in New Hampshire . Detached from the people around him , including a dominating father and a divorced wife , he becomes obsessed with the solving of a fatal hunting accident , leading to a series of tragic events .", "Coldplay. Coldplay are a British rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist and keyboardist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London ( UCL ) . After they formed under the name Pectoralz , Guy Berryman joined the group as bassist and they changed their name to Starfish . Will Champion joined as drummer and backing vocalist , completing the lineup . Creative director Phil Harvey is often referred to as the fifth member by the band . The band renamed themselves `` Coldplay '' in 1998 , before recording and releasing three EPs : Safety in 1998 and Brothers & Sisters and The Blue Room in 1999 . The Blue Room was their first release on a major label , after signing to Parlophone . Coldplay achieved worldwide fame with the release of the single `` Yellow '' in 2000 , followed in the same year by their debut album Parachutes , which was nominated for the Mercury Prize . The band 's second album , A Rush of Blood to the Head ( 2002 ) , was released to critical acclaim and won awards including NME 's Album of the Year . Their next release , X&Y , the bestselling album worldwide in 2005 , received mostly positive reviews , though some critics felt it was inferior to its predecessor . Their fourth studio album , Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends ( 2008 ) , was produced by Brian Eno and released to largely positive reviews , earning several Grammy Award nominations and wins at the 51st Grammy Awards . In October 2011 , Coldplay released their fifth studio album , Mylo Xyloto , which topped the charts in over 34 countries and was the UK 's best-selling rock album of 2011 , but received mixed reviews , In May 2014 , they released their sixth album , Ghost Stories , which also received mixed reviews and topped the iTunes Store albums charts in over 100 countries . In December 2015 , the band released their seventh album , A Head Full of Dreams , which reached the top two in most major markets , but received generally mixed reviews . Coldplay have won 62 awards from 209 nominations throughout their career , including nine Brit Awards -- winning Best British Group four times -- five MTV Video Music Awards and seven Grammy Awards from 31 nominations . They have sold more than 80 million records worldwide , making them one of the world 's bestselling music artists . In December 2009 , Rolling Stone readers voted the group the fourth-best artist of the 2000s . Coldplay have supported various social and political causes , such as Oxfam 's Make Trade Fair campaign and Amnesty International . They have also performed at charity projects including Band Aid 20 , Live 8 , Sound Relief , Hope for Haiti Now : A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief , The Secret Policeman 's Ball , Sport Relief and the UK Teenage Cancer Trust .", "Land of the Blind. Land of the Blind is a 2006 British-American black comedy drama film starring Ralph Fiennes , Donald Sutherland , Tom Hollander and Lara Flynn Boyle . Land of the Blind is a dark political satire , based on several incidents throughout history in which tyrannical rulers were overthrown by new leaders who proved to be just as bad , if not worse , and subtle references are made to several such cases . The title is taken from the saying , `` In the land of the blind , the one-eyed man is king . '' Land of the Blind had its world premiere in competition at the International Film Festival Rotterdam , and was the Opening Night Gala film at the 2006 Human Rights Watch Film Festival in London . Its U.S. premiere was in competition at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival . The film sparked intense reaction during its festival run , attacked by both left and right , each of which saw the film as a critique of its position . Historical references in the film include Jean-Paul Marat ( from the French Revolution ) , Kim Jong-Il , Joseph Stalin , Benito Mussolini , Augusto Pinochet , Anastasio Somoza Debayle , François Duvalier , Rudolph Hess , Jean-Claude Duvalier , Lyndon B. Johnson , Julius Caesar ( from William Shakespeare 's play ) , Robert Mugabe , Ngo Dinh Diem , Idi Amin , the PIRA Maze prison protests , U.S. POWs in Vietnam , the Weathermen terrorist group , the Khmer Rouge , the 1979 Revolution in Iran , and the subsequent Cultural Revolution in that country .", "Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American black comedy neo-noir crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino , from a story by Tarantino and Roger Avary . Directed in a highly stylized manner , Pulp Fiction connects the intersecting storylines of Los Angeles mobsters , fringe players , small-time criminals , and a mysterious briefcase . The film 's title refers to the pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th century , known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue . The screenplay of Pulp Fiction was written in 1992 and 1993 , and incorporated some scenes originally written by Avary for True Romance . Its plot , as in many of Tarantino 's other works , is presented out of chronological order . The film is also self-referential from its opening moments , beginning with a title card that gives two dictionary definitions of `` pulp '' . Considerable screen time is devoted to monologues and casual conversations with eclectic dialogue revealing each character 's perspectives on several subjects , and the film features an ironic combination of humor and strong violence . Its script was reportedly turned down by Columbia TriStar as `` too demented '' . Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein was instantly enthralled with it , however , and the film became the first that Miramax fully financed . Pulp Fiction won the Palme d'Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival , and was a major critical and commercial success upon its U.S. release . It revitalized the careers of John Travolta ( who received an Academy Award nomination ) , Samuel L. Jackson , and Uma Thurman . It was also nominated for seven Oscars , including Best Picture ; Tarantino and Avary won for Best Original Screenplay . The nature of its development , marketing , and distribution -- and its consequent profitability -- had a sweeping effect on the field of independent cinema . Since its release , Pulp Fiction has been widely regarded as Tarantino 's masterpiece , with particular praise singled out for its screenwriting . The film 's self-reflexivity , unconventional structure , and extensive use of homage and pastiche have led critics to describe it as a touchstone of postmodern film . It is often considered a cultural watershed , with a strong influence felt not only in later movies that adopted various elements of its style , but in several other media as well . A 2008 Entertainment Weekly poll named it the best film since 1983 , and the work has appeared on many critics ' lists of the greatest films ever made . In 2013 , Pulp Fiction was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .", "Peter Ibbetson. Peter Ibbetson is an American black-and-white drama film released in 1935 and directed by Henry Hathaway . The picture is based on a novel by George du Maurier , first published in 1891 . In 1917 , du Maurier 's story was adapted into a very successful Broadway play starring John Barrymore , Lionel Barrymore , Constance Collier and Laura Hope Crews . The story had also been filmed in 1921 , as a silent film called Forever ( 1921 ) , directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring the popular Wallace Reid . In the years that followed , a Ford Theater television Peter Ibbetson ( 1951 ) starring Richard Greene , and a Campbell Playhouse radio Peter Ibbetson ( 1951 ) directed by and starring Orson Welles were produced . This tale of a love that transcends all obstacles relates the story of two young lovers who are separated in childhood and then drawn together by destiny years later . Even though they are separated in real life because Peter is unjustly convicted of murder ( it was actually self-defense ) , they discover they can dream themselves into each other 's consciousness while asleep . In this way , they live out their life together . The transitions between reality and fantasy are captured by the cinematography of Charles Lang , as discussed in the documentary Visions of Light ( 1992 ) .", "The Betsy. The Betsy is a 1978 film made by the Harold Robbins International Company and released by Allied Artists and United Artists . It was directed by Daniel Petrie and produced by Robert R. Weston and Emanuel L. Wolf with Jack Grossberg as associate producer . The screenplay was by William Bast and Walter Bernstein , adapted from the novel of the same title by Harold Robbins . The film stars Laurence Olivier , Robert Duvall , Katharine Ross , Tommy Lee Jones , Jane Alexander , Joseph Wiseman , Kathleen Beller , Edward Herrmann , Paul Ryan Rudd , and Lesley-Anne Down . The novelist reportedly considered The Betsy the `` best movie adaptation of any of his works . ''", "Cataract. A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye which leads to a decrease in vision . Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes . Symptoms may include faded colors , blurry vision , halos around light , trouble with bright lights , and trouble seeing at night . This may result in trouble driving , reading , or recognizing faces . Poor vision caused by cataracts may also result in an increased risk of falling and depression . Cataracts are the cause of half of blindness and 33 % of visual impairment worldwide . Cataracts are most commonly due to aging but may also occur due to trauma or radiation exposure , be present from birth , or occur following eye surgery for other problems . Risk factors include diabetes , smoking tobacco , prolonged exposure to sunlight , and alcohol . Either clumps of protein or yellow-brown pigment may be deposited in the lens reducing the transmission of light to the retina at the back of the eye . Diagnosis is by an eye examination . Prevention includes wearing sunglasses and not smoking . Early on the symptoms may be improved with glasses . If this does not help , surgery to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial lens is the only effective treatment . Surgery is needed only if the cataracts are causing problems and generally results in an improved quality of life . Cataract surgery is not readily available in many countries , which is especially true for women , those living in rural areas , and those who do not know how to read . About 20 million people are blind due to cataracts . It is the cause of approximately 5 % of blindness in the United States and nearly 60 % of blindness in parts of Africa and South America . Blindness from cataracts occurs in about 10 to 40 per 100,000 children in the developing world , and 1 to 4 per 100,000 children in the developed world . Cataracts become more common with age . More than half the people in the United States had cataracts by the age of 80 .", "Movement and Location. Movement and Location ( also called Movement + Location ) is an American science fiction movie set in modern-day Brooklyn , directed by Alexis Boling . It stars Bodine Boling , Catherine Missal , Brendan Griffin , Anna Margaret Hollyman , David Andrew Macdonald and John Dapolito . Movement and Location tells the story of Kim Getty , an immigrant from 400 years in the future who is sent back in time to live an easier life . It premiered at the 2014 Brooklyn Film Festival where it won the Audience Award , Best Screenplay and Best Original Score .", "Possessory credit. A possessory credit in filmmaking is the use of a film credit which gives primary artistic recognition to a single person -- usually ( but not always ) the film 's director . Examples include `` A Stanley Kubrick film '' ( The Shining ) , `` A film by Quentin Tarantino '' ( Pulp Fiction ) , and `` Alfred Hitchcock 's Psycho '' ( Psycho ) . Possessory credit is also sometimes used in television programs , for example `` Tyler Perry 's House of Payne '' ( Tyler Perry 's TBS sitcom House of Payne ) . Occasionally another word besides `` film '' is used such as `` A Spike Lee Joint '' or `` A Martin Scorsese Picture '' . Possessory credit may also be given to the films producer , an example of this is Steven Spielberg presents Back To The Future . Although the earliest use of possessory credit dates from 1915 's The Birth of a Nation , the use of possessory credits expanded particularly in the 1970s and 1980s . The Writers Guild of America has repeatedly tried to limit possessory credits to writers , but has always been successfully opposed by the Directors Guild of America ( DGA ) , leaving directors free to try to negotiate such credits if they wish . Sometimes the possessory credit will go to the author of the novel on which the film was based on ( such as Bram Stoker 's Dracula or William Shakespeare 's Romeo + Juliet ) . In the case of Tim Burton 's The Nightmare Before Christmas , Burton was not the film 's director , but instead the writer , producer , and a major creative voice on the film . This may also be an example of a possessory credit being chosen for marketing reasons , as Burton was a more recognized name than the film 's director , Henry Selick . The DGA encourages that filmmakers use restraint in taking the credit until such a point in their career where their name becomes widely recognizable and/or they receive at least two established awards of merit for their films , thereby representing a filmmaker 's legacy and name recognition .", "Albino Alligator. Albino Alligator is a 1997 American crime thriller film the directorial debut of Kevin Spacey , and stars Matt Dillon , Faye Dunaway and Gary Sinise . It tells the story of three small-time criminals who take hostages after being cornered by the police . The title refers to an anecdote told in the film , claiming that alligators will use an albino among them as sacrifice , so that the opposing alligators will be distracted and become prey themselves .", "Pride and Prejudice. Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen , first published in 1813 . The story charts the emotional development of the protagonist , Elizabeth Bennet , who learns the error of making hasty judgements and comes to appreciate the difference between the superficial and the essential . The comedy of the writing lies in the depiction of manners , education , and marriage and money in the British Regency . Mr Bennet of the Longbourn estate has five daughters , but his property is entailed , meaning that none of the girls can inherit it . Since his wife had no fortune , it is imperative that one of the girls marries well in order to support the others on his death . However , Jane Austen 's opening line ` It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife ' is a sentence filled with irony and playfulness . The novel revolves around the necessity of marrying for love , not simply for monetary reasons and economic security , despite the social pressures to make a good ( i.e. wealthy ) match . Pride and Prejudice retains the fascination of modern readers , consistently appearing near the top of lists of `` most-loved books '' among both literary scholars and the general public . It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature , with over 20 million copies sold , and paved the way for many archetypes that abound in modern literature . Continuing interest in the book has resulted in a number of dramatic adaptations and an abundance of novels and stories imitating Austen 's memorable characters or themes . The 2005 film , Pride and Prejudice , starring Keira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen is the most recent Hollywood adaption of the book .", "Network (film). Network is a 1976 American satirical film written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet , about a fictional television network , UBS , and its struggle with poor ratings . The film stars Faye Dunaway , William Holden , Peter Finch , and Robert Duvall and features Wesley Addy , Ned Beatty , and Beatrice Straight . The film won four Academy Awards , in the categories of Best Actor ( Finch ) , Best Actress ( Dunaway ) , Best Supporting Actress ( Straight ) , and Best Original Screenplay ( Chayefsky ) . In 2000 , the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' . In 2002 , it was inducted into the Producers Guild of America Hall of Fame as a film that has `` set an enduring standard for U.S. American entertainment '' . In 2005 , the two Writers Guilds of America voted Chayefsky 's script one of the 10 greatest screenplays in the history of cinema . In 2007 , the film was 64th among the 100 greatest American films as chosen by the American Film Institute , a ranking slightly higher than the one AFI had given it ten years earlier .", "The Valley of Decision. The Valley of Decision ( 1945 ) is a film set in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , USA in the late 19th century . It tells the story of a young Irish house maid who falls in love with the son of her employer , a local steel mill owner . The romance between Paul and Mary is endangered when Mary 's family and friends , all steel mill workers , go on strike against Paul 's father . The movie stars Greer Garson as Mary Rafferty , Gregory Peck as Paul Scott , Donald Crisp , Lionel Barrymore , Preston Foster , Marsha Hunt , Gladys Cooper , Reginald Owen , Dan Duryea and Jessica Tandy . The film was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role ( Greer Garson ) and Best Music , Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture . This was Garson 's sixth nomination and her fifth consecutive , a record for most consecutive Best Actress nominations that still stands as of today ( tied only by Bette Davis ) . The movie was adapted by Sonya Levien and John Meehan from the novel ( 1943 ) by Marcia Davenport . The film was directed by Tay Garnett . Besides being a romance , the film has messages about social issues surrounding Pittsburgh at the time . Early in the film , the steel industry is being bought up by big names , but the Scott family refuses to sell their mill . Paul , the only son who cares about the steel mill and the workers , gives a very stirring speech . Later in the film , there are rumors that the union is calling for violence and Will Scott Jr. wants to bring in strike-breakers . The scene ends as rocks are thrown through the window and hit Paul . In the next scene , Mary goes to talk to her family and confirms that the union was not responsible for the rock-throwing . Mary , Paul , William Scott Sr. , Mary 's father ( years ago injured in the mill ) and the union leader try to come to an agreement , but Will Scott Jr. may have taken steps that could ruin all agreements and commitments . The railroad station is misspelled ` Alleghany City . '", "The Black Knight (film). The Black Knight is a 1954 film starring Alan Ladd as the title character and Peter Cushing and Patrick Troughton as two conspirators attempting to overthrow King Arthur . It is the last of Ladd 's trilogy with Warwick Films , the others being The Red Beret and Hell Below Zero based on Hammond Innes ' book The White South .", "La Bête. La Bête ( 1991 ) is a comedy by American playwright , David Hirson . Written in rhymed couplets of iambic pentameter , the Molière-inspired story , set in 17th century France , pits dignified , stuffy Elomire , the head of the royal court-sponsored theatre troupe , against the foppish , frivolous street entertainer Valere , whom the troupe 's patron , Prince Conti , wishes them to bring aboard . Despite Elomire 's violent objections , the company is forced to perform one of Valere 's own plays , which results in dramatic changes to the future of Elomire , Valere , and the company itself .", "Visions (TV series). Visions is a 90-minute American television weekly anthology series that aired from 1976 -- 80 . It was produced by KCET in Los Angeles and televised nationally on PBS . It concentrated on the works of mostly new and some prominent writers , including Cormac McCarthy , Marsha Norman , Jean Shepherd , Luis Valdez , and Robert M. Young ( director ) . Each episode was written by a different writer and starred a different cast . Among its stars were Tyne Daly , Charles Durning , Brad Dourif , Morgan Freeman , Carol Kane , and Judd Hirsch . Its directors included Maya Angelou , Richard Pearce , Michael Lindsay-Hogg , Paul Bogart , and Gordon Davidson . It won one prime-time Emmy Award and was nominated for two others .", "Film. A film , also called a movie , motion picture , theatrical film , or photoplay , is a series of still images which , when shown on a screen , creates the illusion of moving images due to the phi phenomenon . This optical illusion causes the audience to perceive continuous motion between separate objects viewed rapidly in succession . The process of filmmaking is both an art and an industry . A film is created by photographing actual scenes with a motion picture camera ; by photographing drawings or miniature models using traditional animation techniques ; by means of CGI and computer animation ; or by a combination of some or all of these techniques and other visual effects . The word `` cinema '' , short for cinematography , is often used to refer to the industry of films and filmmaking or to the art of filmmaking itself . The contemporary definition of cinema is the art of simulating experiences to communicate ideas , stories , perceptions , feelings , beauty or atmosphere by the means of recorded or programmed moving images along with other sensory stimulations . Films were originally recorded onto plastic film through a photochemical process and then shown through a movie projector onto a large screen . The adoption of CGI-based special effects led to the use of digital intermediates . Most contemporary films are now fully digital through the entire process of production , distribution , and exhibition from start to finish . Films recorded in a photochemical form traditionally included an analogous optical soundtrack , which is a graphic recording of the spoken words , music and other sounds that accompany the images . It runs along a portion of the film exclusively reserved for it and is not projected . Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures . They reflect those cultures , and , in turn , affect them . Film is considered to be an important art form , a source of popular entertainment , and a powerful medium for educating -- or indoctrinating -- citizens . The visual basis of film gives it a universal power of communication . Some films have become popular worldwide attractions by using dubbing or subtitles to translate the dialog into the language of the viewer . Some have criticized the film industry 's glorification of violence and its potentially negative treatment of women . The individual images that make up a film are called frames . During projection of traditional films , a rotating shutter causes intervals of darkness as each frame , in turn , is moved into position to be projected , but the viewer does not notice the interruptions because of an effect known as persistence of vision , whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after the source has been removed . The perception of motion is due to a psychological effect called phi phenomenon . The name `` film '' originates from the fact that photographic film ( also called film stock ) has historically been the medium for recording and displaying motion pictures . Many other terms exist for an individual motion picture , including picture , picture show , moving picture , photoplay , and flick . The most common term in the United States is movie , while in Europe film is preferred . Terms for the field , in general , include the big screen , the silver screen , the movies , and cinema ; the latter is commonly used in scholarly texts and critical essays , especially by European writers . In early years , the word sheet was sometimes used instead of screen ." ]

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[ "Hebrides. The Hebrides ( -LSB- ˈhɛbrᵻdiːz -RSB- Scottish Gaelic : Innse Gall ( -LSB- ĩːʃə gau̯l̪ˠ -RSB- ) ; Old Norse : Suðreyjar ) comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland . There are two main groups : the Inner and Outer Hebrides . These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic , and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive influences of Celtic , Norse , and English-speaking peoples . This diversity is reflected in the names given to the islands , which are derived from the languages that have been spoken there in historic and perhaps prehistoric times . The Hebrides are the source of much of Scottish Gaelic literature and Gaelic music . Today the economy of the islands is dependent on crofting , fishing , tourism , the oil industry , and renewable energy . The Hebrides have lower biodiversity than mainland Britain , but there is a significant presence of seals and seabirds .", "Outer Hebrides. The Outer Hebrides ( -LSB- ˈhɛbrᵻdiːz -RSB- ) , also known as the Western Isles ( Na h-Eileanan Siar -LSB- nə ˈhelanən ˈʃiəɾ -RSB- or Na h-Eileanan an Iar -LSB- nəˈhelanən əˈɲiəɾ -RSB- ) , Innse Gall ( `` islands of the strangers '' ) or the Long Isle or Long Island ( -LSB- An t-Eilean Fada , links = no -RSB- ) , is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland . The islands are geographically coextensive with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar , one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland . They form part of the Hebrides , separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch , the Little Minch and the Sea of the Hebrides . Scottish Gaelic is the predominant spoken language , although in a few areas English speakers form a majority . Most of the islands have a bedrock formed from ancient metamorphic rocks and the climate is mild and oceanic . The 15 inhabited islands have a total population of and there are more than 50 substantial uninhabited islands . From Barra Head to the Butt of Lewis is roughly 210 km . There are various important prehistoric structures , many of which pre-date the first written references to the islands by Roman and Greek authors . The Western Isles became part of the Norse kingdom of the -LSB- Kingdom of the Isles , Suðreyjar -RSB- , which lasted for over 400 years until sovereignty was transferred to Scotland by the Treaty of Perth in 1266 . Control of the islands was then held by clan chiefs , principal of whom were the MacLeods , MacDonalds , Mackenzies and MacNeils . The Highland Clearances of the 19th century had a devastating effect on many communities and it is only in recent years that population levels have ceased to decline . Much of the land is now under local control and commercial activity is based on tourism , crofting , fishing , and weaving . Sea transport is crucial and a variety of ferry services operate between the islands and to mainland Scotland . Modern navigation systems now minimise the dangers but in the past the stormy seas have claimed many ships . Religion , music and sport are important aspects of local culture , and there are numerous designated conservation areas to protect the natural environment .", "Outline of Scotland. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Scotland : Scotland -- country that is part of the United Kingdom . Occupying the northern third of the largest island , it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east , the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west , and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the southwest . In addition to the mainland , Scotland consists of over 790 islands including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides .", "Scotland. Scotland ( -LSB- ˈskɒt.lənd -RSB- Scots : -LSB- - scoˈskɔt.lənd -RSB- Alba -LSB- ˈal̪ˠapə -RSB- ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain . It shares a border with England to the south , and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to the east and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the south-west . In addition to the mainland , the country is made up of more than 790 islands , including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides . The Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the Early Middle Ages and continued to exist until 1707 . By inheritance in 1603 , James VI , King of Scots , became King of England and King of Ireland , thus forming a personal union of the three kingdoms . Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with the Kingdom of England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain . The union also created a new Parliament of Great Britain , which succeeded both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England . In 1801 , Great Britain itself entered into a political union with the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Within Scotland , the monarchy of the United Kingdom has continued to use a variety of styles , titles and other royal symbols of statehood specific to the pre-union Kingdom of Scotland . The legal system within Scotland has also remained separate from those of England and Wales and Northern Ireland ; Scotland constitutes a distinct jurisdiction in both public and private law . The continued existence of legal , educational , religious and other institutions distinct from those in the remainder of the UK have all contributed to the continuation of Scottish culture and national identity since the 1707 union with England . In 1997 , a Scottish Parliament was re-established , in the form of a devolved unicameral legislature comprising 129 members , having authority over many areas of domestic policy . Scotland is represented in the United Kingdom Parliament by 59 MPs and in the European Parliament by 6 MEPs . Scotland is also a member of the British -- Irish Council , and sends five elected representatives to the British -- Irish Parliamentary Assembly .", "Hebrides (disambiguation). The Hebrides are an archipelago of islands off the western coast of Scotland . These islands include two main groups : The Inner Hebrides The Outer Hebrides Hebrides or Hebridean may also refer to : Hebridean ( sheep ) , a breed of sheep Hebrides Overture , a concert overture by Felix Mendelssohn New Hebrides , the former colonial name of Vanuatu", "Inner Hebrides. The Inner Hebrides ( -LSB- ˈhɛbrᵻdiːz -RSB- Scottish Gaelic : Na h-Eileanan a-staigh , `` the inner isles '' ) is an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland , to the south east of the Outer Hebrides . Together these two island chains form the Hebrides , which experience a mild oceanic climate . The Inner Hebrides comprise 35 inhabited islands as well as 44 uninhabited islands with an area greater than 74 acres . The main commercial activities are tourism , crofting , fishing and whisky distilling . In modern times the Inner Hebrides have formed part of two separate local government jurisdictions , one to the north and the other to the south . Together , the islands have an area of about 1594 sqmi , and had a population of 18,948 in 2011 . The population density is therefore about 4.6 per km2 ( 12 per square mile ) . There are various important prehistoric structures , many of which pre-date the first written references to the islands by Roman and Greek authors . In the historic period the earliest known settlers were Picts to the north and Gaels in the southern kingdom of Dál Riada prior to the islands becoming part of the Suðreyjar kingdom of the Norse , who ruled for over 400 years until sovereignty was transferred to Scotland by the Treaty of Perth in 1266 . Control of the islands was then held by various clan chiefs , principally the MacLeans , MacLeods and MacDonalds . The Highland Clearances of the 19th century had a devastating effect on many communities and it is only in recent years that population levels have ceased to decline . Sea transport is crucial and a variety of ferry services operate to mainland Scotland and between the islands . The Gaelic language remains strong in some areas ; the landscapes have inspired a variety of artists ; and there is a diversity of wildlife .", "Shetland. Shetland -LSB- ˈʃɛtlənd -RSB- , also called the Shetland Islands , is a subarctic archipelago that lies northeast of the island of Great Britain and forms part of Scotland , United Kingdom . The islands lie some 80 km to the northeast of Orkney and 280 km southeast of the Faroe Islands . They form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east . The total area is 1466 km2 and the population totalled 23,210 in 2012 . Comprising the Shetland constituency of the Scottish Parliament , Shetland is also one of the 32 council areas of Scotland ; the islands ' administrative centre and only burgh is Lerwick , which has also been the capital of Shetland since taking over from Scalloway in 1708 . The largest island , known simply as the `` Mainland '' , has an area of 967 km2 , making it the third-largest Scottish island and the fifth-largest of the British Isles . There are an additional 15 inhabited islands . The archipelago has an oceanic climate , a complex geology , a rugged coastline and many low , rolling hills . Humans have lived in Shetland since the Mesolithic period . The earliest written references to the islands date back to Roman times . The early historic period was dominated by Scandinavian influences , especially from Norway , and the islands did not become part of Scotland until the 15th century . When Scotland became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 , trade with northern Europe decreased . Fishing has continued to be an important aspect of the economy up to the present day . The discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970s significantly boosted Shetland 's economy , employment and public sector revenues . The local way of life reflects the Scottish and Norse heritage of the isles , including the Up Helly Aa fire festival , and a strong musical tradition , especially the traditional fiddle style . The islands have produced a variety of writers of prose and poetry , often in the distinct Shetland dialect of Scots . There are numerous areas set aside to protect the local fauna and flora , including a number of important sea bird nesting sites . The Shetland pony and Shetland Sheepdog are two well-known Shetland animal breeds . Other local breeds include the Shetland sheep , cow , goose , and duck . The Shetland pig , or grice , has been extinct since about 1930 . The islands ' motto , which appears on the Council 's coat of arms , is Með lögum skal land byggja . This Icelandic phrase is taken from the Danish 1241 Basic Law , Codex Holmiensis , and is also mentioned in Njáls saga , and means `` By law shall land be built '' .", "Orkney. Orkney -LSB- ˈɔrkni -RSB- ( Arcaibh ) , also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland , situated off the north coast of Great Britain . Orkney is 16 kilometres ( 10 mi ) north of the coast of Caithness and comprises approximately 70 islands , of which 20 are inhabited . The largest island Mainland is often referred to as `` the Mainland '' . It has an area of 523 km2 , making it the sixth-largest Scottish island and the tenth-largest island in the British Isles . The largest settlement and administrative centre is Kirkwall . A form of the name dates to the pre-Roman era and the islands have been inhabited for at least 8500 years , originally occupied by Mesolithic and Neolithic tribes and then by the Picts . Orkney was invaded and forcibly annexed by Norway in 875 and settled by the Norse . The Scottish Parliament then re-annexed the earldom to the Scottish Crown in 1472 , following the failed payment of a dowry for James III 's bride Margaret of Denmark . Orkney contains some of the oldest and best-preserved Neolithic sites in Europe , and the `` Heart of Neolithic Orkney '' is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site . Orkney is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland , a constituency of the Scottish Parliament , a lieutenancy area , and a historic county . The local council is Orkney Islands Council , one of only three Councils in Scotland with a majority of elected members who are independents . In addition to the Mainland , most of the islands are in two groups , the North and South Isles , all of which have an underlying geological base of Old Red Sandstone . The climate is mild and the soils are extremely fertile , most of the land being farmed . Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy . The significant wind and marine energy resources are of growing importance , and the island generates more than its total yearly electricity demand using renewables . The local people are known as Orcadians and have a distinctive Orcadian dialect of Scots and a rich inheritance of folklore . There is an abundance of marine and avian wildlife .", "Skye. Skye , or the Isle of Skye ( -LSB- skaɪ -RSB- An t-Eilean Sgitheanach or Eilean a ' Cheò ) , is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland . The island 's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillins , the rocky slopes of which provide some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the country . Although it has been suggested that the Gaelic Sgitheanach describes a winged shape there is no definitive agreement as to the name 's origins . The island has been occupied since the Mesolithic period , and its history includes a time of Norse rule and a long period of domination by Clan MacLeod and Clan Donald . The 18th-century Jacobite risings led to the breaking up of the clan system and subsequent Clearances that replaced entire communities with sheep farms , some of which also involved forced emigrations to distant lands . Resident numbers declined from over 20,000 in the early 19th century to just under 9,000 by the closing decade of the 20th century . Skye 's population increased by 4 per cent between 1991 and 2001 . About a third of the residents were Gaelic speakers in 2001 , and although their numbers are in decline , this aspect of island culture remains important . The main industries are tourism , agriculture , fishing and forestry . Skye is part of the Highland Council local government area . The island 's largest settlement is Portree , known for its picturesque harbour . There are links to various nearby islands by ferry and , since 1995 , to the mainland by a road bridge . The climate is mild , wet and windy . The abundant wildlife includes the golden eagle , red deer and Atlantic salmon . The local flora is dominated by heather moor , and there are nationally important invertebrate populations on the surrounding sea bed . Skye has provided the locations for various novels and feature films and is celebrated in poetry and song .", "British Isles. The British Isles are a group of islands off the north-western coast of continental Europe that consist of the islands of Great Britain , Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles . Situated in the North Atlantic , the islands have a total area of approximately 315,159 km2 , and a combined population of just under 70 million . Two sovereign states are located on the islands : Ireland ( which covers roughly five-sixths of the island with the same name ) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . The British Isles also include three Crown Dependencies : the Isle of Man and , by tradition , the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey in the Channel Islands , although the latter are not physically a part of the archipelago . The oldest rocks in the group are in the north west of Scotland , Ireland and North Wales and are 2,700 million years old . During the Silurian period the north-western regions collided with the south-east , which had been part of a separate continental landmass . The topography of the islands is modest in scale by global standards . Ben Nevis rises to an elevation of only 1344 m , and Lough Neagh , which is notably larger than other lakes on the isles , covers 151 sqmi . The climate is temperate marine , with mild winters and warm summers . The North Atlantic Drift brings significant moisture and raises temperatures 11 ° C ( 20 ° F ) above the global average for the latitude . This led to a landscape which was long dominated by temperate rainforest , although human activity has since cleared the vast majority of forest cover . The region was re-inhabited after the last glacial period of Quaternary glaciation , by 12,000 BC when Great Britain was still a peninsula of the European continent . Ireland , which became an island by 12,000 BC , was not inhabited until after 8000 BC . Great Britain became an island by 5600 BC . Hiberni ( Ireland ) , Pictish ( northern Britain ) and Britons ( southern Britain ) tribes , all speaking Insular Celtic , inhabited the islands at the beginning of the 1st millennium AD . Much of Brittonic-controlled Britain was conquered by the Roman Empire from AD 43 . The first Anglo-Saxons arrived as Roman power waned in the 5th century and eventually dominated the bulk of what is now England . Viking invasions began in the 9th century , followed by more permanent settlements and political change -- particularly in England . The subsequent Norman conquest of England in 1066 and the later Angevin partial conquest of Ireland from 1169 led to the imposition of a new Norman ruling elite across much of Britain and parts of Ireland . By the Late Middle Ages , Great Britain was separated into the Kingdoms of England and Scotland , while control in Ireland fluxed between Gaelic kingdoms , Hiberno-Norman lords and the English-dominated Lordship of Ireland , soon restricted only to The Pale . The 1603 Union of the Crowns , Acts of Union 1707 and Acts of Union 1800 attempted to consolidate Britain and Ireland into a single political unit , the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , with the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands remaining as Crown Dependencies . The expansion of the British Empire and migrations following the Irish Famine and Highland Clearances resulted in the distribution of the islands ' population and culture throughout the world and a rapid de-population of Ireland in the second half of the 19th century . Most of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom after the Irish War of Independence and the subsequent Anglo-Irish Treaty ( 1919 -- 1922 ) , with six counties remaining in the UK as Northern Ireland . The term British Isles is controversial in Ireland , where there are objections to its usage due to the association of the word British with Ireland . The Government of Ireland does not recognise or use the term and its embassy in London discourages its use . As a result , Britain and Ireland is used as an alternative description , and Atlantic Archipelago has had limited use among a minority in academia , while British Isles is still commonly employed . Within them , they are also sometimes referred to as these islands .", "Small Isles. The Small Isles ( Scottish Gaelic : Na h-Eileanan Tarsainn ) are a small archipelago of islands in the Inner Hebrides , off the west coast of Scotland . They lie south of Skye and north of Mull and Ardnamurchan -- the most westerly point of mainland Scotland . The Small Isles is one of 40 National Scenic Areas in Scotland .", "Northern Isles. The Northern Isles ( Northern Isles Na h-Eileanan a Tuath Norðreyjar ) is an archipelago comprising a chain of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland . The climate is cool and temperate and much influenced by the surrounding seas . There are two main island groups : Shetland and Orkney . There are a total of 26 inhabited islands with landscapes of the fertile agricultural islands of Orkney contrasting with the more rugged Shetland islands to the north , where the economy is more dependent on fishing and the oil wealth of the surrounding seas . Both have a developing renewable energy industry . They also share a common Pictish and Norse history . Both island groups were absorbed into the Kingdom of Scotland in the 15th century and remained part of the country following the formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 , and later the United Kingdom after 1801 . The islands played a significant naval role during the world wars of the 20th century . Tourism is important to both archipelagos , with their distinctive prehistoric ruins playing a key part in their attraction , and there are regular ferry and air connections with mainland Scotland . The Scandinavian influence remains strong , especially in relation to local folklore , and both island chains have strong , although distinct , local cultures . The place names of the islands are dominated by their Norse heritage , although some may retain pre-Celtic elements .", "List of islands of Scotland. This is a list of islands of Scotland , the mainland of which is part of the island of Great Britain . Also included are various other related tables and lists . The definition of an offshore island used in this list is `` land that is surrounded by seawater on a daily basis , but not necessarily at all stages of the tide , excluding human devices such as bridges and causeways '' . Scotland has over 790 offshore islands , most of which are to be found in four main groups : Shetland , Orkney , and the Hebrides , sub-divided into the Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides . There are also clusters of islands in the Firth of Clyde , Firth of Forth , and Solway Firth , and numerous small islands within the many bodies of fresh water in Scotland including Loch Lomond and Loch Maree . Many of these islands are swept by strong tides , and the Corryvreckan tide race between Scarba and Jura is one of the largest whirlpools in the world . Other strong tides are to be found in the Pentland Firth between mainland Scotland and Orkney , and another example is the `` Grey Dog '' between Scarba and Lunga . The geology and geomorphology of the islands is varied . Some , such as Skye and Mull are mountainous , while others like Tiree and Sanday are relatively low lying . Many have bedrock made from ancient Archaean Lewisian Gneiss which was formed 3 billion years ago ; Shapinsay and other Orkney islands are formed from Old Red Sandstone , which is 400 million years old ; and others such as Rùm from more recent Tertiary volcanoes . The largest island is Lewis and Harris which extends to 2,179 square kilometres , and there are a further 200 islands which are greater than 40 hectares in area . Of the remainder , several such as Staffa and the Flannan Isles are well known despite their small size . Some 94 Scottish islands are permanently inhabited , of which 89 are offshore islands and between 2001 and 2011 Scottish island populations as a whole grew by 4 % to 103,702 . The culture of the islands has been affected by the successive influences of Celtic , Norse and English speaking peoples and this is reflected in names given to the islands . Most of the Hebrides have names with Scots Gaelic derivations , whilst those of the Northern Isles tend to be derived from the Viking names . A few have Brythonic , Scots and even perhaps pre-Celtic roots . A feature of modern island life is the low crime rate and they are considered to be amongst the safest places to live in Britain . Orkney was rated as the best place to live in Scotland in both 2013 and 2014 according to the Halifax Quality of Life survey . Rockall is a small rocky islet in the North Atlantic which was declared part of Scotland by the Island of Rockall Act 1972 . However , the legality of the claim is disputed by the Republic of Ireland , Denmark and Iceland and it is probably unenforceable in international law .", "Scottish Highlands. The Highlands ( the Hielands A ' Ghàidhealtachd , `` the place of the Gaels '' ) are a historic region of Scotland . Culturally , the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the later Middle Ages into the modern period , when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands . The term is also used for the area north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault , although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined , particularly to the east . The Great Glen divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands . The Scottish Gaelic name of A ' Ghàidhealtachd literally means `` the place of the Gaels '' and traditionally , from a Gaelic-speaking point of view , includes both the Western Isles and the Highlands . The area is very sparsely populated , with many mountain ranges dominating the region , and includes the highest mountain in the British Isles , Ben Nevis . Before the 19th century the Highlands was home to a much larger population , but due to a combination of factors including the outlawing of the traditional Highland way of life following the Jacobite Rising of 1745 , the infamous Highland Clearances , and mass migration to urban areas during the Industrial Revolution , the area is now one of the most sparsely populated in Europe . At 9.1 per km2 in 2012 , the population density in the Highlands and Islands is less than one seventh of Scotland 's as a whole , comparable with that of Bolivia , Chad and Russia . The Highland Council is the administrative body for much of the Highlands , with its administrative centre at Inverness . However , the Highlands also includes parts of the council areas of Aberdeenshire , Angus , Argyll and Bute , Moray , North Ayrshire , Perth and Kinross , Stirling and West Dunbartonshire . The Scottish highlands is the only area in the British Isles to have the Taiga biome as it features concentrated populations of Scots pine forest .", "Geography of Scotland. The geography of Scotland is varied , from rural lowlands to unspoilt uplands , and from large cities to sparsely inhabited islands . Located in Northern Europe , Scotland comprises the northern one third of the island of Great Britain as well as 790 surrounding islands encompassing the major archipelagoes of the Shetland Islands , Orkney Islands and the Inner and Outer Hebrides . Scotland 's only land border is with England , which runs for 60 mi in a northeasterly direction from the Solway Firth in the west to the North Sea on the east coast . Separated by the North Channel , the island of Ireland lies 13 mi from Mull of Kintyre on the Scottish mainland . Norway is located 190 mi to the northeast of Scotland across the North Sea . The Atlantic Ocean , which fringes the coastline of western and northern Scotland and its islands , influences the temperate , maritime climate of the country . Scotland contains the majority of mountainous terrain in the UK . The topography of Scotland is distinguished by the Highland Boundary Faulta geological rock fracturewhich traverses the Scottish mainland from Helensburgh to Stonehaven . The faultline separates two distinctively different physiographic regions ; namely the Highlands to the north and west and the Lowlands to the south and east . The more rugged Highland region contains the majority of Scotland 's mountainous terrain , including the highest peak , Ben Nevis . Lowland areas , in the southern part of Scotland , are flatter and home to most of the population , especially the narrow waist of land between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth known as the Central Belt . Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland , although Edinburgh is the capital and political centre of the country . While the Lowlands are less elevated , upland and mountainous terrain is located across the Southern Uplands . An abundance of natural resources such as coal , iron and zinc contributed significantly to the industrial growth of Scotland during the 19th and early 20th centuries . Today , energy is a major component of Scotland 's economy . Whilst Scotland is the largest producer of petroleum in the European Union , the production potential of renewable energy has emerged as an important economic and environmental issue in recent years .", "Highlands and Islands. The Highlands and Islands of Scotland are broadly the Scottish Highlands , plus Orkney , Shetland and the Western Isles . The Highlands and Islands are sometimes defined as the area to which the Crofters ' Act of 1886 applied . This area consisted of eight counties of Scotland : Argyll Caithness Inverness Nairn Orkney Ross and Cromarty Shetland Sutherland Highlands and Islands Enterprise ( HIE ) uses a broader definition also used at Eurostat 's NUTS level 2 , and there has been a Highlands and Islands electoral region of the Scottish Parliament since 1999 . In Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service the name refers to the local government areas ( council areas ) of Highland , Orkney , Shetland and the Western Isles . Northern , as in Northern Constabulary , is also used to refer to this area . The Highlands and Islands Partnership for Transport , established in 2006 , covers most of the council areas of Argyll and Bute , Highland , Moray , Orkney and the Western Isles . Shetland is covered by the separate Shetland Partnership for Transport . In the 2007 Scottish Parliament election held on 3 May 2007 , the Highlands and Islands region was the last to declare its regional votes , which were the decisive results in determining that the Scottish National Party overtook the Scottish Labour Party to obtain the largest representation in the Scottish Parliament by one seat .", "Islay. Islay ( -LSB- ˈaɪlə -RSB- ; Ìle , -LSB- ˈiːlə -RSB- ) is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland . Known as `` The Queen of the Hebrides '' , it lies in Argyll just south west of Jura and around 40 km north of the Irish coast . The island 's capital is Bowmore where the distinctive round Kilarrow Parish Church and a distillery are located . Port Ellen is the main port . Islay is the fifth-largest Scottish island and the seventh-largest island surrounding Great Britain , with a total area of almost 620 km2 . There is ample evidence of the prehistoric settlement of Islay and the first written reference may have come in the 1st century AD . The island had become part of the Gaelic Kingdom of Dál Riata during the Early Middle Ages before being absorbed into the Norse Kingdom of the Isles . The later medieval period marked a `` cultural high point '' with the transfer of the Hebrides to the Kingdom of Scotland and the emergence of the Clan Donald Lordship of the Isles , originally centred at Finlaggan . During the 17th century the Clan Donald star waned , but improvements to agriculture and transport led to a rising population , which peaked in the mid-19th century . This was followed by substantial forced displacements and declining resident numbers . Today , it has over 3,000 inhabitants and the main commercial activities are agriculture , malt whisky distillation and tourism . The island has a long history of religious observance and Scottish Gaelic is spoken by about a quarter of the population . Its landscapes have been celebrated through various art forms and there is a growing interest in renewable energy . Islay is home to many bird species such as the wintering populations of Greenland white-fronted and barnacle goose , and is a popular destination throughout the year for birdwatchers . The climate is mild and ameliorated by the Gulf Stream .", "Sea of the Hebrides. The Sea of the Hebrides ( -LSB- ˈhɛbrᵻdiːz -RSB- ) is a portion of the North Atlantic Ocean , located off the coast of western Scotland , separating the mainland and the northern Inner Hebrides islands ( to the east ) from the southern Outer Hebrides islands ( to the west ) . To the north , the Sea of the Hebrides joins The Minch . The Sea of the Hebrides forms part of the Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland , as defined by the International Hydrographic Organization , and part of the Seas west of Scotland as far as fisheries management is concerned .", "List of Outer Hebrides. The Outer Hebrides is a chain of more than 100 islands and small skerries located about 70 km west of mainland Scotland . There are 15 inhabited islands in this archipelago , which is also known as the Western Isles and archaically as the Long Isle ( An t-Eilean Fada ) . Lewis and Harris is the largest island in Scotland and the third largest in the British Isles , after Great Britain and Ireland . It incorporates Lewis in the north and Harris in the south , both of which are frequently referred to as individual islands , although they are joined by a land border . The largest settlement in Lewis and in the Outer Hebrides is Stornoway . To the south across the Sound of Harris lie the Uists and Benbecula , which were joined by a series of causeways constructed between 1940 and 1960 to improve transport links . Further south are Barra and the smaller Barra Isles , whose southernmost extremity is Barra Head . There are other outliers with cultural links to the Outer Hebrides that are not part of the archipelago itself . These include the St Kilda group , which are quite distinct geologically and no longer inhabited , Sula Sgeir and North Rona to the north and isolated Rockall , which is 367 km to the west of North Uist . The islands of Scotland 's west coast are known collectively as the Hebrides and the Outer Hebrides are separated from the Inner Hebrides by The Minch to the north and the Sea of the Hebrides to the south . The Outer Hebrides are administered by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and had a population of 26,502 in 2001 . The Outer Hebrides have historically been a strong Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig ) speaking area . Despite recent declines , in the 2001 census more than 50 % of the resident population in each island was able to speak Gaelic , for an overall total of 15,842 speakers throughout the archipelago . The modern economy centres on tourism , crofting , fishing , and weaving , the latter of which includes the manufacture of Harris tweed . The archipelago is exposed to wind and tide , and there are numerous lighthouses as an aid to navigation . The definition of an island used in this list is that it is `` land that is surrounded by seawater on a daily basis , but not necessarily at all stages of the tide , excluding human devices such as bridges and causeways '' .", "Lewis. Lewis ( Leòdhas , -LSB- ʎɔː.əs̪ -RSB- , also Isle of Lewis ) is the northern part of Lewis and Harris , the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides ( an archipelago in Scotland ) . The total area of Lewis is 683 sqmi . Lewis is , in general , the lower-lying part of the island : the other part , Harris , is more mountainous . Due to its flatter , more fertile land , Lewis contains three-quarters of the population of the Western Isles , and the largest settlement , Stornoway . The island 's diverse habitats are home to an assortment of flora and fauna , such as the golden eagle , red deer and seal , and are recognised in a number of conservation areas . Lewis has a Presbyterian tradition and a rich history . It was once part of the Norse Kingdom of Mann and the Isles . Today , life is very different from elsewhere in Scotland , with Sabbath observance , the Gaelic language and peat cutting retaining more importance than elsewhere . Lewis has a rich cultural heritage as can be seen from its myths and legends as well as the local literary and musical traditions .", "Hebridean mythology and folklore. The Inner and Outer Hebrides off the western coast of Scotland are made up of a great number of large and small islands . These isolated and mostly uninhabited islands are the source of a number of Hebridean myths and legends . It is a part of Scotland which has always relied on the surrounding sea to sustain the small communities which have occupied parts of the islands for centuries , therefore , it is natural that these seas are a source for many of these legends .", "List of Inner Hebrides. This List of Inner Hebrides summarises a chain of islands and skerries located off the west coast of mainland Scotland . There are 36 inhabited islands in this archipelago , of which Islay , Mull and Skye are the largest and most populous . The islands of Scotland 's west coast are known collectively as the Hebrides ; the Inner Hebrides are separated from the Outer Hebrides by The Minch to the north and the Sea of the Hebrides to the south . The Inner Hebrides that lie respectively north and south of Ardnamurchan are administered by two separate local authorities as part of larger territories . The northern Inner Hebrides , including Skye , the Small Isles and the Summer Isles , are part of the Highland unitary council region . The southern group , including Islay , Jura , the Slate Islands and Gigha are part of the Argyll and Bute council region . In the past , the Hebrides as a whole were a strong Scottish Gaelic-speaking area , and in 1921 more than 50 % of the populations of most of these islands , including Skye , Mull and Islay , were proficient in the language . However , although the Outer Hebrides have retained many Gaelic speakers , in the 2001 census only Skye ( 31 % ) and Tiree ( 48 % ) had more than 25 % of the resident population able to speak Gaelic ; Mull , Jura , Gigha and Coll each recorded figures of less than 15 % . The modern economy centres on tourism , crofting , farming , fishing , and whisky distilling . The archipelago is exposed to wind and tide . There are numerous lighthouses as an aid to navigation . There are various descriptions of the scope of the Hebrides . The Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland describes the Inner Hebrides as lying `` east of The Minch '' , which would include any and all offshore islands . There are various islands that lie in the sea lochs , such as Eilean Bàn and Eilean Donan , that might not ordinarily be described as `` Hebridean '' , but no formal definition exists and for simplicity they are included in this list rather than elsewhere.The definition of an island used in this list is that it is `` land that is surrounded by seawater on a daily basis , but not necessarily at all stages of the tide , excluding human devices such as bridges and causeways '' . Other definitions are used in the Scottish context . For example the General Register Office for Scotland define an island as `` a mass of land surrounded by water , separate from the Scottish mainland '' but although they include islands linked by bridges etc. this is not clear from this definition . Haswell-Smith ( 2004 ) uses `` an Island is a piece of land or group of pieces of land which is entirely surrounded by water at Lowest Astronomical Tide and to which there is no permanent means of dry access '' . This is widely agreed to be unhelpful as it intentionally excludes bridged islands .", "Scottish island names. The modern names of Scottish islands stem from two main influences . There are a large number of names that derive from the Scottish Gaelic language in the Hebrides and Firth of Clyde . In the Northern Isles most place names have a Norse origin . There are also some island place names that originate from three other influences , including a limited number that are essentially English language names , a few that are of Brittonic origin and some of an unknown origin that may represent a pre-Celtic language . These islands have all been occupied by the speakers of at least three and in many cases four or more languages since the Iron Age , and many of the names of these islands have more than one possible meaning as a result . Scotland has over 790 offshore islands , most of which are to be found in four main groups : Shetland , Orkney , and the Hebrides , sub-divided into the Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides . There are also clusters of islands in the Firth of Clyde , Firth of Forth , and Solway Firth , and numerous small islands within the many bodies of fresh water in Scotland including Loch Lomond and Loch Maree .", "Lothian. Lothian ( -LSB- ˈloʊ.ði.ən -RSB- Lowden Lodainn -LSB- ˈɫ̪ot̪aɲ -RSB- ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands , lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills . The principal settlement is the Scottish capital , Edinburgh , while other significant towns include Livingston , Linlithgow , Queensferry , Dalkeith , Musselburgh , North Berwick , Dunbar , and Haddington . Historically , the term Lothian referred to a province encompassing most of what is now southeastern Scotland . In the 7th century it came under the control of the Anglian kingdom of Bernicia , the northern part of the later kingdom of Northumbria , but the Angles ' grip on Lothian was quickly weakened following the Battle of Nechtansmere in which they were defeated by the Picts . Lothian was annexed to the Kingdom of Scotland around the 10th century . Subsequent Scottish history saw the region subdivided into three shires -- Mid , East , and West Lothian -- leading to the popular term `` the Lothians '' .", "Flora and fauna of the Outer Hebrides. The flora and fauna of the Outer Hebrides in north west Scotland comprises a unique and diverse ecosystem . A long archipelago , set on the eastern shores of the Atlantic Ocean , it attracts a wide variety of seabirds , and thanks to the Gulf Stream a climate more mild than might be expected at this latitude . Because it is on the Gulf Stream , it also occasionally gets exotic visitors .", "Lewis and Harris. Lewis and Harris ( Leòdhas agus na Hearadh ) is a Scottish island in the Outer Hebrides . It is the largest island in Scotland and the third largest in the British Isles , after Great Britain and Ireland .", "Kingdom of Scotland. The Kingdom of Scotland ( Rìoghachd na h-Alba Kinrick o Scotland ) was a state in northwest Europe traditionally said to have been founded in 843 , which joined with the Kingdom of England to form a unified Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 . Its territories expanded and shrank , but it came to occupy the northern third of the island of Great Britain , sharing a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England . It suffered many invasions by the English , but under Robert I it fought a successful war of independence and remained a distinct state in the late Middle Ages . In 1603 , James VI of Scotland became King of England , joining Scotland with England in a personal union . In 1707 , the two kingdoms were united to form the Kingdom of Great Britain under the terms of the Acts of Union . From the final capture of the Royal Burgh of Berwick by the Kingdom of England in 1482 ( following the annexation of the Northern Isles from the Kingdom of Norway in 1472 ) the territory of the Kingdom of Scotland corresponded to that of modern-day Scotland , bounded by the North Sea to the east , the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west , and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the southwest . The Crown was the most important element of government . The Scottish monarchy in the Middle Ages was a largely itinerant institution , before Edinburgh developed as a capital city in the second half of the 15th century . The court remained at the centre of political life and in the 16th century emerged as a major centre of display and artistic patronage , until it was effectively dissolved with the Union of Crowns in 1603 . The Scottish Crown adopted the conventional offices of western European courts , and developed a Privy Council and great offices of state . Parliament also emerged as a major legal institution , gaining an oversight of taxation and policy , but was never as central to the national life as its counterpart in England . In the early period the kings of the Scots depended on the great lords -- the mormaers and toísechs -- but from the reign of David I , sheriffdoms were introduced , which allowed more direct control and gradually limited the power of the major lordships . In the 17th century , the creation of Justices of Peace and Commissioners of Supply helped to increase the effectiveness of local government . The continued existence of courts baron and the introduction of kirk sessions helped consolidate the power of local lairds . Scots law developed into a distinctive system in the Middle Ages and was reformed and codified in the 16th and 17th centuries . Under James IV the legal functions of the council were rationalised , with Court of Session meeting daily in Edinburgh . In 1532 , the College of Justice was founded , leading to the training and professionalisation of lawyers . David I is the first Scottish king known to have produced his own coinage . Early Scottish coins were virtually identical in silver content to English ones , but from about 1300 their silver content began to depreciate more rapidly than the English coins . At the union of the Crowns in 1603 the Scottish pound was fixed at only one-twelfth the value of the English pound . The Bank of Scotland issued pound notes from 1704 . Scottish currency was abolished by the Act of Union . Scotland is half the size of England and Wales in area , but has roughly the same length of coastline . Geographically Scotland is divided between the Highlands and Islands and the Lowlands . The Highlands had a relatively short growing season , which was further shortened during the Little Ice Age . From Scotland 's foundation to the inception of the Black Death , the population had grown to a million ; following the plague , it then fell to half a million . It expanded in the first half of the 16th century , reaching roughly 1.2 million by the 1690s . Significant languages in the medieval kingdom included Gaelic , Old English , Norse and French ; but by the early modern era Middle Scots had begun to dominate . Christianity was introduced into Scotland from the 6th century . In the Norman period the Scottish church underwent a series of changes that led to new monastic orders and organisation . During the 16th century , Scotland underwent a Protestant Reformation that created a predominately Calvinist national kirk . There were a series of religious controversies that resulted in divisions and persecutions . The Scottish Crown developed naval forces at various points in its history , but often relied on privateers and fought a guerre de course . Land forces centred around the large common army , but adopted European innovations from the 16th century ; and many Scots took service as mercenaries and as soldiers for the English Crown . Scottish flags included the Lion rampant and the Saltire , the latter being incorporated into the Union Flag from 1603 .", "Glasgow. Glasgow ( -LSB- ˈɡlɑːzɡəʊ , _ ˈɡlæ - , _ - s - -RSB- Glesga Glaschu -LSB- ˈkl̪ˠas̪əxu -RSB- ) is the largest city in Scotland , and third largest in the United Kingdom . Historically part of Lanarkshire , it is now one of the 32 council areas of Scotland . It is situated on the River Clyde in the country 's West Central Lowlands . Inhabitants of the city are referred to as Glaswegians . Glasgow grew from a small rural settlement on the River Clyde to become the largest seaport in Britain . Expanding from the medieval bishopric and royal burgh , and the later establishment of the University of Glasgow in the 15th century , it became a major centre of the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th century . From the 18th century the city also grew as one of Great Britain 's main hubs of transatlantic trade with North America and the West Indies . With the onset of the Industrial Revolution , the population and economy of Glasgow and the surrounding region expanded rapidly to become one of the world 's pre-eminent centres of chemicals , textiles and engineering ; most notably in the shipbuilding and marine engineering industry , which produced many innovative and famous vessels . Glasgow was the `` Second City of the British Empire '' for much of the Victorian era and Edwardian period , although many cities argue the title was theirs . In the late 19th and early 20th centuries Glasgow grew in population , reaching a peak of 1,127,825 in 1938 . Comprehensive urban renewal projects in the 1960s , resulting in large-scale relocation of people to new towns and peripheral suburbs , followed by successive boundary changes , reduced the population of the City of Glasgow council area to 599,650 with 1,209,143 people living in the Greater Glasgow urban area . The entire region surrounding the conurbation covers about 2.3 million people , 41 % of Scotland 's population . At the 2011 census , Glasgow had a population density of 8790 / sqmi , the highest of any Scottish city . Glasgow hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games and is also well known in the sporting world for the football rivalry of the Old Firm between Celtic and Rangers . Glasgow is also known for Glasgow patter , a distinct dialect that is noted for being difficult to understand by those from outside the city .", "Great Britain. Great Britain , also known as Britain , is a large island in the north Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe . With an area of 209,331 km2 , Great Britain is the largest of the British Isles , the largest European island , and the ninth-largest island in the world . In 2011 the island had a population of about 61 million people , making it the world 's third-most populous island after Java in Indonesia and Honshu in Japan . The island of Ireland is situated to the west of it , and together these islands , along with over 1,000 smaller surrounding islands , comprise the British Isles archipelago . The island is dominated by a maritime climate with quite narrow temperature differences between seasons . Politically , the island is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , and constitutes most of its territory . Most of England , Scotland , and Wales are on the island . The term `` Great Britain '' often extends to include surrounding islands that form part of England , Scotland , and Wales , and is also sometimes loosely applied to the UK as a whole . A single Kingdom of Great Britain resulted from the union of the Kingdom of England ( which had already comprised the present-day countries of England and Wales ) and the Kingdom of Scotland by the 1707 Acts of Union . More than a hundred years before , in 1603 , King James VI , King of Scots , had inherited the throne of England , but it was not until 1707 that the two countries ' parliaments agreed to form a political union . In 1801 , Great Britain united with the neighbouring Kingdom of Ireland , forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , which was renamed the `` United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland '' after the Irish Free State seceded in 1922 .", "Environment of Scotland. Scotland occupies the northern part of the United Kingdom . The landscape is diverse ; ranging from rugged mountain terrain to fertile arable flat land with many rivers and lochs .", "Ireland. Ireland ( -LSB- ˈaɪərlənd -RSB- Éire -LSB- ˈeːɾʲə -RSB- ; Ulster-Scots : Airlann -LSB- - scoˈɑːrlən -RSB- ) is an island in the North Atlantic . It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel , the Irish Sea , and St George 's Channel . Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles , the third-largest in Europe , and the twentieth-largest on Earth . Politically , Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland ( officially named Ireland ) , which covers five-sixths of the island , and Northern Ireland , which is part of the United Kingdom , in the northeast of the island . In 2011 , the population of Ireland was about 6.4 million , ranking it the second-most populous island in Europe after Great Britain . Just under 4.6 million live in the Republic of Ireland and just over 1.8 million live in Northern Ireland . The island 's geography comprises relatively low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain , with several navigable rivers extending inland . The island has lush vegetation , a product of its mild but changeable climate which avoids extremes in temperature . Thick woodlands covered the island until the Middle Ages . As of 2013 , the amount of land that is wooded in Ireland is about 11 % of the total , compared with a European average of 35 % . There are twenty-six extant mammal species native to Ireland . The Irish climate is very moderate and classified as oceanic . As a result , winters are milder than expected for such a northerly area . However , summers are cooler than those in Continental Europe . Rainfall and cloud cover are abundant . The earliest evidence of human presence in Ireland is dated at 10,500 BC . Gaelic Ireland had emerged by the 1st century CE . The island was Christianised from the 5th century onward . Following the Norman invasion in the 12th century , England claimed sovereignty over Ireland . However , English rule did not extend over the whole island until the 16th -- 17th century Tudor conquest , which led to colonisation by settlers from Britain . In the 1690s , a system of Protestant English rule was designed to materially disadvantage the Catholic majority and Protestant dissenters , and was extended during the 18th century . With the Acts of Union in 1801 , Ireland became a part of the United Kingdom . A war of independence in the early 20th century was followed by the partition of the island , creating the Irish Free State , which became increasingly sovereign over the following decades , and Northern Ireland , which remained a part of the United Kingdom . Northern Ireland saw much civil unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s . This subsided following a political agreement in 1998 . In 1973 the Republic of Ireland joined the European Economic Community while the United Kingdom , and Northern Ireland , as part of it , did the same . Irish culture has had a significant influence on other cultures , especially in the fields of literature . Alongside mainstream Western culture , a strong indigenous culture exists , as expressed through Gaelic games , Irish music , and the Irish language . The culture of the island also shares many features with that of Great Britain , including the English language , and sports such as association football , rugby , horse racing , and golf .", "Kingdom of the Isles. The Kingdom of the Isles comprised the Hebrides , the islands of the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Man from the 9th to the 13th centuries AD . The islands were known to the Norse as the Suðreyjar , or `` Southern Isles '' as distinct from the Norðreyjar or Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland . The historical record is incomplete , and the kingdom was not a continuous entity throughout the entire period . The islands concerned are sometimes referred to as the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles , although only some of the later rulers claimed that title . At times the rulers were independent of external control , although for much of the period they had overlords in Norway , Ireland , England , Scotland or Orkney . At times there also appear to have been competing claims for all or parts of the territory . The islands involved have a total land area of over 8300 km2 and extend for more than 500 km from north to south . Viking influence in the area commenced in the late 8th century , and whilst there is no doubt that the Uí Ímair dynasty played a prominent role in this early period , the records for the dates and details of the rulers are speculative until the mid-10th century . Hostility between the Kings of the Isles and the rulers of Ireland , and intervention by the crown of Norway ( either directly or through their vassal the Earl of Orkney ) were recurring themes . Invasion by Magnus Barefoot in the late 11th century resulted in a brief period of direct Norwegian rule over the kingdom , but soon the descendants of Godred Crovan re-asserted a further period of largely independent overlordship . This came to an end with the emergence of Somerled , on whose death in 1164 the kingdom was split in two . Just over a century later the islands became part of the Kingdom of Scotland , following the 1266 Treaty of Perth ." ]

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[ "Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan ( -LSB- ʊzˈbɛkᵻˌstæn , _ - ˌstɑːn -RSB- , -LSB- ʊzˌbɛkᵻˈstɑːn , _ ʌz - , _ - ˈstæn -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Oʻzbekiston Respublikasi , Ўзбекистон Республикаси Республика Узбекистан ) , is one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world . Located in Central Asia , it is a unitary , constitutional , presidential republic , comprising twelve provinces , one autonomous republic and a capital city . Uzbekistan is bordered by five landlocked countries : Kazakhstan to the north ; Tajikistan to the southeast ; Kyrgyzstan to the northeast ; Afghanistan to the south ; and Turkmenistan to the southwest . Once part of the Turkic Khaganate and later Timurid Empires , the region that today includes the Republic of Uzbekistan was conquered in the early 16th century by Eastern Turkic-speaking nomads . The area was gradually incorporated into the Russian Empire during the 19th century , and in 1924 what is now Uzbekistan became a bordered constituent republic of the Soviet Union , known as the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic ( Uzbek SSR ) . Following the breakup of the Soviet Union , it declared independence as the Republic of Uzbekistan on 31 August 1991 ( officially celebrated the following day ) . Uzbekistan is officially a democratic , secular , unitary , constitutional republic with a diverse cultural heritage . The country 's official language is Uzbek , a Turkic language written in the Latin alphabet and spoken natively by approximately 85 % of the population ; however , Russian remains in widespread use . Uzbeks constitute 81 % of the population , followed by Russians ( 5.4 % ) , Tajiks ( 4.0 % ) , Kazakhs ( 3.0 % ) , and others ( 6.5 % ) . A majority of Uzbeks are non-denominational Muslims . Uzbekistan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) , Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , UN , and the SCO . While officially a democratic republic , non-governmental human rights organizations define Uzbekistan as `` an authoritarian state with limited civil rights '' . Uzbekistan 's economy relies mainly on commodity production , including cotton , gold , uranium , and natural gas . Despite the declared objective of transition to a market economy , its government continues to maintain economic controls which imports in favour of domestic `` import substitution '' .", "Commonwealth of Independent States. The Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ; -LSB- Содружество Независимых Государств , СНГ , r = Sodruzhestvo Nezavisimykh Gosudarstv , SNG -RSB- ) , also called the Russian Commonwealth ( to distinguish it from the British Commonwealth of Nations ) , is a regional organization formed during the dissolution of the Soviet Union . Nine out of the 15 former Soviet Republics are member states , and two are associate members ( Ukraine and Turkmenistan ) . Georgia withdrew its membership in 2008 , while the Baltic states , which regard their membership in the Soviet Union as an illegal occupation , ( Estonia , Lithuania and Latvia ) chose not to participate . The CIS has few supranational powers but aims to be more than a purely symbolic organization , nominally possessing coordinating powers in the realms of trade , finance , lawmaking , and security . It has also promoted cooperation on cross-border crime prevention . Furthermore , eight of the nine CIS member states participate in the CIS Free Trade Area . Three organizations are under the overview of the CIS , namely the Collective Security Treaty Organization , the Eurasian Economic Union ( alongside subdivisions , the Eurasian Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Space , which comprises territory inhabited by over 180 million people ) , and the Union State . While the first and the second are military and economic alliances , the third aims to reach a confederation of Russia and Belarus with a common government , flag , currency , etc. .", "Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. Uzbekistan ( -LSB- ʊzˈbɛkᵻˌstæn , _ - ˌstɑːn -RSB- , -LSB- ʊzˌbɛkᵻˈstɑːn , _ ʌz - , _ - ˈstæn -RSB- ) is the common English name for the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic ( Uzbek SSR ; Ўзбекистон Совет Социалистик Республикаси , Oʻzbekiston Sovet Sotsialistik Respublikasi ; Узбекская Советская Социалистическая Республика , Uzbekskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika ) and later , the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Oʻzbekiston Respublikasi , Ўзбекистон Республикаси ) that refers to the period of Uzbekistan from 1924 to 1991 . as one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union . It was governed by the Uzbek branch of the Soviet Communist Party , the only legal political party , from 1925 until 1990 . From 1990 to 1991 , it was the sovereign part of the Soviet Union with its own legislation . Sometimes , that period can be also referred to as Soviet Uzbekistan . Beginning 20 June 1990 , Uzbek SSR adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty within its borders . Islam Karimov became the republic 's inaugural president . On 31 August 1991 , the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic was renamed the Republic of Uzbekistan '' ' and declared independence three months before the Soviet Union 's dissolution on 26 December 1991 . A doubly landlocked Soviet republic in Central Asia . Uzbekistan was bordered by Kazakhstan to the north ; Tajikistan to the southeast ; Kirghizia to the northeast ; Afghanistan to the south ; and Turkmenistan to the southwest .", "Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area. Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area ( CISFTA ) is a free trade area between Russia , Ukraine , Belarus , Uzbekistan , Moldova , Armenia , Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan . Five CISFTA participants , all except Ukraine , Uzbekistan and Moldova are members of the Eurasian Economic Union , comprising a single economic market . The Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Zone Agreement , proposed since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 , was signed on 18 October 2011 by Russia , Ukraine , Belarus , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Moldova and Armenia . The agreement replaced existing bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements between the countries , although the ex-Soviet states of Azerbaijan , Turkmenistan & Georgia have not signed the agreement . Initially , the treaty was only ratified by Ukraine , Russia , Belarus , Moldova , Armenia and Kazakhstan , however in December 2013 Uzbekistan signed and then ratified the treaty . Kyrgyzstan has ratified the treaty with effect from 12 January 2014 , while Tajikistan was reported in 2014 to be close to completing the ratification process .", "Subdivisions of Uzbekistan. The Article 68 of the constitution of Uzbekistan defines : Uzbekistan is divided into twelve regions ( viloyatlar , singular viloyat , compound noun viloyati e.g. , Toshkent viloyati , Samarqand viloyati , etc. ) , one autonomous republic ( respublika , compound noun respublikasi e.g. Qaraqalpaqstan Avtonom Respublikasi , Karakalpakistan Autonomous Republic ) , and one independent city ( shahar , compound noun shahri , namely Toshkent shahri ) . The regions and the republic are further divided into districts ( tuman , туман ) and cities of regional ( republican ) subordination . Tashkent city is divided into arrondissements . The districts of the regions and the republic are divided into cities of district subordination , urban-type settlements ( shaharcha , шаҳарча ) and citizen assemblies of villages ( qishloq fuqarolar yig ` ini , қишлоқ фуқаролар йиғини ) .", "Foreign relations of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan joined the Commonwealth of Independent States in December 1991 . However , it is opposed to reintegration and withdrew from the CIS collective security arrangement in 1999 . Since that time , Uzbekistan has participated in the CIS peacekeeping force in Tajikistan and in United Nations-organized groups to help resolve the Tajik and Afghan conflicts , both of which it sees as posing threats to its own stability . Uzbekistan is an active supporter of U.S. efforts against worldwide terrorism and joined the coalitions which have dealt with both Afghanistan and Iraq ( although , in 2005 , relations with the U.S. were strained after the May 2005 unrest and Uzbekistan demanded that the U.S. leave Karshi-Khanabad ) . It is a member of the United Nations , the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council , Partnership for Peace , and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) . It belongs to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation ( OIC ) and the Economic Cooperation Organization , which comprises 7 Central Asian countries : Pakistan , Uzbekistan , Kazakhstan , Turkmenistan , Afghanistan , Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan . It is a founding member of and remains involved in the Central Asian Union , formed with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan , joined in March 1998 by Tajikistan . In 1999 , Uzbekistan joined the GUAM alliance ( Georgia , Ukraine , Azerbaijan and Moldova ) , which was formed in 1997 ( temporarily making it GUUAM until Uzbekistan withdrew in 2005 ) . Uzbekistan is also a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( SCO ) and hosts the SCO 's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure ( RATS ) in Tashkent . Uzbekistan also joined the new Central Asian Cooperation Organization ( CACO ) in 2002 . The CACO consists of Uzbekistan , Tajikistan , Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan . It is a founding member of and remains involved in the Central Asian Union , formed with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan , joined in March 1998 by Tajikistan .", "Outline of Uzbekistan. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Uzbekistan : The Uzbekistan -- doubly landlocked sovereign country located in Central Asia . Uzbekistan borders Kazakhstan to the west and to the north , Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east , and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south .", "Regions of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is divided into 12 regions ( viloyatlar , singularviloyat , viloyati in compound , e.g. Toshkent viloyati ) , 1 autonomous republic ( respublika , respublikasi in compound , e.g. Qaraqalpaqstan Avtonom Respublikasi ) , and 1 independent city ( shahar or shahri in compounds , e.g. Toshkent shahri ) . Names are given below in the Uzbek language , although numerous variations of the transliterations of each name exist . The regions in turn are divided into 160 districts ( tumanlar , singular tuman ) .", "Geography of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is a country of Central Asia , located north of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan . With an area of 447,000 square kilometers ( approximately the size of Spain or California ) , Uzbekistan stretches 1,425 kilometers from west to east and 930 kilometers from north to south . Bordering Turkmenistan to the southwest , Kazakhstan to the north , and Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to the south and east , Uzbekistan is not only one of the larger Central Asian states but also the only Central Asian state to border all of the other four . Uzbekistan also shares a short border with Afghanistan to the south . As the Caspian Sea is an inland sea with no direct link to the oceans , Uzbekistan is one of only two `` doubly landlocked '' countries -- countries completely surrounded by other landlocked countries . The other is Liechtenstein .", "CIS at the Hopman Cup. The Commonwealth of Independent States ( or CIS ) is a regional organisation formed of former Soviet states that competed at the Hopman Cup in 1992 . It reached the quarterfinal stage of the tournament . Since 1992 , four of the independent states which form the CIS have competed in the Hopman Cup individually . These are : Kazakhstan , Russia , Ukraine and Uzbekistan . Prior to 1992 , they all competed as the Soviet Union .", "Central Asia. Central Asia stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to China in the east and from Afghanistan in the south to Russia in the north . It is also colloquially referred to as `` the - stans '' as the five countries generally considered to be within the region all have names ending with the Persian suffix '' - stan '' , meaning `` land of '' . Central Asia 's five former Soviet republics are Kazakhstan ( pop . 17 million ) , Kyrgyzstan ( 5.7 million ) , Tajikistan ( 8.0 million ) , Turkmenistan ( 5.2 million ) , and Uzbekistan ( 30 million ) , giving the region a total population of about 66 million . Central Asia has historically been closely tied to its nomadic peoples and the Silk Road . It has acted as a crossroads for the movement of people , goods , and ideas between Europe , Western Asia , South Asia , and East Asia . The Silk Road connected Muslim lands with the people of Europe , India , and China . This crossroads position has intensified the conflict between tribalism and traditionalism and modernization . In pre-Islamic and early Islamic times , Central Asia was predominantly Iranian , peopled by Eastern Iranian-speaking Bactrians , Sogdians and Chorasmians and the semi-nomadic Scythians and Parthians . After expansion by Turkic peoples , Central Asia also became the homeland for the Kazakhs , Uzbeks , Turkmen , Kyrgyz and Uyghurs and Turkic languages largely replaced the Iranian languages spoken in the area . Central Asia is sometimes referred to as Turkestan . From the mid-19th century until almost the end of the 20th century , most of Central Asia was part of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union , both Slavic-majority countries , and the five former Soviet '' - stans '' are still home to about 7 million Russians and 500,000 Ukrainians .", "Tashkent. Tashkent ( -LSB- ˌtæʃˈkɛnt -RSB- Toshkent , Тошкент , تاشكېنت , -LSB- tɒʃˈkent -RSB- Ташкент , -LSB- tɐʂˈkʲɛnt -RSB- literally `` Stone City '' ) is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan . The officially registered population of the city in 2012 was about 2,309,300 . Due to its position in Central Asia , Tashkent came under Sogdian and Turkic influence early in its history , before Islam in the 8th century AD . After its destruction by Genghis Khan in 1219 , the city was rebuilt and profited from the Silk Road . In 1865 it was conquered by the Russian Empire , and in Soviet times witnessed major growth and demographic changes due to forced deportations from throughout the Soviet Union . Today , as the capital of an independent Uzbekistan , Tashkent retains a multi-ethnic population with ethnic Uzbeks as the majority .", "Politics of Uzbekistan. The Republic of Uzbekistan is a presidential constitutional republic , whereby the President of Uzbekistan is both head of state and head of government . Executive power is exercised by the government . Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the Supreme Assembly , the Senate and the Legislative Chamber . The judicial branch ( or judiciary ) , is composed of the Supreme Court , Constitutional Court , and Higher Economic Court that exercises judicial power . The movement toward economic reform in Uzbekistan has not been matched by movement toward political reform . The government of Uzbekistan has instead tightened its grip since independence ( September 1 , 1991 ) , cracking down increasingly on opposition groups . Although the names have changed , the institutions of government remain similar to those that existed before the breakup of the Soviet Union . The government has justified its restraint of public assembly , opposition parties , and the media by emphasizing the need for stability and a gradual approach to change during the transitional period , citing the conflict and chaos in the other former republics ( most convincingly , neighboring Tajikistan ) . This approach has found credence among a large share of Uzbekistan 's population , although such a position may not be sustainable in the long run . Despite the trappings of institutional change , the first years of independence saw more resistance than acceptance of the institutional changes required for democratic reform to take hold . Whatever initial movement toward democracy existed in Uzbekistan in the early days of independence seems to have been overcome by the inertia of the remaining Soviet-style strong centralized leadership .", "Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan ( -LSB- kɜːrɡɪˈstɑːn -RSB- ; Кыргызстан Kırgızstan ( -LSB- qɯrʁɯsˈstɑn -RSB- ) ; Киргизия ) , officially the Kyrgyz Republic ( Кыргыз Республикасы Kırgız Respublikası ; Кыргызская Республика Kyrgyzskaya Respublika ) , is a country in Central Asia . Landlocked and mountainous , Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north , Uzbekistan to the west and southwest , Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east . Its capital and largest city is Bishkek . Kyrgyzstan 's recorded history spans over 2,000 years , encompassing a variety of cultures and empires . Although geographically isolated by its highly mountainous terrain , which has helped preserve its ancient culture , Kyrgyzstan has been at the crossroads of several great civilizations as part of the Silk Road and other commercial and cultural routes . Though long inhabited by a succession of independent tribes and clans , Kyrgyzstan has periodically fallen under foreign domination and attained sovereignty as a nation-state only after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 . Since independence , Kyrgyzstan has officially been a unitary parliamentary republic , although it continues to endure ethnic conflicts , revolts , economic troubles , transitional governments and political conflict . Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States , the Eurasian Economic Union , the Collective Security Treaty Organization , the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , the Turkic Council , the TÜRKSOY community and the United Nations . Ethnic Kyrgyz make up the majority of the country 's 5.7 million people , followed by significant minorities of Uzbeks and Russians . Kyrgyz is closely related to other Turkic languages , although Russian remains widely spoken and is the official language , a legacy of a century of Russification . The majority of the population are non-denominational Muslims . In addition to its Turkic origins , Kyrgyz culture bears elements of Persian , Mongolian and Russian influence .", "Alma-Ata Protocol. The Alma-Ata Protocols are the founding declarations and principles of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) . The leaders of Russia , Ukraine , and Belarus had agreed to the Belavezha Accords on 8 December 1991 , dissolving the Soviet Union and forming the CIS . On 21 December 1991 , Armenia , Azerbaijan , Belarus , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Moldova , Russia , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , Ukraine , and Uzbekistan agreed to the Alma-Ata Protocols , joining the CIS . The latter agreement included the original three Belavezha signatories , as well as eight additional former Soviet republics . More surprisingly , the protocol allowed the Russian Federation to assume Soviet Union 's UN membership , including its permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council .", "List of companies of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia . It is a unitary , constitutional , presidential republic , comprising twelve provinces , one autonomous republic and a capital city . Uzbekistan is bordered by five countries , Kazakhstan to the north ; Tajikistan to the southeast ; Kyrgyzstan to the northeast ; Afghanistan to the south ; and Turkmenistan to the southwest . Uzbekistan 's economy relies mainly on commodity production , including cotton , gold , uranium , and natural gas . Despite the declared objective of transition to a market economy , its government continues to maintain economic controls which imports in favour of domestic `` import substitution '' . For further information on the types of business entities in this country and their abbreviations , see `` Business entities in Uzbekistan '' .", "Postage stamps and postal history of Uzbekistan. This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Uzbekistan . Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( O`zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси ) , is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia , formerly part of the Soviet Union . It has been an independent republic since December 1991 .", "Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan ( -LSB- USkæzækˈstæn , _ ˌkɑːzɑːkˈstɑːn -RSB- , -LSB- ˌkæzəkˈstɑːn , _ - ˈstæn -RSB- Қазақстан , tr . Qazaqstan , -LSB- qɑzɑqˈstɑn -RSB- ; Казахстан , tr . Kazakhstan ) , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan ( Қазақстан Республикасы , tr . Qazaqstan Respwblïkası ; Республика Казахстан , tr . Respublika Kazakhstan ) , is a transcontinental country in northern Central Asia and Eastern Europe . Kazakhstan is the world 's largest landlocked country , and the ninth largest in the world , with an area of 2,724,900 km ² . Kazakhstan is the dominant nation of Central Asia economically , generating 60 % of the region 's GDP , primarily through its oil/gas industry . It also has vast mineral resources . Kazakhstan is officially a democratic , secular , unitary , constitutional republic with a diverse cultural heritage . Kazakhstan shares borders with Russia , China , Kyrgyzstan , Uzbekistan , and Turkmenistan , and also adjoins a large part of the Caspian Sea . The terrain of Kazakhstan includes flatlands , steppe , taiga , rock canyons , hills , deltas , snow-capped mountains , and deserts . Kazakhstan has an estimated 18 million people , Given its large land area , its population density is among the lowest , at less than 6 people per square kilometre ( 15 people per sq. mi . ) . The capital is Astana , where it was moved in 1997 from Almaty , the country 's largest city . The territory of Kazakhstan has historically been inhabited by nomadic tribes . This changed in the 13th century , when Genghis Khan occupied the country as part of the Mongolian Empire . Following internal struggles among the conquerors , power eventually reverted to the nomads . By the 16th century , the Kazakh emerged as a distinct group , divided into three jüz ( ancestor branches occupying specific territories ) . The Russians began advancing into the Kazakh steppe in the 18th century , and by the mid-19th century , they nominally ruled all of Kazakhstan as part of the Russian Empire . Following the 1917 Russian Revolution , and subsequent civil war , the territory of Kazakhstan was reorganised several times . In 1936 , it was made the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic , part of the Soviet Union . Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence during the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 . The current President , Nursultan Nazarbayev , has been leader of the country since then , and is characterised as authoritarian , with a government history of human rights abuses and suppression of political opposition . Kazakhstan has worked to develop its economy , especially its dominant hydrocarbon industry . Human Rights Watch says that `` Kazakhstan heavily restricts freedom of assembly , speech , and religion , '' and other human rights organisations regularly describe Kazakhstan 's human rights situation as poor . Kazakhstan 's 131 ethnicities include Kazakhs ( 63 % of the population ) , Russians , Uzbeks , Ukrainians , Germans , Tatars , and Uyghurs . Islam is the religion of about 70 % of the population , with Christianity practised by 26 % ; Kazakhstan officially allows freedom of religion , but religious leaders who oppose the government are suppressed . The Kazakh language is the state language , and Russian has equal official status for all levels of administrative and institutional purposes .", "Tajikistan. Tajikistan ( -LSB- tɑːˈdʒiːkᵻstɑːn -RSB- , -LSB- təˈdʒiːkᵻstæn -RSB- , or -LSB- tæˈdʒiːkiːstæn -RSB- Тоҷикистон -LSB- tɔd͡ʒikɪsˈtɔn -RSB- Таджикистан ) , officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон , Çumhurii Toçikiston , Республика Таджикистан ) , is a mountainous , landlocked country in Central Asia with an estimated 8 million people in 2013 , and an area of 143100 km2 . It is bordered by Afghanistan to the south , Uzbekistan to the west , Kyrgyzstan to the north , and China to the east . Pakistan lies to the south , separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor . Traditional homelands of Tajik people included present-day Tajikistan , Afghanistan and Uzbekistan . The territory that now constitutes Tajikistan was previously home to several ancient cultures , including the city of Sarazm of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age , and was later home to kingdoms ruled by people of different faiths and cultures , including the Oxus civilisation , Andronovo culture , Buddhism , Nestorian Christianity , Zoroastrianism , Manichaeism and Islam . The area has been ruled by numerous empires and dynasties , including the Achaemenid Empire , Sasanian Empire , Hephthalite Empire , Samanid Empire , Mongol Empire , Timurid dynasty , the Russian Empire , and subsequently the Soviet Union , upon whose dissolution in 1991 Tajikistan became an independent nation . A civil war was fought almost immediately after independence , lasting from 1992 to 1997 . Since the end of the war , newly established political stability and foreign aid have allowed the country 's economy to grow . Tajikistan is a presidential republic consisting of four provinces . Most of Tajikistan 's 8 million people belong to the Tajik ethnic group , who speak Tajik ( a dialect of Persian ) . Many Tajiks also speak Russian as their second language . The Gorno-Badakhshan Oblast of Tajikistan despite its sparse population is home to incredible linguistic diversity where Rushani , Shughni , Ishkashimi , Wakhi and Tajik number among the languages spoken . Mountains cover more than 90 % of the country . It has a transition economy that is highly dependent on remittances , aluminium and cotton production .", "President of Uzbekistan. The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Oʻzbekiston Respublikasining Prezidenti , Ўзбекистон Республикасининг Президенти ) is the head of state and executive authority in Uzbekistan . The office of President was established in 1991 , replacing the position of Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Uzbek SSR , which had existed since 1925 . The president is directly elected for a term of seven years , by citizens of Uzbekistan who have reached 18 years of age . Islam Karimov was the only President of Uzbekistan for 25 years following the establishment of the office , and he won three consecutive elections which many consider to have been rigged . The third election was the most controversial since he had been elected twice , and the current constitution stipulated a maximum of two terms . The official explanation was that his first term in office , of five years , was under the previous constitution and did not count towards the new limit . He died in office on 2 September 2016 . A joint session of both houses of the Supreme Assembly of Uzbekistan appointed Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev as interim president on 8 September 2016 . It is anticipated that Mirziyoyev will for the most part continue with Karimov 's strategy of relative neutrality , seeking stability in Central Asia via balanced cooperation with its neighbors and competing superpowers , including Russia , China and the United States .", "ISO 3166-2:UZ. ISO 3166-2 : UZ is the entry for Uzbekistan in ISO 3166-2 , part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization ( ISO ) , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions ( e.g. , provinces or states ) of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1 . Currently for Uzbekistan , ISO 3166-2 codes are defined for 1 city , 12 regions , and 1 republic . The city Tashkent is the capital of the country and has special status equal to the regions . Each code consists of two parts , separated by a hyphen . The first part is , the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code of Uzbekistan . The second part is two letters .", "Pakistan. Pakistan ( -LSB- pɑːkᵻˈstɑːn -RSB- -LSB- ) , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( -LSB- ) , is a federal parliamentary republic in South Asia on the crossroads of Central and Western Asia . It is the sixth-most populous country with a population exceeding 201 million people . In terms of area , it is the 33rd-largest country spanning 881,913 km2 . Pakistan has a 1,046 km coastline along the Arabian Sea and its Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by India to the east , Afghanistan to the west , Iran to the southwest , and China in the far northeast , respectively . It is separated from Tajikistan by Afghanistan 's narrow Wakhan Corridor in the north , and also shares a maritime border with Oman . The territory that now constitutes Pakistan is considered a cradle of civilisation that was previously home to several ancient cultures , including the Mehrgarh of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilisation , and later home to kingdoms ruled by people of different faiths and cultures , including Hindus , Indo-Greeks , Muslims , Turco-Mongols , Afghans , and Sikhs . The area has been ruled by numerous empires and dynasties , including the Persian Achaemenid Empire , Alexander of Macedonia , the Indian Mauryan Empire , the Arab Umayyad Caliphate , the Delhi Sultanate , the Mongol Empire , the Mughal Empire , the Durrani Empire , the Sikh Empire , and most recently , the British Empire . Pakistan is unique among Muslim countries in that it is the only country to have been created in the name of Islam . As a result of the Pakistan Movement led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the subcontinent 's struggle for independence , Pakistan was created in 1947 as an independent homeland for South Asian Muslims . It is an ethnically and linguistically diverse country , with a similarly diverse geography and wildlife . Initially a dominion , Pakistan adopted a constitution in 1956 , becoming an Islamic republic . An ethnic civil war in 1971 resulted in the secession of East Pakistan as the new country of Bangladesh . In 1973 Pakistan adopted a new constitution establishing , alongside its pre-existing parliamentary republic status , a federal government based in Islamabad consisting of four provinces and four federal territories . The new constitution also stipulated that all laws were to conform to the injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Quran and Sunnah . A regional and middle power , Pakistan has the sixth-largest standing armed forces in the world and is also a nuclear power as well as a declared nuclear-weapons state , being the second in South Asia and the only nation in the Muslim world to have that status . Pakistan has a semi-industrialised economy with a well-integrated agriculture sector , and a growing services sector . The Pakistani economy is the 24th-largest in the world in terms of purchasing power and the 41st-largest in terms of nominal GDP ( World Bank ) . It is ranked among the emerging and growth-leading economies of the world , and is backed by one of the world 's largest and fastest-growing middle classes . The post-independence history of Pakistan has been characterised by periods of military rule , and since 2008 a transition to democracy , amid conflicts with neighbouring India . The country continues to face challenging problems such as illiteracy , healthcare , and corruption , but has substantially reduced poverty and terrorism and expanded per capita income . Pakistan is a member of the United Nations , the Non-Aligned Movement , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , the Commonwealth of Nations , the ECO , the SAARC , the Developing Eight , and the G20 developing nations , Group of 24 , Group of 77 , and ECOSOC . It is also an associate member of CERN . Pakistan is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol , the Paris Agreement , and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights .", "Commonwealth of Nations. The Commonwealth of Nations ( formerly the British Commonwealth ) , also known as simply the Commonwealth , is an intergovernmental organisation of 52 member states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire . The Commonwealth operates by intergovernmental consensus of the member states , organised through the Commonwealth Secretariat and non-governmental organisations , organised through the Commonwealth Foundation . The Commonwealth dates back to the mid-20th century with the decolonisation of the British Empire through increased self-governance of its territories . It was formally constituted by the London Declaration in 1949 , which established the member states as `` free and equal '' . The symbol of this free association is Queen Elizabeth II who is the Head of the Commonwealth . The Queen is also the monarch of 16 members of the Commonwealth , known as Commonwealth realms . The other Commonwealth members have different heads of state : 31 members are republics and five are monarchies with a different monarch . Member states have no legal obligation to one another . Instead , they are united by language , history , culture and their shared values of democracy , free speech , human rights , and the rule of law . These values are enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter and promoted by the quadrennial Commonwealth Games . The Commonwealth covers more than 29958050 km2 , 20 % of the world 's land area , and spans all six inhabited continents . With an estimated population of 2.328 billion people , nearly a third of the world population , the Commonwealth in 2014 produced a nominal gross domestic product ( GDP ) of $ 10.45 trillion , representing 14 % of the gross world product when measured nominally and 17 % of the gross world product when measured in purchasing power parity ( PPP ) .", "History of Uzbekistan. In the first millennium BC , Iranian nomads established irrigation systems along the rivers of Central Asia and built towns at Bukhara and Samarqand . These places became extremely wealthy points of transit on what became known as the Silk Road between China and Europe . In the seventh century AD , the Soghdian Iranians , who profited most visibly from this trade , saw their province of Transoxiana ( Mawarannahr ) overwhelmed by Arabs , who spread Islam throughout the region . Under the Arab Abbasid Caliphate , the eighth and ninth centuries were a golden age of learning and culture in Transoxiana . As Turks began entering the region from the north , they established new states , many of which were Persianate in nature . After a succession of states dominated the region , in the twelfth century , Transoxiana was united in a single state with Iran and the region of Khwarezm , south of the Aral Sea . In the early thirteenth century , that state was invaded by Mongols , led by Genghis Khan . Under his successors , Iranian-speaking communities were displaced from some parts of Central Asia . Under Timur ( Tamerlane ) , Transoxiana began its last cultural flowering , centered in Samarqand . After Timur the state began to split , and by 1510 Uzbek tribes had conquered all of Central Asia . In the sixteenth century , the Uzbeks established two strong rival khanates , Bukhoro and Khorazm . In this period , the Silk Road cities began to decline as ocean trade flourished . The khanates were isolated by wars with Iran and weakened by attacks from northern nomads . Between 1729 and 1741 all the Khanates were made into vassals by Nader Shah of Persia . In the early nineteenth century , three Uzbek khanates -- Bukhoro , Khiva , and Quqon ( Kokand ) -- had a brief period of recovery . However , in the mid-nineteenth century Russia , attracted to the region 's commercial potential and especially to its cotton , began the full military conquest of Central Asia . By 1876 Russia had incorporated all three khanates ( hence all of present-day Uzbekistan ) into its empire , granting the khanates limited autonomy . In the second half of the nineteenth century , the Russian population of Uzbekistan grew and some industrialization occurred . At the beginning of the twentieth century , the Jadidist movement of educated Central Asians , centered in present-day Uzbekistan , began to advocate overthrowing Russian rule . In 1916 violent opposition broke out in Uzbekistan and elsewhere , in response to the conscription of Central Asians into the Russian army fighting World War I . When the tsar was overthrown in 1917 , Jadidists established a short-lived autonomous state at Quqon . After the Bolshevik Party gained power in Moscow , the Jadidists split between supporters of Russian communism and supporters of a widespread uprising that became known as the Basmachi Rebellion . As that revolt was being crushed in the early 1920s , local communist leaders such as Faizulla Khojayev gained power in Uzbekistan . In 1924 the Soviet Union established the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic , which included present-day Tajikistan and Uzbekistan . Tajikistan became the separate Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic in 1929 . In the late 1920s and early 1930s , large-scale agricultural collectivization resulted in widespread famine in Central Asia . In the late 1930s , Khojayev and the entire leadership of the Uzbek Republic were purged and executed by Soviet leader Joseph V. Stalin ( in power 1927 -- 53 ) and replaced by Russian officials . The Russification of political and economic life in Uzbekistan that began in the 1930s continued through the 1970s . During World War II , Stalin exiled entire national groups from the Caucasus and the Crimea to Uzbekistan to prevent `` subversive '' activity against the war effort . Moscow 's control over Uzbekistan weakened in the 1970s as Uzbek party leader Sharaf Rashidov brought many cronies and relatives into positions of power . In the mid-1980s , Moscow attempted to regain control by again purging the entire Uzbek party leadership . However , this move increased Uzbek nationalism , which had long resented Soviet policies such as the imposition of cotton monoculture and the suppression of Islamic traditions . In the late 1980s , the liberalized atmosphere of the Soviet Union under Mikhail S. Gorbachev ( in power 1985 -- 91 ) fostered political opposition groups and open ( albeit limited ) opposition to Soviet policy in Uzbekistan . In 1989 a series of violent ethnic clashes involving Uzbeks brought the appointment of ethnic Uzbek outsider Islam Karimov as Communist Party chief . When the Supreme Soviet of Uzbekistan reluctantly approved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 , Karimov became president of the Republic of Uzbekistan . In 1992 Uzbekistan adopted a new constitution , but the main opposition party , Birlik , was banned , and a pattern of media suppression began . In 1995 a national referendum extended Karimov 's term of office from 1997 to 2000 . A series of violent incidents in eastern Uzbekistan in 1998 and 1999 intensified government activity against Islamic extremist groups , other forms of opposition , and minorities . In 2000 Karimov was reelected overwhelmingly in an election whose procedures received international criticism . Later that year , Uzbekistan began laying mines along the Tajikistan border , creating a serious new regional issue and intensifying Uzbekistan 's image as a regional hegemon . In the early 2000s , tensions also developed with neighboring states Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan . In the mid-2000s , a mutual defense treaty substantially enhanced relations between Russia and Uzbekistan . Tension with Kyrgyzstan increased in 2006 when Uzbekistan demanded extradition of hundreds of refugees who had fled from Andijon into Kyrgyzstan after the riots . A series of border incidents also inflamed tensions with neighboring Tajikistan . In 2006 Karimov continued arbitrary dismissals and shifts of subordinates in the government , including one deputy prime minister .", "Constitution of Uzbekistan. The Constitution of Uzbekistan was adopted on 8 December 1992 on the 11th session of the Supreme Council of Uzbekistan . It replaced the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan of 1978 . It is the supreme law of the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Article 15 ) . The Constitution of Uzbekistan contains six parts and it is further divided into 26 chapters .", "Uzbekisation. Uzbekisation or Uzbekization is the process of something or someone culturally non-Uzbek becoming , or being forced to become , Uzbek , though it is a racial designation . The term is often used to describe the process by which the region now occupied by Tajikistan was incorporated as an autonomous republic ( Tajik ASSR ) within the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic between 1924 and 1929 . The term `` Uzbekization '' is also used to refer to the cultural assimilation of the Tajiks in Uzbekistan . Because of assimilation pressures that began in 1924 with the creation of Uzbek SSR , ethnic Tajiks often chose to identify themselves as Uzbeks in population census forms and preferred to be registered as Uzbek in their passports to avoid leaving the republic for the less developed agricultural and mountainous Tajikistan . While official Uzbek statistics place the total Tajik population in Uzbekistan at about 5 % , subjective expert estimates suggest that the Tajiks may account for as much as 25 % -30 % of the total population of the country . After the dissolution of the Soviet Union , the term `` Uzbekization '' has been applied to the processes in Uzbekistan that reverse the results of Sovietization and Russification . Among these are restoring the importance of Uzbek language , which replaced the Russian language in obligatory education , promotion of Uzbek tradition and culture .", "Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations. The Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations , also commonly known as Commonwealth of Unrecognized States , rarely as CIS-2 ( Содружество непризнанных государств , СНГ-2 ) , is an international organisation uniting several states in the former Soviet Union , all of which have limited recognition from the international community .", "Elections in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan elects on national level a head of state -- the president -- and a legislature . The president is elected for a five-year term by the people . The Supreme Assembly ( Oliy Majlis ) has 150 members in the Legislative Chamber , elected for a five-year terms and 100 members in the Senate ; 84 members elected at the sessions of district , regional and city deputies , and 16 members appointed by the president . Most parties are excluded . Uzbekistan is a state dominated by the supporters of a head of state -- the president . Opposition parties are allowed , but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power . Uzbekistan had the highest voting age in the world , at 25 ( now 18 ) .", "Uzbeks. The Uzbeks ( Oʻzbek / Ўзбек , pl . Oʻzbeklar / Ўзбеклар ) are a Turkic ethnic group ; the largest Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia . They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan but are also found as a minority group in Afghanistan , Tajikistan , Kyrgyzstan , Kazakhstan , Turkmenistan , Russia and China . Uzbek diaspora communities also exist in Turkey , Saudi Arabia , and Pakistan .", "Uzbek language. Uzbek is a Turkic language and the official language of Uzbekistan . It has 27 million native speakers and is spoken by the Uzbeks in Uzbekistan and elsewhere in Central Asia . Uzbek belongs to the Eastern Turkic , or Karluk , branch of the Turkic language family . External influences include Persian , Arabic and Russian . One of the most noticeable distinctions of Uzbek from other Turkic languages is the rounding of the vowel -LSB- / a / -RSB- to -LSB- / ɒ / -RSB- , a feature that was influenced by Persian .", "Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan ( -LSB- tɜːrkmɛnᵻˈstɑːn -RSB- Türkmenistan / Түркменистан / توركمنستان , -LSB- tyɾkmeniˈθtɑn -RSB- ) , formerly known as Turkmenia , is a country in Central Asia , bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest , Uzbekistan to the north and east , Afghanistan to the southeast , Iran to the south and southwest , and the Caspian Sea to the west . Turkmenistan has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries . In medieval times , Merv was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road , a caravan route used for trade with China until the mid-15th century . Annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881 , Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia . In 1925 , Turkmenistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union , Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic ( Turkmen SSR ) ; it became independent upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 . Turkmenistan possesses the world 's fourth largest reserves of natural gas resources . Most of the country is covered by the Karakum ( Black Sand ) Desert . Since 1993 , citizens have received government-provided electricity , water and natural gas free of charge . Turkmenistan was ruled by President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov until his death in 2006 . Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was elected president in 2007 . According to Human Rights Watch , `` Turkmenistan remains one of the world 's most repressive countries . The country is virtually closed to independent scrutiny , media and religious freedoms are subject to draconian restrictions , and human rights defenders and other activists face the constant threat of government reprisal . '' After suspending the death penalty , the use of capital punishment was formally abolished in the 2008 constitution .", "Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan ( -LSB- æzərbaɪˈʒɑːn -RSB- ; Azərbaycan ) , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan ( Azərbaycan Respublikası ) , is a country in the South Caucasus region , situated at the crossroads of Southwest Asia and Southeastern Europe . It is bound by the Caspian Sea to the east , Russia to the north , Georgia to the northwest , Armenia to the west and Iran to the south . The exclave of Nakhchivan is bound by Armenia to the north and east , Iran to the south and west , while having an 11 km border with Turkey in the north west . The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence in 1918 and became the first democratic state in the Muslim orient world . The country was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920 as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic . The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991 , prior to the official dissolution of the USSR in December 1991 . In September 1991 , the Armenian majority of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region seceded to form the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic . The region and seven adjacent districts outside it became de facto independent with the end of the Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994 . These regions are internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan pending a solution to the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh , found through negotiations facilitated by the OSCE . Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic . The country is a member state of the Council of Europe , the OSCE and the NATO Partnership for Peace ( PfP ) program . It is one of six independent Turkic states , an active member of the Turkic Council and the TÜRKSOY community . Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations . It is one of the founding members of GUAM , the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons . A member of the United Nations since 1992 after its independence , Azerbaijan was elected to membership in the newly established Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly on 9 May 2006 . Its term of office began on 19 June 2006 . Azerbaijan is also a member state of the Non-Aligned Movement , holds observer status in World Trade Organization and is a correspondent at the International Telecommunication Union . The Constitution of Azerbaijan does not declare an official religion and all major political forces in the country are secularist . However , the majority of the population are of a Shiite Muslim background . Most Azerbaijanis however , do not actively practice any religion , and the country has been seen to be one of the most irreligious countries in the Muslim world , with 53 % stating religion has little to no importance in their lives , according to Pew Research Center and Gallup polls . Azerbaijan has a high level of human development which ranks on par with most Eastern European countries . It has a high rate of economic development and literacy , as well as a low rate of unemployment . According to the Davos World Economic Forum , Azerbaijan 's economy has scored 37th place within 138 countries in 2016 . Global Competitiveness Index 2015 indicates that Azerbaijan scores highest in its region . ASAN services , established with Presidential Decree , are countrywide known for eliminating bribery and corruption in the provision of public services . ASAN Service has been awarded with United Nations ' Public Service Award 2015 , which is the most prestigious award in the world in the field of public service delivery . The ruling party , the New Azerbaijan Party , has been accused of authoritarianism and human rights abuses ." ]

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[ "The Prince's Charities. The Prince 's Charities , The Prince 's Charities Canada ( Les Œuvres de bienfaisance du prince au Canada ) , and The Prince 's Charities Australia are three groups of non-profit organisations that each have associations with Prince Charles , Prince of Wales . The Prince 's Charities , supported by The Prince 's Charities Foundation , is based in the United Kingdom and comprises 19 organisations of which the Prince of Wales is patron or president ; 18 were founded personally by Charles . The Prince 's Charities Canada is a Canadian entity formed by a collection of nine preexisting charitable organisations with prior connections to the Prince of Wales . All the charities focus on Charles ' core interests , including aiding disadvantaged youth , education , responsible business , improvement of the built environment , regeneration of heritage , and environmental sustainability .", "Charles, Prince of Wales, bibliography. The bibliography of Charles , Prince of Wales , is a list of approximately three dozen works which the Prince has authored , co-authored , illustrated or narrated and includes works for which he has written a foreword , introduction or preface . Any royalties the Prince receives go to The Prince 's Charities Foundation , as do any profits from Duchy Originals .", "Charles, Prince of Wales. Charles , Prince of Wales ( Charles Philip Arthur George ; born 14 November 1948 ) is the eldest child and heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II . Known alternatively in South West England as Duke of Cornwall and in Scotland as Duke of Rothesay , he is the longest-serving heir apparent in British history , having held the position since 1952 . He is also the oldest person to be next in line to the throne since Sophia of Hanover ( the heir presumptive to Queen Anne ) , who died in 1714 at the age of 83 . Charles was born at Buckingham Palace as the first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth . He was educated at Cheam and Gordonstoun Schools , which his father , Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , had attended as a child , as well as the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria , Australia . After earning a bachelor of arts degree from Trinity College , Cambridge , Charles served in the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976 . In 1981 , he married Lady Diana Spencer and they had two sons : Prince William ( born 1982 ) later to become Duke of Cambridge , and Prince Harry ( born 1984 ) . In 1996 , the couple divorced , following well-publicised extramarital affairs . Diana died in a car crash in Paris the following year . In 2005 , Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles . Charles 's interests encompass a range of humanitarian and social issues : he founded The Prince 's Trust in 1976 , sponsors The Prince 's Charities , and is patron of numerous other charitable and arts organisations . Charles has long championed organic farming for which he established the Duchy Home Farm , run by the Duchy of Cornwall , which produces ingredients for the Duchy Originals brand which he founded in 1990 . Charles has sought to raise world awareness of the dangers facing the natural environment , such as climate change . As an environmentalist , he has received numerous awards and recognition from environmental groups around the world . His support for alternative medicine , including homeopathy , has been criticised by some in the medical community . He has been outspoken on the role of architecture in society and the conservation of historic buildings . Subsequently , Charles created Poundbury , an experimental new town based on his theories , in Dorset in 1993 . He has authored a number of books , including A Vision of Britain : A Personal View of Architecture in 1989 and the children 's book The Old Man of Lochnagar in 1980 .", "Prince of Wales. Prince of Wales ( Tywysog Cymru ) was a title granted to princes born in Wales from the 12th century onwards ; the term replaced the use of the word king . One of the last Welsh princes , Llywelyn ap Gruffudd , was killed in battle in 1282 by Edward I , King of England , whose son Edward , born in Caernarfon Castle , was invested as Prince of Wales : the first English person to claim the title . Since the 13th century , the title is granted to the heir apparent to the English or British monarch , but the failure to be granted the title does not affect the rights to royal succession . The title is granted to the royal heir apparent as a personal honour or dignity , and the title is not heritable , merging with the Crown on accession to the throne . The title Earl of Chester is always given in conjunction with that of Prince of Wales . The Prince of Wales usually has other titles and honours . The current Prince of Wales is Prince Charles , the eldest son of Elizabeth II , who is Queen of the United Kingdom and 15 other independent Commonwealth realms as well as Head of the 53-member Commonwealth of Nations . The wife of the Prince of Wales is entitled to the title Princess of Wales . Prince Charles 's first wife , Diana , used that title but his second wife , Camilla , uses only the title Duchess of Cornwall because the other title has become so popularly associated with Diana .", "List of awards received by Charles, Prince of Wales. Charles , Prince of Wales has received numerous awards by various organizations around the world , mostly , for his contributions on the environment including organic farming , gardening , climate change , and for his controversial views on modern architecture .", "The Prince's Regeneration Trust. The Prince 's Regeneration Trust is one of The Prince 's Charities , a group of 19 UK charities of which Charles , Prince of Wales is President . The Prince 's Regeneration Trust works throughout the United Kingdom to ensure that important historic buildings at risk of demolition or decay are preserved , regenerated and re-used . The Trust focuses its heritage-led regeneration in socially and economically deprived areas of the UK . This is because such areas will benefit most and because solutions for historic buildings at risk in such areas are more challenging to achieve . Most of the buildings the Trust is involved with are listed buildings and some are also important local monuments in conservation areas . The Trust works in partnership with building owners , developers , community groups , local authorities and other public bodies to find sensitive and sustainable new uses for historic buildings at risk . Prince Charles founded The Prince 's Regeneration Trust in 2006 following the merger of two of his older charities , Regeneration Through Heritage and the Phoenix Trust .", "The Prince's Trust. The Prince 's Trust is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by Charles , Prince of Wales , and Frederick John Pervin to help young people . They run a range of training programmes , provide mentoring support and offer financial grants to build the confidence and motivation of disadvantaged young people . Each year they work with about 60,000 young people , with around 80 % moving on to employment , education , training or volunteering . In 1999 , the numerous Trust charities were brought together as The Prince 's Trust and was acknowledged by The Queen at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace where she granted it a Royal Charter . The following year it devolved in Wales , Scotland , Northern Ireland and other English regions but overall control remained in London . The Prince 's Trust fundraising and campaign events are often hosted and feature entertainers from around the world . In April 2011 the youth charity Fairbridge became part of the Trust . The Prince 's Trust is one of the most successful funding organisations in the UK and the UK 's leading youth charity , having helped over 825,000 young people turn their lives around , created 125,000 entrepreneurs and given business support to 395,000 people in the UK . From 2006 to 2016 , its work for the youth has been worth an estimated # 1.4 billion .", "Prince Harry. Prince Henry of Wales , ( Henry Charles Albert David ; born 15 September 1984 ) , familiarly known as Prince Harry , is the younger son of Charles , Prince of Wales , and Diana , Princess of Wales . At the time of his birth , he was third in the line of succession to succeed his grandmother , Queen Elizabeth II , but is currently fifth in line after his father , his elder brother Prince William , Duke of Cambridge , and William 's children , George and Charlotte . After an education at schools in the United Kingdom and spending parts of his gap year in Australia and Lesotho , Harry chose a military career , undergoing officer training at RMA Sandhurst . He was commissioned as a cornet into the Blues and Royals , serving temporarily with his brother , and completed his training as a troop leader . In 2007 -- 2008 , he served for 77 days in Helmand , Afghanistan , but was pulled out following publication of his presence there by an Australian magazine . He returned to Afghanistan for a 20-week deployment in 2012 -- 2013 with the Army Air Corps . He left the army in June 2015 . Harry launched the Invictus Games in 2014 , and remains patron of its Foundation . He also gives patronage to several other organisations , including the HALO Trust , the London Marathon Charitable Trust , and Walking With The Wounded .", "Prince of Wales (disambiguation). Prince of Wales is the title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom . It originated as the title of independent princes of Wales in the 12th and 13th centuries . It is currently used by Charles , Prince of Wales . The previous holder , Charles ' great-uncle , became Edward VIII , later Duke of Windsor . Albert Edward who became Edward VII held the title longer than any other in history . George IV of the United Kingdom ( 1762 -- 1830 ) In the 12th -- 15th centuries it at times referred to : The King of the Britons Prince of Wales may also refer to :", "The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation. The Prince of Wales 's Charitable Foundation is one of the largest independent foundations in the UK . It was founded by The Prince of Wales in 1979 .", "Diana, Princess of Wales. Diana , Princess of Wales ( Diana Frances ; née Spencer ; 1 July 1961 -- 31 August 1997 ) , was the first wife of Charles , Prince of Wales , who is the eldest child and heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II . Diana was born into a family of British nobility with royal ancestry and was the fourth child and third daughter of John Spencer , Viscount Althorp , and the Honourable Frances Roche . She grew up in Park House , situated on the Sandringham estate , and was educated in England and Switzerland . In 1975 , after her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer , she became known as Lady Diana Spencer . She came to prominence in February 1981 when her engagement to Prince Charles was announced . Her wedding to the Prince of Wales was held at St Paul 's Cathedral on 29 July 1981 and reached a global television audience of over 750 million people . During her marriage , Diana bore the titles Princess of Wales , Duchess of Cornwall , Duchess of Rothesay , and Countess of Chester . The marriage produced two sons , the princes William and Harry , who were then respectively second and third in the line of succession to the British throne . As Princess of Wales , Diana undertook royal duties on behalf of the Queen and represented her at functions overseas . She was celebrated for her charity work and for her support of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines . She was involved with dozens of charities including London 's Great Ormond Street Hospital for children , of which she was president from 1989 . Diana remained the object of worldwide media scrutiny during and after her marriage , which ended in divorce on 28 August 1996 . Media attention and public mourning were extensive after her death in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997 and subsequent televised funeral .", "Prince of Wales Prize for Municipal Heritage Leadership. The Prince of Wales Prize for Municipal Heritage Leadership is an award presented annually to a Canadian municipality that has demonstrated a commitment to the conservation of its historic built environment , through regulation , policies , and funding . Created in 1999 by the Heritage Canada Foundation , the award is named for Prince Charles , Prince of Wales , who agreed to lend his title as he has personal interests in architecture and inner-city renewal . The municipality receives a metal plaque bearing the insignia of the Prince of Wales and the Heritage Canada Foundation , a flag with the same emblems to be flown outside or displayed within the city or town hall , and the prize 's logo must be displayed on the municipality 's website . In 2008 , the first ever Prince of Wales Prize Honourable Mention was awarded .", "List of titles and honours of Charles, Prince of Wales. Charles , Prince of Wales has received numerous titles , decorations , and honorary appointments during his time as heir apparent to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms . Each is listed below ; where two dates are shown , the first indicates the date of receiving the title or award ( the title as Prince Charles of Edinburgh being given as from his birth ) and the second indicates the date of its loss or renunciation .", "Charles I of England. Charles I ( 19 November 1600 -- 30 January 1649 ) was monarch of the three kingdoms of England , Scotland , and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649 . Charles was the second son of King James VI of Scotland , but after his father inherited the English throne in 1603 , he moved to England , where he spent much of the rest of his life . He became heir apparent to the English , Irish , and Scottish thrones on the death of his elder brother , Henry Frederick , Prince of Wales , in 1612 . An unsuccessful and unpopular attempt to marry him to the Spanish Habsburg princess Maria Anna culminated in an eight-month visit to Spain in 1623 that demonstrated the futility of the marriage negotiations . Two years later , he married the Bourbon princess Henrietta Maria of France instead . After his succession , Charles quarrelled with the Parliament of England , which sought to curb his royal prerogative . Charles believed in the divine right of kings and thought he could govern according to his own conscience . Many of his subjects opposed his policies , in particular the levying of taxes without parliamentary consent , and perceived his actions as those of a tyrannical absolute monarch . His religious policies , coupled with his marriage to a Roman Catholic , generated the antipathy and mistrust of reformed groups such as the English Puritans and Scottish Covenanters , who thought his views too Catholic . He supported high church ecclesiastics , such as Richard Montagu and William Laud , and failed to aid Protestant forces successfully during the Thirty Years ' War . His attempts to force the Church of Scotland to adopt high Anglican practices led to the Bishops ' Wars , strengthened the position of the English and Scottish parliaments and helped precipitate his own downfall . From 1642 , Charles fought the armies of the English and Scottish parliaments in the English Civil War . After his defeat in 1645 , he surrendered to a Scottish force that eventually handed him over to the English Parliament . Charles refused to accept his captors ' demands for a constitutional monarchy , and temporarily escaped captivity in November 1647 . Re-imprisoned on the Isle of Wight , Charles forged an alliance with Scotland , but by the end of 1648 Oliver Cromwell 's New Model Army had consolidated its control over England . Charles was tried , convicted , and executed for high treason in January 1649 . The monarchy was abolished and a republic called the Commonwealth of England was declared . The monarchy was restored to Charles 's son , Charles II , in 1660 .", "UNICEF. The United Nations Children 's Fund ( UNICEF ; -LSB- ˈjuːnᵻsɛf -RSB- ) is a United Nations ( UN ) programme headquartered in New York City that provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries . It is a member of the United Nations Development Group . The United Nations International Children 's Emergency Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on 11 December 1946 , to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II . The Polish physician Ludwik Rajchman is widely regarded as the founder of UNICEF and served as its first chairman from 1946 . On Rajchman 's suggestion , the American Maurice Pate was appointed its first executive director , serving from 1947 until his death in 1965 . In 1950 , UNICEF 's mandate was extended to address the long-term needs of children and women in developing countries everywhere . In 1953 it became a permanent part of the United Nations System , and the words `` international '' and `` emergency '' were dropped from the organization 's name , making it simply the United Nations Children 's Fund , retaining the original acronym , `` UNICEF '' . UNICEF relies on contributions from governments and private donors , UNICEF 's total income for 2008 was US$ 3,372,540,239 . Governments contribute two-thirds of the organization 's resources . Private groups and some six million individuals contribute the rest through national committees . It is estimated that 92 per cent of UNICEF revenue is distributed to programme services . UNICEF 's programmes emphasize developing community-level services to promote the health and well-being of children . UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965 and the Prince of Asturias Award of Concord in 2006 . Most of UNICEF 's work is in the field , with staff in over 190 countries and territories . More than 200 country offices carry out UNICEF 's mission through programmes developed with host governments . Seven regional offices provide technical assistance to country offices as needed . UNICEF 's Supply Division is based in Copenhagen and serves as the primary point of distribution for such essential items as vaccines , antiretroviral medicines for children and mothers with HIV , nutritional supplements , emergency shelters , family reunification , and educational supplies . A 36-member executive board establishes policies , approves programmes and oversees administrative and financial plans . The executive board is made up of government representatives who are elected by the United Nations Economic and Social Council , usually for three-year terms .", "Duchy of Cornwall. The Duchy of Cornwall ( Duketh Kernow ) is one of two royal duchies in England , the other being the Duchy of Lancaster . The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits possession of the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at birth or when his parent succeeds to the throne , but may not sell assets for personal benefit and has limited rights and income as a minor . If the monarch has no male children , the rights and responsibilities of the duchy belong to The Crown and there is no duke . The current duke is Prince Charles , the Prince of Wales . The principal activity of the duchy is the management of its land totalling 135,000 acre . Nearly half of the holdings are in Devon , with other large holdings in Cornwall , Herefordshire , Somerset and almost all of the Isles of Scilly . The duchy also has a financial investments portfolio . For the fiscal year ending 31 March 2013 , the duchy was valued at # 763 million , and annual profit was # 19 million , a revenue surplus gain of 4.1 % from the previous year . The Duchy Council meets twice a year . The duchy also exercises certain legal rights and privileges across Cornwall , including some that elsewhere in England belong to the crown . The duke appoints a number of officials in the county and acts as the port authority for the main harbour of the Isles of Scilly . The government considers the duchy to be a crown body and therefore exempt from paying corporation tax . The tax position of the duchy has been challenged ; thus , since 1993 , the Prince of Wales has voluntarily paid income tax on the duchy income less amounts which he considers to be official expenditure .", "Commonwealth of Nations. The Commonwealth of Nations ( formerly the British Commonwealth ) , also known as simply the Commonwealth , is an intergovernmental organisation of 52 member states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire . The Commonwealth operates by intergovernmental consensus of the member states , organised through the Commonwealth Secretariat and non-governmental organisations , organised through the Commonwealth Foundation . The Commonwealth dates back to the mid-20th century with the decolonisation of the British Empire through increased self-governance of its territories . It was formally constituted by the London Declaration in 1949 , which established the member states as `` free and equal '' . The symbol of this free association is Queen Elizabeth II who is the Head of the Commonwealth . The Queen is also the monarch of 16 members of the Commonwealth , known as Commonwealth realms . The other Commonwealth members have different heads of state : 31 members are republics and five are monarchies with a different monarch . Member states have no legal obligation to one another . Instead , they are united by language , history , culture and their shared values of democracy , free speech , human rights , and the rule of law . These values are enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter and promoted by the quadrennial Commonwealth Games . The Commonwealth covers more than 29958050 km2 , 20 % of the world 's land area , and spans all six inhabited continents . With an estimated population of 2.328 billion people , nearly a third of the world population , the Commonwealth in 2014 produced a nominal gross domestic product ( GDP ) of $ 10.45 trillion , representing 14 % of the gross world product when measured nominally and 17 % of the gross world product when measured in purchasing power parity ( PPP ) .", "British Council. The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities . It works in over 100 countries : promoting a wider knowledge of the UK and the English language ; encouraging cultural , scientific , technological and educational co-operation with the UK ; and changing people 's lives through access to UK education , skills , qualifications , culture and society . The British Council is a charity registered in England and Wales and Scotland and is governed by Royal Charter . It is also a public corporation and an executive nondepartmental public body ( NDPB ) , sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office . Its headquarters are off Trafalgar Square , London . Its Chair is Christopher Rodrigues , its CEO is Sir Ciarán Devane and chief operating officer Adrian Greer .", "The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The Duke of Edinburgh 's Award ( commonly abbreviated DofE ) , is the generic name for a youth awards programme founded in the United Kingdom in 1956 by Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , that has since expanded to 144 nations . The awards recognise adolescents and young adults for completing a series of self-improvement exercises modelled on Kurt Hahn 's solution to the `` Six Declines of Modern Youth '' . In the United Kingdom the programme is run by The Duke of Edinburgh 's Award , a royal charter corporation . A separate entity , The Duke of Edinburgh 's International Award Foundation , promotes the award abroad and acts as a coordinating body for award sponsors in other nations , which are organised into 62 National Award Authorities and a number of Independent Operators . Award sponsors in countries outside the United Kingdom may title their awards Duke of Edinburgh 's Awards , though the recognition also operates under a variety of other names in countries without a historic link to the British monarchy , or that have severed such links .", "In Kind Direct. In Kind Direct is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1996 by HRH Prince Charles . The charity distributes surplus goods from manufacturers and retailers to UK charities working both domestically and abroad . In Kind Direct is one of The Prince 's Charities , which is the largest multi-cause charitable enterprise in the United Kingdom . Since foundation in 1996 , the charity has distributed almost # 170 million in value of goods from over 1,000 companies . 8,300 voluntary and community organisations have received products via In Kind Direct , helping millions of people in need .", "Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. Prince William , Duke of Cambridge , ( William Arthur Philip Louis ; born 21 June 1982 ) is the elder son of Charles , Prince of Wales , and Diana , Princess of Wales . He is second in line to succeed his grandmother , Queen Elizabeth II , after his father . William was educated at four schools in the United Kingdom and obtained a degree from the University of St Andrews . He spent parts of a gap year in Chile , Belize , and some parts of Africa . In December 2006 , he completed 44 weeks of training as an officer cadet and was commissioned in the Blues and Royals regiment . In April 2008 , he qualified as a pilot ( earning his wings ) by completing pilot training at Royal Air Force College Cranwell . He then underwent helicopter flying training in order to become a full-time pilot with the RAF Search and Rescue Force in early 2009 . His service with the British Armed Forces ended in September 2013 . William married Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey . Hours before the wedding , he was created Duke of Cambridge , Earl of Strathearn , and Baron Carrickfergus . The couple 's first child , Prince George , was born on 22 July 2013 , and their second , Princess Charlotte , was born on 2 May 2015 .", "Royal Parks Foundation. The Royal Parks Foundation is a registered charity established in 2003 ( registered charity number 1097545 ) . It is the charity that helps support London 's eight London 's Royal Parks for everyone to enjoy , now and in the future . The charity 's patron is HRH The Prince of Wales .", "Sponsor (commercial). Sponsoring something ( or someone ) is the act of supporting an event , activity , person , or organization financially or through the provision of products or services . The individual or group that provides the support , similar to a benefactor , is known as sponsor '' ' .", "Princess of Wales. Princess of Wales ( Tywysoges Cymru ) is a British courtesy title held by the wife of the Prince of Wales , who is , since the 14th century , the heir apparent of the English or British monarch . The first acknowledged title holder was Eleanor de Montfort , wife of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd . It has subsequently been used by wives of post-conquest princes of Wales . The title is currently held by Camilla ( the former Camilla Parker Bowles ) , second wife of Charles , Prince of Wales since her marriage on 9 April 2005 . She does not , however , use the title , as it has remained strongly associated with the previous holder , the late Diana , Princess of Wales . Instead , she uses the title Duchess of Cornwall .", "Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( RSPCA ) is a charity operating in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare . In 2012 , the RSPCA investigated 150,833 cruelty complaints . It is the oldest and largest animal welfare organisation in the world and is one of the largest charities in the UK , with 1,667 employees ( as of 2011 ) . The organisation also does international outreach work across Europe , Africa and Asia . The charity 's work has inspired the creation of similar groups in other jurisdictions , starting with the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( founded in 1836 ) , and including the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( 1839 ) , the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( 1840 ) , the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( 1866 ) , the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( 1882 ) , and various groups which eventually came together as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Australia ( 1981 ) , the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( Hong Kong ) ( 1997 ) -- formerly known as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( Hong Kong ) ( 1903 -- 1997 ) . The RSPCA is funded primarily by voluntary donations . In 2012 , RSPCA total income was # 132,803,000 , total expenditure was # 121,464,000 . Its patron is Queen Elizabeth II .", "National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty. The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty , known as the National Trust , is a conservation organisation in England , Wales and Northern Ireland , and the largest membership organisation in the United Kingdom . The trust describes itself as `` a charity that works to preserve and protect historic places and spaces -- for ever , for everyone . '' The trust was founded in 1895 and given statutory powers , starting with the National Trust Act 1907 . Historically , the trust tended to focus on English country houses , which still make up the largest part of its holdings , but it also protects historic landscapes such as in the Lake District , historic urban properties , and nature reserves . In Scotland , there is an independent National Trust for Scotland . The Trust has special powers to prevent land being sold off or mortgaged , although this can be over-ridden by Parliament . The National Trust has been the beneficiary of many large donations and bequests . It owns over 350 heritage properties , which includes many historic houses and gardens , industrial monuments , and social history sites . Most of these are open to the public , usually for a charge . Others are leased , on terms that manage to preserve their character . The Trust is one of the largest landowners in the United Kingdom , owning over 247000 ha of land , including many characteristic sites of natural beauty , most of which are open to the public free of charge . The Trust , one of the largest UK charities financially , is funded by membership subscriptions , entrance fees , legacies , and revenue from gift shops and restaurants within its properties . It has been accused of focusing too much on country estates , and in recent years , the trust has sought to broaden its activities by acquiring historic properties such as former mills , early factories , workhouses , and the childhood homes of Paul McCartney and John Lennon .", "The Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health. The Foundation for Integrated Health ( FIH ) was a controversial charity run by Charles , Prince of Wales and founded in 1993 . The Foundation promoted alternative and complementary medicine , preferring to use the term `` integrated health '' , and lobbied for its inclusion in the National Health Service . The charity closed in 2010 after allegations of fraud and money laundering led to the arrest of a former official .", "Prayer Book Society (England). The Prayer Book Society is a charity in England that `` is established for the advancement of the Christian religion as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer ; and , in furtherance of this Object , for the promotion of the worship and doctrine enshrined in the Book of Common Prayer and its use for services , teaching and training throughout the Church of England and other Churches in the Anglican tradition . '' . In 2012 the Charity Commission for England and Wales permitted the society to simplify its objects in order to allow it to undertake a number of new activities closely related to its previous activities . According to the Society it has over 4,500 members and 51 branches throughout England . The society considers itself to be a sister society of the Prayer Book Society of the USA , the Prayer Book Society of Canada , the Scottish Prayer Book Society and the Prayer Book Society in Australia . The society 's patron is Charles , Prince of Wales and the ecclesiastical patron is Richard Chartres , the Bishop of London .", "Royal family. A royal family is the immediate family of a king or queen regnant , and sometimes his or her extended family . The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress , and the term papal family describes the family of a pope , while the terms baronial family , comital family , ducal family , grand ducal family , or princely family are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning baron , count , duke , grand duke , or prince . However , in common parlance members of any family which reigns by hereditary right are often referred to as royalty or `` royals . '' It is also customary in some circles to refer to the extended relations of a deposed monarch and his or her descendants as a royal family . A dynasty is sometimes referred to as `` the House of ... '' . As of July 2013 , there are 26 active sovereign monarchies in the world who rule or reign over 43 countries in all .", "Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Camilla , Duchess of Cornwall , ( née Camilla Rosemary Shand , previously Parker Bowles ; born 17 July 1947 ) , is the second wife of Charles , Prince of Wales , who is the eldest child and heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II . Instead of using the title of Princess of Wales , she uses the title Duchess of Cornwall , which is her husband 's secondary designation . In Scotland , she is known as the Duchess of Rothesay . In the event of Charles acceding to the throne , Camilla would be entitled to use the style of a queen consort ; however , an official statement issued by Clarence House on the day of her marriage to Charles announced that she will be known as the Princess Consort . Camilla was born into a gentry family as the eldest child of Major Bruce Shand and his wife , the Honourable Rosalind Cubitt , the daughter of Roland Cubitt , 3rd Baron Ashcombe . She was raised in East Sussex and South Kensington , and was educated in England , Switzerland and France . Subsequently , she worked for different firms based in central London , most notably the decorating firm Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler . In 1973 , Camilla married British Army officer Andrew Parker Bowles , with whom she has two children . They divorced in 1995 . For many years , Camilla was in a relationship with the Prince of Wales before and after their former marriages . The relationship became highly publicised in the media and attracted worldwide scrutiny.Charles and Camilla : Portrait of a Love Affair by biographer Gyles Brandreth depicts Charles and Camilla 's relationship as controversial due to its longevity and throughout the book shows the media 's interest and representation to the public . In 2005 , it culminated in a civil marriage at Windsor Guildhall , which was followed by a televised Anglican blessing by the Archbishop of Canterbury , Rowan Williams , at St George 's Chapel , Windsor Castle . As the Duchess of Cornwall , Camilla assists the Prince of Wales on his official duties . She is also the patron , president and a member of numerous charities and organisations . Since 1994 , she has taken action on osteoporosis , which has earned her honours and awards . She has also raised awareness in areas including rape and sexual abuse , literacy and poverty , for which she has latterly been praised .", "Royal Society of Arts. The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts , Manufactures and Commerce ( RSA ) is a London-based , British organisation committed to finding practical solutions to social challenges . Founded in 1754 by William Shipley as the Society for the Encouragement of Arts , Manufacture and Commerce , it was granted a Royal Charter in 1847 , and the right to use the term Royal in its name by King Edward VII in 1908 . The shorter version , The Royal Society of Arts and the related RSA acronym , are used more frequently than the full name . Charles Dickens , Adam Smith , Benjamin Franklin , Karl Marx , William Hogarth , John Diefenbaker , Stephen Hawking , Benson Taylor and Tim Berners-Lee are some of the notable past and present Fellows , and today it has Fellows elected from 80 countries worldwide . The RSA award three medals , the Albert Medal , the Benjamin Franklin Medal ( following a decision by the Board in 2013 , the Benjamin Franklin Medal is now overseen by the RSA US , although the final nomination is ratified by the UK Board ) and the Bicentenary Medal . Medal winners include Nelson Mandela , Sir Frank Whittle , and Professor Stephen Hawking . The RSA members are innovative contributors to the human knowledge , as shown by the Oxford English Dictionary which records the first use of the term `` sustainability '' in an environmental sense of the word in the RSA 's Journal in 1980 .", "Coronet of Charles, Prince of Wales. The Coronet of Charles , Prince of Wales is a small crown that is part of the Honours of Wales . The gold coronet , with diamonds set in platinum , was made for and used by Prince Charles at his investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969 . Designed by the artist Louis Osman , the coronet was a gift from the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths to the prince 's mother , Queen Elizabeth II . It has been described as modern but its form is traditional . The coronet is in storage along with the other Welsh regalia at St James 's Palace , London ." ]

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[ "Chester Bennington. Chester Charles Bennington ( born March 20 , 1976 ) is an American musician , singer , songwriter and actor . He is best known as the lead vocalist of rock bands Linkin Park , Dead by Sunrise , and live rock cover band Bucket of Weenies . He was originally the lead vocalist for Sean Dowdell And His Friends ? and Grey Daze . Bennington was the lead vocalist for Stone Temple Pilots from 2013 to 2015 . Bennington became known as a vocalist with Linkin Park 's debut album , Hybrid Theory , in 2000 , which was a massive commercial success . The album was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 , making it the best-selling debut album of the decade , as well as one of the few albums to ever hit that many sales . Linkin Park 's following studio albums , Meteora ( 2003 ) , Minutes to Midnight ( 2007 ) , A Thousand Suns ( 2010 ) , Living Things ( 2012 ) , and The Hunting Party ( 2014 ) , continued the band 's success . Bennington formed his own band , Dead by Sunrise , as a side project in 2005 . The band 's debut album , Out of Ashes , was released on October 13 , 2009 . He worked on new material with Stone Temple Pilots in 2013 to release the EP High Rise on October 8 , 2013 via their own record label , Play Pen . Bennington has been ranked in the Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists by Hit Parader ( No. 46 ) .", "Dead by Sunrise. Dead by Sunrise ( formerly known as Snow White Tan ) is an American rock band formed in 2005 . The band consists of Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington , Amir Derakh , Ryan Shuck , Brandon Belsky , Elias Andra , and Anthony `` Fu '' Valcic from Julien-K and Orgy . Dead by Sunrise 's debut studio album , Out of Ashes , was released worldwide on October 13 , 2009 . In 2012 during their hiatus since 2011 , Andra was replaced by Frank Zummo of the Street Drum Corps as their new drummer , when he announced his departure from the band in December 2011 during the Love and Death concert played by The Whosoevers .", "Hybrid Theory. Hybrid Theory is the debut studio album by American rock band Linkin Park , released on October 24 , 2000 through Warner Bros. . Records . The album was a huge commercial success , having been certified Diamond for sales of over 11 million units in the United States alone as of 2010 , peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 , and also reaching high positions on other charts worldwide . Recorded at NRG Recordings in North Hollywood , California , and produced by Don Gilmore , the album 's lyrical themes deal with problems lead vocalist Chester Bennington experienced during his adolescence , including drug abuse and the constant fighting and divorce of his parents . Hybrid Theory takes its title from the previous name of the band as well as the concept of music theory and combining different styles . Four singles were released from the album : `` One Step Closer '' , `` Crawling '' , `` Papercut '' , and `` In the End '' , all of them being responsible for launching Linkin Park into mainstream popularity . While `` In the End '' was the most successful of the four , all of the singles in the album remain some of the band 's most successful songs to date . Although `` Runaway '' , `` Points of Authority '' , and `` My December '' from the special edition bonus disc album were not released as singles , they were minor hits on alternative rock radio stations thanks to the success of all of the band 's singles and the album . At the 2002 Grammy Awards , Hybrid Theory was nominated for Best Rock Album . The album is listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . It was ranked # 11 on Billboard '' 's 200 Albums of the Decade . A special edition of Hybrid Theory was released March 11 , 2002 , a year and a half after its original pressing . Hybrid Theory '' has sold 25 million copies worldwide , which makes it the best selling debut album of the 21st century . Linkin Park performed the album in its entirety at the Download Festival on June 14 , 2014 .", "Out of Ashes. Out of Ashes is the debut studio album by American rock band Dead by Sunrise , which consists of Linkin Park lead vocalist Chester Bennington and Amir Derakh , Ryan Shuck , Anthony ` Fu ' Valcic , Brandon Belsky , and Elias Andra of Julien-K . It was released on October 13 , 2009 through Warner Bros. . Records , to mixed to positive reception . The album was produced by Howard Benson . The album charted in a respectably high position in the Billboard 200 , peaking at # 29 . The album spawned five singles , `` Crawl Back In '' , `` Let Down '' , `` Inside of Me '' , `` Too Late '' and `` Fire '' ( which was released in Japan only ) . The album achieved moderate success in the US charts . The album 's lyrical contains many personal experiences by Bennington in the previous years before the album 's production . It was described as `` really dark '' and `` much more of a rock album '' than the works of Linkin Park . This is the only studio album to feature their original drummer Elias Andra before his departure in December 2011 .", "Too Late (Dead by Sunrise song). `` Too Late '' is a song by American rock band Dead by Sunrise , which consists of Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington , as well as the band members of Julien-K . It is the fourth of their debut album , Out of Ashes .", "Stone Temple Pilots. Stone Temple Pilots ( sometimes abbreviated as STP ) are an American rock band from San Diego , California , that originally consisted of Scott Weiland ( lead vocals ) , brothers Dean ( guitar ) and Robert DeLeo ( bass , backing vocals ) , and Eric Kretz ( drums ) . Since the band 's formation in 1989 , its line-up remained unchanged until the firing of Weiland in 2013 , who was replaced by Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington . In 2015 , Bennington left the band to focus solely on Linkin Park . On December 3 , 2015 , Weiland was found dead on his tour bus prior to a performance with his band The Wildabouts . In 2016 , the band launched an online audition for a new lead vocalist . After forming in 1989 under the name Mighty Joe Young , the band signed with Atlantic Records and changed its name to Stone Temple Pilots . The band found immediate success in 1993 upon releasing their debut album , Core ( 1992 ) , and went on to become one of the most commercially successful bands of the 1990s . The band released four more studio albums : Purple ( 1994 ) , Tiny Music ... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop ( 1996 ) , No. 4 ( 1999 ) and Shangri-La Dee Da ( 2001 ) , before separating in 2002 , after which the band members partook in various projects ( most notably Velvet Revolver and Army of Anyone ) . The band eventually reconvened in 2008 for a reunion tour , released a new self-titled album in 2010 , and actively toured until Chester Bennington 's departure . The band 's only material with Bennington was the EP High Rise in 2013 . While initially displaying a sound typically identified as grunge early on in its career , further releases from the band expressed a variety of influences , including psychedelic rock , bossa nova and classic rock . The band 's evolution throughout the 1990s and early 2000s involved several tumultuous periods of commercial highs and lows , brought about in part by Weiland 's well-publicized struggles with drug addiction .", "Linkin Park. Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills , California . Formed in 1996 , the band rose to international fame with their debut album Hybrid Theory ( 2000 ) , which was certified diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries . Their following studio album Meteora continued the band 's success , topping the Billboard 200 album chart in 2003 , and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world . In 2003 , MTV2 named Linkin Park the sixth-greatest band of the music video era and the third-best of the new millennium . Billboard ranked Linkin Park No. 19 on the Best Artists of the Decade chart . In 2012 , the band was voted as the greatest artist of the 2000s in a Bracket Madness poll on VH1 . In 2014 , the band was declared as the Biggest Rock Band in the World Right Now by Kerrang ! . Having adapted nu metal and rap metal to a radio-friendly yet densely layered style in Hybrid Theory and Meteora , the band explored other genres in their next studio album , Minutes to Midnight ( 2007 ) . The album topped the Billboard charts and had the third-best debut week of any album that year . The band continued to explore a wider variation of musical types in their fourth album , A Thousand Suns ( 2010 ) , layering their music with more electronic sounds and beats . Their fifth album , Living Things ( 2012 ) , combines musical elements from all of their previous records . Their sixth album , The Hunting Party ( 2014 ) , returned to a heavier rock sound . Their seventh album One More Light , a more electronic and pop-oriented record , was released on May 19 , 2017 . The band has collaborated with several other artists , including rapper Jay Z in their mashup EP Collision Course , and many others on the remix albums Reanimation and Recharged . Linkin Park has sold over 70 million albums worldwide and has won two Grammy Awards .", "Let Down (Dead by Sunrise song). `` Let Down '' is a song by American rock band Dead by Sunrise , which consists of Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington , as well as the band members of Julien-K . It is the second single and the fifth track from their debut studio album , Out of Ashes . It was released through iTunes on November 24 , 2009 .", "Bennington (surname). Bennington is a surname . Notable people with the surname include : Billy Bennington ( 1900 -- 1986 ) , English musician Chester Bennington , lead singer of rock bands Linkin Park and Dead by Sunrise Elisabeth Bennington ( born 1976 ) , American politician Geoffrey Bennington , Professor of French and Professor of Comparative Literature at Emory University Jimmy Bennington ( born 1970 ) , American musician Ron Bennington , co-host of the Ron and Fez radio show Seddon Bennington ( 1947 -- 2009 ) , New Zealand museum executive", "Invisible (Linkin Park song). `` Invisible '' is a song by American rock band Linkin Park . It was released from their seventh studio album One More Light . The song was written by Mike Shinoda and Justin Parker . The song is sung by Mike Shinoda with Chester Bennington on backing vocals . The song premiered on May 10 , 2017 at Zane Lowe 's World Record show on Beats 1 .", "Crawl Back In. `` Crawl Back In '' is a song by American rock band Dead By Sunrise , which consists of Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington , as well as the band members of Julien-K . It is the first single and the second track from their debut studio album , Out of Ashes . It was released through iTunes on August 18 , 2009 . An official music video for the single was released on September 8 , 2009 , directed by P.R. Brown .", "Fire (Dead by Sunrise song). `` Fire '' is a song by American rock band Dead by Sunrise , which consists of Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington , as well as the band members of Julien-K . It is the third single of their debut album , Out of Ashes . It was released to the iTunes Store on December 4 , 2009 in Australia and June 30 , 2010 in Japan .", "Machine Shop co.. Machine Shop co. ( commonly called Machine Shop or Linkin Park Inc. ) is an American entertainment company that provides itself as Venture Capital , event provider , supporter and lifestyle company . It was started as a music company by Linkin Park bandmates , Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson in December 2012 , later-on as a Venture Capital in January 2015 . It was established as a joint company of music companies , `` Chesterchaz Publishing '' by `` Chester Bennington '' , `` Big Bad Mr. Hahn Music '' by `` Brad Delson '' and `` Joe Hahn '' , `` Nondisclosure Agreement Music '' by `` Dave Farrell '' , `` Rob Bourdon Music '' by `` Rob Bourdon '' and `` Kenji Kobayashi Music '' by `` Mike Shinoda '' . In an independent study released on August 14 , 2015 , CB Insights , recognized `` Machine Shop '' as the seventh most invested company by any celebrity . The company reached the mark due to major investments in `` Lyft '' , `` Blue Bottle Coffee Company '' and `` Shyp '' .", "Inside of Me (Dead by Sunrise song). `` Inside of Me '' is a song by American rock band Dead by Sunrise , which consists of Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington , as well as the band members of Julien-K . It is the fourth track from their debut album , Out of Ashes .", "High Rise (EP). High Rise is the first studio EP by American rock band Stone Temple Pilots , released on October 8 , 2013 through Play Pen , LLC . It is the first release by the band without former lead vocalist Scott Weiland , who was fired from the band in February 2013 . It instead features guest musician Chester Bennington of Linkin Park on lead vocals , and the band is credited on the EP as Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington . However , this would prove to be the sole release to feature Bennington before his departure from the band in 2015 .", "Sing (2016 American film). Sing is a 2016 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment . It was directed and written by Garth Jennings , co-directed by Christophe Lourdelet , and starring the voices of Matthew McConaughey , Reese Witherspoon , Seth MacFarlane , Scarlett Johansson , John C. Reilly , Taron Egerton , and Tori Kelly . The film is about a group of anthropomorphic animals that enter a singing competition , hosted by a koala hoping to save his theater . The film includes more than 60 songs from famous artists and also has an original song by Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande called `` Faith , '' which was nominated for a Golden Globe . It was released by Universal Pictures on December 21 , 2016 . The film received positive reviews , and has grossed $ 631 million worldwide . Along with The Secret Life of Pets , it marked the first time that Illumination Entertainment released two feature films in the same year . A sequel , entitled Sing 2 , has been announced for a release on December 25 , 2020 .", "In the End. `` In the End '' is a song by American rock band Linkin Park . It is the eighth track on their debut album Hybrid Theory ( 2000 ) and was released as the album 's fourth single October 9 , 2001 . `` In the End '' is one of Linkin Park 's most recognizable and signature songs . It is the second most played song in all of the band 's live performances , after `` One Step Closer '' . `` In the End '' received positive reviews by music critics , with most reviewers complimenting the song 's signature piano riff , as well as noting rapper Mike Shinoda 's vocal prominence in the song . `` In the End '' also achieved mainstream popularity , and was a commercial success upon release . The song reached the top ten of numerous worldwide music charts and reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 , the band 's highest peak on the chart , as well as their first song that peaked within the Top 40 . It also reached number one on the Z100 Top 100 songs of 2002 countdown . This song also ranked at # 121 in Blender magazine 's The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born . The song is Billboards second most played rock song of the decade . It was also remixed on Reanimation as `` Enth E ND '' . The music video of the song , directed by Nathan Cox and the band 's turntablist Joe Hahn , featured the band in a fantasy setting . Chester Bennington , the band 's lead vocalist , initially disliked this song and did n't want it to be included on Hybrid Theory .", "Blackout (Linkin Park song). `` Blackout '' is a promotional single by American rock band Linkin Park . It is the ninth track from their 2010 album , A Thousand Suns . The song was written by the band and produced by co-lead vocalist Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin . Despite the lack of metal elements , the song does contain significant amounts of screaming ( the choruses comprise solely of it ) , making for one of the more coarse-sounding songs on A Thousand Suns . It also features Chester Bennington singing on most of the song with Mike Shinoda singing near the end along with Chester .", "Breaking Benjamin. Breaking Benjamin is an American rock band from Wilkes-Barre , Pennsylvania , founded in 1999 by lead singer and guitarist Benjamin Burnley and drummer Jeremy Hummel . The first lineup of the band also included guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark Klepaski . This lineup released two albums , Saturate ( 2002 ) and We Are Not Alone ( 2004 ) , before Hummel was replaced by Chad Szeliga in 2005 . The band released two more studio albums , Phobia ( 2006 ) and Dear Agony ( 2009 ) , before entering an extended hiatus in early 2010 due to Burnley 's recurring illnesses . The release of a compilation album amid the hiatus , Shallow Bay : The Best of Breaking Benjamin ( 2011 ) , unauthorized by Burnley , brought about legal trouble within the band resulting in the dismissal of Fink and Klepaski . Szeliga later announced his departure in 2013 citing creative differences . Burnley remained the sole member of the band until late 2014 , when the current lineup was announced , including bassist and backing vocalist Aaron Bruch , guitarist and backing vocalist Keith Wallen , guitarist Jasen Rauch , and drummer Shaun Foist . The band afterward released Dark Before Dawn in 2015 . Despite significant lineup changes , the band 's musical style and lyrical content has remained consistent , with Burnley serving as the primary composer and lead vocalist since the band 's inception . The band has commonly been noted for its formulaic hard rock tendencies with angst-heavy lyrics , swelling choruses , and `` crunching '' guitars . In the United States alone , the band has sold more than 7 million units and yielded three RIAA-certified platinum records , two gold records , and several certified singles , including one multi-platinum , three platinum , and four gold . The band has also produced one number one record on the Billboard 200 .", "Ron Bennington. Ron Bennington ( December 31 , 1959 ) is an American radio personality and comedian , who currently is the co-host of Bennington and host of Unmasked . Additionally , he has been a co-host of a number of radio shows , including The Ron and Ron Show and The Ron and Fez Show .", "One More Light. One More Light is the seventh studio album by American rock band Linkin Park . It was released on May 19 , 2017 through Warner Bros. . Records and Machine Shop , following the 2014 album The Hunting Party . The album 's first single , `` Heavy '' was released on March 16 , 2017 . It is their first album with a title track . In deciding on the title track , they felt that the song `` One More Light '' was the heart of the album . The album features guest vocal appearances from Pusha T , Stormzy , and Kiiara , and production and songwriting collaborations with Julia Michaels , Justin Tranter , Ross Golan , Andrew Goldstein , blackbear , and Eg White . Acoustic performances of the lead single by Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda helped promote One More Light . A few of them included performances with Kiiara , Waxx , and Sofia Karlberg .", "Minutes to Midnight (Linkin Park album). Minutes to Midnight is the third studio album by American rock band Linkin Park , released on May 14 , 2007 , through Warner Bros. . Records . The album was produced by Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin . Minutes to Midnight was the band 's follow-up album to Meteora ( 2003 ) and features a shift in the group 's musical direction . For the band , the album marks a beginning of deviation from their signature nu metal sound . Minutes to Midnight takes its title from the Doomsday Clock . Linkin Park started work on their third studio album in 2003 , taking a break to tour in support of Meteora in 2004 . In this time period , the band formed numerous side projects ; Mike Shinoda formed his hip hop side project Fort Minor , while Chester Bennington formed Dead by Sunrise , causing the album to be shelved temporarily . The band returned to work on the record afterward , taking on a different musical direction than the 2003 sessions while working with producer Rick Rubin . The album 's completion was delayed several times for unknown reasons . Eventually , `` What I 've Done '' was chosen as the album 's lead single in April 2007 , with the album seeing release in North America on May 15 , 2007 . The album debuted at number one in the US Billboard 200 and in 15 other countries , including the United Kingdom and Canada . In the United States , the album had the biggest first week sales of 2007 at the time , with 623,000 albums sold , going on to be certified triple platinum in the United States . It was also certified double platinum in New Zealand , Italy , Ireland , and Australia and certified platinum in Canada , France , Switzerland and in the UK . Despite its commercial success , Minutes to Midnight received mixed reviews from critics . Rolling Stone magazine named it the twenty-fifth best album of 2007 . It has sold more than 3 million copies in the USA and 20 million copies worldwide . It was ranked number 154 on Billboard '' 's Hot 200 Albums of the Decade '' .", "The Hunting Party Tour. The Hunting Party Tour was the eleventh concert tour by American alternative metal band Linkin Park . It was launched in support of Linkin Park 's sixth studio album , The Hunting Party ( 2014 ) . The tour was partially announced in May 2014 through a teaser released after the release of trailer of a co-headlined tour Carnivores Tour by Linkin Park and Thirty Seconds to Mars . Later , the tour was officially announced on November 23 with a whole trailer in promotion . Its first leg under the name European Tour began on May 30 , 2014 , in Lisboa , Portugal , and ended on June 14 in Castle Donington , England , where they played Hybrid Theory as a whole album . The tour features special guests Of Mice & Men and Rise Against . On January 15 , 2015 , the band begun the world tour for The Hunting Party with the first leg under North American Tour . During a show at Indianapolis , Chester Bennington injured his leg , which led to the cancellation of the tour North American Tour . The band continued the world tour on May 9 , performing at the first edition of Rock In Rio in America .", "Ryan Shuck. Ryan Christopher Shuck ( born April 11 , 1973 ) , better known as Ryan Shuck , is an American singer , songwriter , guitarist , composer , producer , and entrepreneur . He has been a founding member of the successful industrial rock band Orgy . As of now , he is the leader of the Electronic rock / indietronica / dance project Julien-K and the guitarist and backing vocalist of Dead By Sunrise , the alternative rock side project of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington . Growing up , Shuck played in the Bakersfield-based rock band Sexart , alongside Korn frontman Jonathan Davis , Adema bassist Dave DeRoo , and Videodrone frontman Ty Elam . Aside from his musical career , Shuck is also a successful entrepreneur who owns four popular restaurants in the Orange County , CA area and a recording studio in Long Beach , CA .", "Song. A song , most broadly , is a single ( and often standalone ) work of music that is typically intended to be sung by the human voice with distinct and fixed pitches and patterns using sound and silence and a variety of forms that often include the repetition of sections . Written words created specifically for music or for which music is specifically created , are called lyrics . If a pre-existing poem is set to composed music in classical music it is an art song . Songs that are sung on repeated pitches without distinct contours and patterns that rise and fall are called chants . Songs in a simple style that are learned informally are often referred to as folk songs . Songs that are composed for professional singers who sell their recordings or live shows to the mass market are called popular songs . These songs , which have broad appeal , are often composed by professional songwriters , composers and lyricists . Art songs are composed by trained classical composers for concert or recital performances . Songs are performed live and recorded on audio or video ( or in some , cases , a song may be performed live and simultaneously recorded ) . Songs may also appear in plays , musical theatre , stage shows of any form , and within operas . A song may be for a solo singer , a lead singer supported by background singers , a duet , trio , or larger ensemble involving more voices singing in harmony , although the term is generally not used for large classical music vocal forms including opera and oratorio , which use terms such as aria and recitative instead . Songs with more than one voice to a part singing in polyphony or harmony are considered choral works . Songs can be broadly divided into many different forms , depending on the criteria used . Songs may be written for one or more singers to sing without instrumental accompaniment or they may be written for performance with instrumental accompaniment . The accompaniment used for a song depends on the genre of music and , in classical styles , the instructions of the composer as set out in the musical score . Songs may be accompanied by a single accompanist playing piano or guitar , by a small ensemble ( e.g. , a jazz quartet , a basso continuo group ( in the case of Baroque music ) , a rock or pop band or a rhythm section ) or even a big band ( for a jazz song ) or orchestra ( for a classical aria ) . One division is between `` art songs '' , `` pop songs '' and traditional music which includes `` folk songs '' and early blues songs . Other common methods of classification are by purpose ( sacred vs secular ) , by style ( dance , ballad , Lied , etc. ) , or by time of origin ( Renaissance , Contemporary , etc. ) . Songs may be learned and passed on `` by ear '' ( as in traditional folk songs ) ; from a recording or lead sheet ( in jazz and pop ) or from detailed music notation ( in classical music ) . Some instrumental music which is played in a singing style may be named a song , e.g. , Mendelssohn 's Songs Without Words for solo piano .", "Inside Llewyn Davis. Inside Llewyn Davis -LSB- ˈluː.ɪn deɪvɪs -RSB- is a 2013 American black comedy drama film written , directed , produced , and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen . Set in 1961 , the film follows one week in the life of Llewyn Davis , played by Oscar Isaac , a folk singer struggling to achieve musical success while keeping his life in order . It co-stars Carey Mulligan , John Goodman , Garrett Hedlund , F. Murray Abraham , and Justin Timberlake . Although Davis is a fictional character , the story was partly inspired by the autobiography of folk singer Dave Van Ronk . Most of the folk songs performed in the film are sung in full and recorded live . T Bone Burnett was the executive music producer . The film won the Grand Prix at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival , where it screened on May 19 , 2013 . The film received a limited release in the United States on December 6 , 2013 , and was given a wide release on January 10 , 2014 . The film received critical acclaim and was nominated for two Academy Awards ( Best Cinematography and Best Sound Mixing ) and for three Golden Globe Awards : Best Motion Picture -- Comedy or Musical , Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy ( Oscar Isaac ) , and Best Original Song . Inside Llewyn Davis has been highly acclaimed , and was voted the 11th best film of the 21st century by 177 critics in a 2016 BBC Culture poll .", "Bennington (radio show). Bennington is an American talk radio show hosted by Ron Bennington and his daughter Gail Bennington on Sirius XM .", "Heavy (Linkin Park song). `` Heavy '' is a song by American rock band Linkin Park , featuring guest vocals from American pop singer and songwriter Kiiara . The song is the first single from their seventh studio album , One More Light . The song was written by Linkin Park members Chester Bennington , Brad Delson , and Mike Shinoda , alongside Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter . The single was released for download on February 16 , 2017 , and was premiered on radio on February 21 .", "Pretty Penny. `` Pretty Penny '' is a 1995 promo single from Stone Temple Pilots ' 1994 album Purple . It differs greatly in style from the rest of the songs on the album , and serves as a calm , old-fashioned interlude between the distorted and delirious `` Still Remains '' and the aggressive , sinister `` Silvergun Superman '' . According to lead vocalist Scott Weiland , this song was his last desperate attempt to prove to himself that he was not a drug addict ; his heroin addiction later became a huge problem for the band and led to two hiatuses . Scott Weiland stated the following in a RIP magazine interview in 1994 : In 2013 without Weiland , the song was performed again by the three remaining members of the band with their new lead vocalist Chester Bennington of Linkin Park and Dead by Sunrise . The song can be heard on KROQ , and a video of their performance at a different location to where it 's played can be seen on YouTube , which was uploaded by its user .", "The Smashing Pumpkins. The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band from Chicago , Illinois , formed in 1988 . Formed by frontman Billy Corgan ( lead vocals , guitar ) and James Iha ( guitar ) , the band included D'arcy Wretzky ( bass guitar ) and Jimmy Chamberlin ( drums ) in its original incarnation . It has undergone many line-up changes over the course of its existence , with the current lineup being Corgan and rhythm guitarist Jeff Schroeder . Disavowing the punk rock roots of many of their alt-rock contemporaries , they have a diverse , densely layered , and guitar-heavy sound , containing elements of gothic rock , heavy metal , dream pop , psychedelic rock , progressive rock , shoegazing , and electronica in later recordings . Corgan is the group 's primary songwriter -- his grand musical ambitions and cathartic lyrics have shaped the band 's albums and songs , which have been described as `` anguished , bruised reports from Billy Corgan 's nightmare-land '' . The Smashing Pumpkins broke into the musical mainstream with their second album , 1993 's Siamese Dream . The group built its audience with extensive touring and their 1995 follow-up , the double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness , which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart . With 20 million albums sold in the United States alone , The Smashing Pumpkins were one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands of the 1990s . However , internal fighting , drug use , and diminishing record sales led to a 2000 break-up . In 2006 , Corgan and Chamberlin reconvened to record a new Smashing Pumpkins album , Zeitgeist . After touring throughout 2007 and 2008 with a lineup including new guitarist Jeff Schroeder , Chamberlin left the band in early 2009 . Later that year , Corgan began a new recording series with a rotating lineup of musicians entitled Teargarden by Kaleidyscope , which encompassed the release of stand-alone singles , compilation EP releases , and two full albums that also fell under the project 's scope -- Oceania in 2012 and Monuments to an Elegy in 2014 . As of 2016 , Corgan and Schroeder remained the band 's only official core members , though Corgan began working with prior members gradually as well , including Chamberlin as a touring drummer since 2015 and Iha in some guest appearances in concerts in 2016 . By mid-2016 , Corgan stated that they were considering reforming the band 's original lineup , though no concrete plans have been revealed .", "Black Heart (Stone Temple Pilots song). `` Black Heart '' is a song by American hard rock band Stone Temple Pilots , released on September 18 , 2013 , via digital download . It is their second single to not feature their original lead vocalist Scott Weiland , and their second and final song to feature Linkin Park and Dead by Sunrise lead singer Chester Bennington . The song is also the second track that appears on their debut studio EP , High Rise , which was released on October 8 , 2013 through their self-record label Play Pen , LLC . The song was also released on the same day through iHeart Radio .", "Barry Manilow. Barry Manilow ( born Barry Alan Pincus ; June 17 , 1943 ) is an American singer-songwriter , arranger , musician , and producer with a career that has spanned over 50 years . He is best known for a long string of hit recordings such as `` Mandy '' , `` Ca n't Smile Without You '' , and `` Copacabana ( At the Copa ) '' . He has recorded and released 47 Top 40 singles , including 12 that hit number one and 27 of which appeared within the top ten , and has released many multi-platinum albums . He is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time , according to R&R ( Radio & Records ) and Billboard magazines , and Rolling Stone crowned him `` a giant among entertainers ... the showman of our generation . '' Although not a favorite artist of music critics , Manilow has been praised by several well-known entertainers , including Frank Sinatra , who was quoted in the 1970s as saying , `` He 's next . '' In 1988 , Bob Dylan stopped Manilow at a party , hugged him and said , `` Do n't stop what you 're doing , man . We 're all inspired by you . '' As well as producing and arranging albums for other artists , including Bette Midler and Dionne Warwick , Manilow has written songs for musicals , films , and commercials . From February 2005 to December 2009 , he was the headliner at the Las Vegas Hilton , performing hundreds of shows before ending his relationship with the hotel . Since March 2010 , he has headlined at the Paris hotel in Las Vegas . He has sold more than 80 million records worldwide , making him one of the world 's best-selling artists of all time ." ]

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[ "Vincent Cassel. Vincent Cassel ( -LSB- vɛ̃sɑ̃ kasɛl -RSB- ; born Vincent Crochon , 23 November 1966 ) is a French actor best known to English-speaking audiences through his film performances in Ocean 's Twelve and Ocean 's Thirteen , as well as Black Swan . Cassel is also renowned for playing the infamous French bank-robber Jacques Mesrine in Mesrine : Killer Instinct and Mesrine : Public Enemy Number One .", "Jacques Mesrine. Jacques Mesrine ( -LSB- mesʁin -RSB- ; 28 December 1936 -- 2 November 1979 ) was a French criminal responsible for numerous murders , bank robberies , burglaries , and kidnappings in France and Canada . Mesrine repeatedly escaped from prison and made international headlines during a final period as a fugitive when his exploits included trying to kidnap the judge who had previously sentenced him . An aptitude for disguise earned him the moniker `` The Man of a Thousand Faces '' and enabled him to remain at large while receiving massive publicity as a wanted man . Mesrine was widely seen as an anti-establishment ` Robin Hood ' figure . In keeping with his charismatic image , he was rarely without a glamorous female companion . A two-part film which came out in 2008 was based on Mesrine 's life .", "Mesrine (1984 film). Mesrine is a 1984 French film written and directed by André Génovès . A biographical film based on the life of Jacques Mesrine , it focuses on the eighteen months following his escape from La Santé Prison in May 1978 until his death in November 1979 . Nicolas Silberg stars as the eponymous lead character .", "Read My Lips (film). Read My Lips ( Sur mes lèvres ) is a 2001 French film by Jacques Audiard , co-written with Tonino Benacquista . The film stars Vincent Cassel as Paul , an ex-con on parole , and Emmanuelle Devos as Carla , a nearly deaf secretary whose colleagues treat her disrespectfully , causing her to suffer . Despite their different backgrounds and initial fear of each other , they end up intimately related and helping each other .", "The Crimson Rivers. The Crimson Rivers ( Les Rivières Pourpres ) is a 2000 French psychological horror film starring Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel . The film , which was directed by Mathieu Kassovitz , is based on the best-selling novel Les Rivières Pourpres . Its screenplay was co-written by the book 's author , Jean-Christophe Grangé . The film is about two detectives who investigate a series of grisly murders in and around an isolated university campus in the French Alps . With a $ 14 million budget , the movie went on to gross $ 60 million from a worldwide theatrical release . Despite its box office success , one of its stars , Vincent Cassel admitted , `` I ca n't help explain the film because I did n't understand it ! We cut out everything in the film that was explanatory , therefore ` boring ' -LSB- according to the director -RSB- . You end up with a film that 's not boring but you do n't understand it -LSB- at -RSB- all . '' A sequel , Crimson Rivers II : Angels of the Apocalypse ( Les Rivières Pourpres II : Les Anges de l'Apocalypse ) , was released in 2004 .", "Vincent and Me. Vincent and Me ( French-language title : Vincent et moi ) is a 1990 Canadian fantasy film . The movie was directed by Michael Rubbo and is the 11th in the Tales for All ( Contes Pour Tous ) series of children 's movies created by Les Productions la Fête . At the age of 114 , Jeanne Calment appeared briefly in the film as herself , making her the oldest film actress ever . Calment claimed to have met Vincent van Gogh ca. 1888 when she was 12 or 13 .", "Mesrine (2008 film). Mesrine is a two-part ( Mesrine : Killer Instinct and Mesrine : Public Enemy Number One ) 2008 French film directed by Jean-François Richet and written by Abdel Raouf Dafri and Richet . The first part 's script was based on the autobiographical book L'instinct de mort by French gangster Jacques Mesrine , while the second part detailed Mesrine 's criminal career after his escape from prison , and his subsequent brutal end . The film has been referred to as the French version of the American film Scarface which starred Al Pacino . The Blood wrote a song about Mesrine which preceded both the 1984 , and 2008 movies . The song featured on the 1983 album False Gestures For A Devious Public .", "Juliette Binoche. Juliette Binoche ( -LSB- ʒyljɛt binɔʃ -RSB- ; born 9 March 1964 ) is a French actress , artist and dancer . She has appeared in more than 60 feature films , been recipient of numerous international awards , and has appeared on stage and in movies across the world . Coming from an artistic background , she began taking acting lessons during adolescence . After performing in several stage productions , she began acting in films by auteur directors Jean-Luc Godard ( Hail Mary , 1985 ) , Jacques Doillon ( Family Life , 1985 ) and André Téchiné , who made her a star in France with the leading role in his 1985 drama Rendez-vous . Her sensual performance in her English-language debut The Unbearable Lightness of Being ( 1988 ) , directed by Philip Kaufman , launched her international career . She sparked the interest of Steven Spielberg , who offered her several parts including a role in Jurassic Park which she declined , choosing instead to join Krzysztof Kieślowski in Three Colors : Blue ( 1993 ) , a performance for which she won the Venice Film Festival Award for Best Actress and a César . Three years later Binoche gained further acclaim in Anthony Minghella 's The English Patient ( 1996 ) , for which she was awarded an Academy Award and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress in addition to the Best Actress Award at the 1997 Berlin International Film Festival . For her performance in Lasse Hallström 's romantic comedy Chocolat ( 2000 ) , Binoche was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress . During the 2000s she maintained a successful career , alternating between French and English language roles in both mainstream and art-house productions . In 2010 , she won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in Abbas Kiarostami 's Certified Copy making her the first actress to win the European `` Best Actress Triple Crown '' ( for winning best actress award at the Berlin , Cannes and Venice film festivals ) . Throughout her career Binoche has intermittently appeared on stage , most notably in a 1998 London production of Luigi Pirandello 's Naked and in a 2000 production of Harold Pinter 's Betrayal on Broadway for which she was nominated for a Tony Award . In 2008 she began a world tour with a modern dance production in-i devised in collaboration with Akram Khan . Her other notable performances include : Mauvais Sang ( 1986 ) , Les Amants du Pont-Neuf ( 1991 ) , Damage ( 1992 ) , The Horseman on the Roof ( 1995 ) , Code Unknown ( 2000 ) , Caché ( 2005 ) , Breaking and Entering ( 2006 ) , Flight of the Red Balloon ( 2007 ) , Camille Claudel 1915 ( 2013 ) and Clouds of Sils Maria ( 2014 ) .", "Bernard Fresson. Bernard Fresson ( 27 May 1931 -- 20 October 2002 ) was a French cinema actor . Born in Reims , he starred in over 160 films . Some of his notable roles include : Javert in the 1972 mini-series version of Les Misérables , Inspector Barthelmy in John Frankenheimer 's French Connection II ( 1974 ) , Scope in Roman Polanski 's The Tenant ( 1976 ) , Gilbert in L'amant de poche ( 1978 ) , and Francis in Garçon ! ( 1983 ) , for which he received a César nomination for Best Supporting Actor . He also appeared in the 1969 Costa-Gavras film Z.", "The Red Head (1952 film). The Red Head ( French : Poil de carotte ) is a 1952 French drama film directed by Paul Mesnier and starring Raymond Souplex , Germaine Dermoz and Pierre Larquey . It is based on the novel Poil de carotte by Jules Renard which had previously adapted into films twice by Julien Duvivier before the Second World War .", "Irréversible. Irréversible ( -LSB- iʁevɛʁsibl -RSB- ) is a 2002 French art psychological horror drama film written and directed by Gaspar Noé and starring Monica Bellucci , Vincent Cassel , and Albert Dupontel . The film employs a non-linear narrative and follows two men through the streets of Paris as they seek to avenge a brutally raped girlfriend . The film 's soundtrack was composed by the electronic musician Thomas Bangalter , best known as half of the Daft Punk duo . American film critic Roger Ebert called it `` a movie so violent and cruel that most people will find it unwatchable . '' Irréversible competed at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and won the Stockholm International Film Festival 's award for best film . Irreversible has been associated with a series of films defined as the cinéma du corps ( `` cinema of the body '' ) , which according to Palmer share affinities with certain avant-garde productions : an attenuated use of narrative , assaulting and often illegible cinematography , confrontational subject material , and a pervasive sense of social nihilism or despair . Irreversible has also been associated with the New French Extremity movement . The film was particularly controversial upon its release for its graphic portrayal of violence , specifically the scene where a man is savagely bludgeoned to death with a fire extinguisher and its 10-minute long take rape scene of Alex ( Monica Bellucci ) . It had accusations of apparent homophobia as well .", "La Piscine (film). La Piscine ( The Swimming Pool ) is a 1969 Italian-French film directed by Jacques Deray , starring Alain Delon , Romy Schneider , Maurice Ronet and Jane Birkin . Set in summertime on the Côte d'Azur , it is a drama of sexual jealousy and possessiveness . Both French and English-language versions of the film were made , with the actors filmed speaking English for the international release , which was unusual at a time when movies were always either dubbed or subtitled . That 114-minute international release , shorter than the French version , also had slightly different editing .", "Despicable Me 2. Despicable Me 2 is a 2013 American 3D computer-animated comedy film and the sequel to the 2010 animated film Despicable Me . Produced by Illumination Entertainment for Universal Pictures , and animated by Illumination Mac Guff , the film is directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud , and written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio . Steve Carell , Russell Brand , Miranda Cosgrove , Elsie Fisher , and Dana Gaier reprise their roles as Gru , Dr. Nefario , Margo , Agnes , and Edith respectively . Kristen Wiig , who played Miss Hattie in the first film , voices agent Lucy Wilde , while Ken Jeong , who played the Talk Show Host , voices Floyd Eagle-san . New cast members include Benjamin Bratt as Eduardo `` El Macho '' Pérez and Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom , head of the fictional Anti-Villain League ( AVL ) . Despicable Me 2 premiered on June 5 , 2013 in Australia , and was theatrically released in the United States on July 3 , 2013 . The film received mostly positive reviews from critics , and was nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and for Academy Award for Best Original Song ( for `` Happy '' ) , losing both to Walt Disney Animation Studios ' Frozen . Grossing over $ 970 million worldwide against its budget of $ 76 million , the film became the second-highest-grossing animated film of 2013 and the third-highest-grossing film of 2013 . It is also the most profitable film in the 101-year history of Universal Studios . A prequel/spin-off film , Minions , focusing on the little yellow henchmen before they met Gru , was released on July 10 , 2015 . A third film , Despicable Me 3 , is scheduled for release on June 30 , 2017 .", "Despicable Me. Despicable Me is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy film from Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment that was released on July 9 , 2010 in the United States . It is the debut film of Illumination Entertainment . The film was animated by the French animation studio Mac Guff , which was later acquired by Illumination Entertainment . It was directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud as their feature debut film , with a story by Sergio Pablos . The film stars the voice of Steve Carell as Gru , a supervillain who adopts three girls ( voiced by Miranda Cosgrove , Dana Gaier , and Elsie Fisher ) from an orphanage ; and the voice of Jason Segel as Vector , a rival of Gru who steals the Great Pyramid of Giza . When Gru learns of Vector 's heist , he plans an even greater heist : to shrink and steal the Earth 's moon . The film earned positive reviews from critics , and grossed over $ 543 million worldwide , against a budget of $ 69 million . It launched the Despicable Me franchise with a series of films , including the sequel Despicable Me 2 in 2013 , and the prequel Minions released in 2015 featuring Gru 's Minions as the main characters . Another sequel , Despicable Me 3 , is scheduled for release in 2017 .", "Romeo + Juliet. William Shakespeare 's Romeo + Juliet ( shortened to Romeo + Juliet ) is a 1996 American romantic drama film directed , co-produced and co-written by Baz Luhrmann , co-produced by Gabriella Martinelli and co-written by Craig Pearce , being an adaption and modernization of William Shakespeare 's tragedy Romeo and Juliet . The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the leading roles of Romeo and Juliet , who instantly fall in love when Romeo crashes a party and meets her despite them being members of the Montague and Capulet family ; Brian Dennehy , John Leguizamo , Pete Postlethwaite , Paul Sorvino and Diane Venora star in supporting roles . While it retains the original Shakespearean dialogue , the Montagues and the Capulets are represented as warring mafia empires ( with legitimate business fronts ) and swords are replaced with guns ( with brand names such as `` Dagger '' and `` Sword '' ) . Some of the characters ' names are also changed . Lord and Lady Montague and Lord and Lady Capulet are given first names ( as opposed to the Shakespeare original where their first names are never mentioned ) , Friar Lawrence becomes Father Lawrence , and Prince Escalus is renamed Captain Prince . There is also no Friar John , who was in the original play . Also , some characters were switched from one family to the other -- in the original , Gregory and Sampson are Capulets , but in the film , they are Montagues . ( Abram , as Abra , and Petruchio , conversely , are shifted from the Montague to the Capulet family . ) In addition , a few plot details are shifted , most notably near the ending . The film was released on November 1 , 1996 by 20th Century Fox to commercial and generally critical success , grossing over $ 147.5 million over a $ 14.5 million budget and receiving generally positive reviews . At the 47th Berlin International Film Festival in 1997 , DiCaprio won the Silver Bear for Best Actor and Luhrmann won the Alfred Bauer Prize . Luhrmann was also nominated for the Golden Bear Award for Best Picture . At the 69th Academy Awards , Catherine Martin and Brigitte Broch were nominated for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration .", "Seymour Cassel. Seymour Joseph Cassel ( born January 22 , 1935 ) is an American actor . Cassel first came to prominence in the 1960s in the pioneering independent films of writer/director John Cassavetes . The first of these was Too Late Blues ( 1961 ) , followed by Faces ( 1968 ) , for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and won a National Society of Film Critics Award . Cassel went on to appear in Cassavetes ' Minnie and Moskowitz ( 1971 ) , The Killing of a Chinese Bookie ( 1976 ) , Opening Night ( 1977 ) and Love Streams ( 1984 ) . He has further appeared in a number of independent and Hollywood film productions . Notable titles include Coogan 's Bluff ( 1968 ) , The Last Tycoon ( 1976 ) , Valentino ( 1977 ) , Johnny Be Good ( 1988 ) , Mobsters ( 1991 ) , In the Soup ( 1992 ) , Honeymoon in Vegas ( 1992 ) , Indecent Proposal ( 1993 ) , Beer League ( 2006 ) and Fort McCoy ( 2011 ) . Like Cassavetes , Wes Anderson has frequently cast Cassel , first in Rushmore ( 1998 ) and then in The Royal Tenenbaums ( 2001 ) and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou ( 2004 ) .", "Renée Zellweger. Renée Kathleen Zellweger ( -LSB- rəˈneɪ_ˈzɛl . wɛ.ɡər -RSB- born April 25 , 1969 ) is an American actress and producer . She has received critical acclaim and many accolades , including an Academy Award , a BAFTA Award , three Golden Globe Awards , and three Screen Actors Guild Awards . She was named Hasty Pudding 's Woman of the Year in 2009 , and established herself as one of the highest-paid Hollywood actresses in 2007 . Zellweger 's first major film role came in the horror sequel Texas Chainsaw Massacre : The Next Generation ( 1994 ) which she followed with a critically acclaimed appearance in Empire Records ( 1995 ) . She later gained widespread attention for her roles in the dramedy sports film Jerry Maguire ( 1996 ) and the comedy Nurse Betty ( 2000 ) , for which she won her first Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy . She subsequently starred in the romantic comedy Bridget Jones 's Diary ( 2001 ) , obtaining nominations for the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Leading Actress . Her role in musical Chicago ( 2002 ) earned her another Oscar nomination for Best Actress , and her second Golden Globe Award . She won the Academy Award , the BAFTA Award , the Golden Globe Award , and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress for the epic war drama Cold Mountain ( 2003 ) . She later reprised her title role in Bridget Jones : The Edge of Reason ( 2004 ) , starred in Cinderella Man ( 2005 ) , and played author Beatrix Potter in the biopic Miss Potter ( 2006 ) . Several movie parts in low-key and limited release features such as Appaloosa ( 2008 ) , My One and Only ( 2009 ) , Case 39 ( 2009 ) and My Own Love Song ( 2010 ) were followed by a six-year hiatus from acting work . Zellweger returned to the screen in the highly-successful third Bridget-Jones movie , Bridget Jones 's Baby ( 2016 ) .", "Sandrine Bonnaire. Sandrine Bonnaire ( born 31 May 1967 ) is a French actress , film director and screenwriter , who has appeared in more than 40 films . She won the César Award for Most Promising Actress for À nos amours ( 1983 ) , the César Award for Best Actress for Vagabond ( 1985 ) and the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for La Cérémonie ( 1995 ) . Her other films include Under the Sun of Satan ( 1987 ) , Monsieur Hire ( 1989 ) , East/West ( 1999 ) and The Final Lesson ( 2015 ) .", "Vampires (film). Vampires ( also known as John Carpenter 's Vampires ) is a 1998 American independent horror Western film directed and scored by John Carpenter and starring James Woods . It was adapted from the novel of the same name by John Steakley . Woods stars as Jack Crow , the leader of a team of vampire hunters . After his parents were bitten by vampires , Crow was raised by the Catholic Church to become their `` master slayer '' . The plot is centered on Crow 's efforts to prevent a centuries-old cross from falling into the hands of Jan Valek ( Thomas Ian Griffith ) , the first and most powerful of all vampires . The film also stars Daniel Baldwin as Tony Montoya , Crow 's friend and fellow hunter ; Sheryl Lee as Katrina , a prostitute who has a psychic link to Valek after being bitten ; Tim Guinee as Father Adam Guiteau ; and Maximilian Schell as Cardinal Alba . The film was followed by two direct-to-video sequels , Vampires : Los Muertos ( 2002 ) and Vampires : The Turning ( 2005 ) .", "Charles Gérard. Charles Gérard ( born 1 December 1926 ) is a French actor and director of Armenian origin . He has appeared in more than fifty films since 1957 . In many films he worked with director Claude Lelouch . He is a close friend of Jean-Paul Belmondo for over 60 years . In 2013 , the two appeared in the film Les Bandits manchots directed again by Claude Lelouch .", "Romeo and Juliet (2006 film). Romeo and Juliet ( Roméo et Juliette ) is a 2006 Canadian film made in Quebec , directed by Yves Desgagnés . It stars Thomas Lalonde as Roméo , Charlotte Aubin as Juliette , and Jeanne Moreau as Laurence . The movie has altered and modernized the Shakespeare play except for the last line .", "Mouchette. Mouchette ( -LSB- mu.ʃɛt -RSB- ) is a 1967 French film directed by Robert Bresson , starring Nadine Nortier and Jean-Claude Guilbert . It is based on the novel of the same name by Georges Bernanos . It was entered into the 1967 Cannes Film Festival , winning the OCIC Award ( International Catholic Organization for Cinema and Audiovisual ) . A coming-of-age story , Mouchette is set in a rural French village and follows the daughter of a bullying alcoholic father and ailing mother . Unfolding in the director 's famously sparse and minimalist style , Bresson said that its titular character `` offers evidence of misery and cruelty . She is found everywhere : wars , concentration camps , tortures , assassinations . '' Mouchette is among Bresson 's most acclaimed films . The Criterion Collection DVD release includes a trailer for the film made by Jean-Luc Godard .", "Black Swan (film). Black Swan is a 2010 American psychological thriller-horror film directed by Darren Aronofsky , written by Mark Heyman , Andres Heinz , and John McLaughlin , and starring Natalie Portman , Vincent Cassel , Mila Kunis and Winona Ryder . The plot revolves around a production of Tchaikovsky 's Swan Lake ballet by a prestigious New York City company . The production requires a ballerina to play the innocent and fragile White Swan , for which the committed dancer Nina ( Portman ) is a perfect fit , as well as the dark and sensual Black Swan , which are qualities better embodied by the new arrival Lily ( Kunis ) . Nina is overwhelmed by a feeling of immense pressure when she finds herself competing for the part , causing her to lose her tenuous grip on reality and descend into a living nightmare . Usually described as a psychological thriller , Black Swan can be also interpreted as a metaphor for achieving artistic perfection , with all the psychological and physical challenges one might encounter , i.e. `` the film can be perceived as a poetic metaphor for the birth of an artist , that is , as a visual representation of Nina 's psychic odyssey toward achieving artistic perfection and of the price to be paid for it . '' Aronofsky conceived the premise by connecting his viewings of a production of Swan Lake with an unrealized screenplay about understudies and the notion of being haunted by a double , similar to the folklore surrounding doppelgängers . Aronofsky cites Fyodor Dostoyevsky 's The Double as another inspiration for the film . The director also considered Black Swan a companion piece to his 2008 film The Wrestler , with both films involving demanding performances for different kinds of art . He and Portman first discussed the project in 2000 , and after a brief attachment to Universal Studios , Black Swan was produced in New York City in 2009 by Fox Searchlight Pictures . Portman and Kunis trained in ballet for several months prior to filming , and notable figures from the ballet world helped with film production to shape the ballet presentation . The film premiered as the opening film for the 67th Venice International Film Festival on September 1 , 2010 . It had a limited release in the United States starting December 3 , 2010 and opened in wide release on December 17 . Black Swan received critical praise upon its release , particularly for Portman 's performance and Aronofsky 's direction , and was a surprise box office success , grossing $ 329 million worldwide . The film received five Academy Award nominations and Portman won Best Actress for the film , as well as many other Best Actress awards in several guilds and festivals . In addition , Aronofsky was nominated for Best Director and the film was nominated for Best Picture . It is the fifth horror film to be nominated in the Best Picture category , following The Exorcist in 1973 , Jaws in 1975 , The Silence of the Lambs in 1991 , and The Sixth Sense in 1999 .", "Ian Ziering. Ian Andrew Ziering ( -LSB- ˈaɪən_ˈziːrɪŋ -RSB- born March 30 , 1964 ) is an American actor and voice actor best known for his role as Steve Sanders on the television series Beverly Hills , 90210 , which he played from 1990 to 2000 . He is also the voice of Vinnie on Biker Mice from Mars . Beginning in 2013 , he has starred as Fin Shepard in the Sharknado film series .", "Jean Martin. Jean Martin ( 6 March 1922 -- 2 February 2009 ) was a French actor of stage and screen . Martin served in the French Resistance during World War II and later fought with the French paratroopers in Indochina . Theatrically , he is perhaps best known for originating two roles in Samuel Beckett 's most famous plays : Lucky in Waiting for Godot , and Clov in Endgame . During the 1950s , he was a performer at the Théâtre National Populaire and also worked for radio plays . Making over eighty film and television appearances , Martin is probably best remembered by international audiences for his role as the French paratroop commander Col. Mathieu in The Battle of Algiers ( 1965 ) , as the gunslinger Sullivan in Sergio Leone 's My Name is Nobody and as the laconic OAS adjutant Viktor Wolenski in The Day of the Jackal ( both 1973 ) . He had one of the lead roles in the 1968 French mini-series Les Compagnons de Baal . Most of his other screen work was in French or European cinema , though his stage performances gained him much more recognition and acclaim . Martin was also an active political leftist , and was fired from the Théâtre National Populaire for signing the manifesto of the 121 against the Algerian War . He was also blacklisted from radio work and remained unemployed for a time as a result . Martin was hired for The Battle of Algiers because director Gillo Pontecorvo was looking for a little-known professional actor to play the part of Col. Mathieu . Martin had by then worked extensively on stage , but had done just a few appearances on screen . Enjoying movie work and wishing to develop his film career , Martin tried for the part and was hired . Martin later explained that his working relationship with Pontecorvo on the set of The Battle of Algiers was often difficult , as the director otherwise hired non-professional actors for the film . Martin , as the film 's only professional actor , was sometimes uncomfortable working with untrained performers , while Pontecorvo was worried that their acting styles might be too different from each other and work against the picture . Martin was ultimately very happy with the film . Jean Martin continued working on stage and on screen , playing a variety of supporting roles in French films and television productions . He also provided the voice of L'oiseau in the animation feature film Le Roi et l'oiseau . Martin died from cancer in Paris on 2 February 2009 , aged 86 .", "Armand Mestral. Armand Mestral ( born Armand Serge Zelikson ; 25 November 1917 - 17 September 2000 ) was a French actor and singer . He appeared in more than seventy films from 1945 to 1992 .", "Marc Michel. Marc Michel ( 4 December 1932 -- 3 November 2016 ) was a Swiss actor . He appeared in more than fifty films . He is best known for his roles in three seminal French films of the 1960s : Jacques Becker 's Le Trou ( 1960 ) , and two films by Jacques Demy : Lola ( 1961 ) and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg ( 1964 ) . In both Demy films , he played the same role , Roland Cassard , a lovesick writer and jeweler .", "The Burglars. Le Casse ( US title : The Burglars ) is a 1971 movie directed by French director Henri Verneuil , starring Jean-Paul Belmondo , Omar Sharif , Dyan Cannon and Robert Hossein . It is based on the 1953 novel by David Goodis and revolves around a team of four burglars chased by a corrupt cop in Athens . It 's a remake of the 1957 film The Burglar with Jayne Mansfield . The movie is known for its spectacular car chase and Belmondo 's incredible fall from a construction truck down a steep , rocky hillside . The movie was shot twice , once in French and once in English , by the same cast .", "Salaud, on t'aime. Salaud , on t ` aime is a 2014 French drama film directed , produced and co-written by Claude Lelouch . It stars Johnny Hallyday , Sandrine Bonnaire and Eddy Mitchell .", "Pirates of the Caribbean (film series). Pirates of the Caribbean is a series of fantasy swashbuckler films produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and based on Walt Disney 's theme park ride of the same name . Directors of the series include Gore Verbinski ( 1 -- 3 ) , Rob Marshall ( 4 ) , and Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg ( 5 ) . The series is primarily written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio ( 1 -- 4 ) ; other writers include Stuart Beattie ( 1 ) , Jay Wolpert ( 1 ) , and Jeff Nathanson ( 5 ) . The stories follow the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow ( Johnny Depp ) , Will Turner ( Orlando Bloom ) , and Elizabeth Swann ( Keira Knightley ) . Characters such as Hector Barbossa ( Geoffrey Rush ) and Joshamee Gibbs ( Kevin McNally ) follow Jack , Will , and Elizabeth in the course of the films . The fourth film features Blackbeard ( Ian McShane ) and Angelica ( Penélope Cruz ) , while the fifth film features Armando Salazar ( Javier Bardem ) , Henry Turner ( Brenton Thwaites ) and Carina Smyth ( Kaya Scodelario ) . The films take place in a fictional historical setting ; a world ruled by the British Empire , the East India Trading Company ( based on the real East India Company ) , and the Spanish Empire , with pirates representing freedom from the ruling powers . The film series started in 2003 with Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse of the Black Pearl , which received positive reviews from the critics and grossed US$ 654 million worldwide . After the first film 's success , Walt Disney Pictures revealed that a trilogy was in the works . The franchise 's second film , subtitled Dead Man 's Chest , was released three years later in 2006 ; the sequel proved successful , breaking financial records worldwide the day of its premiere . Dead Man 's Chest ended up being the number one film of the year upon earning almost $ 1.1 billion at the worldwide box office . The third film in the series , subtitled At World 's End , followed in 2007 , and Disney released a fourth film , subtitled On Stranger Tides , in 2011 in conventional 2D , Digital 3-D and IMAX 3D . On Stranger Tides succeeded in also grossing more than $ 1 billion , becoming the second film in the franchise and only the eighth film in history to achieve this . So far , the film franchise has grossed $ 4 billion worldwide ; it is the ninth highest-grossing film series of all-time and it was the first franchise where more than one film grossed $ 1 billion worldwide .", "Shadows (1959 film). Shadows is a film about interracial relations during the Beat Generation years in New York City , directed by John Cassavetes . The film stars Ben Carruthers , Lelia Goldoni and Hugh Hurd as three African-American siblings , though only one of them is dark-skinned . The film was initially shot in 1957 and shown in 1958 , but a poor reception prompted Cassavetes to rework it in 1959 . Promoted as a completely improvisational film , it was intensively rehearsed in 1957 , and in 1959 it was fully scripted . The film depicts two weeks in the lives of three siblings on the margins of society : two brothers who are struggling jazz musicians , and their sister who dates several men . Hurd plays Hugh , a jazz singer hunting for a job , finally landing a gig at a sleazy club . Carruthers plays Ben , a trumpeter who hangs out with his friends , tries to pick up girls , and gets in fights . Goldoni plays Lelia , a flirtatious artist whose innocence is revealed through three relationships she has , one with an older white writer , one with a shallow white lover , and one with a gentle young black admirer . Film scholars consider Shadows a milestone of American independent cinema . In 1960 the film won the Critics Award at the Venice Film Festival .", "Adam Sandler. Adam Richard Sandler ( born September 9 , 1966 ) is an American actor , comedian , screenwriter , film producer , and musician . After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member , Sandler went on to star in many Hollywood feature films that combined have grossed over $ 2 billion at the box office . He is best known for his comedic roles , such as in the films Billy Madison ( 1995 ) , the sports comedies Happy Gilmore ( 1996 ) and The Waterboy ( 1998 ) , the romantic comedy The Wedding Singer ( 1998 ) , Big Daddy ( 1999 ) , and Mr. Deeds ( 2002 ) , and voicing Dracula in Hotel Transylvania ( 2012 ) and Hotel Transylvania 2 ( 2015 ) . Several of his movies , most notably the widely panned Jack and Jill , have gained harsh criticism , culminating in a shared second place in the number of Raspberry Awards ( 3 ) and Raspberry Award Nominations ( 11 ) , in both cases second only to Sylvester Stallone . He has ventured into more dramatic territory with his roles in Punch-Drunk Love ( 2002 ) , Spanglish ( 2004 ) , Reign Over Me ( 2007 ) , Funny People ( 2009 ) and The Meyerowitz Stories ( 2017 ) . Sandler has released five comedy albums in his career . They 're All Gon na Laugh at You ! ( 1993 ) and What the Hell Happened to Me ? ( 1996 ) are both certified double-platinum . In 1999 , Sandler founded Happy Madison Productions ." ]

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[ "Pope John Paul II (miniseries). Pope John Paul II is a 2005 television miniseries dramatizing the life of Pope John Paul II ( Karol Józef Wojtyła ) from his early adult years in Poland to his death at age 84 . The miniseries was written and directed by John Kent Harrison and aired in the United States on the CBS network on 4 and 7 December 2005 . It was first released in Vatican City on 17 November 2005 and ten days later throughout Italy on Rai 1 Jon Voight portrays an older Karol Wojtyła ( after his investiture as pope in 1978 ) , while Cary Elwes portrays Wojtyła in his earlier life from 1939 to 1978 . Voight was nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance . Pope John Paul II co-stars James Cromwell as Archbishop Adam Stefan Cardinal Sapieha , Ben Gazzara as Agostino Cardinal Casaroli , and Christopher Lee as Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński . Polish actor Mikolaj Grabowski is seen twice playing Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger of Germany , who would succeed John Paul II as Pope Benedict XVI .", "Christopher Lee. Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee ( 27 May 1922 -- 7 June 2015 ) was an English character actor , singer , and author . With a career spanning nearly 70 years , Lee initially portrayed villains and became best known for his role as Count Dracula in a sequence of Hammer Horror films . His other film roles include Francisco Scaramanga in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun ( 1974 ) , Saruman in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy ( 2001 -- 2003 ) and The Hobbit film trilogy ( 2012 -- 2014 ) , and Count Dooku in the second and third films of the Star Wars prequel trilogy ( 2002 and 2005 ) . Lee was knighted for services to drama and charity in 2009 , received the BAFTA Fellowship in 2011 , and received the BFI Fellowship in 2013 . Lee considered his best performance to be that of Pakistan 's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the biopic Jinnah ( 1998 ) , and his best film to be the British horror film The Wicker Man ( 1973 ) . He frequently appeared opposite Peter Cushing in Hammer Horror films , and late in his career had roles in six Tim Burton films . Always noted as an actor for his deep , strong voice , Lee was also known for his singing ability , recording various opera and musical pieces between 1986 and 1998 , and the symphonic metal album Charlemagne : By the Sword and the Cross in 2010 , after having worked with several metal bands since 2005 . The heavy metal follow-up Charlemagne : The Omens of Death was released on 27 May 2013 , Lee 's 91st birthday . He was honoured with the `` Spirit of Metal '' award at the 2010 Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards ceremony . Lee died from complications of respiratory problems and heart failure on the morning of 7 June 2015 , at the age of 93 .", "Pope John Paul II (film). Pope John Paul II is a 1984 American biopic drama television film based on the life of Karol Wojtyła , from his early days as an activist in Poland to his installation as Pope John Paul II . Written by Christopher Knopf and directed by Herbert Wise , the film stars Albert Finney , Caroline Bliss , Brian Cox , and John Forgeham . The film marks both Albert Finney 's American television debut and the first script Finney had ever turned down upon initial reading .", "Pope John Paul II. Pope Saint John Paul II ( Ioannes Paulus II Giovanni Paolo II Jan Paweł II born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; -LSB- ˈkarɔl ˈjuzɛv vɔjˈtɨwa -RSB- ; 18 May 1920 -- 2 April 2005 ) , was Pope from 1978 to 2005 . He is called by some Catholics Saint John Paul the Great . He was elected by the second Papal conclave of 1978 , which was called after Pope John Paul I , who had been elected in August after the death of Pope Paul VI , died after thirty-three days . Cardinal Wojtyła was elected on the third day of the conclave and adopted his predecessor 's name in tribute to him . John Paul II is recognised as helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland and eventually all of Europe . John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church 's relations with Judaism , Islam , the Eastern Orthodox Church , and the Anglican Communion . He upheld the Church 's teachings on such matters as artificial contraception and the ordination of women , but also supported the Church 's Second Vatican Council and its reforms . He was one of the most travelled world leaders in history , visiting 129 countries during his pontificate . As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness , he beatified 1,340 people and canonised 483 saints , more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the preceding five centuries . By the time of his death , he had named most of the College of Cardinals , consecrated or co-consecrated a large number of the world 's bishops , and ordained many priests . A key goal of his papacy was to transform and reposition the Catholic Church . His wish was `` to place his Church at the heart of a new religious alliance that would bring together Jews , Muslims and Christians in a great religious armada '' . He was the second longest-serving pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX , who served for nearly 32 years from 1846 to 1878 . Born in Poland , John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since the Dutch Pope Adrian VI , who served from 1522 to 1523 . John Paul II 's cause for canonisation commenced in 2005 one month after his death with the traditional five-year waiting period waived . On 19 December 2009 , John Paul II was proclaimed Venerable by his successor Pope Benedict XVI and was beatified on 1 May 2011 ( Divine Mercy Sunday ) after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints attributed one miracle to his intercession , the healing of a French nun from Parkinson 's disease . A second miracle attributed to John Paul II 's intercession was approved on 2 July 2013 , and confirmed by Pope Francis two days later ( two miracles must be attributed to a person 's intercession to be declared a saint ) . John Paul II was canonised on 27 April 2014 ( again Divine Mercy Sunday ) , together with Pope John XXIII . On 11 September 2014 , Pope Francis added John Paul II 's optional memorial feast day to the worldwide General Roman Calendar of saints , in response to worldwide requests . It is traditional to celebrate saints ' feast days on the anniversary of their deaths , but that of John Paul II ( 22 October ) is celebrated on the anniversary of his papal inauguration .", "Pope John Paul II in popular culture. As one of the best known and well-travelled persons of the 20th century , there are many cultural references to Pope John Paul II ( 18 May 1920 -- 2 April 2005 ) , who reigned as the 264th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City from 16 October 1978 , until his death , almost 27 years later , making his the second-longest pontificate after Pius IX 's 31-year reign . In addition to his own extensive writings , many films , television programs , books , and journal articles have been written about John Paul II .", "John C. Reilly. John Christopher Reilly ( born May 24 , 1965 ) is an American actor , comedian , singer , screenwriter , and producer . He has performed in over fifty films , including Boogie Nights ( 1997 ) , Magnolia ( 1999 ) , Gangs of New York ( 2002 ) , Talladega Nights ( 2006 ) , Step Brothers ( 2008 ) , Wreck-It Ralph ( 2012 ) , and Guardians of the Galaxy ( 2014 ) . For his performance in Chicago ( 2002 ) , Reilly was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the corresponding Golden Globe Award . He was later nominated for a Grammy Award and a second Golden Globe Award for `` Walk Hard '' , the title song of Walk Hard : The Dewey Cox Story ( 2007 ) , performed by Reilly in the film . Since 2010 , Reilly has been starring in the television series Check It Out ! with Dr. Steve Brule , playing the titular character that originated on Tim and Eric Awesome Show , Great Job ! . Reilly performs with his band John Reilly and Friends and worked as a stage actor in True West ( 2000 ) , for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play .", "Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II. The biopic Have No Fear : The Life of Pope John Paul II ( ABC , December 1 , 2005 ) explains in biographical form the life story of the late head of the Roman Catholic church , Pope John Paul II .", "Christopher Lee (disambiguation). Christopher Lee ( 1922 -- 2015 ) was an English actor and singer . Christopher Lee or Chris Lee may also refer to :", "Al Pacino. Alfredo James Pacino ( -LSB- pəˈtʃiːnoʊ -RSB- born April 25 , 1940 ) is an American actor of stage and screen , filmmaker , and screenwriter . Pacino has had a career spanning some fifty years , during which time he has received numerous accolades and honors both competitive and honorary , among them an Academy Award , two Tony Awards , two Primetime Emmy Awards , a British Academy Film Award , four Golden Globe Awards , the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute , the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award , and the National Medal of Arts . He is also one of few performers to have won a competitive Oscar , an Emmy and a Tony Award for acting , dubbed the `` Triple Crown of Acting '' . A method actor and former student of the HB Studio and the Actors Studio in New York City , where he was taught by Charlie Laughton and Lee Strasberg , Pacino made his feature film debut with a minor role in Me , Natalie ( 1969 ) and gained favorable notices for his lead role as a heroin addict in The Panic in Needle Park ( 1971 ) . He achieved international acclaim and recognition for his breakthrough role as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola 's The Godfather ( 1972 ) . He received his first Oscar nomination and would reprise the role in the equally successful sequels The Godfather Part II ( 1974 ) and The Godfather Part III ( 1990 ) . Pacino 's performance as Michael Corleone is now regarded as one of the greatest screen performances in film history . Pacino received his first Best Actor Oscar nomination for Serpico ( 1973 ) ; he was also nominated for The Godfather Part II , Dog Day Afternoon ( 1975 ) and ... And Justice for All ( 1979 ) and won the award in 1993 for his performance as a blind Lieutenant Colonel in Scent of a Woman ( 1992 ) . For his performances in The Godfather , Dick Tracy ( 1990 ) and Glengarry Glen Ross ( 1992 ) , Pacino was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Other notable roles include Tony Montana in Scarface ( 1983 ) , Carlito Brigante in Carlito 's Way ( 1993 ) , Lieutenant Vincent Hanna in Heat ( 1995 ) , Benjamin Ruggiero in Donnie Brasco ( 1997 ) , Lowell Bergman in The Insider ( 1999 ) and Detective Will Dormer in Insomnia ( 2002 ) . In television , Pacino has acted in several productions for HBO including the miniseries Angels in America ( 2003 ) and the Jack Kevorkian biopic You Do n't Know Jack ( 2010 ) , both of which won him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie . In addition to his work in film , Pacino has had an extensive career on stage and is a two-time Tony Award winner , in 1969 and 1977 , for his performances in Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie ? and The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel respectively . A lifelong fan of Shakespeare , Pacino directed and starred in Looking for Richard ( 1996 ) , a documentary film about the play Richard III , a role which Pacino had earlier portrayed on-stage in 1977 . He has also acted as Shylock in a 2004 feature film adaptation and a 2010 production of The Merchant of Venice . Having made his filmmaking debut with Looking for Richard , Pacino has also directed and starred in the independent film Chinese Coffee ( 2000 ) and the films Wilde Salomé ( 2011 ) and Salomé ( 2013 ) , about the play Salomé by Oscar Wilde . Since 1994 , Pacino has been the joint president of the Actors Studio with Ellen Burstyn and Harvey Keitel .", "Pope Paul VI. Pope Paul VI ( Paulus VI Paolo VI ) , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini ( -LSB- dʒioˈvanːi baˈtːista enˈriko anˈtonjo marˈija monˈtini -RSB- ; 26 September 1897 -- 6 August 1978 ) , reigned as Pope from 21 June 1963 to his death in 1978 . Succeeding Pope John XXIII , he continued the Second Vatican Council which he closed in 1965 , implementing its numerous reforms , and fostered improved ecumenical relations with Eastern Orthodox and Protestants , which resulted in many historic meetings and agreements . Montini served in the Vatican 's Secretariat of State from 1922 to 1954 . While in the Secretariat of State , Montini and Domenico Tardini were considered as the closest and most influential colleagues of Pope Pius XII , who in 1954 named him Archbishop of Milan , the largest Italian diocese . Montini later became the Secretary of the Italian Bishops Conference . John XXIII elevated him to the College of Cardinals in 1958 , and after the death of John XXIII , Montini was considered one of his most likely successors . Upon his election to the papacy , Montini took the name Paul VI . He re-convened the Second Vatican Council , which was automatically closed with the death of John XXIII , and gave it priority and direction . After the council had concluded its work , Paul VI took charge of the interpretation and implementation of its mandates , often walking a thin line between the conflicting expectations of various groups within Catholicism . The magnitude and depth of the reforms affecting all fields of Church life during his pontificate exceeded similar reform policies of his predecessors and successors . Paul VI was a Marian devotee , speaking repeatedly to Marian congresses and mariological meetings , visiting Marian shrines and issuing three Marian encyclicals . Following his famous predecessor Saint Ambrose of Milan , he named Mary as the Mother of the Church during the Second Vatican Council . Paul VI sought dialogue with the world , with other Christians , other religions , and atheists , excluding nobody . He saw himself as a humble servant for a suffering humanity and demanded significant changes of the rich in North America and Europe in favour of the poor in the Third World . His positions on birth control , promulgated most famously in the 1968 encyclical Humanae vitae , and other political issues , were often controversial , especially in Western Europe and North America . Pope Benedict XVI declared that the late pontiff lived a life of heroic virtue and conferred the title of Venerable upon him . Pope Francis beatified him on 19 October 2014 after the recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession . His liturgical feast is celebrated on the date of his birth on 26 September . Both Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI were created cardinals by his request .", "Christopher Walken. Christopher Walken ( born Ronald Walken ; March 31 , 1943 ) is an American stage and film lead and character actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and television shows , including , Annie Hall ( 1977 ) , The Deer Hunter ( 1978 ) , The Dogs of War ( 1980 ) , The Dead Zone ( 1983 ) , A View to a Kill ( 1985 ) , Batman Returns ( 1992 ) , True Romance ( 1993 ) , Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , Sleepy Hollow ( 1999 ) , Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) , Hairspray ( 2007 ) , Seven Psychopaths ( 2012 ) , the first three Prophecy films , The Jungle Book ( 2016 ) , as well as music videos by many popular recording artists . Walken has received a number of awards and nominations during his career , including winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Nikanor `` Nick '' Chebotarevich in The Deer Hunter . He was nominated for the same award and won BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Awards for his performance as Frank Abagnale Sr. in Catch Me If You Can . Walken 's films have grossed more than $ 1 billion in the United States . He has also played the lead in the Shakespeare plays Hamlet , Macbeth , Romeo and Juliet and Coriolanus . He is a popular guest-host of Saturday Night Live , having hosted seven times . His most notable roles on the show include record producer Bruce Dickinson in the `` More Cowbell '' sketch , the double-entendre-named , disgraced Confederate officer Colonel Angus and , in multiple appearances , The Continental . Walken debuted as a film director and scriptwriter with the short film Popcorn Shrimp in 2001 . He also wrote and acted the main role in a play about his idol Elvis Presley , titled Him , in 1995 .", "Paul Schulze. Paul Schulze ( born June 12 , 1962 ) is an American actor best known for portraying Ryan Chappelle on the Fox series 24 from 2001 to 2004 and Father Phil Intintola on the HBO series The Sopranos from 1999 to 2006 . Schulze was featured on Fox 's legal drama , Justice and has guest-starred on Law & Order , JAG , CSI : Crime Scene Investigation , The West Wing , NCIS , Oz , Frasier , NYPD Blue , Cold Case , Boston Legal , Journeyman , Numb3rs , Mad Men , Criminal Minds , The Closer , Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Suits . His film appearances include New Jersey Drive ( 1995 ) , Clockers ( 1995 ) , Do n't Say a Word ( 2001 ) , and the David Fincher films Panic Room ( 2002 ) and Zodiac ( 2007 ) . Schulze next appeared as Michael Burnett in Rambo , the 2008 fourth installment of the Rambo film saga . Schulze co-starred as Eddie in the Showtime dark comedy series Nurse Jackie , which premiered in June 2009 .", "Benedict Cumberbatch. Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch CBE ( born 19 July 1976 ) is an English actor who has performed in film , television , theatre and radio . He is the son of actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham . Cumberbatch graduated from the University of Manchester and continued his training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art , obtaining a Master of Arts in Classical Acting . He first performed at the Open Air Theatre , Regent 's Park in Shakespearean productions and made his West End debut portraying George Tesman in Richard Eyre 's revival of Hedda Gabler in 2005 . Since then he has starred in the Royal National Theatre productions After the Dance ( 2010 ) and Frankenstein ( 2011 ) . In 2015 , he played William Shakespeare 's Hamlet at the Barbican Theatre . Cumberbatch 's television work includes appearances in Silent Witness ( 2002 ) and Fortysomething ( 2003 ) before playing Stephen Hawking in the television film Hawking in 2004 . He has starred as Sherlock Holmes in the series Sherlock since 2010 . He has also headlined Tom Stoppard 's adaptation of Parade 's End ( 2012 ) and The Hollow Crown : The Wars of the Roses ( 2016 ) . In film , he has starred in Amazing Grace ( 2006 ) as William Pitt the Younger , Star Trek Into Darkness ( 2013 ) as Khan , 12 Years a Slave ( 2013 ) as William Prince Ford , The Fifth Estate ( 2013 ) as Julian Assange and The Imitation Game ( 2014 ) as Alan Turing . From 2012 to 2014 , through voice and motion capture , he played the characters of Smaug and the Necromancer in The Hobbit film series . Cumberbatch portrays the Marvel Comics character Dr. Stephen Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , first appearing in the film Doctor Strange ( 2016 ) . Cumberbatch has received numerous awards and nominations for acting including three Laurence Olivier Award nominations , winning Best Actor in a Play for Frankenstein . He has also received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations , winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for Sherlock . His performance in The Imitation Game earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor . In addition , he has received six BAFTA nominations , five Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and two Golden Globe Award nominations among others . In 2014 , Time magazine included him in its annual Time 100 as one of the `` Most Influential People in the World '' . He was appointed a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II in June 2015 for his services to the performing arts and to charity .", "Pope John Paul. Pope John Paul is the name of two Popes of the Roman Catholic Church and the only papal name with two names : Pope John Paul I ( 1978 ) , named after his predecessors John XXIII and Paul VI ; died 33 days after his election Pope John Paul II ( 1978 -- 2005 ) , named after his predecessor John Paul I", "Dennis Christopher. Dennis Christopher ( born Dennis Carrelli ; December 2 , 1955 ) is an American film actor . He is best known for his roles in Breaking Away ( 1979 ) , Fade to Black ( 1980 ) , Chariots of Fire ( 1981 ) and Django Unchained ( 2012 ) . He has appeared in nearly 40 movies and made-for-TV movies since 1975 .", "Chris Rock. Christopher Julius Rock III ( born February 7 , 1965 ) is an American comedian , actor , writer , producer , and director . After working as a standup comic and appearing in small film roles , Rock came to wider prominence as a cast member of Saturday Night Live in the early 1990s . He went on to more prominent film appearances , with starring roles in Down to Earth ( 2001 ) , Head of State ( 2003 ) , the Madagascar film series ( 2005 -- 2012 ) , Grown Ups ( 2010 ) , its sequel Grown Ups 2 ( 2013 ) , Top Five ( 2014 ) , and a series of acclaimed comedy specials for HBO . He developed , wrote , and narrated the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris ( 2005 -- 2009 ) . Rock hosted the 77th Academy Awards in 2005 and the 88th in 2016 . He has won four Emmy Awards and three Grammy Awards . He was voted the fifth-greatest stand-up comedian in a poll conducted by Comedy Central . He was also voted in the United Kingdom as the ninth-greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4 's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups in 2007 , and again in the updated 2010 list as the eighth-greatest stand-up comic .", "John Goodman. John Stephen Goodman ( born June 20 , 1952 ) is an American actor . Early in his career , he was best known for playing Dan Conner on the ABC TV series Roseanne ( 1988 -- 1997 ) , for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in 1993 . He is also a regular collaborator with the Coen brothers on such films as Raising Arizona ( 1987 ) , Barton Fink ( 1991 ) , The Big Lebowski ( 1998 ) , O Brother , Where Art Thou ? ( 2000 ) , and Inside Llewyn Davis ( 2013 ) . Goodman 's voice roles in animated films include Pacha in Disney 's The Emperor 's New Groove ( 2000 ) , and Sulley in Pixar 's Monsters , Inc. ( 2001 ) , and Monsters University ( 2013 ) . His other film performances include lead roles in The Babe ( 1992 ) , The Flintstones ( 1994 ) and 10 Cloverfield Lane ( 2016 ) and supporting roles in Coyote Ugly ( 2000 ) , The Artist ( 2011 ) , Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close ( 2011 ) , Argo ( 2012 ) , Flight ( 2012 ) , The Hangover Part III ( 2013 ) , and Patriots Day ( 2016 ) . On television , he has had regular roles on Amazon Studios ' Alpha House and on the first season of HBO 's Treme and has been one of the most frequent hosts of Saturday Night Live , as well as guest roles on series such as Community . John Heilpern of Vanity Fair has called him `` among our very finest actors '' .", "Pope John Paul II (disambiguation). Pope John Paul II ( born Karol Józef Wojtyła ) reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church ( 1978 -- 2005 ) . Pope John Paul II may also refer to :", "Pope Paul II. Pope Paul II ( Paulus II 23 February 1417 -- 26 July 1471 ) , born Pietro Barbo , was Pope from 30 August 1464 to his death in 1471 .", "Pope Pius XII. Pope Pius XII ( Pio XII ) , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli ( -LSB- euˈdʒɛːnjo maˈriːa dʒuˈzɛppe dʒoˈvanni paˈtʃɛlli -RSB- ; 2 March 18769 October 1958 ) , reigned as Pope from 2 March 1939 to his death in 1958 . Before his election to the papacy , Pacelli served as secretary of the Department of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs , papal nuncio to Germany ( 1917 -- 1929 ) , and Cardinal Secretary of State , in which capacity he worked to conclude treaties with European and Latin American nations , most notably the Reichskonkordat with Nazi Germany , with which most historians believe the Vatican sought to protect the Church in Germany while Adolf Hitler sought the destruction of `` political Catholicism '' . A pre-war critic of Nazism , Pius XII lobbied world leaders to avoid war and , as Pope at the outbreak of war , issued Summi Pontificatus , expressing dismay at the invasion of Poland , reiterating Church teaching against racial persecution and calling for love , compassion and charity to prevail over war . While the Vatican was officially neutral during the war , Pius XII maintained links to the German Resistance , used diplomacy to aid the victims of the war and lobby for peace , and spoke out against race-based murders and other atrocities . The Reichskonkordat of 1933 and Pius 's leadership of the Catholic Church during World War II remain the subject of controversy -- including allegations of public silence and inaction about the fate of the Jews . After the war Pius XII advocated peace and reconciliation , including lenient policies towards Axis and Axis-satellite nations . The Church experienced severe persecution and mass deportations of Catholic clergy in the Eastern Bloc . Pius XII was a staunch opponent of Communism and of the Italian Communist Party . He explicitly invoked ex cathedra papal infallibility with the dogma of the Assumption of Mary in his 1950 Apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus . His magisterium includes almost 1,000 addresses and radio broadcasts . His forty-one encyclicals include Mystici corporis , the Church as the Body of Christ ; Mediator Dei on liturgy reform ; and Humani generis on the Church 's positions on theology and evolution . He eliminated the Italian majority in the College of Cardinals in 1946 . In 1954 , Pius XII began to suffer from ill health , which would continue until his death in 1958 . The embalming of his body was mishandled , with effects that were evident during the funeral . He was buried in the Vatican grottos and was succeeded by Pope John XXIII . In the process toward sainthood , his cause for canonization was opened on 18 November 1965 by Pope Paul VI during the final session of the Second Vatican Council . He was made a Servant of God by Pope John Paul II in 1990 and Pope Benedict XVI declared Pius XII Venerable on 19 December 2009 .", "Paul Kandel. Paul Kandel ( born February 15 , 1951 ) is an American musical theatre actor and tenor singer best known for his only film role in Disney 's The Hunchback of Notre Dame ( 1996 ) as the voice of the Gypsy leader Clopin . He also has appeared on Broadway a number of times , having appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar as King Herod , Titanic , The Who 's Tommy , and The Visit . Kandel received a nomination for the 1993 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Uncle Ernie in The Who 's Tommy .", "James Marsden. James Paul Marsden ( born September 18 , 1973 ) is an American actor , singer and former Versace model . Marsden began his acting career guest-starring in television shows Saved by the Bell : The New Class , Touched by an Angel , and Party of Five . He gained prominence with his portrayal of Scott Summers/Cyclops in the X-Men film series and starred in 2006 's Superman Returns . Since 2016 , Marsden has starred as gunslinger Teddy Flood , a sentient android , in the HBO science fiction-western thriller series Westworld , as part of the main ensemble . Following his breakthrough in comic book films , Marsden went on to star in various genre films including 2007 's Hairspray which was a critical and commercial success and won many awards for its ensemble cast . As Corny Collins , he sang two songs for the film 's soundtrack which has been certified Platinum by the RIAA . He 's had starring roles in family-friendly films such as Enchanted and Hop and leading man roles in 27 Dresses and The Best of Me . Marsden later starred in a range of independent films such as Small Apartments , Bachelorette , and Robot & Frank . He also returned to television guest-starring in Modern Family and playing Liz Lemon 's love interest , Criss Chros in 30 Rock in a supporting role . Marsden then portrayed President John F. Kennedy in Lee Daniels ' The Butler and had a supporting role as an antagonist in Anchorman 2 : The Legend Continues .", "Alec Baldwin. Alexander Rae `` Alec '' Baldwin III ( born April 3 , 1958 ) is an American actor , writer , producer , and comedian . A member of the Baldwin family , he is the oldest of the four Baldwin brothers , all actors . Baldwin first gained recognition appearing on seasons 6 and 7 of the CBS television drama Knots Landing , in the role of Joshua Rush . He has since played both leading and supporting roles in films such as the horror comedy fantasy film Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , as Jack Ryan in the action thriller The Hunt for Red October ( 1990 ) , the romantic comedy The Marrying Man ( 1991 ) , the superhero film The Shadow ( 1994 ) , and two films directed by Martin Scorsese : the Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator ( 2004 ) and the neo-noir crime drama The Departed ( 2006 ) . His performance in the 2003 romantic drama The Cooler garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . From 2006 to 2013 , Baldwin starred as Jack Donaghy on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock , winning two Emmy Awards , three Golden Globe Awards , and seven Screen Actors Guild Awards for his work on the show , making him the male performer with the most SAG Awards . Baldwin co-starred in Mission : Impossible -- Rogue Nation , the fifth installment of the Mission : Impossible series , released on July 31 , 2015 . He is also a columnist for The Huffington Post . Since 2016 , he has been the host of Match Game . He has received worldwide attention and acclaim for his portrayal of President Donald Trump on the long-running sketch series Saturday Night Live , both during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and following the inauguration .", "Pope John Paul I. Pope John Paul I ( -LSB- Ioannes Paulus I , -RSB- Giovanni Paolo I ) , born Albino Luciani ( -LSB- alˈbiːno luˈtʃaːni -RSB- ; 17 October 191228 September 1978 ) , served as Pope from 26 August 1978 to his sudden death 33 days later . His reign is among the shortest in papal history , resulting in the most recent Year of Three Popes , the first to occur since 1605 . John Paul I remains the most recent Italian-born pope , the last in a succession of such popes that started with Clement VII in 1523 . He was declared a Servant of God by his successor , Pope John Paul II , on 23 November 2003 , the first step on the road to sainthood . Before the papal conclave that elected him , he expressed his desire not to be elected , telling those close to him that he would decline the papacy if elected , but , upon the cardinals electing him , he felt an obligation to say `` yes '' . He was the first pontiff to have a double name , choosing `` John Paul '' in honour of his two immediate predecessors , John XXIII and Paul VI . He explained that he was indebted to John XXIII and to Paul VI for naming him a bishop and then a cardinal respectively . Furthermore , he was the first pope to add the regnal number `` I '' , designating himself `` the First '' . His two immediate successors , John Paul II and Benedict XVI , later recalled the warm qualities of the late pontiff in several addresses . In Italy , he is remembered with the appellatives of `` Il Papa del Sorriso '' ( The Smiling Pope ) and `` Il Sorriso di Dio '' ( The smile of God ) . Time magazine and other publications referred to him as The September Pope . He is also known in Italy as `` Papa Luciani '' . In his town of birth , Canale d'Agordo , there is a museum that has been made and named in his honour that is dedicated to his life and his brief papacy .", "Pope. The pope ( papa from πάππας pappas , a child 's word for `` father '' ) , also known as the pontiff , is the Bishop of Rome , and therefore ex officio the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . The primacy of the Roman bishop is largely derived from his role as the traditional successor to Saint Peter , to whom Jesus is supposed to have given the keys of Heaven and the powers of `` binding and loosing '' , naming him as the `` rock '' upon which the church would be built . The current pope is Francis , who was elected on 13 March 2013 , succeeding Benedict XVI . The office of the pope is the Papacy . His ecclesiastical jurisdiction , the Diocese of Rome , is often called `` the Holy See '' or `` the Apostolic See '' , the latter name being based upon the belief that the Bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter the Apostle . The pope is considered one of the world 's most powerful people because of his diplomatic and cultural influence . He is also head of state of Vatican City , a sovereign city-state entirely enclaved within the Italian capital city of Rome . The papacy is one of the most enduring institutions in the world and has had a prominent part in world history . The popes in ancient times helped in the spread of Christianity and the resolution of various doctrinal disputes . In the Middle Ages , they played a role of secular importance in Western Europe , often acting as arbitrators between Christian monarchs . Currently , in addition to the expansion of the Christian faith and doctrine , the popes are involved in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue , charitable work , and the defense of human rights . Popes , who originally had no temporal powers , in some periods of history accrued wide powers similar to those of temporal rulers . In recent centuries , popes were gradually forced to give up temporal power , and papal authority is now once again almost exclusively restricted to matters of religion . Over the centuries , papal claims of spiritual authority have been ever more firmly expressed , culminating in 1870 with the proclamation of the dogma of papal infallibility for rare occasions when the pope speaks ex cathedra -- literally `` from the chair ( of Saint Peter ) '' -- to issue a formal definition of faith or morals .", "Jack Nicholson. John Joseph `` Jack '' Nicholson ( born April 22 , 1937 ) is an American actor and filmmaker , who has performed for over 60 years . Nicholson is known for playing a wide range of starring or supporting roles , including satirical comedy , romance and dark portrayals of antiheroes and psychopathic characters . In many of his films , he has played the `` eternal outsider , the sardonic drifter , '' someone who rebels against the social structure . Nicholson 's 12 Academy Award nominations make him the most nominated male actor in the Academy 's history . Nicholson has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice , one for the drama One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest ( 1975 ) and the other for the romantic comedy As Good as It Gets ( 1997 ) . He also won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the comedy-drama Terms of Endearment ( 1983 ) . Nicholson is one of three male actors to win three Academy Awards . Nicholson is one of only two actors to be nominated for an Academy Award for acting in every decade from the 1960s to the 2000s ; the other is Michael Caine . He has won six Golden Globe Awards , and received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2001 . In 1994 , he became one of the youngest actors to be awarded the American Film Institute 's Life Achievement Award . Other films in which he has starred include the road movie Easy Rider ( 1969 ) , the drama Five Easy Pieces ( 1970 ) , the comedy-drama film The Last Detail ( 1973 ) , the neo-noir mystery film Chinatown ( 1974 ) , the drama The Passenger ( 1975 ) , and the epic film Reds ( 1981 ) . He played Jack Torrance in Stanley Kubrick 's horror film The Shining ( 1980 ) , the Joker in Tim Burton 's superhero film Batman ( 1989 ) , and Frank Costello in Martin Scorsese 's neo-noir crime drama The Departed ( 2006 ) . Other films include the legal drama A Few Good Men ( 1992 ) , the Sean Penn-directed mystery film The Pledge ( 2001 ) , and the comedy-drama About Schmidt ( 2002 ) .", "Michael Keaton. Michael John Douglas ( born September 5 , 1951 ) , known professionally as Michael Keaton , is an American actor , producer and director . He first rose to fame for his comedic film roles in Night Shift ( 1982 ) , Mr. Mom ( 1983 ) , Johnny Dangerously ( 1984 ) and Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , and he earned further acclaim for his dramatic portrayal of the title character in Tim Burton 's Batman ( 1989 ) and Batman Returns ( 1992 ) . Since then , he has appeared in a variety of films ranging from dramas and romantic comedies to thriller and action films ; such as Clean and Sober ( 1988 ) , The Dream Team ( 1989 ) , Pacific Heights ( 1990 ) , Much Ado About Nothing ( 1993 ) , My Life ( 1993 ) , The Paper ( 1994 ) , Multiplicity ( 1996 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Herbie : Fully Loaded ( 2005 ) , The Other Guys ( 2010 ) , Need for Speed ( 2014 ) , RoboCop ( 2014 ) , Spotlight ( 2015 ) and The Founder ( 2016 ) , and he has also provided voices for characters in animated films such as Cars ( 2006 ) , Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) and Minions ( 2015 ) . In 2017 , Keaton will play the role of Marvel Comics supervillain the Vulture in Spider-Man : Homecoming . Keaton 's lead performance in Birdman or ( The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance ) ( 2014 ) earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy , the Critics ' Choice Award for Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy , and nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award , British Academy Film Award , and Academy Award for Best Actor . He previously received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance in Live from Baghdad ( 2002 ) and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for The Company ( 2007 ) . Keaton was awarded a Career Achievement Award from both the Hollywood Film Festival and Zurich Film Festivals . On January 18 , 2016 , he was named Officer of Order of Arts and Letters in France . He is also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University . </span>", "Chris Sarandon. Christopher `` Chris '' Sarandon , Jr. ( -LSB- səˈrændən -RSB- born July 24 , 1942 ) is an American actor who is known best for playing Prince Humperdinck in the movie The Princess Bride , the vampire Jerry Dandrige in Fright Night and Detective Mike Norris in the first entry of the Child 's Play series , and for providing the voice of Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas . He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Leon Shermer in Dog Day Afternoon .", "Christian Bale. Christian Charles Philip Bale ( born 30 January 1974 ) is an English actor . He has starred both in blockbuster films and smaller projects from independent producers and art houses . Bale first caught the public eye at the age of 13 , when he was cast in the starring role of Steven Spielberg 's Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) . Based on the original story by J. G. Ballard , Bale played an English boy who is separated from his parents and subsequently finds himself lost in a Japanese internment camp during World War II . In 2000 , he garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of serial killer Patrick Bateman in American Psycho . He is known for going to great lengths to portray characters in films , notably for the psychological thriller The Machinist ( 2004 ) , where he lost 63 pounds ( 28.5 kg ) to play the role of Trevor Reznik . Bale went on to receive greater commercial recognition for his starring role as Batman in Christopher Nolan 's Batman Begins ( 2005 ) , The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) and The Dark Knight Rises ( 2012 ) . His portrayal of Dicky Eklund in the David O. Russell-directed biographical film The Fighter ( 2010 ) , earned him critical acclaim and a number of awards , including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . He has since gained further acclaim as well as subsequent Academy Award , Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe nominations for his roles in Russell 's American Hustle ( 2013 ) and Adam McKay 's The Big Short ( 2015 ) .", "Peter Weller. Peter Frederick Weller , Ph.D. ( born June 24 , 1947 ) is an American film and stage actor , television director , and art historian . Weller has appeared in more than 70 films and television series , including turns as the title character in the blockbuster hit RoboCop and its sequel RoboCop 2 , the cult classic The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension and Star Trek Into Darkness , the follow-up to the 2009 reboot of the Star Trek franchise . He has also appeared in such critically acclaimed films as Woody Allen 's Mighty Aphrodite , the Oliver Stone-produced The New Age and David Cronenberg 's movie of William Burroughs 's novel Naked Lunch . He received an Academy Award nomination for his direction of the 1993 short Partners , in which he also acted . In television , he hosted the show Engineering an Empire on the History Channel . He also played Christopher Henderson in the fifth season of 24 and Stan Liddy in the fifth season of the Showtime original series Dexter . Since 2012 , Weller has been involved in the A&E ( now Netflix ) series Longmire both as a director and an actor .", "We Have a Pope (film). We Have a Pope ( original title : Habemus Papam ) is a 2011 Italian-French comedy-drama film directed by Nanni Moretti and starring Michel Piccoli and Moretti . Its original title is Latin for `` We have a pope '' , the phrase used upon the announcement of a new pope . The story revolves around a cardinal who , against his wishes , is elected pope . A psychoanalyst is called in to help the pope overcome his panic . The film premiered in Italy in April 2011 and played in competition at the 64th Cannes Film Festival .", "Robert Downey Jr.. Robert John Downey Jr. ( born April 4 , 1965 ) is an American actor . His career has included critical and popular success in his youth , followed by a period of substance abuse and legal troubles , and a resurgence of commercial success in middle age . For three consecutive years from 2012 to 2015 , Downey has topped the Forbes list of Hollywood 's highest-paid actors , making an estimated $ 80 million in earnings between June 2014 and June 2015 . Making his acting debut at the age of five , appearing in his father 's film Pound ( 1970 ) , Downey Jr. appeared in roles associated with the Brat Pack , such as the teen sci-fi comedy Weird Science ( 1985 ) and the drama Less Than Zero ( 1987 ) . He starred as the title character in the 1992 film Chaplin , which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role . After being released in 2000 from the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison where he was on drug charges , Downey joined the cast of the TV series Ally McBeal playing Calista Flockhart 's love interest . This earned him a Golden Globe Award . His character was written out when Downey was fired after two drug arrests in late 2000 and early 2001 . After his last stay in a court-ordered drug treatment program , Downey achieved sobriety . Downey Jr. 's career prospects improved when he featured in the mystery thriller Zodiac ( 2007 ) , and the satirical action comedy Tropic Thunder ( 2008 ) ; for the latter he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Beginning in 2008 , Downey began portraying the role of Marvel Comics superhero Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , appearing in several films as either the lead role , member of an ensemble cast , or in a cameo . Each of these films has grossed over $ 500 million at the box office worldwide ; four of theseThe Avengers , Avengers : Age of Ultron , Iron Man 3 and Captain America : Civil Warearned over $ 1 billion . Downey Jr. has also played the title character in Guy Ritchie 's Sherlock Holmes ( 2009 ) and its sequel ( 2011 ) ." ]

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[ "David Beckham. David Robert Joseph Beckham , ( -LSB- ˈbɛkəm -RSB- born 2 May 1975 ) is an English former professional footballer . He played for Manchester United , Preston North End , Real Madrid , Milan , LA Galaxy , Paris Saint-Germain , and the England national team for which he held the appearance record for an outfield player until 2016 when Wayne Rooney surpassed his total . He is the first English player to win league titles in four countries : England , Spain , the United States and France . He announced his retirement in May 2013 after a 20-year career , during which he won 19 major trophies . Known for his range of passing , crossing ability and bending free-kicks as a right winger , Beckham was runner up in the Ballon d'Or , twice runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2004 he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world 's greatest living players . He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 . A global ambassador for the sport , Beckham is regarded as a British cultural icon . Beckham 's professional club career began with Manchester United , where he made his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17 . With United , he won the Premier League title six times , the FA Cup twice , and the UEFA Champions League in 1999 . He then played four seasons with Real Madrid , winning the La Liga championship in his final season with the club . In July 2007 Beckham signed a five-year contract with Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy . While a Galaxy player , he spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010 . He was the first British footballer to play 100 UEFA Champions League games . In international football , Beckham made his England debut on 1 September 1996 at the age of 21 . He was captain for six years , earning 58 caps during his tenure . He made 115 career appearances in total , appearing at three FIFA World Cup tournaments , in 1998 , 2002 and 2006 , and two UEFA European Championship tournaments , in 2000 and 2004 . Beckham has consistently ranked among the highest earners in football , and in 2013 he was listed as the highest-paid player in the world , earning over $ 50 million in the previous 12 months . He has been married to Victoria Beckham since 1999 and they have four children . He has been a UNICEF UK ambassador since 2005 , and in 2015 he launched 7 : The David Beckham UNICEF Fund . In 2014 , MLS announced Beckham and a group of investors would own an expansion team in Miami , which would begin in 2016 or 2017 .", "Victoria Beckham. Victoria Caroline Beckham , ( Adams ; born 17 April 1974 ) is an English businesswoman , fashion designer , model , and singer . In the late 1990s , Beckham rose to fame with the all-female pop group Spice Girls , and was dubbed Posh Spice by the July 1996 issue of the British music magazine Top of the Pops . After the Spice Girls split , she was signed to Virgin Records and Telstar Records and had four UK Top 10 singles . Her first release , `` Out of Your Mind '' , reached # 2 in the UK Singles Chart . Beckham has participated in five official documentaries and reality shows about her , including Victoria 's Secrets , Being Victoria Beckham , The Real Beckhams , Victoria Beckham - A Mile In Their Shoes and Victoria Beckham : Coming to America . She has since made a cameo appearance in an episode of Ugly Betty , and been a guest judge on Project Runway , Germany 's Next Topmodel , and American Idol . In the past decade , Beckham has become an internationally recognised style icon and fashion designer . Following high-profile collaborations with other brands , she launched an eponymous label in 2008 , and a lower-priced ( diffusion ) label in 2011 . The Victoria Beckham label was named designer brand of the year in the UK in 2011 ; in 2012 the brand was assessed as the star performer in the Beckham family 's business interests . Writing in the Daily Telegraph in 2011 , Belinda White noted that the transition from WAG to fashion designer had been more successful than most had predicted , saying : `` She has gathered a significant celebrity following and won over the scathing fashion pack who now clamour for a ticket to her bi-annual show at New York Fashion Week . '' She is married to David Beckham , and they have four children . As of September 2015 , the couple 's joint wealth is estimated at # 508 million .", "Beckham. __ NOTOC __ Beckham may refer to the English football player David Beckham or his wife Victoria Beckham . See more people named Beckham at Beckham ( surname ) . Beckham may also refer to :", "Middle name. In several cultures , people 's names usually include one or more names in addition to the portion that is usually considered adequate to identify them . In a number of cultures where a given name is expected to precede the surname , such a name is likely to be placed after the given name and before the surname , and thus called a middle name . In English-speaking American culture , that term is often applied ( arguably mistakenly ) to names , occupying that position , even if the bearer would insist that that name is being mistakenly called a `` middle name '' , and is actually ( to mention several types of atypical cases ) : part of a two-word given name ( e.g. Mary Anne , about Mary Anne Clarke , and `` Joe Bob Briggs '' ) , a maiden name ( e.g. Rodham ) , a patronymic ( e.g. Sergeyevich ) , or a baptismal name ( e.g. `` Christopher '' invoking St. Christopher ) . In the USA such names are specifically referred to as middle names ; in most other countries , as far as they are given names and not , for example , patronymics , they would simply be regarded as second , third etc. given names . The US `` middle name '' is often abbreviated to the middle initial ( e.g. Mary Lee Bianchi becomes Mary L. Bianchi , which is usually standard for signatures ) or omitted entirely in everyday use ( e.g. just Mary Bianchi ) . An individual may have more than one middle name , or none . In the United Kingdom , for comparison , she would usually be referred to as either Mary Bianchi , M. L. Bianchi or Mary Lee Bianchi , or she may choose Lee Bianchi , and informally there may be familiar shortenings . It is debatable how long multiple given names have existed in English-speaking countries , but it is certain that among royalty and aristocracy the practice existed by the late 17th century ( and possibly earlier ) , as exemplified in the name of the Stuart pretender James Francis Edward Stuart ( 1688 -- 1766 ) . Despite their relatively long existence in North America , the phrase `` middle name '' was not recorded until 1835 , in the periodical Harvardiana . The use of multiple middle names has been somewhat impeded recently by the increased use of computer databases that occasionally allow for only a single middle name or more commonly a middle initial in storing personal records , effectively preventing people with multiple middle names from being listed in such databases under their full name . This is worsened by longer compound names , like María del Pilar Pereyra or María de las Nieves García . The abbreviation `` N.M.N. '' ( no middle name ) or `` N.M.I. '' ( no middle initial ) , with or without periods , is sometimes used in formal documents in the United States , where a middle initial or name is expected but the person does not have one . The middle name can also be a maiden name . Since 1905 , `` middle name '' has also developed a figurative usage meaning a notable or outstanding attribute of a person , as in the phrase `` discretion is my middle name . ''", "Spice Girls. The Spice Girls are an English pop girl group formed in 1994 . The group originally consisted of Melanie Brown ( `` Scary Spice '' ) , Melanie Chisholm ( `` Sporty Spice '' ) , Emma Bunton ( `` Baby Spice '' ) , Geri Halliwell ( `` Ginger Spice '' ) , and Victoria Beckham , née Adams ( `` Posh Spice '' ) . They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single `` Wannabe '' in 1996 , which hit number one in 37 countries and established them as a global phenomenon . Their debut album Spice sold more than 31 million copies worldwide , becoming the best-selling album by a female group in history . Their follow-up album Spiceworld sold over 20 million copies worldwide . The Spice Girls have sold 85 million records worldwide , making them the best-selling female group of all time , one of the best-selling pop groups of all time , and the biggest British pop phenomenon since Beatlemania . Among the highest profile acts in 1990s British popular culture , Time called them `` arguably the most recognisable face '' of Cool Britannia , the mid-1990s celebration of youth culture in the UK . Measures of their success include international record sales , a 2007 -- 2008 reunion tour , unprecedented merchandising , record-breaking achievements , iconic symbolism such as Halliwell 's Union Jack dress representing `` girl power '' , and a film , Spice World . The group became one of the most successful marketing engines ever , earning up to $ 75 million per year , with their global grosses estimated at $ 500 -- 800 million by May 1998 . Under the guidance of their mentor and manager Simon Fuller , the Spice Girls embraced merchandising and became a regular feature of the British and global press . In 1996 , Top of the Pops magazine gave each member of the group aliases , which were adopted by the group and media . According to Rolling Stone journalist and biographer David Sinclair , `` Scary , Baby , Ginger , Posh and Sporty were the most widely recognised group of individuals since John , Paul , George , and Ringo '' . With the `` girl power '' phenomenon , the Spice Girls were popular cultural icons of the 1990s . They are cited as part of the ` second wave ' 1990s British Invasion of the US . In 2016 , Mel B , Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell reunited and launched a new website called `` Spice Girls - GEM '' .", "Beckham (surname). Beckham is an English-language placename , and a surname derived from Beckham , Norfolk , referring principally to : David Beckham ( born 1975 ) , English footballer , husband of Victoria Beckham , brother of Harry Beckham Victoria Beckham ( born 1974 ) , English pop singer , wife of David Beckham , sister-in-law of Harry Beckham Harry Beckham ( born 1984 ) , English footballer , brother of David Beckham , brother-in-law of Victoria Beckham Beckham may also refer to :", "Designated Player Rule. The Designated Player Rule , nicknamed the Beckham Rule , was adopted as part of the salary cap regulations of Major League Soccer for the 2007 season . The rule allows each MLS franchise to sign players that would be considered outside of the team 's salary cap ( either by offering the player higher wages or by paying a transfer fee for the player ) , allowing MLS teams to compete for star players in the international soccer market . Clubs have the option to use allocation money against a player 's contract , so to avoid a player with a Designated Player level salary using one of the club 's Designated Player slots . As of December 2015 , there have been 114 designated players in the MLS . The rule is informally named after David Beckham , in anticipation of MLS teams signing lucrative deals with internationally recognized players of Beckham 's caliber . Beckham was the first player signed under this rule , signing a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy with guaranteed annual salary of $ 6.5 million .", "David Beckham Soccer. David Beckham Soccer is a football sports video game for PlayStation , PlayStation 2 and Xbox , Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color . All formats were developed and published by Rage Software Limited , apart from the Game Boy versions which were developed by Yoyo Entertainment .", "Gordon Beckham. James Gordon Beckham III ( born September 16 , 1986 ) is an American professional baseball infielder who is currently in the Seattle Mariners organization . He has played in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Chicago White Sox , Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim , Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants . Beckham has primarily been a second baseman throughout his career , but has since transitioned to also playing third base .", "Beckingham Palace. Rowneybury House -LSB- ˈraʊnibəri -RSB- , also known as Beckingham Palace -LSB- ˈbɛkɪŋəm -RSB- , is a Grade II listed building in England that was previously owned by footballer David Beckham and singer and businesswoman Victoria Beckham . The name `` Beckingham Palace '' is a portmanteau of Beckham and Buckingham Palace .", "Jeff Beck. Geoffrey Arnold `` Jeff '' Beck ( born 24 June 1944 ) is an English rock guitarist . He is one of the three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds ( the other two being Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page ) . Beck also formed The Jeff Beck Group and Beck , Bogert & Appice . Much of Beck 's recorded output has been instrumental , with a focus on innovative sound , and his releases have spanned genres ranging from blues rock , hard rock , jazz fusion , and an additional blend of guitar-rock and electronica . Although he recorded two hit albums ( in 1975 and 1976 ) as a solo act , Beck has not established or maintained the sustained commercial success of many of his contemporaries and bandmates . Beck appears on albums by Rod Stewart , Mick Jagger , Tina Turner , Morrissey , Jon Bon Jovi , Malcolm McLaren , Kate Bush , Roger Waters , Donovan , Stevie Wonder , Les Paul , Zucchero , Cyndi Lauper , Brian May , Stanley Clarke , Screaming Lord Sutch , ZZ Top , and Toots and the Maytals . He was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone 's list of the `` 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time '' and the magazine , upon whose cover Beck has appeared three times , has described him as `` one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock '' . He is often called a `` guitarist 's guitarist '' . Beck has earned wide critical praise and received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times and Best Pop Instrumental Performance once . In 2014 he received the British Academy 's Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music . Beck has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice : as a member of the Yardbirds ( 1992 ) and as a solo artist ( 2009 ) .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Posh and Becks. Posh and Becks is the media-inspired nickname for the English celebrity supercouple Victoria Beckham ( née Adams , `` Posh Spice '' of the Spice Girls ) and David Beckham ( a footballer and former England team captain ) . Posh & Becks is also the name of a book by Andrew Morton .", "PFA Merit Award. The Professional Footballers ' Association Merit Award ( often called the PFA Merit Award , or simply the Merit Award ) is an award given by the Professional Footballers ' Association ( the PFA ) for meritorious service to football . The award was first given in 1974 , and was won ( jointly ) by Bobby Charlton and Cliff Lloyd . The latest winner of the award is David Beckham .", "Bend It Like Beckham. Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 British comedy-drama sports film produced , written , and directed by Gurinder Chadha , and starring Parminder Nagra , Keira Knightley , Jonathan Rhys Meyers , Anupam Kher , Shaznay Lewis , and Archie Panjabi . The film 's title refers to the football player David Beckham , and his skill at scoring from free kicks by curling the ball past a wall of defenders . It follows the 18-year-old daughter of Punjabi Sikhs in London . She is infatuated with football but her parents have forbidden her to play because she is a girl . She joins a local women 's team , which makes its way to the top of the league . Bend It Like Beckham was released theatrically on 12 April 2002 by Redbus Film Distribution , and on DVD and VHS on 18 November 2002 by Warner Home Video . The film surprised critics and was met with mostly positive reviews and it earned over $ 76 million on a $ 6 million budget . A stage musical version opened at London 's Phoenix Theatre on 24 June 2015 .", "Premier League. The Premier League is an English professional league for men 's association football clubs . At the top of the English football league system , it is the country 's primary football competition . Contested by 20 clubs , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football League ( EFL ; known as `` The Football League '' before 2016 -- 17 ) . Welsh clubs that compete in the English football league system can also qualify . The Premier League is a corporation in which the 20 member clubs act as shareholders . Seasons run from August to May . Teams play 38 matches each ( playing each team in the league twice , home and away ) , totalling 380 matches in the season . Most games are played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons ; others during weekday evenings . It is colloquially known as the Premiership and outside the UK it is commonly referred to as the English Premier League ( EPL ) . The competition formed as the FA Premier League on 20 February 1992 following the decision of clubs in the Football League First Division to break away from the Football League , which was founded in 1888 , and take advantage of a lucrative television rights deal . The deal was worth # 1 billion a year domestically as of 2013 -- 14 , with BSkyB and BT Group securing the domestic rights to broadcast 116 and 38 games respectively . The league generates $ 2.2 billion per year in domestic and international television rights . In 2014/15 , teams were apportioned revenues of # 1.6 billion . The Premier League is the most-watched sports league in the world , broadcast in 212 territories to 643 million homes and a potential TV audience of 4.7 billion people . In the 2014 -- 15 season , the average Premier League match attendance exceeded 36,000 , second highest of any professional football league behind the Bundesliga 's 43,500 . Most stadium occupancies are near capacity . The Premier League ranks third in the UEFA coefficients of leagues based on performances in European competitions over the past five seasons . While 47 clubs have competed since the inception of the Premier League in 1992 , only six have won the title : Manchester United ( 13 ) , Chelsea ( 5 ) , Arsenal ( 3 ) , Manchester City ( 2 ) , Blackburn Rovers ( 1 ) and Leicester City ( 1 ) . The current champions are Chelsea , who secured the 2016 -- 17 title in early May 2017 .", "Foo Fighters. Foo Fighters is an American rock band , formed in Seattle , Washington in 1994 . It was founded by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of Nirvana after the death of Kurt Cobain . The group got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War II , which were known collectively as `` foo fighters '' . Prior to the release of Foo Fighters ' 1995 debut album Foo Fighters , which featured Grohl as the only official member , Grohl recruited bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith , both formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate , as well as Nirvana touring guitarist Pat Smear to complete the lineup . The band began with performances in Portland , Oregon . Goldsmith quit during the recording of the group 's second album , The Colour and the Shape ( 1997 ) , when most of the drum parts were re-recorded by Grohl himself . Smear 's departure followed soon afterward , though he would rejoin them in 2006 . They were replaced by Taylor Hawkins and Franz Stahl , respectively , although Stahl was fired before the recording of the group 's third album , There Is Nothing Left to Lose ( 1999 ) . The band briefly continued as a trio until Chris Shiflett joined as the band 's lead guitarist after the completion of There Is Nothing Left to Lose . The band released its fourth album , One by One , in 2002 . The group followed that release with the two-disc In Your Honor ( 2005 ) , which was split between acoustic songs and heavier material . Foo Fighters released its sixth album , Echoes , Silence , Patience & Grace , in 2007 . The band 's seventh studio album , Wasting Light , produced by Butch Vig was released in 2011 , in which Smear returned as a full member . In November 2014 , the band 's eighth studio album , Sonic Highways , was released as an accompanying soundtrack to the Grohl-directed 2014 miniseries of the same name . Over the course of the band 's career , four of its albums have won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album . As of 2015 , the band 's eight albums have sold 12 million copies in the U.S. , and 30 million worldwide .", "Clark Beckham. Clark Beckham ( born May 15 , 1992 ) is an American singer , songwriter and musician . He finished as the runner-up on season fourteen of American Idol .", "Pseudonym. A pseudonym ( -LSB- pronˈsjuːdənɪm -RSB- and -LSB- pronˈsuːdənɪm -RSB- ) or alias is a name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose , which can differ from their original or true name ( orthonym ) . Pseudonyms include stage names and user names ( both called screen names ) , ring names , pen names , nicknames , aliases , superhero or villain identities and code names , gamer identifications , and regnal names of emperors , popes , and other monarchs . Historically , they have often taken the form of anagrams , Graecisms , and Latinisations , although there are many other methods of choosing a pseudonym . Pseudonyms should not be confused with new names that replace old ones and become the individual 's full-time name . Pseudonyms are `` part-time '' names , used only in certain contexts - usually adopted to hide an individual 's real identity , as with writers ' pen names , graffiti artists ' tags , resistance fighters ' or terrorists ' noms de guerre , and computer hackers ' handles . Actors , musicians , and other performers sometimes use stage names , for example , to mask their ethnic backgrounds . In some cases , pseudonyms are adopted because they are part of a cultural or organisational tradition : for example devotional names used by members of some religious institutes , and `` cadre names '' used by Communist party leaders such as Trotsky and Lenin . A pseudonym may also be used for personal reasons : for example , an individual may prefer to be called or known by a name that differs from their given or legal name , but is not ready to take the numerous steps to get their name legally changed ; or an individual may simply feel that the context and content of an exchange offer no reason , legal or otherwise , to provide their given or legal name . A collective name or collective pseudonym is one shared by two or more persons , for example the co-authors of a work , such as Ellery Queen , or Nicolas Bourbaki .", "FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup , often simply called the World Cup , is an international association football competition contested by the senior men 's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association ( FIFA ) , the sport 's global governing body . The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930 , except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War . The current champion is Germany , which won its fourth title at the 2014 tournament in Brazil . The current format of the competition involves a qualification phase , which currently takes place over the preceding three years , to determine which teams qualify for the tournament phase , which is often called the World Cup Finals . 32 teams , including the automatically qualifying host nation ( s ) , compete in the tournament phase for the title at venues within the host nation ( s ) over a period of about a month . The 20 World Cup tournaments have been won by eight different national teams . Brazil have won five times , and they are the only team to have played in every tournament . The other World Cup winners are Germany and Italy , with four titles each ; Argentina and inaugural winner Uruguay , with two titles each ; and England , France and Spain , with one title each . The World Cup is the most prestigious association football tournament in the world as well as the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world , exceeding even the Olympic Games ; the cumulative audience of all matches of the 2006 FIFA World Cup was estimated to be 26.29 billion with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the final match , a ninth of the entire population of the planet .", "David Bowie. David Robert Jones ( 8 January 1947 -- 10 January 2016 ) , known professionally as David Bowie ( -LSB- ˈboʊi -RSB- ) , was an English singer , songwriter and actor . He was a figure in popular music for over five decades , becoming acclaimed by critics and other musicians for his innovative work . His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation , his music and stagecraft significantly influencing popular music . During his lifetime , his record sales , estimated at 140 million worldwide , made him one of the world 's best-selling music artists . In the UK , he was awarded nine platinum album certifications , eleven gold and eight silver , releasing eleven number-one albums . In the US , he received five platinum and seven gold certifications . He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 . Born in Brixton , South London , Bowie developed an interest in music as a child , eventually studying art , music and design before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 1963 . `` Space Oddity '' became his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart after its release in July 1969 . After a period of experimentation , he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with his flamboyant and androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust . The character was spearheaded by the success of his single `` Starman '' and album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars , which won him widespread popularity . In 1975 , Bowie 's style shifted radically towards a sound he characterised as `` plastic soul '' , initially alienating many of his UK devotees but garnering him his first major US crossover success with the number-one single `` Fame '' and the album Young Americans . In 1976 , Bowie starred in the cult film The Man Who Fell to Earth and released Station to Station . The following year , he further confounded musical expectations with the electronic-inflected album Low ( 1977 ) , the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno that would come to be known as the `` Berlin Trilogy '' . `` Heroes '' ( 1977 ) and Lodger ( 1979 ) followed ; each album reached the UK top five and received lasting critical praise . After uneven commercial success in the late 1970s , Bowie had UK number ones with the 1980 single `` Ashes to Ashes '' , its parent album Scary Monsters and Super Creeps , and `` Under Pressure '' , a 1981 collaboration with Queen . He then reached his commercial peak in 1983 with Let 's Dance , with its title track topping both UK and US charts . Throughout the 1990s and 2000s , Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles , including industrial and jungle . He also continued acting ; his roles included Major Celliers in Merry Christmas , Mr. Lawrence ( 1983 ) , the Goblin King Jareth in Labyrinth ( 1986 ) , Pontius Pilate in The Last Temptation of Christ ( 1988 ) , and Nikola Tesla in The Prestige ( 2006 ) , among other film and television appearances and cameos . He stopped concert touring after 2004 , and his last live performance was at a charity event in 2006 . In 2013 , Bowie returned from a decade-long recording hiatus with the release of The Next Day . He remained musically active until he died of liver cancer two days after the release of his final album , Blackstar ( 2016 ) .", "Miami MLS team. The Miami MLS team is a proposed professional soccer team to be based in Miami , Florida . The year the team is scheduled to join Major League Soccer ( MLS ) is pending negotiations over stadium financing and location . The ownership group , known as Miami Beckham United , is led by David Beckham , his business partner Simon Fuller , Miami-based Bolivian businessman Marcelo Claure , American sports executive Tim Leiweke and CEO of Eldridge Industries and Los Angeles Dodgers owner Todd Boehly . The Miami team is part of a MLS expansion plan that will increase the number of teams from 20 to 24 teams by 2020 and to 28 teams beyond . The other locations already granted teams are Los Angeles , Minnesota , and Atlanta . MLS and the team 's ownership group announced in December 2015 that a new stadium will be built in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami . Beckham had received an option to own an expansion team at a discounted franchise fee as part of the contract he signed with Major League Soccer when he joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 . The name of the team has not yet been announced , although the `` Miami Vice '' and `` Miami Current '' were used by the ownership group in a presentation for the city officials and potential investors .", "List of stage names. This list of stage names lists names used by those in the entertainment industry , alphabetically by their stage name 's surname , followed by their birth name . Individuals who dropped their last name and substituted their middle name as their last name are listed . In many cases , performers have legally changed their name to their stage name . People are not listed here if they fall into one or more of the following categories : Those who changed their surname due primarily to marriage : Living : Maud Adams , Shohreh Aghdashloo , Angelica Agurbash , Karen Akers , Jane Alexander , Alicia Alonso , Boots Anson-Roa , Eleanor Antin , P.P. Arnold , Jules Asner , Pernilla August , Jaya Bachchan , Shirley Ballas , Tisha Terrasini Banker , Glynis Barber , Daniel Barnz , Alison Bartlett-O'Reilly , Barbara Becker , Victoria Beckham , Joy Behar , Pat Benatar , Jodi Benson , Gülse Birsel , Carla Bley , Scotty Bloch , Asha Bhosle , Angela Bowie , Katie Boyle , Dee Dee Bridgewater , Aline Brosh McKenna , Pat Crawford Brown , Maryedith Burrell , Ellen Burstyn , L. Scott Caldwell , Kate Capshaw , Nancy Carell , Lynn Carlin , Kathleen Chalfant , Marge Champion , Stockard Channing , Pamela Chopra , Cheryl Cole , Didi Conn , Nukaaka ( Nukâka ) Coster-Waldau , Kathryn Crosby , Patrika Darbo , Betty Davis , Kassie DePaiva , Élisabeth Depardieu , Bo Derek , Pamela Des Barres , Natalie Desselle-Reid , Tabitha D'umo , Noureen DeWulf , Joyce DiDonato , Caren Marsh Doll , Helen Donath , Carol Douglas , Anne Dudley , Emily Dunn , Marj Dusay , Sheena Easton , Jenna Elfman , Linda Ellerbee , Anita Ellis , Violetta Elvin , Shannon Farnon , Barbara Feldon , Bette Ford , Carolyn Garcia , Marcia Mitzman Gaven , Lynda Day George , Marla Gibbs , Kathie Lee Gifford , Astrud Gilberto , Sally Gilpin , Joanna Gleason , Donna Hanover , Estelle Harris , Susan Harris , Lindsay Hartley , Rohini Hattangadi , Susan Seaforth Hayes , Dana Hee , Martha Henry , Bec Hewitt , Anna Kathryn Holbrook , Cissy Houston , Jan Howard , Mary Beth Hurt , Jessica Hynes , Alexandra Isles , Bianca Jagger , Karen Jarrett , Tamara Johnson-George , Sue Johnston , Rebecca Judd , Mitzi Kapture , Jean Kasem , Nan Kelley , Jayne Kennedy , Maria Doyle Kennedy , Joanna Kerns , Sandra Kerns , Anita Kerr , Barbara Knox , Cheryl Ladd , Amel Larrieux , Lucy Lawless , Shamcey Supsup-Lee , Lar Park Lincoln , Rosaleen Linehan , Ernie Lively , Loretta Lynn , Ruth Madoc , Rita Marley , Bridget Marquardt , Elaine May , Gwen McCrae , Aline Brosh McKenna , Kay Mellor , Sheila Mercier , Monique Mercure , Carol Merrill , Vera Miles , Marisa Miller , Demi Moore , Diana Moran , Maria Muldaur , Mrs. John Murphy , Leigh Nash , Nancy O'Dell , Genevieve Padalecki , Kimberly Page , Galina Panov ( Panova ) , Lara Parker , Alexa PenaVega , Carlos PenaVega , Melanie Paxson , Michelle Phillips , Erin Hershey Presley , Priscilla Presley , Phylicia Rashād , Johanna Ray , Perri `` Pebbles '' Reid , Judith Roberts , Tanya Roberts , Mimi Rogers , Brenda Russell , Susan Ruttan , Jeri Ryan , Carole Bayer Sager , Susan Sarandon , Dana Scallon , Rebecca Schull , Melody Thomas Scott , Peggy Scott-Adams , Julie Seitter , Amy Sherman-Palladino , Talia Shire , Joan Micklin Silver , Mary Jo Slater , Grace Slick , Connie Smith , Hillary B. Smith , Jada Pinkett Smith , Jurnee Smollett-Bell , Tatiana Sorokko , Dana Sparks , Ronnie Spector , Joan Staley , Brinke Stevens , Stella Stevens , Angie Stone , Anna Strasberg , Mira Stupica , Sulekha Talwalkar , Jennifer Taylor , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Betty Thomas , Linda Thompson , Linda Thorson , Julie Driscoll Tippetts , Jim True-Frost , Anita Tsoy , Tina Turner , Kim Johnston Ulrich , Nina van Pallandt , Maureen Van Zandt , Colleen Villard , Paula Wagner , Rita Walter , Dr. Ruth Westheimer , Jack White , Lynn Whitfield , Niecy Williams , Spice Williams-Crosby , Linda Womack , and Kim Woodburn . Dead : Carol Ann Abrams , Jane Ace , Alberta Adams , Jill Adams , Esin Afşar , Rosa Albach-Retty , Theoni V. Aldredge , Esther Allan , Sheila Matthews Allen , Adrienne Ames , Irena Anders , Liz Anderson , Signe Toly Anderson , Sylvia Anderson , Alice Arlen , Florence Arliss , Silvana Armenulić , Lil Hardin Armstrong , Beatrice Arthur , Dorothy Ashby , Sylvia Ashley , Aniela Aszpergerowa , Mildred Bailey , Elaine Barrie , Inezita Barroso , B. Constance Barry , Patricia Barry , Cheryl Barrymore , Katherine Harris Barrymore , Belle Barth , Frances Bay , Gertrude Berg , Frances Bergen , Shirl Bernheim , Ilene Berns , Barbara Billingsley , Faye Blackstone , Madge Blake , Beverly Schmidt Blossom , Virginia True Boardman , Helen Boatwright , Karolina Bock , Lucienne Bogaert , Lucille Bogan , Pat Bond , Lynn Borden , Anne Borg , Clara T. Bracy , Dr. Joyce Brothers , Ruth Brown , Cora Urquhart Brown-Potter , Argentina Brunetti , Claudia Bryar , Marie Burke , Mrs. Patrick Campbell , Marie Carandini , Olive Carey , Mrs. Leslie Carter , Maybelle Carter , Claiborne Cary , Maria Caserini , June Carter Cash , Irene Castle , Darlene Cates , Christine Cavanaugh , Olivia Cenizal , Henrietta Baker Chanfrau ( aka Mrs F. S. Chanfrau ) , Cyd Charisse , Chris Chase , Yelena Chernykh , Patsy Cline , Véra Clouzot , Maria Cole , Roberta Collins , Alice Coltrane , Jane Connell , Lady Diana Cooper , Ellen Corby , Muriel Costa-Greenspon , Mae Costello , Ida Cox , Fanny Cradock , Elizabeth Crotty , Candy Csencsits , Adelaide Hawley Cumming , Phyllis Curtin , Myrtle Damerel , Ruby Dandridge , Alice Davenport , Fanny Vining Davenport , Ramona Davies , Josie DeCarlo , Ruby Dee , Marie de Forest , Julie Alix de la Fay , Desha Delteil , Dolores del Río , Nora Denney , Phyllis Diller , Jeane Dixon , Mary Dodson , Liv Dommersnes , Eileen Donaghy , Edna Doré , Bianca Doria , Kay Dotrice , Diana Douglas , Phyllis Douglas , Louisa Lane Drew , Alice Drummond , Ruth Duccini , Geeta Dutt , Dame Pat Evison , Mimi Fariña , Kathe Feist , Edwige Feuillère , Margaret Field , Minnie Maddern Fiske ( or simply `` Mrs. Fiske '' ) , Lisa Fonssagrives , Lilian Fontaine , Dolores Fuller , Amelita Galli-Curci , Hope Garber , Maria Garbowska-Kierczyńska , Anna Gordy Gaye , Leyla Gencer , Estelle Getty , Lucile Gleason , Kathi Kamen Goldmark , Maude Turner Gordon , Beatrice Gray , Joyce Grenfell , Laurence Grivot , Alice Guy-Blaché , Alaina Reed Hall , Grayson Hall , Juanita Hall , Kim Hamilton , Anne Haney , Dona Hardy , Cassandra Harris , Signe Hasso , Wanda Hawley , Dixie Haygood , Edith Head , Alice Herz-Sommer , Gertrude Hoffman , Fay Holderness , Astrid Holm , Dolores Hope , Hedda Hopper , Jean Speegle Howard , Faith Hubley , Josephine Hull , Julia Crawford Ivers , Joyce Jacobs , Carrie Jacobs-Bond , Florence Foster Jenkins , Beverley Peck Johnson , Kathryn Joosten , Jenny Jugo , Fay Kanin , Sylvia Kauders , Myra Keaton , Jenny Twitchell Kempton , Dame Madge Kendal , Marketa Kimbrell , Mabel King , Millie Kirkham , May Kitson , Evelyn Knight , Marie Knight , Natalya Krachkovskaya , Sossen Krohg , Yvonne Levy Kushner , Claire Labine , Jessie Royce Landis , Gracie Lantz , Elodie Lauten , Zarah Leander , Evelyn Lear , Vivien Leigh , Rosetta LeNoire , Gloria Leonard , Mimi Lerner , Stella LeSaint , Aleen Leslie , Anna Letenská , Rosina Lhévinne , Lois Lilienstein , Jane Little , Peggy Lloyd , Kathleen Lockhart , Judith Lowry , Alice Ludes , Nola Luxford , Sheila MacRae , Toni Mannix , Tina Marquand , Pamela Mason , Marilyn Lovell Matz , Linda McCartney , Nobu McCarthy , Ruth McDevitt , Marian McPartland , Margaret McWade , Adah Isaacs Menken , Patricia Merbreier , Zinka Milanov , Betty Miles , Mrs. Elva Miller , Helena Modjeska , Lydia Mordkovitch , Anna Karen Morrow , Yvonne Mounsey , Kathryn Murray , Bedia Muvahhit , Harriet Nelson , Shirley Collie Nelson , Frances Nero , Nadine Nicolaeva-Legat , Agnes Nixon , Lupe Ontiveros , Joan Orenstein , Rita Orlandi-Malaspina , Mecha Ortiz , Ethel Owen , Bonnie Owens , Helenka Pantaleoni , Tayva Patch , Dina Pathak , Dorothy Patrick , Katina Paxinou , Barbara Payton , Margaret Pellegrini , Fern Persons , Orna Porat , Dory Previn , Ma Rainey , Esther Ralston , Dottie Rambo , Anne Ramsey , Lois Ramsey , Bijoya Ray , Dana Reeve , Estelle Reiner , Elsa Respighi , Malvina Reynolds , Marjorie Reynolds , Irene Rich , Billie Mae Richards , Cleo Ridgely , Sylvia Robinson , Blossom Rock , Shirley Russell , Irene Ryan , Joel Ryce-Menuhin , Harley Saito , Tura Satana , Neila Sathyalingam , Therese Schnabel , Teddy Scholten , Ernestine Schumann-Heink , Dawn Sears , Zelda Sears , Toshi Seeger , Zohra Sehgal , Joan Shawlee , Madeleine Sherwood , Teri Shields , Nell Shipman , Elaine Shore , Sarah Siddons , Rose Siggins , Hilda Simms , Susan Raab Simonson , Alison Skipworth , Anna Nicole Smith , Mamie Smith , Zypora Spaisman , Elizabeth Spriggs , Kathy Staff , Florence St. John , Paula Strasberg , Donna Summer , Smita Talwalkar , Laurette Taylor , Beryl Te Wiata , Sister Rosetta Tharpe , Olive Thomas , Lydia Yeamans Titus , Mrs Beerbohm Tree ( aka Lady Tree ) , Barbara Trentham , Sophie Tucker , Helen Twelvetrees , Annette Vadim , Alice Van-Springsteen , Lucia Elizabeth Vestris , Florence Vidor , Salka Viertel , Nedra Volz , Ethel Wales , Sippie Wallace , Pat Welsh , Helen Westley , Jean Willes , Cookie Williams , Dell Williams , Mary Lou Williams , Peggy Willis-Aarnio , Jane Wyman , Yafa Yarkoni , Clara Kimball Young , Şenay Yüzbaşıoğlu , Izabella Zielińska , and Norma Zimmer . People from Spanish and/or Portuguese-speaking countries and the Philippines if their professional name contains either of their two family names . For more information , see Spanish and Hispanic American naming customs , Filipino names , and Portuguese names . Note , however , that other cultures have their own naming customs and systems ( Chinese , Japanese , Korean , Arabic , Hungarian , and others ) , some rather intricate , and minor changes or alterations , including reversing Eastern-style formats , do not in and of themselves qualify as stage names , and should not normally be included . For example , Björk , whose stage name appears to be an original creation , is part of her full Icelandic name , Björk Guðmundsdóttir . Her second name is a patronymic instead of a family name , following Icelandic naming conventions . `` Björk '' is not a stage name but how any Icelander would refer to her , casually or formally . People known by generational nicknames : for example , Trey Anastasio , whose full name is Ernest Joseph Anastasio III . People who may be popularly , though not professionally , known by a nickname , such as Robert John `` Mutt '' Lange . Those who changed their surname due to adoption or legal name change prior to entering the entertainment industry : Living : Dame Julie Andrews , Jimmy Barnes , Christie Brinkley , Neneh Cherry , George Englund , Robb Flynn , Missy and Tracey Gold , Julie Goodyear , Dave Gahan , Barra Grant , Jane Lapotaire , Blake and Eric Lively , Elle Macpherson , Jesse L. Martin , Steve March-Tormé , Martine McCutcheon , Rita Moreno , Piers Morgan , Simon Pegg , Nicole Richie , Juliet Rylance , Ken Shamrock , Kristoffer Tabori , Leigh Taylor-Young , Dame Kiri Te Kanawa , Louis Tomlinson , Steven Van Zandt , Suzanne Vega , and Vanna White . Dead : Bibi Besch , Nancy Davis , Katherine DeMille , Joan Fontaine , Sterling Hayden , Eileen Heckart , Charlton Heston , Madeline Kahn , Dorothy Lamour , Arthur Taylor Lee , Art Linkletter , Lori March , Terry Melcher , Florence and Mary Nash , Baby Marie Osborne , Tracy Reed , Doris Roberts , Ginger Rogers , Sylvia Sidney , Willie `` the Lion '' Smith , Alan Thicke , and Grace Lee Whitney . People who adopted a matriname : See List of people who adopted matrilineal surnames Those whose stage forename is a middle name , e.g. Paul McCartney and Marie Osmond : these are their real middle names , not stage names . People referred or known publicly and/or professionally by an amended forename ( substantial changes , indirect nicknames , etc. ) -- e.g. Dimi Mint Abba , Julie Adams , Jeff Alexander , Red Allen , Christopher Allport , Ramsay Ames , Tori Amos , Judith Anderson , Keith Andes , Fatty Arbuckle , Gem Archer , Kokomo Arnold , Antonin Artaud , Barry Atwater , Coco Austin , Patricia Avery , Tex Avery , Faith Bacon , Buff Bagwell , Benny Bailey , Ginger Baker , Ox Baker , Johnny Ball , Ryan Bang , Binnie Barnes , Lynda Baron , Syd Barrett , Count Basie , Terry Becker , Wilson Benge , Chico Benymon , Barney Bigard , Bam Bam Bigelow , Acker Bilk , Kelly Bishop , Sharkey Bonano , Sean Bonniwell , Lucienne Boyer , Leah Bracknell , Alice Brady , Beau Bridges , John Bromfield , Bruno Brookes , Bubba Brooks , Stephen Brooks , Tina Brooks , K Brosas , Chelsea Brown , Timothy Brown , Joshua Bryant , Buddy Buie , Sonny Burke , T-Bone Burnett , Jethro Burns , Geezer Butler , Pat Buttram , Don Byas , Max Bygraves , Zoe Caldwell , Haystacks Calhoun , Candy Candido , Tantoo Cardinal , David Carradine , John Carradine , Exene Cervenka , Chick Chandler , Lon Chaney , Sr. , Lon Chaney Jr. , Doc Cheatham , Joan Chen , Warren Clarke , Buck Clayton , Cheyne Coates , Steve Cochran , Cozy Cole , Jaybird Coleman , Buddy Collette , Patricia Collinge , G. Pat Collins , Betty Compson , Betty Compton , Heinie Conklin , Chuck Connors , Gary Conway , Tim Conway , Carole Cook , Gary Cooper , Matthew Corbett , Jacqueline Courtney , Lol Creme , Donald Crisp , John Cromwell , Bing Crosby , Scatman Crothers , James D'Arcy , Linda Darnell , Bodjie Dasig , Cow Cow Davenport , Deddie Davies , Lisa Davis , Angelika de la Cruz , Ajay Devgan , Manna Dey , Paw Diaz , B.B. Dickerson , Mark Dinning , Kenny Dino , Claire Dodd , Peter Donat , Roni Duani , Patty Duke , Sly Dunbar , Junior Durkin , Sunil Dutt , Lu Edmonds , Honeyboy Edwards , Skye Edwards , Anthony Eisley , Joff Ellen , Duke Ellington , Peg Entwistle , Dixie Evans , Madge Evans , Jason Evers , Dez Fafara , Aniko Farrell , Tovah Feldshuh , Pops Fernandez , Gabriele Ferzetti , Virginia Field , Fyvush Finkel , Herbie Flowers , Dick Foran , Faith Ford , Anthony Forwood , Douglas Fowley , Panama Francis , Alan Freed , Mickey Freeman , Paul Frees , Ace Frehley , France Gall , Red Garland , Snuff Garrett , Anthony George , Dana Ghia , Hoot Gibson , Dana Gillespie , Dizzy Gillespie , Mark Goddard , Beauty Gonzalez , Tweety González , Michael Gordon , Lloyd Gough , Charles Gray , Timothy Gray , Buddy Greco , Lorne Greene , Dabbs Greer , Carlotta Grisi , Gigi Gryce , Yvette Guilbert , Clu Gulager , Onaje Allan Gumbs , Mick Guzauski , Sara Haden , Chief Halftown , Pooch Hall , Ram Hall , Tubby Hall , Chico Hamilton , Kipp Hamilton , Oliver Hardy , Damon Harris , Jet Harris , Sib Hashian , Hawkshaw Hawkins , Screamin ' Jay Hawkins , Sessue Hayakawa , Allison Hayes , Topper Headon , Niykee Heaton , Tippi Hedren , Bobby `` The Brain '' Heenan , Levon Helm , Skitch Henderson , Benny Hill , Bill Hinnant , Junie Hoang , Boscoe Holder , Peanuts Holland , Tim Holt , Skip Homeier , Nellee Hooper , Bob Hope , Robert Horton , Jennifer Howard , Season Hubley , Peanuts Hucko , Gareth Hughes , Sean Hughes , Gareth Hunt , Carlo Imperato , Agot Isidro , Chubby Jackson , Jackie Jackson , Rebbie Jackson , Tito Jackson , Hattie Jacques , Skip James , Jack Jenney , Lyfe Jennings , Money Johnson , Susan Johnson , Griffith Jones , Rhubarb Jones , Rusty Jones , Spike Jones , Lonnie Jordan , Richard Jordan , Tiny Kahn , Nick Kamen , Frankie Kao , Buster Keaton , Maynard James Keenan , Garrison Keillor , Brian Keith , Judy Kelly , R. Kelly , Sam Kelly , Wael Kfoury , Rajesh Khanna , Twinkle Khanna , B.B. King , Rahsaan Roland Kirk , Johnny Kitagawa , Evel Knievel , Fuzzy Knight , Andre Kostelanetz , Kane Kosugi , Harley Jane Kozak , Papa Jack Laine , James Last , Yank Lawson , Kuh Ledesma , Bunny `` Striker '' Lee , China Lee , Jacknife Lee , Spike Lee , Lucky Lehrer , Kasi Lemmons , Bobo Lewis , Robert Loggia , Pixie Lott , Katherine `` Scottie '' MacGregor , China Machado , Brandon Maggart , Raine Maida , Arthur Malet , Boots Mallory , Jose Manalo , Miles Mander , Camryn Manheim , Pigmeat Markham , Ziggy Marley , the Marx Brothers , Kedar Massenburg , Dakin Matthews , Christopher Mayer , Richard McCabe , Smilin ' Ed McConnell , Dylan McDermott , Country Joe McDonald , Pake McEntire , Allan McKeown , Leo McKern , Stephen McNally , Matthew McNulty , Butterfly McQueen , Carlos Mencia , Michèle Mercier , Bubber Miley , Jason Miller , Jody Miller , Moi-Yo Miller , Gyp Mills , Vincente Minnelli , Julie Mitchum , Gunner Moir , Robert Montgomery , Clayton Moore , Pee Wee Moore , Tim Moore , Buddy Moreno , Chino Moreno , Jaye P. Morgan , Barry Morse , Bubbi Morthens , Zero Mostel , Aga Muhlach , Jimmy Murakami , Taylor Negron , Mickey Newbury , Alec Newman , Juice Newton , Nichelle Nichols , Jack Nitzsche , Lobo Nocho , Noël-Noël , Keena Nomkeena , Kim Novak , Margaret O'Brien , Spec O'Donnell , Dead Ohlin , Michael O'Keefe , Chauncey Olcott , Sy Oliver , Ole Olsen , Moira Orfei , Kid Ory , Ozzy Osbourne , Gilbert O'Sullivan , Glyn Owen , Hot Lips Page ( aka Lips Page ) , Alexander Pantages , Sunshine Parker , Michael Parks , Michael Pate , Banjo Paterson , Hank Patterson , Jesse Pearson , Tyler Perry , Siân Phillips , Robert Pine , Fernando Poe , Jr. , Lily Pons , Henny Porten , Toni Price , Curly Putman , Buck Ram , Dack Rambo , Sue Randall , Elliott Reid , Django Reinhardt , Debbie Reynolds , Jody Reynolds , Peter Mark Richman , Ron Rifkin , Snaffu Rigor , Tex Ritter , Emmanuelle Riva , Robbie Robertson , Bill `` Bojangles '' Robinson , Kasey Rogers , Fay Roope , Hayden Rorke , Draco Rosa , Pee Wee Russell , Buffy Sainte-Marie , Isabel Sanford , Samantha Sang , Aggro Santos , Tom Santschi , Leo Sayer , Lalo Schifrin , Rolfe Sedan , Noot Seear , Peter Sellers , Rimi Sen , Doc Severinsen , Sarah Shahi , Ann Sheridan , Dinah Shore , Jackie Shroff , M. Night Shyamalan , Richard Simmons , Zoot Sims , Zutty Singleton , Elliott Smith , Piano Smith , Stuff Smith , Cobie Smulders , Henriette Sontag , Oyo Boy Sotto , Muggsy Spanier , Dorothy Squires , Robert Stack , Johnny Stark , Mark Stevens , B.W. Stevenson , Redd Stewart , Sigismund Stojowski , Sydney Sturgess , Jazz Summers , Slim Summerville , Mack Swain , Olga Syahputra , Junpei Takiguchi , Baby Tate , Shaw Taylor , Jack Teagarden , Larri Thomas , Lydia Thompson , Big Mama Thornton , Richard Thorpe , Tedi Thurman , Rip Torn , Rawy Torres , Norman Treigle , Pastor Troy , Butch Trucks , Barbara Turner , Lana Turner , Midge Ure , Iko Uwais , Mad Dog Vachon , Victor Varconi , Yoyoy Villame , Laurent Voulzy , Luigi Waites , Christopher Walken , Clint Walker , T-Bone Walker , Ray Walston , Dylan Walsh , Lalla Ward , Butch Warren , Gedde Watanabe , Fee Waybill , Doodles Weaver , Pat Weaver , Sigourney Weaver , Chick Webb , Tuesday Weld , Paul Weller , Alice White , Eg White , Slappy White , Billy Wilder , Dooley Wilson , Richard Wilson , Trey Wingo , Chubby Wise , Mac Wiseman , Finn Wittrock , Woolly Wolstenholme , Bomb Woodard , Woody Woodbury , Hank Worden , Vivian Wu , Joe Yamanaka , Bimby Aquino Yap , Ace Young , Alan Young , Loretta Young , Peggy Zina and Voula Zouboulaki . People with more than one family name , provided at least one is represented in the professional name : for example , Felix Aylmer , Angela Baddeley , Hermione Baddeley , Jeremy Beadle , India de Beaufort , Michael Beck , Jacqueline Bisset , Hugh Bonneville , Thomas Brodie-Sangster , Joseph Calleia , Jeanne de Casalis , Jonathan Cecil , Colin Clive , Fay Compton , Viola Compton , Jimmy Crawford ( British singer ) , Peter Finch , Bruce Forsyth , Christopher Guest , Alec Guinness , Binnie Hale , Sonnie Hale , Paul Henreid , Trevor Howard , Jimmy Jewel , Stratford Johns , Cavan Kendall , Kay Kendall , Deborah Kerr , Boris Kodjoe , David Langton , Emily Lloyd , Margaret Lockwood , Michael Sharvell-Martin , Henry McGee , Jewel Mische , Anna Mjöll , Priscilla Morgan , Alan Napier , Sue Nicholls , Eugene Ormandy , Frankie Poullain , Dennis Price , Anna Russell , Mark Rylance , Roland Shaw , Tony Sheridan , Richard Todd , André de Toth , Bill Travers , Linden Travers , Bailey Tzuke , Betsy von Furstenberg , Martin Wallström , H. B. Warner , Boris Williams , Katherine Woodville , and Robert Wyatt . People who change their names for religious reasons ( see List of converts to Islam ) People who change their name ( s ) due to change in sexual gender , identity , or due to dysphoria or other recognized gender-related issue , or for drag performers , such as Courtney Act , Alexis Arquette , April Ashley , Evita Bezuidenhout , Chaz Bono , Pandora Boxx , Lady Bunny , Peaches Christ , Roberta Close , Caroline Cossey , Jayne County , Jackie Curtis , Candy Darling , Sahara Davenport , Tomata du Plenty , Lili Elbe , Dame Edna Everage , Tannie Evita , Gila Goldstein , Laura Jane Grace , Lauren Harries , Alina María Hernández , Mimi Imfurst , Dana International , Caitlyn Jenner , Holly Johnson , Danny LaRue , La Veneno , Miss Shangay Lily , Manila Luzon , Brini Maxwell , Morgan McMichaels , Jinkx Monsoon , Silvetty Montilla , Our Lady J , Rosa von Praunheim , Raven , Lily Savage , Verka Serduchka , Shangela , The Lady Chablis , Billy Tipton , Nong Toom , Florencia Trinidad ( also known as Florencia de la V or Flor de la V ) , Del Lagrace Volcano , Larry Wachowski , Lilly Wachowski , Jessica Wild , and Holly Woodlawn . People who adopt a pseudo-nobiliary particle , prefix , suffix , hyphenation or other diacritic/symbol , including Robert James-Collier , John D'Aquino , Paquito D'Rivera , Anton du Beke , John Du Cann , Tom Goodman-Hill , Wilfrid Hyde-White , John Martin-Harvey , Crash McLarson , Dawn O'Porter , Terry O'Quinn , Annette O'Toole , Denise van Outen , Ruth St. Denis , Rik Van Nutter , Mario Van Peebles , Melvin Van Peebles , Josef von Sternberg , Erich von Stroheim , and Lars von Trier , as well as , according to some sources , Max von Sydow . In some cases this is reversed ; i.e. a surname is simplified by the removal of a genuine particle ( or particles ) , hyphenation or other diacritic/symbol , such as in the cases of Dirk Bogarde , Tabby Callaghan , Lyn Christie , Scott Forbes , Gregory Gaye , Martyn Green , Jean Hagen , Jock Mahoney , Frank Tashlin , and Peter Ustinov . People who changed the spelling of their surnames , usually to ensure proper pronunciation , resulting in a surname which is either identical or almost the same phonetically to the original surname ( often with a similar first name or a given middle name ) , or , in some cases possibly due to name conflicts in re Actors Equity or other acting unions : Hardie Albright , Lauren Ambrose , Don Ameche , Eddi Arent , Jay J. Armes , James Arness , Renée Asherson , Claudine Auger , Bessie Barriscale , Alain Bashung , Lina Basquette , Dave Batista , Warren Beatty , Lou Bega , Michael Bentine , Polly Bergen , Barbara Berjer , Sarah Bernhardt , Mel Blanc , Claire Bloom , James Blunt , Larry Blyden , Beulah Bondi , Jon Bon Jovi , Eileen Brennan , Teresa Brewer , Pierre Brice , Coral Browne , Aristide Bruant , Yul Brynner , Dorsey Burnette , Mike Burstyn , Pat Buttram , Kuda Bux , John Byner , Sammy Cahn , Emma Calvé , Bill Chase , Tsilla Chelton , Tom Clay , Lee J. Cobb , Betty Cody , Cozy Cole , Toni Collette , Russ Columbo , Sam Cooke , Cass Daley , Henry Daniell , Smoky Dawson , Desmond Dekker , Tulio Demicheli , Jason Derulo , Tamara De Treaux , Pete Duel , Mary Duncan , Irene Dunne , Robbie Dupree , Jeanne Eagels , Richard Eastham , Bob Eberly , Billy Eckstine , Britt Ekland , Richard Erdman , Kim E-Z , Nanette Fabray , Sherilyn Fenn , Aaron Fink , David Flair , Reid Flair , Ric Flair , Nina Foch , June Foray , Victor Francen , Jane Frazee , Stan Freberg , Serge Gainsbourg , Mo Gallini , Marvin Gaye , Janet Gaynor , Nicolai Gedda , Jason Gedrick , Will Geer , Robert Gerringer , Rodleen Getsic , Don Grady , Al Green , Margaret Gwenver , Daryl Hall , Phil Hartman , Wings Hauser , Charles Hawtrey , Richard Haydn , Helen Haye , Frankie Howerd , Walter Huston , Jack Hylton , Emil Jannings , Tor Johnson , Al Jolson , Milla Jovovich , Vic Juris , Bertha Kalich , Sharon Kane , Larry Kert , Richard Kline , Patric Knowles , Alexis Korner , Nancy Kovack , Kidd Kraddick , Jane Krakowski , Belinda Lang , Laura La Plante , Violet La Plante , Eva La Rue , Dee C. Lee , Fredric Lehne , Jon Lormer , Eddy Louiss , Celia Lovsky , Laurette Luez , Paul Lukas , Harriet MacGibbon , Dolores Mantez , Johnny Marr , Derek Martinus , Léonide Massine , Tim Matheson , Walter Matthau , Sharon Maughan , Holt McCallany , Geraldine McEwan , Siobhán McKenna , Ross McManus , Louis B. Mayer , Sue Mengers , Tim Mensy , Mezz Mezzrow , Pras Michel , Marjie Millar , Borrah Minevitch , Cameron Mitchell , Tony Monopoly , Greg Mullavey , Shoista Mullojonova , Patrice Munsel , Aïché Nana , Oscar Natzka , Peter Nero , Julie Newmar , Keena Nomkeena , Ric Ocasek , Lani O'Grady , Warner Oland , April Olrich , Ed O'Ross , Seena Owen , Patricia Paay , Ron Palillo , Joy Page , Albert Paulsen , Doris Pawn , Joe Penner , Iván Petrovich , Suzie Plakson , Gene Pollar , Nyree Dawn Porter , Olga Preobrajenska , Jonathan Pryce , John Qualen , Mae Questel , Lynne Randell , Aldo Ray , Ray Rayner , Ginette Reno , Rita Reys , Harry Richman , May Robson , Richard Romanus , Don Rondo , Alma Rubens , Frances Ruffelle , Sig Ruman , John Russell , Sahlene , Aaron Schroeder , Johnny Sea , Victor Seastrom , Élie Semoun , Mack Sennett , Marion Shilling , Horace Silver , George Skibine , Andrew Stevens , Kaye Stevens , Amy Stock , Lee Strasberg , Gloria Stuart , Wes Studi , Patrick Stump , Frank Tashlin , Leonard Teale , Milka Ternina , Maggie Teyte , Bernie Tormé , Lenore Ulric , Rudy Vallee , Pierre Vaneck , Edward Van Sloan , Victor Varconi , Jimmy Wakely , Eddy Wally , Koko B. Ware , John Witherspoon , Butch Warren , Ted Weems , Snowy White , Slim Whitman , Mykelti Williamson , Anneke Wills , Walter Winchell , Herbert Wise , Donald Wolfit , Víctor Yturbe , Joe Yule , and Blanche Yurka . People who changed only their middle name , or who switched their first and middle names , such as Garry Gary Beers , Norman Bel Geddes , Halle Berry , Johnny Yong Bosch , John David Carson , David Clayton-Thomas , Michael J. Fox , Simon Gipps-Kent , Anthony Michael Hall , Barry Shabaka Henley , Blind Lemon Jefferson , Robert Sean Leonard , Meade Lux Lewis , Anna Maxwell Martin , Wayne Pocket Rocket McCullough , Julia Pace Mitchell , Junior Murvin , Paul Ryan Rudd , Michael Sharvell-Martin and Phil Spector . Other : Vondie Curtis-Hall , Betty Huntley-Wright , Vernee Watson-Johnson . The following are listed here for the following reasons : Tupac Shakur is listed here , but under the stage name 2Pac . He was born either Lesane Parish Crooks or Parish Lesane Crooks , depending on the source , but his name was changed in early childhood to Tupac Amaru Shakur . Elton John is listed here because he used the name professionally before he legally adopted it in 1972 .", "Beck. Beck Hansen ( born Bek David Campbell ; July 8 , 1970 ) , known mononymously as Beck , is an American singer , songwriter , record producer and multi-instrumentalist . He is mostly known for his musical composition , as well as a palette of sonic genres . He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his sonically experimental and lo-fi style , and became known for creating musical collages of wide genre styles . Today , he musically encompasses folk , funk , soul , hip hop , alternative rock , country and psychedelia . He has released 12 studio albums ( 3 of which were independently released ) , as well as several non-album singles and a book of sheet music . Born in Los Angeles in 1970 , Beck grew towards hip-hop and folk in his teens and began to perform locally at coffeehouses and clubs . He moved to New York City in 1989 and became involved in the city 's small fiery anti-folk movement . Returning to Los Angeles in the early 1990s , he cut his breakthrough single `` Loser '' , which became a worldwide hit in 1994 , and released his first major album , Mellow Gold , the same year . Odelay , released in 1996 , produced hit singles , topped critic polls and won several awards . He released the psychedelic Mutations in 1998 , and the funk-infused Midnite Vultures in 1999 . The soft-acoustic Sea Change in 2002 showcased a more serious Beck , and 2005 's Guero returned to Odelays sample-based production . The Information in 2006 was inspired by electro-funk , hip hop , and psychedelia ; 2008 's Modern Guilt was inspired by '60s pop music ; and 2014 's folk-infused Morning Phase won Album of the Year at the 57th Grammy Awards on February 8 , 2015 . He is reportedly working on a thirteenth studio album , with the singles `` Dreams '' and `` Wow '' having already been released . With a pop art collage of musical styles , oblique and ironic lyrics , and postmodern arrangements incorporating samples , drum machines , live instrumentation and sound effects , Beck has been hailed by critics and the public throughout his musical career as being among the most idiosyncratically creative musicians of 1990s and 2000s alternative rock . Two of Beck 's most popular and acclaimed recordings are Odelay and Sea Change , both of which were ranked on Rolling Stone list of the 500 greatest albums of all time . The four-time platinum artist has collaborated with several artists and has made several contributions to soundtracks . Beck is married to actress Marissa Ribisi , and is an active Scientologist .", "Manchester United F.C.. Manchester United Football Club is a professional football club based in Old Trafford , Greater Manchester , England , that competes in the Premier League , the top flight of English football . Nicknamed `` the Red Devils '' , the club was founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878 , changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to its current stadium , Old Trafford , in 1910 . Manchester United are the most successful club in England , having won a record 20 League Titles , 12 FA Cups , 5 League Cups and a record 21 FA Community Shields . The club has also won three UEFA Champions League , one UEFA Europa League , one UEFA Cup Winners ' Cup , one UEFA Super Cup , one Intercontinental Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup . In 1998 -- 99 , the club became the first in the history of English football to achieve the treble of the Premier League , the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League . In 2016 -- 17 , they also , by winning the UEFA Europa League , became one of five clubs to have won all three main UEFA club competitions . In winning all three top domestic trophies ( as well as both iterations of the English championship ) , all three major European trophies , both the domestic and European super cups , and both international titles ( the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup in 1999 and its successor , the FIFA World Club Cup in 2008 ) , the club has achieved a clean sweep of all top honours available to it ; the first and thus far only English club to do so . The 1958 Munich air disaster claimed the lives of eight players . In 1968 , under the management of Matt Busby , Manchester United became the first English football club to win the European Cup . Alex Ferguson won 38 trophies as manager , including 13 Premier League titles , 5 FA Cups and 2 UEFA Champions Leagues , between 1986 and 2013 , when he announced his retirement . José Mourinho is the club 's current manager , having been appointed on 27 May 2016 . Manchester United was the highest-earning football club in the world for 2015 -- 16 , with an annual revenue of $ 689 million , and the world 's third most valuable football club in 2015 , valued at # 1.98 billion . As of June 2015 , it is the world 's most valuable football brand , estimated to be worth $ 1.2 billion . After being floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1991 , the club was purchased by Malcolm Glazer in May 2005 in a deal valuing the club at almost # 800 million , after which the company was taken private again , before going public once more in August 2012 , when they made an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange . Manchester United is one of the most widely supported football clubs in the world , and holds several rivalries with other clubs , most notably with Liverpool , Manchester City and Leeds United , and more recently with Arsenal .", "Daily Mail. The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust and published in London . First published in 1896 by Alfred Harmsworth , 1st Viscount Northcliffe , and his brother Harold Harmsworth , 1st Viscount Rothermere , it is the United Kingdom 's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun . Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982 . Scottish and Irish editions of the daily paper were launched in 1947 and 2006 respectively . The Daily Mail was Britain 's first daily newspaper aimed at the newly literate `` lower-middle class market resulting from mass education , combining a low retail price with plenty of competitions , prizes and promotional gimmicks '' , and was the first British paper to sell a million copies a day . Jonathan Harmsworth , 4th Viscount Rothermere , a great-grandson of the one of the co-founders , is the current chairman and controlling shareholder of the Daily Mail and General Trust , though day-to-day editorial decisions for the newspaper are usually made by a team around the editor , Paul Dacre . It was aimed at both men and women from the outset , was the first to provide features especially for women , and in the second half of 2013 had a 54.77 % female readership , the only British newspaper whose female readers constitute more than 50 % of its demographic . A survey in 2014 found the average age of its reader was 58 , and it had the lowest demographic for 15-44 year olds among the major British dailies . It had an average daily circulation of 1,510,824 copies in November 2016 . Between July and December 2013 it had an average daily readership of approximately 3.951 million , of whom approximately 2.503 million were in the ABC1 demographic and 1.448 million in the C2DE demographic . Its website has more than 100 million unique visitors per month . The Daily Mail has been accused of racism , even of supporting fascism in the 1930s , and of printing sensationalist and inaccurate scare stories of science and medical research .", "Eric Clapton. Eric Patrick Clapton , ( born 1945 ) , is an English rock and blues guitarist , singer , and songwriter . He is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame : once as a solo artist and separately as a member of the Yardbirds and Cream . Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time . Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the `` 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time '' and fourth in Gibson 's `` Top 50 Guitarists of All Time '' . He was also named number five in Time magazine 's list of `` The 10 Best Electric Guitar Players '' in 2009 . In the mid-1960s Clapton left the Yardbirds to play with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers . Immediately after leaving Mayall , Clapton formed the power trio Cream with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce , in which Clapton played sustained blues improvisations and `` arty , blues-based psychedelic pop '' . Furthermore , he formed blues rock band Blind Faith with Baker , Steve Winwood , and Ric Grech . For most of the 1970s Clapton 's output bore the influence of the mellow style of J. J. Cale and the reggae of Bob Marley . His version of Marley 's `` I Shot the Sheriff '' helped reggae reach a mass market . Two of his most popular recordings were `` Layla '' , recorded with Derek and the Dominos ; and Robert Johnson 's `` Crossroads '' , recorded with Cream . Following the death of his son Conor in 1991 , Clapton 's grief was expressed in the song `` Tears in Heaven '' , which was featured on his Unplugged album . Clapton has been the recipient of 18 Grammy Awards , and the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music . In 2004 he was awarded a CBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music . In 1998 , Clapton , a recovering alcoholic and drug addict , founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua , a medical facility for recovering substance abusers .", "Armie Hammer. Armand Douglas `` Armie '' Hammer ( born August 28 , 1986 ) is an American actor . He is known for his portrayal of the Winklevoss twins in the film The Social Network ( 2010 ) , Prince Andrew Alcott in Mirror Mirror ( 2012 ) , the title character in the adventure film The Lone Ranger ( 2013 ) , and Mike in Mine ( 2016 ) . He played the role of Illya Kuryakin in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ( 2015 ) , and stars as Oliver in the 2017 romance drama Call Me by Your Name . For his portrayal of Clyde Tolson in J. Edgar ( 2011 ) , he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award .", "American Psycho. American Psycho is a novel by Bret Easton Ellis , published in 1991 . The story is told in the first person by Patrick Bateman , a serial killer and Manhattan businessman . The Observer notes that while `` some countries -LSB- deem it -RSB- so potentially disturbing that it can only be sold shrink-wrapped '' , `` critics rave about it '' and `` academics revel in its transgressive and postmodern qualities . '' A film adaptation starring Christian Bale as Bateman was released in 2000 to generally favorable reviews . In 2008 , it was confirmed that producers David Johnson and Jesse Singer were developing a musical adaptation of the novel to appear on Broadway . The musical premiered at the Almeida Theatre , London in December 2013 .", "Helena Bonham Carter. Helena Bonham Carter , ( born 26 May 1966 ) is an English actress . She is known for her roles in low-budget arthouse and independent films to large-scale Hollywood productions . She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Kate Croy in The Wings of the Dove ( 1997 ) . For her role as Queen Elizabeth in The King 's Speech ( 2010 ) , she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role . She also won the 2010 International Emmy Award for Best Actress for her role as British author Enid Blyton in the TV film Enid ( 2009 ) . Bonham Carter began her film career playing the title character in Lady Jane ( 1986 ) , and playing Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View ( 1986 ) . Her other film roles include Ophelia in Hamlet ( 1990 ) , Where Angels Fear to Tread ( 1991 ) , Howards End ( 1992 ) , Elizabeth Lavenza in Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein ( 1994 ) , Woody Allen 's Mighty Aphrodite ( 1995 ) , Fight Club ( 1999 ) , Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter series ( 2007 -- 11 ) , Terminator Salvation ( 2009 ) , Miss Havisham in Great Expectations ( 2012 ) , Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables ( 2012 ) , and The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella ( 2015 ) . She has frequently collaborated with director Tim Burton ; in Planet of the Apes ( 2001 ) , Big Fish ( 2003 ) , Corpse Bride ( 2005 ) , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 2005 ) , Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ( 2007 ) , Dark Shadows ( 2012 ) , and playing the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland ( 2010 ) and its sequel Alice Through the Looking Glass ( 2016 ) . Her other television films include A Pattern of Roses ( 1983 ) , Fatal Deception : Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald ( 1993 ) , Live from Baghdad ( 2002 ) , Toast ( 2010 ) , and Burton & Taylor ( 2013 ) . She was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) in the 2012 New Year Honours list for services to drama , and in January 2014 , the British prime minister , David Cameron , announced that Bonham Carter had been appointed to Britain 's new national Holocaust Commission .", "Brit Awards. The Brit Awards ( sometimes stylised as the BRIT Awards ; often simply called the Brits ) are the British Phonographic Industry 's annual pop music awards . The name was originally a shortened form of `` British '' , `` Britain '' or `` Britannia '' ( in the early days the awards were sponsored by Britannia Music Club ) , but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trusts Show . In addition , an equivalent awards ceremony for classical music , called the Classic Brit Awards , is held each May . Robbie Williams holds the record for the most Brit Awards , 13 as a solo artist and another five as part of Take That . The awards originated as an annual event in 1982 under the auspices of the British record industry 's trade association , the BPI . In 1989 they were renamed the Brit Awards . MasterCard has been the long-term sponsor of the event . The highest profile music awards ceremony in the UK , the Brit Awards have featured some of the most notable events in British popular culture , such as the final public appearance of Freddie Mercury , the Jarvis Cocker protest against Michael Jackson , and the Union Jack dress worn by Geri Halliwell of the Spice Girls . The Brit Awards were broadcast live until 1989 , when Samantha Fox and Mick Fleetwood hosted a widely criticised show in which little went as rehearsed . In subsequent years , the event was recorded and broadcast the following night . From 2007 , the Brit Awards reverted to a live broadcast on British television , on 14 February on ITV . In that year , comedian Russell Brand was presenter and three awards were dropped from the ceremony : Best British Rock Act , Best British Urban Act and Best Pop Act . On 18 February 2009 , the venue for the BRITs was once again the Earls Court , London . The Brit Awards were held at The O2 in London for the first time in 2011 . The Brit Award statuette given to the winners features Britannia , the female personification of Britain . The statuette is regularly redesigned by some of the best known British designers , stylists and artists , including Vivienne Westwood , Damien Hirst , Tracey Emin , Sir Peter Blake and the late Zaha Hadid .", "Coldplay. Coldplay are a British rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist and keyboardist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London ( UCL ) . After they formed under the name Pectoralz , Guy Berryman joined the group as bassist and they changed their name to Starfish . Will Champion joined as drummer and backing vocalist , completing the lineup . Creative director Phil Harvey is often referred to as the fifth member by the band . The band renamed themselves `` Coldplay '' in 1998 , before recording and releasing three EPs : Safety in 1998 and Brothers & Sisters and The Blue Room in 1999 . The Blue Room was their first release on a major label , after signing to Parlophone . Coldplay achieved worldwide fame with the release of the single `` Yellow '' in 2000 , followed in the same year by their debut album Parachutes , which was nominated for the Mercury Prize . The band 's second album , A Rush of Blood to the Head ( 2002 ) , was released to critical acclaim and won awards including NME 's Album of the Year . Their next release , X&Y , the bestselling album worldwide in 2005 , received mostly positive reviews , though some critics felt it was inferior to its predecessor . Their fourth studio album , Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends ( 2008 ) , was produced by Brian Eno and released to largely positive reviews , earning several Grammy Award nominations and wins at the 51st Grammy Awards . In October 2011 , Coldplay released their fifth studio album , Mylo Xyloto , which topped the charts in over 34 countries and was the UK 's best-selling rock album of 2011 , but received mixed reviews , In May 2014 , they released their sixth album , Ghost Stories , which also received mixed reviews and topped the iTunes Store albums charts in over 100 countries . In December 2015 , the band released their seventh album , A Head Full of Dreams , which reached the top two in most major markets , but received generally mixed reviews . Coldplay have won 62 awards from 209 nominations throughout their career , including nine Brit Awards -- winning Best British Group four times -- five MTV Video Music Awards and seven Grammy Awards from 31 nominations . They have sold more than 80 million records worldwide , making them one of the world 's bestselling music artists . In December 2009 , Rolling Stone readers voted the group the fourth-best artist of the 2000s . Coldplay have supported various social and political causes , such as Oxfam 's Make Trade Fair campaign and Amnesty International . They have also performed at charity projects including Band Aid 20 , Live 8 , Sound Relief , Hope for Haiti Now : A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief , The Secret Policeman 's Ball , Sport Relief and the UK Teenage Cancer Trust ." ]

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[ "Indiana Jones. Henry Walton `` Indiana '' Jones Jr. ( also shortened to Indy ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise . George Lucas created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials . The character first appeared in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark , to be followed by Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984 , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989 , The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles from 1992 to 1996 , and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008 . The character is also featured in novels , comics , video games , and other media . Jones is also featured in the Disney theme park attraction , Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea , as well as the Disneyland Paris attraction Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril . Jones is most famously played by Harrison Ford and has also been portrayed by River Phoenix ( as the young Jones in The Last Crusade ) and in the television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles by Corey Carrier , Sean Patrick Flanery , and George Hall . Doug Lee has supplied the voice of Jones for two LucasArts video games , Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine , David Esch supplied his voice for Indiana Jones and the Emperor 's Tomb , and John Armstrong for Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings . The character is distinguished by his appearance ( bullwhip , fedora , satchel and leather jacket ) , sense of humor , deep knowledge of many ancient civilizations and languages , and fear of snakes . Since his first appearance in Raiders of the Lost Ark , Indiana Jones has become one of cinema 's most famous characters . In 2003 , the American Film Institute ranked him the second greatest film hero of all time . He was also named the 6th Greatest Movie Character by Empire magazine . Entertainment Weekly ranked Indy 2nd on their list of The All-Time Coolest Heroes in Pop Culture . Premiere magazine also placed Indy at number 7 on their list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time .", "Harrison Ford. Harrison Ford ( born July 13 , 1942 ) is an American actor and film producer . He gained worldwide fame for his starring roles as Han Solo in the Star Wars film series and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series . Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in the neo-noir dystopian science fiction film Blade Runner ( 1982 ) ; John Book in the thriller Witness ( 1985 ) , for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor ; and Jack Ryan in the action films Patriot Games ( 1992 ) and Clear and Present Danger ( 1994 ) . His career has spanned six decades and includes roles in several Hollywood blockbusters ; including the epic war film Apocalypse Now ( 1979 ) ; the legal drama Presumed Innocent ( 1990 ) ; the action film The Fugitive ( 1993 ) ; the political action thriller Air Force One ( 1997 ) ; and the psychological thriller What Lies Beneath ( 2000 ) . Six of his films have been inducted into the National Film Registry : American Graffiti ( 1973 ) , The Conversation ( 1974 ) , Star Wars ( 1977 ) , The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) , Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) and Blade Runner . In 1997 , Ford was ranked No. 1 in Empires `` The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time '' list . As of 2016 , the U.S. domestic box-office grosses of Ford 's films total over US$ 4.7 billion , with worldwide grosses surpassing $ 6 billion , making Ford the highest-grossing U.S. domestic box-office star . Ford is married to actress Calista Flockhart .", "Indiana Jones (franchise). The Indiana Jones franchise is an American media franchise based on the adventures of Dr. Henry `` Indiana '' Jones , Jr. , a fictional archaeologist . It began in 1981 with the film Raiders of the Lost Ark. . A prequel , Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom , followed in 1984 , and a sequel , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , was released in 1989 . A fourth film , Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , was released in 2008 , and was the last in the series to be distributed by Paramount Pictures . The series was created by George Lucas ; the films star Harrison Ford and are directed by Steven Spielberg . The Walt Disney Company has owned the Indiana Jones intellectual property since its acquisition of Lucasfilm , the series ' production company , in 2012 . A fifth film is planned for release on July 10 , 2020 , with both Spielberg and Ford returning . The franchise expanded to television in 1992 with the release of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles , a series featuring adventures the character had as a child as he traveled around the world with his father . Marvel Comics began publishing The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones in 1983 , and Dark Horse Comics earned the comic book rights to the character in 1991 . Novelizations of the films have been published , as well as many novels with original adventures , including a series of German novels by Wolfgang Hohlbein , twelve novels set before the films published by Bantam Books , and a series set during the character 's childhood inspired by the television show . Numerous Indiana Jones video games have been released since 1982 .", "Raiders of the Lost Ark. Raiders of the Lost Ark ( also known as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark ) is a 1981 American action adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg , with a screenplay written by Lawrence Kasdan , from a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman . It was produced by Frank Marshall for Lucasfilm Ltd. , with Lucas and Howard Kazanjian as executive producers . Starring Harrison Ford , it was the first installment in the Indiana Jones film franchise to be released , though it is the second in internal chronological order . It pits Indiana Jones ( Ford ) against a group of Nazis who are searching for the Ark of the Covenant , which Adolf Hitler believes will make his army invincible . The film co-stars Karen Allen as Indiana 's former lover , Marion Ravenwood ; Paul Freeman as Indiana 's nemesis , French archaeologist René Belloq ; John Rhys-Davies as Indiana 's sidekick , Sallah ; Ronald Lacey as Gestapo agent Arnold Toht ; and Denholm Elliott as Indiana 's colleague , Marcus Brody . The film originated from Lucas ' desire to create a modern version of the serials of the 1930s and 1940s . Production was based at Elstree Studios , England ; but filming also took place in La Rochelle , France , Tunisia , Hawaii , and California from June to September 1980 . Released on June 12 , 1981 , Raiders of the Lost Ark became the year 's top-grossing film and remains one of the highest-grossing films ever made . It was nominated for eight Academy Awards in 1982 , including Best Picture , and won four for Best Art Direction , Film Editing , Sound , and Visual Effects with a fifth Academy Award : a Special Achievement Award for Sound Effects Editing . The film 's critical and popular success led to three additional films , Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ( 1984 ) , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ( 1989 ) , and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ( 2008 ) , with a fifth slated for 2020 ; the television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles ( 1992 -- 1996 ) , and 15 video games as of 2009 . In 1999 , the film was included in the U.S. Library of Congress ' National Film Registry as having been deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' . Raiders of the Lost Ark is often ranked as one of the greatest films of all time , both in the action-adventure genre , and in general . The film also ranks # 2 on Empire 's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time .", "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a 1984 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg . It is the second installment in the Indiana Jones franchise and a prequel to the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark , featuring Harrison Ford reprising his role as the title character . After arriving in North India , Indiana Jones is asked by desperate villagers to find a mystical stone and rescue their children from a Thuggee cult practicing child slavery , black magic and ritual human sacrifice in honor of the goddess Kali . Executive producer and co-writer George Lucas decided to make the film a prequel as he did not want the Nazis to be the villains again . After three rejected plot devices , Lucas wrote a film treatment that resembled the film 's final storyline . Lawrence Kasdan , Lucas 's collaborator on Raiders of the Lost Ark , turned down the offer to write the script , and Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz were hired as his replacements , with the screenplay partly based upon the 1939 film Gunga Din . The film was released to financial success but mixed reviews , which criticized its violence , later contributing to the creation of the PG-13 rating . However , critical opinion has improved since 1984 , citing the film 's intensity and imagination . Some of the film 's cast and crew , including Spielberg , retrospectively view the film in a negative light , partly due to the film being the darkest and most overtly violent Indiana Jones film . The film has also been the subject of controversy due to its portrayal of India and Hinduism .", "Indiana Jones (disambiguation). Indiana Jones is the title character of a film and media franchise , an archaeologist played by Harrison Ford . Indiana Jones may also refer to : Indiana Jones ( franchise ) , the entertainment franchise based around the character Indiana Jones ( comics ) , comics featuring the character Indiana Jones ( pinball ) , a 1993 pinball machine featuring the character", "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a 2008 American action adventure film . It is the fourth installment in the Indiana Jones series created by George Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg . Released nineteen years after the previous film , the film acknowledges the age of its star Harrison Ford by being set in 1957 . It pays tribute to the science fiction B-movies of the era , pitting Indiana Jones against Soviet agents -- led by Irina Spalko ( Cate Blanchett ) -- searching for a telepathic crystal skull . Indiana is aided by his former lover , Marion Ravenwood ( Karen Allen ) , and their son , Mutt Williams ( Shia LaBeouf ) . Ray Winstone , John Hurt and Jim Broadbent are also part of the supporting cast . Screenwriters Jeb Stuart , Jeffrey Boam , Frank Darabont , and Jeff Nathanson wrote drafts before David Koepp 's script satisfied the producers . Shooting began on June 18 , 2007 , at various locations in New Mexico ; New Haven , Connecticut ; Hawaii ; and Fresno , California , as well as on sound stages in Los Angeles . To maintain aesthetic continuity with the previous films , the crew relied on traditional stunt work instead of computer-generated stunt doubles , and cinematographer Janusz Kamiński studied Douglas Slocombe 's style from the previous films . The film premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival on May 18 , 2008 , and was released worldwide on May 22 , 2008 to generally positive reviews from critics , although audience reception was more mixed . There was significant praise for the performances , action scenes , John Williams ' musical score , and the costume design . Criticism , however , focused on the dialogue , storyline , pacing , and overuse of CGI . It was also a financial success like the previous three films in the series , grossing over $ 786 million worldwide , becoming the franchise 's highest-grossing film when not adjusted for inflation , and the second highest-grossing film of 2008 . Marketing relied heavily on the public 's nostalgia for the series , with products taking inspiration from all four films . Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is also the last film in the series to be distributed by Paramount Pictures , as Walt Disney Studios has become the distributor of its future films , since its parent company 's acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012 . It will be followed by an untitled fifth film planned for release on July 10 , 2020 , in which both Spielberg and Ford will return .", "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg , from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas . It is the third installment in the Indiana Jones franchise . Harrison Ford reprises the title role and Sean Connery plays Indiana 's father , Henry Jones , Sr. . Other cast members featured include Alison Doody , Denholm Elliott , Julian Glover , River Phoenix , and John Rhys-Davies . In the film , set largely in 1938 , Indiana searches for his father , a Holy Grail scholar , who has been kidnapped by Nazis . After the mixed reaction to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom , Spielberg chose to compensate with a film that toned down the violence and gore . During the five years between Temple of Doom and Last Crusade , he and executive producer Lucas reviewed several scripts before accepting Jeffrey Boam 's . Filming locations included Spain , Italy , the United Kingdom , Turkey and Jordan . The film was released in North America on May 24 , 1989 , to mostly positive reviews . It was a financial success , earning $ 474,171,806 at the worldwide box office totals . It won an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing .", "Harrison Ford filmography. Harrison Ford is an American actor and voice actor who has appeared in numerous films . He is known for playing Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , The Temple of Doom ( 1984 ) , The Last Crusade ( 1989 ) and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ( 2008 ) ; Han Solo in Star Wars - A New Hope ( 1977 ) , The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) , Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) , and The Force Awakens ( 2015 ) . He also played Jack Ryan in Patriot Games ( 1992 ) and again in Clear and Present Danger ( 1994 ) . Ford has also appeared in the films Apocalypse Now ( 1979 ) , Blade Runner ( 1982 ) , Witness with Kelly McGillis ( 1985 ) , Working Girl with Melanie Griffith ( 1988 ) , Regarding Henry with Annette Bening ( 1991 ) , The Fugitive with Tommy Lee Jones ( 1993 ) , and Sabrina with Julia Ormond ( 1995 ) . In 1997 , he starred as U.S. President James Marshall in the film Air Force One . He then went on to play Russian submarine Captain Alexei Vostrikov in K-19 : The Widowmaker ( 2002 ) , Colonel Woodrow Dolarhyde in Cowboys & Aliens ( 2011 ) , Branch Rickey in 42 ( 2013 ) and Colonel Hyrum Graff in Ender 's Game ( 2013 ) .", "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 4 , 1992 , to July 24 , 1993 . Filming took place in various locations around the world , with `` Old Indy '' bookend segments filmed in Wilmington , North Carolina and on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington . The series was an Amblin Television/Lucasfilm production in association with Paramount Network Television . The series explores the childhood and youth of the fictional character Indiana Jones and primarily stars Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier as the title character , with George Hall playing an elderly version of Jones for the bookends of most episodes , though Harrison Ford bookended one episode . The show was created and executively produced by George Lucas , who also created , co-wrote and executively produced the Indiana Jones feature films . Due to its enormous budget , the series was canceled in 1993 . However , following the series ' cancellation , four made-for-television films were produced from 1994 to 1996 in an attempt to continue the series . In 1999 , the series was re-edited into 22 television films under the title The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones .", "George Lucas. George Walton Lucas Jr. ( born May 14 , 1944 ) is an American filmmaker and entrepreneur . He is best known as the creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises , as well as the founder of Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic . He was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ( CEO ) of Lucasfilm , before selling it to The Walt Disney Company in 2012 . Upon graduating from the University of Southern California in 1967 , Lucas co-founded American Zoetrope with fellow filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola . Lucas wrote and directed THX 1138 ( 1971 ) , based on his earlier student short Electronic Labyrinth : THX 1138 4EB , which was a critical success but a financial failure . His next work as a writer-director was the film , American Graffiti ( 1973 ) , inspired by his teen years in early 1960s Modesto , California , and produced through the newly founded Lucasfilm . The film was critically and commercially successful , and received five Academy Award nominations including Best Picture . Lucas 's next film , an epic space opera titled Star Wars ( 1977 ) , went through a troubled production process ; however , it was a surprise hit , becoming the highest-grossing film at the time , as well as a winner of six Academy Awards and a cultural phenomenon . Following the first Star Wars film , Lucas produced and co-wrote the following installments in the trilogy , The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) . Along with Steven Spielberg , Lucas co-created and wrote the Indiana Jones films Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , Temple of Doom ( 1984 ) , and The Last Crusade ( 1989 ) . Lucas also produced and wrote a variety of films through Lucasfilm in the 1980s and 1990s . In 1997 , Lucas re-released the original Star Wars trilogy as part of a Special Edition , where he made several alterations to the films ; home media releases with further changes were released in 2004 and 2011 . Lucas also returned to directing with the Star Wars prequel trilogy , consisting of The Phantom Menace ( 1999 ) , Attack of the Clones ( 2002 ) , and Revenge of the Sith ( 2005 ) . He later collaborated on the story for the Indiana Jones sequel Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ( 2008 ) , and served as the story writer and executive producer for the war film , Red Tails ( 2012 ) . Five of Lucas 's seven features are among the 100 highest-grossing movies at the North American box office , adjusted for ticket-price inflation . Lucas is one of the American film industry 's most financially successful filmmakers , and has been personally nominated for four Academy Awards . Lucas is considered a significant figure in the New Hollywood era .", "Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine. Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine is a multi-platform action-adventure video game by LucasArts released in late 1999 . The first 3D installment in the series , its gameplay focuses on solving puzzles , fighting enemies , and various platforming sections . The story told is set between the events of Indiana Jones and the Iron Phoenix and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , and puts the eponymous protagonist , the adventurer Indiana Jones , against the Soviet Union . In a race for a mythological Babylonian power source , he joins forces with the Central Intelligence Agency and collects four pieces of the Infernal Machine , an ancient device that allegedly opens a portal to another dimension . The title was designed , written , and directed by Hal Barwood who considered the Indiana Jones franchise a perfect fit for the action-adventure genre . Initially developed for the Windows 95 and 98 operating systems , the game later received an enhanced Nintendo 64 port jointly developed with Factor 5 , as well as a 2D version for the Game Boy Color created by HotGen . Infernal Machine received generally favorable reviews , having been praised for its detailed storyline and sophisticated level designs , though widely criticized for its unwieldy control scheme .", "References and parodies of Indiana Jones. Since its debut in 1981 , the Indiana Jones franchise has become part of American popular culture . References have been made in television series , movies , music and other material since the original film was released . While many sources will simply reference the characters , some of the most frequently referenced ( and parodied ) scenes include : From Raiders of the Lost Ark , the opening adventure in the Temple of the Chachapoyan Warriors , including seizing the Chachapoyan Fertility Idol and escaping from the different traps , including the rolling boulder trap . From Raiders of the Lost Ark , the final sequence where the Ark of the Covenant is packed into crate 9906753 and stored in Hangar 51 . From Temple of Doom , the scene where Jones rolls under a closing door and reaches back under to pick up his fedora .", "The Fugitive (1993 film). The Fugitive is a 1993 American action-thriller film based on the 1960s television series of the same name created by Roy Huggins . It was directed by Andrew Davis and stars Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones . After being wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife , Dr. Richard Kimble ( Ford ) escapes from custody and sets out to prove his innocence while pursued by a team of U.S. Marshals led by Deputy Samuel Gerard ( Jones ) . The Fugitive premiered in the United States on August 6 , 1993 , and was a major critical and commercial success . It was the third-highest-grossing film of 1993 domestically , with an estimated 44 million tickets sold in the US . It was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture ; Jones won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor . It was followed by a 1998 sequel , U.S. Marshals , in which Jones reprised his role as Gerard .", "Steven Spielberg. Steven Allan Spielberg , , ( born December 18 , 1946 ) is an American director , producer , and screenwriter . He is considered one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era , as well as being viewed as one of the most popular directors and producers in film history . He is also one of the co-founders of DreamWorks Studios . In a career spanning more than four decades , Spielberg 's films have spanned many themes and genres . Spielberg 's early science-fiction and adventure films , such as Jaws ( 1975 ) , Close Encounters of the Third Kind ( 1977 ) , Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) , were seen as archetypes of modern Hollywood escapist filmmaking . In later years , his films began addressing humanistic issues such as the Holocaust , the transatlantic slave trade , civil rights , war , and terrorism in such films as The Color Purple ( 1985 ) , Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) , Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) , Amistad ( 1997 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , Munich ( 2005 ) , War Horse ( 2011 ) , Lincoln ( 2012 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) . His other films include Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) , A.I. Artificial Intelligence ( 2001 ) , and War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) . Spielberg won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler 's List and Saving Private Ryan , as well as receiving five other nominations . Three of Spielberg 's films -- Jaws , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , and Jurassic Park -- achieved box office records , originated and came to epitomize the blockbuster film . The unadjusted gross of all Spielberg-directed films exceeds $ 9 billion worldwide , making him the highest-grossing director in history . His personal net worth is estimated to be more than $ 3 billion . He is also known for his long-standing associations with several actors , producers , and technicians , most notably composer John Williams , who has composed music for all but two of Spielberg 's movies which are The Color Purple and Bridge of Spies .", "Johnny Depp. John Christopher Depp II ( born June 9 , 1963 ) is an American actor , producer , and musician . He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor . He rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street , becoming a teen idol . Depp has taken on the task of challenging himself to portray `` larger-than-life '' roles , starting with a supporting role in Oliver Stone 's Vietnam War film Platoon in 1986 , then playing the title character in the romantic dark fantasy Edward Scissorhands ( 1990 ) . He later found box office success in the fantasy adventure film Sleepy Hollow ( 1999 ) , the fantasy swashbuckler film Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse of the Black Pearl ( 2003 ) and its sequels , the fantasy film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 2005 ) , the fantasy film Alice in Wonderland ( 2010 ) and voicing the title character in the animated action comedy western Rango ( 2011 ) . He has collaborated on nine films with director , producer and friend Tim Burton . Depp is regarded as one of the world 's biggest film stars . He has gained worldwide critical acclaim for his portrayals of such people as screenwriter-director Ed Wood in Ed Wood , undercover FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone in Donnie Brasco , `` gonzo '' journalist Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , cocaine kingpin George Jung in Blow , author J. M. Barrie in Finding Neverland , the Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger in Michael Mann 's Public Enemies , and the Boston gangster Whitey Bulger in Black Mass. . Films featuring Depp have grossed over $ 3.2 billion at the United States box office and over $ 8 billion worldwide . His most commercially successful films are the Pirates of the Caribbean films , which have grossed $ 3 billion , Alice in Wonderland , which grossed $ 1 billion , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , which grossed $ 474 million , and The Tourist , which grossed $ 278 million . Depp has been nominated for major acting awards , including three nominations for Academy Award for Best Actor . Depp won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for The Curse of the Black Pearl . He has been listed in the 2012 Guinness World Records as the highest paid actor , with earnings of $ 75 million . Depp was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2015 .", "Tom Hanks. Thomas Jeffrey Hanks ( born July 9 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles , including Splash ( 1984 ) , Big ( 1988 ) , Turner & Hooch ( 1989 ) , A League of Their Own ( 1992 ) , Sleepless in Seattle ( 1993 ) , Philadelphia ( 1993 ) , Forrest Gump ( 1994 ) , Apollo 13 ( 1995 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , You 've Got Mail ( 1998 ) , The Green Mile ( 1999 ) , Cast Away ( 2000 ) , Road to Perdition ( 2002 ) , and The Da Vinci Code ( 2006 ) , as well as for his voice work in the animated films The Polar Express ( 2004 ) and the Toy Story series . Hanks ' films have grossed more than $ 4.5 billion at U.S. and Canadian box offices and more than $ 9.0 billion worldwide , making him the third-highest-grossing actor in North America . Hanks has been nominated for numerous awards during his career . He won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia , as well as a Golden Globe , an Academy Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award , and a People 's Choice Award for Best Actor for his role in Forrest Gump . In 2004 , he received the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) . In 2014 , he received a Kennedy Center Honor and , in 2016 , he received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama , as well as the French Legion of Honor . Hanks is also known for his collaborations with film director Steven Spielberg on Saving Private Ryan , Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) , The Terminal ( 2004 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) , as well as the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers , which launched Hanks as a successful director , producer , and screenwriter . In 2010 , Spielberg and Hanks were executive producers on the HBO miniseries The Pacific ( a companion piece to Band of Brothers ) .", "Tillson Harrison. Tillson Lever Harrison ( January 7 , 1881 -- January 10 , 1947 ) was a Canadian physician , army officer and adventurer . Moving to New York and enlisting in the United States Army at an early age , he later returned to Canada to attend the University of Toronto before practising as a physician in a number of dangerous positions , such as the Chief of Medical Staff to Pancho Villa and the doctor for the Chinese Labour Corps , a workforce of over 200,000 men . After World War I , he traveled throughout the Middle East , treating venereal disease and operating an X-ray facility in Lod , Israel . After attempting to elope with one of his Middle East hospital patients , Harrison was deported to Canada but managed to jump ship in Morocco and join the Free State Army . In the 1930s , he traveled through 15 countries and dependencies performing medical duties , and served as a ship 's doctor on a liner that crossed the Indian Ocean during World War II . From 1946 until his death , he assisted in the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration ( UNRRA ) in China , saving many lives . By the end of his life , Harrison could speak six languages , had participated in seven wars , and was married to four women at the same time . His daughter Rosalind said that the character Indiana Jones was based on him . According to Rosalind , film producers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg contacted her after her father 's death and conducted a series of interviews , during which she provided an account of his life .", "Jurassic World. Jurassic World is a 2015 American science-fiction adventure film and the fourth installment of the Jurassic Park series . The film was directed and co-written by Colin Trevorrow , produced by Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley , and stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard . The production companies were Steven Spielberg 's Amblin Entertainment , also responsible for the rest of the Jurassic Park franchise , and Thomas Tull 's Legendary Pictures . Set 22 years after the events of Jurassic Park , Jurassic World takes place on the same fictional island of Isla Nublar , off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica , where a theme park populated with cloned dinosaurs has operated for ten years . The park plunges into chaos when a genetically created dinosaur breaks loose and goes on a rampage across the island . Universal Pictures intended to begin production on a fourth Jurassic Park film in 2004 for a summer 2005 release , but the film entered over a decade of development hell while the script went through revisions . Following a suggestion from Spielberg , writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver explored the idea of a functional dinosaur park . Once Trevorrow was hired as director in 2013 , he followed the same idea while developing a whole new script with Derek Connolly . Principal photography rolled from April to August 2014 , primarily in Louisiana while also using the original Jurassic Park filming locations in Hawaii . Again the dinosaurs were created through computer-generated imagery by Industrial Light & Magic and life-sized animatronics by Legacy Effects , a company created by the alumni of Jurassic Park veteran Stan Winston . Jurassic World was completed on May 10 , 2015 , and was released in over 60 countries beginning on June 10 , 2015 . After a record-breaking opening weekend during which it grossed $ 500 million worldwide , Jurassic World generated a total of $ 1.6 billion in box office revenue , standing as the fourth highest-grossing film of all time without inflation adjustment , as well as the second highest-grossing film of 2015 and the highest-grossing film in the franchise . A sequel is scheduled for release on June 22 , 2018 .", "Michael Caine. Sir Michael Caine , ( -LSB- keɪn -RSB- born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr. ; 14 March 1933 ) is an English actor and author . Renowned for his distinctive working class cockney accent , Caine has appeared in over 115 films and is regarded as a British film icon . He made his breakthrough in the 1960s with starring roles in a number of acclaimed British films , including Zulu ( 1964 ) , The Ipcress File ( 1965 ) , Alfie ( 1966 ) , for which he was nominated for an Academy Award , The Italian Job ( 1969 ) , and Battle of Britain ( 1969 ) . His most notable roles in the 1970s included Get Carter ( 1971 ) , The Last Valley , Sleuth ( 1972 ) , for which he earned his second Academy Award nomination , The Man Who Would Be King ( 1975 ) , and A Bridge Too Far ( 1977 ) . He achieved some of his greatest critical success in the 1980s , with Educating Rita ( 1983 ) earning him the BAFTA and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor . In 1986 , he received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Woody Allen 's Hannah and Her Sisters . Caine played Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol ( 1992 ) . Having by that time practically retired from acting on the big screen , he enjoyed a career resurgence in the late 1990s , receiving his second Golden Globe Award for his performance in Little Voice in 1998 and receiving his second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Cider House Rules the following year . Caine played Nigel Powers in the 2002 parody Austin Powers in Goldmember , and Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan 's The Dark Knight Trilogy . He appeared in several other of Nolan 's films including The Prestige ( 2006 ) , Inception ( 2010 ) , and Interstellar ( 2014 ) . He also appeared as a supporting character in Alfonso Cuarón 's Children of Men and Pixar 's 2011 film Cars 2 . As of February 2017 , films in which he has starred have grossed over $ 3.5 billion domestically and over $ 7.8 billion worldwide . Caine is ranked as the twelfth highest grossing box office star . Caine is one of only two actors nominated for an Academy Award for acting in every decade from the 1960s to 2000s ( the other one being Jack Nicholson ; Laurence Olivier was also nominated for an acting Academy Award in five different decades , beginning in 1939 and ending in 1978 ) . In 2000 , Caine was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his contribution to cinema .", "Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular ! is a live amusement show at Disney 's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida . Based on the popular and successful Indiana Jones film franchise , it includes various stunts and live reenacted scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark. . It is executive produced by George Lucas and directed by Jerry Rees , with stunt coordination by Glenn Randall . As part of the show , selected audience members 18 and older are invited to participate as extras in certain scenes .", "Star Wars (film). Star Wars ( later retitled Star Wars : Episode IV -- A New Hope ) is a 1977 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas . The first installment in the Star Wars film series , it stars Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Peter Cushing , and Alec Guinness . David Prowse , James Earl Jones , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , and Peter Mayhew co-star in supporting roles . The film 's plot focuses on the Rebel Alliance , led by Princess Leia ( Fisher ) , and its attempt to destroy the Galactic Empire 's space station , the Death Star . This conflict disrupts the isolated life of farmhand Luke Skywalker ( Hamill ) , who inadvertently acquires a pair of droids that possess stolen architectural plans for the Death Star . When the Empire begins a destructive search for the missing droids , Skywalker accompanies Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi ( Guinness ) on a mission to return the plans to the Rebel Alliance and rescue Leia from her imprisonment by the Empire . Star Wars was released theatrically in the United States on May 25 , 1977 . It earned $ 461 million in the U.S. and $ 314 million overseas , totaling $ 775 million . It surpassed Jaws ( 1975 ) to become the highest-grossing film of all time until the release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) . When adjusted for inflation , Star Wars is the second-highest-grossing film in North America , and the third-highest-grossing film in the world . It received ten Academy Award nominations ( including Best Picture ) , winning seven . It was among the first films to be selected as part of the U.S. Library of Congress ' National Film Registry as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' . At the time , it was the most recent film on the registry and the only one chosen from the 1970s . Its soundtrack was added to the U.S. National Recording Registry in 2004 . Today , it is often regarded as one of the best films of all time , as well as one of the most important films in the history of motion pictures . It launched an industry of tie-in products , including TV series spinoffs , novels , comic books , and video games , and merchandise including toys , games and clothing . The film 's success led to two critically and commercially successful sequels , The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) . Star Wars was reissued multiple times at Lucas ' behest , incorporating many changes including modified computer-generated effects , altered dialogue , re-edited shots , remixed soundtracks , and added scenes . A prequel trilogy was released from 1999 to 2005 , followed by a sequel trilogy beginning in 2015 . In 2016 , Rogue One was released as a direct prequel to the original Star Wars film .", "Oscar Isaac. Oscar Isaac ( born Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada ; March 9 , 1979 ) is a Guatemalan-American actor and musician . He is known for his lead film roles in the comedy-drama Inside Llewyn Davis ( 2013 ) , for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination , the crime drama A Most Violent Year ( 2014 ) and the science fiction thriller Ex Machina ( 2015 ) , in which he played Nathan Hamlet Bateman . In 2006 , he portrayed Saint Joseph , husband of Mary , in The Nativity Story . He also portrayed José Ramos-Horta , former president of East Timor , in the Australian film Balibo for which he won the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role . He has portrayed characters of many different nationalities and ethnicities , such as mixed European , Egyptian , Polish , English , French , Mexican , East Timorese , Italian , Welsh , Indonesian , Greek , Cuban , Israeli , and Armenian . He appeared in Star Wars : The Force Awakens ( 2015 ) , as X-wing pilot Poe Dameron , and in X-Men : Apocalypse ( 2016 ) , as the titular mutant supervillain Apocalypse . He also headlined the HBO miniseries Show Me a Hero , as politician Nick Wasicsko in 2015 , which earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Miniseries or Television Film . In 2016 , Time named Isaac one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list . He also played the lead role of Mikael Boghosian in The Promise ( 2016 ) , a film based on the Armenian Genocide .", "Lego Indiana Jones. Lego Indiana Jones ( stylized as LEGO Indiana Jones ) is a Lego theme based on the Indiana Jones film franchise , licensed from Lucasfilm . The exclusive franchise ( for the ` Construction Category Rights ' ) was first announced in June 2007 , and followed the successful Lego Star Wars franchise , also with Lucasfilm . The first set of products were launched in 2008 , based upon two of the three earlier films ( Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade ) . Sets featuring scenes from the fourth film , Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , were released alongside the film , later in 2008 . The Temple of Doom film was not featured until 2009 , in a large set which re-created the mine-cart chase using new narrow-gauge Lego train track . The theme also features in a video game series . Lego Indiana Jones : The Original Adventures was released on June 3 , 2008 , based on the original trilogy . A sequel , called Lego Indiana Jones 2 : The Adventure Continues , was released in November 2009 , including scenes from the new Kingdom of the Crystal Skull film , along with a level editor feature . A computer-animated short film , Lego Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Brick , directed by Peder Pedersen , was also released on the official Lego site . It combines details from all four Indiana Jones films in one adventure .", "Saturn Award for Best Actor. The Saturn Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction , Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction , fantasy , and horror in film , television , and home video . The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed , who felt that films within those genres were never given the appreciation they deserved . The physical award is a representation of the planet Saturn , surrounded with a ring of film . The award was initially and is still sometimes loosely referred to as a Golden Scroll . The award for Best Actor was first introduced in 1976 for the 1974 and 1975 years , to reward a lead performance by a male actor in film . The record for most awards is held by Robert Downey , Jr. with three wins , with Mark Hamill , Jeff Bridges , and Harrison Ford as the only others to have won more than once , each winning twice . Tom Cruise is the most nominated actor in the category with ten nominations , with Arnold Schwarzenegger being second with seven ( two of which for playing The Terminator ) and Harrison Ford ( all of them for playing either Han Solo or Indiana Jones ) and Robert Downey , Jr. ( three of which for playing Iron Man ) being tied for third with six nominations . Arnold Schwarzenegger also holds the record for most nominations without a victory . Anthony Hopkins and Martin Landau are the only actors to have won the Saturn Award for Best Actor and an Academy Award for the same role ; however , Landau won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and not Best Actor .", "Morgan Freeman. Morgan Freeman ( born June 1 , 1937 ) is an American actor , producer and narrator . Freeman won an Academy Award in 2005 for Best Supporting Actor with Million Dollar Baby ( 2004 ) , and he has received Oscar nominations for his performances in Street Smart ( 1987 ) , Driving Miss Daisy ( 1989 ) , The Shawshank Redemption ( 1994 ) and Invictus ( 2009 ) . He has also won a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award . Freeman has appeared in many other box office hits , including Glory ( 1989 ) , Robin Hood : Prince of Thieves ( 1991 ) , Seven ( 1995 ) , Deep Impact ( 1998 ) , The Sum of All Fears ( 2002 ) , Bruce Almighty ( 2003 ) , The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) , The Lego Movie ( 2014 ) , and Lucy ( 2014 ) . He rose to fame as part of the cast of the 1970s children 's program The Electric Company . Morgan Freeman is ranked as the 4th highest box office star with over $ 4.316 billion total box office gross , an average of $ 74.4 million per film .", "Tropic Thunder. Tropic Thunder is a 2008 satirical action comedy film co-written , produced , and directed by Ben Stiller . Stiller , Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black star as a group of prima donna actors who are making a fictional Vietnam War film . When their frustrated director drops them in the middle of a jungle , they are forced to rely on their acting skills to survive the real action and danger . It was written by Stiller , Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen . The film was an international co-production between Germany , the United Kingdom , and the United States . DreamWorks Pictures and Red Hour Films produced it . Stiller 's idea for the film originated while playing a minor role in Empire of the Sun , and he later enlisted Theroux and Cohen to help complete the script . After the film was green-lit in 2006 , filming took place in 2007 on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i over thirteen weeks and was later deemed the largest film production in the island 's history . The film had an extensive marketing promotion , including faux websites for the three main characters and their fictional films , airing a fictional television special , and selling the energy drink advertised in the film , `` Booty Sweat '' , directed by Dr. Hemlock . The film received generally positive reviews , with critics praising the film 's characters , story , faux trailers , and the performances of Stiller , Downey , and Tom Cruise , though the depiction of the mentally handicapped proved controversial . The film 's soundtrack and score debuted on August 5 , 2008 , before the film 's theatrical release . Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks released the film in the US on August 13 , 2008 . In its North American opening weekend , the film earned $ 26 million and retained the number one position for the first three weekends of release . Downey received Academy Award , BAFTA Award , and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his performance , with both him and Cruise receiving nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture . The film grossed more than $ 188 million worldwide before its release on home video on November 18 , 2008 .", "Jake Gyllenhaal. Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal ( -LSB- ˈdʒɪlənhɑːl -RSB- ; born December 19 , 1980 ) is an American actor . A member of the Gyllenhaal family and the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner , Gyllenhaal began acting as a child with a screen debut in City Slickers ( 1991 ) , followed by roles in A Dangerous Woman ( 1993 ) and Homegrown ( 1998 ) . His breakthrough performance was as Homer Hickam in October Sky ( 1999 ) and he garnered an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Male Lead for playing the title character in the indie cult hit Donnie Darko ( 2001 ) , in which he played a psychologically troubled teenager alongside his older sister , Maggie Gyllenhaal . He subsequently appeared in another indie film , The Good Girl ( 2002 ) and the climate fiction-disaster film The Day After Tomorrow ( 2004 ) , portraying a student caught in a cataclysmic climate event . In 2005 , Gyllenhaal portrayed Anthony `` Swoff '' Swofford in Jarhead , Gwyneth Paltrow 's love interest in Proof , and Jack Twist in Ang Lee 's Brokeback Mountain . For his performance in Brokeback Mountain , he received critical acclaim and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role , the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture , and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Gyllenhaal received further recognition for roles in Zodiac ( 2007 ) , Brothers ( 2009 ) , Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time ( 2010 ) , Love & Other Drugs ( 2010 ) , for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy , Source Code ( 2011 ) , End of Watch ( 2012 ) , Prisoners , Enemy ( both 2013 ) , Nightcrawler ( 2014 ) , Southpaw ( 2015 ) and Nocturnal Animals ( 2016 ) . For Nightcrawler , his performance was widely acclaimed and received rave reviews from critics and he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Drama , the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role , and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role .", "The Da Vinci Code (film). The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American horror mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard , written by Akiva Goldsman , and based on Dan Brown 's 2003 best-selling novel of the same name . The first in the Robert Langdon film series , the film stars Tom Hanks , Audrey Tautou , Ian McKellen , Alfred Molina , Jürgen Prochnow , Jean Reno and Paul Bettany . In the film , Robert Langdon , a professor of religious iconography and symbology from Harvard University , is the prime suspect in the grisly and unusual murder of Louvre curator Jacques Saunière . In the body , the police finds a disconcerting cipher and starts an investigation . A noted British Grail historian named Sir Leigh Teabing tells them that the actual Holy Grail is explicitly encoded in Leonardo da Vinci 's wall painting , The Last Supper . Also searching for the Grail is a secret cabal within Opus Dei , an actual prelature of the Holy See , who wishes to keep the true Grail a secret ; the revelation of this secret would certainly destroy Christianity . The film , like the book , was considered controversial . It was met with especially harsh criticism by the Roman Catholic Church for the accusation that it is behind a two-thousand-year-old cover-up concerning what the Holy Grail really is and the concept that Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene were married and that the union produced a daughter . Many members urged the laity to boycott the film . Two organizations , the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei figure prominently in the story . In the book , Dan Brown claims that the Priory of Sion and '' ... all descriptions of artwork , architecture , documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate '' . The film grossed $ 224 million in its worldwide opening weekend and a total of $ 758 million worldwide , becoming the second highest-grossing film of 2006 behind Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man 's Chest . It was followed by two sequels , Angels & Demons ( 2009 ) and Inferno ( 2016 ) .", "Sean Connery. Sir Thomas Sean Connery KB ( -LSB- ˈʃɔːn_ˈkɒnəri -RSB- born 25 August 1930 ) is a retired Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award , two BAFTA Awards ( one of them being a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award ) and three Golden Globes ( including the Cecil B. DeMille Award and a Henrietta Award ) . He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in July 2000 after receiving Kennedy Center Honors in the US in 1999 . Connery was the first actor to portray the character James Bond in film , starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983 . In 1988 , Connery won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Untouchables . His film career also includes such films as Marnie , The Name of the Rose , The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , The Hunt for Red October , Finding Forrester , Highlander , Murder on the Orient Express , Dragonheart , and The Rock . Connery has been polled as `` The Greatest Living Scot '' and `` Scotland 's Greatest Living National Treasure '' . In 1989 , he was proclaimed `` Sexiest Man Alive '' by People magazine , and in 1999 , at age 69 , he was voted `` Sexiest Man of the Century '' .", "George Hall (actor). George Hall ( November 19 , 1916 -- October 21 , 2002 ) was a Canadian theatre , television , and film actor best remembered by his role as the 93-year-old Indiana Jones in the TV series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles ( 1992 ) . He debuted on Broadway in 1946 . He had a memorable and engaging role as John the butler on the television soap opera The Edge of Night and as Mr. Eldridge in the AMC series Remember WENN , which aired in the mid-1990s . He died on October 21 , 2002 of complications from a stroke .", "Golden Idol. The Fertility Idol , more commonly referred to as the Golden Idol , is a fictitious artifact that appears in the opening sequence of Raiders of the Lost Ark , the first entry in the Indiana Jones adventure film franchise directed by Steven Spielberg . It is the first relic that the audience sees the protagonist Jones acquire , establishing him as a treasure hunter . The idol 's likeness has become iconic in popular culture ." ]

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[ "Brian Wilson. Brian Douglas Wilson ( born June 20 , 1942 ) is an American musician , singer , songwriter , and record producer best known for being the multi-tasking leader and co-founder of the rock band the Beach Boys . After signing with Capitol Records in 1962 , Wilson wrote or co-wrote more than two dozen Top 40 hits for the group . Because of his unorthodox approaches to song composition and arrangement and mastery of recording techniques , he is widely acknowledged , by critics and musicians alike , as one of the most innovative and influential creative forces in popular music . In the mid-1960s , Wilson composed , arranged and produced Pet Sounds ( 1966 ) , considered one of the greatest albums ever made . The intended follow-up to Pet Sounds , Smile , was canceled for various reasons , which included Wilson 's deteriorating mental health . As he suffered repeated nervous breakdowns , Wilson 's contributions to the Beach Boys diminished , and his erratic behavior led to tensions with the band . Following a court-ordered removal from the care of psychologist Eugene Landy , Wilson started receiving conventional medical treatment , and in the late 1990s , he began performing and recording consistently as a solo artist . He remains a member of the Beach Boys ' corporation , Brother Records Incorporated . Wilson is considered a major innovator in the field of music production , the principal originator of the California Sound , one of the first music producer auteurs , and one of the most famous examples of the outsider musician . Only 21 years old when he received the freedom to produce his own records with total creative autonomy , he ignited an explosion of like-minded California producers , supplanting New York as the center of popular records , and becoming the first rock producer to use the studio as its own instrument . Wilson effectively set a precedent that allowed bands and artists to enter a recording studio and act as their own producers or co-producers . His songs became inextricably tied with the zeitgeist of the early 1960s , and he helped develop the sound of the wistful Flower Power era that proceeded . In later years , Wilson was regarded as a `` godfather '' to an era of indie musicians who were inspired by his melodic sensibilities , chamber pop orchestrations , and recording explorations . His honors include being inducted into the 1988 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and winning Grammy Awards for Brian Wilson Presents Smile ( 2004 ) and The Smile Sessions ( 2011 ) . In lists published by Rolling Stone , Wilson ranked 52 for the `` 100 Greatest Singers of All Time '' in 2008 and 12 for the `` 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time '' in 2015 . In 2012 , music publication NME ranked Wilson number 8 in its `` 50 Greatest Producers Ever '' list , elaborating `` few consider quite how groundbreaking Brian Wilson 's studio techniques were in the mid-60s '' . He is an occasional actor and voice actor , having appeared in television shows , films , and other artists ' music videos . His life was portrayed in the 2014 biopic Love & Mercy , which received a wide release in 2015 .", "The Beach Boys. The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne , California , in 1961 . The group 's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian , Dennis , and Carl Wilson ; their cousin Mike Love ; and their friend Al Jardine . Distinguished by their vocal harmonies and early surf songs , they are one of the most influential acts of the rock era . The group , led by their principal songwriter and producer Brian , pioneered novel approaches to popular music form and production , combining their affinities for jazz-based vocal groups , 1950s rock and roll , and black R&B to create their unique sound . He later arranged his compositions for studio orchestras and explored a variety of other styles , often incorporating classical or jazz elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways . The Beach Boys began as a garage band managed by the Wilsons ' father Murry , with Brian 's increasingly sophisticated songwriting and recording abilities dominating their creative direction . Emerging at the vanguard of the `` California Sound '' , they performed original material that reflected a southern California youth culture of surfing , cars , and romance . After 1964 , they abandoned the surfing aesthetic for more personal lyrics and multi-layered sounds . In 1966 , the Pet Sounds album and `` Good Vibrations '' single vaulted the group to the top level of rock innovators and established the band as symbols of the nascent counterculture era . Following the dissolution of the group 's Smile project in 1967 , Brian gradually ceded production and songwriting duties to the rest of the band , reducing his input because of mental health and substance abuse issues . The group 's public image subsequently faltered , and despite efforts to continue their psychedelic/avant-garde ventures and reclaim their hippie audiences , they were dismissed as an embodiment of the values and outlooks shared by early 1960s white , suburban teenagers . The continued success of their greatest hits albums during the mid 1970s precipitated the band 's transition into an oldies act , a move that was denigrated by critics and many fans . Since the 1980s , much-publicized legal wrangling over royalties , songwriting credits and use of the band 's name transpired . Dennis drowned in 1983 and Carl died of lung cancer in 1998 . After Carl 's death , many live configurations of the band fronted by Mike Love and Bruce Johnston continued to tour into the 2000s while other members pursued solo projects . Even though Wilson and Jardine have not performed with Love and Johnston 's band since their one-off 2012 reunion tour , they remain a part of the Beach Boys ' corporation , Brother Records Inc. . The Beach Boys are one of the most critically acclaimed , commercially successful , and widely influential bands of all time . The group had over eighty songs chart worldwide , thirty-six of them US Top 40 hits ( the most by an American rock band ) , four reaching number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . The Beach Boys have sold in excess of 100 million records worldwide , making them one of the world 's best-selling bands of all time and are listed at No. 12 on Rolling Stone magazine 's 2004 list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' . The core quintet of the three Wilsons , Love and Jardine were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 .", "Cultural impact of the Beach Boys. The Beach Boys are an American rock band , formed in Hawthorne , California in 1961 . The group is considered to be one of the most critically acclaimed , commercially successful , and widely influential bands of all time . Their co-founder and principal composer , Brian Wilson , is widely considered one of the most innovative and significant songwriters of the late 20th century . With record sales estimated at over 100 million , they were one of the few American bands formed prior to the 1964 British Invasion to continue their success , and among artists of the 1960s , they are one of few central figures in the histories of rock . From the beginning of their career , the Beach Boys struggled with their reputation and audiences , often being dismissed as a superficial pop group due to their initial target demographic , early songs which celebrated a politically unconscious youth culture , and failure to blend in with the hippie movement . However , while the Beach Boys were at the vanguard of the `` California Sound '' , they helped spur many trends and various musical genres and movements . This includes being one of the first rock groups to exert studio control ; inspiring a higher craft in popular music ; advancing the field of music production ; serving as a primary influence for many punk , alternative , and independent musicians ; and being progenitors for a variety of pop/rock subgenres including vocal surf , psychedelic rock , experimental pop , art rock , progressive rock , power pop , and indie rock .", "The Beach Boys Today!. The Beach Boys Today ! , also known simply as Today ! , is the eighth studio album by the American rock group the Beach Boys . It peaked at number four on US record charts and was preceded by the top 10 singles `` When I Grow Up ( To Be a Man ) '' and `` Dance , Dance , Dance '' , along with `` Do You Wan na Dance ? '' which reached number 12 . Shortly before recording began , the group completed their album All Summer Long ( 1964 ) , intended to be their final statement on beach-themed music . In December 1964 , Brian Wilson suffered through a nervous breakdown while on a flight , and was introduced to marijuana as a stress reliever . He then became a regular user after he realized the profound effect it had on the way he perceived music , and resigned from touring with the group to focus solely on writing and producing . Produced , arranged , and largely written by Wilson with additional lyrics by Mike Love , Today ! signaled a departure from previous albums through Wilson 's increasingly sophisticated , orchestral approach and the abandonment of themes related to surfing , cars , or teenage love . The tracks on side one feature an uptempo sound that contrasts side two , which consists mostly of ballads . With instrumentation that includes accordions , harpsichords , French horn , tack pianos , mandolins , and sleigh bells , the album showcases adventurous and distinct arrangements , multi-layered Wall of Sound productions , and personal , autobiographical subject matter that would foreshadow future albums such as Pet Sounds ( 1966 ) . Today ! established the Beach Boys as album artists rather than just a singles band . Author Scott Schinder referred to its `` suite-like structure '' as an early example of the rock album format being used to make a cohesive artistic statement . In 2012 , the album was voted 271 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the `` 500 Greatest Albums of All Time '' . In 2005 , it was included in the musical reference book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die .", "The Beach Boys (disambiguation). The Beach Boys are an American rock group formed in California in 1961 . The Beach Boys or Beach Boy may also refer to :", "Brian Wilson (disambiguation). Brian Wilson ( born 1942 ) is an American musician and one of the original members of The Beach Boys . Brian Wilson may also refer to :", "Musicianship of Brian Wilson. The songwriting of American musician Brian Wilson , co-founder and multi-tasking leader of the Beach Boys , is widely considered to be among the most innovative and significant of the late 20th century . His combined arranging , producing , and songwriting skills also made him a major innovator in the field of music production . In a 1966 article that asks `` Do the Beach Boys rely too much on sound genius Brian ? '' brother and bandmate Carl Wilson responded that every member of the group contributes ideas , but admitted that Brian was most responsible for their music . Dennis Wilson is quoted : `` Brian Wilson is the Beach Boys . He is the band . We 're his fucking messengers . He is all of it . Period . We 're nothing . He 's everything . '' Wilson cultivated his skills from an early age , learning how to play a toy accordion before moving on to piano . On his 16th birthday , he received a Wollensak tape recorder that allowed him to experiment with recording songs and early group vocals . With the exception of some college courses , his understanding of music theory was self-taught . Most of his education in music composition came from deconstructing the harmonies of his favorite vocal group , the Four Freshmen , whose reportoire included songs by George Gershwin , Jerome Kern , and Cole Porter . Another major influence came from the Ronettes ' 1963 song `` Be My Baby '' . For the decades that followed , Wilson fixated on Phil Spector 's Wall of Sound technique showcased in `` Be My Baby '' and similar records . He learned more about producing from attending Spector 's recording sessions , and after that , received some production advice from Jan Berry . In 1966 , Wilson explained his writing process as going to the piano and finding `` feels , '' which he describes as `` brief note sequences , fragments of ideas , '' and that `` once they 're out of my head and into the open air , I can see them and touch them firmly . They 're not ` feels ' anymore . '' Some of his stylistic markers include slash chords , key modulations , `` stepwise falloffs '' , the use of minor seventh chords drawn from Burt Bacharach , and a tendency for his harmonic progressions to wander far from the tonal center . Musicologist Daniel Harrison notes that `` even the least distinguished of the Beach Boys ' early uptempo rock 'n' roll songs show traces of structural complexity at some level ; Brian was simply too curious and experimental to leave convention alone . '' Lyrics were usually written by an outside collaborator after the melody and chord patterns were established . Only 21 years old when he received the freedom to produce his own records with total creative autonomy , he ignited an explosion of like-minded California producers , supplanting New York as the center of popular records , and becoming the first rock producer to use the studio as a discrete instrument . He used recording sessions as fertile creative terrain in and of themselves , a practice which was unheard of in his time and later shorthanded as `` playing the studio '' . The positive commercial response to Brian 's structurally irregular and harmonically varied pop compositions gave him the prestige , resources , and courage to further his creative aspirations . Using major Hollywood recording studios , Wilson arranged many of his compositions for a conglomerate of session musicians informally known as the Wrecking Crew . Their assistance was needed because of the increasingly complicated nature of his music . He proceeded to explore many unusual combinations of instruments while emphasizing inventive percussion and progressively ambitious lyricism .", "The Beach Boys lineups. The Beach Boys began in 1961 when brothers Brian , Carl and Dennis Wilson formed a rock band with their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine . Since then , the band has undergone many variations in composition , with representation by fill-ins onstage as often as not as original personnel pursued other careers , hired , or rehired , took extended breaks for medical reasons , or died . Wilson neighbor David Marks appeared on their first four albums , played with the group in its formative stages , and was a member from 1962 to 1963 as a replacement for Jardine , who had left the group to attend college . Jardine returned to the band in 1963 as an onstage fill-in for Brian , who was already feeling the stresses of touring . Marks rejoined the band in 1997 , during Carl 's last illness , and remained with them for two years . In 1965 , Bruce Johnston became a member and also filled in on bass and sang some of Brian 's parts live . In 1972 , drummer Ricky Fataar and guitarist/bassist Blondie Chaplin joined the band , while Johnston had officially resigned from the group . In 1973 and 1974 Fataar and Chaplin left . In 1979 , Johnston returned .", "The Beach Boys (album). The Beach Boys is the twenty-fifth studio album by American rock band The Beach Boys , released on June 10 , 1985 . Produced by Steve Levine , the album is the band 's first recording after the drowning death of founding member Dennis Wilson . It was also the band 's first album to be recorded digitally . It was also the last album released by James William Guercio 's Caribou Records .", "The 50th Reunion Tour. The 50th Reunion Tour was a 2012 world concert tour by The Beach Boys , an American rock band . The tour marked the first time since 1965 that founding member Brian Wilson had performed on a full tour with the band , although from 1965 to 1996 he did join them in select shows and appearances . The tour also marked the first time that The Beach Boys had played at the Hollywood Bowl since 1967 , having sold it out both times . Brian Wilson stated that this Beach Boys tour , and the album associated with it , That 's Why God Made the Radio , which was released in June 2012 , is dedicated to the memory of his two brothers : Carl who died of cancer in 1998 , and Dennis , who drowned in 1983 .", "The Beach Boys: An American Family. The Beach Boys : An American Family is a 2000 miniseries written by Kirk Ellis and directed by Jeff Bleckner . It is a dramatization of the early years of The Beach Boys , from their formation in the early 1960s to their peak of popularity as musical innovators , through their late-1960s decline ( and Brian Wilson 's beginning battle with mental illness ) , to their re-emergence in 1974 as a nostalgia and `` goodtime '' act . The movie was shown in two parts on ABC Television , and featured a good deal of original studio and session material by the band , which forms the backdrop to the story . Music that could n't be licensed for the production , but was important to the story ( such as the Smile album sessions , and music by criminal Charles Manson , who had collaborated with Dennis Wilson ) , was filled in with sound-alikes , reminiscent of the original recordings . In 2000 , Brian Wilson stated of the film : `` I did n't like it , I thought it was in poor taste . ... And it stunk . I thought it stunk ! '' He elaborated further : `` I did n't like the second part . It was n't really true to the way things were . I 'd like to see another movie if it was done right . But I just sort of turned my back to this one , or my other cheek , or whatever you wan na call it . It was best just to ignore it because it really was n't true to life . ''", "Brian Wilson (song). `` Brian Wilson '' is a song written by Steven Page for Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies as a tribute to the Beach Boys ' co-founder Brian Wilson . It was released as a single from the band 's debut studio album , Gordon ( 1992 ) , peaking at number 18 on the Canadian Singles Chart and number 68 on the US Billboard Hot 100 . In 2000 , Wilson responded with a cover version that was released on his live album Live at the Roxy Theatre .", "Friends (The Beach Boys album). Friends is the 14th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys , released on June 24 , 1968 through Capitol Records . It was initially met with a mild critical reception and peaked at number 126 on the US Billboard charts for what was then group 's worst chart performance to date . In the UK , the album peaked at number 13 . Many of the album 's songs were inspired by Transcendental Meditation and the group 's recent interactions with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi . It was the third consecutive album to credit `` the Beach Boys '' as producer instead of Brian Wilson , and the first to feature significant songwriting contributions from Dennis Wilson . One single was issued from the album : `` Friends '' ( backed with `` Little Bird '' ) , reaching number 47 in the US .", "The Beach Boys Love You. The Beach Boys Love You is the 21st studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys , released on April 11 , 1977 . Originally planned as a Brian Wilson solo outing named Brian Loves You , the album is almost entirely written and performed by Wilson , with the other band members mainly serving as additional lead vocalists . Penned during a process of mental and drug rehabilitation for Wilson , the album relies heavily on 1970s analog synthesizers , while the lyrics tend to be autobiographic or conversational . It was initially received with a sharp divide between fans and critics , peaking at number 53 on US record charts . One single was issued from the album : `` Honkin ' Down the Highway '' backed with `` Solar System '' . Love You has been recognized as an early work of synth-pop , a forerunner to new wave experiments , and an idiosyncratic and creative oddity in the Beach Boys ' canon . After being asked where somebody should begin with the Beach Boys discography , Wilson answered : `` Pet Sounds first , then listen to The Beach Boys Love You . '' A follow-up album , Adult Child , was completed by the group , but left unreleased . Love You would remain the last album written and produced by Wilson for the next 11 years -- his debut solo LP Brian Wilson ( 1988 ) marked his comeback .", "Good Vibrations. `` Good Vibrations '' is a song composed and produced by Brian Wilson with words by Mike Love for the American rock band the Beach Boys . Released as a single in October 1966 , it was an immediate critical and commercial hit , topping record charts in several countries including the US and UK . Characterized by its complex soundscapes , episodic structure , and subversions of pop music formula , it was the most costly single ever recorded at the time of its release . `` Good Vibrations '' later became widely acclaimed as one of the greatest masterpieces of rock music . Initiated during the sessions for the album Pet Sounds ( 1966 ) , it was not taken from or issued as a lead single for an album , but rather as a stand-alone single , with the Pet Sounds instrumental `` Let 's Go Away for Awhile '' as the B-side . It was envisioned for the unfinished album Smile , but instead appeared on the substitute LP Smiley Smile ( 1967 ) . Most of the song was developed as it was recorded . Its title derived from Wilson 's fascination with cosmic vibrations , after his mother once told him as a child that dogs sometimes bark at people in response to their `` bad vibrations '' . He used the concept to suggest extrasensory perception , while Love 's lyrics were inspired by the Flower Power movement that was then burgeoning in Southern California . The making of `` Good Vibrations '' was unprecedented for any kind of recording , with a total production cost estimated between $ 50,000 and $ 75,000 ( equivalent to $ and $ in ) . Building upon the multi-layered approach he had formulated with Pet Sounds , Wilson recorded the song in different sections at four Hollywood studios from February to September 1966 , resulting in a cut-up mosaic of several musical episodes marked by disjunctive key and modal shifts . Band publicist Derek Taylor dubbed the unusual work a `` pocket symphony '' . It contained previously untried mixes of instruments , including jaw harp and Electro-Theremin , and was the first pop hit to have a cello playing juddering rhythms . Virtually every pop music critic recognizes `` Good Vibrations '' as one of the most important compositions and recordings of the entire rock era , and it is regularly hailed as one of the finest pop productions of all time . For the song , Wilson is credited with further developing the use of the recording studio as an instrument . The single revolutionized rock music from live concert performances to studio productions which could only exist on record , heralding a wave of pop experimentation and the onset of psychedelic and progressive rock . Although it does not technically feature a theremin , it is frequently cited for having one , which led to the instrument 's revival and to an increased interest in analog synthesizers . Its success earned the Beach Boys a Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Group performance in 1966 ; the song was eventually inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1994 . `` Good Vibrations '' was voted number one in the Mojo '' 's `` Top 100 Records of All Time '' number six on Rolling Stone '' s `` 500 Greatest Songs of All Time '' , and was included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 's `` 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll '' .", "Pet Sounds. Pet Sounds is the eleventh studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys , released on May 16 , 1966 . It initially met with a lukewarm critical and commercial response in the United States , peaking at number 10 in the Billboard 200 , a significantly lower placement than the band 's preceding albums . In the United Kingdom , the album was hailed by its music press and was an immediate commercial success , peaking at number 2 in the UK Top 40 Albums Chart and remaining among the top ten positions for six months . Pet Sounds has subsequently gathered worldwide acclaim from critics and musicians alike , and is widely considered to be one of the most influential albums in music history . The album was produced and arranged by Brian Wilson , who also wrote and composed almost all of its music . Most of the recording sessions were conducted between January and April 1966 , a year after he had quit touring with the Beach Boys in order to focus more attention on writing and recording . For Pet Sounds , Wilson 's goal was to create `` the greatest rock album ever made '' -- a personalized work with no filler tracks . It is sometimes considered a Wilson solo album , repeating the themes and ideas he had introduced with The Beach Boys Today ! one year earlier . The album 's lead single , `` Caroline , No '' , was issued as his official solo debut . It was followed by two singles credited to the group : `` Would n't It Be Nice '' ( backed with `` God Only Knows '' ) and `` Sloop John B '' . Collaborating with lyricist Tony Asher , Wilson 's symphonic arrangements wove elaborate layers of vocal harmonies , coupled with sound effects and unusual instruments such as bicycle bells , buzzing organs , harpsichords , flutes , Electro-Theremin , trains , Hawaiian-sounding string instruments , Coca-Cola cans , and barking dogs , along with the more usual keyboards and guitars . Unified by Wall of Sound-style production techniques , the album comprised Wilson 's `` pet sounds '' , consisting mainly of introspective songs like `` You Still Believe in Me '' , about faithfulness , `` I Know There 's an Answer '' , a critique of LSD users , and `` I Just Was n't Made for These Times '' , an autobiographical statement on social alienation ( as well as the first use of a theremin-like instrument on a rock record ) . Recording was completed on April 13 , 1966 , with an unprecedented total production cost that exceeded $ 70,000 ( equivalent to $ in ) . A follow-up album , Smile , was immediately planned , but left unfinished . In 1997 , a `` making-of '' version of Pet Sounds was supervised by Wilson and released as The Pet Sounds Sessions , containing the album 's first true stereo mix . Pet Sounds is regarded by musicologists as an early concept album that advanced the field of music production , introducing non-standard harmonies and timbres , and incorporating elements of pop , jazz , exotica , classical , and the avant-garde . A heralding work of psychedelia , the album furthered an aesthetic trend within rock by helping it transform from dance music into music that was made for listening to , elevating itself to the level of art rock . Author Bill Martin said that Pet Sounds represents a turning point where the Beach Boys `` brought expansions in harmony , instrumentation ( and therefore timbre ) , duration , rhythm , and the use of recording technology . Of these elements , the first and last were the most important in clearing a pathway toward the development of progressive rock . '' In 2004 , Pet Sounds was preserved in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant . '' One year earlier , Rolling Stone ranked it second on its list of the `` 500 Greatest Albums of All Time '' . As of 2015 , Acclaimed Music lists Pet Sounds as the most statistically acclaimed album of all time .", "I Get Around. `` I Get Around '' is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for American rock band the Beach Boys . It was released as a single in May 1964 with `` Do n't Worry Baby '' as its B-side and became the group 's first number-one charting song in the United States . In the United Kingdom , it charted at number seven and was the band 's first top ten single there . It was included as the opening track on their studio album All Summer Long in July 1964 . An autobiographical narrative , `` I Get Around '' begins with a multi-part a cappella introduction that quickly shifts into rock-style verses sung by Mike Love and a pop chorus sung in falsetto by Brian Wilson , who also produced and arranged the song . During its recording session , Wilson 's father Murry was relieved of his duties as the group 's manager . In 2017 , `` I Get Around '' was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame .", "Love & Mercy (film). Love & Mercy ( stylized as love & mercy ) is a 2014 American biographical drama film directed and co-produced by Bill Pohlad , co-produced by Claire Rudnick-Polstein and John Wells and written by Michael Alan Lerner and Oren Moverman . The film , deriving its title from the 1988 song by Wilson , focuses on musician-songwriter Brian Wilson , co-founder of the Beach Boys , during the 1960s and 1980s , presenting the film in a nonlinear narrative . Paul Dano and John Cusack star as the young and middle-aged Wilson , respectively , with Elizabeth Banks as Wilson 's second wife Melinda Ledbetter , and Paul Giamatti as Wilson 's psychotherapist Dr. Eugene Landy . The film premiered in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7 , 2014 and was released by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions on June 5 , 2015 . It grossed $ 28.6 million over a $ 10 million budget , a moderate commercial success , and received critical acclaim from reviewers , lauded for its unorthodox style , original score by Atticus Ross , Dano 's performance as Wilson in the 1960s , and scenes that closely recreated Wilson 's advanced studio recording methods during the making of Pet Sounds ( 1966 ) . Wilson -- who had little involvement during development -- praised the film for being `` very factual . '' It was nominated for two Golden Globes : Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture ( Paul Dano ) and Best Original Song ( `` One Kind of Love '' ) .", "That's Why God Made the Radio. That 's Why God Made the Radio is the twenty-ninth studio album by American rock band The Beach Boys , released on June 5 , 2012 on Capitol Records . Produced by Brian Wilson , the album was recorded to coincide with the band 's 50th anniversary . It is their first album to feature original material since Summer in Paradise in 1992 , their first album to feature guitarist and backing vocalist David Marks since Little Deuce Coupe in 1963 , and their first album since the 1998 death of co-founder Carl Wilson . Preceded by the single `` That 's Why God Made the Radio '' , the album reached number 3 on the Billboard 200 and was their highest charting studio album of new material since 1965 , placing them second all-time with longest span of top 10 albums at 49 years .", "Beach Boys' Party!. Beach Boys ' Party ! is the tenth studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys , and their third in 1965 , consisting mostly of cover songs played with acoustic instruments . The album reached number 6 in the US and number 3 in the UK . It spawned one single , a cover of the Regents ' `` Barbara Ann '' , which reached number 2 in the US . In the UK , it became the Beach Boys ' highest performing single yet , reaching number 3 in early 1966 . The album was created to buy time for Brian Wilson to produce Pet Sounds ( 1966 ) , their next studio album . The original release of Party ! included a sheet of photographs which misleadingly depicted the band at a party . The album was actually recorded in a music studio , presented as an impromptu live recording of a party with informal chatter by friends and family overdubbed later . Because of its stripped-down approach , Party ! is considered the first `` unplugged '' album . In 2015 , Capitol issued Beach Boys ' Party ! Uncovered and Unplugged , an 81-track expansion and remix of Party ! .", "Collapse of Smile. The collapse of Smile -- the projected 12th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys -- is often reported as the pivotal episode in their decline , as well as the decline of their principal songwriter Brian Wilson . The cancellation has been attributed to several factors : internal resistance towards the project ; legal battles with Capitol Records ; the prolonged formation of Brother Records ; technical difficulties with recording ; Carl Wilson 's draft battle ; and Brian Wilson 's escalating substance abuse , mental health issues , and creative dissatisfaction . The original Smile sessions spanned February 1966 -- May 1967 . A stopgap album , Smiley Smile , was recorded throughout June 1967 and released three months later in September . Smile was abandoned and left incomplete while Wilson gradually abdicated his leadership of the band and retreated from the public eye ; over the ensuing decades , he became disabled by his mental health problems to fluctuating degrees . Following his reemergence as a solo artist , in 2004 , Wilson completed a rerecorded version of the album : Brian Wilson Presents Smile .", "Summer in Paradise. Summer in Paradise is the 27th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys , released on August 3 , 1992 on Brother Records . Produced by Terry Melcher , it has been described as the band 's critical and commercial low point . It was the first and only studio album not to feature any new contributions from founding member Brian Wilson . The Beach Boys did not record another album of original material until That 's Why God Made the Radio in 2012 . Summer in Paradise was left out of Capitol 's Beach Boys re-issue campaign in 2000 and 2001 , and is currently out of print .", "I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir. I Am Brian Wilson : A Memoir is an autobiographic memoir of American songwriter-musician Brian Wilson , co-founder of the Beach Boys . It was written through several months of interviews with ghostwriter Ben Greenman . The book was published by Da Capo Press on October 11 , 2016 , coinciding one month after the release of co-founder Mike Love 's autobiography : Good Vibrations : My Life as a Beach Boy . I Am Brian Wilson supersedes Would n't It Be Nice : My Own Story , Wilson 's disowned autobiography published in 1991 .", "Smile (The Beach Boys album). Smile ( stylized as SMiLE ) was a projected album by American rock band the Beach Boys intended to follow their 11th studio album , Pet Sounds ( 1966 ) . After bandleader Brian Wilson abandoned large portions of music recorded over a ten-month period , the band substituted its release with Smiley Smile ( 1967 ) , an album containing stripped-down remakes of some Smile material . Some of the original Smile tracks eventually found their way onto subsequent Beach Boys ' studio and compilation albums . As more fans learned of the project 's origins , details of its recordings acquired considerable mystique , and it was later acknowledged as the most legendary unreleased album in the history of popular music . Working with lyricist Van Dyke Parks , Smile was composed as a multi-thematic concept album , existing today in its unfinished and fragmented state as an unordered series of abstract musical vignettes . Its genesis came during the recording of Pet Sounds , when Wilson began recording a new single , `` Good Vibrations '' . The track was created by an unprecedented recording technique : over 90 hours of tape was recorded , spliced , and reduced into a three-minute pop song . It quickly became the band 's biggest international hit yet ; Smile was to be produced in a similar fashion . Wilson touted the album as `` a teenage symphony to God '' , incorporating a range of music styles including psychedelic , doo-wop , barbershop singing , ragtime , yodeling , early American folk , classical music , and avant-garde explorations into noise and musical acoustics . Its projected singles were `` Heroes and Villains '' , a Western musical comedy , and `` Vega-Tables '' , a satire of physical fitness . The album 's collapse has been attributed to several personal , technical , and legal issues which surrounded its making . The majority of its backing tracks were completed between August and December 1966 . A deadline set for January 1967 was missed , and Parks soon distanced himself from the project . In June , the Beach Boys reconvened at Brian 's makeshift home studio to record Smiley Smile . Many attempts were then made to complete the original Smile , most of which were derailed by Wilson , who became psychologically traumatized by the album . It was in the 1980s when bootlegged tracks from Smile began circulating widely among record collectors , encouraging others to assemble their own versions using what surviving recordings were available . The potential of what Smile could have been inspired many musicians , particularly those in indie rock , while the album 's saga became a touchstone for chamber pop and the more art-inclined sectors of post-punk . As a solo artist , Wilson reinterpreted the project for concert performances in 2004 , and then followed up with the studio album Brian Wilson Presents Smile . Although he had ostensibly completed the work , Wilson clarified that his 2004 arrangement differed substantially from how he had first conceptualized the album during the 1960s . On October 31 , 2011 , The Smile Sessions was released containing an approximation of what the Beach Boys ' completed Smile might have sounded like based on the structure of Brian Wilson Presents Smile . It received universal acclaim . In 2012 , the compilation was ranked number 381 in Rolling Stone 's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list . In 2013 , it won the Best Historical Album award at the 55th Grammy Awards .", "Carl Wilson. Carl Dean Wilson ( December 21 , 1946 -- February 6 , 1998 ) was an American musician , singer , songwriter , and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys . He is best remembered as their lead guitarist and as the youngest brother of bandmates Brian and Dennis Wilson . Influenced by the guitar playing of Chuck Berry and the Ventures , Carl 's initial role in the group was that of lead guitarist and backing vocals , but he performed lead vocals on several of their hits , including `` God Only Knows '' ( 1966 ) and `` Good Vibrations '' ( 1966 ) . Unlike other members of the band , he often played alongside the studio musicians employed during the group 's critical and commercial peak in the mid 1960s . After Brian began withdrawing from the group , Carl was forced to take a more active production role , and he became the band 's musical director on stage from 1965 until his death from lung cancer in 1998 . During the 1980s , he attempted to launch a solo career , releasing the albums Carl Wilson ( 1981 ) and Young Blood ( 1983 ) . Shortly before his death , he recorded material with Gerry Beckley and Robert Lamm , later released for the posthumous album Like a Brother ( 2000 ) . In 1988 , Carl was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Beach Boys .", "Friends (The Beach Boys song). `` Friends '' is a song written by Brian Wilson , Carl Wilson , Dennis Wilson and Al Jardine for the American rock band The Beach Boys . It was released on their 1968 album Friends . It was also released as a single , with `` Little Bird '' as the B-side . The single peaked at # 47 in the U.S. and # 25 in the U.K. . The song was recorded in March 1968 .", "The Beach Boys: An American Band. The Beach Boys : An American Band is a 1985 biographical musical film directed by Malcolm Leo . The movie is a biography of the American rock band The Beach Boys , with interviews , concert footage and clips from movies and television shows in which they appeared . Currently , it is sold as a double feature , paired with the documentary '' I Just Was n't Made for These Times ' .", "Imagination (Brian Wilson album). Imagination is the fourth studio album by Brian Wilson , and his second release of new original studio material . It was issued in 1998 on Giant Records and distributed by Warner Music Group . The album received moderately favorable reviews upon its release , though its commercial performance was relatively weak . Its best-known track is `` Your Imagination '' , a Top 20 hit on adult contemporary radio . The second single , `` South American '' , was co-written by Jimmy Buffett . Wilson dedicated the album to his brother Carl Wilson , who died of cancer earlier in the year . Joe Thomas worked with Wilson as the album 's co-producer . He was held responsible by many critics for the album 's style and production . Shortly after its release , Wilson filed a suit against Thomas , seeking damages and a declaration which freed him to work on his next album without involvement from Thomas . They would not work together again until many years later for the albums That 's Why God Made the Radio ( 2012 ) and No Pier Pressure ( 2015 ) .", "All Summer Long (album). All Summer Long is the sixth studio album by the Beach Boys and their second in 1964 . It rose to number four in the US during a forty-nine-week chart stay , and was certified gold by the RIAA . `` I Get Around '' preceded the album 's release by some two months and quickly raced to become their first number one single in the US ; they also had a UK Top 10 debut with a number seven peak . The album 's sessions were recorded in the aftermath of the British Invasion , marking a major turning point in the Beach Boys ' career , and in bandleader/primary songwriter Brian Wilson as an artist . All Summer Long was to be their final album which reveled in beach culture . Songs from this album are also featured on the EP Four by the Beach Boys .", "Dennis Wilson. Dennis Carl Wilson ( December 4 , 1944 -- December 28 , 1983 ) was an American musician , singer , and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys . He is best remembered as their drummer and as the middle brother of bandmates Brian and Carl Wilson . Dennis was the only true surfer in the Beach Boys , and his personal life exemplified the `` California Myth '' that the band 's early songs often celebrated . He was also known for his brief association with then-aspiring songwriter Charles Manson , who was later convicted of murder conspiracy . Dennis served mainly on drums and backing vocals for the Beach Boys from its formation until his death in 1983 . It is often erroneously stated that Dennis ' drumming in the band 's recordings was filled in exclusively by studio musicians . His drumming is documented on a number of the group 's singles , including `` I Get Around '' ( 1964 ) , `` Fun , Fun , Fun '' ( 1964 ) , and `` Do n't Worry Baby '' ( 1964 ) . While he was allowed few lead vocals in the 1960s , his prominence as a singer-songwriter increased into the 1970s . His original songs for the group included `` Little Bird '' ( 1968 ) , `` Forever '' ( 1970 ) , and `` Slip On Through '' ( 1970 ) . Although uncredited , Wilson helped pen `` You Are So Beautiful '' , a hit for Joe Cocker in 1974 . His music has been characterized for reflecting `` his edginess and exhibited little of his happy charm , setting it apart from Brian 's music . ... By all appearances the happy-go-lucky Beach Boy , Dennis Wilson lived out the proverbial live-fast-die-young motto . ... His wild side masked an underside that was , by turns , brooding , self-loathing , sensitive , and anxious . '' Wilson 's only solo album , Pacific Ocean Blue ( 1977 ) , was released to warm reviews , but a moderate commercial reception . Written and recorded over a span of several years , the album peaked on US record charts at number 96 during a 12-week stay . Sessions for a follow-up , Bambu , disintegrated before his death in 1983 . Five years later , Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Beach Boys .", "The Beach Boys timeline. The Beach Boys were a rock group from Hawthorne , California . This timeline chronicles their activities . Recording sessions and concert performances are omitted unless historically exceptional . __ NOTOC __", "Stars and Stripes Vol. 1. Stars and Stripes Vol . 1 is the 28th studio album by American rock band The Beach Boys , released on August 19 , 1996 on River North Records . Produced by Joe Thomas and Brian Wilson , Stars and Stripes Vol . 1 is a collaborative album between The Beach Boys and various country musicians . Despite its Vol . 1 sub-title , the album is the band 's only venture into the genre of country pop music , and is the last studio album to feature founding member Carl Wilson who died in 1998 . Brian Wilson , at the time recently remarried and in his best mental state for many years , was persuaded to re-join the group and act as co-producer . According to Brian 's wife Melinda , during the album 's recording , `` They -LSB- the Beach Boys -RSB- treated him -LSB- Brian -RSB- like an invalid , all the time saying , ` Do this , do n't do that , are you okay ? ' '' The album 's failure prevented him from getting a record contract , leaving the group 's highly anticipated Andy Paley collaborations in limbo ." ]

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[ "The Great Gatsby (2013 film). The Great Gatsby is a 2013 Australian-American period drama film based on F. Scott Fitzgerald 's 1925 novel of the same name . The film was co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the eponymous Jay Gatsby , with Tobey Maguire , Carey Mulligan , Joel Edgerton and Elizabeth Debicki in supporting roles . Production began in 2011 and took place in Australia , with $ 105 million budget . The film follows the life and times of millionaire Jay Gatsby and his neighbor Nick ( Maguire ) , who recounts his encounter with Gatsby at the height of the Roaring Twenties in New York state . The film polarized critics , receiving both praise and criticism for its acting performances , soundtrack , visual style , and direction . Audiences responded much more positively , and F. Scott Fitzgerald 's granddaughter praised the film , stating `` Scott would have been proud . '' As of 2016 , it is Baz Luhrmann 's highest-grossing film , having earned over $ 350 million worldwide . At the 86th Academy Awards , the film won in both of its nominated categories : Best Production Design and Best Costume Design .", "The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922 . The story primarily concerns the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion and obsession for the beautiful former debutante Daisy Buchanan . Considered to be Fitzgerald 's magnum opus , The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence , idealism , resistance to change , social upheaval , and excess , creating a portrait of the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties that has been described as a cautionary tale regarding the American Dream . Fitzgerald -- inspired by the parties he had attended while visiting Long Island 's north shore -- began planning the novel in 1923 , desiring to produce , in his words , `` something new -- something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned . '' Progress was slow , with Fitzgerald completing his first draft following a move to the French Riviera in 1924 . His editor , Maxwell Perkins , felt the book was vague and persuaded the author to revise over the next winter . Fitzgerald was repeatedly ambivalent about the book 's title and he considered a variety of alternatives , including titles that referenced the Roman character Trimalchio ; the title he was last documented to have desired was Under the Red , White , and Blue . First published by Scribner 's in April 1925 , The Great Gatsby received mixed reviews and sold poorly ; in its first year , the book sold only 20,000 copies . Fitzgerald died in 1940 , believing himself to be a failure and his work forgotten . However , the novel experienced a revival during World , and became a part of American high school curricula and numerous stage and film adaptations in the following decades . Today , The Great Gatsby is widely considered to be a literary classic and a contender for the title `` Great American Novel . '' In 1998 , the Modern Library editorial board voted it the 20th century 's best American novel and second best English-language novel of the same time period .", "Jay Gatsby. Jay Gatsby ( born James `` Jimmy '' Gatz ) is the title character of the 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald novel The Great Gatsby . The character , a wealthy man and the owner of a luxurious mansion where extravagant parties are often hosted , is described by the novel 's narrator , Nick Carraway , as being `` the single most hopeful person I 've ever met '' .", "The Great Gatsby (2000 film). The Great Gatsby is a 2000 British-American romantic drama television film , based on the 1925 novel of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald . It stars Toby Stephens in the title role of Jay Gatsby , Mira Sorvino as Daisy Buchanan , Paul Rudd as Nick Carraway , Martin Donovan as Tom Buchanan , Francie Swift as Jordan Baker , Heather Goldenhersh as Myrtle Wilson and Matt Malloy as Klipspringer . The film on March 29 , 2000 .", "Great Gatsby curve. The Great Gatsby curve is a chart plotting the ( positive ) relationship between inequality and intergenerational social immobility in several countries around the world . The curve was introduced in a 2012 speech by chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Alan Krueger , and the President 's Economic Report to Congress , using data from labor economist Miles Corak . The name was coined by former Council of Economic Advisers ( CEA ) staff economist Judd Cramer , for which he was given a bottle of wine as a reward . The curve plots `` intergenerational income elasticity '' -- i.e. the likelihood that someone will inherit their parents ' relative position of income level -- and inequality in the United States and twelve other developed countries , though some versions of the curve include developing countries . Countries with low levels of inequality such as Denmark , Norway and Finland ( all located in European Scandinavia ) had some of the greatest mobility , while the two countries with the high level of inequality -- Chile and Brazil -- had some of the lowest mobility . The name of the curve refers , somewhat ironically , to Jay Gatsby ( born Gatz ) , the character in F. Scott Fitzgerald 's novel The Great Gatsby . Jay shows a high degree of mobility , rising from being a bootlegger , to leading the Long Island north shore social set . Journalist Robert Lenzner and lawyer Nripendra Chakravarthy call it `` a very frightening curve that requires policy attention . '' Krueger predicted that `` the persistence in the advantages and disadvantages of income passed from parents to the children '' will `` rise by about a quarter for the next generation as a result of the rise in inequality that the U.S. has seen in the last 25 years . '' Journalist Timothy Noah argued the effect results from growing inequality : you ca n't really experience ever-growing income inequality without experiencing a decline in Horatio Alger-style upward mobility because ( to use a frequently-employed metaphor ) it 's harder to climb a ladder when the rungs are farther apart . Another journalist argued that a connection between income inequality and low mobility could be explained by the lack of access for un-affluent children to better ( more expensive ) schools and if this enabled access to high-paying jobs ; or to differences in health care that may limit education and employment . However , some argue that the apparent connection may arise as an artifact of heterogeneous variance in ability across nations , questioning the need for intervention . It was shown that the manner in which the intergenerational income elasticity is defined , is by design associated with inequality . Harvard economist Greg Mankiw noted that `` this correlation is not particularly surprising '' , showing that comparisons of more diverse groups ( like the USA ) with less diverse groups ( like the population of Denmark ) will automatically exhibit this phenomenon even when there are in fact no differences in the processes of mobility between these groups , i.e. , the curve is an artifact of diversity . His quote : Germans are richer on average than Greeks , and that difference in income tends to persist from generation to generation . When people look at the Great Gatsby curve , they omit this fact , because the nation is the unit of analysis . But it is not obvious that the political divisions that divide people are the right ones for economic analysis . We combine the persistently rich Connecticut with the persistently poor Mississippi , so why not combine Germany with Greece ? A blog by M.S. at The Economist replied to Mankiw 's counter-argument as follows : The argument over the Great Gatsby curve is an argument about whether America 's economy is fair . With his Germany/Greece and Mississippi/Connecticut analogy , Mr Mankiw has stumbled on a very convincing point : whether you are rich or poor in Europe or America depends to a great extent not on your own qualities or efforts , but on where you happen to be born . America is not a meritocracy , Mr Mankiw is saying ; not only do those born rich tend to stay rich and vice versa , just being born in one state or another makes a huge difference to your lifelong earnings . Amazingly , he seems completely unaware that this is the case he 's just made . Economist Paul Krugman has also countered Mankiw 's arguments in his column . Carter Price of the WCEG suggests `` the line to serfdom '' as an alternative name on the grounds that it may better convey the meaning of the correlation .", "F. Scott Fitzgerald. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald ( September 24 , 1896 -- December 21 , 1940 ) , known professionally as F. Scott Fitzgerald , was an American novelist and short story writer , whose works illustrate the Jazz Age . While he achieved limited success in his lifetime , he is now widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century . Fitzgerald is considered a member of the `` Lost Generation '' of the 1920s . He finished four novels : This Side of Paradise , The Beautiful and Damned , The Great Gatsby , and Tender Is the Night . A fifth , unfinished novel , The Last Tycoon , was published posthumously . Fitzgerald also authored 4 collections of short stories , as well as 164 short stories in magazines during his lifetime .", "Leonardo DiCaprio. Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio ( -LSB- dᵻˈkæpri.oʊ -RSB- born November 11 , 1974 ) is an American actor , film producer , and environmental activist . DiCaprio began his career by appearing in television commercials in the early 1990s , after which he had recurring roles in various television series such as the soap opera Santa Barbara and the sitcom Growing Pains . He began his film career by starring as Josh in Critters 3 ( 1991 ) . He starred in the film adaptation of the memoir This Boy 's Life ( 1993 ) , and was praised for his supporting role in What 's Eating Gilbert Grape ( 1993 ) . He gained public recognition with leading roles in The Basketball Diaries ( 1995 ) and the romantic drama Romeo + Juliet ( 1996 ) , before achieving international fame with James Cameron 's epic romance Titanic ( 1997 ) , which became the highest-grossing film of all time until Cameron 's science fiction film Avatar ( 2009 ) overtook it . Since 2000 , DiCaprio has received critical acclaim for his work in a wide range of film genres . DiCaprio 's subsequent films include The Man in the Iron Mask ( 1998 ) , the biographical crime drama Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) , and the epic historical drama Gangs of New York ( 2002 ) , which marked his first of many collaborations with director Martin Scorsese . He was acclaimed for his performances in the political war thriller Blood Diamond ( 2006 ) , the neo-noir crime drama The Departed ( 2006 ) , the espionage thriller Body of Lies ( 2008 ) , the drama Revolutionary Road ( 2008 ) , the psychological thriller Shutter Island ( 2010 ) , the science fiction thriller Inception ( 2010 ) , the biographical film J. Edgar ( 2011 ) , the western Django Unchained ( 2012 ) , and the period drama The Great Gatsby ( 2013 ) . DiCaprio 's portrayals of Howard Hughes in The Aviator ( 2004 ) and Hugh Glass in The Revenant ( 2015 ) won him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Drama , and his role as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street ( 2013 ) won him the award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy . He also won his first Academy Award and BAFTA Award for his performance in The Revenant . DiCaprio is the founder of his own production company , Appian Way Productions .", "The Great Gatsby (1974 film). The Great Gatsby is a 1974 American romantic drama film produced by Newdon Productions and distributed by Paramount Pictures . It was directed by Jack Clayton and produced by David Merrick from a screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola , and was based on F. Scott Fitzgerald 's 1925 novel of the same name . The film stars Robert Redford in the title role of Jay Gatsby , along with Mia Farrow , Sam Waterston , Bruce Dern , Karen Black , Scott Wilson and Lois Chiles , with Howard Da Silva ( who previously appeared in the 1949 version ) , Roberts Blossom and Edward Herrmann .", "The Great Gatsby (1926 film). The Great Gatsby is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Herbert Brenon . It is the first film adaptation of the 1925 novel of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald . Warner Baxter portrayed Jay Gatsby and Lois Wilson as Daisy Buchanan . The film was produced by Famous Players-Lasky , and distributed by Paramount Pictures . The Great Gatsby is now considered lost .", "Johnny Depp. John Christopher Depp II ( born June 9 , 1963 ) is an American actor , producer , and musician . He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor . He rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street , becoming a teen idol . Depp has taken on the task of challenging himself to portray `` larger-than-life '' roles , starting with a supporting role in Oliver Stone 's Vietnam War film Platoon in 1986 , then playing the title character in the romantic dark fantasy Edward Scissorhands ( 1990 ) . He later found box office success in the fantasy adventure film Sleepy Hollow ( 1999 ) , the fantasy swashbuckler film Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse of the Black Pearl ( 2003 ) and its sequels , the fantasy film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 2005 ) , the fantasy film Alice in Wonderland ( 2010 ) and voicing the title character in the animated action comedy western Rango ( 2011 ) . He has collaborated on nine films with director , producer and friend Tim Burton . Depp is regarded as one of the world 's biggest film stars . He has gained worldwide critical acclaim for his portrayals of such people as screenwriter-director Ed Wood in Ed Wood , undercover FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone in Donnie Brasco , `` gonzo '' journalist Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , cocaine kingpin George Jung in Blow , author J. M. Barrie in Finding Neverland , the Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger in Michael Mann 's Public Enemies , and the Boston gangster Whitey Bulger in Black Mass. . Films featuring Depp have grossed over $ 3.2 billion at the United States box office and over $ 8 billion worldwide . His most commercially successful films are the Pirates of the Caribbean films , which have grossed $ 3 billion , Alice in Wonderland , which grossed $ 1 billion , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , which grossed $ 474 million , and The Tourist , which grossed $ 278 million . Depp has been nominated for major acting awards , including three nominations for Academy Award for Best Actor . Depp won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for The Curse of the Black Pearl . He has been listed in the 2012 Guinness World Records as the highest paid actor , with earnings of $ 75 million . Depp was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2015 .", "The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize. The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize or Gish Prize is given annually to `` a man or woman who has made an outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and to mankind 's enjoyment and understanding of life . '' It is among the most prestigious and one of the richest prizes in the American arts , for example the 2010 winner ( Chinua Achebe ) received $ 300,000 . The founders Dorothy Gish ( 1898 -- 1968 ) and Lillian Gish ( 1893 -- 1993 ) were sisters , famous as actresses from the silent era of film and mid-century theatre . About the prize , established in Lillian Gish 's will , she said : `` It is my desire , by establishing this prize , to give recipients of the prize the recognition they deserve , to bring attention to their contributions to society and encourage others to follow in their path . '' It was established in 1994 by the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize Trust and administered by JPMorgan Chase Bank .", "The Great Gatsby (opera). The Great Gatsby is an opera in two acts written by American composer John Harbison . The libretto , also by Harbison , was adapted from the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald . Additional popular song lyrics were by Murray Horwitz . The opera was commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera in honor of music director James Levine 's 25th anniversary with the company .", "The Great Gatsby (disambiguation). The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald . The Great Gatsby may also refer to adaptations of the novel : The Great Gatsby ( 1926 film ) , a silent film starring Warner Baxter and Lois Wilson The Great Gatsby ( 1949 film ) , starring Alan Ladd and Betty Field The Great Gatsby ( 1955 ) , `` Robert Montgomery Presents '' television episode starring Robert Montgomery and Phyllis Kirk The Great Gatsby ( 1974 film ) , starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow The Great Gatsby ( opera ) , a 1999 opera composed by John Harbison The Great Gatsby ( 2000 film ) , a TV film starring Toby Stephens , Mira Sorvino and Paul Rudd The Great Gatsby ( 2013 film ) , a Baz Luhrmann film starring Leonardo DiCaprio , Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan Music from Baz Luhrmann 's Film The Great Gatsby , a soundtrack album from the 2013 film", "The Great Gatsby (1949 film). The Great Gatsby is a 1949 American drama film directed by Elliott Nugent , and produced by Richard Maibaum , from a screenplay by Richard Maibaum and Cyril Hume . It is based on the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald . The music score was by Robert Emmett Dolan and the cinematography by John F. Seitz . The production was designed by Roland Anderson and Hans Dreier and the costumes by Edith Head . The film stars Alan Ladd , Betty Field , Macdonald Carey , Ruth Hussey , and Barry Sullivan and features Shelley Winters and Howard Da Silva , the latter of whom would later appear in the 1974 version .", "F. Scott Fitzgerald bibliography. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald ( September 24 , 1896 -- December 21 , 1940 ) was an American author of novels and short stories , whose works are the paradigmatic writings of the Jazz Age . He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century . Fitzgerald is considered a member of the `` Lost Generation '' of the 1920s . He finished four novels : This Side of Paradise , The Beautiful and Damned , The Great Gatsby ( his most famous ) , and Tender Is the Night . A fifth , unfinished novel , The Last Tycoon , was published posthumously . Fitzgerald also wrote many short stories that treat themes of youth and promise along with age and despair .", "Millionaire. A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency . It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account . Depending on the currency , a certain level of prestige is associated with being a millionaire , which makes that amount of wealth a goal for some , and almost unattainable for others . In countries that use the short scale number naming system , a billionaire is someone who has at least a thousand times a million dollars , euros , or the currency of the given country ( e.g. $ 1,000,000,000 ) . Many national currencies have , or have had at various times , a low unit value , in many cases due to past inflation . It is obviously much easier , and less significant , to be a millionaire in those currencies . The purchasing power of a million US dollars in 1850 is equivalent to $ in . Thus a millionaire ( in the local currency ) in Hong Kong or Taiwan , for example , may be merely averagely wealthy , or perhaps less wealthy than average . In 2007 a millionaire in Zimbabwe would have been extremely poor . At the end of 2016 , there were estimated to be just over 13 million US$ millionaires or high-net-worth individual ( HNWIs ) in the world . The United States of America had the highest number of HNWIs ( 4,400,000 ) of any country , while London had the most HNWIs ( 357,000 ) among cities as based on data from the Knight Frank Wealth Report .", "Gatsby (sandwich). A Gatsby is a South African submarine sandwich typically sold as a foot-long sandwich sliced into four portions . It is a popular sandwich in the Western Cape province , with many fast food and takeaway restaurants , stores and food stands purveying them . One large sandwich may be shared among several people . The Gatsby is also sometimes mistakenly referred to by the nickname AK47 , which is a variant of the sandwich made in Johannesburg , in part due to how it can be held in one 's arm in a similar manner to the firearm . It has been described as a `` filling , budget meal '' , a standard menu item in Cape Town corner stores , and as a significant part of the heritage and a cultural symbol of Cape Flats , where it originated from . Gatsby usually consist of long bread rolls cut lengthwise and opened up to form a sort of cradle which is filled with various fillings . While the choice of filling in a Gatsby varies widely depending on customer preference and vendor , one standard item is usually hot chips , i.e. , French fries or slap chips ( French fries with vinegar ) . Hot dog buns and roti flat bread are sometimes used , and it is typically prepared using a sauce , most commonly achar or piri piri . They are typically a large-sized sandwich , and have been described as suitable for sharing among several people . Different varieties of Gatsbys use meat ingredients such as chargrilled steak , masala steak , fresh or pickled fish , calamari , chicken , polony , curry , Vienna sausage , Russian sausage and eggs .", "Judy Garland. Judy Garland ( born Frances Ethel Gumm ; June 10 , 1922 -- June 22 , 1969 ) was an American singer , actress , and vaudevillian . She was renowned for her contralto vocals and attained international stardom that continued throughout a career spanning more than 40 years as an actress in musical and dramatic roles , as a recording artist , and on concert stages . Garland began performing in vaudeville with her two older sisters and was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager . She made more than two dozen films with MGM , including nine with Mickey Rooney . Garland 's most famous role was as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz ( 1939 ) . Her other roles at MGM included Meet Me in St. Louis ( 1944 ) , The Harvey Girls ( 1946 ) and Easter Parade ( 1948 ) . After 15 years , she was released from the studio and made record-breaking concert appearances , a successful recording career , and her own Emmy-nominated television series . Film appearances became fewer in her later years , but included two Academy Award nominated performances in A Star Is Born ( 1954 ) and Judgment at Nuremberg ( 1961 ) . Garland received a Golden Globe Award , a Juvenile Academy Award , and a Special Tony Award , and at 39 , became the youngest and first female recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in the film industry . She was the first woman to win a Grammy for Album of the Year for her live recording of Judy at Carnegie Hall . In 1997 , Garland was posthumously awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . Several of her recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame . In 1999 , the American Film Institute placed her among the 10 greatest female stars of classic American cinema . From an early age , Garland struggled in her personal life . The pressures of adolescent stardom sent her to a psychiatrist at age 18 . Her self-image was influenced by film executives who said she was unattractive and manipulated her on-screen physical appearance . She was plagued by financial instability , often owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes . She married five times , with her first four marriages ending in divorce . She also had a long addiction with drugs and alcohol , which ultimately led to her death from a barbiturate overdose at the age of 47 .", "Andrew Carnegie. Andrew Carnegie ( -LSB- kɑːrˈneɪɡi -RSB- , but commonly -LSB- ˈkɑːrnᵻɡi -RSB- or -LSB- kɑrˈnɛɡi -RSB- ; November 25 , 1835 -- August 11 , 1919 ) was a Scottish-American industrialist who led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century , and is often identified as one of the richest people and Americans ever . He built a leadership role as a philanthropist for the United States and the British Empire . During the last 18 years of his life , he gave away to charities , foundations , and universities about $ 350 million ( in 2015 share of GDP , $ 78.6 billion ) -- almost 90 percent of his fortune . His 1889 article proclaiming `` The Gospel of Wealth '' called on the rich to use their wealth to improve society , and it stimulated a wave of philanthropy . Carnegie was born in Dunfermline , Scotland , and emigrated in 1848 to the United States with his parents . Carnegie started work as a telegrapher and by the 1860s had investments in railroads , railroad sleeping cars , bridges and oil derricks . He accumulated further wealth as a bond salesman raising money for American enterprise in Europe . He built Pittsburgh 's Carnegie Steel Company , which he sold to J.P. Morgan in 1901 for $ 480 million . It became the U.S. Steel Corporation . After selling Carnegie Steel , he surpassed John D. Rockefeller as the richest American for the next couple of years . Carnegie devoted the remainder of his life to large-scale philanthropy , with special emphasis on local libraries , world peace , education and scientific research . With the fortune he made from business , he built Carnegie Hall and the Peace Palace and founded the Carnegie Corporation of New York , Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , Carnegie Institution for Science , Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland , Carnegie Hero Fund , Carnegie Mellon University and the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh , among others .", "Callan McAuliffe. Callan Ryan Claude McAuliffe ( born 24 January 1995 ) is an Australian actor , known for his roles as Bryce Loski in Flipped and Sam Goode in I Am Number Four , both American feature films . He appeared as young Gatsby in the 2013 film The Great Gatsby . In November 2013 it was announced that McAuliffe would be joining UNICEF Australia as a National Ambassador , becoming an active advocate for the organisation through the promotion of child rights . McAuliffe is also the Youth Ambassador of Wolf Connection , a non-profit organization based in California which rescues wolves and wolf-dogs and also a youth education and empowerment program .", "Steven Spielberg. Steven Allan Spielberg , , ( born December 18 , 1946 ) is an American director , producer , and screenwriter . He is considered one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era , as well as being viewed as one of the most popular directors and producers in film history . He is also one of the co-founders of DreamWorks Studios . In a career spanning more than four decades , Spielberg 's films have spanned many themes and genres . Spielberg 's early science-fiction and adventure films , such as Jaws ( 1975 ) , Close Encounters of the Third Kind ( 1977 ) , Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) , were seen as archetypes of modern Hollywood escapist filmmaking . In later years , his films began addressing humanistic issues such as the Holocaust , the transatlantic slave trade , civil rights , war , and terrorism in such films as The Color Purple ( 1985 ) , Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) , Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) , Amistad ( 1997 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , Munich ( 2005 ) , War Horse ( 2011 ) , Lincoln ( 2012 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) . His other films include Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) , A.I. Artificial Intelligence ( 2001 ) , and War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) . Spielberg won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler 's List and Saving Private Ryan , as well as receiving five other nominations . Three of Spielberg 's films -- Jaws , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , and Jurassic Park -- achieved box office records , originated and came to epitomize the blockbuster film . The unadjusted gross of all Spielberg-directed films exceeds $ 9 billion worldwide , making him the highest-grossing director in history . His personal net worth is estimated to be more than $ 3 billion . He is also known for his long-standing associations with several actors , producers , and technicians , most notably composer John Williams , who has composed music for all but two of Spielberg 's movies which are The Color Purple and Bridge of Spies .", "Roaring Twenties. The Roaring Twenties is a term for Western society and Western culture during the 1920s . It was a period of sustained economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in the United States and Western Europe , particularly in major cities such as Berlin , Chicago , London , Los Angeles , New York City , Paris , and Sydney . In the French Third Republic , the decade was known as the `` années folles '' ( `` Crazy Years '' ) , emphasizing the era 's social , artistic and cultural dynamism . Jazz music blossomed , the flapper redefined the modern look for British and American women , and Art Deco peaked . Not everything roared : in the wake of the hyper-emotional patriotism of World War I , Warren G. Harding brought back normalcy to the politics of the United States . This era saw the large-scale use of automobiles , telephones , motion pictures , radio , and electric appliances . Aviation became a business . The economies saw rapid industrial growth , accelerated consumer demand , plus significant changes in lifestyle and culture . The media focused on celebrities , especially sports heroes and movie stars , as cities rooted for their home teams and filled the new palatial cinemas and gigantic sports stadiums . In most major democratic states , women won the right to vote . The social and cultural features known as the Roaring Twenties began in leading metropolitan centers , then spread widely in the aftermath of World War I . The United States gained dominance in world finance . Thus , when Weimar Republic Germany could no longer afford to pay World War I reparations to the United Kingdom , France and other Allies , the Americans came up with the Dawes Plan . Wall Street invested heavily in Germany , which repaid its reparations to nations that , in turn , used the dollars to pay off their war debts to Washington . By the middle of the decade , prosperity was widespread , with the second half of the decade known , especially in Germany , as the `` Golden Twenties '' . The spirit of the Roaring Twenties was marked by a general feeling of novelty associated with modernity and a break with traditions . Everything seemed to be feasible through modern technology . New technologies , especially automobiles , moving pictures , and radio , brought `` modernity '' to a large part of the population . Formal decorative frills were shed in favor of practicality in both daily life and architecture . At the same time , Jazz and dancing rose in popularity , in opposition to the mood of World War I . As such , the period is also often referred to as the Jazz Age . The Wall Street Crash of 1929 ended the era , as the Great Depression brought years of worldwide gloom and hardship .", "New York City. The City of New York , often called New York City or simply New York , is the most populous city in the United States . With an estimated 2016 population of 8,537,673 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 sqmi , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the United States . Located at the southern tip of the state of New York , the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area , one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . A global power city , New York City exerts a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . Home to the headquarters of the United Nations , New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world . Situated on one of the world 's largest natural harbors , New York City consists of five boroughs , each of which is a separate county of New York State . The five boroughs -- Brooklyn , Queens , Manhattan , The Bronx , and Staten Island -- were consolidated into a single city in 1898 . The city and its metropolitan area constitute the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States , and as many as 800 languages are spoken in New York , making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world . New York City is home to more than 3.2 million residents born outside the United States , the world 's largest foreign-born population of any city . By 2016 estimates , the New York City metropolitan region remains by a significant margin the most populous in the United States , as defined by both the Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) , 20.2 million residents , and the Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , 23.7 million residents . In 2013 , the MSA produced a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of nearly US$ 1.39 trillion . In 2012 , the CSA generated a GMP of over US$ 1.55 trillion . NYC 's MSA and CSA GDP are higher than the GDPs of all but 11 and 12 countries , respectively . New York City traces its origin to its 1624 founding in Lower Manhattan as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626 . The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother , the Duke of York . New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790 . It has been the country 's largest city since 1790 . The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a symbol of the United States and its democracy . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known , and the city received a record of nearly 60 million tourists in 2015 , hosting three of the world 's ten most visited tourist attractions in 2013 . Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world . Times Square , iconic as the world 's `` heart '' and its `` Crossroads '' , is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District , one of the world 's busiest pedestrian intersections , and a major center of the world 's entertainment industry . The names of many of the city 's bridges , tapered skyscrapers , and parks are known around the world . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and the city is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization , the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Manhattan 's real estate market is among the most expensive in the world . Manhattan 's Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere , with multiple signature Chinatowns developing across the city . Providing continuous 24/7 service , the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive metro systems worldwide , with stations in operation . Over 120 colleges and universities are located in New York City , including Columbia University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "Young adult (psychology). A young adult is generally a person in the age range of 20 to 39 ( or 40 ) , although definitions and opinions , such as Erik Erikson 's stages of human development , vary . The young adult stage in human development precedes middle adulthood . A person in the middle adulthood stage ages from 40 ( or 41 ) to 64 . In old age , a person is 65 years old or older .", "Gatsby. Gatsby may refer to : The Great Gatsby , a 1925 novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby ( disambiguation ) , an index of adaptations of the novel Jay Gatsby , the novel 's central character Any of the films based on the novel , particularly The Great Gatsby ( 2013 film ) , which was marketed as just `` Gatsby '' Gatsby Charitable Foundation , a grant-making trust based in London GATSBY , a Japanese cosmetic brand by Mandom , well known for its ` Moving Rubber ' range of hair wax Gatsby ( sandwich ) , a South African food mainly popular in Cape Town , comes in the form of a long roll with fillings of anything ranging from polony to chicken or steak and hot chips Gatsby cap , a hat with a stiff front brim , overlaid with a round body Gatsbys American Dream , a progressive rock band from Seattle , Washington", "Amitabh Bachchan. Amitabh Harivansh Rai Shrivastava Bachchan ( -LSB- əmɪˈtaːbʱ ˈbətʃːən -RSB- ; born 11 October 1942 ) is an Indian film actor . He first gained popularity in the early 1970s for movies like Zanjeer and Deewaar , and was dubbed India 's first `` angry young man '' for his on-screen roles in Bollywood . Referred to as the `` Shahenshah of Bollywood '' , `` Star of the Millennium '' or `` Big B '' , he has since appeared in over 190 Indian films in a career spanning almost five decades . Bachchan is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema . So total was his dominance on the movie scene in the 1970s and 1980s that the French director François Truffaut called him a `` one-man industry . '' Bachchan has won numerous accolades in his career , including four National Film Awards as Best Actor and many awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies . He has won fifteen Filmfare Awards and is the most-nominated performer in any major acting category at Filmfare , with 41 nominations overall . In addition to acting , Bachchan has worked as a playback singer , film producer and television presenter . He has hosted several seasons of the game show , Kaun Banega Crorepati , India 's version of the game show franchise , Who Wants to Be a Millionaire ? . He also had a stint in politics in the 1980s . The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 1984 , the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015 for his contributions to the arts . The Government of France honoured him with its highest civilian honour , Knight of the Legion of Honour , in 2007 for his exceptional career in the world of cinema and beyond . Bachchan made his Hollywood debut in 2013 with The Great Gatsby , in which he played a non-Indian Jewish character , Meyer Wolfsheim .", "Morgan Freeman. Morgan Freeman ( born June 1 , 1937 ) is an American actor , producer and narrator . Freeman won an Academy Award in 2005 for Best Supporting Actor with Million Dollar Baby ( 2004 ) , and he has received Oscar nominations for his performances in Street Smart ( 1987 ) , Driving Miss Daisy ( 1989 ) , The Shawshank Redemption ( 1994 ) and Invictus ( 2009 ) . He has also won a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award . Freeman has appeared in many other box office hits , including Glory ( 1989 ) , Robin Hood : Prince of Thieves ( 1991 ) , Seven ( 1995 ) , Deep Impact ( 1998 ) , The Sum of All Fears ( 2002 ) , Bruce Almighty ( 2003 ) , The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) , The Lego Movie ( 2014 ) , and Lucy ( 2014 ) . He rose to fame as part of the cast of the 1970s children 's program The Electric Company . Morgan Freeman is ranked as the 4th highest box office star with over $ 4.316 billion total box office gross , an average of $ 74.4 million per film .", "G (2002 film). G is a 2002 American drama film directed by Christopher Scott Cherot . It is loosely based on the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald . The title character , `` G '' , played by Richard T. Jones , is a Hip-hop music mogul who is looking to win back the love of his life , Sky ( based on the character Daisy Buchanan from the original novel ) .", "Franklin D. Roosevelt. Franklin Delano Roosevelt ( -LSB- ˈroʊzəvəlt -RSB- , his own pronunciation , or -LSB- - en ˈroʊzəvɛlt -RSB- January 30 , 1882 -- April 12 , 1945 ) , commonly known as FDR , was an American statesman and political leader who served as the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945 . A Democrat , he won a record four presidential elections and emerged as a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century . He directed the United States government during most of the Great Depression and World War II . As a dominant leader of his party , he built the New Deal Coalition , realigning American politics into the Fifth Party System and defining American liberalism throughout the middle third of the 20th century . He is often rated by scholars as one of the three greatest U.S. Presidents , along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln . Roosevelt was born in 1882 to an old , prominent Dutch family from Dutchess County , New York and attended Groton School . He went on to graduate from Harvard College in 1903 and attended Columbia Law School . At age 23 in 1905 , he married Eleanor Roosevelt , and the couple went on to have six children . He entered politics in 1910 , serving in the New York State Senate , and then as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson . In 1920 , presidential candidate James M. Cox selected Roosevelt as his running mate , but the Cox/Roosevelt ticket lost to the Republican ticket of Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge . In 1921 , Roosevelt was stricken with debilitating polio , which cost him the use of his legs . The disability put his future political career in jeopardy , but he attempted to recover from the illness and founded the treatment center in Warm Springs , Georgia for people with polio . Roosevelt returned to political life when he nominated Alfred E. Smith at the 1924 Democratic National Convention . At Smith 's behest , Roosevelt successfully ran for Governor of New York in 1928 . He was in office from 1929 to 1933 and served as a reform governor , promoting the enactment of programs to combat the depression besetting the United States at the time . In the 1932 presidential election , Roosevelt defeated incumbent Republican president Herbert Hoover in a landslide to win the presidency . Roosevelt took office while the United States was in the midst of the worst economic crisis in its history . Energized by his personal victory over polio , FDR relied on his persistent optimism and activism to renew the national spirit . During his first 100 days in office , Roosevelt spearheaded unprecedented federal legislation and issued a profusion of executive orders that instituted the New Deal -- a variety of programs designed to produce relief ( government jobs for the unemployed ) , recovery ( economic growth ) , and reform ( through regulation of Wall Street , banks and transportation ) . He created numerous programs to support the unemployed and farmers , and to encourage labor union growth while more closely regulating business and high finance . His support for the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 added to his popularity , helping him win re-election by a landslide in 1936 . The economy improved rapidly from 1933 -- 37 , but then relapsed into a deep recession in 1937 -- 38 . The bipartisan Conservative Coalition that formed in 1937 prevented his packing the Supreme Court , and blocked almost all proposals for major liberal legislation ( except the minimum wage , which did pass ) . When the war began and unemployment ended , conservatives in Congress repealed the two major relief programs , the Works Progress Administration ( WPA ) and Civilian Conservation Corps ( CCC ) . However , they kept most of the regulations on business . Along with several smaller programs , major surviving programs include the Securities and Exchange Commission , the Wagner Act , the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Social Security . With World War II looming after 1938 with the Japanese invasion of China and the aggression of Nazi Germany , Roosevelt gave strong diplomatic and financial support to China and the United Kingdom , while remaining officially neutral . His goal was to make America the `` Arsenal of Democracy '' , which would supply munitions to the Allies . In March 1941 , Roosevelt , with Congressional approval , provided Lend-Lease aid to Britain and China . Following the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 , 1941 , which he famously called `` a date which will live in infamy '' , Roosevelt sought and obtained the quick approval on the following day for Congress to declare war on Japan and , a few days later , on Germany . Assisted by his top aide Harry Hopkins , and with very strong national support , he worked closely with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill , Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in leading the Allies against Nazi Germany , Fascist Italy and Imperial Japan in World War II . He supervised the mobilization of the U.S. economy to support the war effort , and also ordered the internment of 100,000 Japanese American civilians . As an active military leader , Roosevelt implemented a war strategy on two fronts that ended in the defeat of the Axis Powers , and he initiated the development of the world 's first atomic bomb . His work also influenced the later creation of the United Nations and Bretton Woods . Roosevelt 's physical health seriously declined during the war years , and he died weeks into his fourth term . He was then succeeded by his vice president Harry S. Truman , and a few months after Truman 's inauguration , the United States bombed the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki , leading to Japan 's surrender .", "The Grey Gatsby. The Grey Gatsby ( foaled 14 March 2011 ) is an Irish-bred , British-trained racehorse . In 2014 he established himself as one of the best colts of his generation in Europe by winning the Dante Stakes and the Prix du Jockey Club before defeating the dual Derby winner Australia in the Irish Champion Stakes . At the end of the year he was rated level with Australia and Kingman as the best three-year-old colt in the world .", "Christopher Nolan. Christopher Edward Nolan ( -LSB- ˈnoʊlən -RSB- born 30 July 1970 ) is an English-American film director , screenwriter and producer . He is one of the highest-grossing directors in history , and among the most successful and acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century . Having made his directorial debut with Following ( 1998 ) , Nolan gained considerable attention for his second feature , Memento ( 2000 ) , for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay . The acclaim garnered by his independent films gave Nolan the opportunity to make the big-budget thriller Insomnia ( 2002 ) and the mystery drama The Prestige ( 2006 ) . He found further popular and critical success with The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) ; Inception ( 2010 ) , for which he received a second Original Screenplay nomination and one for the Academy Award for Best Picture ; and Interstellar ( 2014 ) . His nine films have grossed over US$ 4.2 billion worldwide and garnered a total of 26 Oscar nominations and seven wins . Nolan has co-written several of his films with his younger brother , Jonathan , and runs the production company Syncopy Inc. with his wife , Emma Thomas . Nolan 's films are rooted in philosophical , sociological and ethical concepts , exploring human morality , the construction of time , and the malleable nature of memory and personal identity . His body of work is permeated by materialistic perspectives , labyrinthine plots , nonlinear storytelling , practical special effects , and analogous relationships between visual language and narrative elements .", "Selena Gomez. Selena Marie Gomez ( -LSB- səˈliːnə_məˈɹiː_ˈɡoʊmɛz -RSB- ; -LSB- seˈlena ˈɣomes -RSB- ; born July 22 , 1992 ) is an American actress and singer . Having appeared in the children 's television series Barney & Friends while growing up , she rose to fame playing the role of Alex Russo on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place ( 2007 -- 2012 ) . In 2008 , she signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records and formed her band Selena Gomez & the Scene . The band released three studio albums and produced four top 30 singles by 2011 . Gomez also formed her own production company in 2008 , July Moon Productions ; she serves as an executive producer on the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why , which released in March 2017 . Between 2009 and 2011 , Gomez starred in films such as Princess Protection Program , Ramona and Beezus , and Monte Carlo , and took on a more mature role in Spring Breakers ( 2013 ) . Gomez also took her singing career in a different direction , with the release of her first solo album Stars Dance ( 2013 ) ; the album debuted atop the Billboard 200 in the United States and included the top ten single `` Come & Get It . '' Gomez released a compilation album in 2014 as her fifth and final release through Hollywood Records , which was preceded by her second top ten single `` The Heart Wants What It Wants '' , and signed a new recording contract with Interscope Records . In 2015 , she released her second solo album , Revival , which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 , while the first three singles , `` Good for You , '' `` Same Old Love , '' and `` Hands to Myself , '' all topped the Mainstream Top 40 chart in the United States . Gomez has also starred in the films The Fundamentals of Caring ( 2016 ) , In Dubious Battle ( 2016 ) , and in the Hotel Transylvania films . Since the start of her singing career , she has gone on to sell over 7 million albums and 22 million singles worldwide , according to Billboard . Gomez has earned a number of awards and nominations for her work as an actress and singer , and has won a Billboard Women in Music award , an MTV Video Music Award , an American Music Award , and fifteen Teen Choice Awards . As of November 2016 , Gomez is the most-followed Instagram user in the world ." ]

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[ "Iron Man 3. Iron Man 3 ( stylized onscreen as Iron Man Three ) is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2008 's Iron Man and 2010 's Iron Man 2 , and the seventh film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Shane Black directed a screenplay he co-wrote with Drew Pearce , which uses concepts from the `` Extremis '' story arc by Warren Ellis . The film stars Robert Downey Jr. , Gwyneth Paltrow , Don Cheadle , Guy Pearce , Rebecca Hall , Stephanie Szostak , James Badge Dale , Jon Favreau , and Ben Kingsley . In Iron Man 3 , Tony Stark deals with posttraumatic stress disorder caused by the events of The Avengers , while investigating the reemergence of the Ten Rings , led by the mysterious Mandarin and comes into a conflict with an old enemy : Aldrich Killian . After the release of Iron Man 2 in May 2010 , Favreau , who served as director , decided not to return , and in February 2011 Black was hired to write and direct the film . Black and Pearce opted to make the script more character-centric and focused on thriller elements . Throughout April and May 2012 , the film 's supporting cast was filled out , with Kingsley , Pearce , and Hall brought in to portray key roles . Filming began on May 23 , and lasted through December 17 , 2012 , primarily at EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington , North Carolina . Additional shooting took place at various locations around North Carolina , as well as Florida , China , and Los Angeles . The visual effects were handled by 17 companies , including Scanline VFX , Digital Domain , and Weta Digital . The film was converted to 3D in post-production . Iron Man 3 premiered at Le Grand Rex in Paris on April 14 , 2013 . It began its release on April 25 , 2013 , internationally , and debuted in the United States one week later on May 3 . The film received generally positive reviews and was commercially successful , grossing over $ 1.2 billion worldwide , the second highest-grossing film of 2013 overall , and the second-highest-grossing film at the domestic box office released in 2013 . It became the sixteenth film to gross over $ 1 billion and the 5th-highest-grossing film of all time , with its opening weekend ranking as the 6th-highest-grossing opening of all time . The film also received a nomination for Academy Award in the category of Best Visual Effects , and received another nomination for BAFTA Award in the same category .", "Shane Black. Shane Black ( born December 16 , 1961 ) is an American screenwriter , director , producer and actor , known for writing the 1987 action film hit Lethal Weapon , and his directorial debut with the film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in 2005 . His acting credits include appearing in Predator , the first film in the series of which he is currently set to write and direct the next installment , The Predator . In 2013 , he co-wrote and directed Iron Man 3 , which as of mid-2017 ranks as the twelfth highest-grossing film worldwide .", "Iron Man 2. Iron Man 2 is a 2010 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures . It is the sequel to 2008 's Iron Man , and is the third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Directed by Jon Favreau and written by Justin Theroux , the film stars Robert Downey Jr. , Gwyneth Paltrow , Don Cheadle , Scarlett Johansson , Sam Rockwell , Mickey Rourke , and Samuel L. Jackson . Six months after the events of Iron Man , Tony Stark is resisting calls by the United States government to hand over the Iron Man technology while also combating his declining health from the arc reactor in his chest . Meanwhile , rogue Russian scientist Ivan Vanko has developed the same technology and built weapons of his own in order to pursue a vendetta against the Stark family , in the process joining forces with Stark 's business rival , Justin Hammer . Following the successful release of Iron Man in May 2008 , Marvel Studios announced and immediately set to work on producing a sequel . In July of that same year Theroux was hired to write the script , and Favreau was signed to return and direct . Downey , Paltrow and Jackson were set to reprise their roles from Iron Man , while Cheadle was brought in to replace Terrence Howard in the role of James Rhodes . In the early months of 2009 , Rourke , Rockwell and Johansson filled out the supporting cast , and filming took place from April to July of that year . Like its predecessor the film was shot mostly in California , except for a key sequence in Monaco . Iron Man 2 premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on April 26 , 2010 , and was released internationally between April 28 and May 7 before releasing in the U.S. on May 7 , 2010 . The film received generally positive reviews and was commercially successful , grossing over $ 623.9 million at the worldwide box office . The DVD and Blu-ray were released on September 28 , 2010 . The third installment of the Iron Man series , Iron Man 3 , was released on May 3 , 2013 .", "Iron Man (2008 film). Iron Man is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures . It is the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by Jon Favreau , with a screenplay by Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway . It stars Robert Downey Jr. , Terrence Howard , Jeff Bridges , Shaun Toub and Gwyneth Paltrow . In Iron Man , Tony Stark , an industrialist and master engineer , builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero Iron Man . The film had been in development since 1990 at Universal Pictures , 20th Century Fox , or New Line Cinema at various times , before Marvel Studios reacquired the rights in 2006 . Marvel put the project in production as its first self-financed film , with Paramount Pictures as its distributor . Favreau signed on as director , aiming for a naturalistic feel , and he chose to shoot the film primarily in California , rejecting the East Coast setting of the comics to differentiate the film from numerous superhero films set in New York City-esque environments . Filming began in March 2007 and concluded in June . During filming , the actors were free to create their own dialogue because pre-production was focused on the story and action . Rubber and metal versions of the armors , created by Stan Winston 's company , were mixed with computer-generated imagery to create the title character . Iron Man premiered in Sydney on April 14 , 2008 , and was released in theaters on May 2 , 2008 . The film was a critical and commercial success , grossing over $ 585 million and garnering widespread critical acclaim . Downey 's performance as Tony Stark was particularly praised . The American Film Institute selected the film as one of the ten best of the year . It was also nominated for two Academy Awards for the Best Sound Editing and the Best Visual Effects . Two sequels , Iron Man 2 and Iron Man 3 , were released on May 7 , 2010 , and May 3 , 2013 , respectively .", "Iron Man. Iron Man ( Anthony Edward `` Tony '' Stark ) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character was created by writer and editor Stan Lee , developed by scripter Larry Lieber , and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby . The character made his first appearance in Tales of Suspense # 39 ( cover dated March 1963 ) . A wealthy American business magnate , playboy , and ingenious engineer , Tony Stark suffers a severe chest injury during a kidnapping in which his captors attempt to force him to build a weapon of mass destruction . He instead creates a powered suit of armor to save his life and escape captivity . Later , Stark augments his suit with weapons and other technological devices he designed through his company , Stark Industries . He uses the suit and successive versions to protect the world as Iron Man , while at first concealing his true identity . Initially , Iron Man was a vehicle for Stan Lee to explore Cold War themes , particularly the role of American technology and business in the fight against communism . Subsequent re-imaginings of Iron Man have transitioned from Cold War themes to contemporary concerns , such as corporate crime and terrorism . Throughout most of the character 's publication history , Iron Man has been a founding member of the superhero team the Avengers and has been featured in several incarnations of his own various comic book series . Iron Man has been adapted for several animated TV shows and films . The character is portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. in the live action film Iron Man ( 2008 ) , which was a critical and box office success . Downey , who received much acclaim for his performance , reprised the role in a cameo in The Incredible Hulk ( 2008 ) , two Iron Man sequels Iron Man 2 ( 2010 ) and Iron Man 3 ( 2013 ) , The Avengers ( 2012 ) , Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) , and Captain America : Civil War ( 2016 ) , and will do so again in Spider-Man : Homecoming ( 2017 ) as well as Avengers : Infinity War ( 2018 ) and its untitled sequel ( 2019 ) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Iron Man was ranked 12th on IGN 's `` Top 100 Comic Book Heroes '' in 2011 , and third in their list of `` The Top 50 Avengers '' in 2012 .", "Iron Man 3 (soundtrack). Iron Man 3 ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) is the film score for the Marvel Studios film , Iron Man 3 by Brian Tyler , released on April 30 , 2013 . A separate soundtrack and concept album titled , Iron Man 3 : Heroes Fall ( Music Inspired by the Motion Picture ) by various artists was released on the same date by Hollywood Records and Marvel Music .", "Shane Mahan. Shane Patrick Mahan ( born September 22 , 1964 ) is an American special effects creator and creature designer and puppeteer and producer known for his work in special effects , creature concept design and for creating the bodysuits and effects for the characters in Avengers , Iron Man in the 2008 film of the same name . and several other award winning and Oscar nominated movies including Pacific Rim and recently the live action version of Disney 's Jungle Book .", "X-Men: The Last Stand. X-Men : The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film , based on the X-Men superhero team introduced in Marvel Comics . The film , distributed by 20th Century Fox , is the sequel to 2003 's X2 and the third installment in the X-Men film series . It was directed by Brett Ratner , written by Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn , and features an ensemble cast , including Hugh Jackman , Halle Berry , Ian McKellen , Famke Janssen , Anna Paquin , Kelsey Grammer , James Marsden , Rebecca Romijn , Shawn Ashmore , Aaron Stanford , Vinnie Jones , and Patrick Stewart . The film 's script is loosely based on two X-Men comic book story arcs : `` The Dark Phoenix Saga '' by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne , and `` Gifted '' by writer Joss Whedon and artist John Cassaday , with a plot that revolves around a `` mutant cure '' that causes serious repercussions among mutants and humans , and on the resurrection of Jean Grey . Bryan Singer , who had directed the two previous films , X-Men ( 2000 ) and X2 , decided to leave to work on Superman Returns , as he had not even defined the storyline for a third film . Matthew Vaughn , who was initially hired as the new director , left due to personal and professional issues , and was replaced with Ratner . Filming took place from August 2005 to January 2006 with a budget of $ 210 million , and was consequently the most expensive film at the time of its release . It had extensive visual effects created by 11 different companies . X-Men : The Last Stand was released on May 26 , 2006 , to commercial success . It grossed approximately $ 459 million worldwide , becoming the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2006 ; it was at the time the highest-grossing film in the series and currently the fourth-highest-grossing film of the franchise . Critical reception was mixed , with the acting and the action scenes receiving positive notice , and criticism directed at the screenplay , and overuse of characters and style .", "Men in Black 3. Men in Black 3 ( alternatively known as Men in Black III and stylized as MIB ³ ) is a 2012 American 3D comic science fiction-action film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring Will Smith , Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin . It is the third installment in the Men in Black film series based on Lowell Cunningham 's The Men in Black comic book series published by Marvel and Malibu Comics . It was released fifteen years after the original Men in Black ( 1997 ) and ten years after the first sequel , Men in Black II ( 2002 ) . Sonnenfeld and Steven Spielberg returned as director and executive producer , respectively . In the film , Boris the Animal , an old enemy of Agent K , escapes from prison and goes back in time to kill the younger K in order to allow his species , a ruthless alien race known as Boglodites , to attack Earth . This forces Agent J to go back in time and team up with K 's younger counterpart on a mission to save his partner and the world . Men in Black 3 was released on May 25 , 2012 and grossed over $ 624 million worldwide . Unadjusted for inflation , it is the highest-grossing film in the series .", "Iron Man (video game). Iron Man is a 2008 video game based on the film of the same name as well as the classic iterations of the character . It was released on May 2 , 2008 to coincide with the release of the film in cinemas . The game is published by Sega , and was released on PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360 ( developed by Secret Level ) , PlayStation 2 , PlayStation Portable , Nintendo DS , Wii , Microsoft Windows ( developed by Artificial Mind and Movement ) and Mobile platforms . The enemies are Advanced Idea Mechanics , the Maggia and the Ten Rings terrorist group . The supervillains in the game includes Blacklash , Controller , Titanium Man , Melter , and Iron Monger . A significant feature has Robert Downey , Jr. , Terrence Howard and Shaun Toub reprising their roles from the film .", "Iron Man 3: The Official Game. Iron Man 3 : The Official Game is a mobile phone video game developed and published by Gameloft . The game was released on April 25 , 2013 , and is based on the film Iron Man 3 . It is now discontinued and not supported by Gameloft . The game is an endless runner , where the player attempts to dodge objects to score points and complete the level and defeat villains from the Iron Man universe . The game received mixed reviews , with critics praising the core premise , but criticizing the games excessive in-app purchases and freemium-based time restrictions . The game has been removed from the app store .", "Captain America: Civil War. Captain America : Civil War is a 2016 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2011 's Captain America : The First Avenger and 2014 's Captain America : The Winter Soldier , and the thirteenth film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo , with a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely , and features an ensemble cast , including Chris Evans , Robert Downey Jr. , Scarlett Johansson , Sebastian Stan , Anthony Mackie , Don Cheadle , Jeremy Renner , Chadwick Boseman , Paul Bettany , Elizabeth Olsen , Paul Rudd , Emily VanCamp , Tom Holland , Frank Grillo , William Hurt , and Daniel Brühl . In Captain America : Civil War , disagreement over international oversight of the Avengers fractures them into opposing factions -- one led by Steve Rogers and the other by Tony Stark . Development of Civil War began in late 2013 when Markus and McFeely began writing the screenplay , which borrows concepts from the 2006 comic book storyline `` Civil War '' , while also focusing on story and character elements from the previous Captain America films to conclude the trilogy . Following positive reactions to test screenings of The Winter Soldier , the Russo brothers were brought back to direct in early 2014 . The film 's title and premise were revealed in October 2014 , along with Downey 's casting ; additional cast members joined in the following months . Principal photography began in April 2015 at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayette County , Georgia , and continued in the Metro Atlanta area before concluding in Germany in August 2015 , with the film being the first to use IMAX 's digital 2D cameras ( for the film 's central airport fight sequence ) . Visual effects were provided by nearly 20 different studios during the post-production process . Captain America : Civil War held its world premiere in Los Angeles on April 12 , 2016 , and was released in the United States on May 6 , 2016 , in 3D and IMAX 3D . The film became a critical and commercial success , grossing over $ 1.1 billion worldwide , making it the highest-grossing film of 2016 and the 12th-highest-grossing film of all time .", "Ironman (novel). Ironman is a 1995 novel by young adult writer Chris Crutcher who studied art and literature at the University of Notre Dame in his twenties . He created the novel 's cover image himself using the medium of oil pastel . The novel is the story of Beauregard Brewster , a high school student training for a triathlon while also in disputes with his father and English teacher , both of whom exhibit portentous views of masculine authority . The book is written as a combination of traditional third person narrative and epistolary novel through a series of informal letters written by the protagonist to CNN personality Larry King . The novel has received numerous accolades including being recognized by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults .", "X-Men (film). X-Men is a 2000 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is the first installment in the X-Men film series , followed by X2 in 2003 and X-Men : The Last Stand in 2006 . The film , directed by Bryan Singer and written by David Hayter , features an ensemble cast that includes Hugh Jackman , Patrick Stewart , Ian McKellen , Halle Berry , Famke Janssen , James Marsden , Bruce Davison , Rebecca Romijn-Stamos , Ray Park , Tyler Mane , and Anna Paquin . It depicts a world in which a small proportion of people are mutants , whose possession of superhuman powers makes them distrusted by normal humans . The film focuses on the mutants Wolverine and Rogue as they are brought into a conflict between two groups that have radically different approaches to bringing about the acceptance of mutant-kind : Professor Xavier 's X-Men , and the Brotherhood of Mutants , led by Magneto . Development for X-Men began as far back as 1984 with Orion Pictures . At one point James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow were in discussions . The film rights went to 20th Century Fox in 1994 and various scripts and film treatments were commissioned from Andrew Kevin Walker , John Logan , Joss Whedon , and Michael Chabon . Singer signed to direct in 1996 , with further rewrites by Ed Solomon , Singer , Tom DeSanto , Christopher McQuarrie and Hayter in which Beast and Nightcrawler were deleted over budget concerns from Fox . X-Men marks the Hollywood debut of actor Hugh Jackman , who was a last-second choice for Wolverine , cast three weeks into filming . Filming took place from September 22 , 1999 to March 3 , 2000 , primarily in Toronto . X-Men was released to positive reviews and was a financial success , starting the X-Men film franchise and spawning a reemergence of superhero films .", "X2 (film). X2 ( often promoted as X2 : X-Men United and internationally as X-Men 2 ) is a 2003 American superhero film based on the X-Men superhero team appearing in Marvel Comics . It is the sequel to 2000 's X-Men , and the second installment in the X-Men film series . The film was directed by Bryan Singer , written by Michael Dougherty , Dan Harris , and David Hayter , and features an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman , Patrick Stewart , Ian McKellen , Halle Berry , Famke Janssen , James Marsden , Rebecca Romijn-Stamos , Brian Cox , Alan Cumming , Bruce Davison , and Anna Paquin . The plot , inspired by the graphic novel God Loves , Man Kills , pits the X-Men and their enemies , the Brotherhood , against the genocidal Colonel William Stryker ( Brian Cox ) . He leads an assault on Professor Xavier 's school to build his own version of Xavier 's mutant-tracking computer Cerebro , in order to destroy every mutant on Earth and to save the human race from them . Development began shortly after X-Men ( 2000 ) . David Hayter and Zak Penn wrote separate scripts , combining what they felt to be the best elements of both scripts into one screenplay . Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris were eventually hired to rewrite the work , and changed the characterizations of Beast , Angel , and Lady Deathstrike . Sentinels and the Danger Room were set to appear before being deleted because of budget concerns . The film 's premise was influenced by the Marvel Comics storylines Return to Weapon X and God Loves , Man Kills . Filming began in June 2002 and ended that November . Most of the filming took place at Vancouver Film Studios , the largest North American production facility outside of Los Angeles . Production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas adapted similar designs by John Myhre from the previous film . X2 was released in the United States on May 2 , 2003 . It received positive reviews from critics , who mostly praised the storyline , action sequences and acting of the film , and it is considered to be one of the best superhero films ever made . With its critical success , it grossed over approximately $ 407 million , and received eight Saturn Awards nominations .", "Robert Downey Jr.. Robert John Downey Jr. ( born April 4 , 1965 ) is an American actor . His career has included critical and popular success in his youth , followed by a period of substance abuse and legal troubles , and a resurgence of commercial success in middle age . For three consecutive years from 2012 to 2015 , Downey has topped the Forbes list of Hollywood 's highest-paid actors , making an estimated $ 80 million in earnings between June 2014 and June 2015 . Making his acting debut at the age of five , appearing in his father 's film Pound ( 1970 ) , Downey Jr. appeared in roles associated with the Brat Pack , such as the teen sci-fi comedy Weird Science ( 1985 ) and the drama Less Than Zero ( 1987 ) . He starred as the title character in the 1992 film Chaplin , which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role . After being released in 2000 from the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison where he was on drug charges , Downey joined the cast of the TV series Ally McBeal playing Calista Flockhart 's love interest . This earned him a Golden Globe Award . His character was written out when Downey was fired after two drug arrests in late 2000 and early 2001 . After his last stay in a court-ordered drug treatment program , Downey achieved sobriety . Downey Jr. 's career prospects improved when he featured in the mystery thriller Zodiac ( 2007 ) , and the satirical action comedy Tropic Thunder ( 2008 ) ; for the latter he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Beginning in 2008 , Downey began portraying the role of Marvel Comics superhero Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , appearing in several films as either the lead role , member of an ensemble cast , or in a cameo . Each of these films has grossed over $ 500 million at the box office worldwide ; four of theseThe Avengers , Avengers : Age of Ultron , Iron Man 3 and Captain America : Civil Warearned over $ 1 billion . Downey Jr. has also played the title character in Guy Ritchie 's Sherlock Holmes ( 2009 ) and its sequel ( 2011 ) .", "Tropic Thunder. Tropic Thunder is a 2008 satirical action comedy film co-written , produced , and directed by Ben Stiller . Stiller , Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black star as a group of prima donna actors who are making a fictional Vietnam War film . When their frustrated director drops them in the middle of a jungle , they are forced to rely on their acting skills to survive the real action and danger . It was written by Stiller , Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen . The film was an international co-production between Germany , the United Kingdom , and the United States . DreamWorks Pictures and Red Hour Films produced it . Stiller 's idea for the film originated while playing a minor role in Empire of the Sun , and he later enlisted Theroux and Cohen to help complete the script . After the film was green-lit in 2006 , filming took place in 2007 on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i over thirteen weeks and was later deemed the largest film production in the island 's history . The film had an extensive marketing promotion , including faux websites for the three main characters and their fictional films , airing a fictional television special , and selling the energy drink advertised in the film , `` Booty Sweat '' , directed by Dr. Hemlock . The film received generally positive reviews , with critics praising the film 's characters , story , faux trailers , and the performances of Stiller , Downey , and Tom Cruise , though the depiction of the mentally handicapped proved controversial . The film 's soundtrack and score debuted on August 5 , 2008 , before the film 's theatrical release . Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks released the film in the US on August 13 , 2008 . In its North American opening weekend , the film earned $ 26 million and retained the number one position for the first three weekends of release . Downey received Academy Award , BAFTA Award , and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his performance , with both him and Cruise receiving nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture . The film grossed more than $ 188 million worldwide before its release on home video on November 18 , 2008 .", "The Avengers (2012 film). Marvel 's The Avengers ( classified under the name Marvel Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom and Ireland ) , or simply The Avengers , is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Hemsworth , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Tom Hiddleston , Clark Gregg , Cobie Smulders , Stellan Skarsgård , and Samuel L. Jackson . In the film , Nick Fury , director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D. , recruits Iron Man , Captain America , the Hulk , and Thor to form a team that must stop Thor 's brother Loki from subjugating Earth . The film 's development began when Marvel Studios received a loan from Merrill Lynch in April 2005 . After the success of the film Iron Man in May 2008 , Marvel announced that The Avengers would be released in July 2011 . With the signing of Johansson in March 2009 , the film was pushed back for a 2012 release . Whedon was brought on board in April 2010 and rewrote the original screenplay by Zak Penn. . Production began in April 2011 in Albuquerque , New Mexico , before moving to Cleveland , Ohio , in August and New York City in September . The film was converted to 3D in post-production . The Avengers premiered on April 11 , 2012 , at Hollywood 's El Capitan Theatre and was released theatrically in the United States on May 4 , 2012 . The film received positive reviews from critics , as well as numerous awards and nominations including Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for achievements in visual effects . It has set or tied numerous box office records , including the biggest opening weekend in North America . The Avengers grossed over $ 1.5 billion worldwide , and became the third-highest-grossing film during its theatrical run -- as well as the first Marvel production to generate $ 1 billion in ticket sales . The film was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on September 25 , 2012 . A sequel , titled Avengers : Age of Ultron , was released on May 1 , 2015 , while two additional sequels , Avengers : Infinity War and an untitled sequel , are currently in development , with Infinity War scheduled for a May 4 , 2018 release date , and its sequel scheduled to be released on May 3 , 2019 .", "Chris Rock. Christopher Julius Rock III ( born February 7 , 1965 ) is an American comedian , actor , writer , producer , and director . After working as a standup comic and appearing in small film roles , Rock came to wider prominence as a cast member of Saturday Night Live in the early 1990s . He went on to more prominent film appearances , with starring roles in Down to Earth ( 2001 ) , Head of State ( 2003 ) , the Madagascar film series ( 2005 -- 2012 ) , Grown Ups ( 2010 ) , its sequel Grown Ups 2 ( 2013 ) , Top Five ( 2014 ) , and a series of acclaimed comedy specials for HBO . He developed , wrote , and narrated the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris ( 2005 -- 2009 ) . Rock hosted the 77th Academy Awards in 2005 and the 88th in 2016 . He has won four Emmy Awards and three Grammy Awards . He was voted the fifth-greatest stand-up comedian in a poll conducted by Comedy Central . He was also voted in the United Kingdom as the ninth-greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4 's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups in 2007 , and again in the updated 2010 list as the eighth-greatest stand-up comic .", "300 (film). 300 is a 2006 American epic fantasy war film based on the 1998 comic series of the same name by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley . Both are fictionalized retellings of the Battle of Thermopylae within the Persian Wars . The film was directed by Zack Snyder , while Miller served as executive producer and consultant . It was filmed mostly with a super-imposition chroma key technique , to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book . The plot revolves around King Leonidas ( Gerard Butler ) , who leads 300 Spartans into battle against the Persian `` god-King '' Xerxes ( Rodrigo Santoro ) and his invading army of more than 300,000 soldiers . As the battle rages , Queen Gorgo ( Lena Headey ) attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband . The story is framed by a voice-over narrative by the Spartan soldier Dilios ( David Wenham ) . Through this narrative technique , various fantastical creatures are introduced , placing 300 within the genre of historical fantasy . The events are revealed to be a story told by Dilios , the only one of the 300 Spartans to survive the battle . 300 was released in both conventional and IMAX theaters in the United States on March 9 , 2007 , and on DVD , Blu-ray Disc , and HD DVD on July 31 , 2007 . The film received mixed reviews , receiving acclaim for its original visuals and style , but criticism for favoring visuals over characterization and its depiction of the ancient Persians in Iran , a characterization which some had deemed racist ; however , the film was a box office success , grossing over $ 450 million , with the film 's opening being the 24th largest in box office history at the time . A sequel , entitled Rise of an Empire , which is based on Miller 's unpublished graphic novel prequel Xerxes , was released on March 7 , 2014 .", "Ironman Triathlon. An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation ( WTC ) , consisting of a 2.4 mi swim , a 112 mi bicycle ride and a marathon 26.22 mi run , raced in that order and without a break . It is widely considered one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world . Most Ironman events have a strict time limit of 17 hours to complete the race . The race typically starts at 7:00 a.m. ; the mandatory swim cut off for the 2.4 mi swim is 9:20 a.m. ( 2 hours 20 minutes ) , the mandatory bike cut off time is 5:30 p.m. ( 8 hours 10 minutes ) , and the mandatory marathon cut off is midnight ( 6 hours 30 minutes ) . Any participant who manages to complete the triathlon within these timings is designated an Ironman . The name `` Ironman Triathlon '' is also associated with the original Ironman triathlon which is now the Ironman World Championship . Held in Kailua-Kona , the world championship has been held annually in Hawaii since 1978 ( with an additional race in 1982 ) and is preceded by a series of qualifying Ironman events . The Ironman World Championship has become known for its grueling length , harsh race conditions , and Emmy Award-winning television coverage . Other races exist that are of the same distance as an Ironman triathlon but are not produced , owned , or licensed by the World Triathlon Corporation . Such races include The Challenge Family series ' Challenge Roth or the Norseman Triathlon .", "Deadpool (film). Deadpool is a 2016 American superhero film directed by Tim Miller and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick , based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name . It is the eighth installment and a spin-off in the X-Men film series , and stars Ryan Reynolds as the titular character , as well as Morena Baccarin , Ed Skrein , T. J. Miller , Gina Carano , Leslie Uggams , Brianna Hildebrand , and Stefan Kapičić . In the film , antihero Deadpool hunts the man who nearly destroyed his life while also trying to reunite with his lost love . Development began in February 2004 with New Line Cinema , but moved in March 2005 to 20th Century Fox who bought the film rights . In May 2009 , after Reynolds portrayed the character in X-Men Origins : Wolverine , to the general disappointment of fans , Fox lent the film to writers , and Miller was hired for his directorial debut in April 2011 . Enthusiastic acclaim for leaked CGI test footage by Miller in July 2014 led to Fox greenlighting the film in September . Additional casting began in early 2015 , and principal photography commenced in Vancouver from March to May . Deadpool premiered in Paris on February 8 , 2016 , and was released on February 12 in the United States in IMAX , DLP , D-Box , and premium large format . Critics praised Reynolds ' performance as well as the film 's style , faithful depiction of the titular character , and action sequences , but criticized its plot as formulaic . It received various awards and nominations , including two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy and Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy , and a Producers Guild of America Award nomination for Best Theatrical Motion Picture . It also won two Critics ' Choice Movie Awards for Best Comedy and Best Actor in a Comedy . The film was also a significant commercial success , grossing over $ 783million worldwide and breaking numerous box-office records , becoming the ninth highest-grossing film of 2016 , the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time when unadjusted for inflation , and the highest-grossing X-Men film . Shortly after the film 's success , Fox ordered development of a sequel scheduled to be released on June 1 , 2018 .", "Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Captain America : The Winter Soldier is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2011 's Captain America : The First Avenger and the ninth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film was directed by Anthony and Joe Russo , with a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely , who had also written The First Avenger . It stars Chris Evans as Captain America , leading an ensemble cast that includes Scarlett Johansson , Sebastian Stan , Anthony Mackie , Cobie Smulders , Frank Grillo , Emily VanCamp , Hayley Atwell , Robert Redford , and Samuel L. Jackson . In Captain America : The Winter Soldier , Captain America , Black Widow , and Falcon join forces to uncover a conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. while facing a mysterious assassin known as the Winter Soldier . A major influence in The Winter Soldier was conspiracy fiction from the 1970s such as Three Days of the Condor , with the script also drawing from the Winter Soldier story arc written by Ed Brubaker . The script was written in 2011 , with the Russo brothers entering negotiations to direct in June 2012 and casting beginning the following month . Principal photography commenced in April 2013 in Los Angeles , California before moving to Washington , D.C. and Cleveland , Ohio . While the directors aimed for more realism , with focus on practical effects and intense stunt work , 2,500 visual effects shots were done by six different companies . Captain America : The Winter Soldier premiered in Los Angeles on March 13 , 2014 . It was released internationally on March 26 , 2014 , and in North America on April 4 , 2014 , in 2D , 3D , and IMAX 3D . The film became a critical and commercial success , grossing over $ 714 million worldwide . It also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects . A sequel titled Captain America : Civil War also directed by the Russo brothers was released on May 6 , 2016 .", "Men in Black (film). Men in Black is a 1997 American science fiction action comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and produced by Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald . Loosely adapted from The Men in Black comic book series created by Lowell Cunningham and Sandy Carruthers , the film stars Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as two agents of a secret organization called the Men in Black , who supervise extraterrestrial lifeforms who live on Earth and hide their existence from ordinary humans . The film featured the creature effects and makeup of Rick Baker and visual effects by Industrial Light & Magic . The film was released on July 2 , 1997 , by Columbia Pictures , and grossed over $ 589.3 million worldwide against a $ 90 million budget , becoming the year 's third highest-grossing film , with an estimated 54,616,700 tickets sold in the US . It received worldwide acclaim , with critics highly praising its witty , sophisticated humor , Jones and Smith 's performances , and Danny Elfman 's musical score . The film received three Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction , Best Original Score , and Best Makeup , winning the latter award . The film spawned two sequels , Men in Black II ( 2002 ) and Men in Black 3 ( 2012 ) , as well as an animated series . A reboot of the film series has been discussed and is in development .", "X-Men (film series). X-Men is an American superhero film series based on the fictional superhero team of the same name , who originally appeared in a series of comic books created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and published by Marvel Comics . 20th Century Fox obtained the film rights to the characters in 1994 , and after numerous drafts , Bryan Singer was hired to direct X-Men ( 2000 ) and its sequel , X2 ( 2003 ) , while Brett Ratner directed X-Men : The Last Stand ( 2006 ) . After each film earned higher box office grosses than its predecessor , several spin-off films were released , including a trilogy focused on the character of Wolverine : X-Men Origins : Wolverine ( 2009 ) , The Wolverine ( 2013 ) and Logan ( 2017 ) . A prequel , X-Men : First Class , was released in 2011 , followed by sequels X-Men : Days of Future Past ( 2014 , also a sequel to X-Men : The Last Stand ) and X-Men : Apocalypse ( 2016 ) . A spin-off film , Deadpool ( 2016 ) was also released . X-Men , X2 , X-Men : First Class , The Wolverine , X-Men : Days of Future Past , Deadpool and Logan were all met with positive reviews from critics . X-Men : The Last Stand and X-Men : Apocalypse were met with mixed reviews , while X-Men Origins : Wolverine received negative reviews . With ten films released , the X-Men film series is the eighth highest-grossing film series , having grossed over worldwide . It is set to continue in 2018 with the releases of New Mutants , Deadpool 2 and Dark Phoenix .", "Spider-Man 3. Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film produced by Marvel Studios , and distributed by Columbia Pictures based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man . It was directed by Sam Raimi and scripted by Sam Raimi , Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent . It is the final film in Raimi 's Spider-Man film trilogy and the sequel to Spider-Man ( 2002 ) and Spider-Man 2 ( 2004 ) . The film stars Tobey Maguire , Kirsten Dunst , James Franco , Thomas Haden Church , Topher Grace , Bryce Dallas Howard , Rosemary Harris , J. K. Simmons , James Cromwell and Cliff Robertson in his final acting appearance before his death in 2011 . Following the events of Spider-Man 2 , Peter Parker has become a cultural phenomenon as Spider-Man , while Mary Jane Watson continues her Broadway career . Harry Osborn still seeks vengeance for his father 's death , and an escaped Flint Marko falls into a particle accelerator and is transformed into a shape-shifting sand manipulator . An extraterrestrial symbiote crashes to Earth and bonds with Peter , influencing his behavior for the worse . Development of Spider-Man 3 began immediately after the release of Spider-Man 2 for a 2007 release . During pre-production , Raimi originally wanted another villain to be included along with Sandman , but at the request of producer Avi Arad he added Venom , and the producers also requested the addition of Gwen Stacy . Principal photography for the film began in January 2006 , and took place in Los Angeles and Cleveland , before moving to New York City from May until July 2006 . Additional pick-up shots were made after August and the film wrapped in October 2006 . During post-production , Sony Pictures Imageworks created 900 visual effects shots . Spider-Man 3 premiered on April 16 , 2007 in Tokyo , and was released in the United States in both conventional and IMAX theaters on May 4 , 2007 . The film grossed $ 890.9 million worldwide , making it the most successful film of the trilogy financially and the second film in the franchise that was released on IMAX . A fourth film titled Spider-Man 4 was set to be released on May 6 , 2011 , but was canceled in favor of a reboot , The Amazing Spider-Man , released in 2012 .", "The Expendables 3. The Expendables 3 ( sometimes stylized as The Expendables III ) is a 2014 American action film directed by Patrick Hughes and written by Creighton Rothenberger , Katrin Benedikt and Sylvester Stallone . It is the third installment in The Expendables film series and the sequel to The Expendables ( 2010 ) and The Expendables 2 ( 2012 ) . The film features an ensemble cast , including Sylvester Stallone , Jason Statham , Antonio Banderas , Jet Li , Wesley Snipes , Dolph Lundgren , Kelsey Grammer , Randy Couture , Terry Crews , Mel Gibson , Harrison Ford , Arnold Schwarzenegger , Kellan Lutz , Ronda Rousey , Glen Powell and Victor Ortiz . The story follows the mercenary group known as `` The Expendables '' as they come into conflict with ruthless arms dealer Conrad Stonebanks , the Expendables ' co-founder , who is determined to destroy the team . Released on August 15 , 2014 , it is the first film in the Expendables series not to be rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America . It is instead rated PG-13 , a decision that upset many fans . The film grossed $ 214 million worldwide .", "Thanos. Thanos ( -LSB- ˈθænɒs -RSB- , -LSB- ˈθænoʊs -RSB- ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character is usually depicted as a Titanian mutant -- Eternal superhuman . The character first appeared in Iron Man # 55 ( February 1973 ) and was created by writer Mike Friedrich and writer-artist Jim Starlin . Debuting in the Bronze Age of Comic Books , the character has been featured in more than four decades of Marvel continuity and a self-titled series . Thanos appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe 's various films , including The Avengers ( 2012 ) , portrayed by Damion Poitier , and Guardians of the Galaxy ( 2014 ) , Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) , Avengers : Infinity War ( 2018 ) and its untitled sequel ( 2019 ) , portrayed by Josh Brolin . The character has appeared in other Marvel-endorsed products , including animated television series , arcade , and video games .", "Drew Pearce. Drew Pearce ( born 24 August 1975 ) is a British film writer , director and producer . He is best known for co-writing Iron Man 3 , and writing the story to Mission : Impossible -- Rogue Nation .", "Blade: Trinity. Blade : Trinity ( also known as Blade III or Blade III : Trinity ) is a 2004 American superhero film written , produced and directed by David S. Goyer , who also wrote the screenplays to Blade and Blade II . It stars Wesley Snipes , who also produced , in the title role based on the Marvel Comics character Blade alongside Ryan Reynolds , Jessica Biel , Kris Kristofferson , Dominic Purcell , Parker Posey and Triple H. It is the third film in the Blade film series . The film grossed over $ 128 million at the U.S. box office on a budget of $ 65 million . On Rotten Tomatoes , Blade : Trinity has a 25 % approval rating and a critical consensus that it `` seems content to emphasize style over substance and rehash familiar themes '' . It was followed by 2006 's Blade : The Series . The film also marks Reynolds ' first superhero role as well as first collaboration with Marvel Entertainment .", "Cillian Murphy. Cillian Murphy ( -LSB- ˈkIliən -RSB- born 25 May 1976 ) is an Irish actor of stage and screen . Since making his debut in his home country in the late 1990s , Murphy has also become a presence in British and American cinemas noted by critics for his performances in many independent and mainstream films . He is best known as Jim in 28 Days Later ( 2002 ) , the Scarecrow in The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 12 ) , Jackson Rippner in Red Eye ( 2005 ) , Robert Capa in Sunshine ( 2007 ) , Robert Fischer in Inception ( 2010 ) and Thomas Shelby in the BBC series Peaky Blinders . A native of Cork , Murphy began his performing career as a rock musician . After turning down a record deal , he made his professional acting debut in the play Disco Pigs in 1996 . While continuing with stage work he also began appearing in independent films , first coming to international attention in 2002 as the hero of Danny Boyle 's post-apocalyptic film 28 Days Later . Murphy 's profile continued to grow in 2005 when he appeared in a series of successful films : firstly as the Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan 's 2005 blockbuster Batman Begins -- a role he reprised in The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) and The Dark Knight Rises ( 2012 ) -- and secondly in the action-thriller Red Eye ( 2005 ) . For his performance as a transgender woman in Breakfast on Pluto ( 2005 ) , Murphy received a Golden Globe award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy . In 2006 , Murphy played the lead role in Ken Loach 's Palme d'Or-winning film The Wind That Shakes the Barley . He teamed up again with Boyle for the science-fiction film Sunshine ( 2007 ) , and with Nolan for the highly successful thriller Inception ( 2010 ) . Since 2013 , Murphy has played the lead in the BBC gangster series Peaky Blinders . He has continued to work on stage , and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance for Misterman in 2011 . Murphy lives with his wife and two children in Monkstown , Dublin . In 2011 Murphy became patron of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at the National University of Ireland Galway . He is closely associated with the work of Professor Pat Dolan Director UCFRC and UNESCO Chair in Children , Youth and Civic Engagement .", "Chris Black (screenwriter). Chris Black is a screenwriter and television producer , from Toledo , Ohio , notable for writing and producing mainly science fiction and action series , although he also was a part of the production team of the comedy-drama Desperate Housewives during its first two seasons . Black has produced and wrote episodes of Cleopatra 2525 , The Huntress , Sliders , Star Trek : Enterprise , Hawaii and Standoff . In addition , he has written episodes of several other shows , including Weird Science , Xena : Warrior Princess and Vanished . He also co-wrote the 1997 action movie Masterminds , starring Patrick Stewart ." ]

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[ "La La Anthony. Alani Nicole `` La La '' Anthony ( née Vázquez ; born June 25 , 1979 ) is a television personality , New York Times best-selling author , business woman , producer and actress . In the early 2000s , La La came to prominence as an MTV VJ on Total Request Live . La La can be seen in the Starz original drama series , Power , executive produced by 50 Cent and starring Omari Hardwick and Naturi Naughton . In 2014 La La reprised her role as Sonia in the film Think Like a Man Too and in 2015 appeared in November Rule and Destined . In 2004 La La began dating NBA player Carmelo Anthony and they were married by Michael Eric Dyson on July 10 , 2010 at Cipriani 's in New York City before 320 guests . The ceremony was filmed by VH1 and aired as part of a reality series on the couple , titled La La 's Full Court Wedding . La La and Carmelo Anthony 's son , Kiyan Carmelo Anthony , was born on March 7 , 2007 .", "La Diva (Aretha Franklin album). La Diva is the twenty-eighth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin , Released on September 6 , 1979 by Atlantic Records . The album marked the end of Aretha 's 12-year tenure with Atlantic and a run of 19 original albums . The album was a commercial flop as the singer attempted to make a comeback by recording a disco-oriented project with producer Van McCoy . It was McCoy 's final work as he died in June of that year and the record was released as disco was running its course . It peaked at # 146 on Billboard '' 's album chart and sold less than 75,000 copies in the United States . It stands as the lowest charting and poorest selling album of Aretha 's entire Atlantic Records catalogue . `` Ladies Only '' only reached # 33 on Billboards R&B singles chart while the follow-up , `` Half A Love '' , stalled at # 65 . This album was recorded at Aretha 's vocal peak and features three of her own compositions , as well as a song by her eldest son Clarence Franklin . Although remembered as Aretha 's failed disco LP , La Diva '' also includes substantial funk and R&B tracks such as The Emotions ' `` Reasons Why '' , Zulema 's `` Half a Love '' and scorching versions of Lalome Washburn 's `` It 's Gon na Get A Bit Better '' and her own `` Honey I Need Your Love . '' The album was released on compact disc in Europe in 2008 .", "La La Land (film). La La Land is a 2016 American romantic musical film written and directed by Damien Chazelle , and starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as a musician and an aspiring actress who meet and fall in love in Los Angeles . The film 's title refers both to the city of Los Angeles and to Lalaland for being out of touch with reality . Chazelle wrote the screenplay in 2010 but did not find a studio willing to finance the production without changes to his design . Following the success of his 2014 film Whiplash , the project was picked up by Summit Entertainment . La La Land was premiered at the Venice Film Festival on August 31 , 2016 , and was released in the United States on December 9 , 2016 . It grossed $ 442 million worldwide on a production budget of $ 30 million . La La Land received critical acclaim and was regarded as one of the best films of 2016 . Critics praised Chazelle 's screenplay and direction , Gosling and Stone 's performances , Justin Hurwitz 's score and the film 's musical numbers . It won in every category it was nominated for at the 74th Golden Globe Awards , with a record-breaking seven wins , and received 11 nominations at the 70th British Academy Film Awards , winning five . It received 14 nominations at the 89th Academy Awards , tying the record for most nominations with Titanic ( 1997 ) and All About Eve ( 1950 ) , and won 6 Academy Awards for Best Director , Best Actress ( Stone ) , Best Cinematography , Best Original Score , Best Original Song ( `` City of Stars '' ) and Best Production Design .", "Los Angeles. Los Angeles ( -LSB- lɒs_ˈændʒəlᵻs -RSB- , Spanish for `` The Angels '' ; -LSB- los ˈaŋxeles -RSB- ) , officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L.A. , is the cultural , financial , and commercial center of Southern California . With a census-estimated 2017 population of 4,042,000 , it is the second-most populous city in the United States ( after New York City ) and the most populous city in the state of California . Located in a large coastal basin surrounded on three sides by mountains reaching up to and over 10000 ft , Los Angeles covers an area of about 469 sqmi . The city is also the seat of Los Angeles County , the most populated county in the country . Los Angeles is the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area , and is part of the larger designated Los Angeles-Long Beach combined statistical area ( CSA ) , the second most populous in the nation with a 2015 estimated population of 18.7 million . Historically home to the Chumash and Tongva , Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542 along with the rest of what would become Alta California . The city was officially founded on September 4 , 1781 , by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve . It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence . In 1848 , at the end of the Mexican -- American War , Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , thereby becoming part of the United States . Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4 , 1850 , five months before California achieved statehood . The discovery of oil in the 1890s brought rapid growth to the city . The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913 , delivering water from Eastern California , later assured the city 's continued rapid growth . Nicknamed the `` City of Angels '' , Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate , ethnic diversity , and sprawling metropolis . The city is also one of the most substantial economic engines within the nation , with a diverse economy in a broad range of professional and cultural fields . Los Angeles is also famous as the home of Hollywood , a major center of the world entertainment industry . A global city , it has been ranked 6th in the Global Cities Index and 9th in the Global Economic Power Index . The Los Angeles combined statistical area ( CSA ) also has a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of $ 831 billion , making it the third-largest in the world , after the Greater Tokyo and New York metropolitan areas .", "L.A. Law. L.A. Law is an American television legal drama series that ran for eight seasons on NBC , from September 15 , 1986 , to May 19 , 1994 . Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher , it contained many of Bochco 's trademark features including an ensemble cast , large number of parallel storylines , social drama , and off-the-wall humor . It reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s , and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot-topic issues such as capital punishment , abortion , racism , gay rights , homophobia , sexual harassment , AIDS , and domestic violence . The series often also reflected social tensions between the wealthy senior lawyer protagonists and their less well-paid junior staff . In addition to its main cast , L.A. Law was also well known for featuring then relatively unknown actors and actresses in guest starring roles , who later went on to greater success in film and television including : Don Cheadle , Jeffrey Tambor , Kathy Bates , David Schwimmer , Jay O. Sanders , James Avery , Gates McFadden , Bryan Cranston , C.C.H. Pounder , Kevin Spacey , Richard Schiff , Carrie-Anne Moss , William H. Macy , Stephen Root , Christian Slater , and Lucy Liu . Several episodes of the show also included celebrities such as Vanna White , Buddy Hackett and Mamie Van Doren appearing as themselves in cameo roles . The show was popular with audiences and critics , and won 15 Emmy Awards throughout its run , four of which were for Outstanding Drama Series .", "Tony Anthony (actor). Tony Anthony ( born Roger Pettito ; October 16 , 1937 ) is an American actor , producer , screenwriter and director best known for his starring roles in Spaghetti Westerns , most of which were produced with the aid of his friends and associates Allen Klein and Saul Swimmer . These films consist of The Stranger series - A Stranger in Town ( 1967 ) , The Stranger Returns ( 1967 ) , The Silent Stranger ( 1968 ) and Get Mean ( 1975 ) - and the Zatoichi-inspired Blindman ( 1971 ) . Anthony also wrote , produced and starred in Comin ' at Ya ! ( 1981 ) and Treasure of the Four Crowns ( 1983 ) , the first film being largely credited with beginning the 1980s revival of 3D films in Hollywood .", "La La's Full Court Life. La La 's Full Court Life is an American reality television series on VH1 . The series debuted on August 22 , 2011 , and is the follow up series to La La 's Full Court Wedding . La La 's Full Court Life chronicles the life of Alani Vasquez aka La La as she experiences married life with the professional basketball player Carmelo Anthony , evolving from being the fiancée of a basketball player to being a basketball wife and how she manages her life while keeping her career in check .", "Los Angeles Lakers. The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles . The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member of the league 's Western Conference Pacific Division . The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center , an arena shared with the NBA 's Los Angeles Clippers , the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women 's National Basketball Association , and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA , and have won 16 NBA championships , their last being in 2010 . As of 2015 , the Lakers are the second most valuable franchise in the NBA according to Forbes , having an estimated value of $ 2.7 billion . The franchise began with the 1947 purchase of a disbanded team , the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League ( NBL ) . The new team began playing in Minneapolis , calling themselves the Minneapolis Lakers in honor of the state 's nickname , `` Land of 10,000 Lakes '' . Initially a member of the NBL , the Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America and winning five of the next six BAA and NBA championships in Minneapolis after the NBA formed in 1949 . The team was propelled by center George Mikan , who is described by the NBA 's official website as the league 's `` first superstar '' . After struggling financially in the late 1950s following Mikan 's retirement , they relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960 -- 61 season . Led by Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor and Jerry West , Los Angeles made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s , but lost each series to the Boston Celtics , beginning their long and storied rivalry . In 1968 , the Lakers acquired four-time NBA Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Wilt Chamberlain to play center , and after losing in the Finals in 1969 and 1970 , they won their sixth NBA title -- and first in Los Angeles -- in 1972 , led by new head coach Bill Sharman . After the retirement of West and Chamberlain , the team acquired another center , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , who had won multiple MVP awards , but was unable to make the Finals in the late 1970s . The 1980s Lakers were nicknamed `` Showtime '' due to their Magic Johnson-led fast break-offense , and won five championships in a 9-year span , including their first ever Finals championship against the Celtics in 1985 . This team featured Hall of Famers in Johnson , Abdul-Jabbar , and James Worthy , and a Hall of Fame coach , Pat Riley . After Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson 's retirement , the team struggled in the early 1990s before acquiring Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in 1996 . Led by O'Neal , Bryant , and another Hall of Fame coach , Phil Jackson , Los Angeles won three consecutive titles between 2000 to 2002 , securing the franchise its second `` three-peat '' . After losing both the 2004 and 2008 NBA Finals , the Lakers won two more championships by defeating the Orlando Magic in 2009 and Boston in 2010 . The Lakers hold the record for NBA 's longest winning streak , 33 straight games , set during the 1971 -- 72 season . 21 Hall of Famers have played for Los Angeles , while four have coached the team . Four Lakers -- Abdul-Jabbar , Johnson , O'Neal , and Bryant -- have won the NBA MVP Award for a total of eight awards .", "Samuel L. Jackson. Samuel Leroy Jackson ( born December 21 , 1948 ) is an American actor and film producer . He achieved prominence and critical acclaim in the early 1990s with films such as Jungle Fever ( 1991 ) , Patriot Games ( 1992 ) , Amos & Andrew ( 1993 ) , True Romance ( 1993 ) , Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) and his collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino including Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Django Unchained ( 2012 ) , and The Hateful Eight ( 2015 ) . He is a highly prolific actor , having appeared in over 100 films , including Die Hard with a Vengeance ( 1995 ) , Unbreakable ( 2000 ) , Shaft ( 2000 ) , The 51st State ( 2001 ) , Black Snake Moan ( 2006 ) , Snakes on a Plane ( 2006 ) , and the Star Wars prequel trilogy ( 1999 -- 2005 ) , as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe . With Jackson 's permission , his likeness was used for the Ultimate version of the Marvel Comics character Nick Fury . He later cameoed as the character in a post-credits scene from Iron Man ( 2008 ) , and went on to sign a nine-film commitment to reprise this role in future films , including major roles in Iron Man 2 ( 2010 ) , Marvel 's The Avengers ( 2012 ) , Captain America : The Winter Soldier ( 2014 ) and Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) and minor roles in Thor ( 2011 ) and Captain America : The First Avenger ( 2011 ) . He has also portrayed the character in the second and final episodes of the first season of the TV show Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. . He has provided his voice to several animated films , television series and video games , including the roles of Lucius Best / Frozone in Pixar Animation Studios ' film The Incredibles ( 2004 ) , Mace Windu in Star Wars : The Clone Wars ( 2008 ) , Afro Samurai in the anime television series Afro Samurai ( 2007 ) , and Frank Tenpenny in the video game Grand Theft Auto : San Andreas ( 2004 ) . Jackson has achieved critical and commercial acclaim , surpassing Frank Welker as the actor with the highest-grossing film total of all time in October 2011 , and he has received numerous accolades and awards . He is married to LaTanya Richardson , with whom he has a daughter , Zoe . Samuel L. Jackson is ranked as the highest all-time box office star with over $ 4.9053 billion total box office gross , an average of $ 69.1 million per film .", "La Bouche. La Bouche ( The Mouth ) are an American dance duo based in Germany formed by producer Frank Farian in Frankfurt in 1994 , originally consisting of lead singer Melanie Thornton and rapper Lane McCray , scoring major worldwide hits in the mid-1990s with `` Be My Lover '' , `` Sweet Dreams ( Ola Ola E ) '' , `` Fallin ' in Love '' , `` I Love to Love '' and `` Tonight is the Night '' feat . Le Click .", "Al Pacino. Alfredo James Pacino ( -LSB- pəˈtʃiːnoʊ -RSB- born April 25 , 1940 ) is an American actor of stage and screen , filmmaker , and screenwriter . Pacino has had a career spanning some fifty years , during which time he has received numerous accolades and honors both competitive and honorary , among them an Academy Award , two Tony Awards , two Primetime Emmy Awards , a British Academy Film Award , four Golden Globe Awards , the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute , the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award , and the National Medal of Arts . He is also one of few performers to have won a competitive Oscar , an Emmy and a Tony Award for acting , dubbed the `` Triple Crown of Acting '' . A method actor and former student of the HB Studio and the Actors Studio in New York City , where he was taught by Charlie Laughton and Lee Strasberg , Pacino made his feature film debut with a minor role in Me , Natalie ( 1969 ) and gained favorable notices for his lead role as a heroin addict in The Panic in Needle Park ( 1971 ) . He achieved international acclaim and recognition for his breakthrough role as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola 's The Godfather ( 1972 ) . He received his first Oscar nomination and would reprise the role in the equally successful sequels The Godfather Part II ( 1974 ) and The Godfather Part III ( 1990 ) . Pacino 's performance as Michael Corleone is now regarded as one of the greatest screen performances in film history . Pacino received his first Best Actor Oscar nomination for Serpico ( 1973 ) ; he was also nominated for The Godfather Part II , Dog Day Afternoon ( 1975 ) and ... And Justice for All ( 1979 ) and won the award in 1993 for his performance as a blind Lieutenant Colonel in Scent of a Woman ( 1992 ) . For his performances in The Godfather , Dick Tracy ( 1990 ) and Glengarry Glen Ross ( 1992 ) , Pacino was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Other notable roles include Tony Montana in Scarface ( 1983 ) , Carlito Brigante in Carlito 's Way ( 1993 ) , Lieutenant Vincent Hanna in Heat ( 1995 ) , Benjamin Ruggiero in Donnie Brasco ( 1997 ) , Lowell Bergman in The Insider ( 1999 ) and Detective Will Dormer in Insomnia ( 2002 ) . In television , Pacino has acted in several productions for HBO including the miniseries Angels in America ( 2003 ) and the Jack Kevorkian biopic You Do n't Know Jack ( 2010 ) , both of which won him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie . In addition to his work in film , Pacino has had an extensive career on stage and is a two-time Tony Award winner , in 1969 and 1977 , for his performances in Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie ? and The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel respectively . A lifelong fan of Shakespeare , Pacino directed and starred in Looking for Richard ( 1996 ) , a documentary film about the play Richard III , a role which Pacino had earlier portrayed on-stage in 1977 . He has also acted as Shylock in a 2004 feature film adaptation and a 2010 production of The Merchant of Venice . Having made his filmmaking debut with Looking for Richard , Pacino has also directed and starred in the independent film Chinese Coffee ( 2000 ) and the films Wilde Salomé ( 2011 ) and Salomé ( 2013 ) , about the play Salomé by Oscar Wilde . Since 1994 , Pacino has been the joint president of the Actors Studio with Ellen Burstyn and Harvey Keitel .", "Adam Levine. Adam Noah Levine ( born March 18 , 1979 ) is an American singer , songwriter , multi-instrumentalist , actor , and record producer . He is the lead vocalist for the pop rock band Maroon 5 . Born and raised in Los Angeles , California , Levine began his musical career in 1994 , when he co-founded the alternative rock band Kara 's Flowers , of which he was the lead vocalist and guitarist . The band split up after their only album , The Fourth World ( released in 1997 ) , which did not gain popularity . In 2001 , the group was reformed -- with guitarist James Valentine joining the line-up -- and began a new musical chapter , changing their name to Maroon 5 . In 2002 , the band released their first album , Songs About Jane , which went multi-platinum in the US . Since then , they have released four more albums , It Wo n't Be Soon Before Long ( 2007 ) , Hands All Over ( 2010 ) , Overexposed ( 2012 ) and V ( 2014 ) . He also has released two singles `` Do n't Wan na Know '' and `` Cold . '' As part of Maroon 5 , Levine has received three Grammy Awards , two Billboard Music Awards , two American Music Awards , an MTV Video Music Award and a World Music Award . Since 2011 , Levine has served as a coach on NBC 's reality talent show The Voice . The winners of the first , fifth and ninth seasons , Javier Colon , Tessanne Chin and Jordan Smith , were on his team . In 2012 , he made his acting debut as a recurring character in the horror television show American Horror Story : Asylum for the series ' second season . He also starred in the film Begin Again . As an entrepreneur , Levine launched his own eponymous fragrance line in 2013 . The same year , he collaborated with K-Mart and ShopYourWay.com to develop his menswear collection . He also owns a record label , 222 Records . In 2013 , The Hollywood Reporter reported that `` sources familiar with his many business dealings '' estimated Levine would earn more than $ 35 million that year .", "Lady Gaga. Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( -LSB- ˈstɛfəniː_dʒɜrməˈnɒtə -RSB- ; born March 28 , 1986 ) , known professionally as Lady Gaga , is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . At the beginning of her career , Gaga became known for her unconventionality and provocative work . A popular contemporary recording artist , she is noted for constantly experimenting with new musical ideas and images . Gaga initially played roles in high school plays , and studied at CAP21 through NYU 's Tisch School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue a musical career . After leaving a rock band , participating in a performance art circuit , and being dropped from a contract with Def Jam Recordings , Gaga worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing . From there , Akon noticed her vocal abilities and helped her sign a joint deal with Interscope Records and his own KonLive Distribution in 2007 . Gaga rose to prominence with the release of her successful debut album The Fame ( 2008 ) and its international chart-topping singles `` Just Dance '' and `` Poker Face '' . A follow-up EP , The Fame Monster ( 2009 ) , was met with a similar reception and the singles `` Bad Romance '' , `` Telephone '' , and `` Alejandro '' were also successful . Gaga 's second full-length album Born This Way ( 2011 ) topped the charts in more than 20 countries , including the US , where it sold over one million copies in its first week . The album produced the number-one single `` Born This Way '' . Gaga 's third album Artpop , released in 2013 , topped the US charts and included the successful single `` Applause '' . In 2014 , Gaga released a collaborative jazz album with Tony Bennett titled Cheek to Cheek , her third consecutive number one in the US . For her work in the television series American Horror Story : Hotel , Gaga won a Golden Globe Award in 2016 . With her fifth studio album Joanne ( 2016 ) , she became the first woman to have four US number one albums in the 2010s . In February 2017 , Gaga headlined the Super Bowl LI halftime show , which had over 150 million audience across various platforms worldwide , making it the most viewed musical event in history . With global album and single sales of 27 million and 146 million respectively , as of January 2016 , she is one of the best-selling musicians of all time . Her achievements include twelve Guinness World Records , three Brit Awards , and six Grammy Awards . She has also received awards from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Council of Fashion Designers of America . Gaga regularly appears on Billboards Artists of the Year lists and Forbess power and earnings rankings . She was ranked at number four on VH1 's Greatest Women in Music , finished second on Times 2011 readers ' poll of the most influential people of the past ten years , and was named Billboards Woman of the Year ( 2015 ) . She is known for her philanthropic work and social activism , including LGBT rights and her own non-profit organization , the Born This Way Foundation , which focuses on promoting youth empowerment and combating bullying .", "The Bold and the Beautiful. The Bold and the Beautiful ( often referred to as B&B ) is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS . It premiered on March 23 , 1987 as a sister show to the Bells ' other soap opera The Young and the Restless ; several characters from each of the two shows have crossed over to the other since the early 1990s . Set in Los Angeles , California , the show centers upon the Forrester family and their fashion house business Forrester Creations . The program features an ensemble cast , headed by its longest-serving actors John McCook as Eric Forrester and Katherine Kelly Lang as Brooke Logan . Since its premiere , the show has become the most-watched soap in the world , with an audience of an estimated 26.2 million viewers . As of 2010 , it continues to hold on to the second-placed position in weekly Nielsen Ratings for daytime dramas . The Bold and the Beautiful has also won 31 Daytime Emmy Awards , including one for Outstanding Drama Series in 2009 and again in 2010 , as well as in 2011 . On September 7 , 2011 , the series switched to high definition , making it the second-to-last American soap to make the switch , at the time . B&B was the last American soap opera to make the transition due to the cancellation of ABC 's One Life to Live before it returned along with All My Children on April 29 , 2013 . It is the youngest airing daytime soap opera in the United States , celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary in March 2012 . Since December 2 , 2013 , The Bold and the Beautiful now airs same day CBS repeats on Pop .", "L.A. Reid. Antonio Marquis `` L.A. '' Reid ( born June 7 , 1956 ) is an American music executive , musician , songwriter , record producer , author and former television music competition judge . He has served as the chairman and CEO of Epic Records , a division of Sony Music Entertainment , the president and CEO of Arista Records , and the chairman and CEO of the Island Def Jam Music Group . Reid was also the founder and CEO of Hitco Music Publishing and the co-founder of LaFace Records . Over the course of his career he has worked with artists including Fifth Harmony , Kenneth Babyface Edmonds , Bobby Brown , Johnny Gill , Boyz II Men , Outkast , Toni Braxton , TLC , Mariah Carey , Avril Lavigne , Paula Abdul , Pink , Justin Bieber , Meghan Trainor , Rihanna , Kanye West , Usher , Ne-Yo , 21 Savage , Young Jeezy , Ciara , Zara Larsson , Jidenna , Jennifer Lopez , Future , Travis Scott and Rick Ross . He appeared as a judge on the first two seasons of the U.S. version of the television show The X Factor , but in December 2012 announced he would not be back for the show 's third season , saying he wanted to focus on his leadership at Epic Records .", "L.A. (Light Album). L.A. ( Light Album ) is the 23rd studio album by The Beach Boys , released on March 19 , 1979 . Produced by Bruce Johnston , James William Guercio and the band itself , the album was The Beach Boys ' first on CBS Records , and the first to feature contributions from Johnston since his departure from the band in 1972 . Johnston was brought in when it became clear that the ailing Brian Wilson was in no fit state to produce the album , and has remained in the band ever since . L.A. ( Light Album ) reached # 100 in the US during a chart stay of thirteen weeks , and # 32 in the UK .", "Tupac Shakur. Tupac Amaru Shakur ( -LSB- ˈtuːpɑːk_ʃəˈkʊər -RSB- ; born Lesane Parish Crooks ; June 16 , 1971September 13 , 1996 ) , also known by his stage names 2Pac , Makaveli , and Pac , was an American rapper , record producer , actor , and poet . As of 2007 , Shakur has sold over 75 million records worldwide . His double disc albums All Eyez on Me and his Greatest Hits are among the best-selling albums in the United States . He has been listed and ranked as one of the greatest artists of all time by many publications , including Rolling Stone , which ranked him 86th on its list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time . He is consistently ranked as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time . On April 7 , 2017 , Shakur was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Shakur began his career as a roadie , backup dancer , and MC for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground , eventually branching off as a solo artist . Most of the themes in Shakur 's songs revolved around the violence and hardship in inner cities , racism , and other social problems . Both of his parents and several other people in his family were members of the Black Panther Party , whose ideals were reflected in his songs . During the latter part of his career , Shakur was a vocal participant during the East Coast -- West Coast hip hop rivalry , becoming involved in conflicts with other rappers , producers , and record-label staff members , most notably The Notorious B.I.G. and the label Bad Boy Records . On September 7 , 1996 , Shakur was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane in Las Vegas , Nevada . He was taken to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada , where he died six days later .", "Law & Order: LA. Law & Order : LA , originally titled Law & Order : Los Angeles , is an American police procedural and legal drama television series set in Los Angeles , where it was produced . Created and produced by Dick Wolf and developed by Blake Masters , it premiered on NBC on September 29 , 2010 , as the fifth series in Wolf 's successful Law & Order franchise . Law & Order : LA debuted after the original Law & Order ended its 20-year run the previous spring . The show received a full season pickup on October 18 , 2010 . On January 18 , 2011 , however , NBC announced that it was putting the series on hold indefinitely . According to a representative of the show , the scheduling change was not caused entirely by the mid-season cast shake-up . The network later announced a return date for the series , April 11 , 2011 ; and the final episode scheduled for July 11 , 2011 . Law & Order : LA was canceled by NBC on May 13 , 2011 , after one season .", "The Doors. The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles , with vocalist Jim Morrison , keyboardist Ray Manzarek , guitarist Robby Krieger , and drummer John Densmore . The band got its name , at Morrison 's suggestion from the title of Aldous Huxley 's book The Doors of Perception , which itself was a reference to a quote made by William Blake , `` If the doors of perception were cleansed , everything would appear to man as it is , infinite . '' They were unique and among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s , mostly because of Morrison 's lyrics and charismatic but unpredictable stage persona . After Morrison 's death in 1971 at age 27 , the remaining members continued as a trio until disbanding in 1973 . Signing with Elektra Records in 1966 , the Doors released eight albums between 1967 and 1971 . All but one hit the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum or better . Their self-titled debut album ( 1967 ) was their first in a series of Top 10 albums in the United States , followed by Strange Days ( also 1967 ) , Waiting for the Sun ( 1968 ) , The Soft Parade ( 1969 ) , Morrison Hotel ( 1970 ) , Absolutely Live ( 1970 ) and L.A. Woman ( 1971 ) , with 20 Gold , 14 Platinum , 5 Multi-Platinum and 1 Diamond album awards in the United States alone . By the end of 1971 , it was reported that the Doors had sold 4,190,457 albums domestically and 7,750,642 singles . The band had three million-selling singles in the U.S. with `` Light My Fire '' , `` Hello , I Love You '' and `` Touch Me '' . After Morrison 's death in 1971 , the surviving trio released two albums Other Voices and Full Circle with Manzarek and Krieger sharing lead vocals . The three members also collaborated on the spoken word recording of Morrison 's An American Prayer in 1978 and on the `` Orange County Suite '' for a 1997 boxed set . Manzarek , Krieger and Densmore reunited in 2000 for an episode of VH1 's `` Storytellers '' and subsequently recorded Stoned Immaculate : The Music of The Doors with a variety of vocalists . Although the Doors ' active career ended in 1973 , their popularity has persisted . According to the RIAA , they have sold 33 million certified units in the US and over 100 million records worldwide , making them one of the best-selling bands of all time . The Doors have been listed as one of the greatest artists of all time by many magazines , including Rolling Stone , which ranked them 41st on its list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' . The Doors were the first American band to accumulate eight consecutive gold and platinum LP 's . In 2002 , Manzarek and Krieger started playing together again , renaming themselves as the Doors of the 21st Century , with Ian Astbury of the Cult on vocals . Densmore opted to sit out and , along with the Morrison estate , sued the duo over proper use of the band 's name and won . After a short time as Riders On the Storm , they settled on the name Manzarek-Krieger and continued to tour until Manzarek 's death in 2013 at the age of 74 . Three of the band 's studio albums , the self-titled debut , L.A. Woman , and Strange Days , were featured in Rolling Stone 's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time , at positions 42 , 362 , and 407 respectively . According to The Washington Posts Martin Weil , the band rose to the center of the counterculture of the 1960s . The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 .", "42nd Tony Awards. The 42nd Tony Awards ceremony was held on June 5 , 1988 at the Minskoff Theatre and broadcast live on CBS , hosted by Angela Lansbury . ( Angela Lansbury has hosted or co-hosted more Tony Award ceremonies than any other individual : 1968 , 1971 , 1987 , 1988 , and 1989 ) . At these Tony Awards , the longest-running musical on Broadway , Andrew Lloyd Webber 's Phantom of the Opera , competed for awards and received the season 's Best Musical award . Stephen Sondheim has won more Tony Awards than any other composer , with seven Tony Awards : Best Music and Best Lyrics for Company ( 1971 ) ; and Best Score for Follies ( 1972 ) , A Little Night Music ( 1973 ) , Sweeney Todd ( 1979 ) , Into the Woods ( 1988 ) and Passion ( 1994 ) .", "Tony Award. The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre , more commonly known as Tony Award , recognizes the excellence in live Broadway theatre . The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City . The awards are given for Broadway productions and performances , and an award is given for regional theatre . Several discretionary non-competitive awards are also given , including a Special Tony Award , the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre , and the Isabelle Stevenson Award . The awards are named after Antoinette `` Tony '' Perry , co-founder of the American Theatre Wing . The rules for the Tony Awards are set forth in the official document `` Rules and Regulations of The American Theatre Wing 's Tony Awards '' , which applies for that season only . The Tony Awards are considered the highest U.S. theatre honor , the New York theatre industry 's equivalent to the Academy Awards ( Oscars ) for motion pictures , the Grammy Awards for music , and the Emmy Awards for television . It also forms the fourth spoke in the EGOT , that is someone who has won all four awards . The Tony Awards are also considered the equivalent of the Laurence Olivier Award in the United Kingdom and the Molière Award of France . From 1997 to 2010 , the Tony Awards ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City in June and broadcast live on CBS television , except in 1999 , when it was held at the Gershwin Theatre . In 2011 and 2012 , the ceremony was held at the Beacon Theatre . From 2013 to 2015 , the 67th , 68th , and 69th ceremonies returned to Radio City Music Hall . The 70th Tony Awards were held on June 12 , 2016 at the Beacon Theatre . The 71st Tony Awards will be held on June 11 , 2017 , at Radio City Music Hall with Kevin Spacey as host .", "La La La (Naughty Boy song). `` La La La '' is a single by British record producer Naughty Boy , featuring vocals from Sam Smith . It was released on 18 May 2013 as the second single from Naughty Boy 's debut album Hotel Cabana ( 2013 ) and the deluxe version of Smith 's debut album In the Lonely Hour . The track reached number one in 26 countries , including on the UK Singles Chart . At its time of release it was confirmed by the Official Charts Company as the fastest selling single of 2013 in the UK . By the end of 2013 , `` La La La '' was the sixth fastest-selling single of the year in the UK , selling 145,000 copies in the first week . This song is used as the theme song for the film The Internship .", "Cheers. Cheers is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from September 30 , 1982 to May 20 , 1993 , with a total of 270 half-hour episodes spanning over eleven seasons . The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association with Paramount Network Television . The show was created by the team of James Burrows , Glen Charles , and Les Charles . The show is set in a bar named Cheers in Boston , Massachusetts , where a group of locals meet to drink , relax , and socialize . The show 's main theme song , written and performed by Gary Portnoy lent its refrain `` Where Everybody Knows Your Name '' as the show 's tagline . After premiering on September 30 , 1982 , it was nearly canceled during its first season when it ranked almost last in ratings for its premiere ( 74th out of 77 shows ) . Cheers , however , eventually became a highly rated television show in the United States , earning a top-ten rating during eight of its eleven seasons , including one season at number one . The show spent most of its run on NBC 's Thursday night `` Must See TV '' lineup . Its widely watched series finale was broadcast on May 20 , 1993 , and the show 's 270 episodes have been successfully syndicated worldwide . Nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series for all eleven of its seasons on the air , it earned 28 Primetime Emmy Awards from a record of 117 nominations . The character Frasier Crane ( Kelsey Grammer ) was featured in his eponymous spin-off show , which aired until 2004 and included guest appearances by virtually all of the major and minor Cheers characters . During its run , Cheers became one of the most popular series of all time and has received critical acclaim . In 1997 , the episodes `` Thanksgiving Orphans '' and `` Home Is the Sailor '' , aired originally in 1987 , were respectively ranked No. 7 and No. 45 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2002 , Cheers was ranked No. 18 on TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America ranked it as the eighth best written TV series and TV Guide ranked it # 11 on their list of the 60 Greatest Shows of All Time .", "St. Anthony, New Orleans. St. Anthony is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans . A subdistrict of the Gentilly District Area , its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are : New York Street to the north , Elysian Fields Avenue to the east , Mirabeau Avenue to the south and the London Avenue Canal to the west . The neighborhood is part of the Gentilly section of the city as well as the city 's 7th Ward . The area experienced disastrous flooding at the end of August 2005 from a levee failure on the London Avenue Canal during Hurricane Katrina .", "Nas. Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones ( -LSB- nɑːˈsɪər -RSB- born September 14 , 1973 ) , better known by his stage name Nas -LSB- ˈnɑːz -RSB- , is an American rapper , record producer , actor , and entrepreneur . The son of jazz musician Olu Dara , Nas has released eight consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums and has sold over 25,000,000 records worldwide . He is also an entrepreneur through his own record label ; he serves as associate publisher of Mass Appeal magazine and is the owner of a Fila sneaker store . He is currently signed to Mass Appeal Records . His musical career began in 1991 , as a featured artist on Main Source 's `` Live at the Barbeque '' . His debut album Illmatic ( 1994 ) received universal acclaim from both critics and the hip-hop community and is frequently ranked as the greatest hip hop album of all time . Nas 's follow-up It Was Written debuted at # 1 on the Billboard 200 , stayed on top for four consecutive weeks , went double platinum in two months , and made Nas internationally known . From 2001-05 , Nas was involved in a highly publicised feud with fellow New York rapper Jay Z. Nas signed to Def Jam in 2006 . In 2010 , he released Distant Relatives , a collaboration album with reggae musician Damian Marley , donating all royalties to charities active in Africa . His eleventh studio album , Life Is Good ( 2012 ) was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards . Nas is often named as one of the greatest hip-hop artists . MTV ranked him at number 5 on their list of `` The Greatest MCs of All Time '' . In 2012 , The Source ranked him number two on their list of the `` Top 50 Lyricists of All Time '' . In 2013 , Nas was ranked fourth on MTV 's `` Hottest MCs in the Game '' list . About.com ranked him first on their list of the `` 50 Greatest MCs of All Time '' in 2014 , and a year later , Nas was featured on `` The 10 Best Rappers of All Time '' list by Billboard . In 2016 , Nas began narrating The Get Down and rapping as Adult Ezekiel of 1996 .", "Lala (website). Lala was an online music store created by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Bill Nguyen . The service allowed members to legally create online shareable `` playlists '' ( formerly known as `` radio stations '' ) of their own uploaded music which could play full length songs for other registered Lala members , purchase MP3s , stream music on a one-time basis or as inexpensively purchased `` web songs , '' buy new CDs from the Lala store , leave blurbs on other members ' pages , and participate in the community forums . Lala contracted with major labels and offered a large catalog of albums to stream or purchase . Their home page claimed over 8 million licensed songs available . Apple Inc. acquired Lala on December 4 , 2009 . On April 30 , 2010 , Lala announced it would be shutting down its service on May 31 , 2010 . They also announced they are `` no longer accepting new users '' and that users with credit would receive credit in Apple 's iTunes Store instead . Lala shut down as scheduled on May 31 , 2010 . However , it still served for a while as the music engine for Billboard.com , providing full-length previews of songs on the Top 100 chart . After that , Billboard.com used MySpace Music as its provider .", "New Orleans. New Orleans ( -LSB- nuː_ˈɔːrlᵻnz , _ - ˈɔːrli.ənz , _ - ɔːrˈliːnz -RSB- , or -LSB- ˈnɔːrlᵻnz -RSB- La Nouvelle-Orléans -LSB- la nuvɛlɔʁleɑ̃ -RSB- ) is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana . The population of the city was 343,829 as of the 2010 U.S. Census . The New Orleans metropolitan area ( New Orleans -- Metairie -- Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area ) had a population of 1,167,764 in 2010 and was the 46th largest in the United States . The New Orleans -- Metairie -- Bogalusa Combined Statistical Area , a larger trading area , had a 2010 population of 1,452,502 . It is well known for its distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture , as well as its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage . New Orleans is also famous for its cuisine , music ( particularly as the birthplace of jazz ) , and its annual celebrations and festivals , most notably Mardi Gras , dating to French colonial times . The city is often referred to as the `` most unique '' in the United States . New Orleans is located in southeastern Louisiana , straddling the Mississippi River . The city and Orleans Parish ( paroisse d'Orléans ) are coterminous . The city and parish are bounded by the parishes of St. Tammany to the north , St. Bernard to the east , Plaquemines to the south , and Jefferson to the south and west . Lake Pontchartrain , part of which is included in the city limits , lies to the north and Lake Borgne lies to the east . Before Hurricane Katrina , Orleans Parish was the most populous parish in Louisiana . As of 2015 , it ranks third in population , trailing neighboring Jefferson Parish , and East Baton Rouge Parish .", "25th Tony Awards. The 25th Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held on March 28 , 1971 , at the Palace Theatre in New York City . The ceremony was broadcast by ABC television . Hosts were Lauren Bacall , Angela Lansbury , Anthony Quayle and Anthony Quinn .", "The Sopranos. The Sopranos is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase . The story revolves around the fictional character , New Jersey-based Italian American mobster Tony Soprano ( James Gandolfini ) . The series portrays the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the conflicting requirements of his home life and his criminal organization . These are often highlighted during his therapy sessions with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi ( Lorraine Bracco ) . The series features Tony 's family members , mafia colleagues and rivals , in prominent roles and story arcs , most notably his wife Carmela ( Edie Falco ) and protégé Christopher Moltisanti ( Michael Imperioli ) . After the pilot was ordered in 1997 , the show premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on January 10 , 1999 , and ran its six seasons with 86 episodes to June 10 , 2007 . The series then went through syndication and has been broadcast on A&E in the United States and internationally . The Sopranos was produced by HBO , Chase Films , and Brad Grey Television . It was primarily filmed at Silvercup Studios , New York City , and on location in New Jersey . The executive producers throughout the show 's run were David Chase , Brad Grey , Robin Green , Mitchell Burgess , Ilene S. Landress , Terence Winter , and Matthew Weiner . The Sopranos is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time . The series also won a multitude of awards , including Peabody Awards for its first two seasons , 21 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards . A staple of 2000s American popular culture , the series has been the subject of critical analysis , controversy , and parody . It has spawned books , a video game , high-charting soundtrack albums , and a large amount of assorted merchandise . Several members of the show 's cast and crew who were previously largely unknown to the public have had successful careers after The Sopranos . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America named The Sopranos the best-written TV series of all time , while TV Guide ranked it the best television series of all time .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "The Revival. The Revival is the second studio album by American R&B group Tony ! Toni ! Toné ! , released on May 8 , 1990 , by Wing Records . It is the follow-up to their modestly successful debut album Who ? ( 1988 ) . The album was produced and arranged primarily by Tony ! Toni ! Toné ! , with additional production by Foster & McElroy , who previously produced Who ? . The group recorded The Revival at several studios in California and used a Synclavier music workstation . A new jack swing album , The Revival features R&B music that draws on funk and older soul influences . Its songs incorporate eccentric sounds and stylistic elements from jazz and hip hop , including improvisational sounds , conversational vocals , and digital samples . The group 's lyrics exhibit contemporary hip hop attitudes and traditional soul themes , with songs about unruly women , low-key ballads , and more danceable tracks . The Revival was well received by contemporary critics , who wrote favorably of the group 's songwriting and appropriation of older sounds with contemporary R&B . It charted for 64 weeks and peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums . The album was promoted with four singles , including the top 40-hit `` It Never Rains ( In Southern California ) '' and the gold-certified `` Feels Good '' . The Revival was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and , according to Nielsen SoundScan , had sold two million copies by 1992 .", "Days of Our Lives. Days of Our Lives ( also stylized as Days of our Lives ; often abbreviated to DOOL or Days ) is an American daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network . It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world , airing nearly every weekday since November 8 , 1965 . It has since been syndicated to many countries around the world . Until the network 's closure in 2013 , Soapnet rebroadcast episodes of Days on a same-day basis each weeknight at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. ( Eastern and Pacific Time ) . The series was created by husband-and-wife team Ted Corday and Betty Corday . Irna Phillips was a story editor for Days of Our Lives and many of the show 's earliest storylines were written by William J. Bell . In February 2016 , the soap received a one-year renewal through 2017 , with the option of an additional year by NBC . Due to the series ' success , it was expanded from 30 minutes to 60 minutes on April 21 , 1975 . The series focuses on its core families , the Hortons and the Bradys . Several other families have been added to the cast , and many of them still appear on the show . Frances Reid , the matriarch of the series ' Horton family remained with the show from its inception to her death on February 3 , 2010 . Suzanne Rogers celebrated 40 years on Days of Our Lives in 2013 , appearing on the show more or less since her first appearance in 1973 . Susan Seaforth Hayes is the only cast member to appear on Days of Our Lives in all five decades it has been on air . Days of Our Lives aired its 10,000 th episode on February 21 , 2005 , and its 12,000 th episode aired on January 11 , 2013 . The soap was given the title of most daring drama in the seventies due to covering topics other soaps would not dare to do . The show 's executive producer is Ken Corday , and co-executive producers are Greg Meng and Albert Alarr . Days of Our Lives is the most widely distributed soap opera in the United States . The show has been parodied by SCTV ( as `` The Days of the Week '' ) and the television sitcom Friends , with some cast members making crossover appearances on the show , including Kristian Alfonso , Roark Critchlow , Matthew Ashford , Kyle Lowder , and Alison Sweeney . The show has had high-profile fans such as actress Julia Roberts , and the Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall ." ]

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[ "Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968 . The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page , singer Robert Plant , bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones , and drummer John Bonham . The band 's heavy , guitar-driven sound , rooted in blues and psychedelia on their early albums , has earned them recognition as one of the progenitors of heavy metal , though their unique style drew from a wide variety of influences , including folk music . After changing their name from the New Yardbirds , Led Zeppelin signed a deal with Atlantic Records that afforded them considerable artistic freedom . Although the group was initially unpopular with critics , they achieved significant commercial success with albums such as Led Zeppelin ( 1969 ) , Led Zeppelin II ( 1969 ) , Led Zeppelin III ( 1970 ) , Led Zeppelin IV ( 1971 ) , Houses of the Holy ( 1973 ) , and Physical Graffiti ( 1975 ) . Their fourth album , which features the track `` Stairway to Heaven '' , is among the most popular and influential works in rock music , and it helped to secure the group 's popularity . Page wrote most of Led Zeppelin 's music , particularly early in their career , while Plant generally supplied the lyrics . Jones ' keyboard-based compositions later became central to the group 's catalogue , which featured increasing experimentation . The latter half of their career saw a series of record-breaking tours that earned the group a reputation for excess and debauchery . Although they remained commercially and critically successful , their output and touring schedule were limited during the late 1970s , and the group disbanded following Bonham 's death from alcohol-related asphyxia in 1980 . In the decades that followed , the surviving members sporadically collaborated and participated in one-off Led Zeppelin reunions . The most successful of these was the 2007 Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in London , with Jason Bonham taking his late father 's place behind the drums . Led Zeppelin are widely considered one of the most successful , innovative , and influential rock groups in history . They are one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording ; various sources estimate the group 's record sales at 200 to 300 million units worldwide . With RIAA-certified sales of 111.5 million units , they are the second-best-selling band in the US . Each of their nine studio albums placed in the top 10 of the Billboard album chart and six reached the number-one spot . They achieved eight consecutive UK number-one albums . Rolling Stone magazine described them as `` the heaviest band of all time '' , `` the biggest band of the Seventies '' , and `` unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history '' . They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 ; the museum 's biography of the band states that they were `` as influential '' during the 1970s as the Beatles were during the 1960s .", "Led Zeppelin (disambiguation). Led Zeppelin were an English rock band that formed in 1968 . Led Zeppelin may also refer to different works released by the band mentioned above :", "Led Zeppelin (album). Led Zeppelin is the eponymous debut studio album by English rock band Led Zeppelin , released on 12 January 1969 in the United States and on 31 March 1969 in the United Kingdom by Atlantic Records . Featuring integral contributions from each of the group 's four members , the album was recorded in October 1968 at Olympic Studios in London and established their fusion style of both blues and rock music . It also attracted a large and devoted following to the band ; Zeppelin 's take on the emerging hard rock sound endeared them to parts of the counterculture on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean . Although the album was not critically well-received when first released , it was commercially successful , and critics have since come to view it in a more favourable light . In 2003 , Led Zeppelin was ranked at # 29 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time , and keeping that position after the list was updated in 2012 . In 2004 , the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame .", "Led Zeppelin IV. The untitled fourth studio album by English rock band Led Zeppelin , commonly known as Led Zeppelin IV , was released on 8 November 1971 by Atlantic Records . Produced by guitarist Jimmy Page , it was recorded between November 1970 and January 1971 at several locations , most prominently the Victorian house Headley Grange . After the band 's previous album Led Zeppelin III received lukewarm reviews from critics , Page decided their fourth album would officially be untitled . This , along with the inner sleeve 's design featuring four symbols that represented each band member , led to the album being referred to variously as ' , Four Symbols , The Fourth Album , Untitled , Runes , The Hermit , and ZoSo '' ' ( which was derived from Page 's symbol ) . In addition to lacking an album title , the cover featured no band name , as the group wished to be anonymous and to avoid easy pigeonholing by the press.Led Zeppelin IV '' was a commercial and critical success , featuring many of the band 's best-known songs , including `` Black Dog '' , `` Rock and Roll '' , `` Going to California '' and `` Stairway to Heaven '' . The album is one of the best-selling albums of all time with more than 37 million copies sold . It is tied for third highest-certified album in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America at 23 × Platinum . Writers and critics have regularly cited it on lists of the greatest albums of all time .", "List of awards and nominations received by Led Zeppelin. This is a list of awards received by the English rock band Led Zeppelin . They are widely considered to be one of the most powerful , innovative , successful , and influential bands in the history of rock music . Led Zeppelin have sold over 300 million albums worldwide , including 111.5 million certified units in the United States , making them one of the world 's best-selling music artists in history , as well as the second best selling band of all time in the United States .", "Led Zeppelin II. Led Zeppelin II is the eponymous second studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , released on 22 October 1969 in the United States and on 31 October 1969 in the United Kingdom by Atlantic Records . Recording sessions for the album took place at several locations in both the United Kingdom and North America from January to August 1969 . The album 's production was credited to the band 's lead guitarist and songwriter Jimmy Page , and it also served as Led Zeppelin 's first album to utilise the recording techniques of the engineer Eddie Kramer . Incorporating several elements of blues and folk music , Led Zeppelin II exhibited the band 's evolving musical style of blues-derived material and their guitar riff-based sound . It has been described as the band 's heaviest album . Led Zeppelin II was a commercial success , and was the band 's first album to reach number one on charts in the UK and the US . In 1970 , the album 's cover designer David Juniper was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package . On 15 November 1999 , the album was certified 12 × Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) for sales passing 12 million copies . Since its release , various writers and music critics have regularly cited Led Zeppelin II as one of the greatest and most influential rock albums of all time .", "Stairway to Heaven. `` Stairway to Heaven '' is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , released in late 1971 . It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for the band 's untitled fourth studio album ( often called Led Zeppelin IV ) . It is often referred to as one of the greatest rock songs of all time . The song has three sections , each one progressively increasing in tempo and volume . The song begins in a slow tempo with acoustic instruments ( guitar and recorders ) before introducing electric instruments . The final section is an uptempo hard rock arrangement highlighted by Page 's intricate guitar solo accompanying Plant 's vocals that end with the plaintive a cappella line : `` And she 's buying a stairway to heaven . '' `` Stairway to Heaven '' was voted number three in 2000 by VH1 on its list of the 100 Greatest Rock Songs , and was placed at number 31 on `` Rolling Stone 's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time '' . It was the most requested song on FM radio stations in the United States in the 1970s , despite never having been commercially released as a single there . In November 2007 , through download sales promoting Led Zeppelin 's Mothership release , `` Stairway to Heaven '' hit number 37 on the UK Singles Chart .", "Led Zeppelin concerts. From September 1968 until the summer of 1980 , English rock band Led Zeppelin were the world 's most popular live music attraction , performing hundreds of sold-out concerts around the world .", "Houses of the Holy. Houses of the Holy is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , released on 28 March 1973 by Atlantic Records . It is their first album composed of entirely original material and it represents a turning point in musical direction for the band , who had begun to record songs with more layering and production techniques . Containing some of the band 's most famous songs , including `` The Song Remains the Same '' , `` The Rain Song '' , and `` No Quarter '' , Houses of the Holy became a commercial success , and was later certified 11x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) in 1999 . In 2012 , the album was ranked at # 148 on Rolling Stone 's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . The title track was originally recorded for the album , but was delayed until the release of band 's next album Physical Graffiti in 1975 .", "Robert Plant. Robert Anthony Plant , ( born 20 August 1948 ) is an English singer , songwriter , and musician , best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin . A powerful and wide vocal range ( particularly evident in his high-pitched vocals ) has given him a successful singing career spanning over 50 years . Plant is regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock and roll ; he has influenced fellow rock singer-songwriters such as Freddie Mercury , Axl Rose and Chris Cornell . In 2006 , Heavy Metal magazine Hit Parader named Plant the `` Greatest Metal Vocalist of All Time '' . In 2009 , Plant was voted `` the greatest voice in rock '' in a poll conducted by Planet Rock . In 2008 , Rolling Stone editors ranked him number 15 on their list of the 100 best singers of all time . In 2011 , Rolling Stone readers ranked Plant the greatest of all lead singers .", "Jimmy Page. James Patrick Page , ( born 9 January 1944 ) is an English musician , songwriter , and record producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin . Page began his career as a studio session musician in London and , by the mid-1960s , alongside Big Jim Sullivan , was one of the most sought-after session guitarists in Britain . He was a member of the Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968 . In late 1968 , he founded Led Zeppelin . Page is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time . Rolling Stone magazine has described Page as `` the pontiff of power riffing '' and ranked him number 3 in their list of the `` 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time . '' In 2010 , he was ranked number two in Gibson 's list of `` Top 50 Guitarists of All Time '' and , in 2007 , number four on Classic Rock '' 's `` 100 Wildest Guitar Heroes . '' He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice ; once as a member of the Yardbirds ( 1992 ) and once as a member of Led Zeppelin ( 1995 ) . Page has been described by Uncut as `` rock 's greatest and most mysterious guitar hero . '' Los Angeles Times '' magazine voted Jimmy Page the 2nd greatest guitarist of all time .", "Led Zepagain. Led Zepagain ( stylized Led ZepAgain ) is an American hard rock tribute band formed in Ventura , California in 1988 . The current band consists of vocalist/harmonica player Swan Montgomery ( `` Robert Plant '' ) , Guitar / Mandolin Anthony David ( `` Jimmy Page '' ) , bassist/keyboardist/mandolinist Jim Wootten ( `` John Paul Jones '' ) and drummer/percussionist Derek Smith ( `` John Bonham '' ) . Having formed in 1988 , Sony recording artists Led Zepagain have become highly regarded as the most accurate and authentic replication of Led Zeppelin in the world today . With well over a million downloads on iTunes to their credit , Led Zepagain 's popularity has also seeped into pop culture by having been mentioned on the network TV shows `` The Gilmore Girls '' , `` Chicago Fire '' and `` Bad Judge '' ! In January of 2004 , Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page himself attended a Led Zepagain show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles . He was absolutely astonished at the bands accuracy stating `` It 's amazing how much you sound like us . You must have grown up on this because you were inside the music , and you paid attention to detail in your presentation ... I can tell you guys really love our music ! '' This encounter led to the members of Led Zepagain attending Led Zeppelin 's 2007 Reunion Concert at London 's O2 Arena by invitation of Mr. Page as well as a surprise visit from Jason Bonham in March of 2009 as he sat in with the band on their encore performance of the song `` Rock and Roll '' . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w6noToYSqQ Led Zepagain was honored to have been featured on AXS TV 's `` World 's Greatest Tribute Bands '' in 2014 , and were asked to come back for an encore performance in March of 2017 to perform the iconic Led Zeppelin lV album in its entirety . Having played nationally and internationally in such places as Japan , Ireland , Alaska , Germany , Bosnia , Peru , Canada , Kosovo , Mexico City and Guam , Led Zepagain regularly performs to packed houses all over the world . We guarantee that from the sound and the look , to the vintage equipment and costuming , Led Zepagain will be the closest thing that you will ever see to a live Led Zeppelin performance ! Come on out and see what Jimmy Page was talking about . Bookings or Information Contact : James Elliot Entertainment [email protected] (760) 699-8891", "Led Zeppelin discography. The discography of the English rock band Led Zeppelin consists of nine studio albums , four live albums , nine compilation albums , 16 singles and eight music downloads . Formed in London in 1968 , the group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page , singer Robert Plant , bass player John Paul Jones , and drummer John Bonham . The band pioneered the concept of album-oriented rock and often refused to release popular songs as singles . Nevertheless , four of their ten songs that reached the Hot 100 had no mention of the title in the lyrics : Immigrant Song , Black Dog , Over the Hills and Far Away , D'yer Mak ` er . Their debut album , Led Zeppelin ( 1969 ) , released by Atlantic Records , charted at number six on the UK Albums Chart and at number ten on the United States Billboard 200 . It received several sales certifications , including an 8 times multi-platinum from the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) and Diamond from the Music Canada . Led Zeppelin 's second studio album , Led Zeppelin II , recorded when the band were on tour , was released a few months after the first . It reached number one in several countries , including the UK and the US , where it was certified 12 times multi-platinum . The album produced Led Zeppelin 's most successful single , `` Whole Lotta Love '' , which peaked at several music charts in the top 10 . Led Zeppelin III ( 1970 ) was a softer , more folk-based effort compared to the hard rock of the band 's previous releases . It also peaked at number one in the UK and in the US . Led Zeppelin 's untitled fourth album , often called Led Zeppelin IV and released on 8 November 1971 , is their most commercially successful album . It received a 23 times multi-platinum certification from RIAA , the third-highest of all albums . The band 's fifth album , Houses of the Holy , was released in 1973 . Again a transatlantic chart-topper , it has received an 11 times multi-platinum certification from RIAA . In 1974 , the band set up their own vanity label , Swan Song Records , which would release the rest of Led Zeppelin 's studio albums . The first was the 1975 double album Physical Graffiti , which has received a 16 times platinum certification from RIAA . However , Zeppelin 's seventh album , Presence ( 1976 ) , did not perform as well as their previous releases , receiving a triple Platinum certification from RIAA . On 20 October 1976 Led Zeppelin released their first concert film The Song Remains the Same . The recording of the film took place during three nights of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City , during the band 's 1973 concert tour of the United States . The band 's eighth album , In Through the Out Door , received a sextuple platinum certification . This was the last album released by the band before Bonham died of alcohol intoxication in 1980 ; Led Zeppelin disbanded immediately afterwards . In 1982 Led Zeppelin released the album Coda , a compilation of outtakes from the band 's previous recordings , but still considered to be a studio album . Since their break-up , the band have released numerous compilation and live albums from older concerts , including How the West Was Won , which peaked at number one on the Billboard charts , and the compilation album Mothership , which produced seven music downloads and was released on the same day Led Zeppelin 's entire catalog became available in digital stores , including in the iTunes Store . `` Stairway to Heaven '' , which had never been released as an official single before , was one of these songs released in digital stores . The band has sold more than 300 million albums worldwide , including 111.5 million certified units in the United States .", "Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings. The Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings are a collection of audio and video recordings of musical performances by the English rock band Led Zeppelin which were never officially released by the band , or under other legal authority . The recordings consist of both live concert performances and outtakes from studio sessions conducted by the band . Many hundreds of Led Zeppelin bootlegs exist , and are widely collected by fans .", "Led Zeppelin III. Led Zeppelin III is the eponymous third studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , released on 5 October 1970 by Atlantic Records in the United States and on 23 October 1970 in the United Kingdom . Composed largely at a remote cottage in Wales known as Bron-Yr-Aur and recorded between May and August 1970 , the album represented a maturing of the band 's music towards a greater emphasis on folk and acoustic sounds . This surprised many fans and critics , and upon its release the album received rather indifferent reviews . Although it is not one of the highest sellers in Led Zeppelin 's catalogue , Led Zeppelin III is now generally praised and acknowledged as representing an important milestone in their history . Although acoustic songs are featured on its predecessors , this album showed that Led Zeppelin were more than just a conventional rock band , and that they could branch out into wider musical territory .", "Coda (album). Coda is the ninth and final studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , released in 1982 . The album is a collection of unused tracks from various sessions during Led Zeppelin 's twelve-year career . It was released two years after the group had officially disbanded following the death of drummer John Bonham . The word coda , meaning a passage that ends a musical piece following the main body , was therefore chosen as the title .", "The Best of Led Zeppelin. The Best of Led Zeppelin is a two-volume greatest hits compilation album series by English rock group Led Zeppelin released by Atlantic Records . Containing songs from eight of the band 's nine studio albums , volume one , Early Days , was released on November 23 , 1999 while volume two , Latter Days , was released on March 21 , 2000 . Early Days is composed of selected tracks from the period in the band 's history dating 1968 to 1971 . Latter Days covered 1973 to 1979 . Early Days debuted at # 71 on the Billboard 's Pop Albums chart and Latter Days debuted at # 81 . A combined disc set , called Early Days and Latter Days , was released on November 19 , 2002 . Both Early Days and Early Days and Latter Days were certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America . Both volumes are now out of print , and were replaced with the 2007 two-disc compilation Mothership .", "Presence (album). Presence is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , released by Swan Song Records on 31 March 1976 . The album was a commercial success , reaching the top of both the British and American album charts , and achieving a triple-platinum certification in the United States , despite receiving mixed reviews from critics and being the slowest-selling studio album by the band ( other than the outtake album Coda ) . It was written and recorded during a tumultuous time in the band 's history , as singer Robert Plant was recuperating from serious injuries he had sustained the previous year in a car accident . Nevertheless , guitarist Jimmy Page describes Presence as the band 's `` most important '' album , proving they would continue and succeed despite their turmoil .", "Led Zeppelin DVD. Led Zeppelin DVD is a double DVD set by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , released in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2003 , and the United States on 27 May 2003 . It contains live concert footage of the band spanning the years 1969 to 1979 . The DVD includes performances from the Royal Albert Hall in 1970 , Madison Square Garden in 1973 , Earls Court in 1975 , and Knebworth in 1979 , plus other footage . Bootleg footage from some of the concerts is interspersed with the professionally shot material . The DVD cover features West and East Mitten Buttes , photographed from the visitor centre at the Navajo Tribal Park located at Monument Valley , Arizona .", "Led Zeppelin Boxed Set. Led Zeppelin is a box set compilation of songs by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , released on 7 September 1990 on Atlantic Records , digitally remastered on four compact discs , six vinyl records , or four cassette tapes . The first compilation album released by Led Zeppelin , selection and remastering of the tracks were supervised by Jimmy Page and took place in New York during early to mid-1990 . A 36-page booklet was also included with the release . This set contains two previously unreleased tracks and one new mix . `` Travelling Riverside Blues '' was recorded on 24 June 1969 at the BBC Maida Vale Studio . `` White Summer/Black Mountain Side '' was recorded at the Playhouse Theatre , London on 27 June 1969 . The `` Moby Dick/Bonzo 's Montreux '' mix took place at the Atlantic Synclavier Suite in New York , in May 1990 . It also includes the band 's only non-album B-side , `` Hey , Hey , What Can I Do '' of the 1970 single `` Immigrant Song '' , previously unavailable on compact disc . To differentiate this box set from a set of selections taken from it , the Remasters box set released the following month , in some markets this release is listed under the title The Complete Collection . To further the confusion , in both cases this is different from The Complete Studio Recordings box set released three years later , which includes all nine of the band 's studio albums on ten discs , with the three extra tracks appended to Coda , along with the 1969 recording `` Baby Come On Home '' , first released on the two-disc Led Zeppelin Boxed Set 2 . The `` Moby Dick/Bonzo 's Montreux '' mix is also included in the promotional interview album Profiled ( 1990 ) . Also three years after this release , the remaining Led Zeppelin tracks not appearing on this box set were issued on Led Zeppelin Boxed Set 2 . In an interview he gave in January 2010 , Page made reference to the boxed set : Oh , I 'm now fully aware of the mark Led Zeppelin made on the musical landscape . My awareness was re-heightened when we were remastering the material to do that CD box set in 1990 . When you hear it all , song after song , you realise what a textbook it is for musicians who are coming along , and that 's so great . The whole thing is about passing it on , because that 's how it was done for me when I was learning from all those old blues and rockabilly records . It 's all part of how this cultural phenomenon keeps moving on . I think everyone carries the flame on .", "John Paul Jones (musician). John Richard Baldwin ( born 3 January 1946 ) , better known by his stage name John Paul Jones , is an English multi-instrumentalist , songwriter , composer , arranger and record producer . Best known as the bassist for the English rock band Led Zeppelin , Jones has since developed a solo career . A versatile musician , Jones also plays organ , guitar , koto , lap steel guitars , mandolin , autoharp , violin , ukulele , sitar , cello , continuum and recorder . According to AllMusic , Jones `` has left his mark on rock & roll music history as an innovative musician , arranger , and director . '' Jones is part of the band Them Crooked Vultures with Josh Homme and Dave Grohl , in which he plays bass guitar , keyboards , and other instruments . In 2014 , Jones ranked first on Paste magazine 's list of `` 20 Most Underrated Bass Guitarists . '' and in its special `` 100 Greatest Bass Players '' issue in 2017 , Bass Player Magazine placed Jones at twenty first .", "Tribute act. A tribute act , tribute band or tribute group is a music group , singer , or musician who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act . Tribute acts include individual performers who mimic the songs and style of an artist , such as Elvis impersonators covering the works of Elvis Presley or groups like The Iron Maidens , an all-female band that pays tribute to Iron Maiden . Many tribute bands , in addition to playing the music of an artist or group , also try to emulate the vocal styles and overall appearance of that group , to make as close an approximation as possible . Others introduce a twist on the original act ; for example , Only One Direction have created a theatre show in London 's West End around their act . Dread Zeppelin plays Led Zeppelin songs in a reggae style with a lead singer dressed up as Elvis Presley , while Gabba perform the songs of ABBA in the style of the Ramones . Tribute bands usually name themselves based on the original band 's name ( sometimes with a pun ) , or on one of their songs or albums .", "Linkin Park. Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills , California . Formed in 1996 , the band rose to international fame with their debut album Hybrid Theory ( 2000 ) , which was certified diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries . Their following studio album Meteora continued the band 's success , topping the Billboard 200 album chart in 2003 , and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world . In 2003 , MTV2 named Linkin Park the sixth-greatest band of the music video era and the third-best of the new millennium . Billboard ranked Linkin Park No. 19 on the Best Artists of the Decade chart . In 2012 , the band was voted as the greatest artist of the 2000s in a Bracket Madness poll on VH1 . In 2014 , the band was declared as the Biggest Rock Band in the World Right Now by Kerrang ! . Having adapted nu metal and rap metal to a radio-friendly yet densely layered style in Hybrid Theory and Meteora , the band explored other genres in their next studio album , Minutes to Midnight ( 2007 ) . The album topped the Billboard charts and had the third-best debut week of any album that year . The band continued to explore a wider variation of musical types in their fourth album , A Thousand Suns ( 2010 ) , layering their music with more electronic sounds and beats . Their fifth album , Living Things ( 2012 ) , combines musical elements from all of their previous records . Their sixth album , The Hunting Party ( 2014 ) , returned to a heavier rock sound . Their seventh album One More Light , a more electronic and pop-oriented record , was released on May 19 , 2017 . The band has collaborated with several other artists , including rapper Jay Z in their mashup EP Collision Course , and many others on the remix albums Reanimation and Recharged . Linkin Park has sold over 70 million albums worldwide and has won two Grammy Awards .", "Led Zeppelin Deluxe Edition. The Led Zeppelin Deluxe Edition is a series of albums reissued by English rock group Led Zeppelin , distributed by Atlantic Records . It contains all nine of the original Led Zeppelin studio albums remastered from the original analog tapes . Along with the remastered albums , there is a companion disc with each album , consisting of previously unreleased audio tracks and alternate mixes of released tracks . Many of these are described as work-in-progress or alternate mixes made during the original production rather than new remixes generated to highlight discarded recording elements ( as did the remixes made for The Beatles Anthology ) . The first companion album consists of the 10 October 1969 concert in Paris . The albums were released in chronological order , each with inverted album covers . The first wave of albums , Led Zeppelin , Led Zeppelin II , and Led Zeppelin III , was released on 2 June 2014 . The second wave of albums , Led Zeppelin IV and Houses of the Holy , was released on 27 October 2014 . Physical Graffiti was released on 23 February 2015 , almost exactly forty years to the day after the original release . The fourth and final wave of albums , Presence , In Through the Out Door , and Coda , was released on 31 July 2015 .", "Physical Graffiti. Physical Graffiti is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , released as a double album on 24 February 1975 by their newly founded imprint label Swan Song Records . The band wrote and recorded eight new songs for the album at Headley Grange , which stretched the total time of the record beyond the typical length of a single LP , so the band decided to make Physical Graffiti a double album by including unreleased tracks from earlier recording sessions : one outtake from Led Zeppelin III , three from Led Zeppelin IV , and three from Houses of the Holy , including the unused title track from the latter album . Physical Graffiti was commercially and critically successful upon its release and debuted at number one on album charts in both the US and the UK . The album was later certified 16x platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) in 2006 , signifying shipments of over eight million copies .", "The Beatles. The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 . With members John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr , they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential act of the rock era . Rooted in skiffle , beat and 1950s rock and roll , the Beatles later experimented with several musical styles , ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock , often incorporating classical elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways . In 1963 their enormous popularity first emerged as `` Beatlemania '' , and as the group 's music grew in sophistication in subsequent years , led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney , they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the counterculture of the 1960s . The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960 , with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player . The core of Lennon , McCartney and Harrison went through a succession of drummers , including Pete Best , before asking Starr to join them in 1962 . Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act , and producer George Martin guided and developed their recordings , greatly expanding their popularity in the United Kingdom after their first hit , `` Love Me Do '' , in late 1962 . They acquired the nickname `` the Fab Four '' as Beatlemania grew in Britain the next year , and by early 1964 became international stars , leading the `` British Invasion '' of the United States pop market . From 1965 onwards , the Beatles produced increasingly innovative recordings , including the albums Rubber Soul ( 1965 ) , Revolver ( 1966 ) , Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band ( 1967 ) , The Beatles ( commonly known as the White Album , 1968 ) and Abbey Road ( 1969 ) . After their break-up in 1970 , they each enjoyed successful musical careers of varying lengths . McCartney and Starr , the surviving members , remain musically active . Lennon was shot and killed in December 1980 , and Harrison died of lung cancer in November 2001 . The Beatles are the best-selling band in history , with estimated sales of over 600 million records worldwide . They have had more number-one albums on the British charts and sold more singles in the UK than any other act . According to the RIAA , the Beatles are also the best-selling music artists in the United States , with 178 million certified units . In 2008 , the group topped Billboard magazine 's list of the all-time most successful `` Hot 100 '' artists ; , they hold the record for most number-one hits on the Hot 100 chart with twenty . They have received ten Grammy Awards , an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards . The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 , and all four were inducted individually from 1994 to 2015 . They were also collectively included in Time magazine 's compilation of the twentieth century 's 100 most influential people .", "Zeppelin (film). Zeppelin is a 1971 British World War I action-drama directed by Étienne Périer . The film stars Michael York , Elke Sommer and Anton Diffring . Zeppelin depicts a fictitious German attempt to raid Great Britain in a giant Zeppelin to steal or destroy the Magna Carta from its hiding place in one of Scotland 's castles .", "For Your Life. `` For Your Life '' is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , from their 1976 album Presence .", "Hard rock. Hard rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music that began in the mid-1960s , with the garage , psychedelic and blues rock movements . It is typified by a heavy use of aggressive vocals , distorted electric guitars , bass guitar , drums , and often accompanied with pianos and keyboards . Hard rock developed into a major form of popular music in the 1970s , with bands such as The Who , Led Zeppelin , Queen , Black Sabbath , Deep Purple , Aerosmith , AC/DC and Van Halen . During the 1980s , some hard rock bands moved away from their hard rock roots and more towards pop rock , while others began to return to a hard rock sound . Established bands made a comeback in the mid-1980s and it reached a commercial peak in the 1980s , with glam metal bands like Bon Jovi and Def Leppard and the rawer sounds of Guns N ' Roses , which followed up with great success in the later part of that decade . Hard rock began losing popularity with the commercial success of R&B , hip-hop , urban pop , grunge and later Britpop in the 1990s . Despite this , many post-grunge bands adopted a hard rock sound and in the 2000s there came a renewed interest in established bands , attempts at a revival , and new hard rock bands that emerged from the garage rock and post-punk revival scenes . Out of this movement came garage rock bands like The White Stripes , The Strokes , Interpol and , later on , The Black Keys . In the 2000s , only a few hard rock bands from the 1970s and 1980s managed to sustain highly successful recording careers .", "Communication Breakdown. `` Communication Breakdown '' is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , from their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin .", "Whole Lotta Love. `` Whole Lotta Love '' is a song by English hard rock band Led Zeppelin . It is the opening track on the band 's second album , Led Zeppelin II , and was released in the United States , several countries in Europe , and Japan as a single ; as with other Led Zeppelin songs , no single was released in the United Kingdom . The US release became their first hit single , being certified Gold on 13 April 1970 , having sold one million copies . It reached number one in Germany , and number four in the Netherlands . Parts of the song were adapted from Willie Dixon 's `` You Need Love '' , recorded by Muddy Waters in 1962 ; originally uncredited to Dixon , a lawsuit in 1985 was settled with a payment to Dixon and credit on subsequent releases . In 2004 , the song was ranked number 75 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time , and in March 2005 , Q magazine placed `` Whole Lotta Love '' at number three in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks . It was placed 11 on a similar list by Rolling Stone . In 2009 it was named the third greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1 . Already part of their live repertoire , `` Whole Lotta Love '' saw its first official release on the LP Led Zeppelin II on 22 October 1969 ( Atlantic LP # 8236 ) . In 2014 , listeners to BBC Radio 2 voted `` Whole Lotta Love '' as containing the greatest guitar riff of all time .", "Ten Years Gone. `` Ten Years Gone '' is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their 1975 album Physical Graffiti . Record producer Rick Rubin has described the song as , `` A deep , reflective piece with hypnotic , interweaving riffs . Light and dark , shadow and glare . It sounds like nature coming through the speakers . ''" ]

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[ "Richard Harris. Richard St John Harris ( 1 October 1930 -- 25 October 2002 ) was an Irish actor and singer . He appeared on stage and in many films , appearing as Frank Machin in This Sporting Life , and King Arthur in the 1967 film Camelot and the subsequent 1981 revival of the show . He played an aristocrat and prisoner in A Man Called Horse ( 1970 ) , a gunfighter in Clint Eastwood 's Western film Unforgiven ( 1992 ) , Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator ( 2000 ) , and Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films : the Sorcerer 's Stone ( 2001 ) and the Chamber of Secrets ( 2002 ) . Harris had a top ten hit in the United Kingdom and United States with his 1968 recording of Jimmy Webb 's song `` MacArthur Park '' .", "Richard Harris (composer). Richard Harris ( born 5 March 1968 ) is a London-based composer , arranger , transcriber , teacher and pianist . Richard Harris studied composition and orchestration at the University of Edinburgh , where his tutors included Kenneth Leighton . At Edinburgh he co-founded the contemporary classical ensemble Piano Circus , with whom he was a member until 2002 , commissioning and performing works by Arvo Pärt , Brian Eno , Philip Glass and Steve Reich . The ensemble was signed to Decca/Argo , producing five CDs . Compositions by Harris feature on the Argo CD Loopholes , and in full on the ensemble 's own CD Landscapes Of The Heart ; he also produced successful arrangements of works by Terry Riley and Thomas Ades . His work Hexada was featured in the UK television programme The Score . In 1992 Harris began teaching piano , theory and A-level music at Westminster School , where he himself had been a pupil . In 1994 Harris became a published author with Faber Music , and in 1997 was chosen by the film composer Carl Davis to be his personal music arranger . Harris 's books range from his own compositions and educational tutors to film , jazz and pop arrangements , and include collaborations with Evelyn Glennie and Joanna MacGregor . In 1999 Harris 's arrangement of Terry Riley 's Keyboard Study No. 2 was chosen by Pete Townshend as the supporting music for Townshend 's Lifehouse concert at Sadler 's Wells . In 2000 , Piano Circus collaborated with the German composer Heiner Goebbels , and the resulting piece Scutigeras , entirely written by Harris and based on Goebbels ' existing works , received a live premiere on BBC radio . In 2004 , Harris composed the music to Warriors , a successful show at the London Planetarium . In 2005 , Harris created a website allowing users to request personalised sheet music , in the form of bespoke arrangements and transcriptions . The site has featured in many newspapers and magazines , including The Daily Telegraph and Classical Music Magazine . In 2009 , Harris composed a big band piece for the Cardinal Vaughan Big Band entitled ` Addison Blues ' , which gave its world premiere performance at St. John 's , Smith Square Concert Hall , for a concert in aid of the British Heart Foundation . Harris also gives lectures with author Rob Eastaway entitled Numbers and Rumbas , exploring the relationship between mathematics and music .", "Ed Harris. Edward Allen `` Ed '' Harris ( born November 28 , 1950 ) is an American actor , producer , director , and screenwriter . He is known for his performances in films such as The Right Stuff ( 1983 ) , The Abyss ( 1989 ) , Glengarry Glen Ross ( 1992 ) , Nixon ( 1995 ) , The Rock ( 1996 ) , Absolute Power ( 1997 ) , A Beautiful Mind ( 2001 ) , Enemy at the Gates ( 2001 ) , Radio ( 2003 ) , A History of Violence ( 2005 ) , Gone Baby Gone ( 2007 ) , The Way Back ( 2010 ) , Man on a Ledge ( 2012 ) , Gravity ( 2013 ) , Snowpiercer ( 2013 ) , and Run All Night ( 2015 ) . Harris currently stars in the HBO sci-fi drama series Westworld , as well as Alejandro G. Iñárritu 's upcoming Starz drama series The One Percent . Harris is a three-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in Apollo 13 ( 1995 ) , The Truman Show ( 1998 ) , and The Hours ( 2002 ) . He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for playing artist Jackson Pollock in his directorial debut Pollock ( 2000 ) . He also won a Golden Globe Award for playing Senator John McCain in Game Change ( 2012 ) . In 2015 , Harris received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .", "Richard Harris (disambiguation). Richard Harris ( 1930 -- 2002 ) was an Irish actor , singer , theatrical producer , film director and writer . Richard Harris may also refer to :", "British Independent Film Award – The Richard Harris Award. The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor is a British Independent Film Award which is given to the actor or actress that the academy feels has contributed highly to British films , throughout their career . The award was introduced at the 2003 ceremony .", "Dick Harris. Richard M. Harris ( born September 6 , 1944 ) is a Canadian politician . He was a Member of Parliament from 1993 to 2015 and sat as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada . He was previously member of the Reform Party of Canada and the Canadian Alliance . From 2004 to 2015 , he represented the electoral district of Cariboo -- Prince George , and formerly represented Prince George -- Bulkley Valley . He was first elected during the 1993 federal election and was re-elected in 1997 , 2000 , 2004 , 2006 , 2008 and 2011 . He challenged Reform Party leader Preston Manning for leadership when Manning proposed merging the party with the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada . He later campaigned for Stockwell Day to become leader . The most prominent position he held with his party was Chief Opposition Whip from 2001 to 2002 . He generated controversy when he appointed an unelected , Conservative Party member to represent a neighbouring electoral district in governmental affairs , though the electoral district had an elected Member of Parliament , but from an opposition party . In Fiscal Year 2009-10 he was the top spending Member of Parliament , and had the largest hospitality and lowest advertising expenditures of any house member . He has served a member on several parliamentary committees , including the ` Standing Committee on Finance ' during the 36th and 37th Parliaments and the ` Standing Committee on Natural Resources ' during the 39th , and 40th Parliaments . In the 41st Parliament he sat on the Veteran 's Affairs Committee . He has introduced three Private Member Bills into the House of Commons . The first two bills were introduced when he was a member of the opposition . The first bill , having to do with penalties for drunk driving was defeated , however , the government felt that the content of the bill was worthy of introducing a similar bill which was passed . The second bill : An Act to amend the Criminal Code ( failure to stop at scene of accident ) was introduced in the 38th Parliament but was not adopted . His third private members bill was introduced during the 41st Parliament ; An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act ( incarceration ) was introduced in October 2011 .", "Anthony Hopkins. Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins ( born 31 December 1937 ) , is a Welsh actor of film , stage , and television . After graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 1957 , he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London , and was then spotted by Laurence Olivier who invited him to join the Royal National Theatre . In 1968 , he got his break in film in The Lion in Winter , playing Richard the Lionheart . Considered to be one of the greatest living actors , Hopkins is well known for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs , for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor , its sequel Hannibal , and the prequel Red Dragon . Other notable films include The Mask of Zorro , The Bounty , Meet Joe Black , The Elephant Man , Magic , 84 Charing Cross Road , Bram Stoker 's Dracula , Legends of the Fall , Thor , The Remains of the Day , Amistad , Nixon , The World 's Fastest Indian , Instinct , Fracture , and The Dresser . Since 2016 , he has starred in the critically acclaimed HBO television series Westworld . Along with his Academy Award , Hopkins has won three BAFTA Awards , two Emmys , and the Cecil B. DeMille Award . In 1993 , he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts . He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003 , and was made a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2008 .", "Richard III (2008 film). Richard III is a 2007 crime drama film written and directed by Scott M. Anderson , set in contemporary Hollywood as a modern-day retelling of William Shakespeare 's Richard III . Filming took place over a 3-week period in 2005 , with post-production taking place during 2006 . The film 's world premiere was April 27 , 2007 at World Fest Houston where it won Platinum Awards for ` First Feature Film ' for Scott Anderson and ` Best Film Score ' for Penka Kouneva .", "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film). Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a 2002 British-American fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures . It is based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling . The film , which is the second instalment in the Harry Potter film series , was written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman . The story follows Harry Potter 's second year at Hogwarts as the Heir of Salazar Slytherin opens the Chamber of Secrets , unleashing a monster that petrifies the school 's denizens . The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter , alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry 's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger . The film is also the last film to feature Richard Harris as Professor Albus Dumbledore , due to his death that same year . It is the sequel to Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone and is followed by Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban . The film was released on 15 November 2002 in the United Kingdom and North America . It was very well received critically and commercially , making US$ 879 million worldwide . It is the seventh-highest-grossing film in the Harry Potter series and the 45th-highest-grossing film of all time . It was nominated for three BAFTA Film Awards in 2003 .", "The Count of Monte Cristo (2002 film). The Count of Monte Cristo is a 2002 adventure drama film produced by Roger Birnbaum , Gary Barber , and Jonathan Glickman that was directed by Kevin Reynolds . An international co-production between the United States , the United Kingdom , and Ireland , the film is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Alexandre Dumais , père and stars Jim Caviezel , Guy Pearce , and Richard Harris . It follows the general plot of the novel ( the main storyline of imprisonment and revenge is preserved ) ; but many aspects , including the relationships between major characters and the ending , have been changed , simplified , or removed ; and action scenes have been added . The film met with modest box office success .", "Red Dragon (film). Red Dragon is a 2002 American psychological horror film based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris , featuring psychiatrist and serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter . It is a prequel to The Silence of the Lambs ( 1991 ) and Hannibal ( 2001 ) . The novel was originally adapted into the film Manhunter ( 1986 ) . The film was directed by Brett Ratner and written for the screen by Ted Tally , who also wrote the screenplay for The Silence of the Lambs . It stars Anthony Hopkins as Lecter , a role he played twice before in The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal , and Edward Norton as FBI agent Will Graham . The film also stars Ralph Fiennes , Harvey Keitel , Emily Watson , Mary-Louise Parker , and Philip Seymour Hoffman .", "Richard B. Lewis. Richard Barton Lewis is an American film producer and writer . He is the founder and CEO of Southpaw Entertainment , and formerly a co-founder and partner of Trilogy Entertainment for 17 years . Lewis is a graduate of UC Berkeley 's department of Biological Anthropology , and received his master 's degree from UCLA 's School of Motion Picture and Television Production . Lewis led production on Warner Bros ' film August Rush , producing both the film and its Oscar and Grammy nominated soundtrack , as well as the Broadway musical adapted by Tony Award-winner director John Doyle . At Trilogy , Lewis produced the Showtime series The Outer Limits and created the Sci-Fi Channel 's Poltergeist : The Legacy . He also produced the CBS Emmy-winning series The Magnificent Seven , and the double Emmy-winning first-run series , Fame L.A. , for which he won an Emmy for writing and producing the theme song . After leaving Trilogy , Lewis and his former Trilogy partners produced Robin Hood : Prince of Thieves and Backdraft . At Southpaw , Lewis produced and co-financed four motion pictures : August Rush , Eulogy , House of D , and Brooklyn Rules . Lewis ' other credits include the feature films Moll Flanders , Blown Away , and Larger Than Life .", "Dan Harris (screenwriter). Dan Harris ( born August 29 , 1979 ) is an American screenwriter and director best known for working with Michael Dougherty and Bryan Singer , and whose writing credits include Superman Returns , X2 and X-Men : Apocalypse .", "Richard Harris (television writer). Richard Harris ( born 1934 ) is a prolific British television writer , most active from the early 1960s to the mid-1990s . He writes primarily for the crime and detective genres , having contributed episodes of series like The Avengers , The Saint , The Sweeney , Armchair Mystery Theatre , and Target . He has helped to create several standout programmes of the genre , including Adam Adamant Lives ! , Man in a Suitcase , and Shoestring . Despite a career which has been largely spent writing for the crime and detective genre , in 1994 he won the prize for best situation comedy from the Writers ' Guild of Great Britain for Outside Edge , a programme he had originated as a stage play . Indeed , though the majority of his work has been for television , a substantial amount of his output has been for the stage .", "Richard Christian Matheson. Richard Christian Matheson ( born October 14 , 1953 ) is an American writer of horror fiction and screenplays . He is the author of over 100 critically hailed short stories of psychological horror and magic realism which are gathered in his landmark short story collections Scars and Other Distinguishing Marks # 1 bestseller Dystopia and Zoopraxis . He is the author of the critically celebrated suspense novel Created By and Hollywood novella The Ritual of Illusion , and was the editor of the commemorative book Battleground . He wrote or co-wrote the screenplays for Three O'Clock High , Full Eclipse , It Takes Two , Loose Cannons , Paradise , It Waits , Happy Face Killer , Voice of Midway , Dean Koontz 's Soul Survivor as a 4-hour mini series , three Masters of Horror episodes , Stephen King 's Big Driver , He wrote for the legendary Amazing Stories , miniseries Nightmares & Dreamscapes and twenty comedy and drama pilots . He co-created and co-wrote all 13 episodes of the highly successful comedy series Chemistry . He has been executive story consultant , supervising producer and executive producer for network television series . He is also the co-executive producer of the films Cub , It Waits , Paradise , Full Eclipse and Big Driver .", "Ricky Harris. Ricky Harris ( October 5 , 1965 -- December 26 , 2016 ) was an American producer , actor and comedian .", "Sarah Michelle Gellar. Sarah Michelle Prinze ( née Gellar ; born April 14 , 1977 ) is an American actress , producer , and entrepreneur . After being spotted by an agent at the age of four in New York City , she made her acting debut in the made-for-TV movie An Invasion of Privacy ( 1983 ) . Gellar went on to appear in numerous television series and commercials . Her first leading part was in the 1992 miniseries Swans Crossing , for which she was nominated for two Young Artist Awards , and her television breakthrough came in 1993 , when she originated the role of Kendall Hart on the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children , winning the 1995 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series . Gellar received widespread recognition for her portrayal of Buffy Summers on the WB series Buffy the Vampire Slayer ( 1997 -- 2003 ) , which earned her five Teen Choice Awards , a Saturn Award and a Golden Globe Award nomination . The character was widely popular during the airing of the show and became recognized as one of the 100 greatest female characters in U.S. television . Gellar also gained significant attention for her appearances in the slasher movies I Know What You Did Last Summer ( 1997 ) and Scream 2 ( 1997 ) , and for her portrayal of Kathryn Merteuil in Cruel Intentions ( 1999 ) . She appeared as Daphne Blake in Scooby-Doo ( 2002 ) , her biggest live action commercial success . In 2004 , Gellar reprised her role as Daphne in the sequel Scooby-Doo 2 : Monsters Unleashed and portrayed Karen Davis in the horror remake The Grudge , both of which grossed more than US$ 180 million worldwide . She subsequently appeared in smaller scale movies such as The Return ( 2006 ) and Southland Tales ( 2007 ) , and provided her voice for TMNT ( 2007 ) . Her later film credits include The Air I Breathe ( 2008 ) , Possession ( 2009 ) and Veronika Decides to Die ( 2009 ) . She headlined the short lived television series Ringer ( 2011 -- 2012 ) and The Crazy Ones ( 2013 -- 2014 ) , which co-starred Robin Williams . In October 2015 , Gellar co-founded Foodstirs , a food crafting brand and e-commerce startup selling baking kits for children .", "Top Gear (2002 TV series). Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles , primarily cars . It is a relaunched version of the original 1977 show of the same name , airing since 2002 , and has become the most widely watched factual television programme in the world . Since the relaunch , the conventional motoring magazine programme has developed a quirky , humorous and sometimes controversial style over time , and has become a significant show in British popular culture . During its first 22 series , the programme received acclaim for its visual style and presentation as well as criticism for its content and often politically incorrect commentary made by its former presenters Jeremy Clarkson , Richard Hammond , and James May . Columnist A. A. Gill , close friend of Clarkson and fellow Sunday Times columnist , described the programme as `` a triumph of the craft of programme making , of the minute , obsessive , musical masonry of editing , the French polishing of colourwashing and grading '' . The show 's relaunched format was originally hosted by Clarkson , Hammond and Jason Dawe , with Andy Wilman as the show 's executive producer , and introduced an anonymous test driver known as `` The Stig '' ; although part of the line-up , `` The Stig '' has been played by numerous racing drivers over the course of the series . Following the first series , Dawe was replaced by May , and the hosting line-up remained unchanged until 25 March 2015 , when Clarkson was informed by the BBC that his contract would not be renewed following an incident between himself and a producer . Following Clarkson 's dismissal , his co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May , along with Andy Wilman , announced that they would not return to the show without him , and instead left to work alongside Clarkson to produce a new motoring series that would later be known as The Grand Tour . Following their departure , Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc took over as the new hosts for the 23rd series , with Rory Reid , Sabine Schmitz , Chris Harris and Eddie Jordan joining them in the series when needed . Following negative feedback for the series , Evans resigned , with the BBC choosing to retain the other five presenters and assigning LeBlanc , Harris and Reid as the main hosts for the 24th series . First-run episodes are broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two and ( from series 20 ) BBC Two HD . From series 14 -- 19 , before the launch of the dedicated BBC Two HD channel , new episodes were also simulcast on BBC HD . The series is also carried on cable television systems in the United States via BBC America , in Latin America via BBC Entertainment and in Europe and South-East Asia via BBC Knowledge .", "Richard III (play). Richard III is a historical play by William Shakespeare , believed to have been written in approximately 1592 . It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of King Richard III of England . The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified as such . Occasionally , however , as in the quarto edition , it is termed a tragedy . Richard III concludes Shakespeare 's first tetralogy ( also containing Henry VI parts 1 -- 3 ) . It is the second longest play in the canon after Hamlet , and is the longest of the First Folio , whose version of Hamlet is shorter than its Quarto counterpart . The play is rarely performed unabridged ; often , certain peripheral characters are removed entirely . In such instances extra lines are often invented or added from elsewhere in the sequence to establish the nature of characters ' relationships . A further reason for abridgment is that Shakespeare assumed that his audiences would be familiar with the Henry VI plays , and frequently made indirect references to events in them , such as Richard 's murder of Henry VI or the defeat of Henry 's queen , Margaret .", "Shawn Harris. Shawn Harris ( born June 24 , 1982 ) was the lead singer and guitarist for pop punk group The Matches . He is an artist and has done the art for several albums , including Matchbook Romance 's Voices and Bayside 's Shudder . He was born in Berkeley , California , and attended Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland . He is a strict vegan and has appeared on PETA 's YouTube channel to explain why he chose this eating lifestyle . He has mentioned many times that his goal in music is to write the best song ever , and he believes that Leonard Cohen 's `` Hallelujah '' is the best song ever . He is currently involved in Maniac , a project with Jake Grigg of Australian rock band Something with Numbers . They released an EP titled `` Extended Play , '' both digitally and on vinyl , on June 10 , 2010 . They are currently working on their debut studio album , titled Mania . They briefly ran a blog where they posted a cover of the number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 each week . He provided vocals to the song `` Doctor Doctor '' by the American band Forgive Durden . Harris left The Matches ( who are currently on hiatus ) in 2010 . In 2013 , he released an album and video for Fortress Social Club based in Los Angeles , CA . In 2015 he releases music under the moniker of St. Ranger . The album `` Leaves L.A. '' was released on February 8 , 2016 via Pretend Record . The singles and videos `` Dream Is Alive '' and `` Billy Brown '' are taken from this album .", "Kamala Harris. Kamala Devi Harris ( -LSB- ˈkɑːmələ -RSB- born October 20 , 1964 ) is an American attorney and politician who is the junior United States Senator from California . She is a member of the Democratic Party and served as the 32nd Attorney General of California . Harris graduated from Howard University and University of California , Hastings College of the Law . She worked as a Deputy District Attorney in Alameda County , California ( 1990 -- 98 ) . She served as Managing Attorney of the Career Criminal Unit in the San Francisco District Attorney 's Office ( 1998-2000 ) and as Chief of the Community and Neighborhood Division in the office of San Francisco City Attorney ( 2000 -- 03 ) . In 2003 , she was elected as California 's first African American female District Attorney of San Francisco , defeating incumbent Terence Hallinan . She was re-elected in 2007 and served from 2004 to 2011 . Harris was elected California 's Attorney General in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 . Harris was the first woman , the first Jamaican American , the first Asian American , the first Indian American , and the first African American attorney general in California . On November 8 , 2016 , she defeated Loretta Sanchez in the 2016 U.S. Senate election to replace outgoing Democratic senator Barbara Boxer , becoming the third woman of color , first Indian American , and first biracial woman ( alongside Tammy Duckworth and Catherine Cortez Masto ) elected to serve in the United States Senate .", "Houston. Houston ( -LSB- ˈhjuːstən -RSB- ) is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States . With a census-estimated 2014 population of 2.239 million within an area of 667 sqmi , it is also the largest city in the southern United States and the seat of Harris County . Located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf of Mexico , it is the principal city of the Greater Houston metro area , which is the fifth-most populated MSA in the United States . Houston was founded on August 28 , 1836 , near the banks of Buffalo Bayou ( now known as Allen 's Landing ) and incorporated as a city on June 5 , 1837 . The city was named after former General Sam Houston , who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto 25 mi east of where the city was established . The burgeoning port and railroad industry , combined with oil discovery in 1901 , has induced continual surges in the city 's population . In the mid-20th century , Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center -- the world 's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions -- and NASA 's Johnson Space Center , where the Mission Control Center is located . Houston 's economy has a broad industrial base in energy , manufacturing , aeronautics , and transportation . Leading in health care sectors and building oilfield equipment , outside of New York City , Houston has more Fortune 500 headquarters than any other U.S. municipality within its city limits . The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled . Nicknamed the `` Space City '' , Houston is a global city , with strengths in business , international trade , entertainment , culture , media , fashion , science , sports , technology , education , medicine , and research . The city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community . Houston is the most diverse city in Texas and has been described as the most racially and ethnically diverse major metropolis in the U.S. . It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits , which attract more than 7 million visitors a year to the Museum District . Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District and offers year-round resident companies in all major performing arts .", "Richard Nixon. Richard Milhous Nixon ( January 9 , 1913 -- April 22 , 1994 ) was an American politician who served as the 37th President of the United States from 1969 until 1974 , when he became the only U.S. president to resign from office . He had previously served as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower , and prior to that as a U.S. Representative and also Senator from California . Nixon was born in Yorba Linda , California . After completing his undergraduate studies at Whittier College , he graduated from Duke University School of Law in 1937 and returned to California to practice law . He and his wife Pat moved to Washington in 1942 to work for the federal government . He subsequently served on active duty in the U.S. Navy Reserve during World War II . Nixon was elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 and to the Senate in 1950 . His pursuit of the Hiss Case established his reputation as a leading anti-communist , and elevated him to national prominence . He was the running mate of Dwight D. Eisenhower , the Republican Party presidential nominee in the 1952 election . Nixon served for eight years as vice president -- at 40 , the second-youngest vice president in history . He waged an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 1960 , narrowly losing to John F. Kennedy , and lost a race for Governor of California to Pat Brown in 1962 . In 1968 , he ran for the presidency again and was elected by defeating incumbent Vice President Hubert Humphrey . Nixon ended American involvement in the war in Vietnam in 1973 and brought the American POWs home , and ended the military draft . Nixon 's visit to the People 's Republic of China in 1972 eventually led to diplomatic relations between the two nations , and he initiated détente and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union the same year . His administration generally transferred power from Washington D.C. to the states . He imposed wage and price controls for a period of ninety days , enforced desegregation of Southern schools and established the Environmental Protection Agency . Nixon also presided over the Apollo 11 moon landing , which signaled the end of the moon race . He was reelected in one of the largest electoral landslides in U.S. history in 1972 , when he defeated George McGovern . The year 1973 saw an Arab oil embargo , gasoline rationing , and a continuing series of revelations about the Watergate scandal . The scandal escalated , costing Nixon much of his political support , and on August 9 , 1974 , he resigned in the face of almost certain impeachment and removal from office . After his resignation , he was issued a pardon by his successor , Gerald Ford . In retirement , Nixon 's work writing several books and undertaking of many foreign trips helped to rehabilitate his image . He suffered a debilitating stroke on April 18 , 1994 , and died four days later at the age of 81 .", "Hannibal (Harris novel). Hannibal is a novel by American author Thomas Harris , published in 1999 . It is the third in his series featuring Dr. Hannibal Lecter and the second to feature FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling . The novel takes place seven years after the events of The Silence of the Lambs and deals with the intended revenge of one of Lecter 's victims . It was adapted as a film of the same name in 2001 , directed by Ridley Scott . Elements of the novel were incorporated into the second season of the NBC television series Hannibal , while the show 's third season adapted the plot of the novel .", "Final Destination 2. Final Destination 2 is a 2003 American supernatural horror film directed by David R. Ellis . The screenplay was written by J. Mackye Gruber and Eric Bress , based on a story by Gruber , Bress , and series creator Jeffrey Reddick . It is the sequel to the 2000 film Final Destination and the second installment of the Final Destination film series . After the financial success of Final Destination , New Line Cinema contacted Reddick regarding plans for a sequel . Since the original film 's crew was unavailable , New Line replaced most of the production team . Filming took place in Vancouver and Okanagan Lake . Final Destination 2 was released on January 31 , 2003 , as well as on DVD on July 22 , 2003 , which includes commentaries , deleted scenes , documentaries , and videos . The film received mixed reviews from critics ; in which negative assessments sorted the film as `` silly and illogical '' and `` begins with the same flawed premise '' of its precursor , while positive evaluations eulogized the film as `` a real jolter for horror fans '' , `` recognizes the close relationship between fright and laughter '' , and `` surprisingly good fun for the current crop of horror films '' . The film grossed $ 46 million domestically and $ 43 million overseas , earning $ 90 million internationally . It was also nominated for four awards , including the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film .", "Neil Patrick Harris. Neil Patrick Harris ( born June 15 , 1973 ) is an American actor , comedian , magician , singer , and composer , known primarily for his comedy roles on television and his dramatic and musical stage roles . On television , he is known for playing the title character on Doogie Howser , M.D. ( 1989 -- 1993 ) , Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother ( 2005 -- 2014 , for which he was nominated for four Emmy Awards ) , and Count Olaf on A Series of Unfortunate Events ( 2017 onward ) . Harris is also known for his role as the title character in Joss Whedon 's musical Dr. Horrible 's Sing-Along Blog ( 2008 ) and a fictional version of himself in the Harold & Kumar film series ( 2004 -- 2011 ) . His other films include Starship Troopers ( 1997 ) , Beastly ( 2011 ) , The Smurfs ( 2011 ) , The Smurfs 2 ( 2013 ) , A Million Ways to Die in the West ( 2014 ) , and Gone Girl ( 2014 ) . In 2014 , he starred in the title role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway , for which he won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical . Harris has hosted the Tony Awards in 2009 , 2011 , 2012 , and 2013 , for which he won several special class Emmy Awards . He also hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009 and 2013 , and hosted the 87th Academy Awards in 2015 , thus making him the first openly gay man to host the Academy Awards . Harris was named one of Time magazine 's 100 Most Influential People in 2010 . He is married to David Burtka . In 2010 , they got twins through surrogacy .", "3 Doors Down. 3 Doors Down is an American rock band from Escatawpa , Mississippi , that formed in 1996 . The band originally consisted of Brad Arnold ( lead vocals/drums ) , Todd Harrell ( bass ) , and Matt Roberts ( lead guitar , backing vocals ) . They were soon joined by rhythm guitarist Chris Henderson . The band rose to international fame with their first single , `` Kryptonite '' , which charted in the top three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . The band then signed with Republic Records and released their debut album , The Better Life , in 2000 . The album was the 11th-best-selling album of the year and was certified 6x platinum in the United States . They were later joined by drummer Richard Liles , who played during the tour for their first album . The band 's second album , Away from the Sun , ( 2002 ) continued the band 's success ; it debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart , went multi-platinum in the U.S. like its predecessor , and spawned the hits `` When I 'm Gone '' and `` Here Without You '' . The band toured extensively for two years . Daniel Adair played drums on tour from 2002 to 2005 . This configuration played nearly 1,000 shows across the world following the release of Away from the Sun . In 2005 , Greg Upchurch ( Puddle of Mudd ) joined to play drums to replace Adair . 3 Doors Down released their third album , Seventeen Days in 2005 . The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum within one month of release . Their fourth , self-titled album , 3 Doors Down ( 2008 ) , also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart . The band 's fifth studio album , Time of My Life ( 2011 ) debuted at No. 3 on the charts . Original guitarist Matt Roberts departed in 2012 , owing to health issues . He was replaced by Chet Roberts , who was formerly Henderson 's guitar tech . Harrell was fired from the band in 2013 after being charged with vehicular homicide , and was replaced by bassist Justin Biltonen . Worldwide , 3 Doors Down has sold more than 20 million albums . The band has shared the stage with artists such as Daughtry , Pop Evil , Red Sun Rising , Black Stone Cherry , Megadeth , Staind , Nickelback , Three Days Grace , Oleander , Alter Bridge , Breaking Benjamin , Seether , Shinedown , Hinder , Mentors , ZZ Top , Bob Seger , and Lynyrd Skynyrd .", "Damian Harris. Damian David Harris ( born 2 August 1958 ) is an English film director and screenwriter . He is the son of the actor Richard Harris .", "Harris, New York. Harris is a hamlet in the Town of Thompson in east-central Sullivan County , New York , United States . The ZIP code for Harris is 12742 . Harris is a small community located off New York State Route 17 ( future Interstate 86 ) off Exit 102 between Liberty and Monticello . In its heyday , during the 1950s , Harris was a thriving resort community of bungalow colonies , hotels and rooming houses . These included Betty D 's Rooming House , the Turey Hotel , the Louis Herskovitz Bungalow Colony , Princeton House and many others . During the summer months , a number of stores formed a small `` downtown '' area near the intersection of Harris Road and Big Woods Road . Today , the hamlet still contains a number of bungalow colonies . It is also the location of the Catskill Regional Medical Center 's main hospital ( as opposed to the Center 's smaller hospital in the western part of Sullivan County in Callicoon ) , and is the home of the Center for Discovery , a community for disabled residents that is also the largest employer in Sullivan County .", "Jumanji. Jumanji is a 1995 American fantasy adventure film directed by Joe Johnston . It is an adaptation of the 1981 children 's book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg . The film was written by Greg Taylor , Jonathan Hensleigh , and Jim Strain , and stars Robin Williams , Bonnie Hunt , Kirsten Dunst , Bradley Pierce , David Alan Grier , Jonathan Hyde , and Bebe Neuwirth . The special effects were provided by Industrial Light & Magic for computer graphic elements and Amalgamated Dynamics for animatronics components . The film was dedicated to visual effects supervisor Stephen L. Price , who died before the film 's release . The story centers on young Alan Parrish , who becomes trapped in a board game while playing with his best friend Sarah Whittle in 1969 . Twenty-six years later in 1995 , siblings Judy and Peter Shepherd find the game , begin playing and then unwittingly release the now-adult Alan . After tracking down Sarah , the quartet resolve to finish the game in order to reverse all of the destruction it has caused . The film was shot in Keene , New Hampshire , representing the story 's fictional town of Brantford , New Hampshire . Additional filming took place in Vancouver , British Columbia . The film was released on December 15 , 1995 . Despite its lukewarm critical reception , it was a box office success , earning $ 262,797,249 worldwide on a budget of approximately $ 65 million and it became the 10th highest-grossing movie of 1995 . In 2005 , a similar film marketed as a spiritual sequel to Jumanji , titled Zathura , was released and was also adapted from a Van Allsburg book . A sequel , Jumanji : Welcome to the Jungle , will be released on December 20 , 2017 .", "Motorola. Motorola ( -LSB- ˌmoʊtəˈroʊlə -RSB- ) was an American multinational telecommunications company founded on September 25 , 1928 , based in Schaumburg , Illinois . After having lost $ 4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009 , the company was divided into two independent public companies , Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4 , 2011 . Motorola Solutions is generally considered to be the direct successor to Motorola , as the reorganization was structured with Motorola Mobility being spun off . Motorola Mobility was acquired by Lenovo in 2014 . Motorola designed and sold wireless network equipment such as cellular transmission base stations and signal amplifiers . Motorola 's home and broadcast network products included set-top boxes , digital video recorders , and network equipment used to enable video broadcasting , computer telephony , and high-definition television . Its business and government customers consisted mainly of wireless voice and broadband systems ( used to build private networks ) , and public safety communications systems like Astro and Dimetra . These businesses ( except for set-top boxes and cable modems ) are now part of Motorola Solutions . Google sold Motorola Home ( the former General Instrument cable businesses ) to the Arris Group in December 2012 for US$ 2.35 billion . Motorola 's wireless telephone handset division was a pioneer in cellular telephones . Also known as the Personal Communication Sector ( PCS ) prior to 2004 , it pioneered the `` mobile phone '' with DynaTAC , `` flip phone '' with the MicroTAC as well as the `` clam phone '' with the StarTAC in the mid-1990s . It had staged a resurgence by the mid-2000s with the RAZR , but lost market share in the second half of that decade . Later it focused on smartphones using Google 's open-source Android mobile operating system . The first phone to use the newest version of Google 's open source OS , Android 2.0 , was released on November 2 , 2009 as the Motorola Droid ( the GSM version launched a month later , in Europe , as the Motorola Milestone ) . The handset division ( along with cable set-top boxes and cable modems ) was later spun off into the independent Motorola Mobility . On May 22 , 2012 , Google CEO Larry Page announced that Google had closed on its deal to acquire Motorola Mobility . On January 29 , 2014 , Page announced that pending closure of the deal , Motorola Mobility would be acquired by Chinese technology company Lenovo for US$ 2.91 billion ( subject to certain adjustments ) . On October 30 , 2014 , Lenovo finalized its purchase of Motorola Mobility from Google .", "Rolf Harris. Rolf Harris ( born 30 March 1930 ) is an Australian entertainer whose career has encompassed work as a musician , singer-songwriter , composer , comedian , actor , painter and television personality . Harris is widely known for his musical compositions `` Tie Me Kangaroo Down , Sport '' , which later became a Top 10 hit in Australia , the UK , and the United States , and `` Jake the Peg '' . He often used unusual instruments in his performances : he played the didgeridoo ; is credited with the invention of the wobble board ; and is associated with the Stylophone . During the 1960s and 1970s , Harris became a popular television personality in the UK , later presenting shows such as Rolf 's Cartoon Club and Animal Hospital . In 2005 , he painted an official portrait of Queen Elizabeth II . He lived in Bray , Berkshire , England , for more than six decades . Harris 's career as a popular entertainer ended when he was convicted and imprisoned for sexual offences . In 2014 , at the age of 84 , he was jailed on twelve counts of indecent assault that took place between 1968 or 1969 and 1986 , on four female victims then aged between eight and nineteen . As a result , he was stripped of many of the honours he had been awarded during his career , including the AO and CBE . He was released from HMP Stafford in May 2017 after having served half of his sentence of five years and nine months ." ]

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[ "The Fosters (2013 TV series). The Fosters is an American family drama television series created by Peter Paige and Bradley Bredeweg which first premiered in the United States on June 3 , 2013 on the Freeform ( previously named ABC Family ) television network . It follows the lives of the Foster family led by lesbian couple Stef and Lena , a cop and a school vice principal respectively , who raise a multi-ethnic blended family that consists of one biological and four adopted children in San Diego , California . The first season of The Fosters received generally favorable reviews from critics and also garnered particular acclaim for its portrayal of LGBT themes . It also earned two GLAAD Media Awards and one Teen Choice Award .", "The Fosters. The Fosters may refer to : The Fosters ( 1976 TV series ) , a British sitcom The Fosters ( 2013 TV series ) , a U.S. drama series", "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Foster 's Home for Imaginary Friends ( commonly abbreviated as Foster 's ) is an American animated television series created by Craig McCracken for Cartoon Network Studios . The series , set in a world in which imaginary friends coexist with humans , centers on an 8-year-old boy , Mac , who is pressured by his mother to abandon his imaginary friend , Bloo . After Mac discovers an orphanage dedicated to housing abandoned imaginary friends , Bloo moves into the home and is kept from adoption so long as Mac visits him daily . The episodes revolve around Mac and Bloo as they interact with other imaginary friends and house staff and live out their day-to-day adventures , often getting caught up in various predicaments . McCracken conceived the series after adopting two dogs from an animal shelter and applying the concept to imaginary friends . The show first premiered on Cartoon Network on August 13 , 2004 , as a 90-minute television film . On August 20 , it began its normal run of twenty-to-thirty-minute episodes on Fridays , at 7 pm . The series finished its run on May 3 , 2009 , with a total of six seasons and seventy-nine episodes . McCracken left Cartoon Network shortly after the series ended . Reruns have aired on Boomerang from August 11 , 2012 to November 3 , 2013 and again from June 1 , 2014 to April 3 , 2017 . Foster 's Home for Imaginary Friends was praised by critics and received high ratings during its original run , becoming popular among both younger and older audiences . It received many industry accolades , including five Annie Awards and seven Emmy Awards , winning a total of sixteen awards out of thirty-five nominations . It has since been named by Entertainment Weekly as one of the best Cartoon Network shows and by IGN as the 85th best animated series of all time .", "The Fosters (1976 TV series). The Fosters is a British television programme , produced by London Weekend Television which aired on ITV from 9 April 1976 , until 9 July 1977 . It was created and developed by Jon Watkins , who adapted the American sitcom , Good Times , developed by Norman Lear , and created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans . It was the first British sitcom to have an entirely black cast . It was the predecessor to many future British television programmes that featured a predominantly black cast : ( No Problem ! , Desmond 's , The Lenny Henry Show ) .", "List of The Fosters episodes. The Fosters is an American drama series on Freeform ( then known as ABC Family ) that premiered on June 3 , 2013 . The series follows the lives of Lena Adams ( Sherri Saum ) and Stef Foster ( Teri Polo ) , the Fosters , who are an interracial , lesbian couple living in the Mission Bay area of San Diego , raising Stef 's biological son , Brandon ( David Lambert ) , along with adopted twins , Jesus ( Jake T. Austin/Noah Centineo ) and Mariana ( Cierra Ramirez ) . Lena is a charter school vice principal and Stef is a police officer . Lena decides to take in `` troubled '' teenager Callie ( Maia Mitchell ) and her younger brother Jude ( Hayden Byerly ) , who have endured a series of abusive foster homes . The show resumed its second season on January 19 , 2015 . The series was renewed for a third season on January 13 . The third season began on June 8 , 2015 , with the second half premiering on January 25 , 2016 on Freeform . On November 30 , 2015 , Freeform announced that the series was renewed for a fourth season , which premiered on June 20 , 2016 . The second half of the fourth season premiered on January 31 , 2017 , replacing the timeslot for Pretty Little Liars . On January 10 , 2017 , Freeform announced that the series was renewed for a fifth season , which will start airing on July 11 , 2017 . As of April 11 , 2017 , 82 episodes of The Fosters have aired , concluding the fourth season .", "Foster care in the United States. Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in an institution , group home , or private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a `` foster parent '' . The placement of the child is usually arranged through the government or a social-service agency . The institution , group home or foster parent is provided compensation for expenses . The state via the family court and child protection agency stand in loco parentis to the minor , making all legal decisions while the foster parent is responsible for the day-to-day care of said minor . The foster parent is remunerated by the state for their services . In the United States , foster home licensing requirements vary from state to state , but are generally overseen by each state 's Department of Child Protective Services or Human Services . In some states , counties have this responsibility . Each state 's services are monitored by the federal Department of Health and Human Services through reviews such as Child and Family Services Reviews , Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Reviews , Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System and Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System Assessment Reviews . The foster parent licensing process is often similar to the process to become licensed to adopt . It requires preparation classes as well as an application process . The application varies but may include : a minimum age , verification that your income allows you to meet your expenses , a criminal record check at local , state and federal levels including finger printing and no prior record of child abuse or neglect ; a reference from a doctor to ensure that all household members are free from diseases that a child could catch and in sufficient health to parent a child and ; letters of reference from an employer and others who know them . Children found to be unable to function in a foster home may be placed in Residential Treatment Centers ( RTCs ) or other such group homes . In theory , the focus of treatment in such facilities is to prepare the child for a return to a foster home , to an adoptive home , or to the birth parents when applicable . But two major reviews of the scholarly literature have questioned these facilities ' effectiveness . There are some children in foster care who are difficult to place in permanent homes through the normal adoption process . These children are often said to require `` special-needs adoption . '' In this context , `` special needs '' can include situations where children have specific chronic medical problems , mental health issues , behavioral problems , and learning disabilities . In some cases , sibling groups , and older children qualify as `` special needs . '' Governments offer a variety of incentives and services to facilitate this class of adoptions .", "Foster care. Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward , group home , or private home of a state-certified caregiver , referred to as a `` foster parent '' . The placement of the child is normally arranged through the government or a social service agency . The institution , group home or foster parent is compensated for expenses . The State , via the family court and child protection services agency , stand in loco parentis to the minor , making all legal decisions while the foster parent is responsible for the day-to-day care of the minor . The vast majority of children who would otherwise need foster care are in kinship care , that is , in the care of grandparents or other relatives . Most kinship care is done informally , without the involvement of a court or public organization . However , in the U.S. , formal kinship care is increasingly common . In 2012 , a quarter of all children in formal foster care were placed with relatives .", "List of awards and nominations received by Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Foster 's Home for Imaginary Friends ( often abbreviated to Foster 's ) is an American animated television series created by Craig McCracken that ran from August 13 , 2004 , to May 3 , 2009 , on Cartoon Network . Throughout its run , it was nominated for 33 television and animation industry awards and won 16 of them . It received 20 Annie Award nominations , including Best Animated Television Production in 2006 , of which it won 5 . Both one-hour specials ( `` Good Wilt Hunting '' and `` Destination : Imagination '' ) were nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for `` Outstanding Animated Program ( For Programming One Hour or More ) , '' which the latter won . Eight other nominations and six other wins were given to the series at other Emmy ceremonies . At the 2005 Pulcinella Awards , Foster 's Home for Imaginary Friends won the award for `` Best TV Series for All Audiences '' and the main character Bloo won `` Best Character of the Year . '' It was nominated for the Television Critics Association Award for `` Outstanding Achievement in Children 's Programming '' in 2006 . The episode `` Squeeze the Day '' won the award for `` Best Television Animation for Children '' at the 2007 Ottawa International Animation Festival . The entertainment website IGN listed Foster 's as the 85th greatest animated television program of all time . Zap2it placed Eduardo , one of the main characters from the series , number seven on their list of `` Underrated of 2006 . ''", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Jodie Foster. Alicia Christian `` Jodie '' Foster ( born November 19 , 1962 ) is an American actress and filmmaker who has worked in films and on television . She has often been cited as one of the best actresses of her generation . Foster began her career at the age of three as a child model in 1965 , and two years later moved to acting in television series , with the sitcom Mayberry R.F.D. being her debut . In the late 1960s and early 1970s , she worked in several primetime television series and starred in children 's films . Foster 's breakthrough came in Martin Scorsese 's Taxi Driver ( 1976 ) , in which she played a teenage prostitute ; the role garnered her a nomination for an Academy Award . Her other critically acclaimed roles as a teenager were in the musical Bugsy Malone ( 1976 ) and the thriller The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane ( 1976 ) , and she became a popular teen idol by starring in Disney 's Freaky Friday ( 1976 ) , Candleshoe ( 1977 ) and Foxes ( 1980 ) . After attending college at Yale , Foster struggled to transition to adult roles until winning widespread critical acclaim for her portrayal of a rape survivor in The Accused ( 1988 ) , for which she won several awards , including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe . She won her second Academy Award three years later for her role in the sleeper hit The Silence of the Lambs , where she played Clarice Starling , an FBI trainee investigating a serial murder case . Foster made her debut as a film director the same year with the moderately successful Little Man Tate ( 1991 ) , and founded her own production company , Egg Pictures , in 1992 . The company 's first production was Nell ( 1994 ) , in which she also played the title role , gaining another nomination for an Academy Award . Her other films in the 1990s included period drama Sommersby , Western comedy Maverick ( 1994 ) , science fiction film Contact ( 1997 ) , and period drama Anna and the King ( 1999 ) . Her second film direction , Home for the Holidays ( 1995 ) , was not well-received commercially , while critical reviews were mixed . After career setbacks in the early 2000s , which included the cancellation of a film project and the closing down of her production company , Foster starred in four thrillers , Panic Room ( 2002 ) , Flightplan ( 2005 ) , Inside Man ( 2006 ) and The Brave One ( 2007 ) . She has focused on directing in the 2010s , directing the films The Beaver ( 2011 ) and Money Monster ( 2016 ) , as well as episodes for Netflix television series Orange is the New Black and House of Cards . She also starred in the film Elysium ( 2013 ) . In addition to her two Academy Awards , Foster has won three BAFTA Awards , three Golden Globe Awards , a Screen Actors Guild Award and the Cecil B DeMille Award .", "List of The Fosters characters. This list is of fictional characters in the ABC Family television series The Fosters . This article features the main , recurring and minor characters who have all appeared in more than one episode .", "Foster (film). Foster ( also known as Angel in the House ) is a 2011 British comedy-drama film written and directed by Jonathan Newman , based on his 2005 short film . Part of it was shot at Legoland Windsor in April 2010 . The film stars Golden Globe winner Toni Collette , Ioan Gruffudd , Richard E. Grant , BAFTA Award winner Hayley Mills and Maurice Cole .", "Fosters. Fosters or Foster 's may refer to : Foster 's Lager , an Australian beer Foster 's Group , an Australian brewer and distributor Foster 's Cafeterias , a chain of cafeterias in San Francisco , California from the 1940s to 1972 Foster 's English Muffins , sourdough English muffins sold at Foster 's cafeterias to take home Fosters Freeze , a chain of fast-food restaurants in California Foster 's Home for Imaginary Friends , an animated television show on Cartoon Network Fosters of Lincoln , a common name for the British agricultural machinery company , William Foster & Co. . The Fosters ( 1976 TV series ) , a short lived British sitcom that ran from 1976 -- 1977 The Fosters ( 2013 TV series ) , a US drama show Fosters ' Bank , in Cambridge , England", "Friends. Friends ( stylized as F • R • I • E • N • D • S ) is an American television sitcom , created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman , which aired on NBC from September 22 , 1994 , to May 6 , 2004 , lasting ten seasons . With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer , the show revolves around six 20-30 something friends living in Manhattan . The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions , in association with Warner Bros. . Television . The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright , Marta Kauffman , and David Crane . Kauffman and Crane began developing Friends under the title Insomnia Cafe between November and December 1993 . They presented the idea to Bright , and together they pitched a seven-page treatment of the show to NBC . After several script rewrites and changes , including a title change to Six of One and Friends Like Us , the series was finally named Friends . Filming took place at Warner Bros. . Studios in Burbank , California . All ten seasons of Friends ranked within the top ten of the final television season ratings ; ultimately reaching the No. 1 spot with its eighth season . The series finale on May 6 , 2004 , was watched by around 52.5 million American viewers , making it the fifth most watched series finale in television history , and the most watched television episode of the 2000s decade . Friends received acclaim throughout its run , becoming one of the most popular television shows of all time . The series was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards , winning the Outstanding Comedy Series award in 2002 for its eighth season . The show ranked no. 21 on -LSB- -LSB- TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time | TV Guide '' 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time -RSB- -RSB- and no. 7 on Empire magazine 's The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 1997 , the episode `` The One with the Prom Video '' was ranked no. 100 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2013 , Friends '' ranked no. 24 on the Writers Guild of America 's 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time and no. 28 on TV Guide 's 60 Best TV Series of All Time .", "Julia Foster. Julia Foster ( born 2 August 1943 ) is an English stage , screen and television actress . Born in Lewes , Sussex . Foster 's first husband was Lionel Morton , once the lead singer with the 1960s pop band The Four Pennies . She is the mother of British television celebrity Ben Fogle with her second husband , veterinarian Bruce Fogle . Foster also built up her own antique furniture business . Foster 's credits include the films The System ( 1964 ) with Oliver Reed , The Bargee ( 1964 ) with Harry H. Corbett , Alfie ( 1966 ) with Michael Caine , Half a Sixpence ( 1967 ) with Tommy Steele , and Percy ( 1971 ) with Hywel Bennett . On television , in 1969 , she appeared in the second episode of series 1 of the Doctor in the House ( TV series ) She also starred as the eponymous heroine in the BBC production of Moll Flanders ( 1975 ) and also appeared alongside John Stride in the Yorkshire Television series Wilde Alliance in 1978 . Additionally she appeared with Michael Winner in a British TV advert for Esure car insurance . She played Queen Margaret of Anjou in the BBC Television Shakespeare adaptations of Henry VI , Part 1 Henry VI , Part 2 and The Tragedy of Richard III , which received its UK broadcast in January 1983 . After her stage debut with the Brighton Repertory Theatre , Foster made her London debut in Travelling Light in 1965 at the Prince of Wales Theatre , she has since appeared in several London stage productions , including at The Globe Theatre , Lyric Theatre ( Hammersmith ) , Queens Theatre , Criterion Theatre , King 's Head Theatre , Royal Court Theatre , Apollo Theatre , New End Theatre , also in the UK at the Nottingham Playhouse , New Theatre , Oxford , Birmingham Repertory Company and the Citizens Theatre , Glasgow . In 1967 Foster appeared on Juke Box Jury , in 1971 on Call My Bluff and in 1976 was the subject of Desert Island Discs .", "Game of Thrones. Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss . It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire , George R. R. Martin 's series of fantasy novels , the first of which is A Game of Thrones . It is filmed at Titanic Studios in Belfast , on location in the United Kingdom , and in Canada , Croatia , Iceland , Malta , Morocco , Spain , and the United States . The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17 , 2011 , and its sixth season ended on June 26 , 2016 . The series was renewed for a seventh season , which is scheduled to premiere on July 16 , 2017 , and will conclude with its eighth season in 2018 . Set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos , Game of Thrones has several plot lines and a large ensemble cast . The first story arc follows a dynastic conflict among competing claimants for succession to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms , with other noble families fighting for independence from the throne . The second covers attempts to reclaim the throne by the exiled last scion of the realm 's deposed ruling dynasty ; the third chronicles the threat of the impending winter and the legendary creatures and fierce peoples of the North . Game of Thrones has attracted record viewership on HBO and has a broad , active , international fan base . It has been acclaimed by critics , particularly for its acting , complex characters , story , scope , and production values , although its frequent use of nudity and violence ( including sexual violence ) has attracted criticism . The series has received 38 Primetime Emmy Awards , including Outstanding Drama Series in 2015 and 2016 , more than any other primetime scripted television series . Its other awards and nominations include three Hugo Awards for Best Dramatic Presentation ( 2012 -- 2014 ) , a 2011 Peabody Award , and four nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama ( 2012 and 2015 -- 2017 ) . Of the ensemble cast , Peter Dinklage has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series ( 2011 and 2015 ) and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Series , Miniseries or Television Film ( 2012 ) for his performance as Tyrion Lannister . Lena Headey , Emilia Clarke , Kit Harington , Maisie Williams , Diana Rigg , and Max von Sydow have also received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for their performances in the series .", "The Voice (U.S. TV series). The Voice is an American reality television singing competition broadcast on NBC . Based on the original The Voice of Holland , the concept of the series is to find currently unsigned singing talent ( solo or duets , professional and amateur ) contested by aspiring singers , age 13 or over , drawn from public auditions . The winner is determined by television viewers voting by telephone , Internet , SMS text , and iTunes Store purchases of the audio-recorded artists ' vocal performances . They receive US$ 100,000 and a record deal with Universal Music Group for winning the competition . The winners of the twelve seasons have been : Javier Colon , Jermaine Paul , Cassadee Pope , Danielle Bradbery , Tessanne Chin , Josh Kaufman , Craig Wayne Boyd , Sawyer Fredericks , Jordan Smith , Alisan Porter , Sundance Head , and Chris Blue . The series employs a panel of four coaches who critique the artists ' performances and guide their teams of selected artists through the remainder of the season . They also compete to ensure that their act wins the competition , thus making them the winning coach . Members of the coaching panel include Adam Levine , Blake Shelton , Christina Aguilera ( seasons 1 -- 3 , 5 , 8 , 10 ) , CeeLo Green ( seasons 1 -- 3 , 5 ) , Shakira ( season 4 , 6 ) , Usher ( season 4 , 6 ) , Gwen Stefani ( season 7 , 9 , 12 ) , Pharrell Williams ( seasons 7 -- 10 ) , Miley Cyrus ( season 11 ) , and Alicia Keys ( seasons 11 -- 12 ) . The Voice began airing on April 26 , 2011 , as a spring TV season program . The show proved to be a hit for NBC and was subsequently expanded into the fall cycle when season three premiered on September 10 , 2012 . The series premiered its twelfth season on February 27 , 2017 . On October 18 , 2016 , NBC renewed the series through its thirteenth season . On May 10 , 2017 , NBC renewed the series for a fourteenth series , along with announcing Jennifer Hudson as a new coach in the thirteenth season . The following day , it was announced that Kelly Clarkson would be a new coach in the fourteenth season , sitting alongside Adam Levine , Blake Shelton , and Jennifer Hudson .", "Cheers. Cheers is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from September 30 , 1982 to May 20 , 1993 , with a total of 270 half-hour episodes spanning over eleven seasons . The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association with Paramount Network Television . The show was created by the team of James Burrows , Glen Charles , and Les Charles . The show is set in a bar named Cheers in Boston , Massachusetts , where a group of locals meet to drink , relax , and socialize . The show 's main theme song , written and performed by Gary Portnoy lent its refrain `` Where Everybody Knows Your Name '' as the show 's tagline . After premiering on September 30 , 1982 , it was nearly canceled during its first season when it ranked almost last in ratings for its premiere ( 74th out of 77 shows ) . Cheers , however , eventually became a highly rated television show in the United States , earning a top-ten rating during eight of its eleven seasons , including one season at number one . The show spent most of its run on NBC 's Thursday night `` Must See TV '' lineup . Its widely watched series finale was broadcast on May 20 , 1993 , and the show 's 270 episodes have been successfully syndicated worldwide . Nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series for all eleven of its seasons on the air , it earned 28 Primetime Emmy Awards from a record of 117 nominations . The character Frasier Crane ( Kelsey Grammer ) was featured in his eponymous spin-off show , which aired until 2004 and included guest appearances by virtually all of the major and minor Cheers characters . During its run , Cheers became one of the most popular series of all time and has received critical acclaim . In 1997 , the episodes `` Thanksgiving Orphans '' and `` Home Is the Sailor '' , aired originally in 1987 , were respectively ranked No. 7 and No. 45 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2002 , Cheers was ranked No. 18 on TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America ranked it as the eighth best written TV series and TV Guide ranked it # 11 on their list of the 60 Greatest Shows of All Time .", "The Young and the Restless. The Young and the Restless ( often abbreviated as Y&R ) is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS . The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City , which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name , Genoa City , Wisconsin . First broadcast on March 26 , 1973 , The Young and the Restless was originally broadcast as half-hour episodes , five times a week . The show expanded to one-hour episodes on February 4 , 1980 . In 2006 , the series began airing encore episodes weeknights on SOAPnet until 2013 , when Y&R moved to TVGN ( now Pop ) . Pop still airs the encore episodes on weeknights , starting July 1 , 2013 . The series is also syndicated internationally . The Young and the Restless originally focused on two core families : the wealthy Brooks family and the working class Foster family . After a series of recasts and departures in the early 1980s , all the original characters except Jill Foster and Katherine Chancellor were written out . Bell replaced them with the new core families , the Abbotts and the Williamses . Over the years , other families such as the Newmans , Winters , and the Baldwin-Fishers were introduced . Despite these changes , one storyline that has endured through almost the show 's entire run is the feud between Jill Abbott and Katherine Chancellor , the longest rivalry on any American soap opera . Since its debut , The Young and the Restless has won nine Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series . It is also currently the highest-rated daytime drama on American television . As of 2008 , it had appeared at the top of the weekly Nielsen ratings in that category for more than 1,000 weeks since 1988 . As of December 12 , 2013 , according to Nielsen ratings , The Young and the Restless was the leading daytime drama for an unprecedented 1,300 weeks , or 25 years . On January 15 , 2014 , the series was in the middle of its final year of its 2010 contract , and was renewed by CBS through 2017 . Y&R is also a sister show to the Bells ' other soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful , as several actors have crossed over between shows .", "Foster Child. Foster Child is a 1987 documentary film by Gil Cardinal , exploring the filmmaker 's search , at age thirty-five , for biological family . Cardinal often meets with frustration during his search , but eventually finds his natural family and discovers his Métis roots . This National Film Board of Canada production received over 10 awards , including four Golden Sheaf Awards , a Special Jury Prize at the Banff Television Festival and a Gemini Award for best direction for a documentary program . It was broadcast on CBC 's Man Alive series .", "The Simpsons. The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series is a satirical depiction of working-class life epitomized by the Simpson family , which consists of Homer , Marge , Bart , Lisa , and Maggie . The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture , society , television , and the human condition . The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a solicitation for a series of animated shorts with producer James L. Brooks . Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family , substituting Bart for his own name . The shorts became a part of The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19 , 1987 . After a three-season run , the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and became an early hit for Fox , becoming the network 's first series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season ( 1989 -- 90 ) . Since its debut on December 17 , 1989 , episodes of The Simpsons have been broadcast . Its 28th season began on September 25 , 2016 . It is the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American animated program , and , in 2009 , it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest-running American scripted primetime television series . The Simpsons Movie , a feature-length film , was released in theaters worldwide on July 27 , 2007 , and grossed over $ 527 million . On November 4 , 2016 , the series was renewed for a twenty-ninth and thirtieth season of 22 episodes each , extending the show to 2019 . The Simpsons received widespread critical acclaim throughout its first nine seasons , which are generally considered its `` Golden Age '' . Time named it the 20th century 's best television series , and Erik Adams of The A.V. Club named it `` television 's crowning achievement regardless of format '' . On January 14 , 2000 , the Simpson family was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . It has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series , including 31 Primetime Emmy Awards , 30 Annie Awards , and a Peabody Award . Homer 's exclamatory catchphrase `` D'oh ! '' has been adopted into the English language , while The Simpsons has influenced many adult-oriented animated sitcoms . Despite this , the show has also been criticized for what many perceive as a decline in quality over the years .", "David Foster. David Walter Foster , OC , OBC ( born November 1 , 1949 ) , is a Canadian musician , record producer , composer , songwriter , and arranger . He has been a producer for musicians including Alice Cooper , Christina Aguilera , Andrea Bocelli , Toni Braxton , Michael Bublé , Chicago , Natalie Cole , Céline Dion , Kenny G , Josh Groban , Whitney Houston , Jennifer Lopez , Kenny Rogers , Seal , Rod Stewart , Donna Summer , Olivia Newton-John , Madonna , Mary J. Blige , and Barbra Streisand . Foster has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations . He was the chairman of Verve Records from 2012 to 2016 .", "Charmed. Charmed is an American television series created by Constance M. Burge and produced by Aaron Spelling and his production company Spelling Television , with Brad Kern serving as showrunner . The series was originally broadcast by The WB for eight seasons from October 7 , 1998 , until May 21 , 2006 . The series narrative follows a trio of sisters , known as The Charmed Ones , the most powerful good witches of all time , who use their combined `` Power of Three '' to protect innocent lives from evil beings such as demons and warlocks . Each sister possesses unique magical powers that grow and evolve , while they attempt to maintain normal lives in modern-day San Francisco . Keeping their supernatural identities separate and secret from their ordinary lives often becomes a challenge for them , with the exposure of magic having far-reaching consequences on their various relationships and resulting in a number of police and FBI investigations throughout the series . The series initially focuses on the three Halliwell sisters , Prue ( Shannen Doherty ) , Piper ( Holly Marie Combs ) and Phoebe ( Alyssa Milano ) . However , following Prue 's death in the third-season finale , their long-lost half sister Paige Matthews ( Rose McGowan ) assumes her place within the `` Power of Three '' from season four onwards . Charmed achieved a cult following and popularity on The WB with its first episode `` Something Wicca This Way Comes '' garnering 7.7 million viewers , breaking the record for the highest-rated debut episode for The WB . During its fifth season , the series became the highest-rated Sunday night program in The WB 's history . The show 's ratings , although smaller than rival shows on the `` big four '' networks ( ABC , CBS , NBC , and Fox ) , were substantial for the relatively new and smaller WB network . At 178 episodes , Charmed is the second-longest drama broadcast by The WB and the second-longest running hour-long television series featuring all female leads . The series has also received numerous awards and nominations . In 2010 , The Huffington Post and AOL TV ranked Charmed within their joint list of `` The Top 20 Magic/Supernatural Shows of All Time , '' while , in 2013 , TV Guide listed the series as one of `` The 60 Greatest Sci-Fi Shows of All Time . '' Charmed has also become a source of pop culture references in film and television and has influenced other succeeding television series in the same subgenre . The show 's success has led to its development in other media , including a video game , board games , novels , and a comic book series which serves as a continuation of its narrative . Throughout 2012 , six years after it ceased broadcasting , Charmed was the second-most watched television series on subscription video-on-demand services , including Amazon Video and Netflix .", "The X Factor (U.S. TV series). The X Factor is an American reality television music competition show created by Simon Cowell and produced by FremantleMedia North America and SYCOtv , a partnership between Cowell and Sony Music Entertainment , which aired on Fox from 2011 to 2013 . Based on the original UK show , and an addition to the The X Factor franchise , the series found new singing talent ( solo artists and groups ages 12 and over ) , drawn from public auditions , and they competed against each other for votes . The winner was determined by the show 's viewers via telephone , the Internet , and SMS text voting , and was awarded a recording contract with Cowell 's record label Syco Music , worth $ 5 million in seasons one and two , and $ 1 million in season three . America voted for the following winners : Melanie Amaro , Tate Stevens , and Alex & Sierra , respectively . The show began airing on September 21 , 2011 , and aired annually from September through December until 2013 . The series employed a panel of judges who critiqued the contestants ' performances . Each contestant was assigned to one of four categories . The group acts were one category and the others were based on age or gender . For example , in season 1 the categories were girls , boys , groups , and over 30s . Each judge was assigned to one of the categories , and acted as mentor to the contestants in his or her category , helping to decide song choices , styling , and staging , while also judging contestants from the other categories after each of the live performances . They competed with each other to try to get one of the contestants in their category to win the competition , thus making them the winning judge . The most successful contestants to have emerged from the series are Fifth Harmony , namely . The original judging panel consisted of Cowell , Paula Abdul , Cheryl Cole and L.A. Reid , with Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones as co-hosts . Scherzinger later replaced Cole on the panel after two audition sites . Demi Lovato and Britney Spears joined the panel in the second season as replacements for Abdul and Scherzinger , while Khloé Kardashian and Mario Lopez replaced Jones as co-hosts . Spears and Reid did not return for the third season and were replaced by Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio , while Lopez became sole host after Kardashian was not asked to come back . On February 7 , 2014 , Fox announced that The X Factor would not be renewed for a fourth season , following Cowell 's decision to return to the UK version of the series a day earlier .", "The Flintstones. The Flintstones is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera for ABC . The series takes place in a romanticized Stone Age setting , depicts the lives of the titular characters , their next-door neighbors and best friends , and their families . It was originally broadcast from September 30 , 1960 , to April 1 , 1966 in a prime time schedule , the first such example of an animated series . The continuing popularity of The Flintstones rested heavily on its juxtaposition of modern everyday concerns in the Stone Age setting . The Flintstones was the most financially successful network animated franchise for three decades , until The Simpsons debuted decades later . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked The Flintstones the second Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time ( after The Simpsons ) .", "The Shield. The Shield is an American crime drama television series starring Michael Chiklis that premiered on March 12 , 2002 , on FX in the United States , and concluded on November 25 , 2008 , after seven seasons . Known for its portrayal of corrupt police officers , it was originally advertised as Rampart in reference to the true life Rampart Division police scandal , on which the show 's Strike Team was loosely based . The series was created by Shawn Ryan and The Barn Productions for Fox Television Studios and Sony Pictures Television . Several notable film actors took extended roles on the show , including Glenn Close , who was the female lead during the fourth season , Forest Whitaker , who guest starred in seasons 5 and 6 , Laura Harring , in season 5 , Franka Potente , in season 6 , and Laurie Holden , in season 7 . The series has received critical acclaim , as well as several awards and nominations . It won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama in 2002 , and the final season won a 2008 AFI Award for best television series . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked The Shield # 50 on its list of the 60 Best Series of All Time . Chiklis won both the Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama in 2002 .", "The Muppets. The Muppets are an ensemble cast of puppet characters known for their self-aware , burlesque , and meta-referential style of variety-sketch comedy . Created by Jim Henson in 1955 , they are the namesake for the Disney media franchise that encompasses feature films , television series , music recordings , theme park attractions , print publications , merchandising , and other media works associated with the characters . The Muppets debuted on the television program Sam and Friends , which aired from 1955 to 1961 . After appearing on skits in several late night talk shows and advertising commercials during the 1960s , the Muppets began appearing on Sesame Street in 1969 . The Muppets attained celebrity status and international recognition through their breakout roles in The Muppet Show ( 1976 -- 1981 ) , a primetime television series that garnered four Primetime Emmy Award wins and twenty-one nominations during its five-year run . In the late 1970s and into the 1980s , the Muppets diversified into theatrical feature films , including The Muppet Movie ( 1979 ) , The Great Muppet Caper ( 1981 ) , and The Muppets Take Manhattan ( 1984 ) . The Walt Disney Company began involvement with the Muppets in the late 1980s , seeking to acquire the characters from the Jim Henson Company . The Muppets continued their presence in television and film in the 1990s with The Jim Henson Hour ( 1989 ) , Muppets Tonight ( 1996 -- 98 ) -- a series continuation of The Muppet Show -- and three films , The Muppet Christmas Carol ( 1992 ) , Muppet Treasure Island ( 1996 ) , and Muppets from Space ( 1999 ) . Disney acquired the rights to the Muppets in 2004 , allowing the characters to gain broader public exposure than in previous years . Under Disney 's control , the Muppets enjoyed revitalized success , starring in two films -- The Muppets ( 2011 ) and Muppets Most Wanted ( 2014 ) -- as well as a short-lived primetime television series on ABC . Throughout their six decades of existence , the Muppets have been regarded as a staple of the entertainment industry and popular culture in the United States , receiving recognition from various cultural institutions and organizations , such as the American Film Institute , Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences , Library of Congress , and the Hollywood Walk of Fame .", "Doctor Foster (TV series). Doctor Foster is a British drama television series that was first broadcast on BBC One on 9 September 2015 . The five-part series , written by Mike Bartlett , is about Dr. Gemma Foster , who suspects that her husband has been having an affair . After she follows several lines of enquiry , far more in her life unravels , including a streak of violence below the surface . The drama was commissioned for a second series with stars Suranne Jones and Bertie Carvel returning .", "David Foster (writer). David Foster is an American television writer , producer and medical doctor best known for working as a writer/producer on the critically acclaimed Fox medical drama series House .", "Screen Actors Guild Award. The Screen Actors Guild Award ( also known as the SAG Award ) is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists ( SAG-AFTRA ) to recognize outstanding performances in film and primetime television . The statuette given , a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy , is called `` The Actor '' . It is 16 in tall , weighs over 12 lb , is cast in solid bronze , and produced by the American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank , California . SAG Awards have been one of the major awards events in Hollywood since 1995 . Nominations for the awards come from two committees , one for film and one for television , each numbering 2100 members of the union , randomly selected anew each year , with the full membership ( 165,000 as of 2012 ) available to vote for the winners . It is considered an indicator of success at the Academy Awards . The awards have been telecast since 1998 on TNT , and since 2007 have been simulcast on TBS . The inaugural SAG Awards aired live on February 25 , 1995 from Universal Studios ' Stage 12 . The second SAG awards aired live from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium , while subsequent awards have been held at the Shrine Exposition Center .", "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , or simply Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , is an American television series created for ABC by Joss Whedon , Jed Whedon , and Maurissa Tancharoen , based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. ( Strategic Homeland Intervention , Enforcement , and Logistics Division ) , a fictional peacekeeping and spy agency in a world of superheroes . It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) , sharing continuity with the films and other television series of the franchise . The series is produced by ABC Studios , Marvel Television , and Mutant Enemy Productions , with Jed Whedon , Tancharoen , and Jeffrey Bell serving as showrunners . The series revolves around the character of Phil Coulson , with Clark Gregg reprising his role from the film series , and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents , who must deal with various unusual cases and enemies , including Hydra and the Inhumans . Joss Whedon began developing a S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot following the success of his film Marvel 's The Avengers , and Gregg was confirmed to reprise his role in October 2012 . The series was officially picked up by ABC in May 2013 , and also stars Ming-Na Wen , Brett Dalton , Chloe Bennet , Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge , with Nick Blood , Adrianne Palicki , Henry Simmons , Luke Mitchell , and John Hannah joining in later seasons . Prosthetic makeup is created with Glenn Hetrick 's Optic Nerve Studios , while Legacy Effects contributes other practical effects . The visual effects for the series are created by FuseFX , and have been nominated for multiple awards . Several episodes directly crossover with films or other television series set in the MCU , while other characters from MCU films and Marvel One-Shots also appear throughout the series . The first season originally aired from September 24 , 2013 , to May 13 , 2014 , while the second season aired from September 23 , 2014 , to May 12 , 2015 . A third season premiered on September 29 , 2015 , concluding on May 17 , 2016 , and the fourth season premiered on September 20 , 2016 , and concluded on May 16 , 2017 . A fifth season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is scheduled to premiere in January 2018 . After starting the first season with high ratings but mixed reviews , the ratings began to drop while reviews improved . This led to much lower but more consistent ratings , as well as more consistently positive reviews in the subsequent seasons . Several characters created for the series have since been introduced to the comic universe and other media , while a spin-off series , centered on Blood and Palicki 's characters Lance Hunter and Bobbi Morse and titled Marvel 's Most Wanted , received a pilot order in August 2015 ; it was ultimately passed on in May 2016 . An online digital series , Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. : Slingshot , centered on Elena `` Yo-Yo '' Rodriguez , was launched in December 2016 on ABC.com .", "Bob's Burgers. Bob 's Burgers is an American animated sitcom created by Loren Bouchard that premiered on FOX on January 9 , 2011 . The series centers on the Belchers -- parents Bob and Linda , and their children Tina , Gene , and Louise -- who run a hamburger restaurant . The show was conceived by Bouchard after he developed Home Movies . It is produced and distributed in association with 20th Century Fox Television . While reviews for the first season were mixed , feedback for subsequent seasons have been much more positive . The series premiere , `` Human Flesh '' , drew in 9.38 million viewers , making it the highest-rated series premiere of the season , and finishing 9th in the ratings for the week it aired . Reruns began airing on Cartoon Network 's late night adult programming block Adult Swim on June 23 , 2013 , and began airing in syndication on local stations in September 2015 . A comic book series based on the show , published by Dynamite Entertainment , began in September 2014 , and a soundtrack album was released on May 12 , 2017 . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked Bob 's Burgers as one of the top 60 Greatest TV Cartoons of All Time . The series has been nominated for several awards , including the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in 2012 and 2013 , before it won the award in 2014 . On October 7 , 2015 , Fox renewed the series for seventh and eighth production cycles . The seventh season premiered on September 25 , 2016 ." ]

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[ "Jonathan Hensleigh. Jonathan Blair Hensleigh ( born February 1959 ) is an American screenwriter and film director , working primarily in the action-adventure genre , best known for writing film such as Jumanji , Die Hard with a Vengeance , and Armageddon , as well as making his own directorial debut with the 2004 comic book action film The Punisher .", "Tony Blair. Anthony Charles Lynton Blair ( born 6 May 1953 ) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007 . He remains the most recent Labour Party leader to have won a general election . From 1983 to 2007 , Blair was the Member of Parliament ( MP ) for Sedgefield . He was elected Labour Party leader in July 1994 , following the sudden death of his predecessor , John Smith , who together with his predecessor , Neil Kinnock , had started to move the party closer to the political centre , in the hope of winning power . Under Blair 's leadership , the party used the phrase `` New Labour '' , to distance it from previous Labour policies and the traditional conception of socialism . Blair declared support for a new conception that he referred to as `` social-ism '' , involving politics that recognised individuals as socially interdependent , and advocated social justice , cohesion , the equal worth of each citizen , and equal opportunity , also referred to as the Third Way . Critics of Blair denounced him for having the Labour Party abandon genuine socialism and accepting capitalism . Supporters , including the party 's public opinion pollster Philip Gould , stated that after four consecutive general election defeats , from 1979 to 1992 , the Labour Party had to demonstrate that it had made a decisive break from its left-wing past , in order to win an election again . In May 1997 , the Labour Party won a landslide general election victory , the largest in its history , allowing Blair , at 43 years old , to become the youngest Prime Minister since 1812 . In September 1997 , Blair attained early personal popularity , receiving a 93 % public approval rating , after his public response to the death of Princess Diana . The Labour Party went on to win two more elections under his leadership : in 2001 , in which it won another landslide victory , and in 2005 , with a reduced majority . In the first years of the New Labour government , Blair 's government introduced the National Minimum Wage Act , Human Rights Act , and Freedom of Information Act . Blair 's government also devolved power , establishing the Scottish Parliament , the National Assembly for Wales , and the Northern Ireland Assembly . In Northern Ireland , Blair was involved in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement . Blair strongly supported the foreign policy of the Bush administration , and ensured that the British Armed Forces participated in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and , more controversially , the 2003 invasion of Iraq . Blair has faced strong criticism for his role in the invasion of Iraq , including calls for having him tried for war crimes and waging a war of aggression . In 2016 , the Iraq Inquiry strongly criticised his actions and described the invasion of Iraq as unjustified and unnecessary . Blair also intervened militarily in Kosovo and Sierra Leone . Blair was succeeded as the leader of the Labour Party and as Prime Minister by Gordon Brown in June 2007 . On the day that Blair resigned as Prime Minister , he was appointed the official Special Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East , an office which he held until May 2015 . He now runs a consultancy business and has set up various foundations in his own name , including the Tony Blair Faith Foundation .", "The Blair Witch Project. The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American found footage psychological horror film written , directed , and edited by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez . The film tells the fictional story of three student filmmakers ( Heather Donahue , Michael C. Williams , and Joshua Leonard ) who hike in the Black Hills near Burkittsville , Maryland , in 1994 to film a documentary about a local legend known as the Blair Witch . The three disappear , but their video and sound equipment ( along with most of the footage they shot ) is discovered a year later ; the `` recovered footage '' is the film the viewer is watching . Myrick and Sánchez conceived the idea of a fictional legend of the Blair Witch in 1993 . They developed a thirty-five page screenplay that left plenty of room for dialogue improvisation since it was an outline of the event . A casting call advertisement in Backstage magazine was put up by the directors and Donahue , Williams , and Leonard were cast . The film entered production in October 1997 , with the principal photography taking place in Maryland for eight days . About twenty hours of footage was shot and was edited down to eighty-two minutes . The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25 , 1999 , during which a promotional marketing campaign listed the actors as either `` missing '' or `` deceased . '' The film 's distribution rights were bought by Artisan Entertainment for $ 1.1 million . The film had its United States release on July 14 , 1999 , and later expanded to a wider release starting on July 30 . While it received generally positive reviews from critics , the film 's audience reception was polarized . Nevertheless , the film was regarded to have popularized the found footage film technique . The film became a resounding box office success , grossing almost $ 250 million worldwide against an estimated budget of $ 60,000 , making it one of the most successful independent films of all time . The film spawned two sequels : Book of Shadows , which was released in October 2000 , and Blair Witch , released in September 2016 .", "Blair Witch. For the 2016 film of the same name , see Blair Witch . Blair Witch is a horror film franchise distributed by Artisan Entertainment ( now Lionsgate ) and produced by Haxan Films that consists of three feature films and various merchandise products . The development of the franchise 's first installment , The Blair Witch Project , started in 1993 . The filmmakers Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick wrote a 35-page outline of a story with the dialogue to be improvised . Filming began in 1997 and lasted eight days . The film follows the disappearance of three student filmmakers in the woods near Burkittsville , Maryland while shooting a documentary on the local legend known as the `` Blair Witch '' . After premiering at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival , the film was released on 30 July 1999 after months of publicity during a controversial promotional campaign . The film went on to be a massive commercial success , and a sequel , Book of Shadows : Blair Witch 2 , was released on October 27 , 2000 . A second sequel , Blair Witch '' , was released on September 16 , 2016 . Series of video games , books , novels and comic books were released to accompany the films .", "Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar . The series , created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage , originally ran on The CW for six seasons from September 19 , 2007 , to December 17 , 2012 . Narrated by the omniscient blogger `` Gossip Girl '' , voiced by Kristen Bell , the series revolves around the fictional lives of upper-class adolescents living in Manhattan 's Upper East Side . The series begins with the return of Upper East Side teenage it girl Serena van der Woodsen ( Blake Lively ) from a `` mysterious absence '' . Gossip Girl reveals that Serena has been away at boarding school in Cornwall , Connecticut , but not everyone welcomes Serena back to Manhattan with open arms . Blair Waldorf ( Leighton Meester ) , whom creators describe as being `` the queen at the center of their chess game , '' is the queen bee of Constance Saint Jude prep school 's social scene . She also happens to be the childhood `` best friend '' and occasional rival of Serena van der Woodsen . The story also follows scholarship student and aspiring writer Dan Humphrey ( Penn Badgley ) , who lives in Brooklyn and is a self-described `` outsider '' , Nate Archibald ( Chace Crawford ) , the so-called `` golden boy '' , who was Blair 's childhood sweetheart and first love , and Chuck Bass ( Ed Westwick ) , the womanizing , `` bad boy '' heir who is part of `` Manhattan 's elite '' and `` the king of their chess game . '' Other characters of the turbulent Manhattan scene include Dan 's childhood best friend Vanessa Abrams ( Jessica Szohr ) ; Jenny Humphrey ( Taylor Momsen ) , Dan 's rebellous adolescent sister who the ` Queen B ' dubs as ` Little J' ; Lily van der Woodsen ( Kelly Rutherford ) , Serena 's mother and heiress , and Rufus Humphrey ( Matthew Settle ) , former 90 's band ` Lincoln Hawk ' frontman and Lily 's former lover . Rufus is Dan and Jenny 's father and primary guardian . Dorota ( Zuzanna Szadkowski ) is Blair 's primary housekeeper since her youth . Bart Bass ( Chuck 's father ) is a rude and wealthy business man on the upper east side . The success of Gossip Girl led to adaptations outside the United States . The show has received numerous award nominations , winning 18 Teen Choice Awards . The CW officially renewed Gossip Girl for a sixth and final season on May 11 , 2012 . The final season , consisting of 10 episodes , premiered on October 8 , 2012 , and ended on December 17 , 2012 .", "Paranormal Activity. Paranormal Activity is a 2007 American horror film written , co-produced , photographed , edited , and directed by Oren Peli . It is the first ( chronologically , the third ) entry into the Paranormal Activity film series . The film centers on a young couple , Katie ( Katie Featherston ) and Micah Sloat , who plays a fictionalized version of himself ; they are haunted by a supernatural presence in their home . It is presented in the style of `` found footage '' , from cameras set up by the couple in an attempt to document what is haunting them . The film sets up found footage conventions that will be mirror in numerous films to follow . Originally developed as an independent feature and given film festival screenings in 2007 , the film was acquired by Paramount Pictures and modified , particularly with a new ending . It was given a limited U.S. release on September 25 , 2009 , and then a nationwide release on October 16 , 2009 . The film earned nearly $ 108 million at the U.S. box office and a further $ 85 million internationally for a worldwide total of $ 193 million . Paramount/DreamWorks acquired the U.S. rights for $ 350,000 . It is the most profitable film ever made , based on return on investment , although such figures are difficult to verify independently as this is likely to exclude marketing costs . A parallel sequel , Paranormal Activity 2 , was released on October 22 , 2010 . The success of the first two films would spawn additional films in the series : the prequel Paranormal Activity 3 , released on October 21 , 2011 , and sequel to the second installment , Paranormal Activity 4 , released on October 19 , 2012 , a spin-off titled Paranormal Activity : The Marked Ones released on January 3 , 2014 and Paranormal Activity : The Ghost Dimension released on October 23 , 2015 .", "Jon Blair. Jon Blair , CBE is a South African-born writer , film producer and director of documentary films , drama and comedy who has lived in England and the United States ever since he was drafted into the South African army in the late 1960s . He is the only director of documentaries working in the United Kingdom who has won all three of the premier awards in his field : an Oscar , an Emmy ( twice ) and a British Academy Award . He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) in the 2015 Birthday Honours for services to film .", "Saw (franchise). Saw is an American horror franchise distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment , produced by Twisted Pictures and created by two Australians , director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell , that consists of seven feature films and additional media . In 2003 , James Wan and Leigh Whannell created a short film to help pitch as a potential feature film . This was successfully done in 2004 with the release of the first installment at the Sundance Film Festival . It was released theatrically that October . The sequels were directed by Darren Lynn Bousman , David Hackl , and Kevin Greutert , and were written by Wan , Whannell , Bousman , Patrick Melton , and Marcus Dunstan , and were released subsequently every October , on the Friday before Halloween , between 2004 and 2010 . Both of the creators remained with the franchise as executive producers . On July 22 , 2010 , producer Mark Burg confirmed that the seventh film , Saw 3D , is the final installment of the series . Series creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell are still open to continuing the series , however , if they can do something `` different '' with the material . The films collectively grossed over $ 873 million at the box office worldwide . Lionsgate reportedly expressed interest in continuing the franchise in 2012 with a reboot . However , in November 2013 , it was reported that they were in active development of a sequel . The franchise revolves around John Kramer , also called the `` Jigsaw Killer '' or simply `` Jigsaw '' . He was introduced briefly in Saw and developed in more detail in Saw II . Rather than killing his victims outright , Jigsaw traps them in situations that he calls `` tests '' or `` games '' to test their will to live through physical or psychological torture . Despite the fact that John was murdered in Saw III , the films continue to focus on the posthumous influence of the Jigsaw Killer and his apprentices by exploring his character via flashbacks . The film series as a whole has received mostly mixed to negative reviews by critics , but has been a financial success at the box office and is one of the highest grossing horror film franchies of all time . While the films are often compared to the American horror film Hostel ( 2005 ) and classified as torture porn by critics , the creators of Saw disagree with the term `` torture porn '' . Writer Luke Y. Thompson of OC Weekly argued that , unlike Hostel , the Saw films actually have less torture than most in the sense of sadism or masochism , as Jigsaw believes that those who survive his methods will be stronger people for it . He called him a kind of a '' ( deranged ) philanthropist '' .", "Blair Witch (film). Blair Witch is a 2016 American found footage supernatural horror film directed by Adam Wingard and written by Simon Barrett . It is the third film in the Blair Witch series and a direct sequel to the 1999 film The Blair Witch Project , ignoring the events of its 2000 follow-up film Book of Shadows : Blair Witch 2 . Blair Witch stars James Allen McCune , Callie Hernandez , Brandon Scott , Corbin Reid , Wes Robinson , and Valorie Curry . The film , shot in a found footage style , follows a group of college students and their local guides who venture into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland to uncover the mysteries surrounding the disappearance years ago of Heather Donahue , the sister of one of the characters . Initially , the film 's connection to the Blair Witch franchise was kept secret , with the film having been shot under the fake title , The Woods . The film was screened at San Diego Comic-Con on July 22 , 2016 and premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11 , before being theatrically released in the United States on September 16 by Lionsgate . Despite grossing $ 45 million on a budget of $ 5 million , the film was considered a box office disappointment , and received generally mixed reviews .", "The Hangover. The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips , co-produced with Daniel Goldberg , and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore . The film stars Bradley Cooper , Ed Helms , Zach Galifianakis , Heather Graham , Ken Jeong , Rachael Harris , Mike Epps , Justin Bartha , and Jeffrey Tambor . It tells the story of Phil Wenneck , Stu Price , Alan Garner , and Doug Billings , who travel to Las Vegas for a bachelor party to celebrate Doug 's impending marriage . However , Phil , Stu and Alan wake up with Doug missing and no memory of the previous night 's events , and must find the groom before the wedding can take place . Lucas and Moore wrote the script after executive producer Chris Bender 's friend disappeared and had a large bill after being sent to a strip club . After Lucas and Moore sold it to the studio for $ 2 million , Philips and Jeremy Garelick rewrote the script to include a tiger as well as a subplot involving a baby and a police cruiser , and also including boxer Mike Tyson . Filming took place in Nevada for 15 days , and during filming , the three main actors ( Cooper , Helms , and Galifianakis ) formed a real friendship . The Hangover was released on June 5 , 2009 , and was a critical and commercial success . The film became the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2009 , with a worldwide gross of over $ 467 million . The film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy , and received multiple other accolades . It is the tenth-highest-grossing worldwide film of 2009 , as well as the second highest-grossing R-rated comedy ever in the United States , surpassing a record previously held by Beverly Hills Cop for almost 25 years . Out of all R-rated films , it is the six-highest-grossing ever in the U.S. , behind only The Passion of the Christ , The Matrix Reloaded , Ted , American Sniper , and Deadpool . A sequel , The Hangover Part II , was released on May 26 , 2011 , and a third and final installment , The Hangover Part III , was released on May 23 , 2013 .", "Selma Blair. Selma Blair ( born Selma Blair Beitner ; June 23 , 1972 ) is an American film , television , and theater actress . Blair started her professional acting career in 1995 . During her early years , she played a large number of supporting roles in film and television , before obtaining recognition for her leading role in the film noir Brown 's Requiem ( 1998 ) . Her breakthrough came in 1999 , when she starred on The WB teen sitcom Zoe and in the coming-of-age drama Cruel Intentions . Blair continued to find commercial success with the comedies Legally Blonde ( 2001 ) and The Sweetest Thing ( 2002 ) , and achieved international fame as a result of her portrayal of the heroine Liz Sherman in the fantasy films Hellboy ( 2004 ) and Hellboy II : The Golden Army ( 2008 ) . Other notable films include Storytelling ( 2001 ) , A Guy Thing ( 2003 ) , The Fog ( 2005 ) , Feast of Love ( 2007 ) , The Poker House ( 2008 ) , Dark Horse ( 2011 ) , In Their Skin ( 2012 ) and Mothers and Daughters ( 2016 ) . Blair portrayed the leading role in the American remake of Kath & Kim as Kim ( 2008 -- 2009 ) , and on the sitcom Anger Management ( 2012 -- 2014 ) . Blair also appeared as socialite Kris Jenner in the first season of FX true crime anthology series American Crime Story ( 2016 ) . In 2011 , Blair lent her voice to narrate the Holocaust-related audio documentary The Diary of Anne Frank , garnering a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children nomination .", "Jumanji. Jumanji is a 1995 American fantasy adventure film directed by Joe Johnston . It is an adaptation of the 1981 children 's book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg . The film was written by Greg Taylor , Jonathan Hensleigh , and Jim Strain , and stars Robin Williams , Bonnie Hunt , Kirsten Dunst , Bradley Pierce , David Alan Grier , Jonathan Hyde , and Bebe Neuwirth . The special effects were provided by Industrial Light & Magic for computer graphic elements and Amalgamated Dynamics for animatronics components . The film was dedicated to visual effects supervisor Stephen L. Price , who died before the film 's release . The story centers on young Alan Parrish , who becomes trapped in a board game while playing with his best friend Sarah Whittle in 1969 . Twenty-six years later in 1995 , siblings Judy and Peter Shepherd find the game , begin playing and then unwittingly release the now-adult Alan . After tracking down Sarah , the quartet resolve to finish the game in order to reverse all of the destruction it has caused . The film was shot in Keene , New Hampshire , representing the story 's fictional town of Brantford , New Hampshire . Additional filming took place in Vancouver , British Columbia . The film was released on December 15 , 1995 . Despite its lukewarm critical reception , it was a box office success , earning $ 262,797,249 worldwide on a budget of approximately $ 65 million and it became the 10th highest-grossing movie of 1995 . In 2005 , a similar film marketed as a spiritual sequel to Jumanji , titled Zathura , was released and was also adapted from a Van Allsburg book . A sequel , Jumanji : Welcome to the Jungle , will be released on December 20 , 2017 .", "90210 (TV series). 90210 is an American teen drama television series , developed by Rob Thomas , Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah , that aired on The CW from September 2 , 2008 to May 13 , 2013 . It is the fourth series in the Beverly Hills , 90210 franchise created by Darren Star . The series was produced by CBS Television Studios . Like its predecessor , the show follows the lives of several wealthy students attending West Beverly Hills High School in the upscale and star-studded community of Beverly Hills , California . The show later focuses on the same group of friends when they graduate and begin their lives in the adult world . Some attend college at California University , while others begin exploring avenues beyond post-secondary education . The show originally revolved around the Wilson family , including new Beverly Hills residents Annie Wilson ( Shenae Grimes ) and Dixon Wilson ( Tristan Wilds ) . Their father , Harrison Wilson ( Rob Estes ) has returned from Wichita , Kansas to his Beverly Hills childhood home with his family to care for his mother , former television and theater actress Tabitha Wilson ( Jessica Walter ) , who has a drinking problem and clashes with his wife Debbie Wilson ( Lori Loughlin ) . Annie and Dixon struggle to adjust to their new lives while making friends and yet adhering to their parents ' wishes . During the first two seasons , cast members from the original series made appearances , including Jennie Garth , Shannen Doherty , Ann Gillespie , Tori Spelling and Joe E. Tata . After the second season , however , they were not featured and rarely mentioned . The primary connection between the two series was the new series ' character of Erin Silver , the sister of Kelly Taylor and David Silver from the original series .", "Premiership of Tony Blair. The premiership of Tony Blair began on 2 May 1997 and ended on 27 June 2007 . Whilst serving as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom , Blair concurrently served as the First Lord of the Treasury , the Minister for the Civil Service , the Leader of the Labour Party ( until Gordon Brown was declared Labour leader on 24 June 2007 ) , and a member of parliament for the constituency of Sedgefield in County Durham . He remains a Privy Counsellor having first been appointed in July 1994 when he became Leader of the Opposition . Tony Blair is the Labour Party 's longest-serving Prime Minister , and having led the party to three consecutive general election victories , the only Labour prime minister to serve two full consecutive terms . Blair is both credited with and criticised for moving the Labour Party towards the centre of British politics , using the term `` New Labour '' to distinguish his pro-market policies from the more Socialist policies which the party had espoused in the past . In domestic government policy , Blair significantly increased public spending on health and education while also introducing controversial market-based reforms in these areas . In addition Blair 's tenure saw the introduction of a minimum wage , tuition fees for higher education , constitutional reform such as devolution in Scotland and Wales , and progress in the Northern Ireland peace process . The British economy performed well and the real incomes of Britons grew 18 per cent during 1997 -- 2006 . Blair kept to Conservative commitments not to increase income tax in the first term although rates of Employee 's National Insurance ( a payroll levy ) were increased . He also presided over a significant expansion of the welfare state during his time in office , which led to a significant reduction in relative poverty . Blair ardently supported US foreign policy , notably by participating in the invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003 . On 7 September 2006 Blair publicly stated he would step down as party leader by the time of the TUC conference in September 2007 . On 10 May 2007 he announced his intention to resign as Prime Minister on 27 June 2007 .", "Saw (2004 film). Saw is a 2004 American thriller film directed by James Wan . It is Wan 's feature film directorial debut . The screenplay , written by Leigh Whannell , is based on a story by Wan and Whannell . The film stars Cary Elwes , Danny Glover , Monica Potter , Michael Emerson , Ken Leung , Tobin Bell and Leigh Whannell . In the film , Elwes and Whannell portray two men who awake to find themselves chained in a large dilapidated bathroom , with one being ordered to kill the other or his family will die . It is the first installment of the Saw franchise . The debut of Wan and Whannell , the screenplay was written in 2001 , but after failed attempts to get the script produced in Wan and Whannell 's home country of Australia , they were urged to travel to Los Angeles . In order to help attract producers they shot a low-budget short film of the same name from a scene out of the script . This proved successful in 2003 as producers from Evolution Entertainment were immediately attached and also formed a horror genre production label Twisted Pictures . The film was given a small budget and shot for 18 days . Saw was first screened on January 19 , 2004 . Lionsgate picked up the rights and released the film in the United States and Canada on October 29 , 2004 . Critical responses were generally mixed and divided , but the film gained a cult following . Compared to its low budget , Saw performed very well at the box office , grossing more than $ 100 million worldwide and becoming , at the time , one of the most profitable horror films since 1996 's Scream . The success of the film prompted a green-light of a sequel soon after Saw opening weekend , which was released the following October . The film was theatrically re-released by Lionsgate on October 31 , 2014 to celebrate its tenth anniversary .", "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 2 is a 2015 American dystopian science fiction adventure film directed by Francis Lawrence , with a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong . It is the fourth and final installment in The Hunger Games film series , and the second of two films based on the novel Mockingjay , the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy , by Suzanne Collins . Produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik , and distributed by Lionsgate , the film features an ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson , Elizabeth Banks , Julianne Moore , Philip Seymour Hoffman ( in his final film role ) , and Donald Sutherland . Principal photography on both parts of the film began on September 23 , 2013 in Atlanta , before moving to Paris for two weeks of back-to-back filming and officially concluding on June 20 , 2014 , in Berlin and at Babelsberg Studios , Germany . The story continues from The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 with Katniss Everdeen ( Jennifer Lawrence ) preparing to win the war against President Snow ( Donald Sutherland ) and the tyrannical Capitol . Together with Peeta , Gale , Finnick , and others she travels to the Capitol to kill Snow . However , President Coin ( Julianne Moore ) , the leader of District 13 and the rebellion , hides a bigger agenda that could not only jeopardize Katniss ' life , but the future of Panem . Mockingjay -- Part 2 was released on November 20 , 2015 in the United States , in 2D and IMAX , and internationally in 2D , 3D , RealD Cinema , and IMAX 3D in select territories ; it 's the only film in the series widely released in 3D . Falling below expectations internationally and domestically with a $ 102.7 million gross during its opening weekend in North America , the film had the sixth-biggest opening in 2015 , but held at number one at the international box-office for four consecutive weekends . The film grossed over $ 653 million worldwide , making it the lowest-grossing of the four films in the franchise , but still a commercial success . Part 2 was positively received by critics for its performances , screenplay , and action sequences , though it was criticized for splitting the final adaptation into two separate parts . The film had garnered a nomination for Best Fantasy Film at the 42nd Saturn Awards . For her part , Lawrence was awarded as the Favorite Movie Actress at the 2016 Kids ' Choice Awards and Best Hero at the 2016 MTV Movie Awards .", "Grey's Anatomy. Grey 's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series that premiered on American Broadcasting Company ( ABC ) as a mid-season replacement on March 27 , 2005 . The series focuses on the fictional lives of surgical interns , residents and attending physicians , as they evolve into seasoned doctors while trying to maintain personal lives and relationships . The title is a play on Gray 's Anatomy , a human anatomy textbook by Henry Gray . The show 's premise originated with Shonda Rhimes , who serves as an executive producer , along with Betsy Beers , Mark Gordon , Krista Vernoff , Rob Corn , Mark Wilding , and Allan Heinberg . Although it is set in Seattle at the fictional Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital ( formerly Seattle Grace ) it is primarily filmed in Los Angeles , California . The show was originally titled Complications , a reference to the complicated medical procedures and personal lives of the characters . The series was created to be racially diverse , utilizing a color-blind casting technique . It revolves around the title character , Dr. Meredith Grey , played by Ellen Pompeo . The original cast consisted of nine star-billed actors : Pompeo , Sandra Oh , Katherine Heigl , Justin Chambers , T. R. Knight , Chandra Wilson , James Pickens Jr. , Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey . The cast has undergone major changes through the show 's run , with many members leaving and being replaced by others . In its twelfth season , the show had a large ensemble of sixteen actors , including four from the original cast . On February 10 , 2017 , ABC renewed Grey 's Anatomy for a fourteenth season , which will premiere in the fall of 2017 . Grey 's Anatomy , even in its thirteenth season , is ABC 's highest-rated drama ; although its ratings have fallen over the course of its run ( it was once among the overall top 10 shows in the United States ) , it is still one of the highest rated shows among the 18 -- 49 demographic , and the No. 3 drama on all of broadcast television . Grey 's Anatomy has been well received by critics throughout much of its run , and has been included in various critics 's year-end top ten lists . Since its inception , the show has been described by the media outlets as a television `` phenomenon '' or a `` juggernaut , '' owing to its longevity and dominant ratings . It is considered to have had a significant impact on popular culture and has received numerous awards , including the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama . It has received multiple Emmy nominations , including two for Outstanding Drama Series . In 2012 , Grey 's Anatomy was named the fifth-highest revenue earning show , in terms of advertising per half-hour . It is the longest running scripted primetime show currently airing on ABC , and the second-longest scripted primetime ABC show ever .", "Harrison Ford. Harrison Ford ( born July 13 , 1942 ) is an American actor and film producer . He gained worldwide fame for his starring roles as Han Solo in the Star Wars film series and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series . Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in the neo-noir dystopian science fiction film Blade Runner ( 1982 ) ; John Book in the thriller Witness ( 1985 ) , for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor ; and Jack Ryan in the action films Patriot Games ( 1992 ) and Clear and Present Danger ( 1994 ) . His career has spanned six decades and includes roles in several Hollywood blockbusters ; including the epic war film Apocalypse Now ( 1979 ) ; the legal drama Presumed Innocent ( 1990 ) ; the action film The Fugitive ( 1993 ) ; the political action thriller Air Force One ( 1997 ) ; and the psychological thriller What Lies Beneath ( 2000 ) . Six of his films have been inducted into the National Film Registry : American Graffiti ( 1973 ) , The Conversation ( 1974 ) , Star Wars ( 1977 ) , The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) , Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) and Blade Runner . In 1997 , Ford was ranked No. 1 in Empires `` The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time '' list . As of 2016 , the U.S. domestic box-office grosses of Ford 's films total over US$ 4.7 billion , with worldwide grosses surpassing $ 6 billion , making Ford the highest-grossing U.S. domestic box-office star . Ford is married to actress Calista Flockhart .", "Jonathan Blair. Jonathan Blair ( 1941 ) is an American photographer who has worked for the National Geographic Society since 1970s . His photographs have been published in Time , Life and Newsweek , and The New York Times magazine , as well as in a photographic book called Outlaw Trail , which was an international best seller . His photography is diverse , ranging from underwater shipwrecks , to wildlife on the Pacific Islands to the Wild West in the United States . However , he specializes in natural history and deep ocean photography .", "Welcome to the Jungle (2007 film). Welcome to the Jungle is a 2007 American found footage mockumentary-horror film directed by Jonathan Hensleigh and starring Sandy Gardiner , Callard Harris , Nickolas Richey and Veronica Sywak . A stylistic homage to the highly controversial cult horror film Cannibal Holocaust , the film follows a group of ambitious reporters who run afoul of a bloodthirsty native tribe .", "Psychos (TV series). Psychos is a six-part British television drama series focusing upon a young medical team and their patients . First broadcast on Channel 4 in 1999 , it was written by David Wolstencroft and directed by John McKay and Andy Wilson . It starred Douglas Henshall as Dr. Daniel Nash . The series was nominated for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series , and its writer , Wolstencroft , won the RTS best newcomer award for off-screen talent .", "Jaws (film). Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley 's 1974 novel of the same name . In the story , a giant man-eating great white shark attacks beachgoers on Amity Island , a fictional New England summer resort town , prompting the local police chief to hunt it with the help of a marine biologist and a professional shark hunter . The film stars Roy Scheider as police chief Martin Brody , Robert Shaw as shark hunter Quint , Richard Dreyfuss as oceanographer Matt Hooper , Murray Hamilton as Larry Vaughn , the mayor of Amity Island , and Lorraine Gary as Brody 's wife , Ellen . The screenplay is credited to both Benchley , who wrote the first drafts , and actor-writer Carl Gottlieb , who rewrote the script during principal photography . Shot mostly on location on Martha 's Vineyard in Massachusetts , the film had a troubled production , going over budget and past schedule . As the art department 's mechanical sharks suffered many malfunctions , Spielberg decided to mostly suggest the animal 's presence , employing an ominous , minimalistic theme created by composer John Williams to indicate the shark 's impending appearances . Spielberg and others have compared this suggestive approach to that of classic thriller director Alfred Hitchcock . Universal Pictures gave the film what was then an exceptionally wide release for a major studio picture , over 450 screens , accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign with a heavy emphasis on television spots and tie-in merchandise . Now considered one of the greatest films ever made , Jaws was the prototypical summer blockbuster , with its release regarded as a watershed moment in motion picture history . Jaws became the highest-grossing film of all time until the release of Star Wars ( 1977 ) . It won several awards for its soundtrack and editing . Along with Star Wars , Jaws was pivotal in establishing the modern Hollywood business model , which revolves around high box-office returns from action and adventure pictures with simple `` high-concept '' premises that are released during the summer in thousands of theaters and supported by heavy advertising . It was followed by three sequels , none with the participation of Spielberg or Benchley , and many imitative thrillers . In 2001 , Jaws was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry , being deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .", "J. K. Rowling. Joanne Rowling , ( -LSB- ˈrəʊlɪŋ -RSB- born 31 July 1965 ) , pen names J. K. Rowling and Robert Galbraith , is a British novelist , screenwriter and film producer best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series . The books have gained worldwide attention , won multiple awards , and sold more than 400 million copies . They have become the best-selling book series in history and been the basis for a series of films over which Rowling had overall approval on the scripts and maintained creative control by serving as a producer on the final instalment . Born in Yate , Gloucestershire , England , Rowling was working as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International when she conceived the idea for the Harry Potter series while on a delayed train from Manchester to London in 1990 . The seven-year period that followed saw the death of her mother , birth of her first child , divorce from her first husband and relative poverty until she finished the first novel in the series , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , in 1997 . There were six sequels , the last , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , in 2007 . Since then , Rowling has written four books for adult readers : The Casual Vacancy ( 2012 ) and -- under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith -- the crime fiction novels The Cuckoo 's Calling ( 2013 ) , The Silkworm ( 2014 ) and Career of Evil ( 2015 ) . Rowling has lived a `` rags to riches '' life story , in which she progressed from living on state benefits to multi-millionaire status within five years . She is the United Kingdom 's best-selling living author , with sales in excess of # 238M . The 2016 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling 's fortune at # 600 million , ranking her as the joint 197th richest person in the UK . Time magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year , noting the social , moral , and political inspiration she has given her fans . In October 2010 , Rowling was named the `` Most Influential Woman in Britain '' by leading magazine editors . She has supported charities including Comic Relief , One Parent Families , Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain and Lumos ( formerly the Children 's High Level Group ) .", "Blairism. In British politics , the term Blairism refers to the political ideology of former leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister Tony Blair . It entered the New Penguin English Dictionary in 2000 . Proponents of Blairism are referred to as Blairites .", "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. Book of Shadows : Blair Witch 2 ( also known as Blair Witch 2 : Book of Shadows ) is a 2000 American psychological horror film directed and co-written by Joe Berlinger and starring Jeffrey Donovan , Kim Director , Tristine Skyler and Erica Leerhsen . The film was immediately greenlit upon pitch due to the surprising success of its predecessor , the wildly successful 1999 film The Blair Witch Project . Stylistically different from the first film , the story revolves around a group of people fascinated by the mythology surrounding The Blair Witch Project movie and go into the Black Hills where the film was shot , and documents their subsequent psychological unraveling . Originally conceived as a psychological thriller and meditation on mass hysteria , Artisan Entertainment re-cut Berlinger 's original film , altering the soundtrack as well as making editing changes and adding additional footage . The film was released in theaters in North America on October 27 , 2000 to largely negative reviews from critics and audiences ; it was , however , a financial success , grossing $ 47 million worldwide against its $ 15 million budget .", "Easy J. `` Easy J '' is the 71st episode of the CW television series , Gossip Girl , as well as the sixth episode of the show 's fourth season . The episode was written by Jake Coburn and directed by Lee Shallat-Chemel . It aired on Monday , October 25 , 2010 on the CW . Easy J focuses on the return of Jenny Humphrey ( Taylor Momsen ) and the consequences she faces from her short visit to Manhattan while Blair Waldorf ( Leighton Meester ) hunts her down in the hope of maintaining her social order and eschewing any possible attempts by Chuck Bass ( Ed Westwick ) to ruin her at the same time . Serena van der Woodsen ( Blake Lively ) runs into unfortunate circumstances when she discovers that her new flame is also her college professor .", "J. J. Abrams. Jeffrey Jacob `` J.J. '' Abrams ( born June 27 , 1966 ) is an American film director , producer , screenwriter , and composer . He is known for work in the genres of action , drama , and science fiction . Abrams wrote and/or produced feature films such as Regarding Henry ( 1991 ) , Forever Young ( 1992 ) , Armageddon ( 1998 ) , Cloverfield ( 2008 ) , and Star Wars : The Force Awakens ( 2015 ) . He created or co-created a number of TV drama series , including Felicity ( co-creator , 1998 -- 2003 ) , Alias ( creator , 2001 -- 2006 ) , Lost ( co-creator , 2004 -- 2010 ) , and Fringe ( co-creator , 2008 -- 2013 ) . Abrams won two Emmy Awards for Lost -- Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Drama Series . His directorial film work includes Star Trek ( 2009 ) and its sequel Star Trek Into Darkness ( 2013 ) , Mission : Impossible III ( 2006 ) , and Super 8 ( 2011 ) . He also directed and co-wrote Star Wars : The Force Awakens ( 2015 ) , the first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy and his highest-grossing film , as well as the third highest-grossing film of all time . Abrams 's frequent creative collaborators include producer Bryan Burk , actors Greg Grunberg and Simon Pegg , writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci , composer Michael Giacchino , cinematographers Daniel Mindel and Larry Fong , and editors Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey .", "Honeywell. Honeywell International Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate company that produces a variety of commercial and consumer products , engineering services and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers , from private consumers to major corporations and governments . The company operates four business units , known as Strategic Business Units -- Honeywell Aerospace , Home and Building Technologies ( HBT ) , Safety and Productivity Solutions ( SPS ) , and Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies . Honeywell is a Fortune 100 company . In 2016 , Honeywell ranked 75th in the Fortune 500 . Honeywell has a global workforce of approximately 130,000 , of whom approximately 58,000 are employed in the United States . The company is headquartered in Morris Plains , New Jersey . Its current chief executive officer is Darius Adamczyk . The company and its corporate predecessors were part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index from December 7 , 1925 until February 9 , 2008 . The company 's current name , Honeywell International Inc. , is the product of a merger in which Honeywell Inc. was acquired by the much larger AlliedSignal in 1999 . The company headquarters were consolidated with AlliedSignal 's headquarters in Morristown , New Jersey ; however the combined company chose the name `` Honeywell '' because of its superior brand recognition . In 2015 , the headquarters were moved to Morris Plains . Honeywell has many brands that commercial and retail consumers may recognize , including its line of home thermostats ( particularly the iconic round type ) and Garrett turbochargers . In addition to consumer home products Honeywell itself produces , such as thermostats , sensors , security alarm systems , and air cleaners and dehumidifiers , the company also licenses its brand name for use in various retail products made by partner manufacturers such as air conditioners , heaters , fans , security safes , home generators , and paper shredders .", "The Beatles. The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 . With members John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr , they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential act of the rock era . Rooted in skiffle , beat and 1950s rock and roll , the Beatles later experimented with several musical styles , ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock , often incorporating classical elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways . In 1963 their enormous popularity first emerged as `` Beatlemania '' , and as the group 's music grew in sophistication in subsequent years , led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney , they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the counterculture of the 1960s . The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960 , with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player . The core of Lennon , McCartney and Harrison went through a succession of drummers , including Pete Best , before asking Starr to join them in 1962 . Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act , and producer George Martin guided and developed their recordings , greatly expanding their popularity in the United Kingdom after their first hit , `` Love Me Do '' , in late 1962 . They acquired the nickname `` the Fab Four '' as Beatlemania grew in Britain the next year , and by early 1964 became international stars , leading the `` British Invasion '' of the United States pop market . From 1965 onwards , the Beatles produced increasingly innovative recordings , including the albums Rubber Soul ( 1965 ) , Revolver ( 1966 ) , Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band ( 1967 ) , The Beatles ( commonly known as the White Album , 1968 ) and Abbey Road ( 1969 ) . After their break-up in 1970 , they each enjoyed successful musical careers of varying lengths . McCartney and Starr , the surviving members , remain musically active . Lennon was shot and killed in December 1980 , and Harrison died of lung cancer in November 2001 . The Beatles are the best-selling band in history , with estimated sales of over 600 million records worldwide . They have had more number-one albums on the British charts and sold more singles in the UK than any other act . According to the RIAA , the Beatles are also the best-selling music artists in the United States , with 178 million certified units . In 2008 , the group topped Billboard magazine 's list of the all-time most successful `` Hot 100 '' artists ; , they hold the record for most number-one hits on the Hot 100 chart with twenty . They have received ten Grammy Awards , an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards . The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 , and all four were inducted individually from 1994 to 2015 . They were also collectively included in Time magazine 's compilation of the twentieth century 's 100 most influential people .", "Saw IV. Saw is a 2007 Canadian-American horror film and the fourth installment of the Saw franchise . It was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by newcomers Marcus Dunstan , Patrick Melton , and Thomas Fenton . It stars Tobin Bell , Scott Patterson , Costas Mandylor , Betsy Russell , and Lyriq Bent . The film continues the story of the Jigsaw Killer 's obsession with teaching people the value of their lives . Despite Jigsaw 's death in the previous installment , the film focuses on his ability to manipulate people into continuing his work . The story follows Lieutenant Daniel Rigg being put through a series of tests in order to try to let go of his obsession with saving everyone , whilst at the same time attempting to save his partner . The film was released in North America on October 26 , 2007 to generally negative reviews from critics . Despite this , the film was a box office success , grossing $ 139 million worldwide . It was followed by Saw on October 24 , 2008 .", "PlayStation. is a gaming brand that consists of four home video game consoles , as well as a media center , an online service , a line of controllers , two handhelds and a phone , as well as multiple magazines . It is created and owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment since December 3 , , with the launch of the original PlayStation in Japan . The original console in the series was the first video game console to ship 100 million units , 9 years and 6 months after its initial launch . Its successor , the PlayStation 2 , was released in 2000 . The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling home console to date , having reached over 155 million units sold as of December 28 , 2012 . Sony 's next console , the PlayStation 3 , was released in 2006 and has sold over 80 million consoles worldwide as of November 2013 . Sony 's latest console , the PlayStation 4 , was released in 2013 , selling 1 million consoles in its first 24 hours on sale , becoming the fastest selling console in history . The first handheld game console in the PlayStation series , the PlayStation Portable or PSP , sold a total of 80 million units worldwide by November 2013 . Its successor , the PlayStation Vita , which launched in Japan on December 17 , 2011 and in most other major territories in February 2012 , had sold over 4 million units by January 2013 . PlayStation TV is a microconsole and a non-portable variant of the PlayStation Vita handheld game console . Other hardware released as part of the PlayStation series includes the PSX , a digital video recorder which was integrated with the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 , though it was short lived due to its high price and was never released outside Japan , as well as a Sony Bravia television set which has an integrated PlayStation 2 . The main series of controllers utilized by the PlayStation series is the DualShock , which is a line of vibration-feedback gamepad having sold 28 million controllers as of June 28 , 2008 . The PlayStation Network is an online service with over 110 million users worldwide ( as of July 2013 ) . It comprises an online virtual market , the PlayStation Store , which allows the purchase and download of games and various forms of multimedia , a subscription-based online service known as PlayStation Plus and a social gaming networking service called PlayStation Home , which had over 41 million users worldwide at the time of its closure in March 2015 . PlayStation Mobile ( formerly PlayStation Suite ) is a software framework that provides PlayStation content on mobile devices . Version 1 . xx supports both PlayStation Vita , PlayStation TV and certain devices that run the Android operating system , whereas version 2.00 released in 2014 would only target PlayStation Vita and ( optionally ) PlayStation TV . Content set to be released under the framework consist of only original PlayStation games currently . 7th generation PlayStation products also use the XrossMediaBar , which is an award-winning graphical user interface . A touch screen-based user interface called LiveArea was launched for the PlayStation Vita , which integrates social networking elements into the interface . Additionally , the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 consoles also featured support for Linux-based operating systems ; Linux for PlayStation 2 and OtherOS respectively , though this has since been discontinued . The series has also been known for its numerous marketing campaigns , the latest of which being the `` Greatness Awaits '' commercials in the United States . The series also has a strong line-up of first-party titles due to Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios , a group of fifteen first-party developers owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment which are dedicated to developing first-party games for the series . In addition , the series features various budget re-releases of titles by Sony with different names for each region ; these include the Greatest Hits , Platinum , Essentials , Favorites and The Best ranges of titles .", "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 is a 2014 American dystopian science fiction adventure film directed by Francis Lawrence with a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong . It is the first of two films based on Suzanne Collins ' novel Mockingjay , the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy , and the third installment in The Hunger Games film series , produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik and distributed by Lionsgate . The film features an ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson , Elizabeth Banks , Julianne Moore , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Jeffrey Wright , Stanley Tucci , and Donald Sutherland . Principal photography for both parts of the film began on September 23 , 2013 , in Atlanta , before moving to Paris for two weeks of filming and officially concluding on June 20 , 2014 , in Berlin . The story continues to follow Katniss Everdeen ; having twice survived the Hunger Games , Katniss finds herself in District 13 . Under the leadership of President Coin and the advice of her trusted friends , Katniss reluctantly becomes the symbol of a mass rebellion against the Capitol and fights to save Peeta and a nation moved by her courage . It is the sequel to The Hunger Games : Catching Fire and was followed by the concluding entry , The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 2 . Mockingjay -- Part 1 was released on November 21 , 2014 in the United States . Like its predecessors , the film was a commercial success grossing $ 55 million on its opening day , making it the largest opening day of 2014 and the sixth-largest in November . The film went to the No. 1 spot during its opening weekend with a $ 273.8 million worldwide gross , becoming the biggest opening of 2014 and marking The Hunger Games film series as the only franchise to have three films earn over $ 100 million in a weekend . The film earned over $ 755 million worldwide , making it the second highest-grossing entry in The Hunger Games series . Part 1 received positive reviews from critics , who commended its acting and political subtext , but received criticism for its lack of action and for splitting the novel into two separate adaptations . It is the lowest-rated Hunger Games film of the franchise according to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes . The film had garnered a nomination for Best Science Fiction Film at the 41st Saturn Awards . For her performance , Lawrence received a nomination for Best Actress in an Action Movie at the 20th Critics ' Choice Awards and a Saturn Award nomination . The song `` Yellow Flicker Beat '' also received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards and Critics ' Choice Awards ." ]

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[ "Filmfare. Filmfare is an English-language , tabloid-sized magazine about Hindi-language cinema , popularly known as Bollywood . Established in 1952 , the magazine is published by Worldwide Media , a subsidiary of The Times Group , India 's largest media services conglomerate . Filmfare is one of the most popular entertainment magazine in India . Since 1954 , it gives popular film awards the annual Filmfare Awards and Filmfare Awards South .", "Filmfare Awards. The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India . The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest film events in India . The awards were first introduced in 1954 , the same year as the National Film Awards . They were initially referred to as the Clare Awards or The Clares after Clare Mendonca , the editor of The Times of India . A dual voting system was developed in 1956 . Under this system , in contrast to the National Film Awards , which are decided by a panel appointed by Indian Government , the Filmfare Awards are voted on by both the public and a committee of experts . The ceremony had been sponsored by various private organisations in the past as well as in present provisions . During several years in 1990s , a live ceremony was broadcast to television audiences but was later discontinued due to unknown reasons . Presently , a recorded and an edited version of the awards ceremony is televised on SET a week or two after the ceremony has been held . Until the mid-1990s , Filmfare Awards were not only preeminent but were also well-recognized popular awards ceremony in India film industry until several clone awards with similar model of awarding and stage performance pattern started sprouting up in Mumbai . There is no data statistics recorded in reference to T.V viewership for the ceremony , but several press reports have pointed out that along with various other Indian film awards having similar type of technique and too much of cloning by each other , the ceremony has resulted with less curiosity among audiences and poor viewership since 2000s . The Filmfare Awards have been often referred to as the Hindi film industry 's equivalent to The Oscars . Filmfare Marathi Awards are also started few years back which gives awards to Marathi films and Marathi play .", "Filmfare Award for Best Film. The Filmfare Best Film Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films . The award was first given in 1954 . Here is a list of the award winners and the nominees of the respective years . Each individual entry shows the title followed by the production company , and the producer .", "Filmfare Award for Best Actor. The Filmfare Award for Best Actor is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi ( Bollywood ) films , to recognise a male actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role . The award was first given in 1954 . As of 2016 , Dilip Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan lead the list , with eight wins each . In January 2017 , Rishi Kapoor confessed that he had purchased the Filmfare Award for Best Actor ( for Bobby ) in 1974 for Rs .40,000 .", "Filmfare Award for Best Director. The Filmfare Best Director Award is one of the main awards presented given by the annual Filmfare Awards to recognise directors working in the Hindi film Industry . It was first presented in 1954 in the inaugural year .", "Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. The Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films , to recognise a male actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role . Although the awards started in 1954 , awards for the best supporting actor category started only the following year 1955 . As of 2016 , Pran , Amrish Puri , Amitabh Bachchan , Abhishek Bachchan and Anil Kapoor lead the list , with three wins each . Anil Kapoor currently also holds the record of being the youngest ( Mashaal , 1985 ) recipient of the award , whereas Rishi Kapoor holds the record for being the eldest ( Kapoor & Sons , 2017 ) .", "Filmfare Awards South. Filmfare Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Filmfare Awards , presented by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the South Indian film industry . The awards were introduced in 1954 , around the films released in 1953 & Filmfare Awards initially recognizing the Hindi film industries . In 1964 awards were extended to Best Picture in Tamil , Telugu , Bengali and Marathi , around the films released in 1963 . The inclusion of Malayalam cinema in the awards came in 1967 while Kannada cinema was recognized in 1970 . Each industry is given its own set of creative awards in annual ceremonies that have predominantly been held in Chennai and Hyderabad . Unlike the National Film Awards , which are decided by a panel appointed by Government of India , the Filmfare Awards South are voted for by both the public and a committee of experts . The Filmfare Awards has been referred to as India 's equivalent to the Academy Awards for its ostentatious ceremonies and media coverage , although the National Film Awards is more commonly given this distinction for its critical rigour and pan-Indian appeal .", "Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. The Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films , to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role . Although the Filmfare awards started in 1954 , awards for the Best Supporting Actress category started the following year 1955 .", "Filmfare Award for Best Actress. The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films , to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role . The award was first given in 1954 for the films released in preceding year 1953 . Kajol along with Nutan holds the maximum awards of 5 . Nutan and her niece Kajol , with five wins each , have maximum awards . Two actresses : Meena Kumari and Madhuri Dixit , have four wins each . Four actresses : Vyjayanthimala , Jaya Bachchan , Shabana Azmi and Vidya Balan have three wins each . Eight actresses have won the award twice ; in chronological order , they are Waheeda Rehman , Dimple Kapadia , Rekha , Sridevi , Karisma Kapoor , Aishwarya Rai , Rani Mukerji and Deepika Padukone . Five actresses have won the award in consecutive years ; in chronological order , they are Meena Kumari ( 1954 -- 55 ) , Jaya Bachchan ( 1974 -- 75 ) , Shabana Azmi ( 1984 -- 85 ) , Rani Mukerji ( 2005 -- 06 ) , and Vidya Balan ( 2012 -- 13 ) . There has been only one tie in the history of this category . This occurred in 1974 when Jaya Bachchan and Dimple Kapadia were both given the award . Madhuri Dixit holds the record for maximum nominations ( 14 ) , followed by Meena Kumari ( 12 ) , Hema Malini / Kajol ( 11 ) and Aishwarya Rai ( 10 ) . Dixit also holds the record for most consecutive nominations with 10 between 1988 and 1995 , being nominated twice in 1994 and 1995 , winning thrice in 1990 , 1992 and 1994 . Later , also winning in 1997 . She thus also holds the record of maximum awards and maximum nominations in a single decade , with 4 awards and 10 nominations in 1990s . Shabana Azmi , who received four out of the five nominations in 1984 ( and eventually won for Arth ) , holds the record for the highest number of nominations in a single year . Meena Kumari and Kajol had three nominations each in 1963 and 1999 respectively , which are the second highest number of nominations in a single year . Both won in their respective years . `` Aishwarya Rai '' Received 2 nominations for Taal and Hum dil de Chuke sanam . `` Deepika padukone '' Received 2 nominations for her performances in 2014 and 2016 . In 1963 , Meena Kumari achieved an unusual feat by garnering all the three nominations . She was nominated for Aarti , Main Chup Rahungi and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam ( for which she eventually won ) . Vyjayanthimala was the first actress to receive more than one nominations in 1959 and is the only actress to win the maximum awards , without ever losing , whenever been nominated . She received 3 awards among 4 nominations , being nominated twice in 1959 and once each in 1962 and 1965 , winning in all three years . She was also the first actress to win both Best Actress Award and Best Supporting Actress Award . Tabu holds the record of maximum nominations without ever winning , with 5 , followed by Mala Sinha , Saira Banu , Manisha Koirala , Urmila Matondkar , Anushka Sharma and Sonam Kapoor with 4 nominations each . Jaya Prada and has three nominations each , without ever winning . Nutan , who won the award for the fifth time in 1979 at the age of 42 , is the eldest winner , while Sharmila Tagore became the eldest nominee in 2006 at the age of 61 . Dimple Kapadia , in 1973 , became the youngest winner and youngest nominee at the age of 16 . Meena Kumari was the most victorious actress with two wins in the 1950s ( she won the first two awards consecutively ) . Nutan peaked with three wins in '60s . Jaya Bachchan ruled the '70s with two wins . Shabana Azmi and Rekha fetched two wins each in the '80s . In the '90s , Madhuri Dixit outperformed all actresses with four wins . Aishwarya Rai , Rani Mukherji and Kajol had two wins each in the 2000s which were the highest . Until now , Vidya Balan is the most successful actress of 2010s with three wins . Only once have siblings been nominated during the same year : Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor in 2002 , and twice have cousins been nominated during the same year : Kajol and Rani Mukerji in 2007 and Priyanka Chopra and Parineeti Chopra in 2013 . Among these , Kajol won in 2007 . Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor are the only siblings to win the award , while Kajol and Rani Mukerji are the only cousins to win the award . Four actresses failed to win despite having multiple nominations on some occasions . This includes Jaya Bachchan in 1972 , Hema Malini in 1975 and 1976 , Madhuri Dixit in 1996 and Kareena Kapoor in 2010 . Bachchan lost to Asha Parekh , Malini lost to Bachchan and Lakshmi in 1975 and 1976 respectively , Dixit lost to Kajol and Kapoor lost to Vidya Balan . Meena Kumari , Nargis , Smita Patil , Nutan and Bina Rai are the five recipients who are not alive . They died in 1972 , 1981 , 1986 , 1991 and 2009 respectively . Fourteen actresses who have won both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards include Vyjayanthimala , Raakhee , Padmini Kolhapure , Nutan , Dimple Kapadia , Rekha , Karisma Kapoor , Jaya Bachchan , Madhuri Dixit , Rani Mukerji , Kareena Kapoor , Kangana Ranaut , Priyanka Chopra and Shabana Azmi . Mukerji is the first and only actress to win both these awards in the same year ( 2005 ) . Aishwarya Rai was nominated in 2001 for best actress and best supporting actress but did not won . Two actresses were nominated for both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards for the same performance : Nutan for Saudagar ( 1974 ) and for Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki ( 1979 ) and Raakhee for Doosra Aadmi ( 1978 ) ; Nutan won Best Actress award for Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki ( 1979 ) . Madhuri Dixit and Rakhee are the overall most nominated performers in the female acting categories , each with overall 16 nominations . While Dixit has 14 nominations for Best Actress and 2 for Best Supporting Actress , Rakhee has 8 nominations in each of these categories . Eight Actresses have won the Best Actress awards in both the Popular and Critics Categories ; in chronological order , they are Dimple Kapadia , Karisma Kapoor , Rani Mukerji , Kareena Kapoor , Vidya Balan , Priyanka Chopra , Kangana Ranaut and Alia Bhatt . Mukerji is the first and only actress to win both these awards in the same year ( 2006 ) . Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra are the only two actresses to win Filmfare Awards in five different categories , while Kangana Ranaut has won in four categories . All the three actresses have won Best Actress , Best Supporting Actress and Best Female Debut awards once each . Kapoor won twice , while Chopra and Ranaut won once each in the Best Actress ( Critics ) category . Kapoor and Chopra also won one Special Award and one Best Villain Award , respectively . Kapoor , Chopra and Ranaut , thus have 6 , 5 and 4 Filmfare Awards respectively .", "Filmfare Critics Award for Best Film. Filmfare Critics Award for Best Film is award during annual Filmfare Awards , given by the Filmfare magazine . The awards are the oldest and most prominent film awards given for Hindi films in India . The yearly awards started in 1954 . Movie awards were first given by popular vote . Many complained that films of artistic merit rather than commercial appeal were being overlooked , hence a new award category was added , the Critics Award for Best Film .", "Filmfare Award for Best Scene of the Year. The Filmfare Best Scene of the Year Award is decided by Sony Executives who nominate five scenes of the most popular movies of the year and telecast them on their channel two weeks prior to the event . The winner is revealed only at the ceremony . Here is the list of the award winners .", "Filmfare Award for Best Story. The Filmfare Award for Best Story is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films , to recognise a writer who wrote a film 's story .", "Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay. The Filmfare Best Screenplay Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films .", "Filmfare Award for Best Film – Malayalam. The Filmfare Best Film Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Malayalam films .", "Filmfare Award for Best Editing. The Filmfare Best Editing Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films .", "Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil. The Filmfare Best Film Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Tamil ( Kollywood ) films .", "Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue. The Filmfare Best Dialogue Award is given by the Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films . Here is a list of the award winners since 1958 and the films for which they won .", "Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. The Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut ( previously known as `` Filmfare Award for New Face of the Year '' ) is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films to recognise a performance by a female actor in a debut role .", "Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. The Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films . The award is given by the chosen jury of critics assigned to the function , and is a derivation from a previous award known as the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance , which was established in 1991 and was initially a special award given for a performance by either sex . In 1998 , it was officially divided into two separate categories to acknowledge both male and female actors individually . The actors are awarded without prior nomination for a performance .", "Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. The Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films . The award is given by the chosen jury of critics assigned to the function , and is a derivation from a previous award known as the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance , which was established in 1991 and was initially a special award given for a performance by either sex . In 1998 , it was officially divided into two separate categories to acknowledge both male and female actors individually . The actors are awarded without prior nomination for a performance . The record of the maximum number of wins in this category is with Amitabh Bachchan having won the award 3 times ( 2002 , 2006 & 2016 ) and Manoj Bajpayee ( 1999 , 2000 & 2017 ) , , followed by two actors ( in chronological order ) : Shahrukh Khan ( 1994 & 2001 ) and Ranbir Kapoor ( 2010 & 2012 ) . There has been only tie in the history between Shahid Kapoor and Manoj Bajpai for Udta Punjab and Aligarh respectively ( 2017 ) .", "40th Filmfare Awards. The 40th Filmfare Awards were held in 1995 , with Sooraj Barjatya 's Hum Aapke Hain Koun . . ! dominating the night . Hum Aapke Hain Koun . . ! was a landmark film for Bollywood , and is the highest-grossing Hindi-language movie of all time . However , Vidhu Vinod Chopra 's 1942 A Love Story was the biggest winner , with no less than 9 wins .", "38th Filmfare Awards. The 38th Filmfare Awards were held in 1993 . Mansoor Khan 's Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar was adjudged Best Film without winning any other major awards . The films Beta starring Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor , and Deewana starring Rishi Kapoor , Divya Bharti and Shah Rukh Khan received the most number of awards ( 5 each ) that year .", "Filmfare Award for Best Cinematography. The Filmfare Best Cinematography Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films . The awards started in 1954 .", "54th Filmfare Awards. The 54th Idea Filmfare Awards ceremony , presented by The Times Group and Idea Cellular , was one of India 's most prestigious awards ceremony , honoring the best Bollywood films of 2008 . It took place on February 28 , 2009 at the Yash Raj Studios , Mumbai . Actors Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan hosted the show for the first part , while actresses Konkona Sen Sharma and Deepika Padukone hosted the show in the latter part . It was the first time that any of these actors hosted the awards ceremony . The ceremony was televised in India eight days later , on March 8 , 2009 . The nominees for the various films were announced on February 16 , 2009 . The films Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Rock On !! led the nominations with a total of ten nominations each , followed by Jodhaa Akbar with nine nominations . Ghajini and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na had seven nominations each . Note that the nominations are for the major awards only , as there were no list of nominees for the technical and other awards . The major award-winning film turned out to be Jodhaa Akbar and Rock On !! , both of which won five Filmfare Awards each . The former won four under the main category , including the best film , best director and best actor awards , while the latter won one in the major category . It was Arjun Rampal 's first Filmfare award , as he won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor . Priyanka Chopra won her first Filmfare Best Actress Award in 2009 for her role in Fashion while Asin Thottumkal received her first Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut , for her performance in Ghajini", "Filmfare Award for Best Debut Director. The Filmfare Award for Best Debut Director is given at the annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films to recognise directors for their debut films . It was first presented in 2010 in the inaugural year .", "Filmfare Award for Best Action. The Filmfare Best Action Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films . Although the awards started in 1954 , the best action category did not start until 1994 .", "Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role. The Filmfare Best Comedian Award was given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films , to recognise an actor who had delivered an outstanding performance in a comic role . Although the awards started in 1954 , awards for the best comedian category started only in 1967 , and has not been awarded since 2007 .", "Filmfare Special Award. The Filmfare Special Award or Special Performance Award or Special Mention or Special Jury Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films . It acknowledges a special and unique performance and encourages artistes , filmmakers and musicians to break new ground in drama , direction , music and acting . It is only given if someone has done something really different . However , it is also given occasionally to film personalities for their contribution to the film industry .", "Filmfare Award for Best Background Score. The Filmfare Best Background Score is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films . Although the awards started in 1954 , the Best Background Score category was not introduced until 1998 .", "23rd Filmfare Awards. The 23rd Filmfare Awards were held on March 30 , 1976 . Ramesh Sippy 's Sholay , Bollywood 's most famous film , went home with just one win out of several nominations . Yash Chopra 's Deewaar was the big winner on the night , winning Best Picture and Best Director , among several other awards . Shashi Kapoor won his sole acting Filmfare award , as Best Supporting Actor in Deewaar .", "14th Filmfare Awards. The 14th Filmfare Awards were held in 1967 , honoring the best Hindi films of 1966 . Producer and Star Dev Anand 's smash hit Guide was named the Best Film of the Year , winning a few other major and minor awards , including Best Actor for Dev Anand and Best Director for his brother Vijay Anand .", "Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role. The Filmfare Best Villain Award was given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films , to recognise an actor who had delivered an outstanding performance in a negative role . Although the awards started in 1954 , this category was first introduced in 1992 , and has not been awarded since 2007 ." ]

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[ "Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace ( -LSB- ˈbʌkɪŋəm_ˈpælɪs -RSB- ) is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom . Located in the City of Westminster , the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality . It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning . Originally known as Buckingham House , the building at the core of today 's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years . It was acquired by King George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as The Queen 's House . During the 19th century it was enlarged , principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore , who constructed three wings around a central courtyard . Buckingham Palace became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837 . The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries , including the East front , which contains the well-known balcony on which the royal family traditionally congregates to greet crowds . The palace chapel was destroyed by a German bomb during World War II ; the Queen 's Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection . The original early 19th-century interior designs , many of which survive , include widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis , on the advice of Sir Charles Long . King Edward VII oversaw a partial redecoration in a Belle Époque cream and gold colour scheme . Many smaller reception rooms are furnished in the Chinese regency style with furniture and fittings brought from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and from Carlton House . The palace has 775 rooms , and the garden is the largest private garden in London . The state rooms , used for official and state entertaining , are open to the public each year for most of August and September and on some days in winter and spring .", "Buckingham Palace Stakes. | -RCB- The Buckingham Palace Stakes was a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three and over . It was run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlongs ( 1,408 metres ) , and was scheduled to take place each year in June on the fourth day of the Royal Ascot meeting . The Buckingham Palace Stakes was established in 2002 , when the Royal Ascot meeting was extended to a fifth day to mark the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II and was named after Buckingham Palace , the London residence of the British monarch . It was last run in 2014 and replaced from the 2015 Royal Ascot meeting by a new Group One sprint race , the Commonwealth Cup .", "Trooping the Colour. Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies . It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century , although the roots go back much earlier . On battlefields , a regiment 's colours , or flags , were used as rallying points . Consequently , regiments would have their ensigns slowly march with their colours between the soldiers ' ranks to enable soldiers to recognise their regiments ' colours . Since 1748 , Trooping the Colour has also marked the official birthday of the British sovereign . It is held in London annually on a Saturday in June on Horse Guards Parade by St. James 's Park , and coincides with the publication of the Birthday Honours List . Among the audience are the Royal Family , invited guests , ticket holders and the general public . The ceremony is broadcast live by the BBC within the UK and is also shown in Germany and Belgium . The Queen travels down The Mall from Buckingham Palace in a royal procession with a sovereign 's escort of Household Cavalry ( mounted troops or horse guards ) . After receiving a royal salute , she inspects her troops of the Household Division , both foot guards and horse guards , and the King 's Troop , Royal Horse Artillery . Each year , one of the foot-guards regiments is selected to troop its colour through the ranks of guards . Then the entire Household Division assembly conducts a march past the Queen , who receives a salute from the saluting base . Parading with its guns , the King 's Troop takes precedence as the mounted troops perform a walk-march and trot-past . The music is provided by the massed bands of the foot guards and the mounted bands of the Household Cavalry , together with a Corps of Drums , and occasionally pipers , totalling approximately 400 musicians . Returning to Buckingham Palace , the Queen watches a further march-past from outside the gates . Following a 41-gun salute by the King 's Troop in Green Park , she leads the Royal Family on to the palace balcony for a Royal Air Force flypast .", "Scagliola. Scagliola ( from the Italian scaglia , meaning `` chips '' ) , is a technique for producing stucco columns , sculptures , and other architectural elements that resemble inlays in marble and semi-precious stones . The Scagliola technique came into fashion in 17th-century Tuscany as an effective substitute for costly marble inlays , the pietra dura works created for the Medici family in Florence . Scagliola is a composite substance made from selenite , glue and natural pigments , imitating marble and other hard stones . The material may be veined with colors and applied to a core , or desired pattern may be carved into a previously prepared scagliola matrix . The pattern 's indentations are then filled with the colored , plaster-like scagliola composite , and then polished with flax oil for brightness , and wax for protection . The combination of materials and technique provides a complex texture , and richness of color not available in natural veined marbles . A comparable material is terrazzo . `` Marmorino '' is a synonym , but scagliola and terrazzo should not be confused with plaster of Paris , which is one ingredient .", "Elizabeth II. Elizabeth II ( Elizabeth Alexandra Mary ; born 21 April 1926 ) has been Queen of the United Kingdom , Canada , Australia , and New Zealand since 6 February 1952 . She is Head of the Commonwealth and Queen of 12 countries that have become independent since her accession : Jamaica , Barbados , the Bahamas , Grenada , Papua New Guinea , Solomon Islands , Tuvalu , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Belize , Antigua and Barbuda , and Saint Kitts and Nevis . Elizabeth was born in London as the elder child of the Duke and Duchess of York , later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth , and she was educated privately at home . Her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936 , from which time she was the heir presumptive . She began to undertake public duties during the Second World War , serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service . In 1947 , she married Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , a former prince of Greece and Denmark , with whom she has four children : Charles , Prince of Wales ; Anne , Princess Royal ; Prince Andrew , Duke of York ; and Prince Edward , Earl of Wessex . Elizabeth 's many historic visits and meetings include a state visit to the Republic of Ireland and visits to or from five popes . She has seen major constitutional changes , such as devolution in the United Kingdom , Canadian patriation , and the decolonisation of Africa . She has reigned through various wars and conflicts involving many of her realms . She is the world 's oldest reigning monarch as well as Britain 's longest-lived . In 2015 , she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother , Queen Victoria , to become the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regnant and female head of state in world history . In October 2016 , she became the longest currently reigning monarch and head of state following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand . Times of personal significance have included the births and marriages of her children , her coronation in 1953 , and the celebration of milestones such as her Silver , Golden , and Diamond Jubilees in 1977 , 2002 , and 2012 , respectively . In 2017 she became the first British monarch to commemorate a Sapphire Jubilee . Moments of sadness for her include the death of her father in 1952 at age 56 ; the assassination of Prince Philip 's uncle Lord Mountbatten in 1979 ; the breakdown of her children 's marriages in 1992 ( her annus horribilis ) ; the death in 1997 of her son 's former wife , Diana , Princess of Wales ; and the deaths of her mother and sister in 2002 . Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and press criticism of the royal family ; however , support for the monarchy remains high , as does her personal popularity .", "Garden at Buckingham Palace. The Garden at Buckingham Palace is situated at the rear ( west ) of Buckingham Palace . It covers much of the area of the former Goring Great Garden , named after Lord Goring , occupant of one of the earliest grand houses on the site . It was laid out by Henry Wise and subsequently redesigned by William Townsend Aiton for George IV . The garden occupies a 42 acre site in the City of Westminster , London and has two-and-a-half miles of gravel paths . Its area is bounded by Constitution Hill to the north , Hyde Park Corner to the west , Grosvenor Place to the south-west and the Royal Mews , Queen 's Gallery , and Buckingham Palace to the south and east . The planting is varied and exotic , with a mulberry tree dating back to the time of James I of England . Notable features include a large 19th-century lake which was once recently graced by a flock of flamingoes , and the Waterloo Vase . In the garden there is a summerhouse , a helicopter pad , and a tennis court . Unlike the nearby Royal Parks of London , Buckingham Palace Garden is not usually open to the public . However , when Buckingham Palace is open during August and September , visitors have access to part of the garden , which forms the exit from the palace at the end of the tour . ( A large gift shop in a marquee is erected along the path at that time . ) Visitors also have the opportunity to purchase specially made ice cream from the Buckingham Palace ice cream tent which is situated on the route out of the garden . The garden is where the Queen 's garden parties are held . In June 2002 she invited the public into the garden for entertainment for the first time during her reign . As part of her Golden Jubilee Weekend thousands of Britons were invited to apply for tickets to Party at the Palace where the guitarist Brian May of the band Queen performed his God Save the Queen guitar solo on top of Buckingham Palace . This concert was preceded the previous evening by a Prom at the Palace . During the Queen 's 80th birthday celebrations in 2006 the garden was the scene of Children 's Party at the Palace for an audience of 2,000 children .", "Palace. A palace is a grand residence , especially a royal residence , or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary , such as a bishop or archbishop . The word is derived from the Latin name Palātium , for Palatine Hill in Rome which housed the Imperial residences . In many parts of Europe , the term is also applied to ambitious private mansions of the aristocracy . Many historic palaces are now put to other uses such as parliaments , museums , hotels , or office buildings . The word is also sometimes used to describe a lavishly ornate building used for public entertainment or exhibitions .", "Fleetwood Mac. Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band , formed in London in 1967 . The band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide , making them one of the world 's best-selling bands of all time . In 1998 , selected members of Fleetwood Mac were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , and received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music . The two most successful periods for the band were during the late 1960s British blues boom , when they were led by guitarist Peter Green and achieved a UK number one with `` Albatross '' ; and from 1975 to 1987 , as a more pop-oriented act , featuring Christine McVie , Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks . Rumours ( 1977 ) , Fleetwood Mac 's second album after the incorporation of Buckingham and Nicks , produced four US Top 10 singles and remained at No. 1 on the American albums chart for 31 weeks , as well as reaching the top spot in various countries around the world . To date , the album has sold over 40 million copies worldwide , making it the eighth-highest-selling album of all time . The band achieved comparatively modest success between 1971 and 1974 , when the line-up included Bob Welch , during the 1990s in between the departure and return of Nicks and Buckingham , and during the 2000s when Christine McVie was absent . After numerous lineup changes the only original member present in the band is drummer Mick Fleetwood . Although band founder Green named the group by combining the surnames of two of his former bandmates ( Fleetwood and McVie ) from John Mayall 's Bluesbreakers , bassist John McVie played neither on their first single nor at their first concerts , as he initially decided to stay with Mayall . Keyboardist Christine McVie , who joined the band in 1970 while married to John McVie , has appeared on every album except the debut album , either as a member or as a session musician . She left the band in 1998 but returned in 2014 .", "Hampton Court Palace. Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the borough of Richmond upon Thames , London , England , 11.7 mi south west and upstream of central London on the River Thames . Building of the palace began in 1515 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey , a favourite of King Henry VIII . In 1529 , as Wolsey fell from favour , the King seized the palace for himself and later enlarged it . Along with St James 's Palace , it is one of only two surviving palaces out of the many owned by King Henry VIII . In the following century , King William III 's massive rebuilding and expansion project , which destroyed much of the Tudor palace , was intended to rival Versailles . Work ceased in 1694 , leaving the palace in two distinct contrasting architectural styles , domestic Tudor and Baroque . While the palace 's styles are an accident of fate , a unity exists due to the use of pink bricks and a symmetrical , if vague , balancing of successive low wings . King George II was the last monarch to reside in the palace . Today , the palace is open to the public and is a major tourist attraction , easily reached by train from Waterloo station in central London and served by Hampton Court railway station in East Molesey , in Transport for London 's Zone 6 . In addition , London Buses routes 111 , 216 , 411 and R68 stop outside the palace gates . The structure and grounds are cared for by an independent charity , Historic Royal Palaces , which receives no funding from the Government or the Crown . In addition the palace continues to display a large number of works of art from the Royal Collection . Apart from the Palace itself and its gardens , other points of interest for visitors include the celebrated maze , the historic real tennis court ( see below ) , and the huge grape vine , the largest in the world . The palace 's Home Park is the site of the annual Hampton Court Palace Festival and Hampton Court Palace Flower Show .", "Palace of Westminster. The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords , the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its occupants , the Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster , in central London . Its name , which is derived from the neighbouring Westminster Abbey , may refer to either of two structures : the Old Palace , a medieval building complex destroyed by fire in 1834 , and its replacement , the New Palace that stands today . The palace is owned by the monarch in right of the Crown and for ceremonial purposes , retains its original status as a royal residence . The building is managed by committees appointed by both houses , which report to the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker . The first royal palace was built on the site in the 11th century , and Westminster was the primary residence of the Kings of England until fire destroyed much of the complex in 1512 . After that , it served as the home of the Parliament of England , which had been meeting there since the 13th century , and also as the seat of the Royal Courts of Justice , based in and around Westminster Hall . In 1834 , an even greater fire ravaged the heavily rebuilt Houses of Parliament , and the only significant medieval structures to survive were Westminster Hall , the Cloisters of St Stephen 's , the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft , and the Jewel Tower . The subsequent competition for the reconstruction of the Palace was won by the architect Charles Barry , whose design was for new buildings in the Gothic Revival style , specifically inspired by the English Perpendicular Gothic style of the 14th -- 16th centuries . The remains of the Old Palace ( except the detached Jewel Tower ) were incorporated into its much larger replacement , which contains over 1,100 rooms organised symmetrically around two series of courtyards and has a floor area of 112,476 m2 . Part of the New Palace 's area of 3.24 ha was reclaimed from the Thames , which is the setting of its nearly 300 m façade , called the River Front . Barry was assisted by Augustus Pugin , a leading authority on Gothic architecture and style , who designed the interior of the Palace . Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years , suffering great delays and cost overruns , as well as the death of both leading architects ; works for the interior decoration continued intermittently well into the 20th century . Major conservation work has been carried out since then to reverse the effects of London 's air pollution , and extensive repairs took place after the Second World War , including the reconstruction of the Commons Chamber following its bombing in 1941 . The Palace is one of the centres of political life in the United Kingdom ; `` Westminster '' has become a metonym for the UK Parliament , and the Westminster system of government has taken its name after it . The Elizabeth Tower , in particular , which is often referred to by the name of its main bell , Big Ben , is an iconic landmark of London and the United Kingdom in general , one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city , and an emblem of parliamentary democracy . The Palace of Westminster has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 .", "London. London -LSB- ˈlʌndən -RSB- is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom . Standing on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain , London has been a major settlement for two millennia . It was founded by the Romans , who named it Londinium . London 's ancient core , the City of London , largely retains its 1.12 sqmi medieval boundaries . Since at least the 19th century , `` London '' has also referred to the metropolis around this core , historically split between Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which today largely makes up Greater London , See also : Independent city § National capitals . governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.The London Mayor is not to be confused with the Lord Mayor of London who heads the City of London Corporation , which administers the City of London . London is a leading global city in the arts , commerce , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , professional services , research and development , tourism , and transportation . It is crowned as the world 's largest financial centre and has the fifth - or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world.Rankings of cities by metropolitan area GDP can vary as a result of differences in the definition of the boundaries and population sizes of the areas compared , exchange rate fluctuations and the method used to calculate output . London and Paris are of broadly similar size in terms of total economic output which can result in third party sources varying as to which is the fifth-largest city GDP in the world . A report by the McKinsey Global Institute published in 2012 estimated that London had a city GDP of US$ 751.8 billion in 2010 , compared to US$ 764.2 billion for Paris , making them respectively the sixth - and fifth-largest in the world . A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers published in November 2009 estimated that London had a city GDP measured in purchasing power parity of US$ 565 billion in 2008 , compared to US$ 564 billion for Paris , making them respectively the fifth - and sixth-largest in the world . The McKinsey Global Institute study used a metropolitan area with a population of 14.9 million for London compared to 11.8 million for Paris , whilst the PricewaterhouseCoopers study used a metropolitan area with a population of 8.59 million for London compared to 9.92 million for Paris . London is a world cultural capital . It is the world 's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the world 's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic . London is the world 's leading investment destination , hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city . London 's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe . In 2012 , London became the first city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times . London has a diverse range of people and cultures , and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region . Its estimated mid-2015 municipal population ( corresponding to Greater London ) was 8,673,713 , the largest of any city in the European Union , and accounting for 12.5 % of the UK population . London 's urban area is the second most populous in the EU , after Paris , with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census . The city 's metropolitan area is the most populous in the EU with 13,879,757 inhabitants , while the Greater London Authority states the population of the city-region ( covering a large part of the south east ) as 22.7 million . London was the world 's most populous city from around 1831 to 1925 . London contains four World Heritage Sites : the Tower of London ; Kew Gardens ; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster , Westminster Abbey , and St Margaret 's Church ; and the historic settlement of Greenwich ( in which the Royal Observatory , Greenwich marks the Prime Meridian , 0 ° longitude , and GMT ) . Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul 's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , Trafalgar Square , and The Shard . London is home to numerous museums , galleries , libraries , sporting events , and other cultural institutions , including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and West End theatres . The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world .", "St James's Palace. St James 's Palace is the most senior royal palace in the United Kingdom . Located in the City of Westminster , although no longer the principal residence of the monarch , it is the ceremonial meeting place of the Accession Council and the London residence of several members of the royal family . Built by King Henry VIII on the site of a leper hospital dedicated to Saint James the Less , the palace was secondary in importance to the Palace of Whitehall for most Tudor and Stuart monarchs . The palace increased in importance during the reigns of the early Georgian monarchy , but was displaced by Buckingham Palace in the late-18th and early-19th centuries . After decades of being used increasingly for only formal occasions , the move was formalised by Queen Victoria in 1837 . Today the palace houses a number of official offices , societies and collections and all ambassadors and high commissioners to the United Kingdom are still accredited to the Court of St James 's . Mainly built between 1531 and 1536 in red-brick , the palace 's architecture is primarily Tudor in style . A fire in 1809 destroyed parts of the structure , including the monarch 's private apartments , which were never replaced . Some 17th-century interiors survive , but most were remodelled in the 19th century .", "White. White is an achromatic color , a color without hue . Light with a spectral composition that stimulates all three types of the color sensitive cone cells of the human eye in nearly equal amounts appears white . White is one of the most common colors in nature , the color of sunlight , and the color of sunlight reflected by snow , milk , chalk , limestone and other common minerals . In many cultures white represents or signifies purity , innocence , and light , and is the symbolic opposite of black , or darkness . According to surveys in Europe and the United States , white is the color most often associated with perfection , the good , honesty , cleanliness , the beginning , the new , neutrality , and exactitude . In ancient Egypt and ancient Rome , priestesses wore white as a symbol of purity , and Romans wore a white toga as a symbol of citizenship . In the Middle Ages and Renaissance a white unicorn symbolized chastity , and a white lamb sacrifice and purity ; the widows of kings dressed in white rather than black as the color of mourning . It sometimes symbolizes royalty ; it was the color of the French kings ( black being the color of the queens ) and of the monarchist movement after the French Revolution as well as of the movement called the White Russians ( not to be confounded with Belarus , literally `` White Russia '' ) who fought the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War ( 1917 -- 1922 ) . Greek and Roman temples were faced with white marble , and beginning in the 18th century , with the advent of neoclassical architecture , white became the most common color of new churches , capitols and other government buildings , especially in the United States . It was also widely used in 20th century modern architecture as a symbol of modernity , simplicity and strength . White is an important color for almost all world religions . The Pope , the head of the Roman Catholic Church , has worn white since 1566 , as a symbol of purity and sacrifice . In Islam , and in the Shinto religion of Japan , it is worn by pilgrims ; and by the Brahmins in India . In Western cultures and in Japan , white is the most common color for wedding dresses , symbolizing purity and virginity . In many Asian cultures , white is also the color of mourning . The white color on television screens and computer monitors is created with the RGB color model by mixing red , green and blue light at equal intensities .", "Lindsey Buckingham. Lindsey Adams Buckingham ( born October 3 , 1949 ) is an American musician , singer , songwriter , and producer , best known as lead guitarist and one of the vocalists of the musical group Fleetwood Mac from 1975 to 1987 , and then 1997 to the present day . Aside from his tenure with Fleetwood Mac , Buckingham has also released six solo albums and three live albums . As a member of Fleetwood Mac , he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 . In 2011 , Buckingham was ranked 100th in Rolling Stone Magazine 's 2011 list of `` The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time '' . Buckingham is known for his fingerpicking guitar style . Fleetwood Mac , the band that gave Buckingham his greatest exposure , had been around since the late 1960s , beginning as a British blues outfit led by Peter Green . After Green left the group , they experienced several tumultuous years , without a stable frontman . Along with his then-girlfriend Stevie Nicks , Buckingham was invited to join Fleetwood Mac in 1975 ; the pair were recording in the same studio , and Fleetwood Mac had been without a guitarist or male lead vocal at the time . Buckingham and Nicks became the face of the group during their most commercially successful period , highlighted by the multi-platinum Rumours album , which would sell over 40 million copies worldwide . Though highly successful , the line-up experienced almost constant creative and personal conflict , and Buckingham left the band in 1987 to focus on his solo career . A one-off reunion at the 1993 inauguration ball for President Bill Clinton would initiate some rapprochement between the former band members , with Buckingham performing some vocals on one track of their 1995 album Time , and rejoining the band full-time in 1997 for the live tour and album The Dance . Buckingham has remained in the band ever since .", "Crystal Palace, London. Crystal Palace is an area of South London , England , named after the Crystal Palace Exhibition building which stood in the area from 1854 to 1936 . Approximately 8 mi southeast of Charing Cross , it includes one of the highest points in London , at 367 ft , offering views over the capital . The area has no defined boundaries and straddles five London boroughs and three postal districts , although there is a Crystal Palace electoral ward and Crystal Palace Park in the London Borough of Bromley . It is contiguous with Anerley , Dulwich Wood , Gipsy Hill , Penge , South Norwood , Sydenham and Upper Norwood . The district was a natural oak forest until development began in the 19th century , and before the arrival of the Crystal Palace was known as Sydenham Hill . The Norwood Ridge and an historic oak tree were used to mark parish boundaries . The area is represented by three parliamentary constituencies , four London Assembly constituencies and fourteen local councillors . After the Crystal Palace burned down in 1936 , the site of the building and its grounds became Crystal Palace Park , location of the National Sports Centre , containing an athletics track , stadium and other sports facilities . Crystal Palace Park has also been the setting for a number of concerts and films , including scenes from The Italian Job and The Pleasure Garden . Two television transmitter masts make the district a landmark location , visible from many parts of Greater London . Local landmarks include the Crystal Palace Triangle , a shopping district made up of three streets forming a triangle ; Westow Park , a smaller park that lies off the triangle to the south west of Crystal Palace Park ; and the Stambourne Woodland Walk . A pneumatic railway was briefly trialled in the area in 1864 . Once the railways had arrived , Crystal Palace was eventually served by two railway stations , the high level and low level stations , built to handle the volume of passengers visiting the Crystal Palace . After the palace was destroyed by fire , and with railway travel declining , passenger numbers fell and the high level station was closed in 1954 and demolished 7 years later . Rail services gradually declined , and for a period in the 1960s and 1970s there were plans to construct an urban motorway through the area as part of the London Ringways plan . With rising passenger numbers , additional London Overground services began stopping at the station and a major station redevelopment in 2012 led to proposals to extend the Croydon Tramlink service to the railway and bus stations . In 2016 , Crystal Palace was named as one of the best places to live in London .", "Green. Green is the color between blue and yellow on the spectrum of visible light . It is evoked by light with a predominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm . In the subtractive color system , used in painting and color printing , it is created by a combination of yellow and blue , or yellow and cyan ; in the RGB color model , used on television and computer screens , it is one of the additive primary colors , along with red and blue , which are mixed in different combinations to create all other colors . The modern English word green comes from the Middle English and Anglo-Saxon word grene , from the same Germanic root as the words `` grass '' and `` grow '' . It is the color of living grass and leaves and as a result is the color most associated with springtime , growth and nature . By far the largest contributor to green in nature is chlorophyll , the chemical by which plants photosynthesize and convert sunlight into chemical energy . Many creatures have adapted to their green environments by taking on a green hue themselves as camouflage . Several minerals have a green color , including the emerald , which is colored green by its chromium content . In surveys made in Europe and the United States , green is the color most commonly associated with nature , life , health , youth , spring , hope and envy . In Europe and the U.S. green is sometimes associated with death ( green has several seemingly contrary associations ) , sickness , or the devil , but in China its associations are very positive , as the symbol of fertility and happiness . In the Middle Ages and Renaissance , when the color of clothing showed the owner 's social status , green was worn by merchants , bankers and the gentry , while red was the color of the nobility . The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci wears green , showing she is not from a noble family ; the benches in the British House of Commons are green , while those in the House of Lords are red . Green is also the traditional color of safety and permission ; a green light means go ahead , a green card permits permanent residence in the United States . It is the most important color in Islam . It was the color of the banner of Muhammad , and is found in the flags of nearly all Islamic countries , and represents the lush vegetation of Paradise . It is also often associated with the culture of Gaelic Ireland , and is a color of the flag of Ireland . Because of its association with nature , it is the color of the environmental movement . Political groups advocating environmental protection and social justice describe themselves as part of the Green movement , some naming themselves Green parties . This has led to similar campaigns in advertising , as companies have sold green , or environmentally friendly , products .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Icosahedral 120-cell. In geometry , the icosahedral 120-cell , polyicosahedron , faceted 600-cell or icosaplex is a regular star 4-polytope with Schläfli symbol -LCB- 3,5,5 / 2 -RCB- . It is one of 10 regular Schläfli-Hess polytope . It is constructed by 5 icosahedra around each edge in a pentagrammic figure . The vertex figure is a great dodecahedron .", "Stevie Nicks. Stephanie Lynn `` Stevie '' Nicks ( born May 26 , 1948 ) is an American singer-songwriter who is often regarded as the Queen of Rock n ' Roll . Nicks is best known for her work as the front-woman of Fleetwood Mac and for her chart-topping solo career . She is known for her distinctive voice , mystical visual style , and symbolic lyrics . Collectively , her work both as a member of Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist has produced over 40 top-50 hits and sold over 140 million records , making her one of the best selling music acts of all time with Fleetwood Mac . Her influence in fashion , music and musical performance is widely acknowledged ; and as such , she has been named one of music 's top 55 `` Greatest Songwriters of All Time '' , and as one of the world 's top `` 100 Greatest Singers of All Time '' by Rolling Stone . As a member of Fleetwood Mac , she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 . She has garnered eight Grammy Award nominations and two American Music Award nominations as a solo artist . She has won numerous awards with Fleetwood Mac , including a Grammy Award and five Grammy Award nominations . Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975 along with her then boyfriend , Lindsey Buckingham . Rumours , Fleetwood Mac 's second album after the incorporation of Nicks and Buckingham , was the best-selling album of the year of its release , and to date , has made sales of over 40 million copies worldwide , making it the fifth-highest selling studio album of all time . The album remained at number one on the American albums chart for 31 weeks and reached Number One in various countries worldwide . The album won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1978 . it produced four U.S. top-10 singles , with Nicks ' `` Dreams '' being the band 's first and only U.S. number-one hit . In 1981 , while remaining a member of Fleetwood Mac , Nicks began her solo career , releasing the album Bella Donna , which topped the Billboard album charts and reached platinum status less than three months after its release , and has since been certified quadruple-platinum . She has released a total of eight solo studio albums to date , with her most recent titled 24 Karat Gold : Songs from the Vault , released in October 2014 . During her solo career , she has had a close working relationship with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers . They served as a backing band for several tracks on each of her solo albums , and the two have toured and performed together frequently over the past three decades . The song `` Stop Draggin ' My Heart Around '' , performed by Nicks and Petty , was one of the biggest hits for either artist .", "Page of the Presence. A Page of the Presence is a servant of the British Royal Household who acts as a personal attendant to Royal visitors . During events at Buckingham Palace ( such as receptions , state visits , garden parties or investitures ) , they are positioned at the Grand Entrance and supervise the arrival of guests and heads of state . They also man the Privy Purse door where members of the British government are received and the daily red boxes are received and dispatched . Other duties include looking after the palace 's visitors ' book and they are also responsible for the service of meals to the Royal Family . The origin of the term derives from the Presence Chamber , which is where kings and queens of the past would dine in state , receive visitors and hold meetings of the Privy Council . As of 2010 , there are three Pages of the Presence .", "Macclesfield Castle. Macclesfield Castle ( also known as Buckingham Castle or Buckingham Palace ) was a fortified manor house/castle in Macclesfield , Cheshire . John de Macclesfield began construction of the castle in 1398 . It was made from sandstone , and was square with projecting wings . Alterations were made in the 15th century , and it passed through the hands of two families of earls . By 1585 the building was ruinous , and all that survived to the 20th century was the porch . This was dismantled in 1932 , and the site reused for cottages and shops . __ TOC __", "Buckingham Slate. Buckingham Slate is quarried in Buckingham County , Virginia , in the town of Arvonia . This natural stone has a distinct blue/black color and glistens due to its mica content . One of the highest quality slates in the world , this unfading slate has long been used for roofing and can be found atop many federal buildings and national landmarks , including Ford 's Theatre , The Smithsonian Institution , The University of Virginia and Tuckahoe Plantation ( the boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson ) . For many years , Buckingham Slate Company was the only active quarrier and manufacturer of slate from Buckingham County , Virginia . However , in July 2013 James River Slate Company established quarry and mill operations in Arvonia and began marketing this stone as `` Grayson Slate '' .", "Crystal Palace F.C.. Crystal Palace Football Club is a professional football club based in South Norwood , London , that plays in the Premier League , the top tier of English football . The club was founded in 1905 at the famous Crystal Palace Exhibition building by the owners of the FA Cup Final stadium which was situated inside its historic grounds . Palace played their home games at the Cup Final venue until 1915 when the First World War forced them to move out and play at Herne Hill Velodrome and The Nest . In 1924 , the club moved to their current home at Selhurst Park . Palace have been FA Cup finalists twice , in 1990 and 2016 , losing to Manchester United on both occasions . Palace were one of the original founding members of the Premier League . The club enjoyed their best ever top flight season in 1990 -- 91 , when they challenged for the English league title , eventually finishing in third place in the top tier , their highest ever league position . Palace were denied a place in Europe at the end of that season due to the partial UEFA ban on English clubs following the Heysel Stadium disaster . The club have been second tier champions twice and hold the record for the most play-off wins for promotion to the top flight , winning the final four times . Palace were also winners of the Full Members Cup in 1991 when they beat Everton in the Wembley final . In 1973 , the club changed its original nickname from `` The Glaziers '' to `` The Eagles '' and introduced the red and blue vertical stripes now associated with the club . The club had previously played in claret and blue colours . Palace have rivalries with Brighton & Hove Albion , with whom they contest the M23 derby , and fellow South London clubs Millwall and Charlton Athletic .", "Queen Victoria. Victoria ( Alexandrina Victoria ; 24 May 1819 -- 22 January 1901 ) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death . From 1 May 1876 , she adopted the additional title of Empress of India . Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward , Duke of Kent and Strathearn , the fourth son of King George III . Both the Duke of Kent and King George III died in 1820 , and Victoria was raised under close supervision by her German-born mother Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld . She inherited the throne at the age of 18 , after her father 's three elder brothers had all died , leaving no surviving legitimate children . The United Kingdom was already an established constitutional monarchy , in which the sovereign held relatively little direct political power . Privately , Victoria attempted to influence government policy and ministerial appointments ; publicly , she became a national icon who was identified with strict standards of personal morality . Victoria married her first cousin , Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , in 1840 . Their nine children married into royal and noble families across the continent , tying them together and earning her the sobriquet `` the grandmother of Europe '' . After Albert 's death in 1861 , Victoria plunged into deep mourning and avoided public appearances . As a result of her seclusion , republicanism temporarily gained strength , but in the latter half of her reign her popularity recovered . Her Golden and Diamond Jubilees were times of public celebration . Her reign of 63 years and seven months is known as the Victorian era and was longer than that of any of her predecessors . It was a period of industrial , cultural , political , scientific , and military change within the United Kingdom , and was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire . She was the last British monarch of the House of Hanover . Her son and successor , Edward VII , belonged to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , the line of his father .", "Tower of London. The Tower of London , officially Her Majesty 's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London , is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London . It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets , separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill . It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England . The White Tower , which gives the entire castle its name , was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 and was a resented symbol of oppression , inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite . The castle was used as a prison from 1100 ( Ranulf Flambard ) until 1952 ( Kray twins ) , although that was not its primary purpose . A grand palace early in its history , it served as a royal residence . As a whole , the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat . There were several phases of expansion , mainly under Kings Richard the Lionheart , Henry III , and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries . The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site . The Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history . It was besieged several times , and controlling it has been important to controlling the country . The Tower has served variously as an armoury , a treasury , a menagerie , the home of the Royal Mint , a public record office , and the home of the Crown Jewels of England . From the early 14th century until the reign of Charles II , a procession would be led from the Tower to Westminster Abbey on the coronation of a monarch . In the absence of the monarch , the Constable of the Tower is in charge of the castle . This was a powerful and trusted position in the medieval period . In the late 15th century , the castle was the prison of the Princes in the Tower . Under the Tudors , the Tower became used less as a royal residence , and despite attempts to refortify and repair the castle , its defences lagged behind developments to deal with artillery . The peak period of the castle 's use as a prison was the 16th and 17th centuries , when many figures who had fallen into disgrace , such as Elizabeth I before she became queen , Sir Walter Raleigh , and Elizabeth Throckmorton , were held within its walls . This use has led to the phrase `` sent to the Tower '' . Despite its enduring reputation as a place of torture and death , popularised by 16th-century religious propagandists and 19th-century writers , only seven people were executed within the Tower before the World Wars of the 20th century . Executions were more commonly held on the notorious Tower Hill to the north of the castle , with 112 occurring there over a 400-year period . In the latter half of the 19th century , institutions such as the Royal Mint moved out of the castle to other locations , leaving many buildings empty . Anthony Salvin and John Taylor took the opportunity to restore the Tower to what was felt to be its medieval appearance , clearing out many of the vacant post-medieval structures . In the First and Second World Wars , the Tower was again used as a prison and witnessed the executions of 12 men for espionage . After the Second World War , damage caused during the Blitz was repaired , and the castle reopened to the public . Today , the Tower of London is one of the country 's most popular tourist attractions . Under the ceremonial charge of the Constable of the Tower , it is cared for by the charity Historic Royal Palaces and is protected as a World Heritage Site .", "Flags at Buckingham Palace. Flags at Buckingham Palace vary according to the movements of court and tradition . The Queen 's Flag Sergeant is responsible for all flags flown from the palace .", "Tragopogon. Tragopogon , also known as goatsbeard or salsify , is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family . It includes the vegetable known as salsify , as well as a number of common wild flowers , some of which are usually regarded as weeds . Salsifies are forbs growing as biennial or perennial plants . They have a strong taproot and milky sap . They generally have few branches , and those there are tend to be upright . Their leaves are somewhat grass-like . Flower colour varies within the genus , with some yellow species , and some bronze or purple . Seeds are borne in a globe like that of a dandelion but larger , and are dispersed by the wind . The salsifies are mostly natives of Europe and Asia , but several species have been introduced into North America and Australia and have spread widely there . There is one species considered native to North America , Tragopogon mirus . Some of the more common species of Tragopogon are known , in the regions where they are most common , by the common names goat 's beard , goatsbeard , salsify , or common salsify , without further qualification . These names are therefore inherently ambiguous , and best avoided , or reserved for the genus collectively . In the species list below , the first common name given is the one that seems to be most widely used for that species and is not in significant use for any other species . The vegetable called salsify is usually the root of the purple salsify , Tragopogon porrifolius ; the root is described as having the taste of oysters ( hence the alternative common name `` oyster plant '' for some species in this genus ) , but more insipid with a touch of sweetness . The young shoots of purple salsify can also be eaten , as well as young leaves . Other species are also used in the same way , including the black or Spanish salsify , Scorzonera hispanica , which is closely related though not a member of the genus Tragopogon .", "Royal family. A royal family is the immediate family of a king or queen regnant , and sometimes his or her extended family . The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress , and the term papal family describes the family of a pope , while the terms baronial family , comital family , ducal family , grand ducal family , or princely family are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning baron , count , duke , grand duke , or prince . However , in common parlance members of any family which reigns by hereditary right are often referred to as royalty or `` royals . '' It is also customary in some circles to refer to the extended relations of a deposed monarch and his or her descendants as a royal family . A dynasty is sometimes referred to as `` the House of ... '' . As of July 2013 , there are 26 active sovereign monarchies in the world who rule or reign over 43 countries in all .", "Blenheim Palace. Blenheim Palace ( pronounced -LSB- ˈblɛnɪm -RSB- ) is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock , Oxfordshire , England . It is the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough , and the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace . The palace , one of England 's largest houses , was built between 1705 and circa 1722 . Blenheim Palace was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 . The building of the palace was originally intended to be a reward to John Churchill , 1st Duke of Marlborough , from a grateful nation for the duke 's military triumphs against the French and Bavarians during the War of the Spanish Succession , culminating in the 1704 Battle of Blenheim . However , soon after its construction began , the palace became the subject of political infighting ; this led to Marlborough 's exile , the fall from power of his duchess , and lasting damage to the reputation of the architect Sir John Vanbrugh . Designed in the rare , and short-lived , English Baroque style , architectural appreciation of the palace is as divided today as it was in the 1720s . It is unique in its combined use as a family home , mausoleum and national monument . The palace is also notable as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill . Following the palace 's completion , it became the home of the Churchill , later Spencer-Churchill , family for the next 300 years , and various members of the family have wrought changes to the interiors , park and gardens . At the end of the 19th century , the palace was saved from ruin by funds gained from the 9th Duke of Marlborough 's marriage to American railroad heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt . The exterior of the palace remains in good repair .", "United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK ) or Britain , is a sovereign country in western Europe . Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland , the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain , the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands . Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign statethe Republic of Ireland.Although Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state , two of its Overseas Territories also share land borders with other sovereign countries . Gibraltar shares a border with Spain , while the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia share borders with the Republic of Cyprus , the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the UN buffer zone separating the two Cypriot polities . Apart from this land border , the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to its east , the English Channel to its south and the Celtic Sea to its south-south-west , giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world . The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland . With an area of 242500 km2 , the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe . It is also the 21st-most populous country , with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants . Together , this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union ( EU ) . The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance . The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II , who has reigned since 6 February 1952 . The capital of the United Kingdom and its largest city is London , a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million , the fourth-largest in Europe and second-largest in the European Union . Other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the conurbations centred on Birmingham , Leeds , Glasgow , Liverpool and Manchester . The United Kingdom consists of four countries -- England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland . The last three have devolved administrations , each with varying powers , based in their capitals , Edinburgh , Cardiff and Belfast , respectively . The nearby Isle of Man , Bailiwick of Guernsey and Bailiwick of Jersey are not part of the United Kingdom , being Crown dependencies with the British Government responsible for defence and international representation . The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time . Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 . A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain , which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922 , leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6 December 1921 to resolve the Irish War of Independence . When it took effect one year later , it established the Irish Free State as a separate dominion within the Commonwealth . The UK 's current name was adopted to reflect the change . There are fourteen British Overseas Territories . These are the remnants of the British Empire which , at its height in the 1920s , encompassed almost a quarter of the world 's land mass and was the largest empire in history . British influence can be observed in the language , culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies . The United Kingdom is a developed country and has the world 's fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest economy by purchasing power parity . The UK is considered to have a high-income economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index , ranking 16th in the world . It was the world 's first industrialised country and the world 's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries . The UK remains a great power with considerable economic , cultural , military , scientific and political influence internationally . It is a recognised nuclear weapons state and is seventh in military expenditure in the world . The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 . It has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor , the European Economic Community ( EEC ) , since 1973 . However , on 23 June 2016 , a national referendum on the UK 's membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave , and its exit from the EU is currently being negotiated . The UK is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations , the Council of Europe , the G7 finance ministers , the G7 forum , the G20 , NATO , the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) .", "Pallor. Pallor is a pale color of the skin that can be caused by illness , emotional shock or stress , stimulant use , or anemia , and is the result of a reduced amount of oxyhaemoglobin and is visible in skin or mucous membrane . Pallor is more evident on the face and palms . It can develop suddenly or gradually , depending on the cause . It is not usually clinically significant unless it is accompanied by a general pallor ( pale lips , tongue , palms , mouth and other regions with mucous membranes ) . It is distinguished from similar presentations such as hypopigmentation ( lack or loss of skin pigment ) or simply a fair complexion .", "Purple. Purple is a color intermediate between blue and red . It is similar to violet , but unlike violet , which is a spectral color with its own wavelength on the visible spectrum of light , purple is a composite color made by combining red and blue . According to surveys In Europe and the U.S. , purple is the color most often associated with royalty , magic , mystery and piety . When combined with pink , it is associated with eroticism , femininity and seduction . Purple was the color worn by Roman magistrates ; it became the imperial color worn by the rulers of the Byzantine Empire and the Holy Roman Empire , and later by Roman Catholic bishops . Similarly in Japan , the color is traditionally associated with the Emperor and aristocracy . The complementary color of purple is yellow ." ]

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[ "Sarah Paulson. Sarah Catharine Paulson ( born December 17 , 1974 ) is an American actress . After beginning her acting career on stage , she starred in the 1990s television series American Gothic ( 1995 -- 96 ) and Jack & Jill ( 1999 -- 2001 ) . Paulson later appeared in comedy films such as What Women Want ( 2000 ) and Down with Love ( 2003 ) , and had dramatic roles in films such as Path to War ( 2002 ) and The Notorious Bettie Page ( 2005 ) . From 2006 to 2007 , Paulson played the role of Harriet Hayes in the NBC comedy-drama series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip , for which she received her first Golden Globe Award nomination . In 2008 , she starred as Ellen Dolan in the superhero noir film The Spirit . Paulson has appeared on Broadway in the plays The Glass Menagerie ( 2005 ) and Collected Stories ( 2010 ) . She also starred in a number of independent films , and had a leading role on the ABC comedy series Cupid in 2009 . She later starred in the independent drama Martha Marcy May Marlene ( 2011 ) , and received Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for her performance as Nicolle Wallace in the HBO film Game Change ( 2012 ) . Paulson starred as Mary Epps in the 2013 historical drama film 12 Years a Slave and as Abby Gerhard in the 2015 drama film Carol . Both films received widespread critical acclaim and were nominated for multiple Academy Awards . In 2011 , Paulson began starring in the FX anthology series American Horror Story , playing different characters in each of the show 's six seasons . For her work throughout the series , she has been nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards ( 2013 -- 16 ) and won two Critics ' Choice Television Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries ( 2013 and 2015 ) . In 2016 , Paulson portrayed real life prosecutor Marcia Clark in the first season of the anthology series American Crime Story , subtitled The People v. O. J. Simpson . For her work in the series , she has been awarded the Critics ' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries , Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie , TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama , and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Miniseries or Television Film as well as the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie . According to Time magazine , she is one of the 100 most influential people of the year 2017 .", "What Women Want (TV series). What Women Want is a Malaysian reality television programme co-produced by 8TV and phoSumpro ! , sponsored by Gillette and Head & Shoulders and broadcast on 8TV from 14 December 2006 till 1 March 2007 . Hosted by Hannah Tan , it featured 13 young bachelors from within and outside Malaysia vying for the `` What Women Want '' title and the frills which come with it .", "What Women Want (disambiguation). What Women Want may refer to : What Women Want , 2000 American romantic comedy film What Women Want ( Australia ) , Australian political organisation launched in 2007 What Women Want ( TV series ) , Malaysian reality television programme broadcast from 2006 to 2007 What Women Want ( 2011 film ) , 2011 Chinese remake of the 2000 American film", "What Women Want. What Women Want is a 2000 American romantic fantasy comedy film written by Josh Goldsmith , Cathy Yuspa , and Diane Drake , directed by Nancy Meyers , and starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt . The film was a box office success , with a North American domestic gross of $ 182 million and a worldwide gross of $ 374 million against a budget of $ 70 million .", "What Men Want. What Men Want is a 1930 American drama film directed by Ernst Laemmle and written by John B. Clymer and Dorothy Yost . The film stars Pauline Starke , Ben Lyon , Hallam Cooley , Barbara Kent , Robert Ellis and Carmelita Geraghty . The film was released on July 13 , 1930 , by Universal Pictures .", "What Animated Women Want. `` What Animated Women Want '' is the seventeenth episode of the 24th season of The Simpsons , and the 525th episode overall . It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 14 , 2013 . The name is a take on that of the film What Women Want .", "Desire. Desire is a sense of longing or hoping for a person , object , or outcome . The same sense is expressed by emotions such as `` craving '' . When a person desires something or someone , their sense of longing is excited by the enjoyment or the thought of the item or person , and they want to take actions to obtain their goal . The motivational aspect of desire has long been noted by philosophers ; Thomas Hobbes ( 1588 -- 1679 ) asserted that human desire is the fundamental motivation of all human action . While desires are often classified as emotions by laypersons , psychologists often describe desires as different from emotions ; psychologists tend to argue that desires arise from bodily structures , such as the stomach 's need for food , whereas emotions arise from a person 's mental state . Marketing and advertising companies have used psychological research on how desire is stimulated to find more effective ways to induce consumers into buying a given product or service . While some advertising attempts to give buyers a sense of lack or wanting , other types of advertising create desire associating the product with desirable attributes , by showing either a celebrity or a model with the product . The theme of desire is at the core of romance novels , which often create drama by showing cases where human desire is impeded by social conventions , class , or cultural barriers . The theme of desire is also used in other literary genres , such as Gothic novels ( e.g. , Dracula by Bram Stoker , in which desire is mingled with fear and dread ) . Poets ranging from Homer to Toni Morrison have dealt with the themes of desire in their work . Just as desire is central to the written fiction genre of romance , it is the central theme of melodrama films , which use plots that appeal to the heightened emotions of the audience by showing `` crises of human emotion , failed romance or friendship '' , in which desire is thwarted or unrequited .", "Sex and the City. Sex and the City is an American romantic comedy television series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO . Broadcast from 1998 until 2004 , the original run of the show had a total of 94 episodes . Throughout its six-year run , the show received contributions from various producers , writers , and directors , perhaps most significantly from Michael Patrick King . Set and filmed in New York City and based on the 1997 book of the same name by Candace Bushnell , the show follows the lives of a group of four women -- three in their mid-thirties and one in her forties -- who , despite their different natures and ever-changing sex lives , remain inseparable and confide in each other . Starring Sarah Jessica Parker ( as Carrie Bradshaw ) , Kim Cattrall ( as Samantha Jones ) , Kristin Davis ( as Charlotte York ) , and Cynthia Nixon ( as Miranda Hobbes ) , the quirky series had multiple continuing storylines that tackled relevant and modern social issues such as sexuality , safe sex , promiscuity , and femininity , while exploring the difference between friendships and romantic relationships . The deliberate omission of the better part of the early lives of the four women was the writers ' way of exploring social life -- from sex to relationships -- through each of their four very different , individual perspectives . The series received both acclaim and criticism for its subjects and characters , and is credited with helping jump-start HBO . It spawned two feature films , Sex and the City ( 2008 ) and its sequel Sex and the City 2 ( 2010 ) , and a prequel series by The CW , The Carrie Diaries . It also won seven of its 54 Emmy Award nominations , eight of its 24 Golden Globe Award nominations , and three of its 11 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations . Sex and the City still airs in syndication worldwide and has been listed on Entertainment Weeklys end-of-the-decade `` best of '' list and as one of Time magazine 's 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME . The show placed # 5 on Entertainment Weekly `` New TV Classics '' list . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked it at # 40 on its list of the Best Series of All Time . Sex and the City is often confused as Sex in the City leading some to support the Mandela Effect .", "What Women Want (2011 film). What Women Want is a 2011 Chinese-Hong Kong romantic action comedy film remake of the 2000 American film of the same name . The film stars Andy Lau and Gong Li . What Women Want was released in China on the 3 February 2011 , the first day Chinese New Year . The plot is basically a shot for shot remake of the American version with some minor changes . For instance , the big company they have to make a female power ad campaign for is Lotto instead of Nike . Lau 's father also plays a minor role in the movie , where in the American version Nick 's father is absent from the story . The plot takes place mostly in an advertising company in Beijing , in which Lau plays a slick ad agency creative director who gets acquainted with his new talented competition , played by Gong . He is helped when he gets the ability to hear women 's thoughts due to a freak accident .", "Women's pornography. Women-oriented pornography is sometimes referred to as sex-positive pornography . Women 's porn is often produced by women and aimed specifically at the female market -- rejecting the view that men are turned on by porn , but women only by a box of chocolates . In the 1980s , Susie Bright pointed out that '' -LSB- women 's pornography -RSB- is a contradiction in terms for many people , so convinced are they that pornography represents the darker , gutter side of lust . '' Since that date , women have become accepted as a growing market when it comes to pornography .", "The Women (1939 film). The Women is a 1939 American comedy-drama film directed by George Cukor . The film is based on Clare Boothe Luce 's play of the same name , and was adapted for the screen by Anita Loos and Jane Murfin , who had to make the film acceptable for the Production Code for it to be released . The film stars Norma Shearer , Joan Crawford , Rosalind Russell , Paulette Goddard , Joan Fontaine , Lucile Watson , Mary Boland , Florence Nash , and Virginia Grey , as well as Marjorie Main and Phyllis Povah , the last two of whom reprised their stage roles from the play . Ruth Hussey , Virginia Weidler , Butterfly McQueen , and Hedda Hopper also appeared in smaller roles . Fontaine was the last surviving actress with a credited role in the film ; she died in 2013 . The film continued the play 's all-female tradition -- the entire cast of more than 130 speaking roles was female . Set in the glamorous Manhattan apartments of high society evoked by Cedric Gibbons , and in Reno , where they obtain their divorces , it presents an acidic commentary on the pampered lives and power struggles of various rich , bored wives and other women they come into contact with . Throughout The Women , not a single male is seen -- although the males are much talked about , and the central theme is the women 's relationships with them . Lesbianism is intimated in the portrayal of only one character , Nancy Blake ( `` I am an old maid , a frozen asset . '' ) . The attention to detail was such that even in props such as portraits , only female figures are represented , and several animals which appeared as pets were also female . The only exceptions are a poster-drawing clearly of a bull in the fashion show segment and an ad on the back of the magazine Peggy reads at Mary 's house before lunch . Filmed in black and white , it includes a 10-minute fashion parade filmed in Technicolor , featuring Adrian 's most outré '' designs ; often cut in modern screenings , it has been restored by Turner Classic Movies . On DVD , the original black and white fashion show , which is a different take , is available for the first time .", "The Heart Wants What It Wants. `` The Heart Wants What It Wants '' is a song by American singer Selena Gomez from her 2014 compilation album For You . It was released on November 6 , 2014 , through Hollywood Records . The song was written by Gomez , Antonina Armato and Tim James . Additional songwriting was provided by David Jost . Armato and James , who collectively form the production duo Rock Mafia , also produced the song . A mid-tempo pop and R&B track with a minimal electropop beat , its accompanying music video was premiered on November 6 , 2014 , alongside the premiere of the song itself . It is Gomez 's last release under the label . Music critics mostly commended the song 's lyrical content , production , vocals , and Gomez 's new direction . The song reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 . It also reached number six in Canada , and peaked in the top 40 in sixteen countries , including Australia , Belgium , New Zealand , and the United Kingdom .", "What a Girl Wants (Christina Aguilera song). `` What a Girl Wants '' is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera , taken from her self-titled debut album ( 1999 ) . A re-recorded version was released on November 28 , 1999 by RCA Records as the second single from the album , following the commercial success of the lead single `` Genie in a Bottle '' . The song was written by Shelly Peiken and Guy Roche . The song was completed and pitched to RCA executive Ron Fair as `` What a Girl Needs '' and was renamed `` What a Girl Wants '' ; Fair later gave the track to Aguilera . A Spanish version of the song , titled `` Una Mujer , '' was included on Aguilera 's second studio album Mi Reflejo ( 2000 ) . The song was described as a pop and R&B track and had similarities to `` Genie in a Bottle '' . The song received positive reviews from music critics , who described it as a `` light '' song and compared Aguilera 's vocals on the track to those of Mariah Carey . Commercially , the song became her second consecutive US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single , and topped the charts in Canada , New Zealand , and Spain . The single eventually earned gold certifications in countries including Australia , Belgium , Sweden and the US . A music video was released directed by Diane Martel who had also directed her previous video for `` Genie in a Bottle '' . The video presented Aguilera dancing in a room with female friends whilst being viewed by their boyfriends and saw a scene of her dressed as a medieval-style princess . In December 1999 , the video reached pole position on the US music video chart TRL . Aguilera has performed the song at events such as the US Jingle Ball and the MTV New Year 's Eve Special in 1999 , as well as her tours including the 2000 -- 01 Christina Aguilera : In Concert , the 2003 Stripped Live ... on Tour , and her 2006 -- 07 Back to Basics Tour .", "Pornography. Pornography is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purpose of sexual arousal . Pornography may be presented in a variety of media , including books , magazines , postcards , photographs , sculpture , drawing , painting , animation , sound recording , writing , film , video , and video games . The term applies to the depiction of the act rather than the act itself , and so does not include live exhibitions like sex shows and striptease . The primary subjects of present-day pornographic depictions are pornographic models , who pose for still photographs , and pornographic actors or porn stars , who perform in pornographic films . If dramatic skills are not involved , a performer in a porn film may also be called a model . Various groups within society have considered depictions of a sexual nature immoral , addictive , and noxious , labeling them pornographic , and attempting to have them suppressed under obscenity and other laws , with varying degrees of success . Such works have also often been subject to censorship and other legal restraints to publication , display , or possession . Such grounds , and even the definition of pornography , have differed in various historical , cultural , and national contexts . Social attitudes towards the discussion and presentation of sexuality have become more tolerant and legal definitions of obscenity have become more limited , notably beginning in 1969 with Blue Movie by Andy Warhol , the first adult erotic film depicting explicit sex to receive wide theatrical release in the United States , and the subsequent Golden Age of Porn , leading to an industry for the production and consumption of pornography in the latter half of the 20th century . The introduction of home video and the Internet saw a boom in the worldwide porn industry that generates billions of dollars annually . Commercialized pornography accounts for over US$ 2.5 billion in the United States alone , including the production of various media and associated products and services . This industry employs thousands of performers along with support and production staff . It is also followed by dedicated industry publications and trade groups as well as the mainstream press , private organizations ( watchdog groups ) , government agencies , and political organizations . More recently , sites such as Pornhub , RedTube , and YouPorn have served as repositories for home-made or semi-professional pornography , made available free by its creators ( who could be called exhibitionists ) . It has presented a significant challenge to the commercial pornographic film industry . Irrespective of the legal or social view of pornography , it has been used in a number of contexts . It is used , for example , at fertility clinics to stimulate sperm donors . Some couples use pornography at times for variety and to create a sexual interest or as part of foreplay . There is also some evidence that pornography can be used to treat voyeurism .", "What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have. What the Sea Wants , the Sea Will Have is the second album by Australian songwriter Sarah Blasko . The whole album can be listened to on Blasko 's website . The first radio-only single from the album is entitled '' -LCB- Explain -RCB- '' . The second single lifted from the album is `` Always on this Line '' and the third single is `` Planet New Year '' . The single `` Amazing Things '' was the last single from the album . The album cover was photographed by Warwick Baker . The first two singles made Triple J 's Hottest 100 for 2006 with '' -LCB- Explain -RCB- '' making # 79 and `` Always on this Line '' reaching # 58 . The album was certified Gold , for 35,000 physical copies sold , in Australia in January 2007 . The album won an ARIA Award for ` Best Pop Release ' in 2007 .", "Rape pornography. Rape pornography is a subgenre of pornography involving the description or depiction of rape . It is controversial because of the argument that it encourages people to commit rape . However , studies of the issue produce conflicting results . Rape pornography should not be confused with the depiction of rape in non-pornographic media . Simulated scenes of rape and other forms of sexual violence have appeared in mainstream cinema almost since its advent . For example , in the 1988 film The Accused actress Jodie Foster received a Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of rape victim Sarah Tobias .", "Sex and the City 2. Sex and the City 2 is a 2010 American romantic comedy film written , co-produced , and directed by Michael Patrick King . It is the sequel to the 2008 film Sex and the City , which is based on the 1998-2004 HBO comedy series of the same name ( itself based on the book of the same name by Candace Bushnell ) . Theatrically released on May 27 , 2010 , in the United States and May 28 , 2010 , in the United Kingdom , the film stars Sarah Jessica Parker , Kim Cattrall , Kristin Davis , Cynthia Nixon and Chris Noth , who reprised their roles from the previous film and television series . It also features cameo appearances from Liza Minnelli , Miley Cyrus , Tim Gunn , Ron White , Omid Djalili , and Penélope Cruz , as well as Broadway actors , Norm Lewis , Kelli O'Hara , and Ryan Silverman . Despite poor reviews from critics , the film was a commercial success , grossing over $ 294 million from a $ 95 million budget . It also did well in home video sales , debuting at number one in the U.S and the U.K selling almost one million copies . The film was nominated for seven Golden Raspberry Awards , including Worst Picture , and won three of them ; Parker , Cattrall , Davis , and Nixon for Worst Actress , Worst Screen Ensemble , and Worst Prequel , Remake , Rip-off or Sequel .", "What a Girl Wants. What a Girl Wants may refer to : `` What a Girl Wants '' ( Christina Aguilera song ) , 1999 What a Girl Wants ( film ) , a 2003 film starring Amanda Bynes `` What a Girl Wants '' ( B2K song ) , 2003 `` What a Girl Wants '' , a song by 4minute from For Muzik", "Women in film. Women in film describes the role of women as film directors , actresses , cinematographers , film producers , film critics , and other film industry professions . The work of women film scholars , including feminist film theorists is also described . Women are statistically underrepresented in creative positions in the center of the US film industry , Hollywood . This underrepresentation has been called the `` celluloid ceiling '' , a variant on the employment discrimination term `` glass ceiling '' . In 2013 , the '' ... top-paid actors ... made 2 1/2 times as much money as the top-paid actresses . '' '' -LSB- O -RSB- lder -LSB- male -RSB- actors make more than their female equals '' in age , with `` female movie stars mak -LSB- ing -RSB- the most money on average per film at age 34 , while male stars earn the most at 51 . '' In 2013 , 9 % of directors were women . A woman director won the Academy Award for Best Director for the first time when Kathryn Bigelow won for The Hurt Locker ( 2009 ) .", "Sarah Paulson filmography. The following is the filmography of American actress Sarah Paulson .", "What These Bitches Want. `` What These Bitches Want '' ( edited for radio as `` What You Want '' ) is a song by American hip hop recording artist DMX , released as the third single from his third album ... And Then There Was X ( 1999 ) . The single features Def Soul singer Sisqó and was billed on the front cover as `` The Biggest in Rap meets The Biggest in R&B . '' The subject matter in the song is past women in DMX 's life .", "Sarah Jessica Parker. Sarah Jessica Parker ( born March 25 , 1965 ) is an American actress , producer , and designer . She is known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City ( 1998 -- 2004 ) . She won two Emmy Awards for the show : one for Outstanding Comedy Series ( as producer ) in 2001 and another for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2004 . For this role , she also won four Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series and three Screen Actors Guild Awards . She reprised the role in the films , Sex and the City ( 2008 ) and Sex and the City 2 ( 2010 ) . Parker made her Broadway debut at the age of 11 in the 1976 revival of The Innocents , before going on to star in the title role of the Broadway musical , Annie , in 1979 . She appeared in the 1984 films Footloose and Firstborn , and returned to Broadway in the 1989 play , The Heidi Chronicles . Other film roles include : L.A. Story ( 1991 ) , Honeymoon in Vegas ( 1992 ) , Hocus Pocus ( 1993 ) , Ed Wood ( 1994 ) , The First Wives Club ( 1996 ) , The Family Stone ( 2005 ) , and Failure to Launch ( 2006 ) . In 2012 , Parker returned to television for the first time since Sex and the City , portraying Isabelle Wright in three episodes of the FOX series Glee . She is currently starring in the HBO series , Divorce .", "What Women Want (Australia). What Women Want was an Australian political organisation launched in April 2007 which , its website says , `` aims to be Australia 's first female political party dedicated to advancing issues affecting Australian women '' . The organisation was formed by Justine Caines , a mother of six and political activist from rural New South Wales . In the 2007 general elections , the party stood candidates for the Senate in every jurisdiction except the Northern Territory , and secured approximately half a percent of the Senate vote nationwide . Preference distributions reported by the ABC indicated the party 's preferences flowed mainly to the Greens ( or if the Greens candidate was excluded , the ALP ) . The party was deregistered on 30 March 2010 after failing to respond to an Australian Electoral Commission notice to update its membership records .", "This Is 40. This Is 40 is a 2012 American comedy film written , co-produced and directed by Judd Apatow , and starring Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann . It is a spin-off of Knocked Up , which starred Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl . Filming was conducted in mid-2011 , and the film was released in North America on December 21 , 2012 . The film follows the lives of middle-aged married couple Pete and Debbie as they each turn 40 , with their jobs and daughters adding stress to their relationship . This Is 40 received mixed reviews from critics , who praised its cast , acting ( particularly Mann , Rudd and Fox ) and the film 's comedic moments and perceptive scenes , but criticized the film 's overlong running time and occasional aimlessness .", "Paula Prentiss. Paula Prentiss ( born Paula Ragusa ; March 4 , 1938 ) is an American actress best known for her film roles in Where the Boys Are , Man 's Favorite Sport ? , The Stepford Wives , What 's New Pussycat ? , In Harm 's Way , The Black Marble , and The Parallax View , and the cult television series He & She .", "The Hot Flashes. The Hot Flashes is a film by Susan Seidelman , director of Desperately Seeking Susan . It stars Brooke Shields , Daryl Hannah , Wanda Sykes , Virginia Madsen , Camryn Manheim , Eric Roberts and Mark Povinelli . This film was also an attempt to raise awareness for breast cancer as well as defy stereotypes of age . It was released on July 12 , 2013 .", "Sexual desire. Sexual desire is a motivational state and an interest in `` sexual objects or activities , or as a wish , need or drive to seek out sexual objects or to engage in sexual activities '' . Synonyms for sexual desire are libido , sexual attraction and lust . Sexual desire is an aspect of a person 's sexuality , which varies significantly from one person to another , and also varies depending on circumstances at a particular time . Not every person experiences sexual desire ; those who do not experience may be labelled asexual . Sexual desire may be the `` single most common sexual event in the lives of men and women '' . Sexual desire is a subjective feeling state that can `` be triggered by both internal and external cues , and that may or may not result in overt sexual behaviour '' . Sexual desire can be aroused through imagination and sexual fantasies , or perceiving an individual who one finds attractive . Sexual desire is also created and amplified through sexual tension , which is caused by sexual desire that has yet to be consummated . Sexual desire can be spontaneous or responsive . Sexual desire is dynamic , can either be positive or negative , and can vary in intensity depending on the desired object/person . The sexual desire spectrum is described by Stephen B. Levine as : passion . The production and use of sexual fantasy and thought is an important part of properly functioning sexual desire . Some physical manifestations of sexual desire in humans are ; licking , sucking , puckering and touching the lips , as well as tongue protrusion .", "She Got What She Wanted. She Got What She Wanted is an American Pre-Code early talking film comedy-drama directed by James Cruze and starring his actress wife Betty Compson . The film was made for Tiffany Pictures with Cruze and Compson having recently completed The Great Gabbo ( 1929 ) .", "People's Choice Awards. The People 's Choice Awards is an American awards show , recognizing the people and the work of popular culture , voted on by the general public . The show has been held annually since 1975 . The People 's Choice Awards is broadcast on CBS and is produced by Procter & Gamble and Mark Burnett . In Canada , it is shown on Global . On April 6 , 2017 , E! announced they would begin airing the show in 2018 ; they also announced they would begin overseeing the awards ' digital , social and voting platforms . The award show 's creator was Bob Stivers , who produced the first show in 1975 . The first awards recognized The Sting as Favorite Picture of 1974 , Barbra Streisand as the year 's Favorite Film Actress , and John Wayne as its Favorite Film Actor . Ratings for the annual event peaked in 1977 , when the third People 's Choice Awards attracted 35.3 million viewers who witnessed Farrah Fawcett win the award for Favorite Female TV Star , Star Wars win as the Favorite Picture , and Streisand and Wayne win again in the Film Actress and Actor categories . Procter & Gamble , the show 's only sponsor , bought the show from Stivers in 1982 . Apart from the required local advertising and network promotional time , all advertising during the awards show is solely by P&G brands .", "Gender. Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to , and differentiating between , masculinity and femininity . Depending on the context , these characteristics may include biological sex ( i.e. the state of being male , female or an intersex variation which may complicate sex assignment ) , sex-based social structures ( including gender roles and other social roles ) , or gender identity . Some cultures have specific gender roles that can be considered distinct from male and female , such as the hijra ( chhaka ) of India and Pakistan . Sexologist John Money introduced the terminological distinction between biological sex and gender as a role in 1955 . Before his work , it was uncommon to use the word gender to refer to anything but grammatical categories . However , Money 's meaning of the word did not become widespread until the 1970s , when feminist theory embraced the concept of a distinction between biological sex and the social construct of gender . Today the distinction is strictly followed in some contexts , especially the social sciences and documents written by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) . In other contexts , including some areas of social sciences , gender includes sex or replaces it . For instance , in non-human animal research , gender is commonly used to refer to the biological sex of the animals . This change in the meaning of gender can be traced to the 1980s . In 1993 , the USA 's Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) started to use gender instead of sex . Later , in 2011 , the FDA reversed its position and began using sex as the biological classification and gender as `` a person 's self representation as male or female , or how that person is responded to by social institutions based on the individual 's gender presentation . '' The social sciences have a branch devoted to gender studies . Other sciences , such as sexology and neuroscience , are also interested in the subject . While the social sciences sometimes approach gender as a social construct , and gender studies particularly do , research in the natural sciences investigates whether biological differences in males and females influence the development of gender in humans ; both inform debate about how far biological differences influence the formation of gender identity . In the English literature , there is also a trichotomy between biological sex , psychological gender , and social gender role . This framework first appeared in a feminist paper on transsexualism in 1978 .", "Sex and the City (film). Sex and the City ( advertised as Sex and the City : The Movie ) is a 2008 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Michael Patrick King in his feature film directorial debut , and a sequel to the 1998-2004 HBO comedy series of the same name ( itself based on the book of the same name by Candace Bushnell ) about four female friends : Carrie Bradshaw ( Sarah Jessica Parker ) , Samantha Jones ( Kim Cattrall ) , Charlotte York Goldenblatt ( Kristin Davis ) , and Miranda Hobbes ( Cynthia Nixon ) , dealing with their lives as single women in New York City . The series often portrayed frank discussions about romance and sexuality . The world premiere took place at Leicester Square , London , on May 15 , 2008 , and premiered on May 28 , 2008 , in the United Kingdom and May 30 , 2008 , in the United States . Despite mixed reviews from critics , calling the film an extended episode of the series , it was a commercial success , grossing over $ 415 million worldwide from a $ 65 million budget . A sequel to the film , entitled Sex and the City 2 , was released in 2010 to similar commercial success but even larger critical failure .", "Pretty Woman. Pretty Woman is a 1990 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall from a screenplay by J. F. Lawton . The film stars Richard Gere and Julia Roberts , and features Hector Elizondo , Ralph Bellamy ( in his final performance ) , Laura San Giacomo and Jason Alexander in supporting roles . Its story centers on down-on-her-luck Hollywood hooker Vivian Ward , who is hired by Edward Lewis , a wealthy businessman , to be his escort for several business and social functions , and their developing relationship over the course of her week-long stay with him . Originally intended to be a dark cautionary tale about class and sex work in Los Angeles , the film was reconceived as a romantic comedy with a large budget . It was widely successful at the box office and became one of the highest-grossing films of 1990 . The film saw the highest number of ticket sales in the US ever for a romantic comedy , with Box Office Mojo listing it as the # 1 romantic comedy by the highest estimated domestic tickets sold at 42,176,400 , slightly ahead of My Big Fat Greek Wedding ( 2002 ) at 41,419,500 tickets . The film received positive reviews , with Roberts 's performance being praised , for which she received a Golden Globe Award and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress . In addition , screenwriter J. F. Lawton was nominated for a Writers Guild Award and a BAFTA Award ." ]

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[ "David Harbour. David Harbour ( born April 10 , 1974 ) is an American actor who has performed in film , television , and the theatre . He currently stars in the Netflix TV Series Stranger Things as main character Police Chief Jim Hopper .", "Harbor (disambiguation). A harbor is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored . Other uses include : Harbour Air , a Canadian charter airline Bal Harbour , Florida , a village just north of North Miami Beach Harbour compiler , the compiler for the `` Clipper '' programming language David Harbour , American actor Harbour Group , a Washington , D.C. , advocacy group Harbour Main , provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador Harbour Porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena ) , a marine mammal Harbour Productions Unlimited , a television production company Indian Harbour Beach , Florida , a town in Brevard County , Florida Harbour Station , an arena in Saint John , New Brunswick Harbor Towers , two residential towers in Boston , Massachusetts Harbor Transitway , high-occupancy roadway in the median strip of Interstate Highway 110 in Los Angeles County , California Safe Harbor arrangement , streamlined process for American companies to comply with EU Directive 95/46/EC on protection of personal data SS Sacketts Harbor , a former American ship Great Egg Harbor River , New Jersey Harbour Islets ( Tasmania ) Spanish Harbor Key , an island in Florida Harbour ( novel ) , a novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist Harbor ( album ) , album by America", "Harbor. A harbor or harbour ( see spelling differences ) , or haven , is a body of water where ships , boats and barges seek shelter from stormy weather , or are stored for future use . The term `` harbor '' , referring primarily to a sheltered body of water , is often used interchangeably with `` port '' , which is a man-made facility built for loading and unloading vessels and dropping off and picking up passengers . Ports are often located in harbors . Harbors can be natural or artificial . An artificial harbor can have deliberately constructed breakwaters , sea walls , or jettys , or they can be constructed by dredging , which requires maintenance by further periodic dredging . An example of an artificial harbor is Long Beach Harbor , California , United States which was an array of salt marshes and tidal flats too shallow for modern merchant ships before it was first dredged in the early 20th century . In contrast , a natural harbor is surrounded on several sides by prominences of land . Examples of natural harbors include Sydney Harbour , Australia and Trincomalee Harbour in Sri Lanka .", "Harbour Group Industries. Harbour Group Industries is an American privately owned diversified investment corporation , headquartered in St. Louis . The company was founded in 1976 and is invested heavily in North American manufacturing companies involved in several diverse sectors , including auto accessories , plastic-processing equipment , music , and entertainment . Until 2007 , founder and former CEO Sam Fox controlled Harbour Group , but he resigned his position to assume his role as the United States Ambassador to Belgium . The firm was founded in 1976 by Sam Fox , it is one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.S. , with estimated annual revenue of $ 1.6 billion . Its operating companies manufacture and distribute products in multiple industries , including flow and energy measurement , boiler systems , professional diagnostic and repair tools , specialty LED systems , niche distribution , logistics services , decorative kitchen and bath hardware , abrasives , diamond-cutting products and related tools , entertainment and music products , and auxiliary plastic processing equipment . Since its founding in 1976 , Harbour Group has acquired and grown the revenues of 193 companies , each worth between $ 30 and $ 500 million on dates of acquisition , in 41 different industries .", "Stranger Things. Stranger Things is an American science fiction-horror web television series created , written , directed and co-executive produced by the Duffer Brothers , as well as co-executive-produced by Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen . The first season stars Winona Ryder , David Harbour , Finn Wolfhard , Millie Bobby Brown , Gaten Matarazzo , Caleb McLaughlin , Natalia Dyer , Charlie Heaton , Cara Buono , and Matthew Modine , with Noah Schnapp and Joe Keery in recurring roles . The second season will see Schnapp and Keery promoted to series regulars , along with the addition of Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery . Set in the fictional town of Hawkins , Indiana in the 1980s , the first season focuses on the investigation into the disappearance of a young boy by his friends , older brother and traumatized mother and the local police chief , amid supernatural events occurring around the town including the appearance of a psychokinetic girl who helps the missing boy 's friends in their own search . The second season is set a year after the first , and deals with attempts of the characters to return to normal and consequences from that season . The Duffer Brothers developed the series as a mix of investigative drama alongside supernatural elements with childlike sensibilities , establishing its time frame in the 1980s and creating a homage #Noun to pop culture of that decade . Several themes and directorial aspects were inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Steven Spielberg , John Carpenter , and Stephen King , among others . The series was released on Netflix on July 15 , 2016 . It received critical acclaim for its characterization , pacing , atmosphere , acting , soundtrack , directing , writing and homages to 1980s genre films . The series has received several industry nominations and awards , including winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2016 . On August 31 , 2016 , Netflix renewed the series for a second season of nine episodes , which is set to be released on October 31 , 2017 .", "American Broadcasting Company. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC ) is an American English language commercial broadcast television network that is owned by the Disney -- ABC Television Group , a subsidiary of the Disney Media Networks division of The Walt Disney Company . The network is headquartered on Columbus Avenue and West 66th Street in Manhattan , New York City . There are additional major offices and production facilities elsewhere in New York City , as well as in Los Angeles and Burbank , California . Since 2007 , when ABC Radio ( also known as Cumulus Media Networks ) was sold to Citadel Broadcasting , ABC has reduced its broadcasting operations almost exclusively to television . The fifth-oldest major broadcasting network in the world and the youngest of the Big Three television networks , ABC is often nicknamed as `` The Alphabet Network '' , as its initialism also represents the first three letters of the English alphabet , in order . ABC originally launched on October 12 , 1943 , as a radio network , separated from and serving as the successor to the NBC Blue Network , which had been purchased by Edward J. Noble . It extended its operations to television in 1948 , following in the footsteps of established broadcast networks CBS and NBC . In the mid-1950s , ABC merged with United Paramount Theatres , a chain of movie theaters that formerly operated as a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures . Leonard Goldenson , who had been the head of UPT , made the new television network profitable by helping develop and greenlight many successful series . In the 1980s , after purchasing an 80 % interest in cable sports channel ESPN , the network 's corporate parent , American Broadcasting Companies , Inc. , merged with Capital Cities Communications , owner of several print publications , and television and radio stations . In 1996 , most of Capital Cities/ABC 's assets were purchased by The Walt Disney Company . The television network has eight owned-and-operated and over 232 affiliated television stations throughout the United States and its territories . Most Canadians have access to at least one U.S.-based ABC affiliate , either over-the-air ( in areas located within proximity to the Canada -- United States border ) or through a cable , satellite or IPTV provider , although most ABC programs are subject to simultaneous substitution regulations imposed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission that allow pay television providers to replace an American station 's signal with the feed of a Canadian broadcaster to protect domestic programming rights and advertising revenue . ABC News provides news and features content for select radio stations owned by Citadel Broadcasting , which purchased the ABC Radio properties in 2007 .", "Neil Diamond. Neil Leslie Diamond ( born January 24 , 1941 ) is an American singer-songwriter , musician and actor . One of the world 's best-selling artists of all time , he has sold over 120 million records worldwide since the start of his career in the 1960s . With 38 songs in the Top 10 , he is the second most successful artist in the history of the Billboard Adult Contemporary Top 10 charts . His songs have been covered internationally by many performers from a variety of musical genres . Diamond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011 . Additionally , he received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 and in 2011 was an honoree at Kennedy Center . On the Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts , he has had eleven No. 1 singles : `` Cracklin ' Rosie '' , `` Song Sung Blue '' , `` Longfellow Serenade '' , `` I 've Been This Way Before '' , `` If You Know What I Mean '' , `` Desiree '' , `` You Do n't Bring Me Flowers '' , `` America '' , `` Yesterday 's Songs '' , `` Heartlight '' , and `` I 'm a Believer '' . `` Sweet Caroline '' is played frequently at sporting events , and has become an anthem for the Boston Red Sox .", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "Pearl Harbor (film). Pearl Harbor is a 2001 American romantic period war film directed by Michael Bay , produced by Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer and written by Randall Wallace . It stars Ben Affleck , Kate Beckinsale , Josh Hartnett , Cuba Gooding Jr. , Tom Sizemore , Jon Voight , Colm Feore and Alec Baldwin . The film is loosely based on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 , and the Doolittle Raid . Despite receiving generally negative reviews from critics , the film was a major box office success , earning $ 59 million in its opening weekend and , in the end , nearly $ 450 million worldwide . It was nominated for four Academy Awards , winning in the category of Best Sound Editing . However , it was also nominated for six Golden Raspberry Awards , including Worst Picture . This marked the first occurrence of a Worst-Picture-nominated film winning an Academy Award .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Anchorage, Alaska. Anchorage ( officially called the Municipality of Anchorage ) ( Dena'ina Athabascan : Dgheyaytnu ) is a unified home rule municipality in the U.S. state of Alaska . With an estimated 298,192 residents in 2016 , it is Alaska 's most populous city and contains more than 40 percent of the state 's total population ; among the 50 states , only New York has a higher percentage of residents who live in its most populous city . All together , the Anchorage metropolitan area , which combines Anchorage with the neighboring Matanuska-Susitna Borough , had a population of 401,635 in 2016 . Anchorage is located in the south-central portion of Alaska at the terminus of the Cook Inlet on a peninsula formed by the Knik Arm to the north and the Turnagain Arm to the south . The city limits span 1,961.1 sqmi which encompass the urban core , a joint military base , several outlying communities and almost all of Chugach State Park . Due to its location on the globe , being almost equidistant from New York City and Tokyo , Anchorage lies within 9 1/2 hours by air to nearly 90 % of the industrialized world . For this reason , the Anchorage International Airport is a common refueling stop for many international flights and is home to a major FedEx Hub which the company calls a `` critical part '' of its global network of services . Anchorage has been named an All-America City four times , in 1956 , 1965 , 1984 -- 85 , and 2002 , by the National Civic League . It has also been named by Kiplinger as the most tax-friendly city in the United States .", "Harbour (software). Harbour is a modern computer programming language , primarily used to create database/business programs . It is a modernized , open sourced and cross-platform version of the older and largely DOS-only Clipper system , which in turn developed from the dBase database market of the 1980s and 90s . Harbour code using the same databases can be compiled under a wide variety of platforms , including DOS , Microsoft Windows , Linux , Unix variants , several BSD descendants , Mac OS X , MINIX 3 , Windows CE , Pocket PC , Symbian , iOS , Android , QNX , VxWorks , OS/2/eComStation , BeOS/Haiku , AIX .", "Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy. The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Television Series Musical or Comedy is an award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association ( HFPA ) . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a musical or comedy television series for the calendar year . It was first awarded at the 19th Golden Globe Awards on March 5 , 1962 under the title Best TV Star -- Male to John Charles Daly and Bob Newhart . The nominees for the award announced annually starting in 1963 . The award initially honored actors in both comedy and drama genres until 1969 , when the award was split into categories that honored comedic and dramatic performances separately . It was presented under the new title Best TV Actor -- Musical or Comedy and in 1980 under its current title . Since its inception , the award has been given to 45 actors . Donald Glover is the current recipient of the award for his role as Earnest `` Earn '' Marks on Atlanta . Alan Alda has won the most awards in this category with six wins and received the most nominations at 11 .", "Paul David Harbour. Paul David Harbour ( born 1965 ) is an American bass guitar and guitar player , pianist and composer . He is recognised for his work with David T. Chastain , Michael Harris and Tony MacAlpine . He has played in the bands `` Leather '' , `` Chastain '' and `` King Diamond '' . He teaches bass guitar , guitar and piano .", "Seattle. Seattle ( -LSB- siˈætəl -RSB- ) is a seaport city on the west coast of the United States and the seat of King County , Washington . With an estimated 704,352 residents , Seattle is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America . In July 2013 , it was the fastest-growing major city in the United States and remained in the Top 5 in May 2015 with an annual growth rate of 2.1 % . In July 2016 , Seattle was again the fastest-growing major U.S. city , with a 3.1 % annual growth rate . The city is situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound ( an inlet of the Pacific Ocean ) and Lake Washington , about 100 mi south of the Canada -- United States border . A major gateway for trade with Asia , Seattle is the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling . The Seattle area was previously inhabited by Native Americans for at least 4,000 years before the first permanent European settlers . Arthur A. Denny and his group of travelers , subsequently known as the Denny Party , arrived from Illinois via Portland , Oregon , on the schooner Exact at Alki Point on November 13 , 1851 . The settlement was moved to the eastern shore of Elliott Bay and named `` Seattle '' in 1852 , after Chief Si'ahl of the local Duwamish and Suquamish tribes . Logging was Seattle 's first major industry , but by the late-19th century , the city had become a commercial and shipbuilding center as a gateway to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush . Growth after World War II was partially due to the local Boeing company , which established Seattle as a center for aircraft manufacturing . The Seattle area developed as a technology center beginning in the 1980s , with companies like Microsoft becoming established in the region . In 1994 , Internet retailer Amazon was founded in Seattle . The stream of new software , biotechnology , and Internet companies led to an economic revival , which increased the city 's population by almost 50,000 between 1990 and 2000 . Seattle has a noteworthy musical history . From 1918 to 1951 , nearly two dozen jazz nightclubs existed along Jackson Street , from the current Chinatown / International District , to the Central District . The jazz scene developed the early careers of Ray Charles , Quincy Jones , Ernestine Anderson , and others . Seattle is also the birthplace of hip-hop sensation Neema , rock musician Jimi Hendrix , origin of the bands Nirvana , Pearl Jam , Soundgarden , Alice in Chains and the alternative rock subgenre grunge .", "Elton John. Sir Elton Hercules John , ( born Reginald Kenneth Dwight ; 25 March 1947 ) is an English singer , pianist , and composer . He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriting partner since 1967 ; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date . In his five-decade career Elton John has sold more than 300million records , making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world . He has more than fifty Top 40 hits , including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums , 58 Billboard Top 40 singles , 27 Top 10 , four No. 2 and nine No. 1 . For 31 consecutive years ( 1970 -- 2000 ) he had at least one song in the Billboard Hot 100 . His tribute single , re-penned in dedication to the late Princess Diana , `` Candle in the Wind 1997 '' sold over 33million copies worldwide and is the best-selling single in the history of the UK and US singles charts . He has also composed music , produced records , and has occasionally acted in films . John owned Watford Football Club from 1976 to 1987 , and 1997 to 2002 . He is an honorary Life President of the club , and in 2014 had a stand named after him at the club 's home stadium . Raised in the Pinner area of London , John learned to play piano at an early age , and by 1962 had formed Bluesology . John met his songwriting partner , Bernie Taupin , in 1967 , after they had both answered an advert for songwriters . For two years they wrote songs for other artists , including Lulu , and John also worked as a session musician for artists such as the Hollies and the Scaffold . In 1969 his debut album , Empty Sky , was released . In 1970 a single , `` Your Song '' , from his second album , Elton John , reached the top ten in the UK and the US , his first hit single . After decades of commercial chart success , John has also achieved success in musical theatre , both in the West End and on Broadway , composing the music for The Lion King ( film and musical ) , Aida and Billy Elliot the Musical . He has received five Grammy Awards , five Brit Awards -- winning two awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music and the first Brits Icon in 2013 for his `` lasting impact on British culture '' , an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , a Tony Award , a Disney Legends award , and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004 . In 2004 , Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of 100 influential musicians of the rock and roll era . In 2013 , Billboard ranked him the most successful male solo artist on the Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists ( third overall behind the Beatles and Madonna ) . He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 , is an inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame , and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters , Composers and Authors . Having been named a Order of the British Empire in 1996 , John was made a Knight Bachelor by Elizabeth II for `` services to music and charitable services '' in 1998 . John has performed at a number of royal events , such as the funeral of Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in 1997 , the Party at the Palace in 2002 and the Queen 's Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace in 2012 . He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s . In 1992 , he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation and a year later began hosting the annual Academy Award Party , which has since become one of the highest-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry . Since its inception , the foundation has raised over . John , who announced he was bisexual in 1976 and has been openly gay since 1988 , entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish on 21 December 2005 , and after same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales in 2014 , wed Furnish on 21 December 2014 . He continues to be a champion for LGBT social movements worldwide .", "Primetime Emmy Award. The Primetime Emmy Award is an American award bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ( ATAS ) in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming . First given in 1949 , the award was originally referred to as simply the `` Emmy Awards '' until the first Daytime Emmy Award ceremonies were held in 1974 , and the word `` prime time '' was added to distinguish between the two . The Primetime Emmy Awards generally air in mid-September , on the Sunday before the official start of the fall television season . They are currently seen in rotation among the four major networks ( ABC , CBS , Fox , and NBC ) . The ceremony is typically moved to late-August if it is broadcast by NBC ( such as in 2006 , 2010 , and 2014 ) , so that it does not conflict with NBC 's commitment to broadcasting Sunday-night NFL games ( due to another conflict , this time with the MTV Video Music Awards , the 2014 ceremony was also shifted to a Monday ) . They are considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards ( film ) , Grammy Awards ( music ) , and Tony Awards ( stage ) . The awards are divided into three categories : the Primetime Emmy Awards , the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards , and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards .", "Bermuda. Bermuda ( -LSB- pronbərˈmjuːdə -RSB- ) is a British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic Ocean . It is approximately 1070 km east-southeast of Cape Hatteras , North Carolina ; 1236 km south of Cape Sable Island , Nova Scotia ; and 1578 km north of San Juan , Puerto Rico . The capital city is Hamilton . Bermuda is an associate member of Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ) . The first person known to have reached Bermuda was the Spanish sea captain Juan de Bermúdez in 1503 , after whom the islands are named . He claimed the islands for the Spanish Empire . Bermúdez never landed on the islands , but made two visits to the archipelago , of which he created a recognisable map . Shipwrecked Portuguese mariners are now thought to have been responsible for the 1543 inscription on Portuguese Rock ( previously called Spanish Rock ) . Subsequent Spanish or other European parties are believed to have released pigs there , which had become feral and abundant on the island by the time European settlement began . In 1609 , the English Virginia Company , which had established Jamestown in Virginia two years earlier , permanently settled Bermuda in the aftermath of a hurricane , when the crew and passengers of the Sea Venture steered the ship onto the surrounding reef to prevent its sinking , then landed ashore . The island was administered as an extension of Virginia by the Company until 1614 . Its spin-off , the Somers Isles Company , took over in 1615 and managed the colony until 1684 . At that time , the company 's charter was revoked , and the English Crown took over administration . The islands became a British colony following the 1707 unification of the parliaments of Scotland and England , which created the Kingdom of Great Britain . After 1949 , when Newfoundland became part of Canada , Bermuda became the oldest remaining British overseas territory . After the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997 , Bermuda became the most populous British territory . Its first capital , St. George 's , was established in 1612 . Bermuda 's economy is based on offshore insurance and reinsurance , and tourism , the two largest economic sectors . Bermuda had one of the world 's highest GDP per capita for most of the 20th century and several years beyond . Recently , its economic status has been affected by the global recession . It has a subtropical climate . Bermuda is the northernmost point of the Bermuda Triangle , a region of sea in which , according to legend , a number of aircraft and surface vessels have disappeared under supposedly unexplained or mysterious circumstances . The island is in the hurricane belt and prone to severe weather . However , it is somewhat protected from the full force of a hurricane by the coral reef that surrounds the island .", "Toronto. Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario . With a population of 2,731,571 , it is the fourth most populous city in North America after Mexico City , New York City , and Los Angeles . Toronto is the centre of the Greater Toronto Area ( GTA ) , the most populous metropolitan area in Canada , and anchors the Golden Horseshoe , a heavily urbanized region that is home to 9.2 million people , or over 26 % of the population of Canada . A global city , Toronto is an international centre of business , finance , arts , and culture , and is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world . Aboriginal peoples have inhabited the area now known as Toronto for thousands of years . The city itself is situated on the southern terminus of an ancient Aboriginal trail leading north to Lake Simcoe , used by the Wyandot , Iroquois , and the Mississauga . Permanent European settlement began in the 1790s , after the broadly disputed Toronto Purchase of 1787 , when the Mississaugas surrendered the area to the British Crown . The British established the town of York , and later designated it as the capital of Upper Canada . During the War of 1812 , the town was the site of the Battle of York and suffered heavy damage by U.S. troops . York was renamed and incorporated as the city of Toronto in 1834 , and became the capital of the province of Ontario during Canadian Confederation in 1867 . The city proper has since expanded past its original borders through amalgamation with surrounding municipalities at various times in its history to its current area of 630.2 km2 . Located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario , Toronto is situated on a broad sloping plateau intersected by an extensive network of rivers , deep ravines , and urban forest , with 140 independently unique and clearly defined official neighbourhoods making up the city . The diverse population of Toronto reflects its current and historical role as an important destination for immigrants to Canada , with nearly 50 % of residents belonging to a visible minority population group , and over 200 distinct ethnic origins represented among its inhabitants . While the majority of Torontonians speak English as their primary language , there are over 160 different languages spoken in the city . Toronto is a prominent centre for music , theatre , motion picture production , and television production , and is home to the headquarters of Canada 's major national broadcast networks and media outlets . Its varied cultural institutions , which include numerous museums and galleries , festivals and public events , entertainment districts , national historic sites , and sports activities , attract over 25 million tourists each year . Toronto is known for its many skyscrapers and high-rise buildings , in particular the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere , the CN Tower . As Canada 's commercial capital , the city is home to the Toronto Stock Exchange , the headquarters of Canada 's five largest banks , and the headquarters of many large Canadian and multinational corporations . Its economy is highly diversified with strengths in technology , design , financial services , life sciences , education , arts , fashion , business services , environmental innovation , food services , and tourism .", "David Foster. David Walter Foster , OC , OBC ( born November 1 , 1949 ) , is a Canadian musician , record producer , composer , songwriter , and arranger . He has been a producer for musicians including Alice Cooper , Christina Aguilera , Andrea Bocelli , Toni Braxton , Michael Bublé , Chicago , Natalie Cole , Céline Dion , Kenny G , Josh Groban , Whitney Houston , Jennifer Lopez , Kenny Rogers , Seal , Rod Stewart , Donna Summer , Olivia Newton-John , Madonna , Mary J. Blige , and Barbra Streisand . Foster has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations . He was the chairman of Verve Records from 2012 to 2016 .", "Silver Linings Playbook. Silver Linings Playbook is a 2012 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by David O. Russell . It was adapted from the novel The Silver Linings Playbook , by Matthew Quick . The film stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence , with Robert De Niro , Jacki Weaver , Chris Tucker , Anupam Kher , and Julia Stiles in supporting roles . Cooper plays Patrick `` Pat '' Solitano , Jr. , a man with bipolar disorder who is released from a psychiatric hospital and moves back in with his parents , played by Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver . Determined to win back his estranged wife , Pat meets recently widowed Tiffany Maxwell , portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence , who offers to help him get his wife back if he enters a dance competition with her . The two become closer as they train and Pat , his father , and Tiffany examine their relationships with each other as they cope with their problems . Silver Linings Playbook premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8 , 2012 , and was released in the United States on November 16 , 2012 . The film opened to major critical success and earned numerous accolades . It received eight Academy Award nominations , including Best Picture , Best Director , Best Adapted Screenplay . It became the first film since 1981 's Reds to be Oscar-nominated for the four acting categories and the first since 2004 's Million Dollar Baby to be nominated for the Big Five Oscars , with Lawrence winning the Academy Award for Best Actress . It also achieved four Golden Globe Award nominations , with Lawrence winning Best Actress ; three BAFTA nominations , with Russell winning for Best Adapted Screenplay ; four Screen Actors Guild nominations ; and five Independent Spirit Award nominations , winning in four categories , including Best Film . The film was a success at the box office , grossing over $ 236 million worldwide , more than eleven times its budget .", "Aloha (film). Aloha is a 2015 American romantic comedy-drama film written , produced and directed by Cameron Crowe . The film , starring Bradley Cooper , Emma Stone , Rachel McAdams , Bill Murray , John Krasinski , Danny McBride , and Alec Baldwin , was released on May 29 , 2015 . The film received negative reviews from critics , and has grossed only $ 26 million against a budget of $ 37 million , making the film a box office bomb .", "Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while working within the film industry . At the 9th Academy Awards ceremony held in 1937 , Walter Brennan was the first winner of this award for his role in Come and Get It . Initially , winners in both supporting acting categories were awarded plaques instead of statuettes . Beginning with the 16th ceremony held in 1944 , however , winners received full-sized statuettes . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . Since its inception , the award has been given to 72 actors . Brennan has received the most awards in this category with three awards . Brennan , Jeff Bridges , Robert Duvall , Arthur Kennedy , Jack Nicholson , and Claude Rains were nominated on four occasions , more than any other actor . As of the 2017 ceremony , Mahershala Ali is the most recent winner in this category for his role as Juan in Moonlight .", "American Idol. American Idol is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller , produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment , and distributed by FremantleMedia North America . It began airing on Fox on June 11 , 2002 , and ended its first-run on April 7 , 2016 . In 2018 , the show will make its debut on ABC . It started off as an addition to the Idols format based on the British series Pop Idol , and became one of the most successful shows in the history of American television . The concept of the series involves discovering recording stars from unsigned singing talents , with the winner determined by the viewers in America through telephones , Internet , and SMS text voting . Winners chosen by viewers in its fifteen seasons were Kelly Clarkson , Ruben Studdard , Fantasia , Carrie Underwood , Taylor Hicks , Jordin Sparks , David Cook , Kris Allen , Lee DeWyze , Scotty McCreery , Phillip Phillips , Candice Glover , Caleb Johnson , Nick Fradiani , and Trent Harmon.American Idol employed a panel of judges who critiqued the contestants ' performances . The original judges were record producer and music manager Randy Jackson , pop singer and choreographer Paula Abdul and music executive and manager Simon Cowell . The judging panel for the final seasons consisted of country singer Keith Urban , singer and actress Jennifer Lopez , and jazz singer Harry Connick , Jr. . The first season was hosted by radio personality Ryan Seacrest and comedian Brian Dunkleman , with Seacrest as the sole master of ceremonies for the rest of the series . The success of American Idol has been described as `` unparalleled in broadcasting history '' . The series was also said by a rival TV executive to be `` the most impactful show in the history of television '' . It became a recognized springboard for launching the career of many artists as bona fide stars . According to Billboard magazine , in its first ten years , `` Idol has spawned 345 Billboard chart-toppers and a platoon of pop idols , including Kelly Clarkson , Carrie Underwood , Katharine McPhee , Chris Daughtry , Fantasia , Ruben Studdard , Jennifer Hudson , Clay Aiken , Adam Lambert and Jordin Sparks while remaining a TV ratings juggernaut . '' For an unprecedented eight consecutive years , from the 2003 -- 04 television season through the 2010 -- 11 season , either its performance or result show had been ranked number one in U.S. television ratings . The series concluded its original run on Fox after 15 seasons . American Idol will return for a sixteenth season -- its first on ABC -- in 2018 . The announcement was made official on Good Morning America '' on May 9 , 2017 .", "The Aviator (2004 film). The Aviator is a 2004 American epic biographical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese , written by John Logan . It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes , Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn and Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner . The supporting cast features Ian Holm , John C. Reilly , Alec Baldwin , Jude Law as Errol Flynn , Gwen Stefani as Jean Harlow , Kelli Garner as Faith Domergue , Willem Dafoe , Alan Alda , and Edward Herrmann . Based on the 1993 non-fiction book Howard Hughes : The Secret Life by Charles Higham , the film depicts the life of Howard Hughes , an aviation pioneer and director of Hell 's Angels . The film portrays his life from 1927 -- 1947 during which time Hughes became a successful film producer and an aviation magnate while simultaneously growing more unstable due to severe obsessive -- compulsive disorder ( OCD ) . The Aviator was released in the United States on December 25 , 2004 . The film grossed $ 214 million at the box office . It was nominated for eleven Academy Awards , including Best Picture , Best Director , Best Original Screenplay , Best Actor in a Leading Role for DiCaprio , and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Alda , winning five for Best Cinematography , Best Film Editing , Best Costume Design , Best Art Direction and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Cate Blanchett .", "Larry David. Lawrence Gene `` Larry '' David ( born July 2 , 1947 ) is an American comedian , writer , actor , playwright , and television producer . He and Jerry Seinfeld created the television series Seinfeld , where he served as its head writer and executive producer from 1989 to 1996 . David has subsequently gained further recognition for the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm , which he also created , in which he stars as a semi-fictionalized version of himself . He is worth an estimated $ 900 million US dollars . David 's work won him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1993 . Formerly a stand-up comedian , David went into television comedy , writing and starring in ABC 's Fridays , as well as writing briefly for Saturday Night Live . He has won two Primetime Emmy Awards , and was voted by fellow comedians and comedy insiders as the 23rd greatest comedy star ever in a 2004 British poll to select `` The Comedian 's Comedian '' .", "National Hockey League. The National Hockey League ( NHL ; Ligue nationale de hockey -- LNH ) is a professional ice hockey league currently comprising 30 teams -- 23 in the United States and 7 in Canada -- with a 31st team in Las Vegas scheduled to begin play in the 2017 -- 18 season . Headquartered in New York City , the NHL is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world , and one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . The Stanley Cup , the oldest professional sports trophy in North America , is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season . The National Hockey League was organized on November 26 , 1917 , in Montreal , Quebec after the suspension of operations of its predecessor organization , the National Hockey Association ( NHA ) , which had been founded in 1909 in Renfrew , Ontario . The NHL immediately took the NHA 's place as one of the leagues that contested for the Stanley Cup in an annual interleague competition before a series of league mergers and folds left the NHL as the only league left competing for the Stanley Cup in 1926 . At its inception , the NHL had four teams -- all in Canada , thus the adjective `` National '' in the league 's name . The league expanded to the United States in 1924 , when the Boston Bruins joined , and has since consisted of American and Canadian teams . After a labour-management dispute that led to the cancellation of the entire 2004 -- 05 season , the league resumed play under a new collective agreement that included a salary cap . In 2009 , the NHL enjoyed record highs in terms of sponsorships , attendance , and television audiences . The league draws many highly skilled players from all over the world and currently has players from approximately 20 countries . Canadians have historically constituted the majority of the players in the league , with an increasing percentage of American and European players in recent seasons .", "Saturday Night Live. Saturday Night Live ( abbreviated as SNL ) is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol . The show premiered on NBC on October 11 , 1975 , under the original title NBC 's Saturday Night . The show 's comedy sketches , which parody contemporary culture and politics , are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members . Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest ( who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast ) and features performances by a musical guest . An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming , `` Live from New York , it 's Saturday Night ! '' , properly beginning the show . In 1980 , Michaels left the series to explore other opportunities . He was replaced by Jean Doumanian , who was replaced by Ebersol after a season of bad reviews . Ebersol ran the show until 1985 , when Michaels returned ; Michaels has remained since then . Many of SNLs cast found national stardom while appearing on the show , and achieved success in film and television , both in front of and behind the camera . Others associated with the show , such as writers , have gone on to successful careers creating , writing , or starring in TV and film . Broadcast from Studio 8H at NBC 's headquarters in the Comcast Building , SNL has aired 829 episodes since its debut , and concluded its forty-second season on May 20 , 2017 , making it one of the longest-running network television programs in the United States . The show format has been developed and recreated in several countries , meeting with different levels of success . Successful sketches have seen life outside of the show as feature films , although only two met with critical and financial success : The Blues Brothers ( 1980 ) and Wayne 's World ( 1992 ) . The show has been marketed in other ways , including home media releases of `` best of '' and whole seasons , and books and documentaries about behind-the-scenes activities of running and developing the show . Throughout four decades on air , Saturday Night Live has received a number of awards , including 50 Primetime Emmy Awards , two Peabody Awards , and three Writers Guild of America Awards . In 2000 , it was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame . It was ranked tenth in TV Guide `` 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time '' list , and in 2007 it was listed as one of Time magazine 's `` 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME '' . As of 2012 , it has received 156 Emmy nominations , the most received by any TV show . The live aspect of the show has resulted in several controversies and acts of censorship , with mistakes and intentional acts of sabotage by performers as well as guests .", "ESPN. ESPN ( originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Networks ) is a U.S.-based global cable and satellite sports television channel owned by ESPN Inc. , a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company ( which operates the network ) and the Hearst Corporation ( which owns a 20 % minority share ) . ESPN broadcasts primarily from studio facilities located in Bristol , Connecticut . The network also operates offices in Miami , New York City , Seattle , Charlotte , and Los Angeles . John Skipper currently serves as president of ESPN , a position he has held since January 1 , 2012 . While ESPN is one of the most successful sports networks , there has been much criticism of ESPN , which includes accusations of biased coverage , conflict of interest , and controversies with individual broadcasters and analysts . , ESPN is available to approximately 94,396,000 paid television households ( 81.1 % of households with at least one television set ) in the United States . Nielsen has reported a much lower number in 2017 , below 90,000,000 subscribers , losing more than 10,000 a day . In addition to the flagship channel and its seven related channels in the United States , ESPN broadcasts in more than 200 countries , operating regional channels in Australia , Brazil , Latin America and the United Kingdom , and owning a 20 % interest in The Sports Network ( TSN ) as well as its five sister networks in Canada . In 2011 , ESPN 's history and rise was chronicled by These Guys Have All the Fun , a nonfiction book written by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales and published by Little , Brown and Company .", "Detroit. Detroit ( -LSB- dᵻˈtrɔɪt -RSB- ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan , the largest city on the United States -- Canada border , and the seat of Wayne County . The municipality of Detroit had a 2015 estimated population of 677,116 , making it the 21st-most populous city in the United States . The metropolitan area , known as Metro Detroit , is home to 4.3 million people , making it the second-largest in the Midwest . Detroit is a major port on the Detroit River , a strait that connects the Great Lakes system to the Saint Lawrence Seaway . The Detroit Metropolitan Airport is among the most important hubs in the United States . The City of Detroit anchors the second-largest economic region in the Midwest , behind Chicago , and the thirteenth-largest in the United States . Detroit and its neighboring Canadian city Windsor are connected through a tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge , the busiest international crossing in North America . Detroit is best-known as the center of the American automobile industry , and the `` Big Three '' auto manufacturers General Motors , Ford , and Chrysler are all headquartered in Metro Detroit . Detroit was founded on July 24 , 1701 by the French explorer and adventurer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and a party of settlers . During the 19th century , it became an important industrial hub at the center of the Great Lakes region . With expansion of the auto industry in the early 20th century , the city and its suburbs experienced rapid growth , and by the 1940s , the city had become the fourth-largest in the country . However , due to industrial restructuring , the loss of jobs in the auto industry , and rapid suburbanization , Detroit lost considerable population from the late 20th century to the present . Since reaching a peak of 1.8 million at the 1950 census , Detroit 's population has declined by more than 60 per cent . In 2013 , Detroit became the largest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy , which it successfully exited in December 2014 , when the city government regained control of Detroit 's finances . Detroit 's diverse culture has had both local and international influence , particularly in music , with the city giving rise to the genres of Motown and techno , and playing an important role in the development of jazz , hip-hop , rock , and punk music . The erstwhile rapid growth of Detroit left a globally unique stock of architectural monuments and historic places of the first half of the 20th century , and since the 2000s conservation efforts managed to save many architectural pieces and allowed several large-scale revitalisations , including the restoration of several historic theatres and entertainment venues , highrise renovations , new sports stadiums , and a riverfront revitalization project . More recently , the population of Downtown Detroit , Midtown Detroit , and various other neighborhoods has increased . In 2015 , Detroit was named a `` City of Design '' by UNESCO , the first U.S. city to receive that designation .", "Chicago. Chicago ( -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɑːɡoʊ -RSB- or -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɔːɡoʊ -RSB- ) , officially the City of Chicago , is the third-most populous city in the United States . With over 2.7 million residents , it is also the most populous city in both the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States . It is the county seat of Cook County . The Chicago metropolitan area , often referred to as Chicagoland , has nearly 10 million people and is the third-largest in the U.S. Chicago has been called a global architecture capital . In terms of wealth and economy , Chicago is considered one of the most important business centers in the world . Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 , near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed , and grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century . Positioned along Lake Michigan , the city is an international hub for finance , commerce , industry , technology , telecommunications , and transportation : O'Hare International Airport is the second-busiest airport in the world when measured by aircraft traffic ; the region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and rail road freight . In 2012 , Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , and ranked seventh in the world in the 2016 Global Cities Index . Chicago has the third-largest gross metropolitan product in the United States -- about $ 640 billion according to 2015 estimates . The city has one of the world 's largest and most diversified economies with no single industry employing more than 14 % of the workforce . In 2016 , Chicago hosted over 54 million domestic and international visitors , a new record making it one of the top visited cities in the nation . Landmarks in the city include Millennium Park , Navy Pier , the Magnificent Mile , Art Institute of Chicago , Museum Campus , the Willis ( Sears ) Tower , Museum of Science and Industry , and Lincoln Park Zoo . Chicago 's culture includes the visual arts , novels , film , theater , especially improvisational comedy , and music , particularly jazz , blues , soul , hip hop , gospel and house music . There are many colleges and universities in the Chicago area ; among these , Northwestern University , University of Chicago , and the University of Illinois at Chicago are classified as `` highest research '' doctoral universities . Additionally , Chicago has professional sports teams in each of the major professional leagues . The city has many nicknames , the best-known being the Windy City .", "Screen Actors Guild Award. The Screen Actors Guild Award ( also known as the SAG Award ) is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists ( SAG-AFTRA ) to recognize outstanding performances in film and primetime television . The statuette given , a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy , is called `` The Actor '' . It is 16 in tall , weighs over 12 lb , is cast in solid bronze , and produced by the American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank , California . SAG Awards have been one of the major awards events in Hollywood since 1995 . Nominations for the awards come from two committees , one for film and one for television , each numbering 2100 members of the union , randomly selected anew each year , with the full membership ( 165,000 as of 2012 ) available to vote for the winners . It is considered an indicator of success at the Academy Awards . The awards have been telecast since 1998 on TNT , and since 2007 have been simulcast on TBS . The inaugural SAG Awards aired live on February 25 , 1995 from Universal Studios ' Stage 12 . The second SAG awards aired live from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium , while subsequent awards have been held at the Shrine Exposition Center ." ]

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[ "Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan ( -LSB- USkæzækˈstæn , _ ˌkɑːzɑːkˈstɑːn -RSB- , -LSB- ˌkæzəkˈstɑːn , _ - ˈstæn -RSB- Қазақстан , tr . Qazaqstan , -LSB- qɑzɑqˈstɑn -RSB- ; Казахстан , tr . Kazakhstan ) , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan ( Қазақстан Республикасы , tr . Qazaqstan Respwblïkası ; Республика Казахстан , tr . Respublika Kazakhstan ) , is a transcontinental country in northern Central Asia and Eastern Europe . Kazakhstan is the world 's largest landlocked country , and the ninth largest in the world , with an area of 2,724,900 km ² . Kazakhstan is the dominant nation of Central Asia economically , generating 60 % of the region 's GDP , primarily through its oil/gas industry . It also has vast mineral resources . Kazakhstan is officially a democratic , secular , unitary , constitutional republic with a diverse cultural heritage . Kazakhstan shares borders with Russia , China , Kyrgyzstan , Uzbekistan , and Turkmenistan , and also adjoins a large part of the Caspian Sea . The terrain of Kazakhstan includes flatlands , steppe , taiga , rock canyons , hills , deltas , snow-capped mountains , and deserts . Kazakhstan has an estimated 18 million people , Given its large land area , its population density is among the lowest , at less than 6 people per square kilometre ( 15 people per sq. mi . ) . The capital is Astana , where it was moved in 1997 from Almaty , the country 's largest city . The territory of Kazakhstan has historically been inhabited by nomadic tribes . This changed in the 13th century , when Genghis Khan occupied the country as part of the Mongolian Empire . Following internal struggles among the conquerors , power eventually reverted to the nomads . By the 16th century , the Kazakh emerged as a distinct group , divided into three jüz ( ancestor branches occupying specific territories ) . The Russians began advancing into the Kazakh steppe in the 18th century , and by the mid-19th century , they nominally ruled all of Kazakhstan as part of the Russian Empire . Following the 1917 Russian Revolution , and subsequent civil war , the territory of Kazakhstan was reorganised several times . In 1936 , it was made the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic , part of the Soviet Union . Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence during the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 . The current President , Nursultan Nazarbayev , has been leader of the country since then , and is characterised as authoritarian , with a government history of human rights abuses and suppression of political opposition . Kazakhstan has worked to develop its economy , especially its dominant hydrocarbon industry . Human Rights Watch says that `` Kazakhstan heavily restricts freedom of assembly , speech , and religion , '' and other human rights organisations regularly describe Kazakhstan 's human rights situation as poor . Kazakhstan 's 131 ethnicities include Kazakhs ( 63 % of the population ) , Russians , Uzbeks , Ukrainians , Germans , Tatars , and Uyghurs . Islam is the religion of about 70 % of the population , with Christianity practised by 26 % ; Kazakhstan officially allows freedom of religion , but religious leaders who oppose the government are suppressed . The Kazakh language is the state language , and Russian has equal official status for all levels of administrative and institutional purposes .", "Taiga. Taiga ( -LSB- ˈtaɪɡə -RSB- -LSB- тайга́ , p = tɐjˈɡa -RSB- from Turkic ) also known as boreal forest or snow forest , is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines , spruces and larches . The taiga is the world 's largest biome apart from the oceans . In North America it covers most of inland Canada and Alaska as well as parts of the extreme northern continental United States ( northern Minnesota through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Upstate New York and northern New England ) , where it is known as the Northwoods or `` North woods '' . In Eurasia , it covers most of Sweden , Finland , much of Norway , some of the Scottish Highlands , some lowland/coastal areas of Iceland , much of Russia from Karelia in the west to the Pacific Ocean ( including much of Siberia ) , and areas of northern Kazakhstan , northern Mongolia , and northern Japan ( on the island of Hokkaidō ) . However , the main tree species , the length of the growing season and summer temperatures vary . For example , the taiga of North America mostly consists of spruces ; Scandinavian and Finnish taiga consists of a mix of spruce , pines and birch ; Russian taiga has spruces , pines and larches depending on the region , while the Eastern Siberian taiga is a vast larch forest . A different use of the term taiga is often encountered in the English language , with `` boreal forest '' used in the United States and Canada to refer to only the more southerly part of the biome , while `` taiga '' is used to describe the more barren areas of the northernmost part of the biome approaching the tree line and the tundra biome . Hoffman ( 1958 ) discusses the origin of this differential use in North America and why it is an inappropriate differentiation of the Russian term . Although at high elevations taiga grades into alpine tundra through Krummholz , it is not exclusively an alpine biome ; and unlike subalpine forest , much of taiga is lowlands .", "Outline of Kazakhstan. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Kazakhstan : The Republic of Kazakhstan is a landlocked sovereign country located across both Central Asia and Eastern Europe . Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world as well as the world 's largest landlocked country , it has a territory of 2,727,300 km ² ( greater than Western Europe ) . It is bordered by Russia , Kyrgyzstan , Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan and China . The country also borders on a significant part of the Caspian Sea . Vast in size , the land in Kazakhstan is very diverse in types of terrain : flatlands , steppes , taigas , rock-canyons , hills , deltas , mountains , snow-capped mountains , and deserts . Kazakhstan has the 62nd largest population in the world , with a population density of less than 6 people per square kilometre ( 15 per sq. mi . ) . Kazakhstan declared itself an independent country on December 16 , 1991 , the last Soviet republic to do so . Its communist-era leader , Nursultan Nazarbayev , became the country 's new president . Since independence , Kazakhstan has pursued a balanced foreign policy and worked to develop its economy , especially its hydrocarbon industry . While the country 's economic outlook is improving , President Nazarbayev maintains strict control over the country 's politics . Several opposition leaders and journalists have been killed in recent years , and Western observers generally do not consider Kazakhstan 's elections to be free and fair . Nevertheless , Kazakhstan 's international prestige is building . It is now considered to be the dominant state in Central Asia . The country belongs to many international organizations , including the United Nations , NATO 's Partnership for Peace , the Commonwealth of Independent States , and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization . In 2010 , Kazakhstan will chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe . In 2011 , it formed a customs union with Russia and Belarus . Kazakhstan is ethnically and culturally diverse , in part due to mass deportations of many ethnic groups to the country during Stalin 's rule . Kazakhs are the largest group , followed by Russians . Kazakhstan allows freedom of religion , and many different beliefs are represented in the country . Islam is the primary religion , followed by Orthodox Christianity . The official language is Kazakh , though Russian is still commonly used for everyday communication .", "Kazakhstania. Kazakhstania , also known as the Kazakhstan Block , is a small geological region in the interior of Asia . It consists of the area north and east of the Aral Sea , south of the Siberian craton and west of the Altai Mountains and Lake Balkhash . Politically , it comprises most of Kazakhstan and has a total area of around 1.3 million km ² . The Junggar basin in Xinjiang , China is also part of Kazakhstania , though sometimes referred to as the Junggar Block . It is believed that present-day Kazakhstania is chiefly a mélange of early Paleozoic volcanic island arcs and some small continental terranes . These were joined together during the Ordovician to form what was at the time an isolated continent of its own . During the Carboniferous and Permian , Siberia collided with Kazakhstania to form the Altai Mountains , later Baltica collided in the Ural orogeny , creating the basis for most of present-day Eurasia . Kazakhstania is mainly flat : only in the east near Karaganda are there mountains and these only rise to 1,565 metres ( 5,130 feet ) in the Tarbagatay Range . Although most of Kazakhstania is arid and practically no water flows from the region to the oceans , there is extensive grazing of cattle , sheep and camels on the grasslands which cover most of the region today . Kazakhstania was too dry for extensive glaciation during the Quaternary . Kazakhstania contains as much as a quarter of the world 's proven uranium reserves and is also one of the world 's major source of lead , zinc , and antimony ores . On the southern boundary in the Turan Depression are large deposits of natural gas .", "Geography of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is located in Central Asia and Eastern Europe at . With an area of about 2,724,800 square kilometers , Kazakhstan is more than twice the combined size of the other four Central Asian states , or about twice the size of Alaska . The country borders Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan , and Kyrgyzstan to the south ; Russia to the north ; Russia and the Caspian Sea to the west ; and China 's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the east .", "Taiga (disambiguation). Taiga is a biome characterized by coniferous forests . Taiga or tayga may also refer to :", "Xinjiang. Xinjiang ( -LSB- شىنجاڭ , Shinjang -RSB- -LSB- ɕíntɕjɑ́ŋ -RSB- ; ) , officially the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region , is a provincial-level autonomous region of China in the northwest of the country . It is the largest Chinese administrative division and the eighth largest country subdivision in the world , spanning over 1.6 million km2 ( 0.64 million square miles ) . Xinjiang contains the disputed territory of Aksai Chin , which is administered by China . Xinjiang borders the countries of Mongolia , Russia , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Afghanistan , Pakistan and India . The rugged Karakoram , Kunlun , and Tian Shan mountain ranges occupy much of Xinjiang 's borders , as well as its western and southern regions . Xinjiang also borders Tibet Autonomous Region and the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai . The most well-known route of the historical Silk Road ran through the territory from the east to its northwestern border . In recent decades , abundant oil and mineral reserves have been found in Xinjiang , and it is currently China 's largest natural gas-producing region . It is home to a number of ethnic groups , including the Han , Kazakhs , Tajiks , Hui , Uyghur , Kyrgyz , Mongols , and Russians . More than a dozen autonomous prefectures and counties for minorities are in Xinjiang . Older English-language reference works often refer to the area as `` Chinese Turkestan '' . Xinjiang is divided into the Dzungarian Basin in the north and the Tarim Basin in the south by a mountain range . Only about 9.7 % of Xinjiang 's land area is fit for human habitation . With a documented history of at least 2,500 years , a succession of peoples and empires have vied for control over all or parts of this territory . The territory came under the rule of the Manchu Qing dynasty in the 18th century ; which was later replaced by the Republic of China government . Since 1949 , it has been part of the People 's Republic of China following the Chinese Civil War . In 1954 , Xinjiang Bingtuan was set up to strengthen the border defense against the Soviet Union , and also promote the local economy . In 1955 , Xinjiang was turned into a autonomous region from a province . In the last decades , a separatist conflict has plagued the region , with occasional terrorist attacks and clashes between separatist and government forces .", "Kazakh Steppe. The Kazakh Steppe , also called the Great Dala , ecoregion , of the Palearctic temperate grasslands , savannas , and shrublands biome , is a vast region of open grassland in northern Kazakhstan and adjacent portions of Russia , extending to the east of the Pontic steppe and to the west of the Emin Valley steppe , with which it forms part of the Eurasian steppe . Before the mid-nineteenth century it was called the Kirghiz steppe , ` Kirghiz ' being an old name for the Kazakhs .", "Central Asia. Central Asia stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to China in the east and from Afghanistan in the south to Russia in the north . It is also colloquially referred to as `` the - stans '' as the five countries generally considered to be within the region all have names ending with the Persian suffix '' - stan '' , meaning `` land of '' . Central Asia 's five former Soviet republics are Kazakhstan ( pop . 17 million ) , Kyrgyzstan ( 5.7 million ) , Tajikistan ( 8.0 million ) , Turkmenistan ( 5.2 million ) , and Uzbekistan ( 30 million ) , giving the region a total population of about 66 million . Central Asia has historically been closely tied to its nomadic peoples and the Silk Road . It has acted as a crossroads for the movement of people , goods , and ideas between Europe , Western Asia , South Asia , and East Asia . The Silk Road connected Muslim lands with the people of Europe , India , and China . This crossroads position has intensified the conflict between tribalism and traditionalism and modernization . In pre-Islamic and early Islamic times , Central Asia was predominantly Iranian , peopled by Eastern Iranian-speaking Bactrians , Sogdians and Chorasmians and the semi-nomadic Scythians and Parthians . After expansion by Turkic peoples , Central Asia also became the homeland for the Kazakhs , Uzbeks , Turkmen , Kyrgyz and Uyghurs and Turkic languages largely replaced the Iranian languages spoken in the area . Central Asia is sometimes referred to as Turkestan . From the mid-19th century until almost the end of the 20th century , most of Central Asia was part of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union , both Slavic-majority countries , and the five former Soviet '' - stans '' are still home to about 7 million Russians and 500,000 Ukrainians .", "Kazakh Uplands. The Kazakh Uplands ( Сарыарқа - Yellow Ridge , Казахский мелкосопочник - Kazakhskiy Melkosopochnik ) , also known as the Kazakh Hummocks , is a large peneplain formation extending throughout the central and eastern regions of Kazakhstan . It consists of low mountain oases ( Karkaraly , Kent , Kyzylarai , Ulytau , etc. ) and elevated plains , and contains large deposits of coal in the north and copper in the south . Rare species , such as the Asiatic cheetah , may still live in the region . Several notable cities , including the country 's capital , Astana , are located there . Part of the Kazakh Uplands are included in the Saryarka -- Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan world heritage site . It is of the Palearctic temperate grasslands , savannas , and shrublands ecoregion of the temperate grasslands , savannas , and shrublands biome .", "Asia. Asia is Earth 's largest and most populous continent , located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres and sharing the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe and shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Africa . Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 km2 , about 30 % of Earth 's total land area and 8.7 % of the Earth 's total surface area . The continent , which has long been home to the majority of the human population , was the site of many of the first civilizations . Asia is notable for not only its overall large size and population , but also dense and large settlements as well as vast barely populated regions within the continent of 4.4 billion people . In general terms , Asia is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean , on the south by the Indian Ocean and on the north by the Arctic Ocean . The western boundary with Europe is a historical and cultural construct , as there is no clear physical and geographical separation between them . The most commonly accepted boundaries place Asia to the east of the Suez Canal , the Ural River , and the Ural Mountains , and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas . China and India alternated in being the largest economies in the world from 1 to 1800 CE . China was a major economic power and attracted many to the east , and for many the legendary wealth and prosperity of the ancient culture of India personified Asia , attracting European commerce , exploration and colonialism . The accidental discovery of America by Columbus in search for India demonstrates this deep fascination . The Silk Road became the main East-West trading route in the Asian hitherland while the Straits of Malacca stood as a major sea route . Asia has exhibited economic dynamism ( particularly East Asia ) as well as robust population growth during the 20th century , but overall population growth has since fallen . Asia was the birthplace of most of the world 's mainstream religions including Christianity , Islam , Judaism , Hinduism , Buddhism , Confucianism , Taoism ( or Daoism ) , Jainism , Sikhism , Zoroastranism , as well as many other religions . Given its size and diversity , the concept of Asia -- a name dating back to classical antiquity -- may actually have more to do with human geography than physical geography . Asia varies greatly across and within its regions with regard to ethnic groups , cultures , environments , economics , historical ties and government systems . It also has a mix of many different climates ranging from the equatorial south via the hot desert in the Middle East , temperate areas in the east and the continental centre to vast subarctic and polar areas in Siberia .", "Eurasia. Eurasia -LSB- yʊˈreɪʒə -RSB- is a combined continental landmass of Europe and Asia . The term is a portmanteau of its constituent continents . Located primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres , it is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west , the Pacific Ocean to the east , the Arctic Ocean to the north , and by Africa , the Mediterranean Sea , and the Indian Ocean to the south . The division between Europe and Asia as two different continents is a historical and cultural construct , with no clear physical separation between them ; thus , in some parts of the world , Eurasia is recognized as the largest of five or six continents . In geology , Eurasia is often considered as a single rigid megablock . However , the rigidity of Eurasia is debated based on the paleomagnet data . Eurasia covers around 55,000,000 km2 , or around 36.2 % of the Earth 's total land area . The landmass contains around 5.0 billion people , equating to approximately 70 % of the human population . Humans first settled in Eurasia between 60,000 and 125,000 years ago . Some major islands , including Great Britain , Iceland , and Ireland , and those of Japan , the Philippines and Indonesia , are included under the popular definition of Eurasia , in spite of being separate from the massive landmass . Physiographically , Eurasia is a single continent . The concepts of Europe and Asia as distinct continents date back to antiquity and their borders are geologically arbitrary . In ancient times the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara , along with their associated straits , were seen as separating the continents , but today the Ural and Caucasus ranges are more seen as the main delimiters between the two . Eurasia is connected to Africa at the Suez Canal , and Eurasia is sometimes combined with Africa to make the largest contiguous landmass on Earth called Afro-Eurasia . Due to the vast landmass and differences in latitude , Eurasia exhibits all types of climate under the Köppen classification , including the harshest types of hot and cold temperatures , high and low precipitation and various types of ecosystems .", "History of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan , the largest country of the Eurasian Steppe , has been a historical `` crossroads '' and home to numerous different peoples , states and empires throughout history .", "Geography of Russia. The geography of Russia describes the geographic features of Russia , a country extending over much of northern Eurasia . Comprising much of eastern Europe and northern Asia , it is the world 's largest country in total area . Due to its size , Russia displays both monotony and diversity . As with its topography , its climates , vegetation , and soils span vast distances . From north to south the East European Plain is clad sequentially in tundra , coniferous forest ( taiga ) , mixed and broadleaf forests , grassland ( steppe ) , and semi-desert ( fringing the Caspian Sea ) as the changes in vegetation reflect the changes in climate . Siberia supports a similar sequence but is predominantly taiga . The country contains forty UNESCO biosphere reserves .", "West Siberian taiga. The West Siberian taiga ecoregion ( WWF ID : PA0611 ) covers the West Siberian Plain in Russia , from the Ural mountains in the west to the Yenisei River in the east , and roughly from 56 ° N to 66 ° N latitude . It is a vast , flat lowland region of boreal forests ( taiga ) , and wetlands ( 40 % of the region is swamps and bogs ) , covering an area about 1,800 km west-east , by 1,000 km north-south . Also known as the Siberian Lowlands , the region is a large sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide , both in the forests and boggy peatlands . It is also a source of methane gas . The peatlands of Western Siberia are the most extensive in the world , covering an area the size of Texas .", "Glacier. A glacier ( -LSB- pronˈɡleɪʃər -RSB- or -LSB- ˈɡlæsiə -RSB- ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight ; it forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation ( melting and sublimation ) over many years , often centuries . Glaciers slowly deform and flow due to stresses induced by their weight , creating crevasses , seracs , and other distinguishing features . They also abrade rock and debris from their substrate to create landforms such as cirques and moraines . Glaciers form only on land and are distinct from the much thinner sea ice and lake ice that form on the surface of bodies of water . On Earth , 99 % of glacial ice is contained within vast ice sheets in the polar regions , but glaciers may be found in mountain ranges on every continent except Australia , and on a few high-latitude oceanic islands . Between 35 ° N and 35 ° S , glaciers occur only in the Himalayas , Andes , Rocky Mountains , a few high mountains in East Africa , Mexico , New Guinea and on Zard Kuh in Iran . Glaciers cover about 10 percent of Earth 's land surface . Continental glaciers cover nearly 5 e6sqmi or about 98 percent of Antarctica 's 5.1 e6sqmi , with an average thickness of 7,000 ft. Greenland and Patagonia also have huge expanses of continental glaciers . Glacial ice is the largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth . Many glaciers from temperate , alpine and seasonal polar climates store water as ice during the colder seasons and release it later in the form of meltwater as warmer summer temperatures cause the glacier to melt , creating a water source that is especially important for plants , animals and human uses when other sources may be scant . Within high altitude and Antarctic environments , the seasonal temperature difference is often not sufficient to release meltwater . Because glacial mass is affected by long-term climatic changes , e.g. , precipitation , mean temperature , and cloud cover , glacial mass changes are considered among the most sensitive indicators of climate change and are a major source of variations in sea level . A large piece of compressed ice , or a glacier , appears blue as large quantities of water appear blue . This is because water molecules absorb other colors more efficiently than blue . The other reason for the blue color of glaciers is the lack of air bubbles . Air bubbles , which give a white color to ice , are squeezed out by pressure increasing the density of the created ice .", "Steppe. In physical geography , a steppe ( -LSB- степь , p = stʲepʲ -RSB- ) is an ecoregion , in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands , savannas , and shrublands biomes , characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes . In South Africa they are referred to as Veld . The prairie ( especially the shortgrass and mixed prairie ) is an example of a steppe , though it is not usually called such . It may be semi-desert , or covered with grass or shrubs or both , depending on the season and latitude . The term is also used to denote the climate encountered in regions too dry to support a forest , but not dry enough to be a desert . The soil is typically of chernozem type . Steppes are usually characterized by a semi-arid and continental climate . Extremes can be recorded in the summer of up to 45 C and in winter , -55 C. Besides this huge difference between summer and winter , the differences between day and night are also very great . In the highlands of Mongolia , 30 C can be reached during the day with sub-zero ° C ( sub 32 ° F ) readings at night . The mid-latitude steppes can be summarized by hot summers and cold winters , averaging 10 - of precipitation per year . Precipitation level alone is not what defines a steppe climate ; potential evapotranspiration must also be taken into account .", "Kazakhs. The Kazakhs ( also spelled Kazaks , Qazaqs ; Қазақ , قازاق , Қазақтар , قازاقتار ; the English name is transliterated from Russian ) are a Turkic people who mainly inhabit the southern part of Eastern Europe Ural mountains and northern parts of Central Asia ( largely Kazakhstan , but also found in parts of Uzbekistan , China , Russia and Mongolia ) , the region also known as Eurasian sub-continent . Kazakh identity is of medieval origin and was strongly shaped by the foundation of the Kazakh Khanate between 1456 and 1465 , when several tribes under the rule of the sultans Zhanibek and Kerey departed from the Khanate of Abu ` l-Khayr Khan . The Kazakhs are descendants of the Turkic and medieval Mongol tribes -- Argyns , Dughlats , Naimans , Jalairs , Keraits , Khazars , Qarluqs ; and of the Kipchaks and Cumans , and other tribes such as the Huns , and ancient Iranian nomads like the Sarmatians , Saka and Scythians from East Europe populated the territory between Siberia and the Black Sea and remained in Central Asia and Eastern Europe when the nomadic groups started to invade and conquer the area between the 5th and 13th centuries AD . Kazakhs were one of the nations most severely affected by the Soviet famine of 1932 -- 33 , with 37 % of the total population dying .", "Eurasian Steppe. The Eurasian Steppe , also called the Great Steppe or the steppes , is the vast steppe ecoregion of Eurasia in the temperate grasslands , savannas , and shrublands biome . It stretches from Romania , Moldova through Ukraine , Russia , Kazakhstan , Xinjiang and Mongolia to Manchuria , with one major exclave located mostly in Hungary , the Puszta . The steppe has connected Eastern Europe , Central Asia , China , South Asia , and the Middle East economically , politically , and culturally through overland trade routes , most notably the Silk Road during antiquity and the Middle Ages , and the Eurasian Land Bridge in the modern era . It has been home to nomadic empires and many large tribal confederations and ancient states throughout history , such as the Xiongnu , Scythia , Cimmeria , Sarmatia , Hunnic Empire , Chorasmia , Transoxiana , Sogdiana , Xianbei , Mongols , and Göktürk Khaganate .", "Asian Steppe. The Asian Steppe is the Asian part of the Eurasian Steppe . Some scholars wrongly use the term `` Asian Steppe '' to describe the vast region of steppes of Eurasia . The Pontic Steppe of western Russia and of Ukraine and the steppes of the Hungarian plain are all in Eastern Europe . The Asian Steppe itself includes mainly the Mongolian steppes and the Kazakh steppes . There are three main expanses of the Eurasian Steppe . The western steppe , central steppe and the eastern steppe . The Western Steppe begins near the mouth of the Danube and extends northeast almost to Kazan and then southeast to the southern tip of the Ural Mountains . The Central Steppe or Kazakh Steppe extends from the Urals to Dzungaria . To the south it grades off into semi-desert and desert which is interrupted by two great rivers , the Amu Darya ( Oxus ) and Syr Darya ( Jaxartes ) which flow northwest into the Aral Sea and provide irrigation agriculture . The eastern steppe covering the area of present-day Mongolia , was the first home of the Turks , Huns , and the Mongols .", "Mongolia. Mongolia -LSB- mɒŋˈɡoʊliə -RSB- ( Mongolian : in Mongolian Cyrillic ; -LSB- -LSB- mɒŋˈɡɔl ˈʊɮs -RSB- in Mongolian script literally : Mongolia State ) is a landlocked unitary sovereign state in East Asia . Its area is roughly equivalent with the historical territory of Outer Mongolia , and that term is sometimes used to refer to the current state . It is sandwiched between China to the south and Russia to the north . While it does not share a border with Kazakhstan , Mongolia is separated from it by only 36.76 km . At 1564116 km2 , Mongolia is the 18th largest country in the world by land mass and has a population of around three million people . It is also the world 's second-largest landlocked country behind Kazakhstan and the largest landlocked country that does not border a closed sea . The country contains very little arable land , as much of its area is covered by grassy steppe , with mountains to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south . Ulaanbaatar , the capital and largest city , is home to about 40 % -45 % of the country 's population . Horse culture is still integral . The majority of its population are Buddhists . The non-religious population is the second largest group . Islam is the dominant religion among ethnic Kazakhs.The majority of the state 's citizens are of Mongol/Mongolian ethnicity , although Kazakhs , Tuvans , and other minorities also live in the country , especially in the west . Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization in 1997 and seeks to expand in its participation for regional economic and trade groups . The area that is now Mongolia was ruled by various nomadic empires , including the Xiongnu , the Xianbei , the Rouran , the Turkic Khaganate , among others . In 1206 , Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire , which became the largest contiguous land empire in history . His grandson Kublai Khan conquered China to establish the Yuan dynasty . After the collapse of the Yuan , the Mongols retreated to Mongolia and resumed their earlier pattern of factional conflict , except during the era of Dayan Khan and Tumen Zasagt Khan . In the 16th century , Tibetan Buddhism began to spread in Mongolia , being further led by the Manchu-founded Qing dynasty , which absorbed the country in the 17th century . By the early 1900s , almost one-third of the adult male population were Buddhist monks . After the collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1911 , Mongolia declared independence from the Qing dynasty , and in 1921 established de facto independence from the Republic of China . Shortly thereafter , the country came under the control of the Soviet Union , which had aided its independence from China . In 1924 , the Mongolian People 's Republic was declared as a Soviet satellite state . After the anti-Communist revolutions of 1989 , Mongolia conducted its own peaceful democratic revolution in early 1990 . This led to a multi-party system , a new constitution of 1992 , and transition to a market economy .", "Astana. Astana ( -LSB- əsˈtɑːnə -RSB- , -LSB- æsˈtɑːnə -RSB- Астана -LSB- astaˈna -RSB- ) is the capital city of Kazakhstan . It is located on the Ishim River in the north portion of Kazakhstan , within the Akmola Region , though administrated separately from the region as a city with special status . The 2014 census reported a population of 835,153 within the city limits , making it the second largest city in Kazakhstan , behind Almaty . Founded in 1830 as a settlement of Akmoly or Akmolinsky prikaz , it served as a defensive fortification for the Siberian Cossacks . In 1832 the settlement was granted a town status and renamed Akmolinsk . On March 20 , 1961 the city was renamed Tselinograd to mark the city 's evolution as a cultural and administrative center of the Virgin Lands Campaign . In 1992 it was renamed Akmola , the modified original name meaning `` a white grave '' . On December 10 , 1997 Akmola replaced Almaty as the capital of Kazakhstan . On May 6 , 1998 it was renamed Astana , which means `` the capital city '' in Kazakh . Modern Astana is a planned city , like Brasília in Brazil , Canberra in Australia , Huambo in Angola and Washington , D.C. in the United States . After Astana became the capital of Kazakhstan , the city cardinally changed its shape . The master plan of Astana was designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa . As the seat of the Government of Kazakhstan , Astana is the site of the Parliament House , the Supreme Court , the Ak Orda Presidential Palace and numerous government departments and agencies . It is home to many futuristic buildings , hotels and skyscrapers . Astana also has extensive healthcare , sports and education systems .", "Europe. Europe is a continent that comprises the westernmost part of Eurasia . Europe is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north , the Atlantic Ocean to the west , and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . The eastern boundary with Asia is a historical and cultural construct , as there is no clear physical and geographical separation between them ; Europe is generally considered as separated from Asia by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains , the Ural River , the Caspian and Black Seas , and the waterways of the Turkish Straits . Yet the non-oceanic borders of Europe -- a concept dating back to classical antiquity -- are arbitrary . The primarily physiographic term `` continent '' as applied to Europe also incorporates cultural and political elements whose discontinuities are not always reflected by the continent 's current overland boundaries . Europe covers about 10,180,000 km2 , or 2 % of the Earth 's surface ( 6.8 % of land area ) . Politically , Europe is divided into about fifty sovereign states of which the Russian Federation is the largest and most populous , spanning 39 % of the continent and comprising 15 % of its population . Europe had a total population of about 740 million ( about 11 % of world population ) . The European climate is largely affected by warm Atlantic currents that temper winters and summers on much of the continent , even at latitudes along which the climate in Asia and North America is severe . Further from the sea , seasonal differences are more noticeable than close to the coast . Europe , in particular ancient Greece , was the birthplace of Western civilization . The fall of the Western Roman Empire , during the migration period , marked the end of ancient history and the beginning of an era known as the Middle Ages . Renaissance humanism , exploration , art , and science led to the modern era . From the Age of Discovery onwards , Europe played a predominant role in global affairs . Between the 16th and 20th centuries , European powers controlled at various times the Americas , most of Africa , Oceania , and the majority of Asia . The Industrial Revolution , which began in Great Britain at the end of the 18th century , gave rise to radical economic , cultural , and social change in Western Europe , and eventually the wider world . Both world wars took place for the most part in Europe , contributing to a decline in Western European dominance in world affairs by the mid-20th century as the Soviet Union and the United States took prominence . During the Cold War , Europe was divided along the Iron Curtain between NATO in the west and the Warsaw Pact in the east , until the revolutions of 1989 and fall of the Berlin Wall . In 1955 , the Council of Europe was formed following a speech by Sir Winston Churchill , with the idea of unifying Europe to achieve common goals . It includes all states except for Belarus , Kazakhstan and Vatican City . Further European integration by some states led to the formation of the European Union , a separate political entity that lies between a confederation and a federation . The EU originated in Western Europe but has been expanding eastward since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 . The currency of most countries of the European Union , the euro , is the most commonly used among Europeans ; and the EU 's Schengen Area abolishes border and immigration controls among most of its member states . The European Anthem is `` Ode to Joy '' and states celebrate peace and unity on Europe Day .", "Karakoram. The Karakoram , or Karakorum is a large mountain range spanning the borders of Pakistan , India , and China , with the northwest extremity of the range extending to Afghanistan and Tajikistan . It is located in the regions of Gilgit -- Baltistan ( Pakistan-administered Kashmir ) , Ladakh ( Indian-administered Kashmir ) , and southern Xinjiang ( China ) , and reaches the Wakhan Corridor ( Afghanistan ) . A part of the complex of ranges from the Hindu Kush to the Himalayan Range , it is one of the Greater Ranges of Asia . The Karakoram is home to the four most closely located peaks over 8000m in height on earth : K2 , the second highest peak in the world at 8611 m , Gasherbrum I , Broad Peak and Gasherbrum II . The range is about 500 km in length , and is the most heavily glaciated part of the world outside the polar regions . The Siachen Glacier at 76 km and the Biafo Glacier at 63 km rank as the world 's second and third longest glaciers outside the polar regions . The Karakoram is bounded on the northeast by the edge of the Tibetan Plateau , and on the north by the Pamir Mountains . The southern boundary of the Karakoram is formed , west to east , by the Gilgit , Indus , and Shyok Rivers , which separate the range from the northwestern end of the Himalaya range proper as these rivers converge southwestward towards the plains of Pakistan . The Tashkurghan National Nature Reserve and the Pamir Wetlands National Nature Reserve in the Karalorun and Pamir mountains have been nominated for inclusion in UNESCO in 2010 by the National Commission of the People 's Republic of China for UNESCO and has tentatively been added to the list .", "Terrain. Terrain or relief ( also topographical relief ) involves the vertical and horizontal dimensions of land surface . The term bathymetry is used to describe underwater relief , while hypsometry studies terrain relative to sea level . The Latin word terra ( the root of terrain ) means `` earth . '' In physical geography , terrain is the lay of the land . This is usually expressed in terms of the elevation , slope , and orientation of terrain features . Terrain affects surface water flow and distribution . Over a large area , it can affect weather and climate patterns .", "Almaty. Almaty -LSB- ˈælməti -RSB- ( Алматы , Almatı -LSB- ɑlmɑˈtə -RSB- Алматы ) , formerly known as Alma-Ata -LSB- ˌælmə.əˈtɑ : -RSB- and Verny ( Верный / Verný ) , is the largest city in Kazakhstan , with a population of 1,703,481 people , containing 9 % of the country 's total population . Almaty is considered a World City with a `` Beta - '' classification according to GaWC . It served as capital of the Kazakh state in its various forms from 1929 to 1997 , under the influence of the then Soviet Union and its appointees . Alma-Ata was the host city for a 1978 international conference on Primary Health Care where the Alma Ata Declaration was adopted , marking a paradigm shift in global public health . In 1997 , the government relocated the capital to Astana in the north of the country . Almaty continues as the major commercial and cultural centre of Kazakhstan , as well as its biggest population center . The city is located in the mountainous area of southern Kazakhstan in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau at an elevation of 2,300 -- 3,000 feet ( 700 -- 900 m ) , where the Large and Small Almatinka rivers run into the plain .", "Landscape. A landscape is the visible features of an area of land , its landforms and how they integrate with natural or man-made features . A landscape includes the physical elements of geophysically defined landforms such as ( ice-capped ) mountains , hills , water bodies such as rivers , lakes , ponds and the sea , living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation , human elements including different forms of land use , buildings and structures , and transitory elements such as lighting and weather conditions . Combining both their physical origins and the cultural overlay of human presence , often created over millennia , landscapes reflect a living synthesis of people and place that is vital to local and national identity . The character of a landscape helps define the self-image of the people who inhabit it and a sense of place that differentiates one region from other regions . It is the dynamic backdrop to people 's lives . Landscape can be as varied as farmland , a landscape park , or wilderness . The earth has a vast range of landscapes , including the icy landscapes of polar regions , mountainous landscapes , vast arid desert landscapes , islands and coastal landscapes , densely forested or wooded landscapes including past boreal forests and tropical rainforests , and agricultural landscapes of temperate and tropical regions . The activity of modifying the visible features of an area of land is referred to as landscaping .", "Trans-Karakoram Tract. The Trans-Karakoram Tract , also known as Shaksgam or the Shaksgam Tract , is an area of more than 9900 km ² along both sides of the Shaksgam River and extending from the Karakoram to the Kunlun range . The tract is entirely administered by the People 's Republic of China as a part of Kargilik County and Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County in the Kashgar Prefecture of Xinjiang Autonomous Region , but claimed by Pakistan until 1963 . It is claimed by India as part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir . Most of the tract is composed of the Shaksgam Valley and was formerly administered as a part of Shigar , a valley in the Baltistan region . The Raja of Shigar controlled most of this land until 1971 , when Pakistan abolished the Raja government system . A polo ground in Shaksgam was built by the Amacha Royal family of Shigar , and the Rajas of Shigar used to invite the Amirs of Yarkand to play polo there . Most of the names of the mountains , lakes , rivers and passes are in Balti/Ladakhi , suggesting that this land had been part of Baltistan/Ladakh region for a long time . The tract is one of the most inhospitable areas of the world , with some of the highest mountains . Bounded by the Kun Lun Mountains in the north , and the Karakoram peaks to the south , including Broad Peak , K2 and Gasherbrum , on the southeast it is adjacent to the highest battlefield in the world on the Siachen Glacier region most of which is controlled by India .", "Regions of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is divided into 14 regions ( облыстар / oblıstar ; singular : облыс / oblıs ; области / oblasti ; singular : область / oblast ' ) . The regions are further subdivided into districts ( аудандар / awdandar ; singular : аудан / awdan ; районы / rayony ; singular : район / rayon ) . Three cities , Baykonur , the largest city Almaty and the capital Astana are not part of the regions they are surrounded by .", "Siberia. Siberia ( s ) is an extensive geographical region , and by the broadest definition is also known as North Asia . Siberia has historically been a part of Russia since the 17th century . The territory of Siberia extends eastwards from the Ural Mountains to the watershed between the Pacific and Arctic drainage basins . It stretches southwards from the Arctic Ocean to the hills of north-central Kazakhstan and to the national borders of Mongolia and China . With an area of 13.1 e6km2 , Siberia accounts for 77 % of Russia 's land area , but it is home to just 40 million people -- 27 % of the country 's population . This is equivalent to an average population density of about 3 PD/sqkm ( approximately equal to that of Australia ) , making Siberia one of the most sparsely populated regions on Earth . If it were a country by itself , it would still be the largest country in area , but in population it would be the world 's 35th largest and Asia 's 14th largest .", "Earth. Earth ( from Eorðe -LSB- Γαῖα , Gaia -RSB- Terra ) , otherwise known as the World or the Globe , is the third planet from the Sun and the only object in the Universe known to harbor life . It is the densest planet in the Solar System and the largest of the four terrestrial planets . According to radiometric dating and other sources of evidence , Earth formed about 4.54 billion years ago . Earth 's gravity interacts with other objects in space , especially the Sun and the Moon , Earth 's only natural satellite . During one orbit around the Sun , Earth rotates about its axis over 365 times ; thus , an Earth year is about 365.26 days long . Earth 's axis of rotation is tilted , producing seasonal variations on the planet 's surface . The gravitational interaction between the Earth and Moon causes ocean tides , stabilizes the Earth 's orientation on its axis , and gradually slows its rotation . Earth 's lithosphere is divided into several rigid tectonic plates that migrate across the surface over periods of many millions of years . About 71 % of Earth 's surface is covered with water , mostly by its oceans . The remaining 29 % is land consisting of continents and islands that together have many lakes , rivers and other sources of water that contribute to the hydrosphere . The majority of Earth 's polar regions are covered in ice , including the Antarctic ice sheet and the sea ice of the Arctic ice pack . Earth 's interior remains active with a solid iron inner core , a liquid outer core that generates the Earth 's magnetic field , and a convecting mantle that drives plate tectonics . Within the first billion years of Earth 's history , life appeared in the oceans and began to affect the Earth 's atmosphere and surface , leading to the proliferation of aerobic and anaerobic organisms . Some geological evidence indicates that life may have arisen as much as 4.1 billion years ago . Since then , the combination of Earth 's distance from the Sun , physical properties , and geological history have allowed life to evolve and thrive . In the history of the Earth , biodiversity has gone through long periods of expansion , occasionally punctuated by mass extinction events . Over 99 % of all species that ever lived on Earth are extinct . Estimates of the number of species on Earth today vary widely ; most species have not been described . Over 7.4 billion humans live on Earth and depend on its biosphere and minerals for their survival . Humans have developed diverse societies and cultures ; politically , the world has about 200 sovereign states .", "Tajikistan. Tajikistan ( -LSB- tɑːˈdʒiːkᵻstɑːn -RSB- , -LSB- təˈdʒiːkᵻstæn -RSB- , or -LSB- tæˈdʒiːkiːstæn -RSB- Тоҷикистон -LSB- tɔd͡ʒikɪsˈtɔn -RSB- Таджикистан ) , officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон , Çumhurii Toçikiston , Республика Таджикистан ) , is a mountainous , landlocked country in Central Asia with an estimated 8 million people in 2013 , and an area of 143100 km2 . It is bordered by Afghanistan to the south , Uzbekistan to the west , Kyrgyzstan to the north , and China to the east . Pakistan lies to the south , separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor . Traditional homelands of Tajik people included present-day Tajikistan , Afghanistan and Uzbekistan . The territory that now constitutes Tajikistan was previously home to several ancient cultures , including the city of Sarazm of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age , and was later home to kingdoms ruled by people of different faiths and cultures , including the Oxus civilisation , Andronovo culture , Buddhism , Nestorian Christianity , Zoroastrianism , Manichaeism and Islam . The area has been ruled by numerous empires and dynasties , including the Achaemenid Empire , Sasanian Empire , Hephthalite Empire , Samanid Empire , Mongol Empire , Timurid dynasty , the Russian Empire , and subsequently the Soviet Union , upon whose dissolution in 1991 Tajikistan became an independent nation . A civil war was fought almost immediately after independence , lasting from 1992 to 1997 . Since the end of the war , newly established political stability and foreign aid have allowed the country 's economy to grow . Tajikistan is a presidential republic consisting of four provinces . Most of Tajikistan 's 8 million people belong to the Tajik ethnic group , who speak Tajik ( a dialect of Persian ) . Many Tajiks also speak Russian as their second language . The Gorno-Badakhshan Oblast of Tajikistan despite its sparse population is home to incredible linguistic diversity where Rushani , Shughni , Ishkashimi , Wakhi and Tajik number among the languages spoken . Mountains cover more than 90 % of the country . It has a transition economy that is highly dependent on remittances , aluminium and cotton production ." ]

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[ "José María Chacón. Don José María Chacón ( 1 January 1749 -- 1 January 1833 ) was the last Spanish Governor of Trinidad . He was responsible for signing the Cedula of Population in 1783 ( which led to extensive French immigration to Trinidad ) , founded the city of San Fernando in 1784 and surrendered the island of Trinidad to a British fleet under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby in 1797 . The King of Spain set up a `` Council of War '' to look into the surrender . By Royal Decree , Chacon and Rear Admiral Sebastián Ruiz de Apodaca ( who had scuttled his small fleet ) were banished for life from the `` Royal Domain . '' Apodaca 's case was reconsidered and he was reinstated in 1809 , but Chacón died in exile .", "Trinidad. Trinidad ( Spanish : `` Trinity '' ) is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago . The island lies 11 km off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America . Though geographically part of the South American continent , from a socio-economic standpoint it is often referred to as the southernmost island in the Caribbean . With an area of 4,768 km2 , it is also the sixth largest in the West Indies . Many believe the original name for the island in the Arawaks ' language was `` Iëre '' which meant `` Land of the Hummingbird '' . Some believe that `` Iere '' was actually a mispronunciation or corruption by early colonists of the Arawak word `` Kairi '' which simply means `` Island '' . Christopher Columbus renamed it `` La Isla de la Trinidad '' ( `` The Island of the Trinity '' ) , fulfilling a vow he had made before setting out on his third voyage .", "Invasion of Trinidad (1797). On February 18 , 1797 , a fleet of 18 warships under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby invaded and took the Island of Trinidad . Within a few days the last Spanish Governor , Don José María Chacón surrendered the island to Abercromby .", "Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago ( -LSB- ˈtrɪnᵻˌdæd_ən_təˈbeɪɡoʊ -RSB- , -LSB- - toʊˈ - -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago , is a twin island country situated off the northern edge of the South American mainland , lying just 11 km off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and 130 km south of Grenada . Bordering the Caribbean to the north , it shares maritime boundaries with other nations including Barbados to the northeast , Grenada to the northwest , Guyana to the southeast , and Venezuela to the south and west . The island of Trinidad was a Spanish colony from the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1498 to the capitulation of the Spanish Governor , Don José María Chacón , on the arrival of a British fleet of 18 warships on 18 February 1797 . During the same period , the island of Tobago changed hands among Spanish , British , French , Dutch and Courlander colonizers , more times than any other island in the Caribbean . Trinidad and Tobago ( remaining separate until 1889 ) were ceded to Britain in 1802 under the Treaty of Amiens . The country Trinidad and Tobago obtained independence in 1962 , becoming a republic in 1976 . Trinidad and Tobago is the third richest country by GDP ( PPP ) per capita in the Americas after the United States and Canada . Furthermore , it is recognised as a high-income economy by the World Bank . Unlike most of the English-speaking Caribbean , the country 's economy is primarily industrial , with an emphasis on petroleum and petrochemicals . The country 's wealth is attributed to its large reserves and exploitation of oil and natural gas . Trinidad and Tobago is known for its Carnival and is the birthplace of steelpan , limbo , and the music styles of calypso , soca , parang , chutney , chutney soca , chut-kai-pang , cariso , extempo , kaiso , parang soca , pichakaree , and rapso .", "Fort San Andres. Fort San Andres is the last surviving fortification from the period of the Spanish Occupation of Trinidad , which came to an end in 1797 with the capture of the island by the British . As early as 1733 , a fortification called Fort San Andres was planned to replace a redoubt of fascines and earth , which was the only defense to Port of Spain . This however was not completed until 1787 . The redoubt was located more or less where Royal Bank now stands . Port of Spain or as it was known to the Spanish , Puerto de los Hispanioles , initially was restricted to a few streets east of the St. Ann 's or Tragarete River which at that time ran west along what is now Park Street and south to the foreshore through what is now Woodford Square and Chacon Street . St. Ann 's River , now better known as the Dry River , was diverted to its present course by the Spanish Governor Chacón and completed in 1787 . The new fort was constructed as a mole linked to the mainland by a wooden bridge . The fort mounted five cannon and was `` useful in maintaining good order among shipping anchored off-shore '' . In 1845 , the Port of Spain Town council approved the filling of the Port of Spain waterfront to the northern side of Fort San Andres . Late in the nineteenth century the shoreline was again filled to its present line , completely land-locking the Fort . The Fort fell into disuse and later a structure was built on the old fort to house the Harbour Master and various other government offices , including the Police Service Traffic Branch . In 1995 the building was restored and converted to a museum of the City of Port of Spain . Several of the original cannons survive and the foundations bear the date 1785 .", "Manuel Aguilar Chacón. Manuel Aguilar Chacón ( 12 August 1797 , San José , Costa Rica -- 7 July 1846 ) was head of state of Costa Rica from April 1837 to March 1838 .", "Hispaniola. Hispaniola ( Spanish : La Española ; Latin : Hispaniola ; Taíno : Haiti ) is the 22nd-largest island in the world , located in the Caribbean island group , the Greater Antilles . It is the second largest island in the Caribbean after Cuba , and the tenth most populous island in the world . The 76192 km2 island is divided between two sovereign nations , the Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic ( 48,445 km2 , 18,705 sq mi ) , and French-speaking Haiti ( 27,750 km2 , 10,710 sq mi ) . The only other shared island in the Caribbean is Saint Martin , which is shared between France ( Saint-Martin ) and the Netherlands ( Sint Maarten ) . Hispaniola is the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas , founded by Christopher Columbus on his voyages in 1492 and 1493 .", "Jamaica. Jamaica ( -LSB- dʒəˈmeɪkə -RSB- ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea , consisting of the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles . The island , 10,990 sqkm in area , lies about 145 km south of Cuba , and 191 km west of Hispaniola ( the island containing the nation-states of Haiti and the Dominican Republic ) . Jamaica is the fourth-largest island country in the Caribbean , by area . Inhabited by the indigenous Arawak and Taíno peoples , the island came under Spanish rule following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494 . Many of the indigenous people died of disease , and the Spanish imported African slaves as labourers . Named Santiago , the island remained a possession of Spain until 1655 , when England ( later Great Britain ) conquered it and renamed it Jamaica . Under British colonial rule Jamaica became a leading sugar exporter , with its plantation economy highly dependent on slaves forcibly transported from Africa . The British fully emancipated all slaves in 1838 , and many freedmen chose to have subsistence farms rather than to work on plantations . Beginning in the 1840s , the British imported Chinese and Indian indentured labour to work on plantations . The island achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 6 August 1962 . With 2.8 million people , Jamaica is the third-most populous Anglophone country in the Americas ( after the United States and Canada ) , and the fourth-most populous country in the Caribbean . Kingston is the country 's capital and largest city , with a population of 937,700 . Jamaicans predominately have African ancestry , with significant European , Chinese , Indian , and mixed-race minorities . Due to a high rate of emigration for work since the 1960s , Jamaica has a large diaspora around the world , particularly in Canada , the United Kingdom , and the United States . Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm , with Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state . Her appointed representative in the country is the Governor-General of Jamaica , an office held by Sir Patrick Allen since 2009 . Andrew Holness has served as the head of government and Prime Minister of Jamaica from March 2016 . Jamaica is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with legislative power vested in the bicameral Parliament of Jamaica , consisting of an appointed Senate and a directly elected House of Representatives .", "Chacachacare. Chacachacare is an island in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago , located at 10 ° 41 ' north latitude and 61 ° 45 ' west longitude . The island is 3.642 km ² ( 900 acres ) in area . It is one of the Bocas Islands , which lie in the Bocas del Dragón ( Dragons ' Mouth ) between Trinidad and Venezuela . Chacachacare is the westernmost of the Bocas Islands which belong to Trinidad and Tobago . Patos Island , which lies further west , was part of Trinidad and Tobago until 1942 , when it was ceded to Venezuela .", "The Bahamas. The Bahamas ( -LSB- bəˈhɑːməz -RSB- ) , known officially as the Commonwealth of The Bahamas , is an archipelagic state within the Lucayan Archipelago . It consists of more than 700 islands , cays , and islets in the Atlantic Ocean and is located north of Cuba and Hispaniola ( Haiti and the Dominican Republic ) ; northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands ; southeast of the US state of Florida and east of the Florida Keys . The capital is Nassau on the island of New Providence . The designation of `` the Bahamas '' can refer either to the country or to the larger island chain that it shares with the Turks and Caicos Islands . As stated in the mandate/manifesto of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force , the Bahamas territory encompasses 180000 sqmi of ocean space . The Bahamas is the site of Columbus ' first landfall in the New World in 1492 . At that time , the islands were inhabited by the Lucayan , a branch of the Arawakan-speaking Taino people . Although the Spanish never colonised the Bahamas , they shipped the native Lucayans to slavery in Hispaniola . The islands were mostly deserted from 1513 until 1648 , when English colonists from Bermuda settled on the island of Eleuthera . The Bahamas became a British Crown colony in 1718 , when the British clamped down on piracy . After the American War of Independence , the Crown resettled thousands of American Loyalists in the Bahamas ; they brought their slaves with them and established plantations on land grants . Africans constituted the majority of the population from this period . The Bahamas became a haven for freed African slaves : the Royal Navy resettled Africans here liberated from illegal slave ships ; American slaves and Seminoles escaped here from Florida ; and the government freed American slaves carried on United States domestic ships that had reached the Bahamas due to weather . Slavery in the Bahamas was abolished in 1834 . Today the descendants of slaves and free Africans make up nearly 90 % of the population ; issues related to the slavery years are part of society . The Bahamas became an independent Commonwealth realm in 1973 , retaining Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch . In terms of gross domestic product per capita , the Bahamas is one of the richest countries in the Americas ( following the United States and Canada ) , with an economy based on tourism and finance .", "Haiti. Haiti ( -LSB- ˈheɪti -RSB- Haïti -LSB- a.iti -RSB- Ayiti -LSB- ajiti -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Haiti and formerly called Hayti , is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea . It occupies the western three-eighths of the island , which it shares with the Dominican Republic . Haiti is 27750 km2 in size and has an estimated 10.6 million people , making it the most populous country in the Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ) and the second-most populous country in the Caribbean as a whole . The region was originally inhabited by the indigenous Taíno people . Spain discovered the island on 5 December 1492 during the first voyage of Christopher Columbus across the Atlantic . When Columbus initially landed in Haiti , he had thought he had found India or Asia . On Christmas Day 1492 , Columbus ' flagship the Santa Maria ran aground north of what is now Limonade . As a consequence , Columbus ordered his men to salvage what they could from the ship , and he created the first European settlement in the Americas , naming it La Navidad after the day the ship was destroyed . The island was named La Española and claimed by Spain , which ruled until the early 17th century . Competing claims and settlements by the French led to the western portion of the island being ceded to France , which named it Saint-Domingue . The development of sugarcane plantations , worked by slaves brought from Africa , led to the colony being among the most lucrative in the world . In the midst of the French Revolution ( 1789 -- 1799 ) , slaves and free people of colour revolted in the Haitian Revolution ( 1791 -- 1804 ) , culminating in the abolition of slavery and the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte 's army at the Battle of Vertières . Afterward the sovereign nation of Haiti was established on 1 January 1804 the first independent nation of Latin America and the Caribbean , the second republic in the Americas , the only nation in the western hemisphere to have defeated three European superpowers ( France , Spain , and the UK ) , and the only nation in the world established as a result of a successful slave revolt . The rebellion that began in 1791 was led by a former slave and the first black general of the French Army , Toussaint Louverture , whose military genius and political acumen transformed an entire society of slaves into an independent country . Upon his death in a prison in France , he was succeeded by his lieutenant , Jean-Jacques Dessalines , who declared Haiti 's sovereignty and later became the first Emperor of Haiti , Jacques I . The Haitian Revolution lasted just over a dozen years ; and apart from Alexandre Pétion , the first President of the Republic , all the first leaders of government were former slaves . The Citadelle Laferrière is the largest fortress in the Americas . Henri Christophe former slave and first king of Haiti , Henri I built it to withstand a possible foreign attack . It is a founding member of the United Nations , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , Association of Caribbean States , and the International Francophonie Organisation . In addition to CARICOM , it is a member of the International Monetary Fund , World Trade Organization , and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States . It has the lowest Human Development Index in the Americas . Most recently , in February 2004 , a coup d'état originating in the north of the country forced the resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide . A provisional government took control with security provided by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti ( MINUSTAH ) .", "Spanish West Indies. The Spanish West Indies or Spanish Antilles ( also known as `` Las Antillas Occidentales '' or simply `` Antillas Españolas '' in Spanish ) was the former name of the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean . It became a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain when the viceroyalty was created in 1535 . It consisted of the present day nations of Cuba , Haiti , the Dominican Republic , Puerto Rico , Saint Martin , the Virgin Islands , Anguilla , Montserrat , Guadalupe and the Lesser Antilles , Jamaica , the Cayman Islands , Trinidad , and the Bay Islands . The islands that later became the Spanish West Indies were the focus of the voyages of Christopher Columbus in America . Largely due to the familiarity that Europeans gained from Columbus 's voyages , the islands were also the first lands to be permanently colonized by Europeans in the Americas . The Spanish West Indies were also the most enduring part of Spain 's American Empire , only being surrendered in 1898 at the end of the Spanish -- American War . For over three centuries , Spain controlled a network of ports in the Caribbean including Havana ( Cuba ) , San Juan ( Puerto Rico ) , Cartagena de Indias ( Colombia ) , and Veracruz ( Mexico ) which were connected by galleon routes . Some smaller islands were ceded to other European powers as a result of war , or diplomatic agreements during the 17th and 18th centuries . Others such as Dominican Republic gained their independence in the 19th century .", "History of Trinidad and Tobago. The history of Trinidad and Tobago begins with the settlements of the islands by Amerindians , specifically the Island Carib and Arawak peoples . Both islands were explored by Christopher Columbus on his third voyage in 1498 . Trinidad remained in Spanish hands until 1797 , but it was largely settled by French colonists . Tobago changed hands between the British , French , Dutch , and Courlanders , but eventually ended up in British hands following the second Treaty of Paris ( 1814 ) . In 1889 the two islands were incorporated into a single crown colony . Trinidad and Tobago obtained its independence from the British Empire in 1962 and became a republic in 1976 .", "Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico ( Spanish for `` Rich Port '' ) , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico , `` Free Associated State of Puerto Rico '' ) and briefly called Porto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeast Caribbean Sea . It is an archipelago that includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller ones such as Mona , Culebra , and Vieques . The capital and most populous city is San Juan . Its official languages are Spanish and English , though Spanish predominates . The island 's population is approximately 3.4 million . Puerto Rico 's rich history , tropical climate , diverse natural scenery , traditional cuisine , and attractive tax incentives make it a popular destination for travelers from around the world . Originally populated by the indigenous Taíno people , the island was claimed in 1493 by Christopher Columbus for the Crown of Castile , and it later endured invasion attempts from the French , Dutch , and British . Four centuries of Spanish colonial government transformed the island 's ethnic , cultural and physical landscapes primarily with waves of African slaves , and Canarian , and Andalusian settlers . In the Spanish imperial imagination , Puerto Rico played a secondary , but strategic role when compared to wealthier colonies like Peru and Mexico . Such a distant administrative control continued right up until the end of the 19th century helping to produce a distinctive creole Hispanic culture and language that combined elements from the Natives , Africans , and Iberian people . In 1898 , following the Spanish -- American War , the United States appropriated Puerto Rico together with most former Spanish colonies under the terms of the Treaty of Paris . Puerto Ricans are considered natural-born citizens of the United States . However , Puerto Rico does not have a vote in the United States Congress , which governs the territory with full jurisdiction under the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950 . As a U.S. territory , American citizens residing on the island are disenfranchised at the national level and may not vote for president and vice president of the United States . However , Congress approved a local constitution , allowing U.S. citizens on the territory to elect a governor . A 2012 referendum showed a majority ( 54 % of those who voted ) disagreed with `` the present form of territorial status '' , with full statehood as the preferred option among those who voted for a change of status , although a significant number of people did not answer the second question from the referendum . A fifth referendum will be held in June 2017 , and `` Statehood '' and `` Independence/Free Association '' were initially the only available options . However , at the recommendation of the Department of Justice , a `` current territorial status '' option will be added . In early 2017 , the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis posed serious problems for the government . The outstanding bond debt had climbed to $ 70 billion at a time with 12.4 % unemployment . The debt had been increasing during a decade long recession . This was the second major financial crisis to affect the island after the Great Depression when the U.S. government , in 1935 , provided relief efforts through the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration . On May 3 , 2017 , Puerto Rico 's financial oversight board in the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico filed the debt restructuring petition which was made under Title III of PROMESA .", "Trinidad, Bolivia. For other places and things named Trinidad , see Trinidad ( disambiguation ) . Trinidad , officially La Santísima Trinidad ( The Most Holy Trinity ) , is a city in Bolivia , capital of the department of Beni . The population is 130,000 ( 2010 official estimate ) . The city was founded in 1686 by Padre Cipriano Barace . In 1769 the town moved to its current location , 9 miles away , due to flooding . The original city was on the Mamoré River , but flooding and disease forced a move on the location of the city . It is located in the province of Cercado , one of Beni 's eight provinces . Sited on the southern edge of the Amazon basin on the Llanos de Moxos/Mojos , the climate is hot and humid at all times . One of the more notable features of the city is the open drains that surrounds every block of buildings . These are linked together by lidded ditches and thence to the local river . These are necessary due to the heavy rainfall that occurs between December and May . Trinidad , located in the Bolivian tropics , is hot and humid most of the year . This region of the country is heavily forested and many large rivers ( all tributaries of the Amazon river ) run through Beni . Like most cities in Bolivia , it is built around a central plaza with a large Catholic cathedral as its centerpiece . Trinidad was originally a small Jesuit town but is now a large city with over 100,000 inhabitants . Its mission-style church was demolished and rebuilt in 1923 . Despite these changes , many of the original religious relics , paintings and statues are still housed in the cathedral , which faces the main plaza . The City is surrounded by rivers , lakes and lagoons . There are many river tours and restaurants and resorts around the city 's main lagoons . Trinidad is also one of the first five Jesuit mission towns established and these are now part of the Misiones tour includes visits to San Javier , Loreto , San Pedro and San Ignacio de Moxos as well . Trinidad and San Ignacio de Moxos both take part in the International Baroque Music Festival every two years in Bolivia .", "Outline of Trinidad and Tobago. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Trinidad and Tobago : Trinidad and Tobago -- sovereign island nation located in the Lesser Antilles Archipelago in the southeastern Caribbean Sea . Trinidad and Tobago lies northeast of Venezuela and south of the island nation of Grenada . It also shares maritime boundaries with Barbados to the northeast and Guyana to the southeast . The country covers an area of 5,128 square kilometers ( 1,979 sq mi ) and consists of two main islands , Trinidad and Tobago , and numerous smaller landforms . Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the main islands ; Tobago is much smaller , comprising about 6 % of the total area and 4 % of the population . The nation lies outside the hurricane belt . Officially Trinidadians or Tobagonians , the people from Trinidad and Tobago are often informally referred to as Trinbagonians or Trinis ( for Trinidadians ) . Unlike most of the English-speaking Caribbean , Trinidad and Tobago is a primarily industrialised country whose economy is based on petroleum and petrochemicals . Trinidad and Tobago is famous for its pre-Lenten Carnival and as the birthplace of steelpan , calypso , chutney , chutney-soca , pichakaree , chut-kai-pang , cariso , kaiso , parang , soca , and limbo .", "Turks and Caicos Islands. The Turks and Caicos Islands ( -LSB- ˈtɜks -RSB- and -LSB- ˈkeɪkəs -RSB- / -LSB- ˈkeɪkoʊs -RSB- / -LSB- ˈkeɪkɒs -RSB- ) , or TCI for short , are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands , two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and northern West Indies . They are known primarily for tourism and as an offshore financial centre . The resident population is 31,458 of whom 23,769 live on Providenciales in the Caicos Islands . The Turks and Caicos Islands lie southeast of Mayaguana in the Bahamas island chain and north of the island of Hispaniola ( Haiti and the Dominican Republic ) and the other Antilles archipelago islands . Cockburn Town , the capital since 1766 , is situated on Grand Turk Island about 1042 km east-southeast of Miami , United States . The islands have a total land area of 430 km2 . The first recorded European sighting of the islands now known as the Turks and Caicos occurred in 1512 . In the subsequent centuries , the islands were claimed by several European powers with the British Empire eventually gaining control . For many years the islands were governed indirectly through Bermuda , the Bahamas , and Jamaica . When the Bahamas gained independence in 1973 , the islands received their own governor , and have remained a separate autonomous British Overseas Territory since . In August 2009 , the United Kingdom suspended the Turks and Caicos Islands ' self-government following allegations of ministerial corruption . Home rule was restored in the islands after the November 2012 elections .", "Treaty of Paris (1898). The Treaty of Paris of 1898 was an agreement made in 1898 that involved Spain relinquishing nearly all of the remaining Spanish Empire , especially Cuba , and ceding Puerto Rico , Guam , and the Philippines to the United States . The cession of the Philippines involved a payment of $ 20 million from the United States to Spain . The treaty was signed on December 10 , 1898 , and ended the Spanish -- American War . The Treaty of Paris came into effect on April 11 , 1899 , when the documents of ratification were exchanged . The Treaty of Paris marked the end of the Spanish Empire ( apart from some small holdings in North Africa ) . It marked the beginning of the age of the United States as a world power . Many supporters of the war opposed the treaty , and it became one of the major issues in the election of 1900 when it was opposed by Democrat William Jennings Bryan because he opposed imperialism . Republican President William McKinley upheld the treaty and was easily reelected .", "Cuba. Cuba , officially the Republic of Cuba , is a country comprising the island of Cuba as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos . Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean where the Caribbean Sea , the Gulf of Mexico , and the Atlantic Ocean meet . It is south of both the U.S. state of Florida and the Bahamas , west of Haiti , and north of Jamaica . Havana is the largest city and capital ; other major cities include Santiago de Cuba and Camagüey . Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean , with an area of 109,884 km2 , and the second-most populous after Hispaniola , with over 11 million inhabitants . Prior to Spanish colonization in the late 15th century , Cuba was inhabited by Amerindian tribes . It remained a colony of Spain until the Spanish -- American War of 1898 , which led to nominal independence as a de facto United States protectorate in 1902 . As a fragile republic , Cuba attempted to strengthen its democratic system , but mounting political radicalization and social strife culminated in the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1952 . Further unrest and instability led to Batista 's ousting in January 1959 by the July 26 Movement , which afterwards established a government under the leadership of Fidel Castro . Since 1965 , the state has been governed by the Communist Party of Cuba . A point of contention during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States , a nuclear war nearly broke out during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 . Cuba is one of the few remaining Marxist -- Leninist socialist states , where the role of the vanguard Communist Party is enshrined in the Constitution . Independent observers have accused the Cuban government of numerous human rights abuses , including arbitrary imprisonment . Culturally , Cuba is considered part of Latin America . It is a multiethnic country whose people , culture and customs derive from diverse origins , including the aboriginal Taíno and Ciboney peoples , the long period of Spanish colonialism , the introduction of African slaves , and a close relationship with the Soviet Union in the Cold War . Cuba is one of the world 's last planned economies and its economy is dominated by the exports of sugar , tobacco , coffee and skilled labor . According to the Human Development Index , It is described as a country with high human development and is ranked the eighth highest in North America . It also ranks highly in some metrics of national performance , including health care and education , and is the only country in the world to receive WWF 's definition of sustainable development . Cuba receives assistance from Venezuela , amounting to over 20 % of its GDP for 2008 -- 2010 , similar to the aid flows from the Soviet Union in 1985 -- 1988 .", "Hernán Cortés. Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano , Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca ( -LSB- erˈnaŋ korˈtes ðe monˈroj i piˈθaro -RSB- ; 1485 -- December 2 , 1547 ) was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century . Cortés was part of the generation of Spanish colonizers who began the first phase of the Spanish colonization of the Americas . Born in Medellín , Spain , to a family of lesser nobility , Cortés chose to pursue a livelihood in the New World . He went to Hispaniola and later to Cuba , where he received an encomienda and , for a short time , became alcalde ( magistrate ) of the second Spanish town founded on the island . In 1519 , he was elected captain of the third expedition to the mainland , an expedition which he partly funded . His enmity with the Governor of Cuba , Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar , resulted in the recall of the expedition at the last moment , an order which Cortés ignored . Arriving on the continent , Cortés executed a successful strategy of allying with some indigenous people against others . He also used a native woman , Doña Marina , as an interpreter ; she would later give birth to his first son . When the Governor of Cuba sent emissaries to arrest Cortés , he fought them and won , using the extra troops as reinforcements . Cortés wrote letters directly to the king asking to be acknowledged for his successes instead of punished for mutiny . After he overthrew the Aztec Empire , Cortés was awarded the title of Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca , while the more prestigious title of Viceroy was given to a high-ranking nobleman , Antonio de Mendoza . In 1541 Cortés returned to Spain , where he died peacefully but embittered , six years later . Because of the controversial undertakings of Cortés and the scarcity of reliable sources of information about him , it has become difficult to assert anything definitive about his personality and motivations . Early lionizing of the conquistadors did not encourage deep examination of Cortés . Later reconsideration of the conquistadors ' character in the context of modern anti-colonial sentiment also did little to expand understanding of Cortés as an individual . As a result of these historical trends , descriptions of Cortés tend to be simplistic , and either damning or idealizing .", "Grenada. Grenada ( -LSB- ɡrᵻˈneɪdə -RSB- La Grenade ) is an island country in the southeastern Caribbean Sea consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain . It is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago , northeast of Venezuela and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines . Its size is 344 km2 , and it had an estimated population of 110,000 in 2012 . Its capital is St. George 's . Grenada is also known as the `` Island of Spice '' due to its production of nutmeg and mace crops , of which it is one of the world 's largest exporters . The national bird of Grenada is the critically endangered Grenada dove . Before the arrival of Europeans to the Americas , Grenada was inhabited by the indigenous Arawaks and later by the Island Caribs . Christopher Columbus sighted Grenada in 1498 during his third voyage to the Americas . Although it was deemed the property of the King of Spain , there are no records to suggest the Spanish ever landed or settled on the island . Following several unsuccessful attempts by Europeans to colonise the island due to resistance from the Island Caribs , French settlement and colonisation began in 1650 and continued for the next century . On 10 February 1763 Grenada was ceded to the British under the Treaty of Paris . British rule continued , except for a period of French rule between 1779 and 1783 , until 1974 . From 1958 to 1962 Grenada was part of the Federation of the West Indies , a short-lived federation of British West Indian colonies . On 3 March 1967 , Grenada was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs as an Associated State . Herbert Blaize was the first Premier of the Associated State of Grenada from March to August 1967 . Eric Gairy served as Premier from August 1967 until February 1974 . Independence was granted on 7 February 1974 , under the leadership of Eric Gairy , who became the first Prime Minister of Grenada . In March 1979 , the Marxist -- Leninist New Jewel Movement overthrew Gairy 's government in a coup d'état and established the People 's Revolutionary Government ( PRG ) , headed by Maurice Bishop as Prime Minister . On 19 October 1983 hard-line Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard and his wife Phyllis , backed by the Grenadian Army , led a coup against the government of Maurice Bishop and placed Bishop under house arrest . Bishop was later freed by popular demonstration and attempted to resume power , but was captured and executed by soldiers . On 25 October 1983 forces from the Barbados-based Regional Security System ( RSS ) and the United States invaded Grenada in an operation code-named Operation Urgent Fury . The invasion was highly criticised by the governments of Britain , Trinidad and Tobago and Canada , along with the United Nations General Assembly . Elections were held in December 1984 and were won by the Grenada National Party under Herbert Blaize who served as prime minister until his death in December 1989 . On 7 September 2004 , after being hurricane-free for 49 years , the island was directly hit by Hurricane Ivan , which damaged or destroyed 90 % of the island 's homes . On 14 July 2005 Hurricane Emily struck the northern part of the island , causing an estimated USD $ 110 million ( EC$ 297 million ) worth of damage .", "José Chacón. José Chacón is the name of : José Chacón Díaz ( born 1977 ) , Venezuelan professional racing cyclist José Luis Chacón ( born 1971 ) , Peruvian football ( soccer ) player José Maria Chacón ( 1749 -- 1833 ) , the last Spanish Governor of Trinidad José Pascual de Zayas y Chacón ( 1772 -- 1827 ) , Spanish military officer", "Trinidad Province. The Province of Trinidad ( 1525 − 1802 ) was a province of the Spanish Empire which was created in 1525 . It occupied almost the whole territory of the modern republic of Trinidad and Tobago . From 1591 to 1731 it was merged with Guayana Province , as Trinidad-Guayana Province . It was lost to the British in 1797 , a loss recognised by the Treaty of Amiens in 1802 .", "Port of Spain. Port of Spain is the capital city of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country 's third-largest municipality , after Chaguanas and San Fernando . The city has a municipal population of 37,074 ( 2011 census ) , a metropolitan population of 128,026 ( 1990 unofficial estimate ) and a transient daily population of 250,000 . It is located on the Gulf of Paria , on the northwest coast of the island of Trinidad and is part of a larger conurbation stretching from Chaguaramas in the west to Arima in the east with an estimated population of 600,000 . The city serves primarily as a retail and administrative centre and it has been the capital of the island since 1757 . It is also an important financial services centre for the Caribbean and is home to two of the largest banks in the region . Port of Spain was also the de facto capital of the short-lived West Indies Federation , which united the Caribbean . Caricom was established in Chaguaramas , west of Port of Spain . The city is also home to the largest container port on the island and is one of several shipping hubs of the Caribbean , exporting both agricultural products and manufactured goods . Bauxite from Guyana is trans-shipped via facilities at Chaguaramas , about 5 mi west of the city . The pre-lenten Carnival is the city 's main annual cultural festival and tourist attraction . Today , Port of Spain is a leading city in the Caribbean region . Trinidad and Tobago hosted the Fifth Summit of the Americas in 2009 whose guests included US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . Port of Spain is also home to the biggest and most successful stock exchange in the Caribbean , the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange ( TTSE ) . The iconic Nicholas Tower , as well as other skyscrapers , are well known throughout the region . These buildings dominate the city 's skyline . Some of the tallest skyscrapers in the Caribbean are located in Port of Spain .", "José de Canterac. José de Canterac ( 1779 -- Casteljaloux , Lot-et-Garone , France , April 13 , 1835 ) was a Spanish general of French origin who fought in the Spanish American wars of independence . In 1816 he joined the army of Pablo Morillo fighting in the expedition against Isla Margarita . As Field Marshal , he took command of the Spanish Army in South America in 1822 and gained victories at the battles of Ica ( 1822 ) and Moquegua ( 1823 ) . His defeats in 1824 at the Battle of Junín and the Battle of Ayacucho led to his capitulation to the Patriot forces . Upon his return to Spain , Canterac was made Captain General of Madrid . He was killed in 1835 in an insurrection at the Puerta del Sol .", "Costa Rica. Costa Rica ( -LSB- kɒstə_ˈriːkə -RSB- -LSB- ˈkosta ˈrika -RSB- ; literally meaning `` Rich Coast '' ) , officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( República de Costa Rica ) , is a country in Central America , bordered by Nicaragua to the north , Panama to the southeast , the Pacific Ocean to the west , the Caribbean Sea to the east , and Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island . It has a population of around 4.5 million , of whom nearly a quarter live in the metropolitan area of the capital and largest city , San José . Costa Rica was sparsely inhabited by indigenous people before coming under Spanish rule in the 16th century . It remained a peripheral colony of the empire until independence as part of the short-lived First Mexican Empire , followed by membership in the United Provinces of Central America , from which it formally declared sovereignty in 1847 . Since then , Costa Rica has remained among the most stable , prosperous , and progressive nations in Latin America . Following a brief civil war , it permanently abolished its army in 1949 , becoming one of only a few sovereign nations without a standing army . Costa Rica is an observing member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie ( OIF ) . The country has consistently performed favourably in the Human Development Index ( HDI ) , placing 69th in the world , among the highest of any Latin American nation . It has also been cited by the United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP ) as having attained much higher human development than other countries at the same income levels , with a better record on human development and inequality than the median of the region . Its rapidly developing economy , once heavily dependent on agriculture , has diversified to include sectors such as finance , pharmaceuticals , and ecotourism . Costa Rica is known for its progressive environmental policies , being the only country to meet all five UNDP criteria established to measure environmental sustainability . It was ranked 42nd in the world , and third in the Americas , in the 2016 Environmental Performance Index , was twice ranked the best performing country in the New Economics Foundation 's ( NEF ) Happy Planet Index , which measures environmental sustainability , and was identified by the NEF as the greenest country in the world in 2009 . Costa Rica officially plans to become a carbon-neutral country by 2021 . In 2012 , it became the first country in the Americas to ban recreational hunting .", "Caribbean. The Caribbean ( -LSB- ˌkærᵻˈbiːən -RSB- or -LSB- kəˈrɪbiən -RSB- ) is a region that consists of the Caribbean Sea , its islands ( some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean ) and the surrounding coasts . The region is southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and the North American mainland , east of Central America , and north of South America . Situated largely on the Caribbean Plate , the region comprises more than 700 islands , islets , reefs and cays . ( See the list . ) These islands generally form island arcs that delineate the eastern and northern edges of the Caribbean Sea . The Caribbean islands , consisting of the Greater Antilles on the north and the Lesser Antilles on the south and east ( including the Leeward Antilles ) , are part of the somewhat larger West Indies grouping , which also includes the Lucayan Archipelago ( comprising the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands ) north of the Greater Antilles and Caribbean Sea . In a wider sense , the mainland countries of Belize , Guyana , Suriname and French Guiana are often included due to their political and cultural ties with the region . Geopolitically , the Caribbean islands are usually regarded as a subregion of North America and are organized into 30 territories including sovereign states , overseas departments , and dependencies . From December 15 , 1954 , to October 10 , 2010 , there was a country known as the Netherlands Antilles composed of five states , all of which were Dutch dependencies . From January 3 , 1958 , to May 31 , 1962 , there was also a short-lived country called the Federation of the West Indies composed of ten English-speaking Caribbean territories , all of which were then British dependencies . The West Indies cricket team continues to represent many of those nations .", "Suriname. Suriname ( -LSB- ˈsʊrᵻnæm -RSB- , -LSB- - nɑːm -RSB- or -LSB- - nəm -RSB- , also spelled Surinam ) , officially known as the Republic of Suriname ( Republiek Suriname -LSB- ˌreːpyˈblik ˌsyːriˈnaːmə -RSB- ) , is a sovereign state on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America . It is bordered by French Guiana to the east , Guyana to the west and Brazil to the south . At just under 165000 km2 , it is the smallest country in South America . Suriname has a population of approximately 566,000 , most of whom live on the country 's north coast , in and around the capital and largest city , Paramaribo . Long inhabited by numerous cultures of indigenous tribes , Suriname was explored and contested by European powers before coming under Dutch rule in the late 17th century . In 1954 , the country became one of the constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . On 25 November 1975 , the country of Suriname left the Kingdom of the Netherlands to become an independent state , nonetheless maintaining close economic , diplomatic , and cultural ties to its former colonizer . Its indigenous peoples have been increasingly active in claiming land rights and working to preserve their traditional lands and habitats . Suriname is considered to be a culturally Caribbean country , and is a member of the Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ) . While Dutch is the official language of government , business , media , and education , Sranan , an English-based creole language , is a widely used lingua franca . Suriname is the only territory outside Europe where Dutch is spoken by a majority of the population . The people of Suriname are among the most diverse in the world , spanning a multitude of ethnic , religious , and linguistic groups .", "Cedula of Population. The Cedula of Population was a 1783 edict by the representative of the King of Spain , José de Gálvez , opening Trinidad to immigration from , primarily , the French Caribbean islands . Negotiated by Phillipe Rose Roume de Saint-Laurant , a key figure in Trinidad 's colonial history , the edict consists of 28 articles governing several forms of land grants to encourage population growth , naturalization of inhabitants , taxation , armament of slave owners , the duty and function of a militia to protect the island , and merchant and trade issues .", "Simón Bolívar. Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios ( -LSB- siˈmon boˈliβar -RSB- ; 24 July 1783 -- 17 December 1830 ) , known as El Libertador , was a Venezuelan military and political leader who played a leading role in the establishment of Venezuela , Bolivia , Colombia , Ecuador , Peru and Panama as sovereign states , independent of Spanish rule . Bolívar was born into a wealthy , aristocratic Creole family and , as was common for the heirs of upper class families in his day , was sent to be educated abroad at a young age , arriving in Spain when he was 16 and later moving to France . While in Europe he was introduced to the ideas of the Enlightenment , later motivating him to overthrow the reigning Spanish . Taking advantage of the disorder in Spain prompted by the Peninsular War , Bolívar began his campaign for independence in 1808 , appealing to the wealthy Creole population through a conservative process , and established an organized national congress within three years . Despite a number of hindrances , including the arrival of an unprecedentedly large Spanish expeditionary force , the revolutionaries eventually prevailed , culminating in the patriot victory at the Battle of Carabobo in 1821 , which effectively made Venezuela an independent country . Following this triumph over the Spanish monarchy , Bolívar participated in the foundation of the first union of independent nations in Latin America , Gran Colombia , of which he was president from 1819 to 1830 . Through further military campaigns , he ousted Spanish rulers from Ecuador , Peru , and Bolivia ( named after him ) . He was simultaneously president of Gran Colombia ( current Venezuela , Colombia , Panamá and Ecuador ) and Peru , while his second in command Antonio José de Sucre was appointed president of Bolivia . He aimed at a strong and united Spanish America able to cope not only with the threats emanating from Spain and the European Holy Alliance but also with the emerging power of the United States . At the peak of his power , Bolívar ruled over a vast territory from the Argentine border to the Caribbean Sea . Bolívar is , along with Argentine General José de San Martín , considered one of the great heroes of the Hispanic independence movements of the early 19th century . At the end of his life , Bolívar despaired of the situation in the region , with the famous quote `` all who served the revolution have plowed the sea '' . Earlier , in an address to the Constituent Congress of the Republic of Colombia , Bolívar stated `` Fellow citizens ! I blush to say this : Independence is the only benefit we have acquired , to the detriment of all the rest . ''", "Curaçao. Curaçao ( -LSB- ` kʊrəsaʊ -RSB- or -LSB- ˈkjʊərəsaʊ -RSB- ; Curaçao , -LSB- kyːraːˈsʌu̯ -RSB- ; Papiamentu : Kòrsou ) is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region , approximately 65 km north of the Venezuelan coast . It is a constituent country ( land ) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . It was formerly called Curaçao and Dependencies ( 1815 -- 1954 ) and the Country of Curaçao ( Land Curaçao Pais Kòrsou ) ; it includes the main island of Curaçao and the uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao ( `` Little Curaçao '' ) . It has a population of over 150,000 in an area of 444 km2 , and its capital is Willemstad . Before the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010 , Curaçao was administered as the `` Island Territory of Curaçao '' ( Dutch : Eilandgebied Curaçao , Papiamentu : Teritorio Insular di Kòrsou ) , one of five island territories of the former Netherlands Antilles .", "Chacon (1912). Chacon is a 72 ft dry docked wooden vessel and roadside curiosity in Chugiak , Alaska , United States . The former fishing vessel currently serves as a memorial for its most recent owner , Thillman Wallace of Chugiak ( 1932 -- 2015 ) ." ]

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[ "Liverpool F.C.. Liverpool Football Club ( -LSB- ˈlɪvərpuːl -RSB- ) is a professional association football club based in Liverpool , Merseyside , England . They compete in the Premier League , the top tier of English football . The club has won 5 European Cups , 3 UEFA Cups , 3 UEFA Super Cups , 18 League titles , 7 FA Cups , a record 8 League Cups , and 15 FA Community Shields . The club was founded in 1892 and joined the Football League the following year . The club has played at Anfield since its formation . Liverpool established itself as a major force in both English and European football during the 1970s and 1980s when Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley led the club to 11 League titles and seven European trophies . Under the management of Rafa Benítez and captained by Steven Gerrard Liverpool became European champion for the fifth time , winning the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final against Milan in spite of being 3 -- 0 down at half time . Liverpool was the ninth highest-earning football club in the world for 2014 -- 15 , with an annual revenue of $ 391 million , and the world 's eighth most valuable football club in 2016 , valued at $ 1.55 billion . The club holds many long-standing rivalries , most notably the North West Derby against Manchester United and the Merseyside derby with Everton . The club 's supporters have been involved in two major tragedies . The first was the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985 , where escaping fans were pressed against a collapsing wall in the Heysel Stadium , with 39 people -- mostly Italians and Juventus fans -- dying , after which English clubs were given a five-year ban from European competition . The second was the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 , where 96 Liverpool supporters died in a crush against perimeter fencing . The team changed from red shirts and white shorts to an all-red home strip in 1964 which has been used ever since . The club 's anthem is `` You 'll Never Walk Alone '' .", "Liverpool. Liverpool ( -LSB- ˈlɪvərpuːl -RSB- ) is a city in North West England , with an estimated population of 478,580 in 2015 . With its surrounding areas it is the fifth largest metropolitan area in the UK , with over 2.24 million people in 2011 . The local authority is Liverpool City Council , the most populous local government district within the metropolitan county of Merseyside and the largest within the Liverpool City Region . Liverpool sits on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary , and historically lay within the ancient hundred of West Derby in the south west of the county of Lancashire . It became a borough in 1207 and a city in 1880 . In 1889 , it became a county borough independent of Lancashire . Its growth as a major port was paralleled by the expansion of the city throughout the Industrial Revolution . Along with general cargo , freight , raw materials such as coal and cotton , the city was also involved in the Atlantic slave trade . Liverpool was home to both the Cunard and White Star Line , and was the port of registry of the ocean liner RMS Titanic , the RMS Lusitania , Queen Mary and Olympic . The popularity of The Beatles and other groups from the Merseybeat era contributes to Liverpool 's status as a tourist destination . Liverpool is also the home of two Premier League football clubs , Liverpool and Everton , matches between the two being known as the Merseyside derby . The city 's namesake club is the sole British club to win five European Cups . The world-famous Grand National horse race takes place annually at Aintree Racecourse on the outskirts of the city . The city celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2007 , and was European Capital of Culture together with Stavanger , Norway , in 2008 . Several areas of the city centre were granted World Heritage Site status by UNESCO in 2004 . The Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City includes the Pier Head , Albert Dock , and William Brown Street . Liverpool 's status as a port city has contributed to its diverse population , which , historically , was drawn from a wide range of peoples , cultures , and religions , particularly from Ireland and Wales . The city is also home to the oldest Black African community in the country and the oldest Chinese community in Europe . Natives of the city of Liverpool are referred to as Liverpudlians , and colloquially as `` Scousers '' , a reference to `` scouse '' , a form of stew . The word `` Scouse '' has also become synonymous with the Liverpool accent and dialect . Another term for denizens of the city is Liverpolitan , although Liverpolitan may also be used for residents of the wider Liverpool City Region .", "Anfield. Anfield is a football stadium in Anfield , Liverpool , England which has a seating capacity of 54,074 making it the sixth largest football stadium in England . It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 . It was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1891 , before they moved to Goodison Park after a dispute with the club president . The stadium has four stands : the Spion Kop , Main Stand , The Centenary Stand ( later to be renamed The Kenny Dalglish Stand ) and Anfield Road . The record attendance of 61,905 , was set at a match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1952 . The ground converted to an all-seater stadium in 1994 as a result of the Taylor Report which greatly reduced its capacity . Two gates at the ground are named after former Liverpool managers : Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley . A statue of Shankly is situated outside the stadium . The ground is 2 mi from Liverpool Lime Street railway station . It was proposed in 2002 to replace the stadium with a new one in the adjacent Stanley Park , but after the acquisition of Liverpool F.C. by Fenway Sports Group in 2010 it was made clear this would not happen . Construction for an extension to the Main Stand began on 8 December 2014 . This extension increased the stadium capacity to 54,074 , making it one of the largest all-seater single stands in European football . There are future plans to expand the Anfield Road Stand which would bring the stadium size to around 59,000 .", "Premier League. The Premier League is an English professional league for men 's association football clubs . At the top of the English football league system , it is the country 's primary football competition . Contested by 20 clubs , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football League ( EFL ; known as `` The Football League '' before 2016 -- 17 ) . Welsh clubs that compete in the English football league system can also qualify . The Premier League is a corporation in which the 20 member clubs act as shareholders . Seasons run from August to May . Teams play 38 matches each ( playing each team in the league twice , home and away ) , totalling 380 matches in the season . Most games are played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons ; others during weekday evenings . It is colloquially known as the Premiership and outside the UK it is commonly referred to as the English Premier League ( EPL ) . The competition formed as the FA Premier League on 20 February 1992 following the decision of clubs in the Football League First Division to break away from the Football League , which was founded in 1888 , and take advantage of a lucrative television rights deal . The deal was worth # 1 billion a year domestically as of 2013 -- 14 , with BSkyB and BT Group securing the domestic rights to broadcast 116 and 38 games respectively . The league generates $ 2.2 billion per year in domestic and international television rights . In 2014/15 , teams were apportioned revenues of # 1.6 billion . The Premier League is the most-watched sports league in the world , broadcast in 212 territories to 643 million homes and a potential TV audience of 4.7 billion people . In the 2014 -- 15 season , the average Premier League match attendance exceeded 36,000 , second highest of any professional football league behind the Bundesliga 's 43,500 . Most stadium occupancies are near capacity . The Premier League ranks third in the UEFA coefficients of leagues based on performances in European competitions over the past five seasons . While 47 clubs have competed since the inception of the Premier League in 1992 , only six have won the title : Manchester United ( 13 ) , Chelsea ( 5 ) , Arsenal ( 3 ) , Manchester City ( 2 ) , Blackburn Rovers ( 1 ) and Leicester City ( 1 ) . The current champions are Chelsea , who secured the 2016 -- 17 title in early May 2017 .", "University of Liverpool. The University of Liverpool is a public university based in the city of Liverpool , England . Founded as a college in 1881 , it gained its royal charter in 1903 with the ability to award degrees and is also known to be one of the six original `` red brick '' civic universities . It comprises three faculties organised into 35 departments and schools . It is a founding member of the Russell Group , the N8 Group for research collaboration and the University Management school is AACSB accredited . Nine Nobel Prize winners are amongst its alumni and past faculty and the university offers more than 230 first degree courses across 103 subjects . It was the world 's first university to establish departments in Oceanography , civic design , architecture , and biochemistry at the Johnston Laboratories . In 2006 the university became the first in the UK to establish an independent university in China making it the world 's first Sino-British university . For 2015-16 , Liverpool had a turnover of # 490.2 million , including # 93.7 million from research grants and contracts . It has the fifth largest endowment of any university in England . Graduates of the University are styled with the post-nominal letters Lpool , to indicate the institution . The University has a strategic partnership with Laureate International Universities , a for-profit college collective , for University of Liverpool online . The partnership provides the technical infrastructure to deliver courses worldwide .", "Liverpool F.C. in European football. Liverpool Football Club , an English professional association football club , is Britain 's most successful team in Union of European Football Associations ( UEFA ) competitions . Since 1964 , they have won eleven European trophies : the UEFA Champions League ( formerly known as the European Cup ) five times , the UEFA Europa League ( formerly known as the UEFA Cup ) three times , and the UEFA Super Cup three times . Qualification for European competitions is determined by a team 's success in its domestic league and cup competitions from the previous season . Liverpool competed in European competitions for 21 consecutive seasons until the 1985 European Cup Final , the occasion of the Heysel Stadium disaster , following which the club was banned from European competitions for six seasons . Since being readmitted in 1991 , they have qualified for the Champions League ( the successor to the European Cup ) nine times and the Europa League ( the successor to the Uefa Cup ) nine times . As a result of their victory in the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final , Liverpool won the European Champion Clubs ' Cup trophy outright , and were awarded a multiple winner badge . Liverpool 's total of three UEFA Cup wins has been bettered only by Sevilla , who have won the competition five times . They have also won the UEFA Super Cup on three occasions , a total only Milan and Barcelona ( five titles each ) have bettered . Bob Paisley is the club 's most successful manager in Europe , with five trophies . Liverpool 's biggest-margin win in Europe is an 11 -- 0 victory over Strømsgodset in the 1974 -- 75 European Cup Winners ' Cup . In European competitions , Jamie Carragher holds the club record for the most appearances , with 150 , and Steven Gerrard is the club 's record goalscorer , with 41 goals .", "Liverpool One. Liverpool ONE is a shopping , residential and leisure complex in Liverpool , England . The project , previously known as The Paradise Project , involved the redevelopment of 42 acres ( 170,000 m ² ) of underutilised land in Liverpool city centre . It is a retail led development , anchored by department stores Debenhams and John Lewis , with additional elements including leisure facilities ( anchored by a 14-screen Odeon cinema and 36-hole adventure golf centre ) , apartments , offices , public open space and transport improvements . The completion of Liverpool ONE has significantly boosted the local economy as well as lifted Liverpool into the top five most popular retail destinations in the UK . Liverpool ONE is the largest open air shopping centre in the United Kingdom and the 5th largest overall . Each store was created by a different architect , thereby leading to quite stark differences between some buildings , and this is one way in which Liverpool ONE differentiates itself from other shopping centres . The majority of the development was opened in phases on 29 May 2008 and 1 October 2008 , during Liverpool 's year as European Capital of Culture , whilst the final residential units opened in early 2009 . The cost of construction associated with the project was # 500 million , with a total investment value of # 920 million .", "Manchester United F.C.. Manchester United Football Club is a professional football club based in Old Trafford , Greater Manchester , England , that competes in the Premier League , the top flight of English football . Nicknamed `` the Red Devils '' , the club was founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878 , changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to its current stadium , Old Trafford , in 1910 . Manchester United are the most successful club in England , having won a record 20 League Titles , 12 FA Cups , 5 League Cups and a record 21 FA Community Shields . The club has also won three UEFA Champions League , one UEFA Europa League , one UEFA Cup Winners ' Cup , one UEFA Super Cup , one Intercontinental Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup . In 1998 -- 99 , the club became the first in the history of English football to achieve the treble of the Premier League , the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League . In 2016 -- 17 , they also , by winning the UEFA Europa League , became one of five clubs to have won all three main UEFA club competitions . In winning all three top domestic trophies ( as well as both iterations of the English championship ) , all three major European trophies , both the domestic and European super cups , and both international titles ( the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup in 1999 and its successor , the FIFA World Club Cup in 2008 ) , the club has achieved a clean sweep of all top honours available to it ; the first and thus far only English club to do so . The 1958 Munich air disaster claimed the lives of eight players . In 1968 , under the management of Matt Busby , Manchester United became the first English football club to win the European Cup . Alex Ferguson won 38 trophies as manager , including 13 Premier League titles , 5 FA Cups and 2 UEFA Champions Leagues , between 1986 and 2013 , when he announced his retirement . José Mourinho is the club 's current manager , having been appointed on 27 May 2016 . Manchester United was the highest-earning football club in the world for 2015 -- 16 , with an annual revenue of $ 689 million , and the world 's third most valuable football club in 2015 , valued at # 1.98 billion . As of June 2015 , it is the world 's most valuable football brand , estimated to be worth $ 1.2 billion . After being floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1991 , the club was purchased by Malcolm Glazer in May 2005 in a deal valuing the club at almost # 800 million , after which the company was taken private again , before going public once more in August 2012 , when they made an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange . Manchester United is one of the most widely supported football clubs in the world , and holds several rivalries with other clubs , most notably with Liverpool , Manchester City and Leeds United , and more recently with Arsenal .", "Everton F.C.. Everton F.C. -LSB- ˈɛvərtən -RSB- is a football club in Liverpool , England , that currently competes in the Premier League , the top flight of English football . The club have competed in the top division for a record 114 seasons and won the League Championship nine times , and the FA Cup five times . Formed in 1878 , Everton were founding members of The Football League in 1888 and won their first League Championship two seasons later . Following four League Championship and two FA Cup wins , Everton experienced a lull in the immediate post World War Two period , until a revival in the 1960s , which saw the club win two League Championships and an FA Cup . The mid-1980s represented their most recent period of sustained success , with two League Championships , an FA Cup , and the 1985 European Cup Winners ' Cup . The club 's most recent major trophy was the 1995 FA Cup . The club 's supporters are known as Evertonians . Everton have a rivalry with neighbours Liverpool , and the two sides contest the Merseyside derby . The club have been based at Goodison Park in Walton , Liverpool , since 1892 , after moving from Anfield following a row over its rent . The club 's home colours are royal blue shirts with white shorts and socks .", "Goodison Park. Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton , Liverpool , England . The stadium has been home to Premier League club Everton since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world 's oldest purpose-built football grounds . The stadium is built in a residential area served by regular rail and bus services two miles ( 3 km ) from Liverpool city centre . Goodison has undergone many changes over the years and it presently has an all-seated capacity of 40,157 . Everton fans refer to the stadium as `` The Grand Old Lady '' and the abridged `` Goodison '' . It has hosted more top-flight games than any other stadium in England . Goodison has hosted the maximum number of league games since the Premier League was formed in 1992 , as Everton have remained in the top tier of English football since 1954 . The club has only been outside the top division for four seasons , having only been relegated twice ( in 1930 and 1951 ) . As well as hosting Everton games , the stadium has been the venue for an FA Cup Final and numerous international fixtures , including several in the 1966 FIFA World Cup . The record for the highest attendance in women 's football in England was set at Goodison Park in 1920 , which stood for 92 years until 31 July 2012 .", "Economy of Liverpool. The Economy of Liverpool encompasses a wide range of economic activity that occurs within and surrounding the city of Liverpool , England . With a population of over 1.3 million in its Larger Urban Zone , and a metropolitan area population of 2,241,000 , Liverpool is one of the largest cities in the United Kingdom and sits at the centre of the broader Merseyside economic area , which is itself one of the two core economies of the North west of England .", "2012–13 Liverpool F.C. season. The 2012 -- 13 season was the 121st season in Liverpool Football Club 's existence , and their 50th consecutive year in the top flight of English football . By virtue of winning the 2011 -- 12 Football League Cup , Liverpool automatically qualified for entry into the 2012 -- 13 UEFA Europa League , thus securing an immediate return to European competition . Pre-season saw a change of manager for Liverpool , with Kenny Dalglish being sacked on 16 May 2012 . Brendan Rodgers was unveiled as his replacement on 1 June 2012 . Liverpool finished 7th in the Premier League , one place and nine points higher than the 2011 -- 12 season . According to the Forbes ' list of the most valuable football clubs published in April 2013 , Liverpool were ranked as the 10th most valuable football club in the world .", "Liverpool City Centre. Liverpool city centre is the commercial , cultural , financial and historical heart of Liverpool , England , and its surrounding region . Unlike many other cities in the United Kingdom , a ring road does n't distinguish the city centre from the remainder of Liverpool , although an inner ring road of sorts does exist , with the recent completion of a new road off Hall Lane , to the east of the city centre , which now connects all the major city centre orbital roads . The inner city districts of Vauxhall , Everton , Edge Hill , Kensington , and Toxteth mark the border with Liverpool city centre . The immediate city centre consists of the postal districts of L1 , L2 and L3 , although L6 , L7 and L8 cover some parts of the outer city centre also . The resident population of the city centre has grown dramatically over the last decade and now stands at around 36,000 people and climbing . Liverpool was granted borough status in 1207 , and the original seven streets of the settlement can now be found within the `` commercial district '' of Liverpool city centre . Many of Liverpool 's most famous landmarks are located in the city centre and in 2006 Liverpool was visited by 625,000 international visitors alone , making it the fourth most visited city in the United Kingdom and the ninety-first most visited on earth . Six areas within Liverpool city Centre form the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City which is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site . Liverpool city centre is one of the most architecturally significant locations in the country . Examples of the impressive and varied architecture in Liverpool city centre include Liverpool Cathedral ( the fifth largest church building in the world ) , St. George 's Hall ( described by Queen Victoria as ` worthy of ancient Athens ' ) , the Royal Liver Building ( which is considered Britain 's first skyscraper ) , Oriel Chambers the world 's first metal framed glass curtain walled building and West Tower ( currently the second tallest building in the United Kingdom outside London ) .", "National Football League. The National Football League ( NFL ) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams , divided equally between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) . The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America , and the highest professional level of American football in the world . The NFL 's 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas , with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week . Following the conclusion of the regular season , six teams from each conference ( four division winners and two wild card teams ) advance to the playoffs , a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl , which is usually held in the first Sunday in February , and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC . The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association ( APFA ) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season . The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League ( AFL ) in 1966 , and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season ; the merger was completed in 1970 . Today , the NFL has the highest average attendance ( 67,591 ) of any professional sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States . The Super Bowl is among the biggest club sporting events in the world and individual Super Bowl games account for many of the most watched television programs in American history , all occupying the Nielsen 's Top 5 tally of the all-time most watched U.S. television broadcasts by 2015 . The NFL 's executive officer is the commissioner , who has broad authority in governing the league . The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen ( nine NFL titles before the Super Bowl era , and four Super Bowl championships afterwards ) ; the team with the most Super Bowl championships is the Pittsburgh Steelers with six . The current NFL champions are the New England Patriots , who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34 -- 28 in Super Bowl LI .", "Anfield, Liverpool. Anfield is a district of Liverpool , Merseyside , England and a Liverpool City Council Ward . The population of the Liverpool Ward at the time of the 2011 census was 14,510 . The district is home to 18-time English champions and five-times European champion football club Liverpool F.C. ever since the club 's founding in 1892 .", "Jürgen Klopp. Jürgen Norbert Klopp ( -LSB- ˈjʏɐ̯ɡən ˈklɔp -RSB- ; born 16 June 1967 ) is a German football manager and former professional player who is the current manager of Premier League club Liverpool . Klopp spent most of his 15-year playing career at Mainz 05 , before going on to become their longest-serving manager from 2001 to 2008 , during which time they achieved promotion to the Bundesliga . In 2008 , Klopp joined Borussia Dortmund , leading them to back-to-back Bundesliga wins in 2011 and 2012 , as well as the DFB-Pokal in 2012 , the DFL-Supercup in 2013 and 2014 , and their second appearance in a UEFA Champions League final in 2013 . Klopp won the German Football Manager of the Year in 2011 and 2012 , before leaving Dortmund in 2015 having also become their longest-serving manager . He became manager of Liverpool in October 2015 .", "A.F.C. Liverpool. A.F.C. Liverpool is a semi-professional football club based in Liverpool , England . The club were formed in 2008 by 1,000 supporters of Liverpool Football Club ; a not-for-profit organisation , it is run on a one-member , one-vote system . They are currently members of the and play at Marine 's Rossett Park .", "History of Liverpool F.C. (1892–1959). The history of Liverpool Football Club from 1892 to 1959 covers the period from the club 's foundation , through their first period of success from 1900 to the 1920s , to the appointment of Bill Shankly as manager . Liverpool Football Club was formed on 15 March 1892 following a disagreement between the directors of Everton Football Club and its president , John Houlding , who owned the club 's ground , Anfield . A dispute over rent resulted in Everton moving to Goodison Park , which left Houlding with an empty stadium . Thus , he founded Liverpool F.C. , and they joined the Lancashire League . After winning the league title in their first season , Liverpool were accepted into the Football League for the 1893 -- 94 season , following the resignations of Accrington and Bootle . The appointment of Tom Watson as the club 's manager in 1896 led to the club 's first period of sustained success . Liverpool consolidated their position in the Football League following promotion to the First Division , and won their first League championship in 1901 . A further championship followed in 1906 , and in 1914 the club reached their first FA Cup final , losing to Burnley . Watson died suddenly in 1915 of pneumonia after the outbreak of the First World War . The club won two further championships in 1922 and 1923 when football resumed after the war . An expansion to the Spion Kop terracing in the 1920s increased Anfield 's capacity . Liverpool 's fortunes declined during the inter-war years , when the club often finished in midtable . Liverpool became League champions again in 1947 , in the first season after the Second World War , but following a slow downturn in performance the club was relegated to the Second Division in 1954 . By the time of Shankly 's appointment in 1959 , Liverpool had been in the Second Division for five seasons .", "History of Liverpool F.C. (1985–present). The history of Liverpool Football Club from 1985 to the present day covers the appointment of Kenny Dalglish as manager , the Hillsborough disaster , and the club 's return to European competition in 1991 . Throughout this period , the club played in the top tier of English football , which in 1992 became the Premier League . Dalglish was appointed as player and manager after Joe Fagan resigned following the 1985 Heysel Stadium disaster , which resulted in Liverpool 's indefinite ban from European competition . Liverpool won the league championship and FA Cup in Dalglish 's first season , and won a further league championship in 1987 -- 88 . The Hillsborough disaster , which occurred during an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in April 1989 , resulted in the deaths of 96 of the club 's supporters . After the disaster , Dalglish led the club to their 18th title , in 1989 -- 90 ; but the job was becoming too stressful and he resigned in February 1991 . The Taylor Report into the disaster recommended the end of standing terraces ; to comply with its findings , Anfield was converted to an all-seater stadium during the early 1990s , which greatly reduced its capacity . Dalglish 's successor Graeme Souness won the FA Cup in his first full season in charge . In the newly formed Premier League , he struggled to sustain the club 's domestic successes , and was replaced by Roy Evans midway through the 1993 -- 94 season . Liverpool improved to fourth the following season and won the Football League Cup . In 1998 , Gérard Houllier was appointed co-manager alongside Evans . The arrangement lasted until November when Evans resigned and Houllier became the sole mananger . The club won a unique treble of trophies in 2001 , and a year later finished second to Arsenal , their highest league finish in 11 years . Houllier departed the club in mid-2004 . Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League for the fifth time in Rafael Benítez 's debut season , and he guided the club to a further FA Cup success in 2006 . Midway through the 2006 -- 07 season , the club was bought by Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett . At the start of the 2010 -- 11 season , Liverpool were on the verge of bankruptcy ; the club was sold to New England Sports Ventures following a high court ruling . Roy Hodgson , who took over from Benítez , left the club in 2011 , and Dalglish was again placed in charge of team affairs . He was replaced by Brendan Rodgers after the team finished eighth in the 2011 -- 12 season . Rodgers guided Liverpool to second in 2013 -- 14 , but board disagreements over transfers and poor team performances led to his sacking in October 2015 . Jürgen Klopp was his replacement .", "Malmaison Hotel, Liverpool. The Malmaison Hotel Liverpool , England is an eleven storey building located alongside Prince 's Dock in the city centre . Part of the luxury hotel chain Malmaison , the Liverpool hotel is the chain 's first purpose built location . Built between 2005 and 2006 at a cost of # 24 million , the Malmaison Hotel stands at 32 m tall and is inspired by a combination of Gothic and ` Manhattan ' - like architecture . The hotel has three large suites - ` Love Suite Love ' , ` The Kop ' and ` The Toffee Shop ' - the latter two are themed around the city 's two Premier League football teams ; Liverpool and Everton respectively . The hotel contains 130 rooms , a brasserie , bar and gym .", "Manchester City F.C.. Manchester City Football Club is a football club in Manchester , England . Founded in 1880 as St. Mark 's ( West Gorton ) , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894 . The club moved to the City of Manchester Stadium in 2003 , having played at Maine Road since 1923 . The club 's most successful period was in the late 1960s and early 1970s when they won the League Championship , FA Cup , League Cup and European Cup Winners ' Cup under the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison . After losing the 1981 FA Cup Final , the club went through a period of decline , culminating in relegation to the third tier of English football for the only time in their history in 1998 . Having regained their Premier League status in the early 2000s , the club was purchased in 2008 by Abu Dhabi United Group and has become one of the wealthiest in the world . Since 2011 the club have won five major honours , including the Premier League in 2012 and 2014 . By 2015 -- 16 , Manchester City had the fifth-highest revenue in the footballing world with an annual revenue of $ 463.5 million . In 2016 , Forbes magazine estimated they were the world 's sixth most valuable football club , worth $ 1.92 billion .", "Chelsea F.C.. Chelsea Football Club ( -LSB- ˈtʃɛlsiː -RSB- ) is an English professional football club based in Fulham , London , that competes in the Premier League , of which they are reigning champions . Founded in 1905 , the club 's home ground since then has been Stamford Bridge . Chelsea had their first major success in 1955 , when they won the league championship . They then won various cup competitions between 1965 and 1971 . The club 's greatest period of success has come during the last two decades ; winning 18 major trophies since 1997 . Chelsea have won six national league titles , seven FA Cups , five League Cups and four FA Community Shields , one UEFA Champions League , two UEFA Cup Winners ' Cups , one UEFA Europa League and one UEFA Super Cup . Chelsea are the only London club to win the UEFA Champions League , and one of five clubs to have won all three main UEFA club competitions , first English to do so . Chelsea 's regular kit colours are royal blue shirts and shorts with white socks . The club 's crest has been changed several times in attempts to re-brand the club and modernise its image . The current crest , featuring a ceremonial lion rampant regardant holding a staff , is a modification of the one introduced in the early 1950s . The club have the sixth-highest average all-time attendance in English football . Their average home gate for the 2016 -- 17 season was 41,507 , the sixth highest in the Premier League . Since 2003 , Chelsea have been owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich . In 2016 , they were ranked by Forbes magazine as the seventh most valuable football club in the world , at # 1.15 billion ( $ 1.66 billion ) .", "2010–11 Liverpool F.C. season. The 2010 -- 11 season was the 119th season in Liverpool Football Club 's existence , and their 48th consecutive year in the top flight of English football . Liverpool were sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank , after their deal with long-running sponsors Carlsberg finished after 18 years of sponsorship . Pre-season saw a change of manager for Liverpool , with Rafael Benítez leaving the club by mutual consent on 3 June 2010 . On 1 July 2010 , Roy Hodgson was officially announced as new manager . On 22 September 2010 , Liverpool exited the League Cup , going out at Anfield to Northampton Town of League Two on penalties after a 2 -- 2 draw . They also exited the FA Cup losing 1 -- 0 to Manchester United at Old Trafford in the third round . In the last competition in which they were active in , the UEFA Europa League , they were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Portuguese side Braga , losing 1 -- 0 on aggregate . On 8 January 2011 , Liverpool announced that Roy Hodgson had left the club by mutual consent , and Kenny Dalglish was appointed as manager until the end of the season . Under Dalglish , the squads ' fortunes improved , taking popular wins against top sides Chelsea and Manchester United , and the resurgence saw Liverpool rise up to fifth in May . Despite their resurgence Liverpool eventually finished sixth in the Premier League , having failed to qualify for the Europa League . The season also saw Liverpool 's record purchase and departure , as Fernando Torres left for Chelsea , being replaced by Newcastle United 's target man Andy Carroll . Liverpool received # 50 million for Torres , and overpaid # 35 million for Carroll 's services . Both transfers occurred during a busy transfer deadline day on 31 January , where Liverpool also broke its previous transfer record , paying # 22.5 million for Luis Suárez . During the season , Jon Flanagan and Jonjo Shelvey both made their top flight debuts .", "Premier League Golden Boot. The Premier League Golden Boot is an annual association football award presented to the leading goalscorer in the Premier League . For sponsorship purposes , from 1994 to 2001 it was called the Carling Golden Boot and from 2001 to 2004 , the Barclaycard Golden Boot ; as of 2015 , it is referred to as the Barclays Golden Boot . In addition to the trophy , winners of the Golden Boot are usually given # 1,000 for every goal they scored throughout the season to donate to a charity of their choice , although Robin van Persie was given # 30,000 after scoring 26 goals in the 2012 -- 13 season . The Premier League was founded in 1992 , when the clubs of the First Division left The Football League and established a new commercially independent league that negotiated its own broadcast and sponsorship agreements . The newly formed league had no sponsor for its inaugural season until Carling agreed to a four-year # 12 million deal that started the following season , and it was simply known as the Premier League in its first year . As a result , the award was called the `` Premier League Golden Boot '' when Teddy Sheringham received the inaugural award in 1993 . Originally consisting of 22 teams , the league contracted to 20 teams after the 1994 -- 95 season ; this reduced the number of games played from 42 to 38 . Thierry Henry has won the Golden Boot on four occasions , more than any other player . Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dwight Yorke were the first non-English and non-European winners , respectively , when they shared the award with Michael Owen in 1999 . Alan Shearer is the only player other than Henry to win the award in three consecutive seasons . Phillips , Henry , Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suárez won the European Golden Shoe in the same season as the Premier League Golden Boot , with Henry achieving this on two occasions ( 2004 and 2005 ) . Shearer , Hasselbaink and Van Persie are the only players to win the Golden Boot with two clubs . Andy Cole and Shearer -- with 34 goals in 1993 -- 94 and 1994 -- 95 , respectively -- scored the most goals to win the Golden Boot , while Nicolas Anelka scored the fewest to clinch the award outright , with 19 goals in 2008 -- 09 . The all-time record for lowest number of goals scored to be bestowed the award , however , is 18 goals ; this was achieved during the 1997 -- 98 and 1998 -- 99 seasons , when the award was shared between three players both times . The latter season marked the last time the Golden Boot was shared until 2010 -- 11 , when Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez both scored 20 goals that season to tie for the award . Spurs striker Harry Kane recorded the highest goals-to-game ratio , scoring 29 goals in 30 games for a strike rate of 0.97 to win the award in 2016 -- 17 , .", "Liverpool (video game). Liverpool ( also known as Liverpool : The Computer Game ) is a football video game released in for the Amstrad CPC . In versions were released for the Atari ST , Commodore Amiga and MS-DOS platforms and a Commodore 64 version was released in . The game was developed by Arc Developments and published by GrandSlam Entertainment . Liverpool is based on the Liverpool F.C. football team . One or two players can play Liverpool . A ZX Spectrum version was advertised , but never actually released .", "2013–14 Liverpool F.C. season. The 2013 -- 14 season was Liverpool Football Club 's 122nd season in existence , and their 51st consecutive season in the top flight of English football . It was also the club 's 22nd consecutive season in the Premier League . As well as the Premier League , the club competed in the FA Cup and the League Cup . Liverpool enjoyed a memorable season , scoring 101 league goals , the highest number of goals scored by a Premier League runner-up and also the third highest number of goals ever scored by the club in the top flight . Luis Suárez finished as the league 's top scorer with 31 goals , winning the Premier League Golden Boot as well as the PFA Players ' Player of the Year , while Steven Gerrard finished with the most assists , with 13 . Liverpool fans allowed for some optimism during the pre-season as the club looked to attain UEFA Champions League qualification for the first time since finishing second in 2008 -- 09 . The team soon exceeded expectations however , with Liverpool securing their pre-season aim of qualifying for the 2014 -- 15 UEFA Champions League after winning 2 -- 3 away to Norwich City . After having won 11 games in succession and leading the title race while competing against rivals Chelsea and Manchester City , a 0 -- 2 home defeat to the former and a 3 -- 3 draw away to Crystal Palace led to Liverpool finishing second on the final day , behind champions Manchester City by just two points . This represented the closest the club had come to winning their 19th league title and first since 1990 .", "Liverpool Echo. The Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool , and in Manchester Tony Burke Merseyside , England . It is published Monday to Sunday , and is Liverpool 's daily newspaper . Until 13 January 2012 it had a sister morning paper , the Liverpool Daily Post . It has an average daily circulation of 44,427 . Historically the newspaper was published by the Liverpool Daily Post & Echo Ltd. . The editor is Alastair Machray , who has previously edited the Welsh edition of the Daily Post . In 1879 the Liverpool Echo was published as a cheaper sister paper to the Liverpool Daily Post . From its inception until 1917 the newspaper cost a halfpenny . It is now 75p Monday to Friday , # 1.10 on Saturday and 70p on Sunday . The limited company expanded internationally and in 1985 was restructured as Trinity Holdings Plc. . The two original newspapers had just previously been re-launched in tabloid format . A special Sunday edition of the Echo was published on 16 April 1989 , for reporting on the previous day 's Hillsborough disaster , in which 96 Liverpool F.C. fans were fatally injured at the FA Cup semi-final tie in Sheffield . Every single one of the 75,000 copies printed was sold . In 1999 Trinity merged with Mirror Group Newspapers to become Trinity Mirror , the largest stable of newspapers in the country . On 7 January 2014 it was announced that a regular Sunday edition of the paper would be launched . The Sunday Echo is `` a seventh day of publication , not an independent product , '' according to the paper . The circulation as of July to December 2016 is 44,427 a day , down -16.2 % year on year .", "UEFA Champions League. The UEFA Champions League is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations ( UEFA ) and contested by top-division European clubs . It is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world and the most prestigious club competition in European football , played by the national league champion ( and , for some nations , one or more runners-up ) of each UEFA national association . The UEFA Champions League final is the most watched annual sporting event worldwide . The final of the 2012 -- 13 tournament had the highest TV ratings to date , drawing 360 million television viewers . Introduced in 1992 , the competition replaced the European Champion Clubs ' Cup , or simply European Cup , which had run since 1955 , adding a group stage to the competition and allowing multiple entrants from certain countries . The pre-1992 competition was initially a straight knockout tournament open only to the champion club of each country . During the 1990s , the format was expanded , incorporating a round-robin group stage to include clubs that finished runner-up of some nations ' top-level league . While most of Europe 's national leagues can still only enter their national league champion , Europe 's strongest national leagues now provide up to four teams for the competition , and will provide up to five teams from the 2015 -- 16 season onwards . Clubs that finish next-in-line in each nation 's top level league , having not qualified for the UEFA Champions League competition , may be eligible for the next level UEFA Europa League competition . In its present format , the UEFA Champions League begins in mid-July with three knockout qualifying rounds and a play-off round . The 10 surviving teams enter the group stage , joining 22 other teams qualified in advance . The 32 teams are drawn into eight groups of four teams and play each other in a double round-robin system . The eight group winners and eight runners-up proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match in May . The winner of the UEFA Champions League qualifies for the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup . Real Madrid is the most successful club in the competition 's history , having won the tournament 11 times , including its first five seasons . Spanish clubs have accumulated the highest number of victories ( 16 wins ) , followed by England and Italy ( 12 wins apiece ) . The competition has been won by 22 different clubs , 12 of which have won it more than once . Since the tournament changed name and structure in 1992 , no club has managed consecutive wins ; Milan were the last holders to successfully defend their title , in the 1989 -- 90 season . The reigning champions are Real Madrid , who secured their eleventh title in the competition after defeating Atlético Madrid on penalties following a 1 -- 1 draw in the 2016 final .", "Liverpool F.C.–Manchester United F.C. rivalry. The Liverpool F.C. -- Manchester United F.C. rivalry , also known as the North-West Derby , is a high profile inter-city rivalry between English professional football clubs Liverpool and Manchester United . It is considered to be one of the biggest rivalries in the football world along with the Old Firm derby in Scotland , Superclásico in South America , El Clásico in Spain , and Derby della Madonnina in Italy , and is considered the most famous fixture in English football . Players , fans and the media alike often consider games between the two clubs to be their biggest rivalry , above even their own local derby competitions with Everton and Manchester City , respectively . The rivalry has been fuelled by the proximity of the two major cities that they represent , their historic economic and industrial rivalry , significant periods of domestic footballing dominance and European success , and their popularity at home and abroad , as two of the biggest-earning and widely supported football clubs in the world . The two clubs are the most successful English teams in both domestic and European competitions ; and between them they have won 38 league titles , 8 European Cups , 4 UEFA Cups , 4 UEFA Super Cups , 19 FA Cups , 13 League Cups , 1 FIFA Club World Cup , 1 Intercontinental Cup and 36 FA Community Shields . Each club can claim historical supremacy over the other : United for their 20 league titles to Liverpool 's 18 and Liverpool for being European champions five times to United 's three . Manchester United have won more total trophies than Liverpool , and they also lead the Merseysiders in so-called `` major '' honours as well .", "List of Liverpool F.C. records and statistics. Liverpool Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Liverpool , Merseyside , who currently play in the Premier League . They have played at their current home ground , Anfield , since their foundation in 1892 . Liverpool joined the Football League in 1894 , and were founding members of the Premier League in 1992 . This list encompasses the major honours won by Liverpool , records set by the club , their managers and their players . The player records section includes details of the club 's leading goalscorers and those who have made most appearances in first-team competitions . It also records notable achievements by Liverpool players on the international stage , and the highest transfer fees paid and received by the club . Attendance records at Anfield are also included in the list . The club have won 18 top-flight titles , and also hold the record for the most European Cup victories by an English team , winning the competition five times . The club 's record appearance maker is Ian Callaghan , who made 857 appearances between 1958 and 1978 . Ian Rush is the club 's record goalscorer , scoring 346 goals in total.All statistics are correct as of 24 May 2015 ''", "Forbes' list of the most valuable sports teams. The world 's most valuable sports teams '' ' , as ranked annually by the American magazine Forbes , include teams from soccer , football , baseball , and basketball . National Football League franchise Dallas Cowboys , valued at $ 4 billion , was named the world 's most valuable sports team of 2016 , becoming the first non-association football team to top Forbes '' ranking since its inception in 2010 . English club Manchester United ( 2010 -- 12 ) and Spanish club Real Madrid ( 2013 -- 15 ) have previously each been named the most valuable team three times .", "Bundesliga. The Bundesliga -LSB- ˈbʊndəsˌliːɡa -RSB- ( lit . `` Federal League '' , sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga -LSB- ˈfuːsbal ˈbʊndəsˌliːɡa -RSB- or 1 . Bundesliga -LSB- ˈeːɐ̯stə ˈbʊndəsˌliːɡa -RSB- ) , is a professional association football league in Germany and the football league with the highest average stadium attendance worldwide . At the top of the German football league system , the Bundesliga is Germany 's primary football competition . The Bundesliga is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2 . Bundesliga . Seasons run from August to May . Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays , with a few games played on weekdays . All of the Bundesliga clubs qualify for the DFB-Pokal . The winner of the Bundesliga qualifies for the DFL-Supercup . A total of 54 clubs have competed in the Bundesliga since its founding . FC Bayern Munich has won the Bundesliga the most , winning the title 26 times . However , the Bundesliga has seen other champions with Borussia Dortmund , Hamburger SV , Werder Bremen , Borussia Mönchengladbach and VfB Stuttgart most prominent among them . The Bundesliga is one of the top national leagues , currently ranked second in Europe according to UEFA 's league coefficient ranking , based on performances in European competitions over the past five seasons . The Bundesliga is the number one football league in the world in terms of average attendance ; out of all sports , its average of 45,134 fans per game during the 2011 -- 12 season was the second highest of any sports league in the world after the National Football League . The Bundesliga is broadcast on television in over 200 countries . The Bundesliga was founded in 1962 in Dortmund and the first season started in 1963 . The structure and organisation of the Bundesliga along with Germany 's other football leagues have undergone frequent changes right up to the present day . The Bundesliga was founded by the Deutscher Fußball-Bund ( English : German Football Association ) , but is now operated by the Deutsche Fußball Liga ( English : German Football League ) ." ]

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[ "Land Rover. Land Rover is a car brand that specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles , owned by British multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover , which has been owned by India 's Tata Motors since 2008 . The Land Rover is regarded as a British icon , and was granted a Royal Warrant by King George VI in 1951 . The Land Rover name was originally used by the Rover Company for the Land Rover Series , launched in 1948 . It developed into a brand encompassing a range of four-wheel-drive models , including the Defender , Discovery , Freelander , Range Rover , Range Rover Sport , and Range Rover Evoque . Land Rovers are currently assembled in the company 's Halewood and Solihull plants , with research and development taking place at the Gaydon and Whitley engineering centres . Land Rover sold 194,000 vehicles worldwide in 2009 . In September 2013 , Jaguar Land Rover announced plans to open a # 100 million ( US$ 160 million ) research and development centre in the University of Warwick , Coventry to create a next generation of vehicle technologies . The carmaker said around 1,000 academics and engineers would work there and that construction would start in 2014 .", "Range Rover. The Range Rover is a British made , full-sized luxury sport utility vehicle ( SUV ) produced by Land Rover , and serves as its flagship model . Land Rover is one of several auto manufacturers owned by Tata Motors , a part of the Indian multinational conglomerate Tata Group . The Range Rover was launched in 1970 . It is now in its fourth generation . Land Rover has expanded the Range Rover model line to include different designs : the Range Rover Evoque , the Range Rover Velar and the Range Rover Sport .", "Land Rover Series. The Land Rover Series I , II , and III ( commonly referred to as series Land Rovers , to distinguish them from later models ) are off-road vehicles produced by the British manufacturer Rover Company that were inspired by the US-built Willys Jeep . In 1992 , Land Rover claimed that 70 % of all the vehicles they had built were still in use . Series models feature leaf-sprung suspension with selectable two or four-wheel drive ( 4WD ) ; though the Stage 1 V8 version of the Series III featured permanent 4WD . All three models could be started with a front hand crank and had the option of a rear power takeoff for accessories .", "Rover Company. Rover was a British car manufacturing company founded as Starley & Sutton Co. of Coventry in 1878 . It is the direct ancestor of the present day Land Rover marque , which is now a brand of Jaguar Land Rover , in turn owned by the Tata Group . The company traded as Rover , manufacturing cars between 1904 and 1967 , when it was sold to Leyland Motor Corporation , becoming the Rover marque . The Rover marque was used on cars produced by British Leyland ( BL ) , who separated the assets of the original Rover Company as Land Rover in 1978 whilst the Rover trademark continued to be used on vehicles produced by its successor companies -- the Austin Rover Group ( 1982 -- 1986 ) , the Rover Group ( 1986 -- 2000 ) , and then finally MG Rover ( 2000 -- 2005 ) . Following MG Rover 's collapse in 2005 , the Rover marque became dormant , and was subsequently sold by BMW to Ford , who had bought Land Rover from BMW in 2000 . The rights to the Rover brand were transferred along with the Jaguar Cars and Land Rover businesses , to Tata Motors in 2008 . After developing the template for the modern bicycle with its Rover Safety Bicycle of 1885 , the company moved into the automotive industry . It started building motorcycles and Rover cars , using their established marque with the iconic Viking Longship , from 1904 onwards . Land Rover vehicles were added from 1948 onwards , with all production moving to the Solihull plant after World War II . The Polish word now most commonly used for bicycle -- rower originates from Rover bicycles which had both wheels of the same size ( previous models usually had one bigger , one smaller -- see Penny-farthing , and were called in Polish bicykl , from English bicycle ) .", "Jaguar Land Rover. Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC is the holding company of Jaguar Land Rover Limited , a British multinational automotive company with its headquarters in Whitley , Coventry , United Kingdom , and a subsidiary of Indian automaker Tata Motors . The principal activity of Jaguar Land Rover Limited is the design , development , manufacture and sale of vehicles bearing the Jaguar and Land Rover ( including Range Rover ) marques . Both marques have long and complex histories prior to their merger , going back to the 1940s , first coming together in 1968 as part of the ill-fated British Leyland conglomerate ; and later existed independently of each other as subsidiaries of BMW ( in the case of Land Rover ) , and Ford Motor Company ( in the case of Jaguar ) ; Ford later acquired Land Rover from BMW in 2000 following the break-up of the former Rover Group ; which was effectively the remainder of British Leyland . Jaguar Land Rover has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors since 2008 , when the latter acquired it from Ford . It sold a total of 462,678 vehicles during 2014 , comprising 381,108 Land Rover vehicles and 81,570 Jaguar vehicles .", "Rover (space exploration). A rover ( or sometimes planetary rover ) is a space exploration vehicle designed to move across the surface of a planet or other celestial body . Some rovers have been designed to transport members of a human spaceflight crew ; others have been partially or fully autonomous robots . Rovers usually arrive at the planetary surface on a lander-style spacecraft . Rovers are created to land on another planet , besides Earth , to find out information and to take samples . They can collect dust , rocks , and even take pictures .", "Land Rover Discovery. The Land Rover Discovery is a mid-size luxury SUV , from the British car maker Land Rover . There have been five generations of the vehicle , the first of which was introduced in 1989 , the second called the Series II update in 1998 , the third generation , titled Discovery 3 , launched in 2004 and was marketed in North America as the Land Rover LR3 . The fourth in 2009 was the Discovery 4 -- Land Rover LR4 for North American markets . The Discovery 5 was introduced in 2017 .", "Range Rover (P38A). The Range Rover ( LP ) is the second-generation Range Rover model from British car maker Land Rover . It was launched on September 28 , 1994 , 24 years after the introduction of the first-generation Range Rover . It included an updated version of the Rover V8 engine , with the option of a 2.5-litre BMW six-cylinder turbo-diesel . The new model offered more equipment and premium trims , positioning the vehicle above the Land Rover Discovery to face the increased competition in the SUV marketplace . It is usually known as the Range Rover P38 or P38A outside of Land Rover , after the factory building in which the production line was based . During the development stage the vehicle was known by its project designation of ` Pegasus ' and during production Land Rover referred to it as either the ` New Range Rover ' or by its model designation of ` LP ' .", "Range Rover (L322). The Range Rover ( L322 ) ( usually known simply as the `` Range Rover '' ) is the third-generation Range Rover model from British car maker Land Rover . The L322 was introduced in 2002 and had a production run of over 10 years . Planned and developed under BMW ownership , the vehicle was intended to share components and systems ( electronics , core power units etc. ) with the E38 7 Series . However , BMW had already sold Land Rover to Ford some 2 years before the L322 went into commercial production . In the UK and many other territories , ascending trim levels were initially marketed as `` SE '' , `` HSE '' and `` Vogue '' . Various other trims such as `` Vogue SE '' , `` Westminster '' , `` Autobiography '' and special editions were subsequently produced . In his Sunday Times column Jeremy Clarkson once went on record to state that he owned a Range Rover TDV8 Vogue and it was ` the best car in the world and best 4x4 . ' The L322 's successor , the L405 , was announced in August 2012 and unveiled the same year at the Paris Motor Show .", "Range Rover Classic. The Range Rover Classic is a 4x4 luxury SUV series built by British car maker Land Rover from 1970 to 1996 ; until 1978 Land Rover was part of the overall British Leyland group . It was available only in a 2-door body style until 1981 , after which a 4-door became available , but 2-door models were manufactured until January 1994 . It was the first generation of vehicles produced under the Range Rover name . For most of its history it was known simply as the `` Range Rover '' ; Land Rover coined the term `` Range Rover Classic '' for the brief period the model was built alongside its P38A successor , and applied the name retrospectively to all first-generation Range Rovers .", "Jaguar Cars. Jaguar ( UK English : -LSB- ˈdʒæɡjuː.ər -RSB- , US English : -LSB- ˈdʒæɡwɑɹ -RSB- ) is the luxury vehicle brand of Jaguar Land Rover , a British multinational car manufacturer with its headquarters in Whitley , Coventry , England , owned by the Indian company Tata Motors since 2008 . Jaguar 's business was founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922 , originally making motorcycle sidecars before developing bodies for passenger cars . Under the ownership of S. S. Cars Limited the business extended to complete cars made in association with Standard Motor Co , many bearing Jaguar as a model name . The company 's name was changed from S. S. Cars to Jaguar Cars in 1945 . A merger with the British Motor Corporation followed in 1966 , the resulting enlarged company now being renamed as British Motor Holdings ( BMH ) , which in 1968 merged with Leyland Motor Corporation and became British Leyland , itself to be nationalised in 1975 . Jaguar was de-merged from British Leyland and was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1984 , becoming a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index until it was acquired by Ford in 1990 . Jaguar has , in recent years , manufactured cars for the British Prime Minister , the most recent delivery being an XJ in May 2010 . The company also holds royal warrants from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles . Jaguar cars today are designed in Jaguar Land Rover 's engineering centres at the Whitley plant in Coventry and at their Gaydon site in Warwickshire , and are assembled in their plants at Castle Bromwich and Solihull . In September 2013 Jaguar Land Rover announced plans to open a 100 million GBP ( 160 million USD ) research and development centre in the University of Warwick , Coventry to create a new generation of vehicle technologies . The carmaker said around 1,000 academics and engineers would work there and that construction would start in 2014 .", "Range Rover (L405). The Range Rover L405 is a British luxury SUV made by Land Rover . the fourth generation of Range Rover .", "Land Rover Defender. The Land Rover Defender ( initially called the Land Rover Ninety and Land Rover One Ten ) is a British four-wheel-drive off-road SUV developed from the original Land Rover Series launched in June 1948 . In October 2013 Land Rover announced that production would end in December 2015 after a continuous run of 67 years . Production finally ended on 29 January 2016 when the last Defender , H166 HUE , rolled off the production line at 9:22 . Jaguar Land Rover announced their intention to launch a replacement `` new Defender '' , which motoring journalists speculate will be `` quite different '' from the original version .", "Mars rover. A Mars rover is an automated motor vehicle that propels itself across the surface of the planet Mars upon arrival . Rovers have several advantages over stationary landers : they examine more territory , and they can be directed to interesting features , they can place themselves in sunny positions to weather winter months , and they can advance the knowledge of how to perform very remote robotic vehicle control . There have been four successful robotically operated Mars rovers . The Jet Propulsion Laboratory managed the Mars Pathfinder mission and its now inactive Sojourner rover . It currently manages the Mars Exploration Rover mission 's active Opportunity rover and inactive Spirit , and , as part of the Mars Science Laboratory mission , the Curiosity rover . On January 24 , 2016 NASA reported that current studies on the planet Mars by the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers will now be searching for evidence of ancient life , including a biosphere based on autotrophic , chemotrophic , and/or chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms , as well as ancient water , including fluvio-lacustrine environments ( plains related to ancient rivers or lakes ) that may have been habitable . The search for evidence of habitability , taphonomy ( related to fossils ) , and organic carbon on the planet Mars is now a primary NASA objective .", "Rover (marque). Rover is a British automotive marque used between 1904 and 2005 . It was launched as a bicycle maker called Rover Company in 1878 , before manufacturing cars in 1904 . The brand used the iconic Viking longship as its logo . Despite a state-controlled absorption by the Leyland Motor Corporation ( LMC ) in 1967 and subsequent mergers , nationalisation , and de-mergers , the Rover marque retained its identity first as an independent subsidiary division of LMC , then through variously named groups of British Leyland through the 1970s and into the 1980s . The Rover marque became the primary brand of the then newly renamed Rover Group in 1988 as it passed first through the hands of British Aerospace and into the ownership of BMW Group . Sharing technology with Honda and financial investment during the BMW ownership led to a revival of the marque during the 1990s in its core midsize segment . In 2000 , BMW sold the Rover and related MG car activities of the Rover Group to the Phoenix Consortium , who established the MG Rover Group at Longbridge . BMW retained ownership of the Rover marque , allowing MG Rover to use it under licence . In April 2005 , Rover branded cars ceased to be produced when the MG Rover Group became insolvent . BMW sold the Rover marque to Ford in 2006 for approximately # 6 million , the latter exercising an option of first refusal to buy it dating back to its purchase of Land Rover . Ford thus reunited the original Rover Company marques , primarily for brand-protection reasons . In March 2008 , Ford reached agreement with Tata Motors of India to include the Rover marque as part of the sale of their Jaguar Land Rover operations to them , alongside related Daimler and Lanchester marques . Legally the Rover marque is the property of Land Rover under the terms of Ford 's purchase of the name in 2006 . In the middle of the decade , SAIC Motor Corporation Limited attempted to acquire MG Rover , but in 2005 was outbid by another Chinese automaker , Nanjing Automobile . SAIC did manage to obtain some MG Rover technology that was incorporated into a new line of luxury sedans under the Roewe marque . With no Rover vehicles currently in production , the marque is considered dormant .", "Land Rover Discovery Sport. The Land Rover Discovery Sport ( codename L550 ) is a premium compact SUV produced by British manufacturer Land Rover . It replaces the Land Rover Freelander in a revised Land Rover range of vehicles , with Discovery joining Range Rover as a sub-brand . The new Discovery sub-brand , to be focused on leisure vehicles , will feature two models initially , the compact Discovery Sport and the larger Discovery ( sold as the LR4 in North America ) . The future design direction of the Discovery sub-brand was initially previewed in the form of the Land Rover Discovery Vision concept , shown at the 2014 New York International Auto Show , and it was during the show that Gerry McGovern announced the Land Rover Discovery Sport would be the first new model in the enlarged Discovery family . The Discovery Sport is based on the Land Rover LR-MS platform , a heavily modified variant of the Ford EUCD platform customised for off-road applications , and is powered by a range of four cylinder petrol and diesel engines . The Discovery Sport is available in five and seven seat layouts , reflecting the desire for Discovery models to appeal to family buyers .", "Range Rover Sport. The Range Rover Sport is a British luxury mid-size SUV made by Land Rover . The first generation ( codename : L320 ) started production in 2004 , and was replaced by the second generation Sport ( codename : L494 ) in 2013 .", "Car. A car ( or automobile ) is a wheeled , self-powered motor vehicle used for transportation and a product of the automotive industry . Most definitions of the term specify that cars are designed to run primarily on roads , to have seating for one to eight people , to typically have four wheels with tyres , and to be constructed principally for the transport of people rather than goods . The year 1886 is regarded as the birth year of the modern car . In that year , German inventor Karl Benz built the Benz Patent-Motorwagen . Cars did not become widely available until the early 20th century . One of the first cars that was accessible to the masses was the 1908 Model T , an American car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company . Cars were rapidly adopted in the United States of America , where they replaced animal-drawn carriages and carts , but took much longer to be accepted in Western Europe and other parts of the world . Cars are equipped with controls used for driving , parking , passenger comfort and safety , and controlling a variety of lights . Over the decades , additional features and controls have been added to vehicles , making them progressively more complex . Examples include rear reversing cameras , air conditioning , navigation systems , and in car entertainment . Most cars in use in the 2010s are propelled by an internal combustion engine , fueled by deflagration of gasoline ( also known as petrol ) or diesel . Both fuels cause air pollution and are also blamed for contributing to climate change and global warming . Vehicles using alternative fuels such as ethanol flexible-fuel vehicles and natural gas vehicles are also gaining popularity in some countries . Electric cars , which were invented early in the history of the car , began to become commercially available in 2008 . There are costs and benefits to car use . The costs of car usage include the cost of : acquiring the vehicle , interest payments ( if the car is financed ) , repairs and auto maintenance , fuel , depreciation , driving time , parking fees , taxes , and insurance . The costs to society of car use include : maintaining roads , land use , road congestion , air pollution , public health , health care , and disposing of the vehicle at the end of its life . Road traffic accidents are the largest cause of injury-related deaths worldwide . The benefits may include on-demand transportation , mobility , independence , and convenience . The societal benefits may include : economic benefits , such as job and wealth creation from car production , sales and maintenance , transportation provision , society well-being derived from leisure and travel opportunities , and revenue generation from the tax opportunities . The ability for humans to move flexibly from place to place has far-reaching implications for the nature of societies . It was estimated in 2014 that the number of cars had risen to over 1.25 billion vehicles , up from the 500 million of 1986 . The numbers are increasing rapidly , especially in China , India and other newly industrialized countries .", "Rover P6. The Rover P6 series ( named as the 2000 , 2200 , or 3500 , depending on engine displacement ) is a saloon car produced by Rover and subsequently British Leyland from 1963 to 1977 in Solihull , West Midlands , England . It was voted European Car of the Year in 1964 , the very first winner of this title .", "Range Rover Evoque. The Range Rover Evoque is a compact luxury crossover SUV produced by the British manufacturer Land Rover , part of Tata 's Jaguar Land Rover group . It has been produced since July 2011 in three and five-door versions , with both two-wheel and four-wheel drive . The Evoque is designed to appeal to urban buyers and meet requirements for lower CO2 emissions and fuel economy . The production vehicle is similar to the Land Rover LRX concept , which was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in January 2008 . The Evoque , which was designed to add a more affordable model to the ` high-end ' classic Range Rover range , was received positively by the automotive press for retaining the features , amenities , and off-road capabilities of a traditional Range Rover in a smaller package . Land Rover sold nearly 88,000 units of the Evoque in its first year of production .", "Land Rover Freelander. The Land Rover Freelander is a compact sport utility vehicle ( SUV ) which was produced by the British manufacturer Land Rover , in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive versions , from 1997 to 2014 . The second generation , launched in 2007 , was sold as the LR2 in North America and as the Freelander 2 in Europe . It uses a monocoque ( unibody ) structure , in common with almost all other crossovers in its class , but unlike traditional SUVs built with body-on-frame designs . The Freelander was replaced by the Discovery Sport in 2015 .", "Rover 200 / 25. The Rover 200 Series , and later the Rover 25 , are a series of small family cars that were produced by British manufacturer Rover from 1984 to 2005 . There have been three distinct generations of the Rover 200 . The first generation was a four-door saloon car based on the Honda Ballade . The second generation was available in three or five-door hatchback forms , as well a coupé and cabriolet ( in relatively small numbers ) . Its sister model , the Honda Concerto was built on the same production line in Rover 's Longbridge factory . The final generation was developed independently by Rover on the platform of its predecessor , and was available as a three or five-door hatchback . Just before the sale of Rover in 2000 , and following a facelift , the model was renamed and sold as the Rover 25 , and the MG ZR was based on the Rover 25 with mechanical changes to the suspension . Production ceased in 2005 when MG Rover went into administration . Production rights and tooling for the model , but not the Rover name , now belong to Chinese car manufacturer Nanjing .", "Rover Group. The Rover Group plc was the name given in 1986 to the British vehicle manufacturer BL ( formerly British Leyland ) , which had been state-owned company since 1975 . It initially included the Austin Rover Group car business ( comprising the Austin , Rover , Mini and MG marques ) , Land Rover Group , Freight Rover vans and Leyland Trucks . The Rover Group was owned by British Aerospace ( BAe ) from 1988 to 1994 , when BAe sold the remaining car business to the German company BMW . The group was further broken up in 2000 , when Ford acquired the Land Rover division , with the Rover and MG marques continuing with the much smaller MG Rover Group until 2005 . Ownership of the original Rover Group marques is currently split between BMW ( Germany ) , SAIC ( China ) , and Tata Motors ( India ) .", "Range Rover Velar. The Land Rover Range Rover Velar -LSB- ˈvɛ.lɚ -RSB- is a British luxury mid-size crossover SUV made by Land Rover . The fourth model in the Range Rover line , the Velar was unveiled on 1 March 2017 . The Velar will be released in the summer of 2017 . The name Velar had previously been used for a series of pre-production first-generation Range Rovers in 1969 .", "Land Rover Group. Land Rover Group ( LRG ) was a division of British Leyland ( BL ) and later the Rover Group that was in existence between 1981 and 1987 . LRG brought British Leyland 's light commercial vehicle production under one management , consisting of the Land Rover utility 4x4 range , the Range Rover luxury 4x4 and the former Leyland Sherpa van range ( re-branded Freight Rover to match the other group members in 1984 ) . LRG operated two factories in the Birmingham area - the Solihull plant and the Freight Rover plant at Washwood Heath .", "Rover P3. The Rover Sixty and Rover Seventy-Five or Rover P3 series were 1.6 and 2.0-litre executive cars announced in the middle of February 1948 and produced by The Rover Company Limited until the ( northern ) summer of 1949 . Two months after the announcement of the new cars `` a new vehicle for agriculture '' was announced , the Land-Rover , with the engine of the new Sixty .", "Land Rover Llama. The Land Rover Llama is a vehicle that was designed and developed by the British company Land Rover in the mid-1980s . 11 prototypes and a single production vehicle were built during 1986/7 with the hope of winning a contract from the Ministry of Defence ( MoD ) to replace its existing fleet of Land Rover 101 gun tractors . Heavily based on the contemporary Land Rover One Ten , the Llama was intended to be sold on both the military and civilian markets . However , the MoD did not choose Land Rover 's design and without the security of these sales Land Rover was unwilling to risk putting the Llama on the market . The name ` Llama ' was only the codename given to the development project - the vehicle was actually called the Land Rover 110 Forward Control in official Land Rover documentation . However , the design is now known to enthusiasts of the Land Rover marque as ` the Llama ' .", "Ford Motor Company. The Ford Motor Company ( commonly referred to simply as `` Ford '' ) is an American multinational automaker headquartered in Dearborn , Michigan , a suburb of Detroit . It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16 , 1903 . The company sells automobiles and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand and most luxury cars under the Lincoln brand . Ford also owns Brazilian SUV manufacturer , Troller , and Australian performance car manufacturer FPV . In the past , it has also produced tractors and automotive components . Ford owns an 8 % stake in Aston Martin of the United Kingdom , and a 49 % stake in Jiangling of China . It also has a number of joint-ventures , one in China ( Changan Ford ) , one in Taiwan ( Ford Lio Ho ) , one in Thailand ( AutoAlliance Thailand ) , one in Turkey ( Ford Otosan ) , and one in Russia ( Ford Sollers ) . It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is controlled by the Ford family , although they have minority ownership ( but majority of the voting power ) . Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale management of an industrial workforce using elaborately engineered manufacturing sequences typified by moving assembly lines ; by 1914 , these methods were known around the world as Fordism . Ford 's former UK subsidiaries Jaguar and Land Rover , acquired in 1989 and 2000 respectively , were sold to Tata Motors in March 2008 . Ford owned the Swedish automaker Volvo from 1999 to 2010 . In 2011 , Ford discontinued the Mercury brand , under which it had marketed entry-level luxury cars in the United States , Canada , Mexico , and the Middle East since 1938 . During the financial crisis at the beginning of the 21st century , it was close to bankruptcy , but it has since returned to profitability . Ford is the second-largest U.S.-based automaker ( preceded by General Motors ) and the fifth-largest in the world ( behind Toyota , VW , Hyundai-Kia and General Motors ) based on 2015 vehicle production . At the end of 2010 , Ford was the fifth largest automaker in Europe . Ford is the eighth-ranked overall American-based company in the 2010 Fortune 500 list , based on global revenues in 2009 of $ 118.3 billion . In 2008 , Ford produced 5.532 million automobiles and employed about 213,000 employees at around 90 plants and facilities worldwide . The company went public in 1956 but the Ford family , through special Class B shares , still retain 40 percent voting rights .", "Rover SD1. The Rover SD1 is both the code name and eventual production name given to a series of executive cars built by British Leyland ( BL ) , under the Rover marque . It was produced through its Specialist , Rover Triumph and Austin Rover divisions from 1976 until 1986 , when it was replaced by the Rover 800 . The SD1 was marketed under various names . In 1977 it won the European Car of the Year title . In `` SD1 '' , the `` SD '' refers to `` Specialist Division '' and `` 1 '' is the first car to come from the in-house design team . The SD1 can be considered as the last British Rover , being the final Rover-badged vehicle to be produced at Solihull , as well as being the last to be designed largely by ex-Rover Company engineers . Future Rovers would be built at the former British Motor Corporation factories at Longbridge and Cowley ; and were to rely largely on Honda engineering .", "Dodge. Dodge is an American brand of cars , minivans , and sport utility vehicles manufactured by FCA US LLC ( formerly known as Chrysler Group LLC ) , based in Auburn Hills , Michigan . Dodge vehicles currently include the lower-priced badge variants of Chrysler-badged vehicles as well as performance cars , though for much of its existence Dodge was Chrysler 's mid-priced brand above Plymouth . Founded as the Dodge Brothers Company machine shop by brothers Horace Elgin Dodge and John Francis Dodge in the early 1900s , Dodge was originally a supplier of parts and assemblies for Detroit-based automakers and began building complete automobiles under the `` Dodge Brothers '' brand in 1914 , predating the founding of Chrysler Corporation . The factory was located in Hamtramck , Michigan and was called the Dodge Main factory from 1910 until its closing in January 1980 . The Dodge brothers both died in 1920 , and the company was sold by their families to Dillon , Read & Co. in 1925 before being sold to Chrysler in 1928 . Dodge vehicles mainly consisted of trucks and full-sized passenger cars through the 1970s , though it made memorable compact cars ( such as the 1963-76 Dart ) and midsize cars ( such as the `` B-Body '' Coronet and Charger from 1962-79 . The 1973 oil crisis and its subsequent impact on the American automobile industry led Chrysler to develop the K platform of compact to midsize cars for the 1981 model year . The K platform and its derivatives are credited with reviving Chrysler 's business in the 1980s ; one such derivative became the Dodge Caravan . The Dodge brand has withstood the multiple ownership changes at Chrysler from 1998 to 2009 , including its short-lived merger with Daimler-Benz AG from 1998 to 2007 , its subsequent sale to Cerberus Capital Management , its 2009 bailout by the United States government , and its subsequent Chapter 11 bankruptcy and acquisition by Fiat . In 2011 , Dodge , Ram , and Dodge 's Viper were separated . Dodge said that the Dodge Viper would be an SRT product and Ram will be a manufacturer . In 2014 , SRT was merged back into Dodge . Later that year , Chrysler Group was renamed FCA US LLC , corresponding with the merger of Fiat S.p.A. and Chrysler Group into the single corporate structure of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles .", "Car model. An automobile model ( or car model or model of car , and typically abbreviated to just `` model '' ) is a particular brand of vehicle sold under a marque by a manufacturer , usually within a range of models , usually of different sizes or capabilities . From an engineering point of view , a particular car model is usually defined and/or constrained by the use of a particular car chassis/bodywork combination or the same monocoque , although sometimes this is not the case , and the model represents a marketing segment . A model may also be referred to as a nameplate , specifically when referring to the product from the point of view of the manufacturer , especially a model over time . For example , the Chevrolet Suburban is the oldest automobile nameplate in continuous production , dating to 1934 ( 1935 model year ) , while the Chrysler New Yorker was ( until its demise in 1996 ) the oldest North American car nameplate . `` Nameplate '' is also sometimes used more loosely , however , to refer to a brand or division of larger company ( e.g. , GMC ) , rather than a specific model . This engineering frame may have derivatives , giving rise to more than one body style for a particular car model . For example , the same model can be offered as a four-door sedan ( saloon ) , a two-door coupé , a station wagon ( estate ) , or even as a folding-roof convertible , all derived from essentially the same engineering frame . An example of this is the BMW 3-series . Fully specifying an automobile can involve many levels of detail , most basically : manufacturer ( company ) , model ( brand , product name ) , and model year . Often , these further details are included : body style ( e.g. , 2-door , 4-door ) , trim level ( often denoted by lettering after the model name ) , and individual options ( e.g. , a sunroof ) . In North America , formal reference to automobiles ( e.g. , in police reports ) specify `` year , make , model '' , i.e. , model year , manufacturer , and product , as in a `` 2000 Toyota Camry . ''", "Rover Light Armoured Car. The Light Armoured Car ( Aust ) , also known as Rover , was an armoured car produced in Australia during the Second World War ." ]

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[ "Sully (film). Sully ( also known as Sully : Miracle on the Hudson ) is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Todd Komarnicki , based on the autobiography Highest Duty by Chesley Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow . The film stars Tom Hanks as Sullenberger , with Aaron Eckhart , Laura Linney , Anna Gunn , Autumn Reeser , Holt McCallany , Jamey Sheridan , and Jerry Ferrara in supporting roles . The film follows Sullenberger 's January 2009 emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River , in which all 155 passengers and crew survived with only minor injuries , and the subsequent publicity and investigation . Sully premiered at the 43rd Annual Telluride Film Festival on September 2 , 2016 , and was released in the United States by Warner Bros. on September 9 , 2016 , in conventional and IMAX theaters . The film received positive reviews from critics and has grossed over $ 238 million worldwide , but created controversy with its portrayal of the National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ) . The American Film Institute selected it as one of its ten Movies of the Year .", "Sully (band). Sully was a Canadian indie rock group formed in 1994 in Ottawa . The band released a self-titled album independently in 1995 . After releasing `` I Have Much to Report '' through Toronto independent label Random Sound in 1997 , Sully signed to Nettwerk Records . `` I Have Much to Report '' was re-released by Nettwerk in 1998 . Sully was showcased on Nettwerk Record 's Plastic Compilation ( Vol . 1 ) which also included artists such as Sarah McLachlan , Chemical Brothers , and Propellorheads . Sully was featured in numerous North American publications ( Alternative Press , Rolling Stone , Option , Chicago Tribune , Ottawa Xpress , NOW Magazine , and many more ) with favorable reviews . Sully played shows across the U.S. and Canada , and `` I Have Much to Report '' remained in the top 5 position on the College Charts for several weeks . Sully was eventually dropped by Nettwerk Records and went on to release its third album `` Bright Lights '' independently in 2001 . Sully 's music found placement in a variety of films such as Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down ( CBC film , 1998 ) , Ecstasy ( film , 1996 ) , Bliss ( TV , 2002 ) , Get A Life ( TVO , 1999 ) , Drop in ( MTV-Canada , fall 2002 ) , and a commercial for Cinematheque ( a division of the Toronto International Film Festival ,1996 ) . The song Fidget went to No. 1 on the Pop chart on Garageband.com . Sully shot a video for `` Half of Once '' from `` Bright Lights '' with a MuchMusic VideoFact grant . Sully was chosen by a panel of industry judges to perform on a broadcast special for CBC ( National TV in Canada ) called `` The Great Canadian Music Dream '' in January 2003 . The band 's website www.sullyweb.com is currently inactive . In 2001 , Sully was reported to be working on a fourth album with Tim Glasgow from Sonic Youth 's Murray Street studio . This album was to be released in the fall of 2002 , but has never been made available .", "Sulfone. A sulfone is a chemical compound containing a sulfonyl functional group attached to two carbon atoms . The central hexavalent sulfur atom is double bonded to each of two oxygen atoms and has a single bond to each of two carbon atoms , usually in two separate hydrocarbon substituents .", "Sulphide Indole Motility medium. Sulphide Indole Motility ( SIM ) medium is a bacterial growth medium which tests for the ability to reduce sulfates , the ability to produce indoles , and motility . This combination of challenges in one mixture is convenient and commercially available in stab tubes . Inoculated needles are then punctured into the culture and incubated , if the culture becomes cloudy the bacteria were able to infiltrate the media and survive . This method is particularly useful for pathogenic bacteria which are dangerous to handle on wet mount slides", "Sully. Sully can refer to :", "Digital media. Digital media is any media that is encoded in a machine-readable format . Digital media can be created , viewed , distributed , modified and preserved on digital electronics devices . Computer programs and software ; digital imagery , digital video ; video games ; web pages and websites , including social media ; data and databases ; digital audio , such as mp3s ; and e-books are examples of digital media . Digital media are frequently contrasted with print media , such as printed books , newspapers and magazines , and other traditional or analog media , such as pictures , film or audio tape . Combined with the Internet and personal computing , digital media has caused disruption in publishing , journalism , entertainment , education , commerce and politics . Digital media has also posed new challenges to copyright and intellectual property laws , fostering an open content movement in which content creators voluntarily give up some or all of their legal rights to their work . The ubiquity of digital media and its effects on society suggest that we are at the start of a new era in industrial history , called the Information Age , perhaps leading to a paperless society in which all media are produced and consumed on computers . However , challenges to a digital transition remain , including outdated copyright laws , censorship , the digital divide , and the spectre of a digital dark age , in which older media becomes inaccessible to new or upgraded information systems . Digital media has a significant , wide-ranging and complex impact on society and culture .", "Viacom. Viacom Inc. ( known professionally as Viacom ( -LSB- ˈvaɪəkɒm -RSB- ) and stylized as vıacom or b_viacom in YouTube ) is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in cinema and cable television . It is currently the world 's sixth largest broadcasting and cable company in terms of revenue -- behind Comcast , The Walt Disney Company , Time Warner , and CBS Corporation , but ahead of 21st Century Fox . Voting control of Viacom is held by National Amusements , Inc. , a privately owned theater company controlled by the billionaire Sumner Redstone . Redstone also holds -- via National Amusements -- a controlling stake in CBS Corporation . The current incarnation of Viacom was created on December 31 , 2005 as a spin-off from the original incarnation of Viacom , which was renamed as CBS Corporation after the spin-off . CBS Corporation currently retains control of the over-the-air broadcasting , TV production , subscription pay television ( with Showtime Networks ) and publishing assets ( with Simon & Schuster ) , which were previously owned by the original Viacom . Predecessor firms of the original Viacom included Gulf + Western ( which later became Paramount Communications ) and Westinghouse Electric Corporation . Comprising BET Networks , Viacom Media Networks and Paramount Pictures , the current Viacom operates approximately 170 networks , reaching approximately 700 million subscribers in approximately 160 countries .", "Film. A film , also called a movie , motion picture , theatrical film , or photoplay , is a series of still images which , when shown on a screen , creates the illusion of moving images due to the phi phenomenon . This optical illusion causes the audience to perceive continuous motion between separate objects viewed rapidly in succession . The process of filmmaking is both an art and an industry . A film is created by photographing actual scenes with a motion picture camera ; by photographing drawings or miniature models using traditional animation techniques ; by means of CGI and computer animation ; or by a combination of some or all of these techniques and other visual effects . The word `` cinema '' , short for cinematography , is often used to refer to the industry of films and filmmaking or to the art of filmmaking itself . The contemporary definition of cinema is the art of simulating experiences to communicate ideas , stories , perceptions , feelings , beauty or atmosphere by the means of recorded or programmed moving images along with other sensory stimulations . Films were originally recorded onto plastic film through a photochemical process and then shown through a movie projector onto a large screen . The adoption of CGI-based special effects led to the use of digital intermediates . Most contemporary films are now fully digital through the entire process of production , distribution , and exhibition from start to finish . Films recorded in a photochemical form traditionally included an analogous optical soundtrack , which is a graphic recording of the spoken words , music and other sounds that accompany the images . It runs along a portion of the film exclusively reserved for it and is not projected . Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures . They reflect those cultures , and , in turn , affect them . Film is considered to be an important art form , a source of popular entertainment , and a powerful medium for educating -- or indoctrinating -- citizens . The visual basis of film gives it a universal power of communication . Some films have become popular worldwide attractions by using dubbing or subtitles to translate the dialog into the language of the viewer . Some have criticized the film industry 's glorification of violence and its potentially negative treatment of women . The individual images that make up a film are called frames . During projection of traditional films , a rotating shutter causes intervals of darkness as each frame , in turn , is moved into position to be projected , but the viewer does not notice the interruptions because of an effect known as persistence of vision , whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after the source has been removed . The perception of motion is due to a psychological effect called phi phenomenon . The name `` film '' originates from the fact that photographic film ( also called film stock ) has historically been the medium for recording and displaying motion pictures . Many other terms exist for an individual motion picture , including picture , picture show , moving picture , photoplay , and flick . The most common term in the United States is movie , while in Europe film is preferred . Terms for the field , in general , include the big screen , the silver screen , the movies , and cinema ; the latter is commonly used in scholarly texts and critical essays , especially by European writers . In early years , the word sheet was sometimes used instead of screen .", "Chemically defined medium. A chemically defined medium is a growth medium suitable for the in vitro cell culture of human or animal cells in which all of the chemical components are known . Standard cell culture media are commonly supplemented with animal serum ( such as fetal bovine serum , FBS ) as a source of nutrients and other ill-defined factors . The technical disadvantages to using serum include its undefined nature , batch-to-batch variability in composition , and the risk of contamination . There is a clear distinction between serum-free media and chemically defined media . Serum-free media may contain undefined animal-derived products such as serum albumin ( purified from blood ) , hydrolysates , growth factors , hormones , carrier proteins , and attachment factors . These undefined animal-derived products will contain complex contaminants , such as the lipid content of albumin . In contrast , chemically defined media require that all of the components must be identified and have their exact concentrations known . Therefore , a chemically defined medium must be entirely free of animal-derived components and can not contain either fetal bovine serum , bovine serum albumin or human serum albumin . To achieve this , chemically defined media is commonly supplemented with recombinant versions of albumin and growth factors , usually derived from rice or E. coli , or synthetic chemical such as the polymer polyvinyl alcohol which can reproduce some of the functions of BSA/HSA . The constituents of a chemically defined media include : a basal media ( such as DMEM , F12 , or RPMI 1640 , containing amino acids , vitamins , inorganic salts , buffers , antioxidants and energy sources ) , which is supplemented with recombinant albumin , chemically defined lipids , recombinant insulin and/or zinc , recombinant transferrin or iron , selenium and an antioxidant thiol such as 2-mercaptoethanol or 1-thioglycerol .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Drama. Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance . The term comes from a Greek word meaning `` action '' ( Classical Greek : δρᾶμα , drama ) , which is derived from `` I do '' ( Classical Greek : δράω , drao ) . The two masks associated with drama represent the traditional generic division between comedy and tragedy . They are symbols of the ancient Greek Muses , Thalia , and Melpomene . Thalia was the Muse of comedy ( the laughing face ) , while Melpomene was the Muse of tragedy ( the weeping face ) . Considered as a genre of poetry in general , the dramatic mode has been contrasted with the epic and the lyrical modes ever since Aristotle 's Poetics ( c. 335 BCE ) -- the earliest work of dramatic theory . In English ( as was the analogous case in many other European languages ) , the word `` play '' or `` game '' ( translating the Anglo-Saxon plèga or Latin ludus ) was the standard term used to describe drama until William Shakespeare 's time -- just as its creator was a `` play-maker '' rather than a `` dramatist '' and the building was a `` play-house '' rather than a `` theatre . '' The use of `` drama '' in a more narrow sense to designate a specific type of play dates from the modern era . `` Drama '' in this sense refers to a play that is neither a comedy nor a tragedy -- for example , Zola 's Thérèse Raquin ( 1873 ) or Chekhov 's Ivanov ( 1887 ) . It is this narrower sense that the film and television industries , along with film studies , adopted to describe `` drama '' as a genre within their respective media . `` Radio drama '' has been used in both senses -- originally transmitted in a live performance , it has also been used to describe the more high-brow and serious end of the dramatic output of radio . The enactment of drama in theatre , performed by actors on a stage before an audience , presupposes collaborative modes of production and a collective form of reception . The structure of dramatic texts , unlike other forms of literature , is directly influenced by this collaborative production and collective reception . The early modern tragedy Hamlet ( 1601 ) by Shakespeare and the classical Athenian tragedy Oedipus Rex ( c. 429 BCE ) by Sophocles are among the masterpieces of the art of drama . A modern example is Long Day 's Journey into Night by Eugene O'Neill ( 1956 ) . Drama is often combined with music and dance : the drama in opera is generally sung throughout ; musicals generally include both spoken dialogue and songs ; and some forms of drama have incidental music or musical accompaniment underscoring the dialogue ( melodrama and Japanese Nō , for example ) . Closet drama describes a form that is intended to be read , rather than performed . In improvisation , the drama does not pre-exist the moment of performance ; performers devise a dramatic script spontaneously before an audience .", "François Sully. Note : The `` François Sully '' credited in The Foreman Went to France ( 1942 ) was British character actor Francis L. Sullivan . François Sully ( 1927-1971 ) was a French journalist and photographer best known for his work during the Vietnam War . Sully was one of the earliest journalists to cover the Vietnam War and spent 24 years in Indochina . At the time of his death in a command helicopter crash near the Cambodian border , he was viewed as the dean of the Saigon press corps . Sully was born in 1927 or 1928 in France and fought against the Nazis in the French Resistance as a teenager and was wounded on his seventeenth birthday in Paris . After the liberation of Paris he enlisted in the French Army , fought the Nazis in Germany and then volunteered for the French Expeditionary Forces , arriving in Saigon when the Japanese surrendered in 1945 . Discharged in Saigon , Sully tried his hand as a tea planter and rancher before turning to journalism . In 1947 he joined Sud-Est Asiatique , a now defunct French magazine , working for them until 1953 . He was assigned to cover the battle of Dien Bien Phu by Time-Life . He escaped from behind the Viet Minh lines . In 1959 he joined United Press International ( UPI ) . He wrote articles for Time magazine and his photographs were carried by Black Star until he joined Newsweek in early 1961 . In March 1962 , Sully was to be expelled from South Vietnam by President Ngo Dinh Diem , egged on by Madame Nhu , as his reporting was deemed `` helpful to the enemy '' . Unofficially , Diem intended the expulsion to serve as a warning to all journalists reporting the failings of his U.S.-assisted war against the Viet Cong . The other journalist on the expulsion list was Homer Bigart of the New York Times . Diem backed down after the U.S. Mission explained that expulsion would only worsen an already bad relationship with the press . Five months later , however , in August 1962 , Sully was sent packing after some seventeen years in Indochina . The Newsweek issue of August 20 , 1962 carried a long article by Sully `` Viet Nam : The Unpleasant Truth '' . His expulsion became a major political affair between Saigon and Washington . Sully departed Saigon on September 9 , with most of the press corps at the airfield in a show of solidarity . After his expulsion Sully proceeded to Harvard where he put in a year at the Nieman Foundation and worked in bordering countries to Vietnam . He returned to the Newsweek bureau in Saigon after the November 1963 Coup and assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem . During his work as Newsweek '' 's Saigon Bureau Chief , Sully also wrote for a number of other newsmagazines including The Nation and The New Republic . In 1967 and 1968 , Sully wrote articles for McGraw-Hill 's business-reporting service World News which distributed them to Business Week , Medical World News , Engineering News Record , and other publications . In addition to writing news stories and taking photographs , Sully wrote Age of the Guerrilla : The New Warfare ( New York : Parent 's Magazine Press , 1968 ; reprinted by Avon , 1970 ) and compiled and edited We the Vietnamese : Voices from Vietnam '' ( New York : Praeger , 1971 ) . Sully was the insider 's insider amongst the press corps in Vietnam . His sources were numerous inside the Viet Minh and Viet Cong , inside the Palace in Saigon and at grassroots levels in every province in the North and South . He spoke several languages and was fluent in French , English , Vietnamese and Lao . Sully died in February 1971 . He was aboard a command helicopter as it turned west towards Cambodia . The helicopter of General Do Cao Tri ( ` Patton of the Parrots Beak ' ) had lifted off from Tay Ninh airstrip and was heading towards a firebase just across the Vietnam-Cambodia border . As the helicopter was nearing its destination it burst in flames . Sully alone leaped from the burning craft and plunged seventy five feet to the ground . All others died in the crash . Sully died from injuries suffered in the fall at Long Binh hospital . Sully was buried in Mac Dinh Chi Cemetery in Saigon . He left his insurance policy of 18 million piasters to Vietnamese orphans .", "Publicity. Publicity ( from French publicité , from public ` public ' ) is the movement of information to the general public from the media . The subjects of publicity includes people ( for example , politicians and performing artists ) , goods and services , organizations , and works of art or entertainment . Publicity is gaining public visibility or awareness for a product , service or your company via the media . It is the publicist that carries out publicity , while PR is the strategic management function that helps an organization communicate , establishing and maintaining communication with the public . This can be done internally , without the use of media . From a marketing perspective , publicity is one component of promotion and marketing . The other elements of the promotional mix are advertising , sales promotion , direct marketing and personal selling . Examples of promotional tactics include : Announce an appointment Arrange a speech or talk Arrange for a testimonial Art people Conduct a poll or survey Event sponsorship Invent then present an award Issue a commendation Issue a report Make an analysis or prediction Organize a tour of your business or projects Stage a debate Take a stand on a controversial subject The advantages of publicity are low cost and credibility ( particularly if the publicity is aired in between news stories like on evening TV news casts ) . New technologies such as weblogs , web cameras , web affiliates , and convergence ( phone-camera posting of pictures and videos to websites ) are changing the cost-structure . The disadvantages are lack of control over how your releases will be used , and frustration over the low percentage of releases that are taken up by the media . Publicity draws on several key themes including birth , love , and death . These are of particular interest because they are themes in human lives which feature heavily throughout life . In television series , several couples have emerged during crucial ratings and important publicity times as a way to make constant headlines . Also known as a publicity stunt , the pairings may or may not be according to the fact . `` Publicity is not merely an assembly of competing messages : it is a language in itself which is always being used to make the same general proposal , '' writes the art critic John Berger . `` It proposes to each of us that we transform ourselves , or our lives by buying . . publicity is not paid for something more . '' Publicity is often referred to as the result of public relations in terms of providing favourable information to media and any third party outlets ; these may including bloggers , mainstream media , as well as new media forms such as podcasts . All this is done to provide a message to consumers without having to pay for direct time or space . This in return creates awareness and carries out more credibility as well . After the message has been distributed , the publicist in charge of the information will lose control on how the message is used and interpreted , much different to the way it works in advertising . According to Grunig , public relations is often reduced to publicity . He also states how publicity is a form of activity in which should be associated with the sales promotion effort of a company , in order to help aid advertising and personal salesmanship as well . Kent also stated that the doing of publicity can help attract attention whilst also supplying information regarding a specific organization or individual client and any event , activity or attribute associated with them . The use of publicity is also known to be an important strategic element and promotional tool due to its effect of intentional exposure over a consumer , this helps publicity gain a beneficial advantage over other marketing aspects such as Advertising alongside its high credibility . Favourable publicity is also created through reputation management in which organizations try strive to control via the web . Furthermore , despite the fact that publicity , both good or bad , can be beneficial for an organization , company or client , much of it is paid for despite claims that publicity is often free . Despite publicity being an influential benefit within the marketing sector , one disadvantage which highly affects publicity , is the lack of ability in which publicity can not be repeated as such compared to advertising .", "Thanos. Thanos ( -LSB- ˈθænɒs -RSB- , -LSB- ˈθænoʊs -RSB- ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character is usually depicted as a Titanian mutant -- Eternal superhuman . The character first appeared in Iron Man # 55 ( February 1973 ) and was created by writer Mike Friedrich and writer-artist Jim Starlin . Debuting in the Bronze Age of Comic Books , the character has been featured in more than four decades of Marvel continuity and a self-titled series . Thanos appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe 's various films , including The Avengers ( 2012 ) , portrayed by Damion Poitier , and Guardians of the Galaxy ( 2014 ) , Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) , Avengers : Infinity War ( 2018 ) and its untitled sequel ( 2019 ) , portrayed by Josh Brolin . The character has appeared in other Marvel-endorsed products , including animated television series , arcade , and video games .", "Laura Lundy Wheale. Laura Lundy Wheale ( born June 21 , 1988 ) , known professionally as Laura Lundy , is an American actress , producer and attorney . Born in Birmingham , Alabama and raised in Cedartown , Georgia , Wheale was cast as a lead role in A Larger Life , alongside Fred Thompson . Wheale 's first major motion picture role came in 2016 when she was cast as Patty Lynn in Ang Lee 's Billy Lynn 's Long Halftime Walk . Shortly thereafter , she was cast as a reporter in Clint Eastwood 's Sully , starring Tom Hanks . Wheale graduated from Jacksonville State University with a degree in theatre . While in undergraduate , she played four years of full-scholarship Division 1 NCAA tennis . In 2010 , the team experienced an undefeated season and won the Ohio Valley Conference championship . After undergraduate , Wheale attended the Cumberland School of Law . Additionally , she received training in acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute . Category : American actresses Category : Jacksonville State University alumni Category : Cumberland School of Law alumni Category :1988 births Category : Living people", "Pixar. Pixar ( -LSB- ˈpɪksɑr -RSB- ) , also referred to as Pixar Animation Studios , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville , California that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company . Pixar began in 1979 as the Graphics Group , part of the Lucasfilm computer division , before its spin-out as a corporation in 1986 , with funding by Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs , who became the majority shareholder . Disney purchased Pixar in 2006 at a valuation of $ 7.4 billion , a transaction that resulted in Jobs becoming Disney 's largest single shareholder at the time . Pixar is best known for CGI-animated feature films created with RenderMan , Pixar 's own implementation of the industry-standard RenderMan image-rendering application programming interface , used to generate high-quality images . Pixar has produced seventeen feature films , beginning with Toy Story ( 1995 ) , which was the first-ever computer-animated feature film , and its most recent being Finding Dory ( 2016 ) . All 17 of its films have debuted with CinemaScore ratings of at least an `` A − , '' indicating positive receptions with audiences . The studio has also produced several short films . , its feature films have earned approximately $ 10.8 billion at the box office worldwide , with an average worldwide gross of $ 634 million per film . Finding Dory , along with its predecessor Finding Nemo ( 2003 ) , as well as Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) are among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , with the lattermost film being the third all-time highest-grossing animated film with a gross of $ 1.063 billion . Fourteen of Pixar 's films are also among the 50 highest-grossing animated films of all time . The studio has earned sixteen Academy Awards , seven Golden Globe Awards , and eleven Grammy Awards , among many other awards and acknowledgments . Many of Pixar 's films have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature since its inauguration in 2001 , with eight winning ; this includes Finding Nemo and Toy Story 3 , along with The Incredibles ( 2004 ) , Ratatouille ( 2007 ) , WALL-E ( 2008 ) , Up ( 2009 ) , Brave ( 2012 ) , and Inside Out ( 2015 ) . Monsters , Inc. ( 2001 ) and Cars ( 2006 ) are the only two films that were nominated for the award without winning it , while Cars 2 ( 2011 ) , Monsters University ( 2013 ) , The Good Dinosaur ( 2015 ) , and Finding Dory have not been nominated . Up and Toy Story 3 were also the respective second and third animated films to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture , the first being Walt Disney Animation Studios ' Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) . Luxo Jr. , a character from the studio 's 1986 short film of the same name , is the studio 's mascot . On September 6 , 2009 , Pixar executives John Lasseter , Brad Bird , Pete Docter , Andrew Stanton , and Lee Unkrich were presented with the Golden Lion award for Lifetime Achievement by the biennial Venice Film Festival . The award was presented by Lucasfilm 's founder George Lucas .", "Television. Television or TV is a telecommunication medium used for transmitting moving images in monochrome ( black-and-white ) , or in color , and in two or three dimensions and sound . The term can refer to a television set , a television program ( `` TV show '' ) , or the medium of television transmission . Television is a mass medium for entertainment , education , news , politics , gossip , and advertising . Television became available in crude experimental forms in the late 1920s , but it would still be several years before the new technology was marketed to consumers . After World War II , an improved form of black-and-white TV broadcasting became popular in the United States and Britain , and television sets became commonplace in homes , businesses , and institutions . During the 1950s , television was the primary medium for influencing public opinion . In the mid-1960s , color broadcasting was introduced in the US and most other developed countries . The availability of multiple types of storage media such as Betamax , VHS tape , local disks , DVDs , flash drives , high-definition Blu-ray Discs , and digital video recorders have enabled viewers to watch prerecorded material -- such as movies -- at home on their own time schedule . For many reasons , the storage of television and video programming now occurs on the cloud . At the end of the first decade of the 2000s , digital television transmissions greatly increased in popularity . Another development was the move from standard-definition television ( SDTV ) ( 576i , with 576 interlaced lines of resolution and 480i ) to high-definition television ( HDTV ) , which provides a resolution that is substantially higher . HDTV may be transmitted in various formats : 1080p , 1080i and 720p . Since 2010 , with the invention of smart television , Internet television has increased the availability of television programs and movies via the Internet through streaming video services such as Netflix , Amazon Video , iPlayer , Hulu , Roku and Chromecast . In 2013 , 79 % of the world 's households owned a television set . The replacement of early bulky , high-voltage cathode ray tube ( CRT ) screen displays with compact , energy-efficient , flat-panel alternative technologies such as plasma displays , LCDs ( both fluorescent-backlit and LED ) , and OLED displays was a hardware revolution that began with computer monitors in the late 1990s . Most TV sets sold in the 2000s were flat-panel , mainly LEDs . Major manufacturers announced the discontinuation of CRT , DLP , plasma , and even fluorescent-backlit LCDs by the mid-2010s . In the near future , LEDs are gradually expected to be replaced by OLEDs . Also , major manufacturers have announced that they will increasingly produce smart TVs in the mid-2010s . Smart TVs with integrated Internet and Web 2.0 functions became the dominant form of television by the late 2010s . Television signals were initially distributed only as terrestrial television using high-powered radio-frequency transmitters to broadcast the signal to individual television receivers . Alternatively television signals are distributed by coaxial cable or optical fiber , satellite systems and , since the 2000s via the Internet . Until the early 2000s , these were transmitted as analog signals , but a transition to digital television is expected to be completed worldwide by the late 2010s . A standard television set is composed of multiple internal electronic circuits , including a tuner for receiving and decoding broadcast signals . A visual display device which lacks a tuner is correctly called a video monitor rather than a television .", "Sulfoxide. A sulfoxide is a chemical compound containing a sulfinyl ( SO ) functional group attached to two carbon atoms . It is a polar functional group . Sulfoxides are the oxidized derivatives of sulfides . Examples of important sulfoxides are alliin , a precursor to the compound that gives freshly crushed garlic its aroma , and DMSO , a common solvent .", "Paramount Pictures. Paramount Pictures Corporation ( also known as Paramount Pictures and simply Paramount ) is an American film studio based in Hollywood , California , that has been a subsidiary of the American media conglomerate Viacom since 1994 . Paramount is the fifth oldest surviving film studio in the world , the second oldest in the United States , and the sole member of the `` Big Six '' film studios still located in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Hollywood . In 1916 , film producer Adolph Zukor contracted 22 actors and actresses and honored each with a star on the logo . These fortunate few would become the first `` movie stars . '' In 2014 , Paramount Pictures became the first major Hollywood studio to distribute all of its films in digital form only . Paramount Pictures is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America ( MPAA ) .", "Emmy Award. An Emmy Award , or simply Emmy , is an American award that recognizes excellence in the television industry , and corresponds to the ( likewise American ) Academy Award ( for film ) , the Tony Award ( for theatre ) , and the Grammy Award ( for music ) . Because Emmy Awards are given in various sectors of the American television industry , they are presented in different annual ceremonies held throughout the year . The two events that receive the most media coverage are the Primetime Emmys and the Daytime Emmys , which recognize outstanding work in American primetime and daytime entertainment programming , respectively . Other notable Emmy Award ceremonies are those honoring national sports programming , national news and documentary shows , national business and financial reporting , and technological and engineering achievements in television , including the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards . Regional Emmy Awards are also presented throughout the country at various times through the year , recognizing excellence in local and statewide television . In addition , International Emmys are awarded for excellence in TV programming produced and initially aired outside the United States . Three related but separate organizations present the Emmy Awards : the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ( ATAS ) , the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ( NATAS ) , and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ( IATAS ) . Each is responsible for administering a particular set of Emmy ceremonies .", "Houston. Houston ( -LSB- ˈhjuːstən -RSB- ) is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States . With a census-estimated 2014 population of 2.239 million within an area of 667 sqmi , it is also the largest city in the southern United States and the seat of Harris County . Located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf of Mexico , it is the principal city of the Greater Houston metro area , which is the fifth-most populated MSA in the United States . Houston was founded on August 28 , 1836 , near the banks of Buffalo Bayou ( now known as Allen 's Landing ) and incorporated as a city on June 5 , 1837 . The city was named after former General Sam Houston , who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto 25 mi east of where the city was established . The burgeoning port and railroad industry , combined with oil discovery in 1901 , has induced continual surges in the city 's population . In the mid-20th century , Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center -- the world 's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions -- and NASA 's Johnson Space Center , where the Mission Control Center is located . Houston 's economy has a broad industrial base in energy , manufacturing , aeronautics , and transportation . Leading in health care sectors and building oilfield equipment , outside of New York City , Houston has more Fortune 500 headquarters than any other U.S. municipality within its city limits . The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled . Nicknamed the `` Space City '' , Houston is a global city , with strengths in business , international trade , entertainment , culture , media , fashion , science , sports , technology , education , medicine , and research . The city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community . Houston is the most diverse city in Texas and has been described as the most racially and ethnically diverse major metropolis in the U.S. . It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits , which attract more than 7 million visitors a year to the Museum District . Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District and offers year-round resident companies in all major performing arts .", "Digital media service. A DMS ( Digital Media Service ) is an online service provider that sells access to digital library of content such as films , software , games , images , literature , etc. . While no transfer of property is made , a nearly perfect duplicate of the data ( song movie , etc. ) is made on a customer 's computer . Content is either primarily hosted on a dedicated server , which is owned by the service provider , or it is hosted primarily on the hard drives of its customers using a P2P protocol with , perhaps , a dedicated server to supplement . One example of the older business model is the iTunes Store , which still markets and prices data as individual retail products . There are no examples of the latter business model in operation yet , but one is currently in development by Global Gaming Factory X and expected to begin operation some time after they acquire The Pirate Bay domain on August 27 , 2009 . A key difference between the two models is that the model which relies on its customer base for offering their bandwidth for other customers to access customer hosted data can operate at significantly lower costs than a company that seeks to limit data access to a per-download fee in order to supplement the cost of using its own hosting and bandwidth . The P2P model holds the potential for companies to offer unlimited access to the largest data library in the history of the internet to its customers for a reasonably low membership rate that is relevant to the cost of operation . While the market is virtually untouched , the P2P supplemented model will need entrepreneurs who are able to overcome a series of challenges in order to compete with the older business model as well as that which is offered for free ( and often against the wishes of copyright holders ) by hundreds of P2P communities on the internet . These challenges include , but are not limited to : Offering better data quality , speed , convenience and ease of use , protocol , sense of security , indexing and search organization , site up time , data library size , customer support , advertising , artist/copyright holder incentives and compensation , incentives and compensation for customers hosting data and providing bandwidth , guaranteed seeding ( available access to indexed data at all times ) , than competitors . Category : Digital media", "Pont de Sully. The Pont de Sully ( or Pont Sully ; -LSB- pɔ̃ də syji -RSB- ) is a bridge across the River Seine in Paris , France . In reality two separate bridges meeting on the eastern tip of the Île Saint-Louis , it links the 4th and 5th arrondissements of the capital along the line of the Boulevard Henri IV , and connects to the eastern end of the Boulevard Saint-Germain . Sully - Morland is the nearest Metro station .", "Content (media). In publishing , art , and communication , content is the information and experiences that are directed towards an end-user or audience . Content is `` something that is to be expressed through some medium , as speech , writing or any of various arts '' . Content can be delivered via many different media including the Internet , television , audio CDs , books , magazines , and live events , such as conferences and stage performances .", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "News media in the United States. Mass media are the means through which information is transmitted to a large audience . This includes newspapers , television , radio , and more recently the Internet . Those who provide news and information , and the outlets for which they work , are known as the news media .", "SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon . The series chronicles the adventures and endeavors of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom . The series ' popularity has made it a media franchise , as well as the highest rated series to ever air on Nickelodeon , and the most distributed property of MTV Networks . As of 2015 , the media franchise has generated $ 12 billion in merchandising revenue for Nickelodeon . Many of the ideas for the series originated in an unpublished educational comic book titled The Intertidal Zone , which Hillenburg created in 1989 . He began developing SpongeBob SquarePants into a television series in 1996 upon the cancellation of Rocko 's Modern Life , and turned to Tom Kenny , who had worked with him on that series , to voice the title character . SpongeBob was originally going to be named SpongeBoy , and the series was to be called SpongeBoy Ahoy ! , but these were both changed , as the name was already trademarked . Nickelodeon held a preview for the series in the United States on May 1 , 1999 , following the television airing of the 1999 Kids ' Choice Awards . The series officially premiered on July 17 , 1999 . It has received worldwide critical acclaim since its premiere and gained enormous popularity by its second season . A feature film , The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie , was released in theaters on November 19 , 2004 , and a sequel was released on February 6 , 2015 . On October 15 , 2016 , the series began airing its current tenth season , beginning with the episode `` Whirly Brains '' . In May 2017 , the show was announced to be renewed for a 12th season . The series has won a variety of awards , including six Annie Awards , eight Golden Reel Awards , two Emmy Awards , 12 Kids ' Choice Awards , and two BAFTA Children 's Awards . Despite its widespread popularity , the series has been involved in several public controversies , including one centered on speculation over SpongeBob 's intended sexual orientation , and another focusing on the perceived declining quality of the show 's content since the release of the first film . In 2011 , a newly described species of fungi , Spongiforma squarepantsii , was named after the cartoon 's title character .", "Video. Video is an electronic medium for the recording , copying , playback , broadcasting , and display of moving visual media . Video was first developed for mechanical television systems , which were quickly replaced by cathode ray tube ( CRT ) systems which were later replaced by flat panel displays of several types . Video systems vary in display resolution , aspect ratio , refresh rate , color capabilities and other qualities . Analog and digital variants exist and can be carried on a variety of media , including radio broadcast , magnetic tape , optical discs , computer files , and network streaming .", "Spider-Man in other media. Spider-Man is a superhero who has been adapted in various media including television shows , films , toys , stage shows , books , and video games .", "Social media. Social media are computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information , ideas , career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks . The variety of stand-alone and built-in social media services currently available introduces challenges of definition ; however , there are some common features : Social media are interactive Web 2.0 Internet-based applications . User-generated content , such as text posts or comments , digital photos or videos , and data generated through all online interactions , are the lifeblood of social media . Users create service-specific profiles for the website or app that are designed and maintained by the social media organization . Social media facilitate the development of online social networks by connecting a user 's profile with those of other individuals or groups . Social media use web-based technologies , desktop computers and mobile technologies ( e.g. , smartphones and tablet computers ) to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals , communities and organizations can share , co-create , discuss , and modify user-generated content or pre-made content posted online . They introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between businesses , organizations , communities and individuals . Social media changes the way individuals and large organizations communicate . These changes are the focus of the emerging field of technoself studies . In America , a survey reported that 84 percent of adolescents in America have a Facebook account . Over 60 % of 13 to 17-year-olds have at least one profile on social media , with many spending more than two hours a day on social networking sites . According to Nielsen , Internet users continue to spend more time on social media sites than on any other type of site . At the same time , the total time spent on social media sites in the U.S. across PCs as well as on mobile devices increased by 99 percent to 121 billion minutes in July 2012 compared to 66 billion minutes in July 2011 . For content contributors , the benefits of participating in social media have gone beyond simply social sharing to building a reputation and bringing in career opportunities and monetary income . Social media differ from paper-based media ( e.g. , magazines and newspapers ) or traditional electronic media such as TV broadcasting in many ways , including quality , reach , frequency , usability , immediacy , and permanence . Social media operate in a dialogic transmission system ( many sources to many receivers ) . This is in contrast to traditional media which operates under a monologic transmission model ( one source to many receivers ) , such as a paper newspaper which is delivered to many subscribers or a radio station which broadcasts the same programs to an entire city . Some of the most popular social media websites are Baidu Tieba , Facebook ( and its associated Facebook Messenger ) , Gab , Google + , Instagram , LinkedIn , Pinterest , Reddit , Snapchat , Tumblr , Twitter , Viber , WeChat , Weibo , WhatsApp , and YouTube . These social media websites have more than 100,000,000 registered users . Observers have noted a range of positive and negative impacts of social media use . Social media can help to improve individuals ' sense of connectedness with real or online communities and social media can be an effective communication ( or marketing ) tool for corporations , entrepreneurs , nonprofit organizations , including advocacy groups and political parties and governments . At the same time , concerns have been raised about possible links between heavy social media use and depression , and even the issues of cyberbullying , online harassment and `` trolling '' . Currently , about half of young adults have been cyberbullied and of those , 20 percent said that they have been cyberbullied regularly . Another survey was carried out among 7th grade students in America which is known as the Precaution Process Adoption Model . According to this study , 69 percent of 7th grade students claim to have experienced cyberbullying and they also said that it is worse than face to face bullying .", "Media (communication). Media ( the singular form of which is medium ) is the collective communication outlets or tools that are used to store and deliver information or data . It is either associated with communication media , or the specialized mass media communication businesses such as print media and the press , photography , advertising , cinema , broadcasting ( radio and television ) and publishing .", "Biographical film. A biographical film , or biopic ( -LSB- ˈbaɪəʊpɪk -RSB- abbreviation for biographical motion picture ) , is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people . Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character 's real name is used . They differ from films `` based on a true story '' or `` historical drama films '' in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a single person 's life story or at least the most historically important years of their lives . Because the figures portrayed are actual people , whose actions and characteristics are known to the public ( or at least historically documented ) , biopic roles are considered some of the most demanding of actors and actresses . Ben Kingsley , Johnny Depp , Jim Carrey , and Jamie Foxx all gained new-found respect as dramatic actors after starring in biopics : Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi ( 1982 ) , Depp as Ed Wood in Ed Wood ( 1994 ) , Carrey as Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon ( 1999 ) , and Foxx as Ray Charles in Ray ( 2004 ) . In rare cases , sometimes called auto biopics , the subject of the film plays himself or herself : Jackie Robinson in The Jackie Robinson Story ; Muhammad Ali in The Greatest ; Audie Murphy in To Hell and Back ; Patty Duke in Call Me Anna ; Bob Mathias in The Bob Mathias Story , Arlo Guthrie in Alice 's Restaurant ; and Howard Stern in Private Parts . Biopic scholars include George F. Custen of the College of Staten Island and Dennis P. Bingham of Indiana University -- Purdue University Indianapolis . Custen , in Bio/Pics : How Hollywood Constructed Public History ( 1992 ) , regards the genre as having died with the Hollywood studio era , and in particular , Darryl F. Zanuck . On the other hand , Bingham 's 2010 study Whose Lives Are They Anyway ? The Biopic as Contemporary Film Genre shows how it perpetuates as a codified genre using many of the same tropes used in the studio era that has followed a similar trajectory as that shown by Rick Altman in his study , Film/Genre . Bingham also addresses the male biopic and the female biopic as distinct genres from each other , the former generally dealing with great accomplishments , the latter generally dealing with female victimization . Ellen Cheshire 's Bio-Pics : a life in pictures ( 2014 ) examines UK/US films from the 1990s and 2000s . Each chapter reviews key films linked by profession and concludes with further viewing list . Christopher Robé has also written on the gender norms that underlie the biopic in his article , `` Taking Hollywood Back '' in the 2009 issue of Cinema Journal . Roger Ebert defended The Hurricane and distortions in biographical films in general , stating `` those who seek the truth about a man from the film of his life might as well seek it from his loving grandmother . ... The Hurricane is not a documentary but a parable . '' Some biopics purposely stretch the truth . Confessions of a Dangerous Mind was based on game show host Chuck Barris ' widely debunked yet popular memoir of the same name , in which he claimed to be a CIA agent . Kafka incorporated both the life of author Franz Kafka and the surreal aspects of his fiction . The Errol Flynn film They Died with Their Boots On tells the story of Custer but is highly romanticized . The Oliver Stone film The Doors , mainly about Jim Morrison , was highly praised for the similarities between Jim Morrison and actor Val Kilmer , look-wise and singing-wise , but fans and band members did not like the way Oliver Stone portrayed Jim Morrison , and a few of the scenes were even completely made up . Casting can be controversial for biographical films . Casting is often a balance between similarity in looks and ability to portray the characteristics of the person . Anthony Hopkins felt that he should not have played Richard Nixon in Nixon because of a lack of resemblance between the two . The casting of John Wayne as Genghis Khan in The Conqueror was objected to because of the American Wayne being cast as the Mongol warlord . Egyptian critics criticized the casting of Louis Gossett , Jr. , an African American actor , as Egyptian president Anwar Sadat in the 1982 TV miniseries Sadat . Also , some objected to the casting of Jennifer Lopez in Selena because she is a New York City native of Puerto Rican descent while Selena was Mexican-American ." ]

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[ "Stanley Tucci. Stanley Tucci ( -LSB- ˈtuːtʃi -RSB- -LSB- ˈtuttʃi -RSB- ; born November 11 , 1960 ) is an American character actor , writer , producer and film director . Tucci was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Lovely Bones ( 2009 ) . He won two Emmy Awards for his performances in Winchell and Monk . He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children , for The One and Only Shrek ! .", "List of awards and nominations received by Stanley Tucci. American actor Stanley Tucci has nominated for several prestigious awards including an Academy Award nomination for his role in the film The Lovely Bones . That role also earned him a BAFTA Award , Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations .", "The Alarmist. The Alarmist , also known as Life During Wartime , is a 1997 film written and directed by Evan Dunsky , starring David Arquette , Stanley Tucci , with Kate Capshaw and Ryan Reynolds . The film is an adaptation of a play written by Keith Reddin .", "The Sopranos. The Sopranos is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase . The story revolves around the fictional character , New Jersey-based Italian American mobster Tony Soprano ( James Gandolfini ) . The series portrays the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the conflicting requirements of his home life and his criminal organization . These are often highlighted during his therapy sessions with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi ( Lorraine Bracco ) . The series features Tony 's family members , mafia colleagues and rivals , in prominent roles and story arcs , most notably his wife Carmela ( Edie Falco ) and protégé Christopher Moltisanti ( Michael Imperioli ) . After the pilot was ordered in 1997 , the show premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on January 10 , 1999 , and ran its six seasons with 86 episodes to June 10 , 2007 . The series then went through syndication and has been broadcast on A&E in the United States and internationally . The Sopranos was produced by HBO , Chase Films , and Brad Grey Television . It was primarily filmed at Silvercup Studios , New York City , and on location in New Jersey . The executive producers throughout the show 's run were David Chase , Brad Grey , Robin Green , Mitchell Burgess , Ilene S. Landress , Terence Winter , and Matthew Weiner . The Sopranos is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time . The series also won a multitude of awards , including Peabody Awards for its first two seasons , 21 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards . A staple of 2000s American popular culture , the series has been the subject of critical analysis , controversy , and parody . It has spawned books , a video game , high-charting soundtrack albums , and a large amount of assorted merchandise . Several members of the show 's cast and crew who were previously largely unknown to the public have had successful careers after The Sopranos . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America named The Sopranos the best-written TV series of all time , while TV Guide ranked it the best television series of all time .", "The Impostors. The Impostors is a 1998 American farce motion picture directed , written and produced by Stanley Tucci , starring Oliver Platt , Tucci , Alfred Molina , Tony Shalhoub , Steve Buscemi , and Billy Connolly . The film , in which Oliver Platt and Stanley Tucci play a Laurel and Hardy-like odd couple of out-of work actors , is set in the depression-era 1930s ; indeed , the retro style of the film is a recreation of 1930s screwball comedy . The opening silent sequence harks back to the golden days of silent film . Although the plotting is light , the film is a warm-hearted and charming tribute to the early days of film comedy , fuelled by the eclectic mix of characters , who ( as the title suggests ) all turn out to be impostors of some kind ; but the very diversity of the ensemble turns out to be the film 's central point . The film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival .", "Television. Television or TV is a telecommunication medium used for transmitting moving images in monochrome ( black-and-white ) , or in color , and in two or three dimensions and sound . The term can refer to a television set , a television program ( `` TV show '' ) , or the medium of television transmission . Television is a mass medium for entertainment , education , news , politics , gossip , and advertising . Television became available in crude experimental forms in the late 1920s , but it would still be several years before the new technology was marketed to consumers . After World War II , an improved form of black-and-white TV broadcasting became popular in the United States and Britain , and television sets became commonplace in homes , businesses , and institutions . During the 1950s , television was the primary medium for influencing public opinion . In the mid-1960s , color broadcasting was introduced in the US and most other developed countries . The availability of multiple types of storage media such as Betamax , VHS tape , local disks , DVDs , flash drives , high-definition Blu-ray Discs , and digital video recorders have enabled viewers to watch prerecorded material -- such as movies -- at home on their own time schedule . For many reasons , the storage of television and video programming now occurs on the cloud . At the end of the first decade of the 2000s , digital television transmissions greatly increased in popularity . Another development was the move from standard-definition television ( SDTV ) ( 576i , with 576 interlaced lines of resolution and 480i ) to high-definition television ( HDTV ) , which provides a resolution that is substantially higher . HDTV may be transmitted in various formats : 1080p , 1080i and 720p . Since 2010 , with the invention of smart television , Internet television has increased the availability of television programs and movies via the Internet through streaming video services such as Netflix , Amazon Video , iPlayer , Hulu , Roku and Chromecast . In 2013 , 79 % of the world 's households owned a television set . The replacement of early bulky , high-voltage cathode ray tube ( CRT ) screen displays with compact , energy-efficient , flat-panel alternative technologies such as plasma displays , LCDs ( both fluorescent-backlit and LED ) , and OLED displays was a hardware revolution that began with computer monitors in the late 1990s . Most TV sets sold in the 2000s were flat-panel , mainly LEDs . Major manufacturers announced the discontinuation of CRT , DLP , plasma , and even fluorescent-backlit LCDs by the mid-2010s . In the near future , LEDs are gradually expected to be replaced by OLEDs . Also , major manufacturers have announced that they will increasingly produce smart TVs in the mid-2010s . Smart TVs with integrated Internet and Web 2.0 functions became the dominant form of television by the late 2010s . Television signals were initially distributed only as terrestrial television using high-powered radio-frequency transmitters to broadcast the signal to individual television receivers . Alternatively television signals are distributed by coaxial cable or optical fiber , satellite systems and , since the 2000s via the Internet . Until the early 2000s , these were transmitted as analog signals , but a transition to digital television is expected to be completed worldwide by the late 2010s . A standard television set is composed of multiple internal electronic circuits , including a tuner for receiving and decoding broadcast signals . A visual display device which lacks a tuner is correctly called a video monitor rather than a television .", "Turandot. Turandot ( -LSB- ˈtjʊər.ən.dɒt -RSB- or -LSB- ˈtʊr.ən.dɑːt -RSB- -LSB- turanˈdɔt -RSB- ; see below ) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini , completed by Franco Alfano , and set to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni . Though Puccini 's first interest in the subject was based on his reading of Friedrich Schiller 's 1801 adaptation of the play , his work is most nearly based on the earlier text Turandot by Carlo Gozzi . The original story is based on Turan-Dokht ( daughter of Turan ) from the epic Haft Peykar ( The Seven Beauties ) , work of 12th-century Persian poet Nizami . The opera 's story is set in China and involves Prince Calaf , who falls in love with the cold Princess Turandot . To obtain permission to marry her , a suitor has to solve three riddles ; any wrong answer results in death . Calaf passes the test , but Turandot still refuses to marry him . He offers her a way out : if she is able to learn his name before dawn the next day , then at daybreak he will die . The opera was unfinished at the time of Puccini 's death in 1924 , and was completed by Franco Alfano in 1926 . The first performance was held at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan on 25 April 1926 and conducted by Arturo Toscanini . This performance included only Puccini 's music and not Alfano 's additions . The first performance of the opera as completed by Alfano was the following night , 26 April , although it is disputed whether this was conducted by Toscanini again or by Ettore Panizza .", "Big Night. Big Night is a 1996 American motion picture drama with comedic overtones directed by Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci . Produced by David Kirkpatrick and Jonathan Filley for the Samuel Goldwyn Company , the film met with critical acclaim both in the United States and internationally . It was nominated for the `` Grand Jury Prize '' at the Sundance Film Festival and the `` Grand Special Prize '' at the Deauville Film Festival . Scott and Tucci won the New York Film Critics Circle Award and the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best New Director . Tucci and Joseph Tropiano won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay . Tucci heads the cast , with Tony Shalhoub , Minnie Driver and Isabella Rossellini .", "Television program. A television program ( programme ) is a segment of content intended for broadcast on over-the-air , cable television , or Internet television , other than a commercial , trailer , or any other segment of content not serving as attraction for viewership . It may be a single production , or more commonly , a series of related productions ( also called a television show ) . A limited number of episodes of a television show may be called a miniseries or a serial or limited series . Television series are without a fixed length and are usually divided into seasons ( U.S. ) or series ( UK ) , yearly or semiannual sets of new episodes . While there is no defined length , U.S. industry practice has traditionally favored longer television seasons than those of other countries . A one-time broadcast may be called a `` special '' , or particularly in the UK a `` special episode '' . A television film ( `` made-for-TV movie '' or `` television movie '' ) is a film that is initially broadcast on television rather than released in theaters or direct-to-video . A program can be either recorded , as on video tape , other various electronic media forms , played with an on-demand player or viewed on live television .", "Taxi (TV series). Taxi is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 12 , 1978 to May 6 , 1982 and on NBC from September 30 , 1982 to June 15 , 1983 . The series -- which won 18 Emmy Awards , including three for Outstanding Comedy Series -- focuses on the everyday lives of a handful of New York City taxi drivers and their abusive dispatcher . Taxi was produced by the John Charles Walters Company , in association with Paramount Network Television , and was created by James L. Brooks , Stan Daniels , David Davis , and Ed Weinberger .", "Conspiracy (2001 film). Conspiracy is a BBC/HBO television film which dramatizes the 1942 Wannsee Conference . The film delves into the psychology of Nazi officials involved in the `` Final Solution of the Jewish Question '' during World War II . The movie was written by Loring Mandel , directed by Frank Pierson , and starred an ensemble cast , including Colin Firth , David Threlfall , Kenneth Branagh as Reinhard Heydrich and Stanley Tucci as Adolf Eichmann . Branagh won an Emmy Award for Best Actor , and Tucci was awarded a Golden Globe for his supporting role as Eichmann .", "Tosca. Tosca ( -LSB- ˈtoska ; ˈtɔska -RSB- ) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa . It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900 . The work , based on Victorien Sardou 's 1887 French-language dramatic play , La Tosca , is a melodramatic piece set in Rome in June 1800 , with the Kingdom of Naples 's control of Rome threatened by Napoleon 's invasion of Italy . It contains depictions of torture , murder and suicide , as well as some of Puccini 's best-known lyrical arias . Puccini saw Sardou 's play when it was touring Italy in 1889 and , after some vacillation , obtained the rights to turn the work into an opera in 1895 . Turning the wordy French play into a succinct Italian opera took four years , during which the composer repeatedly argued with his librettists and publisher . Tosca premiered at a time of unrest in Rome , and its first performance was delayed for a day for fear of disturbances . Despite indifferent reviews from the critics , the opera was an immediate success with the public . Musically , Tosca is structured as a through-composed work , with arias , recitative , choruses and other elements musically woven into a seamless whole . Puccini used Wagnerian leitmotifs ( short musical statements ) to identify characters , objects and ideas . While critics have frequently dismissed the opera as a facile melodrama with confusions of plot -- musicologist Joseph Kerman famously called it a `` shabby little shocker '' -- the power of its score and the inventiveness of its orchestration have been widely acknowledged . The dramatic force of Tosca and its characters continues to fascinate both performers and audiences , and the work remains one of the most frequently performed operas . Many recordings of the work have been issued , both of studio and live performances .", "Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film. The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Miniseries or Television Film is an award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association ( HFPA ) . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a miniseries or motion picture made for television for the calendar year . The award was first presented at the 39th Golden Globe Awards on January 30 , 1982 to Mickey Rooney for his role on Bill . Performances by actor in a miniseries or television film were originally awarded in the Best Actor -- Television Series Drama category before the creation of this category . Since its inception , the award has been given to 33 actors . Oscar Isaac is the current recipient of the award for his portrayal of Nick Wasicsko on Show Me a Hero . Robert Duvall , James Garner , and Al Pacino have won the most awards in this category with two each . James Woods has been nominated for the award on seven occasions , the most within the category .", "Michael Tucci. Michael Tucci ( born April 15 , 1946 ) is an American film , TV and stage actor .", "Four Last Songs (film). Four Last Songs is a 2007 British comedy-drama film starring Stanley Tucci , Rhys Ifans and Hugh Bonneville , and written and directed by Francesca Joseph . The film 's title is taken from Four Last Songs , 1948 composition of Richard Strauss , surrounding acceptance of death .", "The Simpsons. The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series is a satirical depiction of working-class life epitomized by the Simpson family , which consists of Homer , Marge , Bart , Lisa , and Maggie . The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture , society , television , and the human condition . The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a solicitation for a series of animated shorts with producer James L. Brooks . Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family , substituting Bart for his own name . The shorts became a part of The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19 , 1987 . After a three-season run , the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and became an early hit for Fox , becoming the network 's first series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season ( 1989 -- 90 ) . Since its debut on December 17 , 1989 , episodes of The Simpsons have been broadcast . Its 28th season began on September 25 , 2016 . It is the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American animated program , and , in 2009 , it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest-running American scripted primetime television series . The Simpsons Movie , a feature-length film , was released in theaters worldwide on July 27 , 2007 , and grossed over $ 527 million . On November 4 , 2016 , the series was renewed for a twenty-ninth and thirtieth season of 22 episodes each , extending the show to 2019 . The Simpsons received widespread critical acclaim throughout its first nine seasons , which are generally considered its `` Golden Age '' . Time named it the 20th century 's best television series , and Erik Adams of The A.V. Club named it `` television 's crowning achievement regardless of format '' . On January 14 , 2000 , the Simpson family was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . It has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series , including 31 Primetime Emmy Awards , 30 Annie Awards , and a Peabody Award . Homer 's exclamatory catchphrase `` D'oh ! '' has been adopted into the English language , while The Simpsons has influenced many adult-oriented animated sitcoms . Despite this , the show has also been criticized for what many perceive as a decline in quality over the years .", "Room 222. Room 222 is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television that aired on ABC for 112 episodes from September 17 , 1969 , until January 11 , 1974 . The show was broadcast on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 ( EST ) for its first two seasons before settling into its best-remembered time slot of Friday evenings at 9 , following The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family , and preceding The Odd Couple and Love , American Style . In 1970 , Room 222 earned the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding New Series , while Michael Constantine and Karen Valentine won for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series , respectively .", "Boardwalk Empire. Boardwalk Empire is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter and airing on premium cable channel HBO . The series is set in Atlantic City , New Jersey during the Prohibition era and stars Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson . Winter , a Primetime Emmy Award-winning screenwriter and producer , created the show , inspired by the book Boardwalk Empire : The Birth , High Times , and Corruption of Atlantic City by Nelson Johnson about historical criminal kingpin Enoch L. Johnson . The pilot episode was directed by Martin Scorsese and produced at a cost of $ 18 million . On September 1 , 2009 , HBO picked up the series for an additional 11 episodes . The series premiered on September 19 , 2010 , and completed its five-season run on October 26 , 2014 . Boardwalk Empire received widespread critical acclaim , particularly for its visual style and basis on historical figures , as well as for Buscemi 's lead performance . The series received 57 Primetime Emmy Award nominations , including two for Outstanding Drama Series , winning 20 . The series also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama in 2011 and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2011 and 2012 .", "Elvis (miniseries). Elvis is a 2005 biographical CBS mini-series written by Patrick Sheane Duncan and directed by James Steven Sadwith . It chronicles the rise of American music icon Elvis Presley from his high school years to his international superstardom . The cast includes Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Elvis , Rose McGowan as Ann-Margret , Randy Quaid as `` Colonel '' Tom Parker , Camryn Manheim as Gladys Presley , Robert Patrick as Vernon Presley , Tim Guinee as Sam Phillips , Jack Noseworthy as Steve Binder , Antonia Bernath as Priscilla Presley , Stuart Greer as Captain Beaulieu , Clay Steakley as Bill Black , Mark Adam as Scotty Moore , John Boyd West as Red West and Randy McDowell as Gene Smith . Meyers won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Miniseries or Television Film for his performance as Elvis Presley .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series). The Incredible Hulk is an American television series based on the Marvel Comics character The Hulk . The series aired on the CBS television network and starred Bill Bixby as David Banner , Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk , and Jack Colvin as Jack McGee . In the TV series , Dr. David Banner , a widowed physician and scientist , who is presumed dead , travels across America under assumed names ( his false surnames always begin with the letter `` B '' , but he keeps his first name ) , and finds himself in positions where he helps others in need despite his terrible secret : in times of extreme anger or stress , he transforms into a huge , incredibly strong green creature , who has been named `` The Hulk '' . In his travels , Banner earns money by working temporary jobs while searching for a way to control or cure his condition . All the while , he is obsessively pursued by a tabloid newspaper reporter , Jack McGee , who is convinced that the Hulk is a deadly menace whose exposure would enhance his career . The series was originally broadcast by CBS from 1978 to 1982 , with 82 episodes over five seasons . The two-hour pilot movie , which established the Hulk 's origins , aired on November 4 , 1977 . It was developed and produced by Kenneth Johnson , who also wrote or directed some episodes . After the series ended , the fate of David Banner was a cliffhanger until 1988 . The filming rights were purchased from CBS by rival NBC . They produced three television films : The Incredible Hulk Returns ( directed by Nicholas J. Corea ) , The Trial of the Incredible Hulk and The Death of the Incredible Hulk ( both directed by Bill Bixby ) . Since its debut , The Incredible Hulk series has garnered a worldwide fan base .", "The Journey: Tumultuous Times. The Journey : Tumultuous Times ( Chinese : 信约 ： 动荡的年代 , also known as Tumultuous Times ) is Chinese language period drama which aired on MediaCorp Channel 8 . It is the second of The Journey trilogy which chronicles the history of Singapore through the eyes of immigrants during the pre-World War II era until contemporary times . Production began on June 2014 . It stars Shaun Chen , Jeanette Aw , Romeo Tan , Felicia Chin , Andie Chen , Carrie Wong and Chen Hanwei as the main casts of the series.It is known as the Best Drama Serial in 2015 Star Awards . The series will be Channel 8 's 2014 year-end blockbuster celebrating 51 years of television . It is also partly sponsored by the Media Development Authority of Singapore . The Journey : Tumultuous Times will depict the period of the Japanese Occupation where the adversity only served to strengthen the characters ' survival instinct . When the British colonialists returned , stirrings of dissent became more apparent about their right to rule . In this period of uncertainty , there were vastly different ideals about how independence could be achieved . Yet despite all odds , they pulled through and survived . This is the story of five young people unraveled over a period of 20 years ( 1940-1965 ) spanning World War II and Independence . Like its predecessor , Tumultuous Times will be the second periodical drama to use CGI . Major events that will happen in the drama include the Japanese occupation of Singapore , Hock Lee bus riots , student demonstrations , and social tensions . The Journey will culminate in Singapore 's nation building celebrations in 2015 with The Journey : Our Homeland , in time for Singapore 's 50th National Day .", "Ti lascio una canzone. Ti lascio una canzone ( English : Leavin ' you a song ) was an Italian musical variety show TV show that includes a competition between the most beloved songs in the history of Italian pop music . The songs , which represent the true stars of the show , are `` golden oldies '' . They are symbolically `` left '' for us , in what amounts to a musical heritage , to be interpreted by the singers of tomorrow , in order to ensure that the melodies and lyrics which have provided the background music to past generations are not lost . The songs are performed by young singing talents , who interpret the best loved songs of Italian pop music during each broadcast . Italian and international singing guests become part of `` story '' of the evening 's broadcast , enlarging the musical panorama covered by that particular episode . The guests stars perform without taking part in the competition , singing their greatest hits and engaging in duets with the younger singers . The show assembles a large group of children ( e.g. 35 boys and girls aged 7 through 15 for the Fall 2010 season ) . The young singers are selected from among the leading students of today 's most prestigious music schools . They are assigned songs as solos , duets , and trios ; they sing some songs all together as an ensemble . They may also perform with the show 's guests . A 30-piece orchestra backs the performances . The show is officially listed as part of `` RAI Junior '' , but the audience includes not only young people but also their parents and grandparents who enjoy hearing these songs . `` TLUC '' serves as a perfect link in the `` musical chain '' that connects the great sings of yesteryear with the magnificent voices of the performers of tomorrow . Further enriching the program are anecdotes and little know facts on the songs in the competition , revealed by established singers , composers , actors and celebrities from the world of entertainment , with the additional contribution of commentary and filmed pieces from the period .", "A Modern Affair. A Modern Affair is a 1996 independent feature film directed by Vern Oakley and produced by Tribe Pictures . Starring Stanley Tucci and Lisa Eichhorn , the film 's plot reverses the conventions of romantic comedies : instead of man meet woman - fall in love , marry and have baby , in this film the woman gets pregnant , then meets the father , then falls in love . Grace Rhodes ( Lisa Eichhorn ) is a lonely , successful executive whose biological clock is loudly ticking . Giving up on finding the right man , she resorts to using a sperm bank on the advice of her best friend Elaine ( Caroline Aaron ) . Soon she is pregnant , but she becomes so curious as to the identity of the father that she goes on a quest to find him with the help of Elaine . Peter Kessler ( Stanley Tucci ) is a nature photographer living in Upstate New York . While his life style differs from her , he is also reluctant to commit to a relationship , indulging in a casual affair with a married woman ( Mary Jo Salerno ) . His photographs only feature landscapes , because , as far as he is concerned , `` people mess up composition '' . His world is rocked when Grace comes into the picture . And announces she 's pregnant . `` You got yourself into this situation , '' he tells her . `` You 're going to have to get yourself out . I 'm not going to take responsibility for your baby . '' While at first he runs away from any intimacy , he renews contact with Grace later . From then on begins their discovery of mutual commitment and their journey to parenthood . A Modern Affair purports to investigate the meaning of bringing a child to the world , rather then tackling the artificial insemination and sperm bank which serve as a ploy to explore intimacy and commitment . Coincidentally , since the film was made , the identity of sperm donors has been offered more readily to the children conceived by anonymous donors . . Winner of the Long Island Festival Audience Award , `` A Modern Affair '' played theatrically , was broadcast by HBO and distributed by Columbia TriStar .", "Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation , informally known as Parks and Rec , is an American political comedy television sitcom starring Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope , a perky , mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks Department of Pawnee , a fictional town in Indiana . Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur , the series aired on NBC from April 9 , 2009 to February 24 , 2015 , for 125 episodes , over seven seasons . It was written by the same writers and uses the same filming style as The Office , with the same implication of a documentary crew filming everyone . The ensemble and supporting cast feature Rashida Jones as Ann Perkins , Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford , Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson , Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate , Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz , Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer , Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt , Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger , Jim O'Heir as Garry `` Jerry '' Gergich , Retta as Donna Meagle , and Billy Eichner as Craig Middlebrooks . The writers researched local California politics for the show , and consulted with urban planners and elected officials . Poehler 's character , Leslie Knope , underwent major changes after the first season , in response to audience feedback that she seemed unintelligent and `` ditzy '' . The writing staff incorporated current events into the episodes , such as a government shutdown in Pawnee inspired by the real-life global financial crisis of 2007 -- 2008 . Several guest stars , such as Jason Mantzoukas , Kathryn Hahn , Sam Elliott , Bill Murray , Louis C.K. , Paul Rudd , and Jon Hamm , have been featured in the show , and their characters often appear in multiple episodes . Parks and Recreation was part of NBC 's `` Comedy Night Done Right '' programming during its Thursday night prime-time block . The series received mixed reviews during its first season , but , after a re-approach to its tone and format , the second and subsequent seasons were widely acclaimed . Throughout its run , Parks and Recreation received several awards and nominations , including two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series , six Emmy nominations , a Golden Globe win for Poehler 's performance , and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Musical or Comedy . In TIMEs 2012 year-end lists issue , Parks and Recreation was named the number one television series of that year . In 2013 , after receiving four consecutive nominations in the category , Parks and Recreation won the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy .", "The Brady Bunch. The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26 , 1969 , to March 8 , 1974 , on ABC . The series revolves around a large blended family with six children . Considered one of the last of the old-style family sitcoms , the series aired for five seasons and , after its cancellation in 1974 , went into syndication in September 1975 . While the series was never a critical or ratings success during its original run , it has since become a popular staple in syndication , especially among children and teenaged viewers . The Brady Bunch '' 's success in syndication led to several television reunion films and spin-off series : The Brady Bunch Hour ( 1976 -- 77 ) , The Brady Girls Get Married ( 1981 ) , The Brady Brides ( 1981 ) , A Very Brady Christmas ( 1988 ) , and The Bradys ( 1990 ) . In 1995 , the series was adapted into a satirical comedy theatrical film titled The Brady Bunch Movie , followed by A Very Brady Sequel in 1996 . A second sequel , The Brady Bunch in the White House '' , aired on Fox in November 2002 as a made-for-television film . In 1997 , `` Getting Davy Jones '' ( season three , episode 12 ) was ranked number 37 on TV Guides 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . The durability of the show has resulted in it becoming widely recognized as an American cultural icon .", "Blind Date (2007 film). Blind Date is a 2007 drama film from director Stanley Tucci . This is Tucci 's fourth directorial feature , who also stars and co-wrote the screenplay with David Schechter . The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival . The film is a remake of the 1996 film of the same name by the late Dutch director Theo van Gogh .", "Television special. A television special is a television program which temporarily interrupts programming normally scheduled for a given time slot . Sometimes , however , the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film , such as The Wizard of Oz , which is not part of a regular television anthology series such as NBC Saturday Night at the Movies ( 1961 -- 1978 ) . The term originally applied especially to major dramatized presentations of an hour or two which were broadcast during times normally occupied by episodes of one or more weekly television series , thus replacing the series for that specific week . In the 1960s , multi-part specials , over several days in a week , or on the same day for several weeks , evolved from this format , though these were more commonly called miniseries . The term `` TV special '' formerly applied more to dramas or musicals presented live or on videotape ( such as Peter Pan ) than to filmed presentations especially made for television , which were ( and still are ) designated as made-for-TV movies . Other forms of TV specials are one-time comedy or musical events , one-shot seasonal programs ( e.g. Christmas television specials ) , irregular sports events ( e.g. the Olympic Games or the Super Bowl ) , live coverage of a popular cultural event ( such as the Academy Awards or Macy 's Thanksgiving Day Parade ) , fundraising campaigns ( telethon ) or spontaneous interruptions of active programming to cover an important news event ( election coverage , however , is generally scheduled ) . Today , with the rise of cable , online streaming , and home video , it is virtually impossible for an annual telecast of a program to have the same impact on television as before . In pre-cable and pre-home video days , television audiences often had to wait an entire year or more to see a special program or film that had a great impact on first viewing . Online streaming makes it possible for viewers to watch a television show again almost immediately after it is aired , and home video , digital downloads as well as internet television and video on demand , make it possible for the general public to own copies of television shows and films . Most TV specials can be filmed in one country but broadcast in another . For example , a 1998 TV special The Wiggles Live at Disneyland was filmed in Disneyland in Anaheim , California , USA but broadcast on the Disney Channel in Australia .", "Doctor Who. Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme produced by the BBC since 1963 . The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called `` The Doctor '' , an extraterrestrial being from the planet Gallifrey . He explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS . Its exterior appears as a blue British police box , which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired . Accompanied by a number of companions , the Doctor combats a variety of foes , while working to save civilisations and help people in need . The show is a significant part of British popular culture , and elsewhere it has gained a cult following . It has influenced generations of British television professionals , many of whom grew up watching the series . The programme originally ran from 1963 to 1989 . There was an unsuccessful attempt to revive regular production in 1996 with a backdoor pilot , in the form of a television film titled Doctor Who . The programme was relaunched in 2005 , and since then has been produced in-house by BBC Wales in Cardiff . Doctor Who has also spawned numerous spin-offs , including comic books , films , novels , audio dramas , and the television series Torchwood ( 2006 -- 2011 ) , The Sarah Jane Adventures ( 2007 -- 2011 ) , K-9 ( 2009 -- 2010 ) , and Class '' ( 2016-present ) , and has been the subject of many parodies and references in popular culture . Twelve actors have headlined the series as the Doctor . The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation -- an idea introduced in 1966 to allow the show to continue after the departure of original lead William Hartnell who was becoming very ill at the time . The concept is that this is a Time Lord trait through which the character of the Doctor takes on a new body and personality to recover from a severe injury or anything that would otherwise kill a normal person . Each actor 's portrayal differs , but all represent stages in the life of the same character and form a single narrative . The time-travelling feature of the plot means that different incarnations of the Doctor occasionally meet . The current lead , Peter Capaldi , took on the role after Matt Smith 's exit in the 2013 Christmas special `` The Time of the Doctor '' . In 2017 , Capaldi confirmed he would be leaving at the end of the tenth series , with his final appearance being the 2017 Christmas Special .", "Cheers. Cheers is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from September 30 , 1982 to May 20 , 1993 , with a total of 270 half-hour episodes spanning over eleven seasons . The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association with Paramount Network Television . The show was created by the team of James Burrows , Glen Charles , and Les Charles . The show is set in a bar named Cheers in Boston , Massachusetts , where a group of locals meet to drink , relax , and socialize . The show 's main theme song , written and performed by Gary Portnoy lent its refrain `` Where Everybody Knows Your Name '' as the show 's tagline . After premiering on September 30 , 1982 , it was nearly canceled during its first season when it ranked almost last in ratings for its premiere ( 74th out of 77 shows ) . Cheers , however , eventually became a highly rated television show in the United States , earning a top-ten rating during eight of its eleven seasons , including one season at number one . The show spent most of its run on NBC 's Thursday night `` Must See TV '' lineup . Its widely watched series finale was broadcast on May 20 , 1993 , and the show 's 270 episodes have been successfully syndicated worldwide . Nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series for all eleven of its seasons on the air , it earned 28 Primetime Emmy Awards from a record of 117 nominations . The character Frasier Crane ( Kelsey Grammer ) was featured in his eponymous spin-off show , which aired until 2004 and included guest appearances by virtually all of the major and minor Cheers characters . During its run , Cheers became one of the most popular series of all time and has received critical acclaim . In 1997 , the episodes `` Thanksgiving Orphans '' and `` Home Is the Sailor '' , aired originally in 1987 , were respectively ranked No. 7 and No. 45 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2002 , Cheers was ranked No. 18 on TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America ranked it as the eighth best written TV series and TV Guide ranked it # 11 on their list of the 60 Greatest Shows of All Time .", "Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan . The show originally aired on the AMC network for five seasons , from January 20 , 2008 , to September 29 , 2013 . It tells the story of Walter White ( Bryan Cranston ) , a struggling high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer . Together with his former student Jesse Pinkman ( Aaron Paul ) , White turns to a life of crime , producing and selling crystallized methamphetamine to secure his family 's financial future before he dies , while navigating the dangers of the criminal world . The title is from a Southern colloquialism meaning to `` raise hell '' . Breaking Bad is set and was filmed in Albuquerque , New Mexico . Walter 's family consists of his wife Skyler ( Anna Gunn ) and children , Walter , Jr. ( RJ Mitte ) and Holly ( Elanor Anne Wenrich ) . The show also features Skyler 's sister Marie Schrader ( Betsy Brandt ) , and her husband Hank ( Dean Norris ) , a Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) agent . Walter hires lawyer Saul Goodman ( Bob Odenkirk ) , who connects him with private investigator and fixer Mike Ehrmantraut ( Jonathan Banks ) and in turn Mike 's employer , drug kingpin Gus Fring ( Giancarlo Esposito ) . The final season introduces the characters Todd Alquist ( Jesse Plemons ) and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle ( Laura Fraser ) . Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time . By the time the series finale aired , the series was among the most-watched cable shows on American television . The show received numerous awards , including sixteen Primetime Emmy Awards , eight Satellite Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two Peabody Awards , two Critics ' Choice Awards , and four Television Critics Association Awards . For his leading performance , Cranston won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times , while Aaron Paul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times ; Anna Gunn won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series twice . In 2013 , Breaking Bad entered the Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed show of all time .", "Primetime Emmy Award. The Primetime Emmy Award is an American award bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ( ATAS ) in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming . First given in 1949 , the award was originally referred to as simply the `` Emmy Awards '' until the first Daytime Emmy Award ceremonies were held in 1974 , and the word `` prime time '' was added to distinguish between the two . The Primetime Emmy Awards generally air in mid-September , on the Sunday before the official start of the fall television season . They are currently seen in rotation among the four major networks ( ABC , CBS , Fox , and NBC ) . The ceremony is typically moved to late-August if it is broadcast by NBC ( such as in 2006 , 2010 , and 2014 ) , so that it does not conflict with NBC 's commitment to broadcasting Sunday-night NFL games ( due to another conflict , this time with the MTV Video Music Awards , the 2014 ceremony was also shifted to a Monday ) . They are considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards ( film ) , Grammy Awards ( music ) , and Tony Awards ( stage ) . The awards are divided into three categories : the Primetime Emmy Awards , the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards , and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards ." ]

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[ "Brock Lesnar. Brock Edward Lesnar ( -LSB- ˈlɛznər -RSB- born July 12 , 1977 ) is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist , amateur wrestler , and professional American football player . He is signed with WWE , where he performs on the Raw brand and is the current WWE Universal Champion in his first reign . After his successful amateur wrestling career at Bismarck State College and the University of Minnesota , Lesnar signed with WWE ( then the World Wrestling Federation ) in 2000 . He was assigned to its developmental promotion Ohio Valley Wrestling ( OVW ) , where he was a three-time OVW Southern Tag Team Champion with Shelton Benjamin . After debuting on WWE 's main roster in 2002 , he won the WWE Championship on three separate occasions with victories over The Rock and Kurt Angle ( twice ) . Lesnar won the then WWE Undisputed Championship five months after his main roster debut at the age of 25 , becoming the youngest champion in the title 's history . He was also the 2002 King of the Ring and the 2003 Royal Rumble winner , making him the youngest King of the Ring and Royal Rumble winner as well . Following his match with Goldberg at WrestleMania XX , Lesnar left the WWE and pursued a career in the National Football League ( NFL ) . He was named a defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings , but was cut prior to the start of the 2004 -- 2005 season . In 2005 , Lesnar returned to professional wrestling and signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling ( NJPW ) , where he won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first match . After a contractual dispute with NJPW , he also wrestled as IWGP Heavyweight Champion in the Inoki Genome Federation ( IGF ) . In 2006 , Lesnar pursued a career in mixed martial arts ( MMA ) , as he signed with Hero 's and won his first fight , against Min-Soo Kim , in June 2007 . He then signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) the following October . Lesnar lost in his UFC debut against Frank Mir and then won his second fight against Heath Herring . In November 2008 , Lesnar defeated Randy Couture to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion . Shortly after a successful title defense in a rematch with Mir , Lesnar was sidelined due to diverticulitis . He would return at UFC 116 to defeat Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Shane Carwin and unify the heavyweight championships , becoming the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion in the process . Lesnar then lost the championship to Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 . In 2011 , he was once again sidelined due to diverticulitis and underwent surgery . Lesnar returned at UFC 141 in December , losing to Alistair Overeem and promptly retiring from MMA . Lesnar was a box office sensation in UFC , as he took part in a some of the best selling pay-per-view events in UFC history , including UFC 100 and UFC 116 . In April 2012 , Lesnar once again returned to professional wrestling , rejoining WWE after an eight-year hiatus . Two years later , at WrestleMania XXX , Lesnar defeated The Undertaker to end his undefeated streak at WrestleMania . He achieved world champion status twice since his return , having won the then WWE World Heavyweight Championship in 2014 and the WWE Universal Championship in 2017 . Lesnar has been managed by Paul Heyman throughout the majority of his professional wrestling career . In June 2016 at UFC 199 , the UFC announced that Lesnar would return to MMA to fight at UFC 200 . His opponent was later revealed to be Mark Hunt . Lesnar would defeat Hunt via unanimous decision . However , after Lesnar tested positive for clomiphene , a banned substance on the UFC 's anti-doping policy , he was suspended from competing in the UFC by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for one year , fined $ 250,000 and his victory over Hunt was overturned to a no-contest . Lesnar then retired from MMA for a second time in 2017 . Lesnar is a five-time world champion in WWE , a one-time heavyweight champion in the UFC , a one-time heavyweight champion in NJPW , and a one-time heavyweight wrestling champion in the NCAA , the only person in history to win a championship in each of those organizations . He has headlined numerous pay-per-view events for both the WWE and UFC , including WrestleMania XIX , WrestleMania 31 , UFC 100 and UFC 116 . In 2015 , an ESPN.com article referred to Lesnar as `` the most accomplished athlete in professional wrestling history '' .", "WWE Universal Championship. The WWE Universal Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE on the Raw brand . It is one of two world titles in the WWE , alongside the WWE Championship on the SmackDown brand . The title is currently held by Brock Lesnar , who is in his first reign . Named in honor of the WWE Universe , the championship was established on July 25 , 2016 to be the world championship of the Raw brand . Its creation came as a result of the re-introduction of the brand extension and subsequent draft on July 19 , 2016 , in which the WWE Championship , the promotion 's original world title , became exclusive to SmackDown . The inaugural Universal Champion was Finn Bálor .", "Randy Savage. Randy Mario Poffo ( November 15 , 1952 -- May 20 , 2011 ) , better known by the ring name `` Macho Man '' Randy Savage , was an American professional wrestler and color commentator best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) and later World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) . Savage is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers in history ; a number of peers have ranked Savage among the industry 's top performers of all time . He was recognizable by wrestling fans for his distinctively deep and raspy voice , his flamboyant ring attire , intensity exhibited in and out of the ring , using `` Pomp and Circumstance '' as his entrance music , and his signature catch phrase , `` Oooh yeah ! '' . For most of his tenures in the WWF and WCW , Savage was managed by his real-life wife `` Miss Elizabeth '' Hulette . He won 29 titles during a 32-year career , including the WWF World Heavyweight Championship twice and the WCW World Heavyweight Championship four times . A one-time WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion , Savage was named by WWE as the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time and was credited for bringing `` a higher level of credibility to the title through his amazing in-ring performances '' . Aside from championships , he was the 1987 WWF King of the Ring and the 1995 WCW World War 3 winner . A major pay-per-view attraction in the 1980s and 1990s , Savage headlined WrestleManias IV , V and VIII ( being part of a double main event at the last of those presentations ) , as well as four of the first five SummerSlam shows , the 1995 edition of WCW 's Starrcade , and many other events . At the peak of his popularity , he held similar drawing power to that of Hulk Hogan . He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015 .", "WWE Hall of Fame. The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestling personalities maintained by WWE . It was announced on the March 22 , 1993 episode of Monday Night Raw where André the Giant , who had died nearly two months prior , was announced as the sole inductee . The 1994 and 1995 ceremonies were held in conjunction with the annual King of the Ring pay-per-view events . In 1996 , the ceremony was held with the Survivor Series event , for the first time in front of a paying audience as well as the wrestlers , after which , the Hall of Fame went on hiatus . In 2004 , WWE relaunched the Hall of Fame to coincide with WrestleMania XX . This ceremony , like its predecessors , was not broadcast on television . However , it was released on DVD on June 1 , 2004 . Beginning with the 2005 ceremony , an edited version of the Hall of Fame was broadcast on Spike TV ( 2005 ) and on the USA Network ( 2006 -- present ) ; these were aired on tape delay . Since 2005 , the entire Hall of Fame ceremony has been packaged as part of the annual WrestleMania DVD release , and from 2014 , has been broadcast live on the WWE Network . In 2015 , historical WWE Hall of Fame ceremonies became available on the WWE Network . Although a building has never been built to represent the Hall of Fame , WWE has looked into constructing a facility . In 2008 , Shane McMahon , then-Executive Vice President of Global Media of WWE , stated that WWE had been storing wrestling memorabilia in a warehouse for years , with all items categorized and dated in case a facility is created . As of 2017 , there have been 164 inductees -- with 105 wrestlers inducted individually , 11 group inductions ( consisting of 31 wrestlers within those groups ) , nine celebrities , three Warrior Award recipients , and 16 Legacy Inductees . 36 members were inducted posthumously . Ric Flair is the only Hall of Famer to be inducted twice , first individually in 2008 , then as a member of The Four Horsemen in 2012 , while Flair , Sting , and Kurt Angle are the only people to be inducted while still active .", "Randy Couture. Randall `` Randy '' Duane Couture ( -LSB- koʊˈtʊər -RSB- born June 22 , 1963 ) is an American actor , retired United States Army Sergeant , retired mixed martial artist and former collegiate and Greco-Roman wrestler . During his tenures in the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) , Couture became a three-time UFC Heavyweight Champion , two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion , an interim UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and the UFC 13 Heavyweight Tournament Winner . Couture is the first of only three fighters to hold two UFC championship titles in two different divisions ( along with B.J. Penn and Conor McGregor ) . Couture has competed in a record 15 title fights . He holds the most title reigns in the UFC with five . His last fight with Lyoto Machida marked his 24th fight in the UFC , the tenth largest number of fights in the UFC ( Michael Bisping , Frank Mir , and Tito Ortiz are tied for first with 27 ) . Couture is the fourth member of the UFC Hall of Fame . He is the only person over the age of 40 to have won a UFC championship fight , having done so four times . Couture has also been one of the few MMA champions to have recovered a title he had previously lost , and is the only fighter to have achieved it three times ( twice at Heavyweight , once at Light Heavyweight ) . Couture was an Olympic wrestling alternate and has lived in Corvallis , Oregon , throughout much of his career , where he served as an assistant wrestling coach and a strength and conditioning coach for Oregon State University . He established Team Quest with Matt Lindland and Dan Henderson , a training camp for fighters , based out of Gresham , Oregon , and headed by coach Robert Folis . In 2005 , Couture moved to Las Vegas , where he opened his own extensive chain of gyms under the name Xtreme Couture . Couture partnered with Bas Rutten to open Legends Gym in Hollywood , California . Couture is generally recognized as a clinch and ground-and-pound fighter who uses his wrestling ability to execute take downs , establish top position and successively strike the opponent on the bottom . Couture has displayed a variety of skills in boxing and catch wrestling and has submitted four opponents using different chokeholds . Couture is the only athlete in UFC history to win a championship after becoming a Hall of Fame member and is the oldest title holder ever in the UFC and MMA .", "WWE. World Wrestling Entertainment , Inc. ( d/b/a WWE ) is an American publicly traded , privately controlled entertainment company that deals primarily in professional wrestling , with revenue also coming from film , music , video games , product licensing , and direct product sales . WWE also refers to the professional wrestling promotion itself , founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1952 as Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd. . As of 2016 , it is the largest wrestling promotion in the world , holding over 500 events a year ( with the roster divided up into various globally traveling brands ) , and broadcasting to about 36 million viewers in more than 150 countries . The company 's global headquarters is located in Stamford , Connecticut , with offices in major cities across the world . As in other professional wrestling promotions , WWE shows are not legitimate contests , but purely entertainment-based , featuring storyline-driven , scripted , and choreographed matches , though they often include moves that can put performers at risk of injury if not performed correctly . This was first publicly acknowledged by WWE 's owner Vince McMahon in 1989 to avoid taxes from athletic commissions . Since the 1980s , WWE publicly has branded their product as sports entertainment , acknowledging the product 's roots in competitive sport and dramatic theater . The company 's majority owner is its chairman and CEO , Vince McMahon . Along with his wife Linda , children Shane and Stephanie , and son-in-law Paul `` Triple H '' Levesque , the McMahon family holds approximately 70 % of WWE 's equity and 96 % of the voting power . As of August 2014 , Eminence Capital , a New York-based hedge fund , acquired a 9.6 % stake in WWE while the McMahon family retains 90.4 % interest . The current entity , incorporated on February 21 , 1980 , was previously known as Titan Sports , Inc. , which was founded in 1979 in South Yarmouth , Massachusetts . It acquired Capitol Wrestling Corporation , the holding company for the World Wrestling Federation , in 1982 . Titan was renamed World Wrestling Federation , Inc. in 1998 , then World Wrestling Federation Entertainment , Inc. in 1999 , and finally the current World Wrestling Entertainment , Inc. in 2002 . Since 2011 , the company has officially branded itself solely as WWE though the company 's legal name was not changed .", "Randy Orton. Randal Keith Orton ( born April 1 , 1980 ) is an American professional wrestler and actor . He is currently signed to WWE , where he performs on the SmackDown brand . Orton is a 13-time world champion . Orton has held the WWE Championship nine times ( eighth reign was as WWE World Heavyweight Champion ) and WWE 's World Heavyweight Championship four times , and was the final holder of the World Heavyweight Championship , which he unified with the WWE Championship to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion . Orton is a third-generation professional wrestler ; his grandfather Bob Orton , Sr. , his father `` Cowboy '' Bob Orton , and his uncle Barry Orton all competed in the professional wrestling business . Before being promoted to the main World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) roster , Orton trained in and wrestled for Mid-Missouri Wrestling Association-Southern Illinois Conference Wrestling for a month . He was then sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling ( OVW ) , where he held the OVW Hardcore Championship twice . Orton became a member of the stable Evolution shortly after his WWE debut , which quickly led to an Intercontinental Championship reign , his first title with the company . He also acquired the moniker `` The Legend Killer '' during a storyline where he began disrespecting and then physically attacking WWE Hall of Famers and wrestling veterans . At age 24 , he became the youngest world champion in WWE history after he won the World Heavyweight Championship . With this win , he departed from Evolution and a feud with his former stablemates began . In 2006 , Orton joined forces with Edge in a tag team known as Rated-RKO . Together , they held the World Tag Team Championship . After Rated-RKO disbanded in mid-2007 , Orton gained two WWE Championship reigns in one night , when at 27 he became the youngest two-time WWE Champion . He formed the group The Legacy with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase in 2008 . It disbanded in 2010 and Orton returned to singles competition . From 2013 to 2015 , Orton was aligned with The Authority , who named him the `` face of the WWE '' . In late 2016 he joined The Wyatt Family , winning the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship with stablemates Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper before turning on Wyatt in February 2017 . Overall , Orton has won 16 total championships in WWE . He is the winner of the 2013 Money in the Bank ladder match , both the 2009 and 2017 Royal Rumble matches , and has headlined multiple pay-per-view events for WWE , including WrestleMania XXV and WrestleMania XXX .", "John Cena. John Felix Anthony Cena Jr. ( -LSB- ˈsiːnə -RSB- born April 23 , 1977 ) is an American professional wrestler , rapper , actor , and reality television show host . He is signed to WWE , where he performs on the SmackDown brand . Cena started his professional wrestling career in 1999 with Ultimate Pro Wrestling ( UPW ) and won the UPW Heavyweight Championship the following year . Cena signed a developmental contract with the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , later renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment , or simply WWE ) in 2001 , debuting on the WWE main roster in 2002 . From a generic character in 2002 , Cena morphed into a rapper for the time period of 2002 -- 2004 , which earned him fame within the audience on SmackDown ! . Cena later transitioned to his current character , which he describes as a `` goody-two shoes Superman '' . However , Cena has been labeled as the `` most polarizing professional wrestler ever '' as his character has many supporters and many detractors , according to Jim Ross of Fox Sports , who also noted that Cena has been WWE 's franchise player for a long-time . In 2012 , IGN described Cena as WWE 's franchise player since 2005 and WWE credited Cena as being the `` face of WWE '' in 2015 since 2004 . Industry veterans John Layfield , Paul Heyman , and Kurt Angle have called Cena the greatest WWE star of all time . Throughout his WWE career , Cena has won 25 championships , with 16 reigns as a world champion ( 13 times as WWE Champion and three times as WWE 's World Heavyweight Champion ) , an accomplishment only previously achieved by WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair . He is also a five-time United States Champion , and four-time world tag team champion ( two World Tag Team and two WWE Tag Team ) . Furthermore , he is a Money in the Bank ladder match winner ( 2012 ) , a two-time Royal Rumble winner ( 2008 , 2013 ) , and a three-time Superstar of the Year Slammy Award winner ( 2009 , 2010 , 2012 ) . Cena has the fourth-highest number of combined days as WWE Champion , behind Bruno Sammartino , Bob Backlund , and Hulk Hogan . He has also headlined WWE 's flagship event , WrestleMania , on five different occasions ( WrestleManias 22 , 23 , XXVII , XXVIII , and 29 ) over the course of his career , as well as many others pay-per-view events . As of 2016 , John Cena is WWE 's highest-paid wrestler . Outside of wrestling , Cena has released the rap album You Ca n't See Me , which debuted at No. 15 on the US Billboard 200 chart , and starred in the feature films The Marine ( 2006 ) , 12 Rounds ( 2009 ) , Legendary ( 2010 ) , The Reunion ( 2011 ) , Trainwreck ( 2015 ) , and Sisters ( 2015 ) . Cena has also made appearances on television shows including Manhunt , Deal or No Deal , MADtv , Saturday Night Live , Punk 'd , Psych , and Parks and Recreation . He was also a contestant on Fast Cars and Superstars : The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race , where he made it to the final round before being eliminated , placing third in the overall competition . Cena is also the host of American Grit on Fox . Cena is involved in numerous philanthropic causes ; most notably with the Make-A-Wish Foundation . He has granted the most wishes in Make-A-Wish history .", "WrestleMania 31. WrestleMania 31 was the thirty-first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event produced by WWE . It took place on March 29 , 2015 , at Levi 's Stadium in Santa Clara , California . Nine matches took place at the event , with two being shown on the pre-show . In the main event , Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract as the scheduled match between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns was in progress , and won the resulting impromptu triple threat match to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship . The event was also notable for Sting 's debut match in WWE and only WrestleMania match , in which he was defeated by Triple H. The event received highly positive reviews from fans and critics alike ; some critics called it one of the best ever WrestleMania events . WWE reported that the show was the highest grossing WWE event ever , drawing a revenue of $ 12.6 million . The company also claimed an attendance figure of 76,976 .", "WWE Raw. WWE Raw , also known as Monday Night Raw or simply Raw , is a professional wrestling television program that currently airs live on Monday evenings at 8 pm EST on the USA Network in the United States . The show 's name is also used to refer to the Raw brand , in which WWE employees are assigned to work and perform on that program ; the other programs and brands currently being SmackDown and NXT . The show debuted on January 11 , 1993 and has since been considered as the flagship program of WWE . Raw moved from the USA Network to TNN in September 2000 , which was rebranded to Spike in August 2003 . On October 3 , 2005 , Raw returned to the USA Network , where it remains today . As of December 9 , 2016 , all episodes of the show are now available on demand on the WWE Network . Since its first episode , Raw has broadcast live from 208 different arenas in 171 cities and towns in eleven different nations ( the United States , Canada , the United Kingdom , Afghanistan in 2005 , Iraq in 2006 and 2007 , South Africa , Germany , Japan , Italy , and Mexico ) . Following the 1000th episode on July 23 , 2012 , Raw became a three-hour broadcast from two hours , a format that had previously been reserved for special episodes .", "UFC 91. UFC 91 : Couture vs. Lesnar was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) on November 15 , 2008 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas , Nevada .", "SummerSlam (2014). SummerSlam ( 2014 ) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event produced by WWE . It took place on August 17 , 2014 at Staples Center in Los Angeles , California . It was the twenty-seventh annual SummerSlam , and the sixth and final consecutive one held at Staples Center . This was also the first WWE pay-per-view to use the new WWE logo but it not used on air and on the turnbuckle pads until the next night on WWE Raw . This was the last WWE pay-per-view to feature the championships with the scratch logo . Eight professional wrestling matches were scheduled on the event 's main card and one match took place on the pre-show , which was streamed on the WWE Network . The main event saw Brock Lesnar defeat John Cena to become a four-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion . The event had 147,000 buys ( excluding WWE Network views ) , down from the previous year 's 296,000 buys .", "Triple H. Paul Michael Levesque ( born July 27 , 1969 ) , better known by the ring name Triple H ( an abbreviation of his original WWE ring name Hunter Hearst Helmsley ) , is an American business executive and professional wrestler . Levesque is the Executive Vice President of Talent , Live Events and Creative for WWE , as well as being the founder and senior producer of NXT and the creator of the NXT television series . Levesque commenced his professional wrestling career in the International Wrestling Federation ( IWF ) in 1992 under the ring name Terra Ryzing . In 1994 , he joined World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) , where he was soon repackaged as Jean-Paul Lévesque , a French Canadian aristocrat . In 1995 , Levesque moved to the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) , where he became Hunter Hearst Helmsley and , later , Triple H . In 1997 , Triple H co-founded the influential D-Generation X stable , which became a major element of the WWF 's `` Attitude Era '' . After winning his first WWF Championship and beginning a storyline marriage with Stephanie McMahon in 1999 , Triple H became widely regarded as the best wrestler in North America and a fixture of the company 's main event scene . Over the next two decades , he won a total of 14 world championships and led stables The McMahon-Helmsley Faction , Evolution and The Authority . From 2010 onwards , Triple H curtailed his in-ring appearances as he took on a greater behind-the-scenes role within WWE . After legitimately marrying McMahon in 2003 , he became a member of the McMahon family , which maintains majority ownership of WWE . In the course of his career , Levesque has held a total of 25 championships , including nine reigns as WWF/WWE Champion and five as WWE 's World Heavyweight Champion . Triple H was also the winner of the 1997 King of the Ring tournament and the 2002 and 2016 Royal Rumbles . He has headlined WrestleMania , WWE 's flagship pay-per-view , a record seven times ( tied with Hulk Hogan ) . Outside of professional wrestling , Levesque has made numerous guest appearances in film and on television , including the lead role in the 2011 WWE Studios production The Chaperone .", "WrestleMania. WrestleMania is a professional wrestling event produced annually between mid-March to early April by WWE , an American professional wrestling promotion based in Stamford , Connecticut . WWE first produced the event in 1985 and has since produced 33 editions , with the most recent having been held in Orlando , Florida on April 2 , 2017 and thirty-fourth to be held in New Orleans , Louisiana on April 8 , 2018 . WrestleMania , WWE 's flagship event , airs on pay-per-view ( PPV ) and WWE Network and is the most successful and longest-running professional wrestling event in history . It contributes to the worldwide commercial success of WWE through media , merchandise , and shows . WrestleMania was conceptualized by WWE owner Vince McMahon and long time WWE ring announcer and Hall of Famer Howard Finkel is credited with devising the name `` WrestleMania '' in 1984 . WrestleMania 's widespread success helped transform professional wrestling . The event has facilitated the rise to stardom of several top WWE wrestlers . Celebrities such as Aretha Franklin , Cyndi Lauper , Muhammad Ali , Mr. T , Alice Cooper , Lawrence Taylor , Pamela Anderson , Mike Tyson , Donald Trump , Floyd Mayweather , Pete Rose , Burt Reynolds , Mickey Rourke , Snoop Dogg , Sean `` Diddy '' Combs , Kid Rock , Fred Durst , Ozzy Osbourne , Ronda Rousey , and Shaquille O'Neal have participated or made special appearances within the events . The first WrestleMania was held in Madison Square Garden in New York City ; the 10th and 20th editions were also held there . WrestleMania III in the Detroit suburb of Pontiac , Michigan was the highest-attended indoor sports event in the world , with 93,173 fans in attendance . The record stood until February 14 , 2010 , when the 2010 NBA All-Star Game broke the indoor sporting event record with an attendance of 108,713 at Cowboys Stadium , since renamed AT&T Stadium , in Arlington , Texas . In 2016 , WrestleMania 32 surpassed WrestleMania III as the highest-attended professional wrestling event ever held in America , with 101,763 fans in attendance at AT&T Stadium . All editions of the event have been hosted in North American cities , with 31 in the United States and two in Canada .", "Chris Benoit. Christopher Michael Benoit ( -LSB- bəˈnwa -RSB- ; May 21 , 1967 -- June 24 , 2007 ) was a Canadian professional wrestler . During his 22-year career , Benoit worked for numerous promotions including the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWF/WWE ) , World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) , Extreme Championship Wrestling ( ECW ) , and New Japan Pro-Wrestling ( NJPW ) . Industry historian Dave Meltzer considered him `` one of the top 10 , maybe even the top 5 , all-time greats '' . Benoit held 22 championships between WWF/WWE , WCW , NJPW , and ECW . He was a two-time world champion , having been a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion , and a one-time World Heavyweight Champion in WWE ; he was booked to win a third world championship at a WWE event on the night of his death . Benoit was the twelfth WWE Triple Crown Champion and sixth WCW Triple Crown Champion , and the second of five men in history to achieve both the WWE and WCW Triple Crown Championships . He was also the 2004 Royal Rumble winner , joining Shawn Michaels as the only two men to win a Royal Rumble as the number one entrant . Benoit headlined multiple pay-per-views for WWE , including a victory in the World Heavyweight Championship main event match of WrestleMania XX in 2004 . Benoit murdered his wife and son on June 22 , 2007 , and hanged himself two days later . Research suggests depression and brain damage from numerous concussions are likely contributing factors leading to the crime .", "Hulk Hogan. Terry Gene Bollea ( -LSB- bʌ.ˈleɪ.ə -RSB- , born August 11 , 1953 ) , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan , is an American semi-retired professional wrestler , actor , television personality , entrepreneur and rock bassist . Hogan is regarded by many as the greatest professional wrestler of all time ; according to IGN , he is `` the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s '' . Hogan enjoyed considerable mainstream popularity between the mid 1980s and early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) , which continued for the remainder of the 1990s in World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) , where he often performed as villainous New World Order ( nWo ) leader `` Hollywood '' Hulk Hogan and held complete creative control over his storylines . A regular pay-per-view main eventer and box office draw in both organizations , Hogan headlined the premier annual events of the WWF and WCW , WrestleMania and Starrcade , multiple times ; against Sting , he closed the most profitable WCW pay-per-view ever at the 1997 edition of Starrcade . Aside from those promotions , he has notably performed for the American Wrestling Association ( AWA ) , New Japan Pro Wrestling ( NJPW ) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( TNA ) . Hogan is a twelve-time world champion : a six-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion/WWF Champion ( with his last reign being as Undisputed WWF/WWE Champion ) and a six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion . He was the first wrestler to win consecutive Royal Rumbles , in 1990 and 1991 respectively . Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 .", "Extreme Rules (2012). Extreme Rules ( 2012 ) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event produced by WWE . It took place on April 29 , 2012 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont , Illinois . It was the fourth event under the Extreme Rules chronology . Eight professional wrestling matches were scheduled on the event 's card and one pre-show match was streamed on YouTube . It included Brock Lesnar 's first WWE match since WrestleMania XX in 2004 . The concept of Extreme Rules was that the event comprised various hardcore-based matches . In the main event , John Cena defeated Brock Lesnar in an Extreme Rules match . Elsewhere on the card , CM Punk defeated Chris Jericho in a Chicago Street Fight to retain the WWE Championship , and Sheamus defeated Daniel Bryan in a 2-out-of-3 falls match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship . The pay-per-view received universally positive reviews , with the main event and two world championship matches drawing high praise from critics and fans . The event received 263,000 buys , up 25.8 % from the 209,000 buys for the previous year 's event , whereas the next Extreme Rules event in 2013 received 231,000 buys , a drop of 12.1 % .", "WWE Championship. The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE on the SmackDown brand . It is one of two world titles in the WWE , alongside the WWE Universal Championship that was created for the Raw brand as a result of the 2016 WWE draft . The title is currently held by Jinder Mahal , who is in his first reign . The original world championship of the promotion , it was established by the then-World Wide Wrestling Federation ( WWWF ) on April 25 , 1963 as the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship , following the promotion seceding from the National Wrestling Alliance ( NWA ) . The inaugural champion was Buddy Rogers . Since its inception , the title has undergone many name changes due to company name changes and title unifications . It is the oldest championship currently active in the WWE , and is presented as being the promotion 's most prestigious title , with many matches for the title having headlined pay-per-view events -- including WWE 's flagship event WrestleMania . From its inception until 2001 , it was promoted as WWE 's sole primary championship . An additional world title , the WCW Championship , was added after the then-World Wrestling Federation 's purchase of World Championship Wrestling in early 2001 . The titles were later unified as the Undisputed Championship . After the first brand extension in 2002 and the promotion becoming the WWE , the championship became exclusive to SmackDown , and the World Heavyweight Championship was created for Raw . ECW became a third brand in 2006 , adding the ECW World Heavyweight Championship . Over the course of the first brand extension , the WWE Championship switched between brands , usually as a result of the annual draft . The ECW Championship was deactivated in 2010 , and the World Heavyweight Championship was unified with the WWE Championship in 2013 . The championship was again the sole world title of WWE until the reintroduction of the brand extension in 2016 .", "Royal Rumble (2003). Royal Rumble ( 2003 ) was the sixteenth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) . It took place on January 19 , 2003 , at the Fleet Center in Boston , Massachusetts , was the first Royal Rumble produced under the WWE name and employed talent from the Raw and SmackDown ! brands . As has been customary since 1993 , the Royal Rumble match winner received a match at that year 's WrestleMania , ( in this instance : WrestleMania XIX ) for his brand 's World title , either the WWE Championship or the World Heavyweight Championship . The main event was the annual 30-man Royal Rumble match , which included wrestlers from both brands . Brock Lesnar , the twenty-ninth entrant , won the match by last eliminating The Undertaker , the thirtieth entrant . The primary match on the Raw brand was Triple H versus Scott Steiner for the World Heavyweight Championship , which Steiner won by disqualification resulting in Triple H retaining the championship . The most prominent for the SmackDown ! brand was between Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit for the WWE Championship , which Angle won by making Benoit submit to the Ankle Lock . The undercard also included a Royal Rumble qualification match between Brock Lesnar and The Big Show , which Lesnar won ; he would then go on to win the Rumble match later that night .", "Mel Brooks. Melvin Brooks ( né Kaminsky , born June 28 , 1926 ) is an American filmmaker , comedian , actor and composer . He is known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies . Brooks began his career as a comic and a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows . He became well known as part of the comedy duo with Carl Reiner in the comedy skit The 2000 Year Old Man . He also created , with Buck Henry , the hit television comedy series Get Smart , which ran from 1965 to 1970 . In middle age , Brooks became one of the most successful film directors of the 1970s , with many of his films being among the top 10 moneymakers of the year they were released . His best-known films include The Producers , The Twelve Chairs , Blazing Saddles , Young Frankenstein , Silent Movie , High Anxiety , History of the World , Part I , Spaceballs and Robin Hood : Men in Tights . A musical adaptation of his first film , The Producers , ran on Broadway from 2001 to 2007 . In 2001 , having previously won an Emmy , a Grammy and an Oscar , he joined a small list of EGOT winners with his Tony award for The Producers . He received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2009 , the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 , the 41st AFI Life Achievement Award in June 2013 , a British Film Institute Fellowship in March 2015 , a National Medal of Arts in September 2016 , and a BAFTA Fellowship in February 2017 . Three of his films ranked in the American Film Institute 's list of the top 100 comedy films of the past 100 years ( 1900 -- 2000 ) , all of which ranked in the top 15 of the list : Blazing Saddles at number 6 , The Producers at number 11 , and Young Frankenstein at number 13 . Brooks was married to Oscar-winning actress Anne Bancroft from 1964 until her death in 2005 .", "Survivor Series (2016). Survivor Series ( 2016 ) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event and WWE Network event produced by WWE for the Raw and SmackDown brands . It took place on November 20 , 2016 , at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto , Ontario , Canada . It was the thirtieth event under the Survivor Series chronology . This was the first Survivor Series to take place in Canada since the 1997 edition , which became infamous for the Montreal Screwjob . The event was the first Survivor Series event to be four hours in length . Eight matches were contested at the event , including two on the pre-show . The main event marked the in-ring return of Goldberg after twelve years , which saw him defeat Brock Lesnar in 1 minute and 26 seconds . The other five matches on the main card were interpromotional matches , pitting wrestlers from the Raw brand against wrestlers from the SmackDown brand . Three of those matches were Survivor Series elimination matches ; Raw 's women and tag teams defeated SmackDown 's , but SmackDown 's men defeated Raw in the penultimate match . Furthermore , Intercontinental Champion The Miz ( from SmackDown ) and Cruiserweight Champion Brian Kendrick ( from Raw ) retained their titles against challengers from the opposing brand , Raw 's Sami Zayn and SmackDown 's Kalisto , respectively . Had Kalisto won the Cruiserweight Championship , the entire cruiserweight division would have been transferred to SmackDown .", "Brad Pitt. William Bradley Pitt ( born December 18 , 1963 ) is an American actor and producer . He has received multiple awards and nominations including an Academy Award as producer under his own company Plan B Entertainment . Pitt first gained recognition as a cowboy hitchhiker in the road movie Thelma & Louise ( 1991 ) . His first leading roles in big-budget productions came with the dramas A River Runs Through It ( 1992 ) and Legends of the Fall ( 1994 ) , and Interview with the Vampire ( 1994 ) . He gave critically acclaimed performances in the crime thriller Seven and the science fiction film 12 Monkeys ( both 1995 ) , the latter earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination . Pitt starred in the cult film Fight Club ( 1999 ) and the heist film Ocean 's Eleven ( 2001 ) and its sequels , Ocean 's Twelve ( 2004 ) and Ocean 's Thirteen ( 2007 ) . His greatest commercial successes have been Troy ( 2004 ) , Mr. & Mrs. Smith ( 2005 ) , and World War Z ( 2013 ) . Pitt received his second and third Academy Award nominations for his leading performances in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ( 2008 ) and Moneyball ( 2011 ) . He produced The Departed ( 2006 ) and 12 Years a Slave ( 2013 ) , both of which won the Academy Award for Best Picture , and also The Tree of Life , Moneyball , and The Big Short ( 2015 ) , all of which garnered Best Picture nominations . As a public figure , Pitt has been cited as one of the most influential and powerful people in the American entertainment industry , as well as the world 's most attractive man , by various media outlets . His personal life is also the subject of wide publicity . Divorced from actress Jennifer Aniston , to whom he was married for five years , he has been married to actress Angelina Jolie since 2014 . They have six children together , three of whom were adopted internationally . In September 2016 , Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt .", "Hell in a Cell (2015). Hell in a Cell ( 2015 ) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event produced by WWE . It took place on October 25 , 2015 , at Staples Center in Los Angeles , California . It was the seventh event under the Hell in a Cell chronology . This is also the first WWE pay-per-view , other than SummerSlam , to be held in the city of Los Angeles since 2007 's No Way Out . Eight matches were contested at the event , with one match on the pre-show . In the main event , Brock Lesnar defeated The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match , their second such match , the first one being at the 2002 No Mercy event . Also on the show , Alberto Del Rio returned to the WWE to answer John Cena 's open challenge and defeat him to win the WWE United States Championship .", "Chris Jericho. Christopher Keith Irvine ( born November 9 , 1970 ) , better known by the ring name Chris Jericho , is a Canadian American professional wrestler , musician , media personality , actor , author , podcaster , and businessman signed to WWE on the SmackDown brand , where he is currently on a hiatus due to an expected tour with Fozzy . He is known for his over-the-top , rockstar persona . Between WWE ( formerly the World Wrestling Federation ) , Extreme Championship Wrestling ( ECW ) and World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) -- the three most prominent American professional wrestling promotions of the 1990s and early 2000s -- Jericho has won 32 titles . He also found championship success while performing for international promotions in countries such as Canada , Japan and Mexico . Jericho is the first Undisputed WWF Champion , and thus the final holder of the World Championship ( formerly the WCW World Heavyweight Championship ) , having won and unified the WWF and World titles by defeating Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock on the same night in 2001 . He is also the ninth Triple Crown Champion , as well as the fourth Grand Slam Champion in WWE history . In addition , Jericho was the 2008 Superstar of the Year Slammy Award winner and ( along with Big Show as Jeri-Show ) won the 2009 Tag Team of the Year Slammy Award -- making him the only winner of both Superstar and Tag Team of the Year in WWE history . Jericho is a six-time world champion , having won the WWF Championship once , the WCW/World Championship twice , and WWE 's World Heavyweight Championship three times . He is also a record nine-time Intercontinental Champion , beating out four other contenders in a 2013 WWE fan poll to determine the greatest champion in history with a landslide 63 % of the vote . He is also a two time United States Champion having won the title twice in 2017 . Jericho has headlined multiple pay-per-view events during his time with the company , including a performance as the Undisputed WWF Champion at WrestleMania X8 in 2002 . Baltimore Sun writer Kevin Eck wrote that Jericho `` has proved to be one of best all-around performers in the business '' , particularly `` regarded as one of the very best talkers '' . The Wrestling Observer Newsletter named Jericho the `` Best on Interviews '' for the 2000s , and in 2010 , inducted him into its Hall of Fame . Outside of professional wrestling , Jericho became the lead vocalist of the band Fozzy in 1999 . Their eponymous debut album ( 2000 ) and Happenstance ( 2002 ) consist of cover songs and original music ; later records All That Remains ( 2005 ) , Chasing the Grail ( 2010 ) , Sin and Bones ( 2012 ) and Do You Wan na Start a War ( 2014 ) are comprised entirely or predominantly of original compositions . Jericho also competed in the 2011 series of Dancing With the Stars , lasting until the sixth week . Prior to this , he hosted the ABC game show Downfall and the Revolver Golden Gods Awards .", "Seth Rollins. Colby Daniel Lopez ( born May 28 , 1986 ) is an American professional wrestler and actor currently signed to WWE , where he performs under the ring name Seth Rollins on the Raw brand . After signing with WWE in 2010 , he was sent to its developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling ( FCW ) where he was the first FCW Grand Slam Champion . After WWE rebranded FCW into NXT , he became the inaugural NXT Champion . Rollins debuted on WWE 's main roster in 2012 alongside Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns as The Shield . Rollins is a two-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion , a one-time United States Champion , a one-time WWE Tag Team Champion ( with Roman Reigns ) , the 2014 Money in the Bank winner , and the 2015 Superstar of the Year . Prior to signing with WWE , Lopez wrestled as Tyler Black for Ring of Honor ( ROH ) , where he held the ROH World Championship once and the ROH World Tag Team Championship twice ( with Jimmy Jacobs ) , and was the winner of the 2009 Survival of the Fittest tournament . He also wrestled for various independent promotions including Full Impact Pro ( FIP ) , where he was a one-time FIP World Heavyweight Champion , and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla ( PWG ) , where he was a one-time PWG World Tag Team Champion ( also with Jacobs ) . Rollins has headlined numerous major pay-per-view events for WWE , including WrestleMania 31 . Industry veteran Sting , who wrestled his final match against Rollins at Night of Champions on September 20 , 2015 , described him as the most talented professional wrestler he has ever seen or worked with .", "Celine Dion. Céline Marie Claudette Dion , ( -LSB- ˈdiːɒn -RSB- -LSB- seˈlɪn dziˈjɔ̃ -RSB- ; born 30 March 1968 ) is a Canadian singer and businesswoman . Born into a large family from Charlemagne , Quebec , Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record . Dion first gained international recognition in the 1980s by winning both the 1982 Yamaha World Popular Song Festival and the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest where she represented Switzerland . Following a series of French albums during the 1980s , she signed on to Epic Records in the United States . In 1990 , Dion released her debut English-language album , Unison , establishing herself as a viable pop artist in North America and other English-speaking areas of the world . During the 1990s , with the help of Angélil , she achieved worldwide fame after releasing several English albums along with additional French albums . Her albums , Falling into You ( 1996 ) and Let 's Talk About Love ( 1997 ) , were both certified diamond in the US while D'eux ( 1995 ) became the best-selling French-language album of all time . She also scored a series of international number-one hits , including `` Nothing Broken but My Heart '' , `` The Power of Love '' , `` Think Twice '' , `` Because You Loved Me '' , `` It 's All Coming Back to Me Now '' , `` My Heart Will Go On '' , and `` I 'm Your Angel . '' However , in 1999 at the height of her success , Dion announced a hiatus from entertainment to start a family and spend time with her husband , who had been diagnosed with cancer . She returned to the top of pop music in 2002 and signed to perform nightly in A New Day ... ( 2003 -- 07 ) , a five-star theatrical show at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace , on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise , Nevada . It became the most successful residency show of all time , grossing US $ 385 million . Dion 's music has been influenced by genres ranging from rock and R&B to gospel and classical . Her recordings are mainly in French and English , although she also sings in Spanish , Italian , German , Latin , Japanese , and Mandarin Chinese . While her releases have often received mixed critical reception , she is regarded as one of pop music 's most influential voices . Dion has won five Grammy Awards , including Album of the Year and Record of the Year . She is the second best-selling female artist in the US during the Nielsen SoundScan era . In 2003 , Dion was honoured by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry ( IFPI ) for selling over 50 million albums in Europe . Dion remains the best-selling Canadian artist and one of the best-selling artists of all time with record sales of over 200 million copies worldwide .", "CM Punk. Phillip Jack Brooks ( born October 26 , 1978 ) , better known by the ring name CM Punk , is an American mixed martial artist , comic book writer , and retired professional wrestler , currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) . He is best known for his time in WWE , where he was a two-time WWE Champion , including a 434-day reign from November 20 , 2011 , to January 27 , 2013 , that is recognized by WWE as the sixth longest of all-time , as well as the longest of the `` modern era '' . Brooks began his professional wrestling career on the American independent circuit , primarily with Ring of Honor ( ROH ) until 2005 when he signed with World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) . Throughout his career , he won several championships including the WWE Championship twice , WWE 's World Heavyweight Championship three times , and the ECW and ROH World Championships once each . In WWE , he was also a one-time World Tag Team Champion ( with Kofi Kingston ) , and one-time Intercontinental Champion , making him the 19th WWE Triple Crown Champion and the fastest man in WWE history to achieve this feat , doing so in 203 days . In addition , he was the 2011 WWE Superstar of the Year and the only two-time Money in the Bank winner . Throughout his career , Punk consistently portrayed the character of an outspoken , sharp-tongued , anti-establishment , straight edge iconoclastic . Most of the straight edge principles he portrayed , such as not drinking alcohol or not taking recreational drugs , are his real life views . Depending on his alignment as a hero or villain , he emphasized different aspects of the straight edge culture to garner the desired audience reaction . After retiring from professional wrestling in 2014 , Punk pursued a career in mixed martial arts and was signed by the UFC in December of that year . His first professional fight took place on September 10 , 2016 , at UFC 203 against Mickey Gall , where he lost via submission in the first round .", "Hillary Clinton. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( -LSB- ˈhɪləri_daɪˈæn_ˈrɒdəm_ˈklɪntən -RSB- born October 26 , 1947 ) is an American politician who was the 67th United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013 , U.S. Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009 , First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001 , and the Democratic Party 's nominee for President of the United States in the 2016 election . Born in Chicago , Illinois , and raised in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge , Clinton graduated from Wellesley College in 1969 , and earned a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1973 . After serving as a congressional legal counsel , she moved to Arkansas and married Bill Clinton in 1975 . In 1977 , she co-founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families . She was appointed the first female chair of the Legal Services Corporation in 1978 and became the first female partner at Rose Law Firm the following year . As First Lady of Arkansas , she led a task force whose recommendations helped reform Arkansas 's public schools . As First Lady of the United States , Clinton was an advocate for gender equality and healthcare reform . Her relationship with her husband came under public speculation during the Lewinsky scandal , forcing her to issue a statement reaffirming her commitment to the marriage . Clinton was elected in 2000 as the first female senator from New York . She was re-elected to the Senate in 2006 . Running for president in 2008 , she won far more delegates than any previous female candidate , but lost the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama . As Secretary of State in the Obama administration from 2009 to 2013 , Clinton responded to the Arab Spring , during which she advocated the U.S. military intervention in Libya . She helped organize a diplomatic isolation and international sanctions regime against Iran , in an effort to force curtailment of that country 's nuclear program ; this would eventually lead to the multinational Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement in 2015 . Leaving office after Obama 's first term , she wrote her fifth book and undertook speaking engagements . Clinton made a second presidential run in 2016 . She received the most votes and primary delegates in the 2016 Democratic primaries , and formally accepted her party 's nomination for President of the United States on July 28 , 2016 with vice presidential running mate Senator Tim Kaine . She became the first female candidate to be nominated for president by a major U.S. political party . Despite winning a plurality of the national popular vote , Clinton lost the Electoral College and the presidency to her Republican opponent Donald Trump . Following her loss , in 2017 she decided to focus on being a self-described `` activist citizen '' .", "Cher. Cher ( -LSB- ˈʃɛər -RSB- born Cherilyn Sarkisian , May 20 , 1946 ) is an American singer and actress . Sometimes referred to as the Goddess of Pop , she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industry . She is known for her distinctive contralto singing voice and for having worked in numerous areas of entertainment , as well as adopting a variety of styles and appearances during her five-decade-long career . Cher gained popularity in 1965 as one-half of the folk rock husband-wife duo Sonny & Cher after their song `` I Got You Babe '' reached number one on the American and British charts . By the end of 1967 , they had sold 40 million records worldwide and had become , according to Time magazine , rock 's `` it '' couple . She began her solo career simultaneously , releasing in 1966 her first million-seller song , `` Bang Bang ( My Baby Shot Me Down ) '' . She became a television personality in the 1970s with her shows The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour , watched by over 30 million viewers weekly during its three-year run , and Cher . She emerged as a fashion trendsetter by wearing elaborate outfits on her television shows . While working on television , she established herself as a solo artist with the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping singles `` Gypsys , Tramps & Thieves '' , `` Half-Breed '' , and `` Dark Lady '' . After her divorce from Sonny Bono in 1975 , Cher launched a comeback in 1979 with the disco-oriented album Take Me Home and earned $ 300,000 a week for her 198082 residency show in Las Vegas . In 1982 , Cher made her Broadway debut in the play Come Back to the Five and Dime , Jimmy Dean , Jimmy Dean and starred in the film adaptation of the same title . She subsequently earned critical acclaim for her performances in films such as Silkwood ( 1983 ) , Mask ( 1985 ) , and Moonstruck ( 1987 ) , for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress . She then revived her musical career by recording the rock-inflected albums Cher ( 1987 ) , Heart of Stone ( 1989 ) , and Love Hurts ( 1991 ) , all of which yielded several successful singles . She reached a new commercial peak in 1998 with the album Believe , whose title track became the biggest-selling single of all time by a female artist in the UK . It also features the pioneering use of Auto-Tune , also known as the `` Cher effect '' . Her 2002 -- 2005 Living Proof : The Farewell Tour became one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time , earning $ 250 million . In 2008 , she signed a $ 180 million deal to headline the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for three years . After seven years of absence , she returned to film in the 2010 musical Burlesque . Cher 's first studio album in 12 years , Closer to the Truth ( 2013 ) , became her highest-charting solo album in the U.S. to date at number three . Cher has won a Grammy Award , an Emmy Award , an Academy Award , three Golden Globe Awards , a Cannes Film Festival Award , and a special CFDA Fashion Award , among several other honors . Throughout her career , she has sold 100 million records worldwide , becoming one of the best-selling music artists in the music history . She is the only artist to date to have a number-one single on a Billboard chart in each decade from the 1960s to the 2010s . Outside of her music and acting , she is noted for her political views , philanthropic endeavors and social activism , including LGBT rights and HIV/AIDS prevention .", "Jessica Simpson. Jessica Ann Johnson ( née Simpson previously Lachey ; born July 10 , 1980 ) is an American singer , actress , and businesswoman . Simpson signed a recording contract with Columbia Records when she was sixteen , and released her debut studio album in 1999 . The album sold over four million copies worldwide , and spawned the top three hit `` I Wan na Love You Forever '' ( 1999 ) . Hoping to achieve further success with her second album , Simpson adopted a more mature image for the release of Irresistible ( 2001 ) . The album 's title track , which served as the lead single , became her second top twenty hit on the Billboard Hot 100 . The album itself earned a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . Simpson married singer Nick Lachey on October 26 , 2002 after four years of dating . The couple starred in the reality television series Newlyweds : Nick and Jessica ( 2003 -- 05 ) on MTV , chronicling their marriage and careers . The show became a pop culture phenomenon , and made Simpson and her husband household names . Her third studio album , In This Skin ( 2003 ) , became her most successful album to date ; it sold over seven million copies worldwide . The album was aided in part due to the success of the single `` With You '' ( 2003 ) , which topped the Mainstream Top 40 chart . She later released a Christmas themed album , ReJoyce : The Christmas Album ( 2004 ) , which earned a gold certification from the RIAA . She made her film debut as Daisy Duke in the film adaption of The Dukes of Hazzard ( 2005 ) ; it was commercially successful , though received a negative critical reaction . She also recorded the song `` These Boots Are Made for Walkin ' '' ( 2005 ) for the film , which went on to become her fourth top twenty hit on the Billboard Hot 100 . In November 2005 , Simpson and Lachey confirmed they were separating ; Simpson filed for divorce the following month . It was later announced that Simpson had parted ways with Columbia , and signed a new recording contract with Epic Records to distribute her fifth studio album . Simpson has sold over 30 million albums worldwide . Aside from her musical pursuits , she launched The Jessica Simpson Collection in 2005 , a fashion line of clothing and other items . The brand has gone on to earn over $ 1 billion in revenue , and is regarded as one of the most successful celebrity founded brands ever . Her fifth studio album , A Public Affair ( 2006 ) , saw a decline in sales for Simpson . She later starred in the romantic comedy Employee of the Month ( 2006 ) , a critical and commercial failure . With the release of her sixth studio album , Simpson attempted to shift into the country music genre . The project was met harshly by critics , and failed to achieve commercial success . Simpson went on to star in the reality television series The Price of Beauty ( 2010 ) , and was a judge on two seasons of Fashion Star ( 2012 -- 13 ) . She gave birth to her first child in 2012 , and her second in 2013 . The following year , she married Eric Johnson ; the couple had been engaged since 2010 . Simpson has since announced work on her eighth studio album , slated for release in 2017 .", "Vince McMahon. Vincent Kennedy McMahon ( born August 24 , 1945 ) is an American professional wrestling promoter , former commentator , announcer , film producer , actor , and retired professional wrestler . Since taking over the company from his father in the 1980s , McMahon has always worked in the corporate area of the WWE as well as behind the scenes . He currently serves as the majority owner , chairman , and CEO of the professional wrestling promotion . McMahon has also occasionally competed as a professional wrestler using a gimmick known by the ring name Mr. McMahon , based on his real life persona . He is a two-time world champion , having won the WWF Championship in 1999 and the ECW World Championship in 2007 . He is also the 1999 Royal Rumble winner . He headlined multiple pay-per-view events from 1999 to 2000 and participated in the main event of WrestleMania 2000 , as a cornerman for The Rock . In singles competition , McMahon holds victories over former WWF/E Champions Ric Flair , The Undertaker , Shawn Michaels , and Triple H. McMahon continues his backstage and on-screen roles as the main authority figure along with the rest of the McMahon family . A third generation wrestling promoter ( following in the footsteps of his grandfather Jess and father Vincent J. ) , he is married to former WWE CEO and current American SBA Administrator Linda McMahon , with whom he has two children -- son Shane and daughter Stephanie , is the father-in-law of WWE executive/wrestler Paul `` Triple H '' Lesveque , and has six grandchildren .", "SummerSlam (2016). SummerSlam ( 2016 ) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event and WWE Network event produced by WWE . It took place on August 21 , 2016 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn , New York . It was the twenty-ninth event under the SummerSlam chronology , the second consecutive SummerSlam at this particular venue , and the first event under the reintroduction of the WWE brand extension . Twelve matches were contested at the event , including three matches contested on the pre-show . In the main event , Brock Lesnar defeated Randy Orton by technical knockout while in other marquee matches , Finn Bálor defeated Seth Rollins to become the inaugural WWE Universal Champion , Dean Ambrose defeated Dolph Ziggler to retain the WWE World Championship , and AJ Styles defeated John Cena ." ]

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[ "Khmer Empire. The Khmer Empire , officially the Angkor Empire , the predecessor state to modern Cambodia ( `` Kampuchea '' or `` Srok Khmer '' to the Khmer people ) , was a powerful Hindu-Buddhist empire in Southeast Asia . The empire , which grew out of the former kingdoms of Funan and Chenla , at times ruled over and/or vassalised most of mainland Southeast Asia . Its greatest legacy is Angkor , in present-day Cambodia , which was the site of the capital city during the empire 's zenith . The majestic monuments of Angkor -- such as Angkor Wat and Bayon -- bear testimony to the Khmer Empire 's immense power and wealth , impressive art and culture , architectural technique and aesthetics achievements , as well as the variety of belief systems that it patronised over time . Satellite imaging has revealed that Angkor , during its peak in the 11th to 13th centuries , was the largest pre-industrial urban centre in the world . The beginning of the era of the Khmer Empire is conventionally dated to 802 CE . In this year , King Jayavarman II had himself declared chakravartin ( `` king of the world '' , or `` king of kings '' ) on Phnom Kulen . The empire ended with the fall of Angkor in the 15th century .", "Cambodia. Cambodia ( -LSB- kæmˈboʊdiə -RSB- កម ព ជ , or Kampuchea -LSB- kɑmpuˈciə -RSB- ) , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia ( ព រ រ ជ ណ ចក រកម ព ជ , Preăh Réachéanachâk Kâmpŭchéa , -LSB- ˈprĕəh riəciənaːˈcɑk kɑmpuˈciə -RSB- ) , is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia . It is 181035 km2 in area , bordered by Thailand to the northwest , Laos to the northeast , Vietnam to the east , and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest . Cambodia has a population of over 15 million . The official religion is Theravada Buddhism , practiced by approximately 95 percent of the population . The country 's minority groups include Vietnamese , Chinese , Chams , and 30 hill tribes . The capital and largest city is Phnom Penh , the political , economic , and cultural centre of Cambodia . The kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with Norodom Sihamoni , a monarch chosen by the Royal Throne Council , as head of state . The head of government is Hun Sen , who is currently the longest serving non-royal leader in South East Asia and has ruled Cambodia for over 25 years . In 802 AD , Jayavarman II declared himself king , uniting the warring Khmer princes of Chenla under the name `` Kambuja '' . This marked the beginning of the Khmer Empire which flourished for over 600 years , allowing successive kings to control and exert influence over much of Southeast Asia and accumulate immense power and wealth . The Indianized kingdom built monumental temples including Angkor Wat , now a World Heritage Site , and facilitated the spread of first Hinduism , then Buddhism to much of Southeast Asia . After the fall of Angkor to Ayutthaya in the 15th century , a reduced and weakened Cambodia was then ruled as a vassal state by its neighbours . In 1863 Cambodia became a protectorate of France which doubled the size of the country by reclaiming the north and west from Thailand . Cambodia gained independence in 1953 . The Vietnam War extended into the country with the US bombing of Cambodia from 1969 until 1973 . Following the Cambodian coup of 1970 , the deposed king gave his support to his former enemies , the Khmer Rouge . The Khmer Rouge emerged as a major power , taking Phnom Penh in 1975 and later carrying out the Cambodian Genocide from 1975 until 1979 , when they were ousted by Vietnam and the Vietnamese-backed People 's Republic of Kampuchea in the Cambodian -- Vietnamese War ( 1979 -- 91 ) . Following the 1991 Paris Peace Accords , Cambodia was governed briefly by a United Nations mission ( 1992 -- 93 ) . The UN withdrew after holding elections in which around 90 percent of the registered voters cast ballots . The 1997 coup placed power solely in the hands of Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian People 's Party , who remain in power . The country faces numerous challenges . Important sociopolitical issues includes widespread poverty , pervasive corruption , lack of political freedoms , low human development , and a high rate of hunger . Cambodia has been described by Human Rights Watch 's Southeast Asian Director , David Roberts , as a `` vaguely communist free-market state with a relatively authoritarian coalition ruling over a superficial democracy . '' While per capita income remains low compared to most neighbouring countries , Cambodia has one of the fastest growing economies in Asia with growth averaging 6 percent over the last decade . Agriculture remains the dominant economic sector , with strong growth in textiles , construction , garments , and tourism leading to increased foreign investment and international trade . Cambodia scored dismally in an annual index ( 2015 ) ranking the rule of law in 102 countries , placing 99th overall and the worst in the region . Cambodia also faces environmental destruction as an imminent problem . The most severe activity in this regard is considered to be the countrywide deforestation , which also involves national parks and wildlife sanctuaries . Overall , environmental destruction in Cambodia comprise many different activities , including illegal logging , poaching of endangered and endemic species , and destruction of important wildlife habitats from large scale construction projects and agricultural businesses . The degrading activities involve the local population , Cambodian businesses and political authorities , as well as foreign criminal syndicates and many transnational corporations from all over the world .", "Angkor. Angkor ( អង គរ , `` Capital City '' ) was the capital city of the Khmer Empire , which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries . Angkor was a megacity supporting at least 0.1 % of the global population during 1010-1220 . The city houses the magnificent Angkor Wat , one of Cambodia 's popular tourist attractions . The word Angkor is derived from the Sanskrit nagara , meaning `` city '' . The Angkorian period began in AD 802 , when the Khmer Hindu monarch Jayavarman II declared himself a `` universal monarch '' and `` god-king '' , and lasted until the late 14th century , first falling under Ayutthayan suzerainty in 1351 . A Khmer rebellion against Siamese authority resulted in the 1431 sacking of Angkor by Ayutthaya , causing its population to migrate south to Longvek . The ruins of Angkor are located amid forests and farmland north of the Great Lake ( Tonlé Sap ) and south of the Kulen Hills , near modern-day Siem Reap city ( 13 ° 24 ′ N , 103 ° 51 ′ E ) , in Siem Reap Province . The temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand , ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the Angkor Wat , said to be the world 's largest single religious monument . Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored , and together , they comprise the most significant site of Khmer architecture . Visitors approach two million annually , and the entire expanse , including Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom is collectively protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The popularity of the site among tourists presents multiple challenges to the preservation of the ruins . In 2007 , an international team of researchers using satellite photographs and other modern techniques concluded that Angkor had been the largest pre-industrial city in the world , with an elaborate infrastructure system connecting an urban sprawl of at least 1000 km2 to the well-known temples at its core . Angkor is considered to be a `` hydraulic city '' because it had a complicated water management network , which was used for systematically stabilizing , storing , and dispersing water throughout the area . This network is believed to have been used for irrigation in order to offset the unpredictable monsoon season and to also support the increasing population . Although the size of its population remains a topic of research and debate , newly identified agricultural systems in the Angkor area may have supported up to one million people .", "Dark ages of Cambodia. The term Dark ages of Cambodia , also the Middle Period refers to the historical era from the early 15th century to 1863 , the year that marks the beginning of the French Protectorate of Cambodia . As reliable sources ( and for the 15th and 16th century in particular ) are very rare , a fully defensible and conclusive explanation that relates to concrete events that manifest the decline of the Khmer Empire , recognised unanimously by the scientific community , has so far not been produced . However , most modern historians have approached a consensus in which several distinct and gradual changes of religious , dynastic , administrative and military nature , environmental problems and ecological imbalance coincided with shifts of power in Indochina and must all be taken into account to make an interpretation . In recent years scholars ' focus has shifted increasingly towards human -- environment interactions and the ecological consequences , including natural disasters , such as flooding and droughts . Stone epigraphy in temples , which had been the primary source for Khmer history is already a rarity throughout the 13th century , ends in the third decade of the fourteenth , and does not resume until the mid-16th century . Recording of the Royal Chronology discontinues with King Jayavarman IX Parameshwara ( or Jayavarma-Paramesvara ) , who reigned from 1327 to 1336 . There exists not a single contemporary record of even a king 's name for over 200 years . Construction and maintenance of monumental temple architecture had come to a standstill after Jayavarman VIIth reign . According to author Michael Vickery there only exist external sources for Cambodia 's 15th century , the Chinese Ming Shilu ( engl . veritable records ) annales and the earliest Royal Chronicle of Ayutthaya , which must be interpreted with greatest caution . Wang Shi-zhen , a Chinese scholar of the 16th century , is noted as having remarked : `` The official historians are unrestrained and are skilful at concealing the truth ; but the memorials and statutes they record and the documents they copy can not be discarded . '' The single incident which undoubtedly reflects reality , the central reference point for the entire 15th century , is a Siamese intervention of some undisclosed nature at the capital Yasodharapura ( Angkor Thom ) around the year 1431 . Historians relate the event to the shift of Cambodia 's political centre southward to the river port region of Phnom Penh and later Longvek . Sources for the 16th century are more numerous , although still coming from outside of Cambodia . The kingdom is centred at the Mekong , prospering as an integral part of the Asian maritime trade network , via which the first contact with European explorers and adventurers does occur . Wars with the Siamese resulted in loss of territory in the West and eventually the conquest of the capital Longvek in 1594 . The Vietnamese on their `` Southward March '' reached Prei Nokor/Saigon at the Mekong Delta in the 17th century . This event initiates the slow process of Cambodia losing access to the seas and independent marine trade . Siamese and Vietnamese dominance intensified during the 17th and 18th century , provoking frequent displacements of the seat of power as the Khmer monarch 's authority decreased to the state of a vassal . Both powers alternately demanded subservience and tribute from the Cambodian court . In the early 19th century with dynasties in Vietnam and Siam firmly established , Cambodia was placed under joint suzerainty , having lost its national sovereignty . British agent John Crawfurd states : '' ... the King of that ancient Kingdom is ready to throw himself under the protection of any European nation ... '' To save Cambodia from being incorporated into Vietnam and Siam , King Ang Duong agreed to colonial France 's offers of protection , which took effect with King Norodom Prohmbarirak signing and officially recognising the French protectorate on 11 August 1863 .", "Outline of Cambodia. thumb | The location of Cambodia thumb | An enlargeable map of the Kingdom of Cambodia The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Cambodia : Cambodia -- a sovereign country located in Southeast Asia with a population of over 13 million people . Cambodia is the successor state of the once powerful Hindu and Buddhist Khmer Empire , which ruled most of the Indochinese Peninsula between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries . Cambodia 's main industries are garments , tourism , and construction . In 2007 , foreign visitors to Angkor Wat alone almost hit the 4 million mark .", "Siege of Angkor. The Siege of Angkor , also known as the Sack of Angkor or Fall of Angkor was a seven-month siege by the Kingdom of Ayutthaya on the Khmer capital of Angkor . After the Khmer refused to recognize Thai authority , the Thai besieged Angkor and sacked the capital city . The Khmer King Ponhea Yat fled the city to Basan and later to Krong Chaktomuk . Though the Khmer Empire was already in decline , the conquest of Angkor delivered the final blow and the Khmer Empire fell . Though the Empire lived on as the Kingdom of Kambujadesa , it was reduced to a minor state in Southeast Asia and often became a vassal to larger neighbouring states . Angkor was subsequently abandoned in the following centuries before being abandoned completely . After the Fall of Angkor , the King moved the capital first to Basan and later to Krong Chaktomuk , initiating the period known as the Dark Ages of Cambodia .", "Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge ( -LSB- kəˈmɛər_ˈruːʒ -RSB- , -LSB- kmɛʁ ʁuʒ -RSB- , `` Red Khmers '' ; ខ ម រក រហម Khmer Kror-Horm ) was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea in Cambodia . It was formed in 1968 as an offshoot of the Vietnam People 's Army from North Vietnam , and allied with North Vietnam , the Viet Cong , and the Pathet Lao during the Vietnam War against the anti-communist forces from 1968 to 1975 . The Khmer Rouge emerged victorious in the Cambodian Civil War , overthrew the military dictatorship of the Khmer Republic and installed their own government Democratic Kampuchea in 1975 , led by Pol Pot , Nuon Chea , Ieng Sary , Son Sen , and Khieu Samphan . This was followed by the Cambodian genocide from year 1975 until year 1979 , when the Khmer Rouge was finally removed from power by Vietnam in the Cambodian -- Vietnamese War . The military power of the Khmer Rouge organization was not broken however , and a long era of guerrilla warfare involving large swaths of the Cambodian countryside began . Many different military factions were involved in the guerrilla war era and it ended around 1994 . The Khmer Rouge organization is remembered especially for orchestrating the Cambodian genocide , which resulted from the enforcement of its social engineering policies . Its attempts at agricultural reform led to widespread famine , while its insistence on absolute self-sufficiency , even in the supply of medicine , led to the death of thousands from treatable diseases such as malaria . Arbitrary executions and torture carried out by its cadres against perceived subversive elements , or during purges of its own ranks between 1975 and 1978 , are considered to have constituted genocide . The governments-in-exile ( including the Khmer Rouge ) held onto Cambodia 's UN seat ( with considerable international support ) until 1993 , when the monarchy was restored and the country underwent a name change to the Kingdom of Cambodia . A year later , thousands of Khmer Rouge guerrillas surrendered themselves in a government amnesty . In 1996 , a new political party , the Democratic National Union Movement , was formed by Ieng Sary , who was granted amnesty for his role as the deputy leader of the Khmer Rouge . The organization ( Khmer Rouge ) was largely dissolved by the mid-1990s , and finally surrendered completely in 1999 . In 2014 , two Khmer Rouge leaders , Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan , were jailed for life by a UN-backed court , which found them guilty of crimes against humanity and responsible for the deaths of up to 2 million Cambodians ( Khmer ) , nearly a quarter of the country 's then population , during the `` Killing Fields '' era between 1975 -- 1979 .", "Empire. An empire is defined as `` an aggregate of nations or people ruled over by an emperor or other powerful sovereign or government , usually a territory of greater extent than a kingdom , as the former British Empire , French Empire , German Empire , Brazilian Empire , Russian Empire , Ottoman Empire , Byzantine Empire or Roman Empire '' . An empire can be made solely of contiguous territories such as the Austro-Hungarian Empire , or of territories far remote from the homeland , such as a colonial empire . Aside from the more formal usage , the term `` empire '' can also be used to refer to a large-scale business enterprise ( e.g. a transnational corporation ) , a political organisation controlled by a single individual ( a political boss ) or a group ( political bosses ) . The term `` empire '' is associated with other words such as imperialism , colonialism , and globalization . Empire is often used to describe a displeasure to overpowering situations . An imperial political structure can be established and maintained in two ways : ( i ) as a territorial empire of direct conquest and control with force or ( ii ) as a coercive , hegemonic empire of indirect conquest and control with power . The former method provides greater tribute and direct political control , yet limits further expansion because it absorbs military forces to fixed garrisons . The latter method provides less tribute and indirect control , but avails military forces for further expansion . Territorial empires ( e.g. , the Mongol Empire and Median Empire ) tend to be contiguous areas . The term , on occasion , has been applied to maritime empires or thalassocracies , ( e.g. , the Athenian and British empires ) with looser structures and more scattered territories . Empires are usually larger than kingdoms . This aspiration to universality resulted in conquest by converting ` outsiders ' or ` inferiors ' into the colonialized religion . This association of nationality and race became complex and has had a more intense drive for expansion .", "Khmer language. Khmer -LSB- kmɛər -RSB- or Cambodian ( natively ភ ស ខ ម រ -LSB- pʰiːəsaː kʰmaːe -RSB- , or more formally ខ មរភ ស -LSB- kʰeɛmaʔraʔ pʰiːəsaː -RSB- ) is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia . With approximately 16 million speakers , it is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language ( after Vietnamese ) . Khmer has been influenced considerably by Sanskrit and Pali , especially in the royal and religious registers , through Hinduism and Buddhism . The more colloquial registers have influenced , and have been influenced by , Thai , Lao , Vietnamese , and Cham , all of which , due to geographical proximity and long-term cultural contact , form a sprachbund in peninsular Southeast Asia . It is also the earliest recorded and earliest written language of the Mon -- Khmer family , predating Mon and by a significant margin Vietnamese , due to Old Khmer being the language of the historical empires of Chenla , Angkor and , presumably , their earlier predecessor state , Funan . The vast majority of Khmer speakers speak Central Khmer , the dialect of the central plain where the Khmer are most heavily concentrated . Within Cambodia , regional accents exist in remote areas but these are regarded as varieties of Central Khmer . Two exceptions are the speech of the capital , Phnom Penh , and that of the Khmer Khe in Stung Treng province , both of which differ sufficiently enough from Central Khmer to be considered separate dialects of Khmer . Outside of Cambodia , three distinct dialects are spoken by ethnic Khmers native to areas that were historically part of the Khmer Empire . The Northern Khmer dialect is spoken by over a million Khmers in the southern regions of Northeast Thailand and is treated by some linguists as a separate language . Khmer Krom , or Southern Khmer , is the first language of the Khmer of Vietnam while the Khmer living in the remote Cardamom mountains speak a very conservative dialect that still displays features of the Middle Khmer language . Khmer is primarily an analytic , isolating language . There are no inflections , conjugations or case endings . Instead , particles and auxiliary words are used to indicate grammatical relationships . General word order is subject -- verb -- object , and modifiers follow the word they modify . Classifiers appear after numbers when used to count nouns , though not always so consistently as in languages like Chinese . In spoken Khmer , topic-comment structure is common and the perceived social relation between participants determines which sets of vocabulary , such as pronouns and honorifics , are proper . Khmer differs from neighboring languages such as Thai , Burmese , Lao and Vietnamese in that it is not a tonal language . Words are stressed on the final syllable , hence many words conform to the typical Mon -- Khmer pattern of a stressed syllable preceded by a minor syllable . The language has been written in the Khmer script , an abugida descended from the Brahmi script via the southern Indian Pallava script , since at least the seventh century . The script 's form and use has evolved over the centuries ; its modern features include subscripted versions of consonants used to write clusters and a division of consonants into two series with different inherent vowels . Approximately 79 % of Cambodians are able to read Khmer .", "Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom ( អង គរធ literally : `` Great City '' ) , located in present-day Cambodia , was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire . It was established in the late twelfth century by King Jayavarman VII . It covers an area of 9 km ² , within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors . At the centre of the city is Jayavarman 's state temple , the Bayon , with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north .", "Jayavarman II. Jayavarman II ( c. 770 -- 835 ) was a 9th-century king of Cambodia , widely recognized as the founder of the Khmer Empire , the dominant civilisation on the Southeast Asian mainland until the mid 15th century . Historians formerly dated his reign as running from 802 AD to 835 AD . Before Jayavarman II came to power , there was much fighting among local overlords who ruled different parts of Cambodia . The country was not unified under one ruler .", "History of Cambodia. The history of Cambodia , a country in mainland Southeast Asia , can be traced back to at least the 5th millennium BC . Detailed records of a political structure on the territory of what is now Cambodia first appear in Chinese annals in reference to Funan , a polity that encompassed the southernmost part of the Indochinese peninsula during the 1st to 6th centuries . Centered at the lower Mekong , Funan is noted as the oldest regional Hindu culture , which suggests prolonged socio-economic interaction with maritime trading partners of the Indosphere in the west . By the 6th century a civilisation , called Chenla or Zhenla in Chinese annals , firmly replaced Funan , as it controlled larger , more undulating areas of Indochina and maintained more than a singular centre of power . The Khmer Empire was established by the early 9th century . Sources refer here to a mythical initiation and consecration ceremony to claim political legitimacy by founder Jayavarman II at Mount Kulen ( Mount Mahendra ) in 802 C.E. . A succession of powerful sovereigns , continuing the Hindu devaraja cult tradition , reigned over the classical era of Khmer civilization until the 11th century . A new dynasty of provincial origin introduced Buddhism , which according to some scholars resulted in royal religious discontinuities and general decline . The royal chronology ends in the 14th century . Great achievements in administration , agriculture , architecture , hydrology , logistics , urban planning and the arts are testimony to a creative and progressive civilisation - in its complexity a cornerstone of Southeast Asian cultural legacy . The decline continued through a transitional period of approximately 100 years followed by the Middle Period of Cambodian history , also called the Dark ages of Cambodia , beginning in the mid 15th century . Although the Hindu cults had by then been all but replaced , the monument sites at the old capital remained an important spiritual centre . Yet since the mid 15th century the core population steadily moved to the east and - with brief exceptions - settled at the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers at Chaktomuk , Longvek and Oudong . Maritime trade was the basis for a very prosperous 16th century . But , as a result foreigners - Muslim Malays and Cham , Christian European adventurers and missionaries - increasingly disturbed and influenced government affairs . Ambiguous fortunes , a robust economy on the one hand and a disturbed culture and compromised royalty on the other were constant features of the Longvek era . By the 15th century , the Khmers ' traditional neighbours , the Mon people in the west and the Cham people in the east had gradually been pushed aside or replaced by the resilient Siamese/Thai and Annamese/Vietnamese , respectively . These powers had perceived , understood and increasingly followed the imperative of controlling the lower Mekong basin as the key to control all Indochina . A weak Khmer kingdom only encouraged the strategists in Ayutthaya ( later in Bangkok ) and in Huế . Attacks on and conquests of Khmer royal residences left sovereigns without a ceremonial and legitimate power base . Interference in succession and marriage policies added to the decay of royal prestige . Oudong was established in 1601 as the last royal residence of the Middle Period . The 19th century arrival of then technologically more advanced and ambitious European colonial powers with concrete policies of global control put an end to regional feuds and as Siam/Thailand , although humiliated and on the retreat , escaped colonisation as a buffer state , Vietnam was to be the focal point of French colonial ambition . Cambodia , although largely neglected , had entered the Indochinese Union as a perceived entity and was capable to carry and reclaim its identity and integrity into modernity . After 80 years of colonial hibernation , the brief episode of Japanese occupation during World War II , that coincided with the investiture of king Sihanouk was the opening act for the irreversible process towards re-emancipation and modern Cambodian history . The Kingdom of Cambodia ( 1953 -- 70 ) , independent since 1953 , struggled to remain neutral in a world shaped by polarisation of the nuclear powers USA and Soviet Union . As the Indochinese war escalates , Cambodia becomes increasingly involved , the Khmer Republic is one of the results in 1970 , another is civil war . 1975 , abandoned and in the hands of the Khmer Rouge , Cambodia endures its darkest hour - Democratic Kampuchea and its long aftermath of Vietnamese occupation , the People 's Republic of Kampuchea and the UN Mandate towards Modern Cambodia since 1993 .", "Khmer architecture. The period of Angkor is the period in the history of the Khmer Empire from approximately the later half of the 8th century AD to the first half of the 15th century CE . In any study of Angkorian architecture , the emphasis is necessarily on religious architecture , since all the remaining Angkorian buildings are religious in nature . During the period of Angkor , only temples and other religious buildings were constructed of stone . Non-religious buildings such as dwellings were constructed of perishable materials such as wood , and so have not survived . The religious architecture of Angkor has characteristic structures , elements , and motifs , which are identified in the glossary below . Since a number of different architectural styles succeeded one another during the Angkorean period , not all of these features were equally in evidence throughout the period . Indeed , scholars have referred to the presence or absence of such features as one source of evidence for dating the remains .", "Middle Khmer. Middle Khmer is the historical stage of the Khmer language as it existed between the 14th and 18th centuries , spanning the period between Old Khmer and the modern language . The beginning of the Middle Khmer period roughly coincides with the fall of the Angkorian Khmer Empire to the Siamese Ayutthaya Kingdom and the period of Cambodian history popularly referred to as the Dark ages of Cambodia . The Middle Khmer period was a stage of transition which saw relatively rapid and dramatic changes , especially in phonology , that ended with the emergence of a language recognizable as Modern Khmer approximately concurrent with the 1777 coronation of Ang Eng , the father of the poet-king Ang Duong . Khmer has been written in an Indic-based script since the 6th -- 7th century . Old Khmer and the changes of Middle Khmer are recorded by an extensive epigraphy which has allowed Middle Khmer to be reconstructed and studied . During the Middle Khmer period , the language lost the voiced stops of Old Khmer which resulted in comprehensive compensatory changes to the vowel system . Old Khmer vowels following the formerly voiced stops remained mostly unchanged while the same vowels following the originally corresponding voiceless initials were lowered by different processes including diphthongization . Furthermore , the loss of final '' - r '' , all but complete in most modern Khmer dialects , and the merger of syllable-final - / s / to - / h / took place during the Middle Khmer period . Middle Khmer is attested in a wide variety of texts as well as inscriptions of the era . Middle Khmer evolved into three modern languages : Northern Khmer , Western Khmer and the various dialects of Central Khmer , including Standard Khmer and Khmer Krom .", "Khmer Republic. The Khmer Republic ( Khmer : ស ធ រណរដ ឋខ ម រ ) ; also known as the State of Cambodia was the right-wing pro -- United States military-led republican government of Cambodia that was formally declared on 9 October 1970 . Politically , the Khmer Republic was headed by General Lon Nol and Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak that took power in the 18 March 1970 coup against Prince Norodom Sihanouk , then the country 's head of state . The main causes of the coup were Norodom Sihanouk 's toleration of North Vietnamese activity within Cambodia 's borders , allowing heavily armed Vietnamese Communist outfits de facto control over vast areas of eastern Cambodia . Another important factor was the dire state of the Cambodian economy , an indirect result of Sihanouk 's policies of pursuing neutrality . With the removal of Sihanouk , the existing Kingdom of Cambodia became a republic , although the throne had been officially vacant for some years since the death of King Norodom Suramarit . The character of the new regime was right-wing and nationalist ; most significantly , it ended Sihanouk 's period of covert co-operation with the North Vietnamese regime and the Viet Cong , and aligned Cambodia with South Vietnam in the ongoing Second Indochina War . The Khmer Republic was opposed within the Cambodian borders by the Front uni national du Kampuchéa ( FUNK ) , a relatively broad alliance between Sihanouk , his supporters , and the Communist Party of Kampuchea . The insurgency itself was conducted by the CPNLAF , the Cambodian People 's National Liberation Armed Forces : they were backed by both the People 's Army of Vietnam ( PAVN ) and the National Liberation Front ( NLF , better known as the Viet Cong ) , who occupied parts of Cambodia as part of their ongoing war with the South Vietnamese government . Despite the strongly militaristic character of the Khmer Republic , and quantities of military and financial aid from the United States , its military the Khmer National Armed Forces ( Forces armées nationales khmères , or FANK ) was poorly trained and unable to defeat either the CPNLAF or the Vietnamese forces of the PAVN and NLF . The Republic eventually fell on 17 April 1975 , when the Khmer Rouge took Phnom Penh and briefly restored the Kingdom of Cambodia before renaming itself Democratic Kampuchea in January 1976 .", "Khmer sculpture. Khmer sculpture refers to the stone sculpture of the Khmer Empire , which ruled a territory based on modern Cambodia , but rather larger , from the 9th to the 13th century . The most celebrated examples are found in Angkor , which served as the seat of the empire .", "Khmer Rouge rule of Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge period ( 1975 -- 1979 ) refers to the rule of Pol Pot , Nuon Chea , Ieng Sary , Son Sen , Khieu Samphan and the Communist Party of Kampuchea over Cambodia , which the Khmer Rouge renamed Democratic Kampuchea . The four-year period cost approximately 2 million lives through the combined result of political executions , disease , starvation , and forced labor . Due to the large numbers , the deaths during the rule of the Khmer Rouge are commonly known as the Cambodian Holocaust or Cambodian genocide . The Khmer Rouge took power at the end of the Cambodian Civil War and were only toppled after the invasion of Cambodia by the neighbouring Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Cambodian -- Vietnamese War . Most of Cambodia remained under Vietnamese occupation for over a decade .", "Khmer alphabet. The Khmer alphabet or Khmer script ( អក សរខ ម រ -LSB- ʔaʔsɑː kʰmaːe -RSB- ) is an abugida ( alphasyllabary ) script used to write the Khmer language ( the official language of Cambodia ) . It is also used to write Pali in the Buddhist liturgy of Cambodia and Thailand . It was adapted from the Pallava script , a variant of the Grantha alphabet descended from the Brahmi script , which was used in southern India and South East Asia during the 5th and 6th centuries AD . The oldest dated inscription in Khmer was found at Angkor Borei District in Takéo Province south of Phnom Penh and dates from 611 . The modern Khmer script differs somewhat from precedent forms seen on the inscriptions of the ruins of Angkor . The Thai and Lao scripts are descended from an older form of the Khmer script . Khmer is written from left to right . Words within the same sentence or phrase are generally run together with no spaces between them . Consonant clusters within a word are `` stacked '' , with the second ( and occasionally third ) consonant being written in reduced form under the main consonant . Originally there were 35 consonant characters , but modern Khmer uses only 33 . Each such character in fact represents a consonant sound together with an inherent vowel -- either â or ô . There are some independent vowel characters , but vowel sounds are more commonly represented as dependent vowels -- additional marks accompanying a consonant character , and indicating what vowel sound is to be pronounced after that consonant ( or consonant cluster ) . Most dependent vowels have two different pronunciations , depending in most cases on the inherent vowel of the consonant to which they are added . In some positions , a consonant written with no dependent vowel is taken to be followed by the sound of its inherent vowel . There are also a number of diacritics used to indicate further modifications in pronunciation . The script also includes its own numerals and punctuation marks .", "Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat ( អង គរវត ត or `` Capital Temple '' ) is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world , with the site measuring 162.6 ha . It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple of god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire , gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century . It was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yaśodharapura ( យស ធរប រ , present-day Angkor ) , the capital of the Khmer Empire , as his state temple and eventual mausoleum . Breaking from the Shaiva tradition of previous kings , Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu . As the best-preserved temple at the site , it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation . The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture . It has become a symbol of Cambodia , appearing on its national flag , and it is the country 's prime attraction for visitors . Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture : the temple-mountain and the later galleried temple . It is designed to represent Mount Meru , home of the devas in Hindu mythology : within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 km long are three rectangular galleries , each raised above the next . At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers . Unlike most Angkorian temples , Angkor Wat is oriented to the west ; scholars are divided as to the significance of this . The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture , its extensive bas-reliefs , and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls .", "Military history of Cambodia. History attests to Cambodia 's martial origins . In antiquity Cambodia , having conquered Laos , parts of Thailand , and the Malay Peninsula , held power over a vast area of Southeast Asia . Khmer martial prowess waned in the early 15th century , however , and Cambodia subsequently endured periods of colonisation , occupation , and vassalage by its more militarily powerful neighbours , Thailand and Vietnam . This long period of decline reached its nadir in the early 19th century , when Cambodia nearly ceased to exist as a sovereign state as the result of encroachments by its neighbours . In 1863 the Cambodian king acquiesced in the establishment of a French protectorate over his nation , to preserve it from extinction . The protectorate 's authority was extended often by force of arms , and ultimately Cambodia became a de facto colony that eventually gave birth to a modern state with its own armed forces and military doctrine . Since World War II , Cambodia has enjoyed few strife-free periods . Its people have suffered colonisation , prolonged civil war , and occupation by a foreign power almost continuously . During this time , it has been ruled by three authoritarian governments of differing ideological orientations and varying degrees of repression . American military aid to Cambodia began indirectly in 1950 in the form of a security assistance program for the French forces in Indochina , that enabled them to expand a recently created indigenous army . In 1955 the United States agreed to continue this aid to the independent kingdom of Cambodia . The program , which included military training and a resident Military Assistance Advisory Group ( MAAG ) , lasted until terminated by the Cambodian government . Security assistance was again extended to the Khmer Republic from 1970 until that government fell in 1975 to the Khmer Rouge . After 1975 the United States extended humanitarian assistance through United Nations ( UN ) agencies to Cambodian refugees on the Thai border and gave non lethal aid , only , to the two non communist components of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea . In 1987 Cambodia was the reluctant host to a substantial Vietnamese military presence , reinforced by its Cambodian surrogate army . History thus appeared to be repeating itself , and foreign observers and Cambodian nationalists feared that the country eventually might become part of a Hanoi-dominated Indochinese federation . The UN recognised the tripartite CGDK as the legitimate government of Cambodia . The insurgent forces of the coalition were capable only of conducting guerrilla raids and sabotage missions within Cambodian territory , against the Vietnamese occupation forces and the Kampuchean ( or Khmer ) People 's Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Phnom Penh government , the People 's Republic of Kampuchea . A number of foreign observers assessed the military situation as a stalemate and doubted that Hanoi would , or could , fulfil its public commitment to withdraw its forces by 1990 from a Cambodia that was becoming a `` strategic appendage '' of the `` indivisible strategic unit of Indochina '' claimed by Vietnamese military doctrine .", "Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh ( -LSB- pəˈnɔːm_ˈpɛn -RSB- or -LSB- ˈnɒm_ˈpɛn -RSB- ភ ន ព ញ , -LSB- pʰnum peɲ -RSB- ) , formerly known as Krong Chaktomuk ( ក រ ងចត ម ខ , is the capital and most populous city of the Southeastern Asian country of Cambodia . Located on the banks of the Tonlé Sap and Mekong River , Phnom Penh has been the national capital since French colonization of Cambodia , and has grown to become the nation 's center of economic and industrial activities , as well as the center of security , politics , cultural heritage , and diplomacy of Cambodia . Once known as the `` Pearl of Asia , '' it was considered one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina in the 1920s . Phnom Penh , along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville , are significant global and domestic tourist destinations for Cambodia . Founded in 1434 , the city is noted for its beautiful and historical architecture and attractions . There are a number of surviving French colonial buildings scattered along the grand boulevards . Situated on the banks of the Tonlé Sap , Mekong and Bassac rivers , the Phnom Penh metropolitan area is home to about 1.5 million of Cambodia 's population of over 14.8 million .", "Allegations of United States support for the Khmer Rouge. There are allegations that the United States of America supported the Khmer Rouge during the Cambodian -- Vietnamese War to weaken the influence of Vietnam and the Soviet Union in Southeast Asia .", "Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire , also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire , was the continuation of the Roman Empire in the East during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages , when its capital city was Constantinople ( modern-day Istanbul , which had been founded as Byzantium ) . It survived the fragmentation and fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD and continued to exist for an additional thousand years until it fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 . During most of its existence , the empire was the most powerful economic , cultural , and military force in Europe . Both `` Byzantine Empire '' and `` Eastern Roman Empire '' are historiographical terms created after the end of the realm ; its citizens continued to refer to their empire as the Roman Empire ( Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων , tr . ; Imperium Romanum ) , or Romania , and to themselves as `` Romans '' . Several signal events from the 4th to 6th centuries mark the period of transition during which the Roman Empire 's Greek East and Latin West divided . Constantine I ( r. 324 -- 337 ) reorganised the empire , made Constantinople the new capital , and legalised Christianity . Under Theodosius I ( r. 379 -- 395 ) , Christianity became the Empire 's official state religion and other religious practices were proscribed . Finally , under the reign of Heraclius ( r. 610 -- 641 ) , the Empire 's military and administration were restructured and adopted Greek for official use instead of Latin . Thus , although the Roman state continued and Roman state traditions were maintained , modern historians distinguish Byzantium from ancient Rome insofar as it was centred on Constantinople , oriented towards Greek rather than Latin culture , and characterised by Orthodox Christianity . The borders of the Empire evolved significantly over its existence , as it went through several cycles of decline and recovery . During the reign of Justinian I ( r. 527 -- 565 ) , the Empire reached its greatest extent after reconquering much of the historically Roman western Mediterranean coast , including North Africa , Italy , and Rome itself , which it held for two more centuries . During the reign of Maurice ( r. 582 -- 602 ) , the Empire 's eastern frontier was expanded and the north stabilised . However , his assassination caused the Byzantine -- Sasanian War of 602 -- 628 , which exhausted the Empire 's resources and contributed to major territorial losses during the Muslim conquests of the seventh century . In a matter of years the Empire lost its richest provinces , Egypt and Syria , to the Arabs . During the Macedonian dynasty ( 10th -- 11th centuries ) , the Empire again expanded and experienced the two-century long Macedonian Renaissance , which came to an end with the loss of much of Asia Minor to the Seljuk Turks after the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 . This battle opened the way for the Turks to settle in Anatolia . The Empire recovered again during the Komnenian restoration , such that by the 12th century Constantinople was the largest and wealthiest European city . However , it was delivered a mortal blow during the Fourth Crusade , when Constantinople was sacked in 1204 and the territories that the Empire formerly governed were divided into competing Byzantine Greek and Latin realms . Despite the eventual recovery of Constantinople in 1261 , the Byzantine Empire remained only one of several small rival states in the area for the final two centuries of its existence . Its remaining territories were progressively annexed by the Ottomans over the 15th century . The Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 finally ended the Byzantine Empire .", "First Toungoo Empire. The First Toungoo Empire ( တ င င ခ တ , -LSB- tàʊɴŋù kʰɪʔ -RSB- also known as the First Toungoo Dynasty , the Second Burmese Empire , or simply , the Toungoo Empire ) was the dominant power in mainland Southeast Asia in the second half of the 16th century . At its peak , Toungoo `` exercised suzerainty from Manipur to the Cambodian marches and from the borders of Arakan to Yunnan '' , and was `` probably the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia . '' The `` most adventurous and militarily successful '' dynasty in Burmese history was also the `` shortest-lived . '' The empire grew out of the principality of Toungoo , a minor vassal state of Ava until 1510 . The landlocked petty state began its rise in the 1530s under Tabinshwehti who went on to found the largest polity in Myanmar since the Pagan Empire by 1550 . His more celebrated successor Bayinnaung then greatly expanded the empire , conquering much of mainland Southeast Asia by 1565 . He spent the next decade keeping the empire intact , putting down rebellions in Siam , Lan Xang and the northernmost Shan states . From 1576 onwards , he declared a large sphere of influence in westerly lands -- trans-Manipur states , Arakan and Ceylon . The empire , held together by patron-client relationships , declined soon after his death in 1581 . His successor Nanda never gained the full support of the vassal rulers , and presided over the empire 's precipitous collapse in the next 18 years . The First Toungoo Empire marked the end of the period of petty kingdoms in mainland Southeast Asia . Although the overextended empire proved ephemeral , the forces that underpinned its rise were not . Its two main successor states -- Restored Toungoo Burma and Ayutthaya Siam -- went on to dominate western and central mainland Southeast Asia , respectively , down to the mid-18th century .", "Khmer people. Khmer people ( ខ ម រ , -LSB- kʰmaːe -RSB- , Northern Khmer pronunciation : -LSB- kʰmɛr -RSB- ) are a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Cambodia , accounting for approximately 90 % of the country 's 15.2 million people . They speak the Khmer language , which is part of the larger Austroasiatic language family found throughout eastern and central India and Bangladesh , in Southeast Asia , South China and numerous islands in the Indian Ocean . The majority of the Khmer are followers of the Khmer style of Buddhism , a highly syncretic version that blends elements of Theravada Buddhism , Hinduism , animism and veneration of the dead . Significant populations of Khmers reside in adjacent areas of Thailand ( Northern Khmer ) and the Mekong Delta region of neighboring Vietnam ( Khmer Krom ) , while there are over one million Khmers in the Cambodian diaspora living mainly in France , the United States and Australia .", "Tribhuvanāditya. Tribhuvanāditya was the ruler of the Khmer Empire from 1166 to 1177 . He came to power after he assassinated Yasovarman II . He ruled over many rebellions by Yasovarman 's loyal supporters but managed to hold the throne until forces from the neighboring Champa empire under Jaya Indravarman III invaded and conquered his capital Angkor . He was then killed Jaya Indravarman III .", "Early history of Cambodia. The Early history of Cambodia follows the prehistoric and protohistoric development of Cambodia a country in mainland Southeast Asia . Thanks to archaeological work carried out since 2009 this can now be traced back to the Neolithic period . As excavation sites have become more numerous and modern dating methods are applied , settlement traces of all stages of human civil development from neolithic Hunter-gatherer groups to organized preliterate societies are documented in the region . Historical records of a political structure on territory that is now modern-day Cambodia first appear in Chinese annals in reference to Funan , a polity that encompassed the southernmost part of the Indochinese peninsula during the 1st to 6th centuries . Centered at the lower Mekong , Funan is noted as the oldest regional Hindu culture , which suggests prolonged socio-economic interaction with maritime trading partners of the Indosphere in the west . By the 6th century a civilization , titled Chenla or Zhenla in Chinese annals , had firmly replaced Funan , as it controlled larger , more undulating areas of Indochina and maintained more than a singular center of power . The Khmer Empire was established by the early 9th century in a mythical initiation and consecration ceremony to claim political legitimacy by founder Jayavarman II at Mount Kulen ( Mount Mahendra ) in 802 C.E. . A succession of powerful sovereigns , continuing the Hindu devaraja cult tradition , reigned over the classical era of Khmer civilization until the 11th century . A new dynasty of provincial origin introduced Buddhism as changes of religious , dynastic , administrative and military nature , environmental problems and ecological imbalance coincide with shifts of power in Indochina . The royal chronology ends in the 14th century . Great achievements in administration , and accomplishments in agriculture , architecture , hydrology , logistics , urban planning and the arts are testimony to a creative and progressive civilization - in its complexity a cornerstone of Southeast Asian cultural legacy .", "Cambodian Royal Chronicles. The Cambodian Royal Chronicles or Cambodian Chronicles ( Rajabansavatar or Rapa Ksatr ) are a collection of 18th and 19th century historical manuscripts that focus on the time from around the year 1430 to the beginning of the 16th century . This period of Cambodia 's history is considered to be the Dark ages , as it marks the end of the Khmer Empire . Written sources such as Sanskrit epigraphy become obsolete , beginning in the first half of the 14th century . Even old-Khmer inscriptions are absent until the middle of the 16th century . The last king mentioned in the ancient inscriptions of Angkor is King Jayavarman Parameshwara ( or Jayavarma-Paramesvara ) , who reigned from 1327 to 1336 . The manuscripts ( Sastra Slek Rit ) on palm leaves and bound together in bundles are only short-lived . Surviving texts are copies and in many cases only fragments remain . The chronicles begin in 1796 and last far into the 19th century . Records tackle with the chronology of the kings , foreign affairs , relations to neighboring countries , internal conflicts among the Khmer kings , civil wars , controversies over royal succession and marriage and leadership issues among others . The study of these texts is said to have been `` time-consuming and requires a great deal of scholarship to properly organize and interpret the valuable information to be found within '' with respect to the ongoing debate on the reasons and events of the abandonment of Angkor , the shifting of the Khmer capital and the general cultural decline .", "Inca Empire. The Inca Empire ( Quechua : Tawantinsuyu , `` The Four Regions '' ) , also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America , and possibly the largest empire in the world in the early 16th century . The administrative , political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru . The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century . Its last stronghold was conquered by the Spanish in 1572 . From 1438 to 1533 , the Incas incorporated a large portion of western South America , centered on the Andean Mountains , using conquest and peaceful assimilation , among other methods . At its largest , the empire joined Peru , large parts of modern Ecuador , western and south central Bolivia , northwest Argentina , north and central Chile and a small part of southern Colombia into a state comparable to the historical empires of Eurasia . Its official language was Quechua . Many local forms of worship persisted in the empire , most of them concerning local sacred Huacas , but the Inca leadership encouraged the worship of Inti -- their sun god -- and imposed its sovereignty above other cults such as that of Pachamama . The Incas considered their king , the Sapa Inca , to be the `` son of the sun . '' The Inca Empire was unique in that it lacked many features associated with civilization in the Old World . In the words of one scholar , `` The Incas lacked the use of wheeled vehicles . They lacked animals to ride and draft animals that could pull wagons and plows ... -LSB- They -RSB- lacked the knowledge of iron and steel ... Above all , they lacked a system of writing ... Despite these supposed handicaps , the Incas were still able to construct one of the greatest imperial states in human history '' . The Incan economy has been described as `` feudal , slave , socialist ( here one may choose between socialist paradise or socialist tyranny ) . '' The economy functioned largely without money and without markets . Instead , exchange of goods and services was based on reciprocity between individuals and among individuals , groups , and Inca rulers . `` Taxes '' consisted of a labor obligation of a person to the Empire . The Inca rulers ( who theoretically owned all the means of production ) reciprocated by granting access to land and goods and providing food and drink in celebratory feasts for their subjects .", "Modern Cambodia. After the fall of the Pol Pot regime of Democratic Kampuchea , Cambodia was under Vietnamese occupation and a pro-Hanoi government , the People 's Republic of Kampuchea was established . A civil war raged during the 1980s opposing the government 's Kampuchean People 's Revolutionary Armed Forces against the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea , a government in exile composed of three Cambodian political factions : Prince Norodom Sihanouk 's Funcinpec party , the Party of Democratic Kampuchea ( often referred to as the Khmer Rouge ) and the Khmer People 's National Liberation Front ( KPNLF ) . Peace efforts intensified in 1989 and 1991 with two international conferences in Paris , and a United Nations peacekeeping mission helped maintain a ceasefire . As a part of the peace effort , United Nations-sponsored elections were held in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normality as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer Rouge in the mid-1990s . Norodom Sihanouk was reinstated as King . A coalition government , formed after national elections in 1998 , brought renewed political stability and the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces in 1998 .", "Achaemenid Empire. The Achaemenid Empire ( -LSB- əˈkiːmənɪd -RSB- , from Old Persian ð ð § ð ð ¶ ð ´ ð ¡ ð ð ¡ ð ¹ Haxāmanišiya , ) , also called the First Persian Empire , was an empire based in Western Asia , founded by Cyrus the Great . Ranging at its greatest extent from the Balkans and Eastern Europe proper in the west to the Indus Valley in the east , it was one of the largest empires in history , spanning 5.5 million square kilometers , and was larger than any previous empire in history . It is equally notable for its successful model of a centralised , bureaucratic administration ( through satraps under the King of Kings ) , for building infrastructure such as road systems and a postal system , the use of an official language across its territories , and the development of civil services and a large professional army . The empire 's successes inspired similar systems in later empires . It is noted in Western history as the antagonist of the Greek city-states during the Greco-Persian Wars and for the emancipation of the Jewish exiles in Babylon . The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus , one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World , was built in a Hellenistic s By the 7th century BC , the Persians had settled in the southwestern portion of the Iranian Plateau in the region of Persis , which came to be their heartland . From this region , Cyrus the Great advanced to defeat the Medes , Lydia , and the Neo-Babylonian Empire , establishing the Achaemenid Empire . Alexander the Great , an avid admirer of Cyrus the Great , conquered most of the empire by 330 BC . Upon his death , most of the empire 's former territory came under the rule of the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Seleucid Empire , in addition to other minor territories which gained independence at that time . The Iranian population of the central plateau reclaimed power by the second century BC under the Parthian Empire . The historical mark of the Achaemenid Empire went far beyond its territorial and military influences and included cultural , social , technological and religious influences as well . Many Athenians adopted Achaemenid customs in their daily lives in a reciprocal cultural exchange , some being employed by or allied to the Persian kings . The impact of Cyrus 's edict is mentioned in Judeo-Christian texts , and the empire was instrumental in the spread of Zoroastrianism as far east as China . The empire also set the tone for the politics , heritage and history of modern Iran .", "India. India , officially the Republic of India ( Bhārat Gaṇarājya '' ) , is a country in South Asia . It is the seventh-largest country by area , the second-most populous country ( with over 1.2 billion people ) , and the most populous democracy in the world . It is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south , the Arabian Sea on the southwest , and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast . It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west ; China , Nepal , and Bhutan to the northeast ; and Myanmar ( Burma ) and Bangladesh to the east . In the Indian Ocean , India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives . India 's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia . The Indian subcontinent was home to the urban Indus Valley Civilisation of the 3rd millennium BCE . In the following millennium , the oldest scriptures associated with Hinduism began to be composed . Social stratification , based on caste , emerged in the first millennium BCE , and Buddhism and Jainism arose . Early political consolidations took place under the Maurya and Gupta empires ; the later peninsular Middle Kingdoms influenced cultures as far as southeast Asia . In the medieval era , Judaism , Zoroastrianism , Christianity , and Islam arrived , and Sikhism emerged , all adding to the region 's diverse culture . Much of the north fell to the Delhi sultanate ; the south was united under the Vijayanagara Empire . The economy expanded in the 17th century in the Mughal Empire . In the mid-18th century , the subcontinent came under British East India Company rule , and in the mid-19th under British crown rule . A nationalist movement emerged in the late 19th century , which later , under Mahatma Gandhi , was noted for nonviolent resistance and led to India 's independence in 1947 . In 2015 , the Indian economy was the world 's seventh largest by nominal GDP and third largest by purchasing power parity . Following market-based economic reforms in 1991 , India became one of the fastest-growing major economies and is considered a newly industrialised country . However , it continues to face the challenges of poverty , corruption , malnutrition , and inadequate public healthcare . A nuclear weapons state and regional power , it has the third largest standing army in the world and ranks fifth in military expenditure among nations . India is a federal republic governed under a parliamentary system and consists of 29 states and 7 union territories . It is a pluralistic , multilingual and multi-ethnic society and is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats ." ]

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[ "On the Road (film). On the Road ( Sur la route ) is a 2012 adventure drama film directed by Walter Salles . It is an adaptation of Jack Kerouac 's 1957 novel of the same name and stars an ensemble cast featuring Garrett Hedlund , Sam Riley , Kristen Stewart , Alice Braga , Amy Adams , Tom Sturridge , Danny Morgan , Elisabeth Moss , Kirsten Dunst , and Viggo Mortensen . The executive producer was Francis Ford Coppola . Filming began on August 4 , 2010 , in Montreal , Quebec , with a $ 25 million budget . The story is based on the years Kerouac spent travelling the United States in the late 1940s with his friend Neal Cassady and several other Beat Generation figures who would go on to fame in their own right , including William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg . On May 23 , 2012 , the film premiered in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival . The film received mixed early reviews after it premiered at the film festival . The film also premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival in September .", "On the Road. On the Road is a novel by American writer Jack Kerouac , based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States . It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations , with its protagonists living life against a backdrop of jazz , poetry , and drug use . The novel , published in 1957 , is a roman à clef , with many key figures in the Beat movement , such as William S. Burroughs ( Old Bull Lee ) , Allen Ginsberg ( Carlo Marx ) and Neal Cassady ( Dean Moriarty ) represented by characters in the book , including Kerouac himself as the narrator Sal Paradise . The idea for On the Road , Kerouac 's second novel , was formed during the late 1940s in a series of notebooks , and then typed out on a continuous reel of paper during three weeks in April 1951 . It was first published by Viking Press in 1957 . After several film proposals dating from 1957 , the book was finally made into a film , On the Road ( 2012 ) , produced by Francis Ford Coppola and directed by Walter Salles . When the book was originally released , The New York Times hailed it as `` the most beautifully executed , the clearest and the most important utterance yet made by the generation Kerouac himself named years ago as ` beat , ' and whose principal avatar he is . '' In 1998 , the Modern Library ranked On the Road 55th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century . The novel was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005 .", "Film festival. A film festival is an organised , extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues , usually in a single city or region . Increasingly , film festivals show some films outdoors . Films may be of recent date and , depending upon the festival 's focus , can include international and domestic releases . Some festivals focus on a specific film-maker or genre ( e.g. , film noir ) or subject matter ( e.g. , horror film festivals ) . A number of film festivals specialise in short films of a defined maximum length . Film festivals are typically annual events . Some film historians do not consider Film Festivals as official releases of film , like Jerry Beck . The best known film festivals are the Cannes Film Festival , the Venice Film Festival , the Toronto International Film Festival , Sundance Film Festival , and the Berlin International Film Festival , the latter being the largest film festival worldwide , based on attendance . The Venice Film Festival is the oldest major festival . The Melbourne International Film Festival is the largest film festival in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the oldest in the world . The San Sebastián International Film Festival is one of the most important and oldest film festivals in Europe . It was at this festival where the worldwide first release of North by Northwest was showed , as well as the first release of Star Wars in Europe", "The Road (2009 film). The Road is a 2009 American post-apocalyptic drama film directed by John Hillcoat from a screenplay written by Joe Penhall , based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning 2006 novel of the same name by the American author Cormac McCarthy . Principal photography took place in Pennsylvania , Louisiana , West Virginia , and Oregon . The film stars Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee as a father and his son in a post-apocalyptic wasteland . The Road received a limited release in North American cinemas from November 25 , 2009 , and was released in United Kingdom cinemas on January 4 , 2010 . The film received generally positive reviews from critics ; the performances of Mortensen and Smit-McPhee garnered praise . It also received numerous nominations , including a BAFTA nomination for Best Cinematography .", "Sisters on the Road. Sisters on the Road ( ; lit . `` Now , things are just fine as they are '' ) is a South Korean independent film written and directed by Boo Ji-young , and starring Shin Mina and Gong Hyo-jin . Filming was in 2007 and its world premiere was at the 2008 Pusan International Film Festival . It was released in South Korean theaters in 2009 .", "Cannes Film Festival. The Cannes Festival ( -LSB- ˈkæn -RSB- French : Festival de Cannes ) , named until 2002 as the International Film Festival ( Festival international du film ) and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes , France , which previews new films of all genres , including documentaries , from all around the world . Founded in 1946 , the invitation-only festival is held annually ( usually in May ) at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès . On 1 July 2014 , co-founder and former head of French pay-TV operator Canal + , Pierre Lescure , took over as President of the Festival , while Thierry Fremaux became the General Delegate . The Board of Directors also appointed Gilles Jacob as Honorary President of the Festival . The 2017 Cannes Film Festival , its 70th anniversary , took place between 17 and 29 May 2017 . The jury president was Pedro Almodóvar , and The Square , directed by Ruben Östlund , won the Palme d'Or .", "End of the Road (1970 film). End of the Road is a 1970 film directed , co-written , and edited by Aram Avakian and adapted from a 1958 novel by John Barth , and stars Stacy Keach , James Earl Jones and Harris Yulin . The film was given an X rating for an abortion scene , and other frank scenes including one in which a naked man rapes a chicken . The film won the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival . A nine-page Life Magazine article was published on Aram Avakian and End of the Road on November 7 , 1969 . Avakian was also interviewed at length in Playboy and Esquire . End of the Road is a ground-breaking early indie picture . Many of the cast and crew went on to distinguished careers . The film gained a cult following at art movie houses across the U.S. , where audiences would speak aloud the lines while they watched the midnight screenings . In 2012 it was released again ( DVD ) from a brand new original print struck from a pristine negative by Warner Brothers , as part of a series of re-discovered cinematic treasures in their archives . The director Steven Soderbergh rediscovered the film , spearheaded its revival , and made a companion documentary , An Amazing Time : A Conversation About End of the Road .", "The Road (2011 film). The Road ( stylized as The Яoad ) is a 2011 Filipino psychological horror film directed by Yam Laranas , and starring Carmina Villaroel , Marvin Agustin , Rhian Ramos , Barbie Forteza and TJ Trinidad . The film was released in the Philippines by GMA Films on November 30 , 2011 to mixed reviews and moderate success . It was commercially released in the United States by Freestyle Releasing on May 11 , 2012 .", "Locarno Festival. The Locarno Festival is an international film festival held annually in August in the city of Locarno , Switzerland since 1946 . Locarno is a film festival accredited by the FIAPF ( International Federation of Film Producers Associations ) . The main feature of the festival is the open-air screening area at the Piazza Grande with room for over 8,000 spectators , having one of the largest open-air screens in the world ( 26 x14 metres ) . The top prize of the Festival is the Golden Leopard awarded to the best film in the international competition . Other awards include the Leopard of Honour for outstanding career achievements , and the Prix du Public UBS , the public choice award . The Locarno Film Festival is well known worldwide as a festival of discovery . Throughout its history the festival has discovered new trends and launched the careers of numerous directors and actors . Although the festival aims at the films , rather than at stars and glamour , several well-known personalities of the international film industry have visited the Locarno International Film Festival in recent years . To name just a few : Willem Dafoe , Terry Gilliam , Anthony Hopkins , Aki Kaurismäki , Abbas Kiarostami , Mike Leigh , Ken Loach , Gregg Araki , John Malkovich , Carmen Maura , Rose McGowan , Frank Oz , Quentin Tarantino , Penelope Cruz , Michel Piccoli , Robert Rodriguez , Susan Sarandon , Tim Roth , Christian Slater , Alexander Sokurov , Wim Wenders , Gus Van Sant , Luc Besson , Christopher Lee , Edward Norton , Andy Garcia , Harrison Ford , Daniel Craig , and Faye Dunaway .", "2010 Cannes Film Festival. The 63rd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from 12 to 23 May 2010 , in Cannes , France . The Cannes Film Festival , hailed as being one of the most recognized and prestigious film festivals worldwide , was founded in 1946 . It consists of having films screened in and out of competition during the festival ; films screened in competition compete for the Palme d'Or award . The award in 2010 was won by Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives , a Thai film directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul . This was determined by the festival 's jury members who reviewed films screened in competition . American film director Tim Burton was the president of the jury for the international competition , and other members of the jury for that competition included actors , screenwriters and composers , such as Kate Beckinsale , Emmanuel Carrère , Benicio del Toro , and Alexandre Desplat . Other categories for films screened in competition that have their own separate juries for other awards are for Short Films and the Un Certain Regard category . Ridley Scott 's Robin Hood opened the festival and Julie Bertuccelli 's The Tree was the closing film . The full film lineup for the festival was announced on 15 April 2010 . Agence France-Presse , Reuters , Associated Press and Getty TV boycotted the press conference that announced the line-up for the festival , due to a dispute over access to the red carpet . In a press release , the agencies said that they `` may be forced to suspend their presence at the festival altogether '' if an agreement was not reached . Days before the festival was to begin , concerns were expressed that attendees might be delayed , or would not attend , due to plane flights to surrounding areas in France being delayed or canceled due to volcanic ash in the sky .", "The Road (2015 film). The Road ( Al Tarik ) was a 2015 film by Lebanese director Rana Salem . Member of the main competition of the Moscow International Film Festival and Montreal Film Festival .", "2015 Cannes Film Festival. The 68th annual Cannes Film Festival was held from 13 to 24 May 2015 . Joel and Ethan Coen were the Presidents of the Jury for the main competition . It was the first time that two people chaired the jury . Since the Coen brothers each received a separate vote , they were joined by seven other jurors to form the customary nine-juror panel . French actor Lambert Wilson was the host for the opening and closing ceremonies . The Palme d'Or was awarded to the French film Dheepan directed by Jacques Audiard . On winning the award Audiard said `` To receive a prize from the Coen brothers is something pretty exceptional . I 'm very touched '' . The festival poster featured Hollywood star and Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman , photographed by David Seymour . The poster was chosen to pay tribute to Bergman for her contributions to films and who also served as the Jury President at 1973 Cannes Film Festival . As part of the tribute to Bergman , the Swedish documentary Ingrid Bergman : In Her Own Words was screened in the Cannes Classics section . Standing Tall , directed by Emmanuelle Bercot , was the festival 's opening film . This was the second opening film in the festival 's history to have been directed by a woman , after A Man in Love by Diane Kurys which opened the 1987 Cannes Film Festival . Ice and the Sky , directed by Luc Jacquet , was the festival 's closing film . Both the opening and closing films were selected for the strength and importance of their messages -- Standing Tall for the way its themes respond to the Charlie Hebdo shootings and Ice and the Sky for its concern for the future of the planet . French film director Agnès Varda was presented with the honorary Palme d'Or at the festival 's closing ceremony . She is also the first female filmmaker to ever receive the award . The Official Selection of films for the 2015 festival , including the line-up for the Main Competition , was announced on 16 April 2015 .", "Sundance Film Festival. The Sundance Film Festival , a program of the Sundance Institute , is an American film festival that takes place annually in Park City , Utah . With 46,660 attendees in 2016 , it is the largest independent film festival in the United States . Held in January in Park City , Salt Lake City , and Ogden , as well as at the Sundance Resort , the festival is a showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers . The festival comprises competitive sections for American and international dramatic and documentary films , both feature films and short films , and a group of out-of-competition sections , including NEXT , New Frontier , Spotlight , Midnight , Premieres and Documentary Premieres . The 2017 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 19 to January 29 , 2017 .", "Along the Roadside. Along the Roadside is a 2015 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Zoran Lisinac . The film stars Iman Crosson , Angelina Häntsch , Michael Madsen , Lazar Ristovski and Daniel Grozdich . The film tells a story about two people from different parts of the world ( Varnie is from Oakland and Nena from Germany ) who after a chance encounter set out on a road trip across California , both for the reasons of their own -- Varnie escaping his pregnant girlfriend and Nena searching for the concert of her favorite band ( the elusive Blonde Priest ) . The film explores themes of racism , social responsibility , `` post-romanticism '' and culture clash against the backdrop of vast California -- from San Francisco to LA and inland across the desert . Varnie , a self-proclaimed `` sailor who has left one shore but has n't yet reached the other one '' could most aptly be fitted into , what the academic Marco Abel refers to as `` postromance cinema '' in which the characters reject he idealized notion of lifelong monogamy . Varnie finds his antipode in Nena , a colorblind tourist from Germany who sees the world in all its shades of gray or as critic Aaron Shore , in his A-grade review of the movie , noted , `` an interesting contrast to Varnie 's racial features as an African American . '' Along the Roadside has been named `` the most unique film of the year '' after its Mill Valley Film Festival premiere in October 2013 . The use of the original music serves as a Greek chorus -- addressing both the characters and the audience alike . The original songs were supplied by Cole Bonner to be passed off as the songs of the elusive band Blonde Priest - nobody in the story has heard of - which poses a question , `` what is Nena really after ? '' . Along the Roadside has been on the festival circuit since 2013 and had its commercial release on March 17 , 2015 .", "On the Road (Hong Kong TV series). On the Road '' ( Chinese : 向世界出發 ) is a Cantonese television travel series produced by Television Broadcasts Limited in Hong Kong . The show is currently in its third season . The meaning of the Chinese title is `` Set off to the World '' , which gives a sense of the start of a journey to different parts of the global , experiencing different cultures and customs of different nations .", "The Road (2001 film). The Road ( Jol ) is a 2001 Kazakhstani drama film directed by Darezhan Omirbaev . It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival .", "2013 Cannes Film Festival. The 66th annual Cannes Film Festival took place in Cannes , France , from 15 to 26 May 2013 . Steven Spielberg was the head of the jury for the main competition . New Zealand film director Jane Campion was the head of the jury for the Cinéfondation and Short Film sections . French actress Audrey Tautou hosted the opening and closing ceremonies . Actress Kim Novak was named guest of honour and introduced a new restored version of Alfred Hitchcock 's Vertigo . The festival opened with The Great Gatsby , directed by Baz Luhrmann and closed with Zulu , directed by Jérôme Salle . The film poster for the festival featured Paul Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward . The Bling Ring , directed by Sofia Coppola , opened the Un Certain Regard section . The French film Blue Is the Warmest Colour won the Palme d'Or . In an unprecedented move , along with the director , the Jury decided to take `` the exceptional step '' of awarding the film 's two main actresses , Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux , with the Palme d'Or . On the occasion of 100 Years of Indian Cinema , India was the Official Guest Country at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival . Seven Indian feature films were premiered among various sections on the festival . Actress Vidya Balan was one of the official Jury of the festival . The first Incredible India Exhibition , a joint participation of the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting , Republic of India was inaugurated by Indian delegate Chiranjeevi .", "2011 Cannes Film Festival. The 64th annual Cannes Film Festival was held from 11 to 22 May 2011 . American actor Robert De Niro served as the president of the jury for the main competition and French filmmaker Michel Gondry headed the jury for the short film competition . South Korean film director Bong Joon-ho was the head of the jury for the Caméra d'Or prize , which is awarded to the best first-time filmmaker . Midnight in Paris , written and directed by Woody Allen , opened the festival . Mélanie Laurent hosted the opening and closing ceremonies . Italian film director Bernardo Bertolucci was presented with the third Honorary Palme d'Or Award at the opening ceremony of the festival . Though the award had been given out sporadically in the past the Honorary Palme d'Or was supposed to presented annually after 2011 . However it was not given again until the 2015 Cannes Film Festival . Gus Van Sant 's Restless opened the Un Certain Regard section . Jailed Iranian film directors Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof were honoured at the festival . Goodbye by Rasoulof and Panahi 's This Is Not a Film was screened at the festival , and Panahi was awarded the Carrosse d'Or . Four female directors featured in the main competition : Australian Julia Leigh , Japan 's Naomi Kawase , Scottish director Lynne Ramsay and France 's own Maïwenn Le Besco . Danish film director Lars von Trier caused controversy with comments he made at the press conference of his film Melancholia . When he was asked about the relation between the influences of German Romanticism in the film and his own German heritage , the director made jokes about Jews and Nazis . He said he understood Adolf Hitler and admired the work of architect Albert Speer , and jokingly announced that he was a Nazi . The Cannes Film Festival first issued an official apology for the remarks the same day and clarified that Trier is not a Nazi or an antisemite , then declared the director `` persona non grata '' the following day . The film remained in competition .", "Water on the Road. Water on the Road is a film released on DVD and Blu-ray by American singer and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder . It documents Vedder 's 2008 solo tour , during which he performed Pearl Jam songs , numerous covers , and solo works including songs from the Into the Wild Soundtrack . The film features mostly performances from two shows Vedder performed on August 16 and 17 , 2008 , at Warner Theatre in Washington , D.C. . It was released on May 31 , 2011 .", "International Film Festival of India. The International Film Festival of India ( IFFI ) , founded in 1952 , is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia . Held annually in the state of Goa , on the western coast of the country , the festival aims at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to project the excellence of the film art ; contributing to the understanding and appreciation of film cultures of different nations in the context of their social and cultural ethos ; and promoting friendship and cooperation among people of the world . The festival is conducted jointly by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting , Directorate of Film Festivals and the Government of Goa . The 46th edition ( latest ) of IFFI was held at Panjim Goa from 20 November 2015 with A R Rahman as the Chief Guest .", "Sing Street. Sing Street is a 2016 musical coming-of-age comedy-drama film co-written , co-produced and directed by John Carney . Starring Lucy Boynton , Maria Doyle Kennedy , Jack Reynor , Kelly Thornton and Ferdia Walsh-Peelo , the story revolves around a boy starting a band to impress a girl in 1980s Ireland . It is an international co-production from Ireland , the United States , and United Kingdom . The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on 24 January 2016 . It was released in Ireland on 17 March 2016 , in the United States on 15 April and in the United Kingdom on 20 May . The film received positive reviews from critics , grossed $ 13 million worldwide and was nominated for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes .", "On the Road (Czech TV series). On the Road ( Czech : `` Na cestě '' ) is a documentary travelogue series on Czech Television . It is led by the creative director Mojmír Kučera . Czech Television broadcast it since 2006 . Movies of the series cover the lifestyle , habits and the typical features of the regions around the world . Each episode takes 26 minutes and is presented by the voices of Czech actors Jiří Bartoška and Miroslav Donutil . Category : Czech television series Category : Travel television series Category :2006 Czech television series debuts", "Open Road Films. Open Road Films ( or simply Open Road ) is an American film production and distribution company based in Los Angeles , California . It was launched in March 2011 by the two largest U.S. theatrical exhibitors , AMC Theatres and Regal Entertainment Group .", "One for the Road (2003 film). One for the Road is a 2003 British comedy-drama film written and directed by Chris Cooke . Filmed on location in and around Nottinghamshire , the film stars Hywel Bennett , Gregory Chisholm , Mark Devenport , and Rupert Procter as four men who meet at a compulsory rehabilitation class after being sentenced for drink driving . The film was nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best New British Feature Film at the 2003 Edinburgh International Film Festival and for the Golden Hitchcock Award at the 2003 Dinard Festival of British Film .", "On the Road: A Document. is a Japanese documentary from 1964 directed by Noriaki Tsuchimoto .", "Toronto International Film Festival. The Toronto International Film Festival ( TIFF , stylized as tiff. ; Festival international du film de Toronto ) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world , attracting over 480,000 people annually . Over the last 40 years , TIFF has grown to become a year-round destination for film culture operating out of the TIFF Bell Lightbox , a dynamic centre for film culture that offers visitors a presentation that includes new releases , live film events and an interactive gallery . Year-round , TIFF Bell Lightbox offers screenings , lectures , discussions , festivals , workshops , industry support and the chance to meet filmmakers from Canada and around the world . TIFF Bell Lightbox is located on the north west corner of King Street and John Street in downtown Toronto . In 2015 , 397 films from 71 countries were screened at 28 screens in downtown Toronto venues , welcoming an estimated 480,000 attendees , over 5,000 of whom were industry professionals . TIFF starts the Thursday night after Labour Day ( the first Monday in September in Canada ) and lasts for eleven days . Founded in 1976 , TIFF is now one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the world . In 1998 , Variety magazine acknowledged that TIFF `` is second only to Cannes in terms of high-profile pics , stars and market activity . '' In 2007 , TIME noted that TIFF had `` grown from its place as the most influential fall film festival to the most influential film festival , period . '' This is partially the result of TIFF 's ability and reputation for generating `` Oscar buzz '' . The Toronto International Festival 's Grolsch People 's Choice Award -- which is based on popular vote by Festival filmgoers -- has emerged as a beacon of awards-season success . Past recipients of this audience accolade include Room , The Imitation Game , 12 Years a Slave , The King 's Speech , Slumdog Millionaire , Silver Linings Playbook , Argo , Lion , La La Land and Dallas Buyers Club .", "Road movie. A road movie is a film genre in which the main characters leave home on a road trip , typically altering the perspective from their everyday lives .", "Thelma & Louise. Thelma & Louise is a 1991 American road film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Callie Khouri . It stars Geena Davis as Thelma and Susan Sarandon as Louise , two friends who embark on a road trip with disastrous consequences . The supporting cast include Harvey Keitel , Michael Madsen , and Brad Pitt , whose career was launched by the film . The film became a critical and commercial success , receiving six Academy Award nominations and winning one for Best Original Screenplay for Khouri . Scott was nominated for Best Director , and both Sarandon and Davis were nominated for Best Actress . At its release the film stirred controversy . At the intersection of several genres , it is now considered a classic . It influenced other films and artistic works , and became a landmark of feminist film . In 2016 , the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry , finding it `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .", "End of the Road Festival. End of the Road Festival is an annual music festival in England which focuses on alternative music , mostly folk , alt.country and Americana . It is hosted at the Larmer Tree Gardens , on the border of north Dorset and Wiltshire , and usually takes place over the last weekend of August or the first full weekend in September , opening camping on Thursday afternoon with the entertainment running from Friday to Sunday inclusive . The first festival took place in 2006 , and it sold out for the first time in 2008 . The festival is independently run and started by two friends , Simon Taffe and Sofia Hagberg . The festival is run over four stages : the Woods Stage , the Garden Stage , the Big Top Stage and the Tipi Tent , as well as a clearing in the woods around the Garden Stage containing a piano at which semi-secret sets take place . There are also children 's areas and workshops , a healing field , a film tent , comedy , a library in the forest and a games area ( ping pong , table football etc. ) . Due to the nature of the gardens the festival is set in it is not unlikely to see peacocks wandering around the area and macaws in the trees . The festival has a capacity of 11,000 ( 2014 ) . In 2011 , the festival won an award for ` Best Small Festival ' at UK Festival Awards . In 2012 claims were made that End of the Road Festival is secretly organized by Scientology . A statement made by the festival has since denied these claims , however acknowledges that two members of management are Scientologists . In 2016 , the festival won an award for ` Best Small Festival ' at NME Awards .", "Festival in Cannes. Festival in Cannes is a 2001 film directed by Henry Jaglom . The plot is an entertainment industry farce about filmmakers trying to make deals during the Cannes Film Festival . Cannes , 1999 . Alice , an actress , wants to direct an indie picture . Kaz , a talkative ( and maybe bogus ) deal maker , promises $ 3 million if she 'll use Millie , an aging French star . But , Rick , a big producer , needs Millie for a small part in a fall movie or he loses his star , Tom Hanks . Is Kaz for real ? Can Rick sweet-talk Alice and sabotage Kaz to keep Millie from taking that deal ? Millie consults with Victor , her ex , about which picture to make , Rick needs money , an ingenue named Blue is discovered , Kaz hits on Victor 's new love , and Rick 's factotum connects with Blue . Knives go in various backs . Wheels spin . Which deals - and pairings - will be consummated ? In Cannes , actress Alice Palmer wants to have her debut in the cinema industry as director and her two friends have written a screenplay for Gena Rowlands . However they are approached by the counterfeit crasher Kaz Naiman who convinces them to rewrite the scrip for the famous French actress Millie Marquand currently at the festival . In return he will sponsor the feature with three million dollars . Millie loves the screenplay and promises to make the film . However , the powerful producer Rick Yorkin is producing a blockbuster with Tom Hanks and Simone Duvall and needs Millie Marquand to perform the role of Tom Hanks ' mother . Millie 's former husband , the director Viktor Kovner is in Cannes and Rick manipulates him to convince Millie to accept the part . Meanwhile , the promising debutant star Blue becomes a hit in the festival but is divided between her lover and her career", "Crossroads (2002 film). Crossroads is a 2002 American comedy-drama road film set in Georgia . Directed by Tamra Davis and written by Shonda Rhimes , the film stars pop singer Britney Spears , Anson Mount , Zoe Saldana , Taryn Manning , Kim Cattrall and Dan Aykroyd . The film was produced by MTV Films and released on February 15 , 2002 , in North America by Paramount Pictures . The plot centers on three teenage girls as they take a cross-country road trip , finding themselves and their friendship in the process . Development on the film began in 2001 , when Spears created a concept that was later expanded by Rhimes . Principal filming began on March 2001 , and encompassed over a period of six months . Critics gave negative reviews to Crossroads ; however , they considered it a better effort when compared to Mariah Carey 's 2001 film Glitter . Despite the movie 's response from critics , it was a box office success , grossing over $ 61.1 million worldwide in three months .", "On Tour (2010 film). On Tour ( Tournée ) is a 2010 internationally co-produced comedy-drama film directed by Mathieu Amalric . It stars Amalric himself as a producer who brings an American Neo-Burlesque troupe to France , played by genuine performers Mimi Le Meaux , Kitten on the Keys , Dirty Martini , Julie Atlas Muz , Evie Lovelle and Roky Roulette . In a road movie narrative , the plot follows the troupe as they tour French port cities with their show , which was performed for actual audiences during the production . The inspiration for the film was a book by Colette about her experience from music halls in the early 20th century , and a part of Amalric 's aim was to translate the sentiment of the book to a modern setting . The film premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival where it won the FIPRESCI Award , the festival 's main prize from film critics . Amalric also received the Best Director Award ." ]

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[ "Paramore. Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin , Tennessee , formed in 2004 . The band currently consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams , guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro . The group released its debut album All We Know Is Falling in 2005 , with the album reaching number eight on the UK Rock Chart and number thirty on Billboards Heatseekers Chart . While it only had a minimal commercial performance initially , the album and its lead single `` Pressure '' were eventually certified Gold by the RIAA after the success of the band 's later material . The band 's second album , Riot ! , was released in 2007 . Due to the success of the singles `` Misery Business '' , `` Crushcrushcrush '' , and `` That 's What You Get '' , Riot ! was a mainstream success and was certified Platinum in the United States . They then received a Best New Artist nomination at the 2008 Grammy Awards . Their 2009 follow-up , Brand New Eyes , is the band 's second-highest charting album to date , landing at number two on the Billboard 200 with 175,000 first week sales . It produced the top-forty single `` The Only Exception '' and went platinum in Ireland and the UK , as well as gold in the US , Canada , Australia , and New Zealand . Following the departure of Josh and Zac Farro in 2010 , the band released their self-titled fourth album in 2013 . It gave the band their first career number one on the US Billboard 200 and was also the number one album in the United Kingdom , Ireland , Australia , New Zealand , Brazil , Argentina and Mexico . It included the singles `` Still Into You '' and `` Ai n't It Fun '' , with the latter winning the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for Hayley Williams and Taylor York as songwriters , making it Paramore 's first Grammy win . The band 's lineup changed once again after this album cycle with bassist Jeremy Davis leaving the band near the end of 2015 and former drummer Zac Farro rejoining the band in 2017 . Their fifth studio album After Laughter was released later that year .", "Paramore (album). Paramore is the self-titled fourth studio album by American rock band Paramore . It was released on April 5 , 2013 , through Fueled by Ramen as a follow-up to Brand New Eyes ( 2009 ) . It is their first full-length album released after the departure of co-founders Josh and Zac Farro in 2010 . Recorded between April and November 1 , 2012 , the album was described by the band as being a `` statement '' and a reintroduction of the band to the world and to themselves . It is the only album without Zac Farro on drums , and the final album recorded with bassist Jeremy Davis before he left the band in 2015 . The album was produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen , with lead guitarist Taylor York co-producing on four tracks . In contrast to band 's previous work , the production of Paramore contains the band 's experimentation with new musical genres , such as new wave and funk rock , and features three acoustic interludes . Paramore received acclaim from music critics , who praised the band 's maturity and experimentation in terms of musicianship as well as Williams ' vocals and overall presence on the album . Several publications included the album in their year-end lists , including The A.V. Club and The Guardian . Paramore was a commercial success , debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 106,000 copies . The album also topped the charts in Argentina , Australia , Brazil , Ireland , and New Zealand , where it became their first album to reach the summit . It also became their second chart topper in the United Kingdom . In March 2016 , Paramore was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , for sales exceeding 1,000,000 . The group followed the record release with The Self-Titled Tour in promotion , with European , North American , Asian , Latin American , and Oceania legs announced . In 2014 , Fall Out Boy and Paramore co-headlined Monumentour . A deluxe edition of the album was released on November 24 , 2014 . Four singles were released from the album : `` Now '' , `` Still Into You '' , `` Daydreaming '' , and the Grammy-winning song `` Ai n't It Fun '' . `` Still Into You '' and `` Ai n't It Fun '' have reached top ten positions on various charts in the United States and have been certified double platinum by the RIAA , making Paramore the first of the band 's albums to have produced more than one double platinum single .", "Paramore discography. The American rock band Paramore has released five studio albums , three extended plays , two live albums , eighteen singles , one video album , and nineteen music videos . The band was formed in Franklin , Tennessee , in 2004 by lead vocalist Hayley Williams with guitarists Josh Farro and Taylor York , bassist Jeremy Davis , and drummer Zac Farro . In 2005 , Paramore signed with the New York City-based Fueled by Ramen and released their debut album entitled All We Know Is Falling . Three singles were released from the album , but none of them charted . The album did not chart in the Billboard 200 either , although it peaked at number thirty in the Billboard Top Heatseekers . All We Know Is Falling received Gold certification in the United Kingdom and in July 2014 the RIAA certified the album Gold in the United States . The band 's breakthrough album came in 2007 with Riot ! . After its release in June , the album peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard 200 album chart and received multiple certifications all over the world , including double-Platinum in the United States . The lead single , `` Misery Business '' , became their first charting single in the Billboard Hot 100 , certified single , and in 2015 , the band 's first to be certified triple-platinum in the United States . Paramore contributed to the Twilight film soundtrack in 2008 recording of two original songs , including the single `` Decode '' . In 2009 , the band released their third studio album Brand New Eyes , which debuted and peaked at number two in the United States , was the number one album in several other countries , including Australia and the United Kingdom , and was certified platinum in the United States in March 2016 . The album produced five singles , including `` Ignorance '' and `` The Only Exception '' , who both received certifications in numerous countries . In 2013 , the band released their fourth album Paramore , which peaked at number one in many countries and was certified platinum in the United States in March 2016 . The singles `` Still Into You '' and `` Ai n't It Fun '' both became radio hits , while the latter also became the band 's first top ten single on Billboard Hot 100 chart .", "After Laughter. After Laughter is the fifth studio album by American rock band Paramore . It was released on May 12 , 2017 , through Fueled by Ramen as a follow-up to Paramore , their 2013 self-titled album . The album was produced by guitarist Taylor York alongside previous collaborator , Justin Meldal-Johnsen . It is the band 's first album since the return of drummer Zac Farro , who left the band with his brother Josh in 2010 , and the departure of former bassist Jeremy Davis , who left the band in 2015 . After Laughter represents a departure from the usual pop punk and alternative rock sound of their previous releases . The album touches on themes of exhaustion , depression and anxiety , contrasting the upbeat and vibrant sound of the record . Upon release , After Laughter received critical acclaim from music critics , who praised the band 's new sonic direction and the 1980s new wave and synth-pop sound on the album . The album was supported by two singles : `` Hard Times '' , released on April 19 , 2017 as the lead single , and `` Told You So '' released two weeks later as the second single .", "List of songs recorded by Paramore. American rock band Paramore have recorded songs for five studio albums , a box set , an extended play and two soundtrack albums . In 2002 , at age 13 , vocalist Hayley Williams moved to Franklin , Tennessee , where she met brothers Josh Farro and Zac Farro . The band was officially formed by Josh Farro ( lead guitar and backing vocals ) , Zac Farro ( drums ) , Jeremy Davis ( bass guitar ) and Williams ( lead vocals ) in 2004 , with the later addition of Williams ' neighbor Jason Bynum ( rhythm guitar ) . In 2005 , Paramore signed with the New York City-based Fueled by Ramen and released their debut album entitled All We Know Is Falling that year . Three singles were released to promote the album . Bynum left the band shortly after promotion for their debut album ended . Taylor York , who had been in a band with the Farro brothers before the two met Hayley Williams , joined as a replacement . The band released their second album , Riot ! , in 2007 . The lead single , `` Misery Business '' , became their first charting single in the Billboard Hot 100 and certified single . The next year , Paramore contributed to the Twilight film soundtrack with two original songs , including the hit single `` Decode '' . In 2009 , the band released their third studio album Brand New Eyes . Williams and Josh Farro wrote most of the songs together , while York had writing credits in some of them . After promotion for Brand New Eyes ended , the Farro brothers announced their departure of the band.In 2009 , Paramore recorded an original song for the Transformers : Dark of the Moon film soundtrack and released a box set entitled Singles Club with three original songs , In The Mourning , Renegade and Hello Cold World . In 2013 , they released their fourth studio album , Paramore , which debuted at number one on Billboard 200 . The album produced two of Paramore 's biggest hits `` Still into You '' and `` Ai n't It Fun '' . They are due to release their fifth album , After Laughter , on May 12th 2017 . 2 singles have been released of this album , Hard Times and Told You So .", "Zac Farro. Zachary Wayne `` Zac '' Farro ( born June 4 , 1990 ) is an American musician and drummer of the rock band Paramore . He is also the younger brother of Josh Farro , who is Paramore 's former lead guitarist and backing vocalist . After he and his brother exited Paramore in 2010 , Josh formed a band named Novel American , which Zac was also a part of . Zac is currently the sole member of the band Half Noise . Farro rejoined Paramore on February 2 , 2017 .", "Brand New Eyes. Brand New Eyes is the third studio album by American rock band Paramore , released on September 29 , 2009 through Fueled by Ramen in the United States and Canada . The album was produced by Rob Cavallo and recorded in Hidden Hills , California from January to March 2009 . It was written by band members Hayley Williams and Josh Farro , with guitarist Taylor York who co-wrote on four tracks , as a follow-up to Riot ! ( 2007 ) . Praised by critics for its songwriting and the band 's increased maturity , the album won Best Album at the Kerrang ! Awards 2010 , and `` The Only Exception '' received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals . Several publications included Brand New Eyes in their year-end lists . The album produced five singles , `` Ignorance '' , `` Brick by Boring Brick '' , `` The Only Exception '' , `` Careful '' , and `` Playing God '' , all of which have been commercially successful in the United States , and internationally . Brand New Eyes debuted at number two on Billboard 200 selling 184,547 copies in its first week , becoming their biggest album on that chart , until their self-titled album debuted at number one in 2013 . The album topped the charts in many countries across the world including Australia , New Zealand , Ireland and the United Kingdom , making it the band 's second-highest charting album to date . The album was certified platinum by the RIAA on March 22 , 2016 for shipments in excess of 1,000,000 albums . It was certified platinum in the UK for 300,000 shipments and in Ireland for 15,000 shipments . The band promoted the album with the Brand New Eyes World Tour , playing shows in North America , Asia , Europe etc. as well as festival appearances . Brand New Eyes was the final album recorded by Paramore before Josh and Zac Farro left the band . Zac Farro would later rejoin Paramore in 2017 .", "Ignorance (song). `` Ignorance '' is a song by American rock band Paramore . It was released in July 7 , 2009 as the lead single from the band 's third studio album , Brand New Eyes ( 2009 ) . The song impacted radio on July 28 . The song was written by band 's members Hayley Williams and Josh Farro , although Paramore is credited as being co-writers of the song . The track , recorded in early 2009 , was the first song to be written for the album . Musically , `` Ignorance '' is an alternative rock song . Farro 's and Williams 's inspiration for writing the song was from personal experiences . The song received positive reviews from critics for its energy-filled musicianship . `` Ignorance '' had minor success on the Billboard Hot 100 , peaking at number 67 . It also charted at numbers 7 and 20 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks and Hot Rock Songs charts respectively . On March 24 , 2016 , the song was certified gold in the United States for selling 500,000 copies . The song 's international chart performance fared better , peaking within the top 20 of British , Dutch and Japanese charts . A music video for `` Ignorance '' was released in August 2009 . In the video , the band is shown playing in a room with the only source of lighting being a hanging light bulb .", "All We Know Is Falling. All We Know Is Falling is the debut studio album by American rock band Paramore , released on July 26 , 2005 under the Atlantic-distributed Fueled by Ramen in the United States . Its production was led by James Paul Wisner , Mike Green , Nick Trevisick , and Roger Alan Nichols . Josh Farro and Hayley Williams , guitarist and vocalist of Paramore , respectively , wrote almost all the songs . The departure of bassist Jeremy Davis , which occurred a few days after arriving in Orlando , served as the album 's main theme . This theme was reflected especially in the album 's cover and title . Mostly categorized as a pop punk album , the album received mostly positive reviews and has been labeled a `` scene classic '' . The album 's production took place in Orlando , Florida . Instead of making a major push towards radio , the band 's A&R recommended that the band build a fanbase through word of mouth . The album received mixed reviews by music journalism , who praised the voice of Hayley Williams . However , the album had a weak domestic commercial performance : it failed to enter the Billboard 200 , though it did reach number 30 on Billboards Heatseekers Chart . The album reached No. 4 on the UK Rock Chart , and in 2010 it managed to reach the place fifty-one the UK Albums Chart and earned certification as a gold record by the BPI . In July 2014 , after the group found success with its following records , All We Know Is Falling received gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . Three singles from the album were released : `` Pressure '' , `` Emergency '' and `` All We Know '' . None of the singles managed to reach any major chart , although `` Pressure '' was certified gold by the RIAA in 2016 after the band found commercial success with subsequent releases .", "Now (Paramore song). `` Now '' is a song by American rock band Paramore . It was released on January 22 , 2013 as the first single from their fourth album , the self-titled Paramore . The song impacted radio on January 29 , 2013 . It is their first single in an album to not feature former band members Josh and Zac Farro since their departure in 2010 . `` Now '' received acclaim from music critics , with reviewers praising its production , lyrical content , and Hayley Williams ' vocal delivery on the track . The single achieved moderate commercial success , ranking within the top 20 of Billboard 's Hot Rock Songs and Alternative Songs .", "Misery Business. `` Misery Business '' is a song by American rock band Paramore and serves as the lead single from their second studio album , Riot ! ( 2007 ) . The song impacted radio on May 22 , 2007 . Meanwhile `` Crushcrushcrush '' moved up to No. 16 , `` Misery Business '' peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 26 ( for the week of 1/12/2008 ) , making it the band 's highest-charting single until `` Ai n't It Fun '' reached No. 10 in 2014 . It also peaked at No. 3 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart . `` Misery Business '' was the group 's first charting single in the UK with more than 20,000 copies created within less than a year of the song 's debut . It also succeeded in many countries including Mexico , Argentina , Chile , and Brazil . The song is considered the band 's `` breakthrough '' hit and is crediting with introducing the band to a mainstream audience . The video for `` Misery Business '' was the third to be directed by Shane Drake for the band , and Alternative Press named `` Misery Business '' the Video of the Year in 2007 . On July 25 , 2015 , the song was certified triple-platinum in the United States , the first of the band 's songs to have sold three million units .", "Jeremy Davis. Jeremiah Clayton `` Jeremy '' Davis ( born February 8 , 1985 ) is an American musician who is known as the former bass guitarist of the rock band Paramore until his departure in December 2015 .", "Riot!. Riot ! is the second studio album by American rock band Paramore . It was released in the United States on June 12 , 2007 through Fueled by Ramen as a follow-up to their debut album , All We Know Is Falling ( 2005 ) . The album was produced by David Bendeth and written by band members Hayley Williams and Josh Farro , with Bendeth , and fellow members Zac Farro and Taylor York co-writing on select tracks . The album is said to explore a `` diverse range of styles , '' while not straying far from the `` signature sound '' of their debut album , with several critics comparing it to likes of Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne . The cover of the album also resembles the cover artwork of No Doubt 's Rock Steady . Riot ! received generally positive reviews from music critics , who praised its sound , and noted its `` crossover potential '' . The album was successful in the United States , reaching number fifteen on the Billboard 200 and achieving double-platinum status on March 22 , 2016 by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . It was also certified platinum in the United Kingdom by the British Phonographic Industry , and gold in Australia , New Zealand , and Canada . The lead single , `` Misery Business '' , reached top-thirty and forty positions in the US and is considered the band 's `` breakthrough '' hit ; credited with introducing the band to a mainstream audience . The third and fourth singles , `` crushcrushcrush '' , and `` That 's What You Get '' , were also successful with both achieving a platinum certification by the RIAA .", "Monster (Paramore song). `` Monster '' is a song by American rock band Paramore . It was released on June 7 , 2011 for digital download . It is also the second single from the Transformers : Dark of the Moon OST , which was released on June 14 , 2011 . It is the first song to not feature former band members Josh and Zac Farro , who separated from the band in 2010 . A sneak peek of the song surfaced when lead singer Hayley Williams posted lyrics on the band 's Official Fan Club . An audio video for the song was posted on YouTube on June 2 , 2011 . The video itself achieved over 1 million views in the first three days of posting . The song won Choice Rock Track at the 2011 Teen Choice Awards . On March 24 , 2016 , the song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , for sales exceeding 500,000 . Taylor York performed the drum parts for the track .", "The Self-Titled Tour. The Self-Titled Tour was the third world tour by American rock band Paramore . The tour is in support of their fourth album Paramore ( 2013 ) . The tour began in Bangkok on February 12th , 2013 , and continued through parts of Australia , North America , Europe , and South America . The tour cycle included Paramore 's first headlining show at the Madison Square Garden on November 13th , 2013 , and was the last touring cycle to feature bassist Jeremy Davis .", "All We Know (Paramore song). `` All We Know '' is a song by American rock band Paramore . It was originally released in 2006 from their debut studio album , All We Know Is Falling ( 2005 ) . It was written by lead vocalist Hayley Williams , and is about the departure of the band 's bassist , Jeremy Davis .", "Told You So (Paramore song). `` Told You So '' is a song by American rock band Paramore . It was released on May 3 , 2017 through Fueled by Ramen as the second single off their fifth studio album After Laughter . It was written by lead vocalist Hayley Williams and guitarist Taylor York and was recorded in the band 's hometown , Nashville , Tennessee . A music video for the song , directed by drummer Zac Farro and Aaron Joseph , was uploaded to their record label Fueled by Ramen 's YouTube channel along with the release of the song .", "Rainbow (rock band). Rainbow ( also known as Ritchie Blackmore 's Rainbow or Blackmore 's Rainbow ) are a British rock band led by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore , active from 1975 to 1984 and 1993 to 1997 , and again since 2015 . They were originally established with Ronnie James Dio 's American rock band Elf , but after the first album , Blackmore fired the backing members and continued with Dio until 1979 . Three British musicians joined in 1979 , singer Graham Bonnet , keyboardist Don Airey , former Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover , and this line-up gave the band their commercial breakthrough with the single `` Since You Been Gone '' . Over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up . Other lead singers Joe Lynn Turner and Doogie White would follow , and the project consisted of numerous backing musicians . A pioneer to power metal , the band 's early work primarily featured mystical lyrics with a neoclassical metal style , but went in a more streamlined , commercial direction following Dio 's departure from the group . Rainbow were ranked No. 90 on VH1 's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock . The band has sold over 28 million records worldwide .", "Hayley Williams. Hayley Nichole Williams ( born December 27 , 1988 ) is an American singer and songwriter . She serves as the lead vocalist , primary songwriter and occasional keyboardist of the rock band Paramore .", "The Only Exception. `` The Only Exception '' is a song by American rock band Paramore . It was released by Fueled by Ramen in February 2010 as the third single from the band 's third studio album , Brand New Eyes ( 2009 ) . The song was written by band members Hayley Williams and Josh Farro ; Paramore is also credited as being co-producers to the song . The song was generally well received by music critics ; praise of the song was mainly about Williams ' vocal performance . Music critics reviewing the song noted that `` The Only Exception '' was a different musical theme for the band . `` The Only Exception '' has been the most successful single from Brand New Eyes , having topped the United Kingdom Rock Chart and peaked at No. 13 and No. 17 in New Zealand and Australia respectively . The single has become the band 's third of five top forty hits to date on the Billboard Hot 100 . A music video for the song , directed by Brandon Chesbro , was released on February 17 , 2010 , via the band 's official website . The song received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals . It was the band 's most successful single to date until the release of `` Ai n't It Fun '' ( 2014 ) .", "2010 Summer Tour EP. 2010 Summer Tour is an EP that features the American rock band Paramore , Canadian indie rock band Tegan and Sara , American rock band New Found Glory , and Swedish band Kadawatha . The EP was sold during the 2010 Honda Civic Tour and the remaining dates of Paramore 's Brand New Eyes World Tour .", "List of awards and nominations received by Paramore. Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin , Tennessee .", "Drew Barrymore. Drew Blythe Barrymore ( born February 22 , 1975 ) is an American actress , author , director , model and producer . She is a member of the Barrymore family of American stage and film actors , and is a granddaughter of actor John Barrymore . Barrymore began acting on television , and soon transitioned to film with roles in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) and Irreconcilable Differences ( 1984 ) . Following a turbulent childhood that was marked by drug and alcohol abuse with two stints in rehab , she wrote her autobiography , Little Girl Lost ( 1991 ) . She appeared in a string of successful films , including Poison Ivy ( 1992 ) , Boys on the Side ( 1995 ) , Scream ( 1996 ) and Ever After ( 1998 ) . She has also co-starred with Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer ( 1998 ) , 50 First Dates ( 2004 ) and Blended ( 2014 ) . After Barrymore and Nancy Juvonen formed their joint production company Flower Films in 1995 , it went on to produce several films in which she also starred , such as Never Been Kissed ( 1999 ) , Charlie 's Angels ( 2000 ) , Donnie Darko ( 2001 ) and her directorial debut Whip It ! ( 2009 ) . Other acting credits include Music and Lyrics ( 2007 ) , He 's Just Not That Into You ( 2009 ) , Going the Distance ( 2010 ) and Miss You Already ( 2015 ) . Barrymore won the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of Little Edie in Grey Gardens ( 2009 ) . Barrymore currently stars with Timothy Olyphant in the Netflix comedy series Santa Clarita Diet ( 2017 ) . She was named an Ambassador Against Hunger for the UN World Food Programme ( WFP ) . Since then , she has donated over $ 1 million to the program . A recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , Barrymore appeared on the cover of the 2007 People magazine 's 100 Most Beautiful people .", "Playing God (song). `` Playing God '' is a song by American rock band Paramore , taken from their third studio album , Brand New Eyes ( 2009 ) . The song was written by the band 's lead singer Hayley Williams , lead guitarist Josh Farro , and rhythm guitarist Taylor York , and produced by Rob Cavallo , and the band . It was released as the fifth and final single from the album on November 15 , 2010 . It was also the final single to feature former band members Josh and Zac Farro before their departure in 2010 .", "Raise the Dead. Raise the Dead is the fourth studio album by rock band Phantom Planet . It was released on April 15 , 2008 . The CD includes reworked versions of `` Leader '' and `` Geronimo '' , both of which appeared on the Limited Edition Tour EP , as well as a reworked version of `` Do the Panic '' , which originally appeared on the band 's ` bootleg ' fanclub CD Phantom Planet : Negatives . Early on in the recording process Phantom Planet 's contract with Epic Records expired , which left them searching for a new record label . Soon after this , they signed to Fueled by Ramen , which produces bands such as Fall Out Boy , Paramore , Panic at the Disco , The Hush Sound and The Academy Is ... On January 20 , 2008 , Phantom Planet posted a bulletin on their Myspace page to announce that the official release date would be April 15 , 2008 . Fueled By Ramen re-released a teaser trailer and stated that the first single from the album will be a reworking of `` Do the Panic '' . In an interview with RaggedMag , vocalist Alex Greenwald explained that `` all bands are kind of their own cult , you know , but we want to take it to a new level . We really like the show Lost , and even though it 's totally fiction , there 's this air of mystery that 's lacking in a lot entertainment these days . I really like mystery in things , and what a little bit of enigma brings out of people and their imaginations ... a band is about community , and within itself it is a brotherhood ; it 's companionship . But a band ca n't be anything without the people to love it . Our goal will be to recruit and befriend as many people as possible with our message . `` Raise the Dead '' was released on April 15 , 2008 .", "Ben Moody. Benjamin Robert `` Ben '' Moody ( born January 22 , 1981 ) is an American singer-songwriter , multi-instrumentalist , record producer , and actor . He is best known as co-founder , lead guitarist , and songwriter of rock band Evanescence from its inception in 1995 to his departure in October 2003 . Since leaving Evanescence , Moody has collaborated with an array of performers vocally , instrumentally , and as a writer . He is currently a member of The Halo Method and We Are The Fallen .", "Singles Club (EP). Singles Club is an EP released by American rock band Paramore . The songs were released as promotional singles between October and December 2011 , culminating in the release of a box set containing the three constituent songs plus `` Monster '' , which was recorded during the same sessions . The EP and box set were released on December 14 , 2011 on Paramore 's website . The EP is the first release of new material by Paramore not to include band members Josh and Zac Farro .", "Anklebiters. `` Anklebiters '' is a song by American rock band Paramore , and is the tenth track from their self-titled fourth studio album . The song was written by the band 's lead singer Hayley Williams , rhythm guitarist Taylor York and Justin Meldal-Johnsen .", "Mötley Crüe. Mötley Crüe was an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles , California on January 17 , 1981 . The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee , lead singer Vince Neil and lead guitarist Mick Mars . Mötley Crüe has sold more than 100 million records worldwide making them one of the world 's best-selling bands of all time . The members of the band have often been noted for their hedonistic lifestyles and the persona they maintained . Following its hard rock and heavy metal origins , with the third album Theatre of Pain ( 1985 ) the band joined the first wave of glam metal . Their final studio album , Saints of Los Angeles , was released on June 24 , 2008 . Their final show took place on New Year 's Eve , December 31 , 2015 , and was filmed for a theatrical and Blu-ray release in 2016 .", "Pink Floyd. Pink Floyd were an English rock band formed in London . They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music . Distinguished by their use of philosophical lyrics , sonic experimentation , extended compositions and elaborate live shows , they are one of the most commercially successful and influential groups in the history of popular music . Pink Floyd were founded in 1965 by students Syd Barrett on guitar and lead vocals , Nick Mason on drums , Roger Waters on bass and vocals , and Richard Wright on keyboards and vocals . They gained popularity performing in London 's underground music scene during the late 1960s , and under Barrett 's leadership released two charting singles and a successful debut album , The Piper at the Gates of Dawn ( 1967 ) . Guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour joined in December 1967 ; Barrett left in April 1968 due to deteriorating mental health . Waters became the band 's primary lyricist and conceptual leader , devising the concepts behind their albums The Dark Side of the Moon ( 1973 ) , Wish You Were Here ( 1975 ) , Animals ( 1977 ) , The Wall ( 1979 ) and The Final Cut ( 1983 ) . The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall became two of the best-selling albums of all time . Following creative tensions , Wright left Pink Floyd in 1979 , followed by Waters in 1985 . Gilmour and Mason continued as Pink Floyd ; Wright rejoined them as a session musician and , later , a band member . The three produced two more albums -- A Momentary Lapse of Reason ( 1987 ) and The Division Bell ( 1994 ) -- and toured through 1994 . After nearly two decades of acrimony , Gilmour , Wright , and Mason reunited with Waters in 2005 to perform as Pink Floyd in London as part of the global awareness event Live 8 ; Gilmour and Waters later stated they have no plans to reunite as a band again . Barrett died in 2006 , and Wright in 2008 . The final Pink Floyd studio album , The Endless River ( 2014 ) , was recorded without Waters and based largely on unreleased material . Pink Floyd were inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 . By 2013 , the band had sold more than 250 million records worldwide , including 75 million certified units in the United States .", "The Summer Tic EP. The Summer Tic is the first EP by American rock band Paramore . It was released on June 18 , 2006 and was sold only during the 2006 Warped Tour and the tour supporting their previously released album , All We Know Is Falling . The name of the EP comes from a lyric of the song `` Stuck on You '' , which is a cover of the Failure song . The EP includes an alternative version of `` Emergency '' , a song which appeared on their debut studio album . The version features the original screaming done by former guitarist , Josh Farro , which was removed for All We Know Is Falling .", "Jonas Brothers. The Jonas Brothers were an American pop rock band . Formed in 2005 , they gained popularity from their appearances on the Disney Channel television network . They consist of three brothers : Paul Kevin Jonas II , Joseph Adam Jonas , and Nicholas Jerry Jonas . Raised in Wyckoff , New Jersey , the Jonas Brothers moved to Little Falls , New Jersey in 2005 , where they wrote their first record that made its Hollywood release . In the summer of 2008 , they starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Camp Rock and its sequel , Camp Rock 2 : The Final Jam . They also starred as Kevin , Joe , and Nick Lucas , the band JONAS , in their own Disney Channel series JONAS , which was later re-branded for its second season as Jonas L.A. . The show was eventually cancelled after two seasons . The band released four albums : It 's About Time ( 2006 ) , Jonas Brothers ( 2007 ) , A Little Bit Longer ( 2008 ) , and Lines , Vines and Trying Times ( 2009 ) . In 2008 , the group was nominated for the Best New Artist award at the 51st Grammy Awards and won the award for Breakthrough Artist at the American Music Awards . As of May 2009 , before the release of Lines , Vines and Trying Times , they had sold over eight million albums worldwide . After a hiatus during 2010 and 2011 to pursue solo-projects , the group reconciled in 2012 to record a new album , which was cancelled following their break-up on October 29 , 2013 . They have sold over 17 million albums worldwide ." ]

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[ "The Complete Guide to Parenting. The Complete Guide to Parenting is a British television comedy drama series broadcast on ITV in 2006 . Created and written by Paul Smith , the series stars Peter Davison as George Huntley , Professor of Child Psychology at London University , best-selling author of Hey Mum & Dad , Get Your Act Together and LBC resident parenting guru . He finds this purported parenting expertise put to the test , when his wife Phoebe ( Josie Lawrence ) takes a job based in Paris . George has to hold the fort and look after his 7-year-old son Jamie ( Noah Hedges ) , for the very first time , whilst juggling the rest of his busy life . Whilst scenes are filmed at UCL , which is one of the universities that make up the University of London , it is unclear whether this show 's ` London University ' is meant to be the University of London .", "Davison Design & Development. Davison Design & Development , formerly Davison & Associates and often referred to as simply Davison is an invention promotion firm . The company is based in Pittsburgh and was founded in 1989 by George McConnell Davison . Davison 's workplace , Inventionland , has been likened to The Willy Wonka Candy Company and is noted for its 16 life-sized themed sets , including a motor speedway , sewing cottage , cupcake , log cabin and others . The company is the subject of a reality television show on the History Channel called Inventionland . The Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) has described Davison as a typical invention promotion scam . In 2006 , following a complaint filed by the FTC , a court ordered Davison to pay $ 26 million in consumer redress for misrepresenting its services to inventors . The court set a list of restrictions on Davison 's activity , prohibiting Davison from presenting new product development services to inventors unless they clearly state that these services will most probably not lead to a profitable or marketable product . Davison ultimately reached a $ 10.7 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission in 2008 , but the guidelines and restrictions set on Davison in the original 2006 court ruling were maintained .", "Doctor Who. Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme produced by the BBC since 1963 . The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called `` The Doctor '' , an extraterrestrial being from the planet Gallifrey . He explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS . Its exterior appears as a blue British police box , which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired . Accompanied by a number of companions , the Doctor combats a variety of foes , while working to save civilisations and help people in need . The show is a significant part of British popular culture , and elsewhere it has gained a cult following . It has influenced generations of British television professionals , many of whom grew up watching the series . The programme originally ran from 1963 to 1989 . There was an unsuccessful attempt to revive regular production in 1996 with a backdoor pilot , in the form of a television film titled Doctor Who . The programme was relaunched in 2005 , and since then has been produced in-house by BBC Wales in Cardiff . Doctor Who has also spawned numerous spin-offs , including comic books , films , novels , audio dramas , and the television series Torchwood ( 2006 -- 2011 ) , The Sarah Jane Adventures ( 2007 -- 2011 ) , K-9 ( 2009 -- 2010 ) , and Class '' ( 2016-present ) , and has been the subject of many parodies and references in popular culture . Twelve actors have headlined the series as the Doctor . The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation -- an idea introduced in 1966 to allow the show to continue after the departure of original lead William Hartnell who was becoming very ill at the time . The concept is that this is a Time Lord trait through which the character of the Doctor takes on a new body and personality to recover from a severe injury or anything that would otherwise kill a normal person . Each actor 's portrayal differs , but all represent stages in the life of the same character and form a single narrative . The time-travelling feature of the plot means that different incarnations of the Doctor occasionally meet . The current lead , Peter Capaldi , took on the role after Matt Smith 's exit in the 2013 Christmas special `` The Time of the Doctor '' . In 2017 , Capaldi confirmed he would be leaving at the end of the tenth series , with his final appearance being the 2017 Christmas Special .", "The Last Detective. The Last Detective is a British TV drama series , broadcast on ITV between 7 February 2003 and 31 May 2007 , starring Peter Davison as the title character , Detective Constable `` Dangerous Davies '' . The series is based on the `` Dangerous Davies '' series of novels written by Leslie Thomas , and was filmed in the north London suburbs of Willesden , Neasden and Harlesden . The gentle but engrossing nature of the series was in stark contrast to other hard-hitting police dramas of the time , but this appeared to be a winning formula , becoming a surprise rating success . The first series aired in 2003 , with three more series following it . The first , second and third series all consist of four 70-minute episodes ( 90-minutes with advertisements ) . The fourth series saw the format change to 90-minute episodes ( 120-minutes with advertisements ) , and is slightly longer , encompassing five episodes in the series . After a total of seventeen episodes , production company Meridian Broadcasting ( later Granada Productions ) , who produced the programme , stated that the series had been axed due to falling viewing figures , and that the fourth series would be the last . The Granada series was not the first time that the title character had appeared on television . He previously appeared in a TV movie , first broadcast on 4 January 1981 , starring Bernard Cribbins .", "Peter Davison. Peter Davison ( born Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett on 13 April 1951 ) is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms . He became famous as Tristan Farnon in the BBC 's television adaptation of James Herriot 's All Creatures Great and Small stories . His subsequent starring roles included the sitcoms Holding the Fort and Sink or Swim , the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who , Dr. Stephen Daker in A Very Peculiar Practice and Albert Campion in Campion . He later played David Braithwaite in At Home with the Braithwaites , `` Dangerous '' Davies in The Last Detective and Henry Sharpe in Law & Order : UK .", "Sink or Swim (TV series). Sink or Swim is a BBC TV sitcom from the 1980s with Peter Davison as the lead character Brian Webber . Brian Webber lives in a flat above a petrol station in London ( in the last series he moved to Newcastle to attend university ) . He 's trying hard to make his way in the world , thus far with limited success . His girlfriend , Sonia , is a very serious minded young woman who is passionate only about things like vegetarianism and ecology . When Brian 's younger brother , Steve , arrives in London looking for somewhere to stay , his lazy , cynical , noisy `` Northern lout '' attitude disrupts Brian 's already messy life . Like Only Fools and Horses , Sink or Swim was filmed in Bristol doubling for London . It ran for three series between 4 December 1980 and 14 October 1982 and was written by Alex Shearer , who later wrote the Nicholas Lyndhurst sitcom The Two of Us for LWT from 1986 to 1990 . Production of the sitcom overlapped the first two years of Davison also starring as the Fifth Doctor in Doctor Who , which imposed constraints on the recording schedules .", "Strictly Come Dancing. Strictly Come Dancing ( informally known as Strictly ) is a British television dance contest , featuring contestants , celebrities and other people , from all walks of life , with professional dance partners competing in a Ballroom and Latin dance competition . Each couple is scored out of 10 by a panel of judges . The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing , with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom . The format has been exported to over 40 other countries , and has also inspired a modern dance-themed spin-off Strictly Dance Fever . The show is currently presented by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman . The show has run on BBC One since 15 May 2004 , primarily on Saturday evenings with a following Sunday night results show ( with certain exceptions ) and with its high viewing figures Strictly Come Dancing has become a significant programme in British popular culture . The thirteenth series ended on 19 December 2015 . A further eleven stand-alone Christmas specials have also been produced , in consecutive years from 2004 onwards . Nine charity specials have also been produced since 2008 . Since the fourth series , the show has also been aired in high definition on BBC HD , and BBC One HD from series 8 . On 7 November 2013 it was announced that Sir Bruce Forsyth would not be returning for the show 's annual Christmas special ; he had continued to present the one-off special since stepping down from the main show . He stepped down permanently in 2014 .", "Fear, Stress & Anger. Fear , Stress & Anger is a British sitcom that aired on BBC Two in 2007 . Starring Peter Davison and Pippa Haywood , it was written by Michael Aitkens . There is no studio audience or laugh track .", "Fifth Doctor. The Fifth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor , the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who . He is portrayed by Peter Davison . Within the series ' narrative , the Doctor is a centuries-old Time Lord alien from the planet Gallifrey who travels in time and space in his TARDIS , frequently with companions . When the Doctor is critically injured , he can regenerate his body ; in doing so , his physical appearance and personality change . Davison portrays the fifth such incarnation , who has a vulnerable side and a tendency towards indecisiveness , dressed as a boyish Edwardian cricketer . He travelled with a host of companions , including boy genius Adric ( Matthew Waterhouse ) , alien aristocrat Nyssa ( Sarah Sutton ) and Australian flight attendant Tegan Jovanka ( Janet Fielding ) , whom he had travelled alongside in his previous incarnation . He also shared later adventures alongside devious schoolboy Vislor Turlough ( Mark Strickson ) and American college student Peri Brown ( Nicola Bryant ) .", "Hamlet (2009 film). Hamlet is a 2009 television film adaptation of the Royal Shakespeare Company 's 2008 modern-dress stage production of William Shakespeare 's play of the same name , aired on BBC Two on 26 December 2009 . It was broadcast by PBS in the United States on 28 April 2010 . Directed by Gregory Doran , it features the original stage cast of David Tennant in the title role of Prince Hamlet , Patrick Stewart as King Claudius and the ghost of Hamlet 's father , Penny Downie as Queen Gertrude , Mariah Gale as Ophelia , Edward Bennett as Laertes , Oliver Ford Davies as Polonius , and Peter de Jersey as Horatio .", "The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot. The Five ( ish ) Doctors Reboot is a 2013 comedy spoof and homage to the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who . It debuted on the BBC Red Button service after the broadcast of `` The Day of the Doctor '' , the official 50th anniversary special . The programme was written and directed by Peter Davison , who stars alongside fellow former Doctor actors Sylvester McCoy , Colin Baker , and Paul McGann . It features appearances from more recent stars of the show David Tennant , Matt Smith , Jenna Coleman , and John Barrowman , as well as Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat , his predecessor Russell T Davies , and numerous others connected to the programme , all playing themselves in a more or less parodic manner . The plot focuses on the fictionalised , disgruntled Davison , Baker and McCoy , who become embroiled in misadventures as they attempt to sneak onto the set of the official Doctor Who 50th anniversary special . The Five ( ish ) Doctors Reboot was nominated for the 2014 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation ( Short Form ) , along with `` The Day of the Doctor '' .", "The Caves of Androzani. The Caves of Androzani is the sixth serial of the 21st season in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who , which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 8 -- 16 March 1984 . It was Peter Davison 's last regular appearance as the Fifth Doctor , and marks the first appearance of Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor . In 2009 The Caves of Androzani was voted by fans as the best Doctor Who story in history .", "Time Crash. `` Time Crash '' is a mini-episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who . It was broadcast on 16 November 2007 , as part of the BBC One telethon for the children 's charity Children in Need . Written by Steven Moffat , it starred David Tennant and Peter Davison as the Doctor . The episode , set during the last scene of the previous episode `` Last of the Time Lords '' , depicts a humorous encounter between the Doctor 's fifth and tenth incarnations , played by Davison and Tennant respectively . `` Time Crash '' was praised by critics who reviewed the episode , and was a ratings success ; it was the most-viewed show of the night , and briefly the most-viewed episode of Doctor Who since 2005 , with 11 million viewers .", "BBC Online. BBC Online , formerly known as BBCi , is the BBC 's online service . It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and Sport , the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer , the children 's sites CBBC and CBeebies , and learning services such as Bitesize . The BBC has had an online presence supporting its TV and radio programmes and web-only initiatives since 1994 but did not launch officially until December 1997 , following government approval to fund it by TV licence fee revenue as a service in its own right . Throughout its short history , the online plans of the BBC have been subject to harassment from its commercial rivals , which has resulted in various public consultations and government reviews to investigate their claims that its large presence and public funding distorts the UK market . The website has gone through several branding changes since it was launched . Originally named BBC Online , it was then rebranded as BBCi ( which itself was the brand name for interactive TV services ) before being named bbc.co.uk . It was then renamed BBC Online again in 2008 , however the service uses the branding `` BBC '' . The web-based service of the BBC is one of the most visited websites ( fifty-fifth most visited according to Alexa in January 2013 ) and the world 's largest news website . As of 2007 , it contained over two million pages . On 26 February 2010 The Times claimed that Mark Thompson , then Director General of the BBC , proposed that the BBC 's web output should be cut by 50 % , with online staff numbers and budgets reduced by 25 % in a bid to scale back BBC operations and allow commercial rivals more room . On 2 March 2010 , the BBC reported that it will cut its website spending by 25 % and close BBC 6 Music and Asian Network . On 24 January 2011 , the confirmed cuts of 25 % were announced leaving a # 34 million shortfall . This resulted in the closure of several sites , including BBC Switch , BBC Blast , 6-0-6 , and the announcement of plans to sell on the Douglas Adams created site h2g2 .", "Friends. Friends ( stylized as F • R • I • E • N • D • S ) is an American television sitcom , created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman , which aired on NBC from September 22 , 1994 , to May 6 , 2004 , lasting ten seasons . With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer , the show revolves around six 20-30 something friends living in Manhattan . The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions , in association with Warner Bros. . Television . The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright , Marta Kauffman , and David Crane . Kauffman and Crane began developing Friends under the title Insomnia Cafe between November and December 1993 . They presented the idea to Bright , and together they pitched a seven-page treatment of the show to NBC . After several script rewrites and changes , including a title change to Six of One and Friends Like Us , the series was finally named Friends . Filming took place at Warner Bros. . Studios in Burbank , California . All ten seasons of Friends ranked within the top ten of the final television season ratings ; ultimately reaching the No. 1 spot with its eighth season . The series finale on May 6 , 2004 , was watched by around 52.5 million American viewers , making it the fifth most watched series finale in television history , and the most watched television episode of the 2000s decade . Friends received acclaim throughout its run , becoming one of the most popular television shows of all time . The series was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards , winning the Outstanding Comedy Series award in 2002 for its eighth season . The show ranked no. 21 on -LSB- -LSB- TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time | TV Guide '' 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time -RSB- -RSB- and no. 7 on Empire magazine 's The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 1997 , the episode `` The One with the Prom Video '' was ranked no. 100 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2013 , Friends '' ranked no. 24 on the Writers Guild of America 's 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time and no. 28 on TV Guide 's 60 Best TV Series of All Time .", "Sex and the City. Sex and the City is an American romantic comedy television series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO . Broadcast from 1998 until 2004 , the original run of the show had a total of 94 episodes . Throughout its six-year run , the show received contributions from various producers , writers , and directors , perhaps most significantly from Michael Patrick King . Set and filmed in New York City and based on the 1997 book of the same name by Candace Bushnell , the show follows the lives of a group of four women -- three in their mid-thirties and one in her forties -- who , despite their different natures and ever-changing sex lives , remain inseparable and confide in each other . Starring Sarah Jessica Parker ( as Carrie Bradshaw ) , Kim Cattrall ( as Samantha Jones ) , Kristin Davis ( as Charlotte York ) , and Cynthia Nixon ( as Miranda Hobbes ) , the quirky series had multiple continuing storylines that tackled relevant and modern social issues such as sexuality , safe sex , promiscuity , and femininity , while exploring the difference between friendships and romantic relationships . The deliberate omission of the better part of the early lives of the four women was the writers ' way of exploring social life -- from sex to relationships -- through each of their four very different , individual perspectives . The series received both acclaim and criticism for its subjects and characters , and is credited with helping jump-start HBO . It spawned two feature films , Sex and the City ( 2008 ) and its sequel Sex and the City 2 ( 2010 ) , and a prequel series by The CW , The Carrie Diaries . It also won seven of its 54 Emmy Award nominations , eight of its 24 Golden Globe Award nominations , and three of its 11 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations . Sex and the City still airs in syndication worldwide and has been listed on Entertainment Weeklys end-of-the-decade `` best of '' list and as one of Time magazine 's 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME . The show placed # 5 on Entertainment Weekly `` New TV Classics '' list . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked it at # 40 on its list of the Best Series of All Time . Sex and the City is often confused as Sex in the City leading some to support the Mandela Effect .", "EastEnders. EastEnders is a long-running British soap opera created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since 1985 . Set in the East End of London in the fictional Borough of Walford , the programme follows the stories of local residents and their families as they go about their daily lives in Albert Square . The series was initially screened as two 30-minute episodes per week , however , since 2001 , episodes have been broadcast every day apart from Wednesdays and weekends . Same-day repeats of the series were previously shown on BBC Three and omnibus editions were shown on BBC Two , however , since 2016 these have been broadcast on UK-based TV channel W. Within eight months of the show 's launch , it reached the number-one spot in BARB 's TV ratings and has consistently remained among the top-rated TV programmes in Britain . In 2013 , the average audience share for an episode was around 30 per cent . Today , Eastenders remains a significant programme in terms of the BBC 's success and audience share , and also in the history of British television drama , tackling many dilemmas that are considered to be controversial and taboo issues in British culture and social life previously unseen on United Kingdom mainstream television . , EastEnders has won nine BAFTA Awards and the Inside Soap Award for Best Soap for 14 years running ( from 1997 to 2012 ) , as well as twelve National Television Awards for Most Popular Serial Drama and 11 awards for Best Soap at the British Soap Awards . It has also won 13 TV Quick and TV Choice Awards for Best Soap , six TRIC Awards for Soap of The Year , four Royal Television Society Awards for Best Continuing Drama and has been inducted into the Rose d'Or Hall of Fame .", "Blue Peter. Blue Peter is a British children 's television programme , currently shown live on the CBBC television channel . A significant part of British culture , it first aired in 1958 and is the longest-running children 's TV show in the world . Although the show has a nautical title and theme , it is a magazine/entertainment show containing viewer and presenter challenges , as well as the famous arts and crafts `` makes '' . During its history there have been many presenters , often consisting of two women and two men at a time . The current presenters are Barney Harwood , Lindsey Russell and Radzi Chinyanganya . The show is produced mainly in a television studio , but there is also a garden , often referred to as the Blue Peter Garden , used during the summer months or for outdoor activities . The programme has always featured a number of pets ; currently a tortoise called Shelly makes appearances from time to time .", "Planet of Fire. Planet of Fire is the fifth serial of the 21st season in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who , which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 23 February to 2 March 1984 . The episode features the nineteenth appearance of Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor , and the last before his final serial , The Caves of Androzani . This story marks the final regular appearance of Mark Strickson as Vislor Turlough and introduces Nicola Bryant as the Fifth Doctor 's new companion , Peri Brown . It also is the second and final appearance of Gerald Flood as the voice of Kamelion .", "The Peter Principle (TV series). The Peter Principle ( broadcast as The Boss in the United States ) is a British television sitcom . It was produced by Hat Trick Productions , and first broadcast by the BBC between 1995 and 2000 and by PBS in the United States . The series is set in the Aldbridge branch of the fictional County and Provincial Bank , featuring Jim Broadbent as the title character , its inept manager , and Claire Skinner , Daniel Flynn , Stephen Moore and David Schneider as staff . The program takes its name from the Peter Principle , a concept in management theory that states that workers are promoted to their level of incompetence .", "Peter's Friends. Peter 's Friends is a 1992 British comedy film written by Rita Rudner and Martin Bergman , and directed and produced by Kenneth Branagh . The film follows six friends , members of an acting troupe who graduated from Cambridge University in 1982 and went their separate ways . Ten years later , Peter ( Stephen Fry ) inherits a large estate from his father , and invites the rest of the gang to spend New Year 's holiday with him . Many changes have taken place in all of their lives , but Peter has a secret that will shock them all .", "Wolf Hall (miniseries). Wolf Hall is a British television serial first broadcast on BBC Two in January 2015 . The six-part series is an adaptation of two of Hilary Mantel 's novels , Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies , a fictionalised biography documenting the rapid rise to power of Thomas Cromwell in the court of Henry VIII through to the death of Sir Thomas More , followed by Cromwell 's success in freeing the king of his marriage to Anne Boleyn . Wolf Hall was first broadcast in April 2015 in the United States on PBS and in Australia on BBC First . The series was a critical success and received eight nominations at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards and three nominations at the 73rd Golden Globe Awards , winning for Best Miniseries or Television Film .", "BBC. The British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC ) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London . The BBC is the world 's oldest national broadcasting organisation and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees . It employs over 20,950 staff in total , 16,672 of whom are in public sector broadcasting . The total number of staff is 35,402 when part-time , flexible , and fixed contract staff are included . The BBC is established under a Royal Charter and operates under its Agreement with the Secretary of State for Culture , Media and Sport . Its work is funded principally by an annual television licence fee which is charged to all British households , companies , and organisations using any type of equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts and ` iPlayer ' catch-up since 1 September 2016 . The fee is set by the British Government , agreed by Parliament , and used to fund the BBC 's radio , TV , and online services covering the nations and regions of the UK . Since 1 April 2014 , it has also funded the BBC World Service ( launched in 1932 as the BBC Empire Service ) , which broadcasts in 28 languages and provides comprehensive TV , radio , and online services in Arabic and Persian . Around a quarter of BBC revenues come from its commercial arm BBC Worldwide Ltd , which sells BBC programmes and services internationally and also distributes the BBC 's international 24-hour English-language news services BBC World News , and from BBC.com , provided by BBC Global News Ltd. .", "Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation , informally known as Parks and Rec , is an American political comedy television sitcom starring Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope , a perky , mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks Department of Pawnee , a fictional town in Indiana . Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur , the series aired on NBC from April 9 , 2009 to February 24 , 2015 , for 125 episodes , over seven seasons . It was written by the same writers and uses the same filming style as The Office , with the same implication of a documentary crew filming everyone . The ensemble and supporting cast feature Rashida Jones as Ann Perkins , Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford , Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson , Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate , Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz , Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer , Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt , Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger , Jim O'Heir as Garry `` Jerry '' Gergich , Retta as Donna Meagle , and Billy Eichner as Craig Middlebrooks . The writers researched local California politics for the show , and consulted with urban planners and elected officials . Poehler 's character , Leslie Knope , underwent major changes after the first season , in response to audience feedback that she seemed unintelligent and `` ditzy '' . The writing staff incorporated current events into the episodes , such as a government shutdown in Pawnee inspired by the real-life global financial crisis of 2007 -- 2008 . Several guest stars , such as Jason Mantzoukas , Kathryn Hahn , Sam Elliott , Bill Murray , Louis C.K. , Paul Rudd , and Jon Hamm , have been featured in the show , and their characters often appear in multiple episodes . Parks and Recreation was part of NBC 's `` Comedy Night Done Right '' programming during its Thursday night prime-time block . The series received mixed reviews during its first season , but , after a re-approach to its tone and format , the second and subsequent seasons were widely acclaimed . Throughout its run , Parks and Recreation received several awards and nominations , including two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series , six Emmy nominations , a Golden Globe win for Poehler 's performance , and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Musical or Comedy . In TIMEs 2012 year-end lists issue , Parks and Recreation was named the number one television series of that year . In 2013 , after receiving four consecutive nominations in the category , Parks and Recreation won the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy .", "BBC Two. BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC ) in the United Kingdom , Isle of Man and Channel Islands . It covers a wide range of subject matter , but tending towards more `` highbrow '' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One . Like the BBC 's other domestic TV and radio channels , it is funded by the television licence , and is therefore commercial-free . It is a comparatively well-funded public service network , regularly attaining a much higher audience share than most public service networks worldwide . Originally styled BBC2 , it was the third British television station to be launched ( starting on 21 April 1964 ) , and from 1 July 1967 , Europe 's first television channel to broadcast regularly in colour . It was envisaged as a home for less mainstream and more ambitious programming , and while this tendency has continued to date , most special-interest programmes of a kind previously broadcast on BBC Two , for example the BBC Proms , now tend to appear on BBC Four instead . A high-definition version of the channel launched on 26 March 2013 , replacing BBC HD .", "Matt Lucas. Matthew Richard `` Matt '' Lucas ( born 5 March 1974 ) is an English comedian , screenwriter , actor and singer , best known for his work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain , as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars and both Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee in Alice in Wonderland and its sequel , Alice Through the Looking Glass . In May 2007 , he was placed seventh in the list of the UK 's 100 most influential gay men and women by British newspaper The Independent . In 2015 Lucas wrote Pompidou for BBC Two . He currently has a regular role in the tenth series of long-running British sci-fi drama Doctor Who as the Twelfth Doctor 's companion Nardole .", "Cuddlesome. Cuddlesome is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who . It was released free with issue 393 of Doctor Who Magazine . This has Peter Davison playing the Doctor . Despite the companion-like role played by Roberta Taylor 's character , Angela Wisher , her status as companion is disputed . Roberta Taylor also appears in the Big Finish audio play ` The Holy Terror ' as a side character , Berengeria .", "Pete Davidson. Peter Davidson ( born November 16 , 1993 ) is an American actor and comedian . He is a cast member on Saturday Night Live . Davidson has also appeared on the MTV shows Guy Code , Wild 'n Out , and Failosophy . He has performed stand-up comedy on Adam Devine 's House Party , Jimmy Kimmel Live ! , and Comedy Underground with Dave Attell , and guest-starred in Brooklyn Nine-Nine .", "Seinfeld. Seinfeld is an American sitcom that originally ran for nine seasons on NBC , from 1989 to 1998 . It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld , the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself . Set predominantly in an apartment building in Manhattan 's Upper West Side in New York City , the show features a handful of Jerry 's friends and acquaintances , particularly best friend George Costanza ( Jason Alexander ) , former girlfriend Elaine Benes ( Julia Louis-Dreyfus ) , and neighbor across the hall Cosmo Kramer ( Michael Richards ) . It is often described as being `` a show about nothing '' , as many of its episodes are about the minutiae of daily life . Seinfeld was produced by Castle Rock Entertainment . In syndication , the series has been distributed by Sony Pictures Television since 2002 . It was largely written by David and Seinfeld with script writers who included Larry Charles , Peter Mehlman , Gregg Kavet , Carol Leifer , David Mandel , Jeff Schaffer , Steve Koren , Jennifer Crittenden , Tom Gammill , Max Pross , Dan O'Keefe , Charlie Rubin , Marjorie Gross , Alec Berg , Elaine Pope , and Spike Feresten . A favorite among critics , the series led the Nielsen ratings in seasons six and nine , and finished among the top two ( with NBC 's ER ) every year from 1994 to 1998 . Seinfeld is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential sitcoms ever made . It has been ranked among the best television shows of all time in publications such as Entertainment Weekly , Rolling Stone , and TV Guide . The show 's most renowned episodes include `` The Chinese Restaurant '' , `` The Parking Garage '' , and `` The Contest '' . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America voted it the No. 2 Best Written TV Series of All Time ( second to The Sopranos ) . E! named the series the `` number 1 reason the '90s ruled '' , and quotes from numerous episodes have become catchphrases in popular culture .", "Inside Llewyn Davis. Inside Llewyn Davis -LSB- ˈluː.ɪn deɪvɪs -RSB- is a 2013 American black comedy drama film written , directed , produced , and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen . Set in 1961 , the film follows one week in the life of Llewyn Davis , played by Oscar Isaac , a folk singer struggling to achieve musical success while keeping his life in order . It co-stars Carey Mulligan , John Goodman , Garrett Hedlund , F. Murray Abraham , and Justin Timberlake . Although Davis is a fictional character , the story was partly inspired by the autobiography of folk singer Dave Van Ronk . Most of the folk songs performed in the film are sung in full and recorded live . T Bone Burnett was the executive music producer . The film won the Grand Prix at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival , where it screened on May 19 , 2013 . The film received a limited release in the United States on December 6 , 2013 , and was given a wide release on January 10 , 2014 . The film received critical acclaim and was nominated for two Academy Awards ( Best Cinematography and Best Sound Mixing ) and for three Golden Globe Awards : Best Motion Picture -- Comedy or Musical , Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy ( Oscar Isaac ) , and Best Original Song . Inside Llewyn Davis has been highly acclaimed , and was voted the 11th best film of the 21st century by 177 critics in a 2016 BBC Culture poll .", "Get Ahead. Get Ahead was a BBC Television programme running from 1958 to 1962 which offered a prize of # 5,000 ( equivalent to c. # 100,000 in 2011 ) . This was awarded to a contestant 's idea for an entrepreneurial project for a profitable business . It was an early forerunner of programs such as Dragons ' Den on BBC2 . The program was sponsored by the News Chronicle , as a form of indirect advertising which would not have been permitted for commercial stations ( such as ITV ) , as this was prohibited by the Television Act 1954 . The programme was presented by Peter West . A panel of senior business experts judged the merit of the award and included Sir Miles Thomas , who had been chairman of BOAC and the British offshoot of Monsanto , the American chemical company at the time .", "Peter Davison (disambiguation). Peter Davison ( born 1951 ) is a British actor . Peter Davison may also refer to : Peter Davison ( footballer ) ( born 1944 ) , Australian rules footballer Peter Davison ( investor ) , Australian investor and entrepreneur Peter Davison ( poet ) ( 1928 -- 2004 ) , American poet Peter Davison ( professor ) ( born 1926 ) , professor of English and biographer" ]

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[ "21 Jump Street (film). 21 Jump Street is a 2012 American action comedy film directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller , written by Michael Bacall starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum . An adaptation of the 1987-1991 television series of the same name by Stephen J. Cannell and Patrick Hasburgh , set within the same continuity as the TV series ; the film follows two police officers who are forced to relive high school when they are assigned to go undercover as high school students to prevent the outbreak of a new synthetic drug and arrest its supplier . It was released theatrically on March 16 , 2012 , by Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and grossed $ 201 million . A sequel , titled 22 Jump Street , was released on June 13 , 2014 . Two further films , MIB 23 ( a crossover with the Men in Black franchise ) and a female-led spin-off , are currently in development .", "22 Jump Street. 22 Jump Street is a 2014 American action comedy film directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller , written by Jonah Hill , Michael Bacall , Oren Uziel and Rodney Rothman and produced by and starring Hill and Channing Tatum . It is the sequel to the 2012 film 21 Jump Street , based on the television series of the same name . The film was released on June 13 , 2014 , by Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . The film received positive reviews and earned over $ 331 million at the box office . A crossover with Men in Black , MIB 23 , is in development , with Lord and Miller acting as producers , and James Bobin acting as the director . The crossover will replace a 23 Jump Street film .", "21 Jump Street. 21 Jump Street is an American police procedural television series that aired on the Fox network and in first run syndication from April 12 , 1987 , to April 27 , 1991 , with a total of 103 episodes . The series focuses on a squad of youthful-looking undercover police officers investigating crimes in high schools , colleges , and other teenage venues . It was originally going to be titled Jump Street Chapel , after the deconsecrated church building in which the unit has its headquarters , but was changed at Fox 's request so as not to mislead viewers into thinking it was a religious program . Created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell , the series was produced by Patrick Hasburgh Productions and Stephen J. Cannell Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television . Executive Producers included Hasburgh , Cannell , Steve Beers and Bill Nuss . The show was an early hit for the fledgling Fox network , and was created to attract a younger audience . The final season aired in first-run syndication mainly on local Fox affiliates . It was later rerun on the FX cable network from 1996 to 1998 . The series provided a spark to Johnny Depp 's nascent acting career , garnering him national recognition as a teen idol . Depp found this status irritating , but he continued on the series under his contract and was paid $ 45,000 per episode . Eventually he was released from his contract after the fourth season . A spin-off series , Booker , was produced for the character of Dennis Booker ( Richard Grieco ) ; it ran one season , from September 1989 to June 1990 . A film adaptation directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller was released on March 16 , 2012 . The film is set in the same chronology as the series , with Johnny Depp , Holly Robinson and Peter DeLuise reprising their characters in cameo appearances . Richard Grieco and Dustin Nguyen also have cameos in the 2014 film sequel 22 Jump Street .", "Johnny Depp. John Christopher Depp II ( born June 9 , 1963 ) is an American actor , producer , and musician . He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor . He rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street , becoming a teen idol . Depp has taken on the task of challenging himself to portray `` larger-than-life '' roles , starting with a supporting role in Oliver Stone 's Vietnam War film Platoon in 1986 , then playing the title character in the romantic dark fantasy Edward Scissorhands ( 1990 ) . He later found box office success in the fantasy adventure film Sleepy Hollow ( 1999 ) , the fantasy swashbuckler film Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse of the Black Pearl ( 2003 ) and its sequels , the fantasy film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 2005 ) , the fantasy film Alice in Wonderland ( 2010 ) and voicing the title character in the animated action comedy western Rango ( 2011 ) . He has collaborated on nine films with director , producer and friend Tim Burton . Depp is regarded as one of the world 's biggest film stars . He has gained worldwide critical acclaim for his portrayals of such people as screenwriter-director Ed Wood in Ed Wood , undercover FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone in Donnie Brasco , `` gonzo '' journalist Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , cocaine kingpin George Jung in Blow , author J. M. Barrie in Finding Neverland , the Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger in Michael Mann 's Public Enemies , and the Boston gangster Whitey Bulger in Black Mass. . Films featuring Depp have grossed over $ 3.2 billion at the United States box office and over $ 8 billion worldwide . His most commercially successful films are the Pirates of the Caribbean films , which have grossed $ 3 billion , Alice in Wonderland , which grossed $ 1 billion , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , which grossed $ 474 million , and The Tourist , which grossed $ 278 million . Depp has been nominated for major acting awards , including three nominations for Academy Award for Best Actor . Depp won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for The Curse of the Black Pearl . He has been listed in the 2012 Guinness World Records as the highest paid actor , with earnings of $ 75 million . Depp was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2015 .", "Jonah Hill. Jonah Hill Feldstein ( born December 20 , 1983 ) , better known as Jonah Hill , is an American actor , producer , screenwriter and comedian . Hill is known for his comedic roles in films such as Accepted ( 2006 ) , Grandma 's Boy ( 2006 ) , Superbad ( 2007 ) , Knocked Up ( 2007 ) , Forgetting Sarah Marshall ( 2008 ) , Get Him to the Greek ( 2010 ) , 21 Jump Street ( 2012 ) , This Is the End ( 2013 ) , 22 Jump Street ( 2014 ) and War Dogs ( 2016 ) , as well as his performances in Moneyball ( 2011 ) and The Wolf of Wall Street ( 2013 ) , for which he received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor . Hill ranked 28th on Forbes magazine 's ranking of world 's highest paid actors from June 2014 to June 2015 , bringing in $ 16million . As a screenwriter , he contributed to the stories of 21 Jump Street , 22 Jump Street and Sausage Party ( 2016 ) , all of which he also starred in .", "Dave Franco. Dave Franco ( born June 12 , 1985 ) is an American television and film actor . He began his career with small roles in films such as Superbad and Charlie St. Cloud , before making his breakthrough performance in the 2012 buddy comedy 21 Jump Street . He has also had roles in Fright Night , Now You See Me , Now You See Me 2 , Warm Bodies , Neighbors , Nerve and on the ninth season of the series Scrubs . He is the youngest of the three brothers Tom Franco and James Franco .", "Saints Row. Saints Row is a series of open world action-adventure video games created by Volition and now published by Deep Silver , that tells the story of a gang called the Third Street Saints ; the title comes from the name of the district of the gang 's home territory . Typically , gameplay is presented in an open world format because of the mixture of nonlinear gameplay with action-adventure and racing sequences . The series is well known for its comedic elements . The games ' stories are written as comedies that feature popular culture homages and parodies , as well as self-referential humor . After completing Red Faction II in late 2002 , developer Volition began work on the original Saints Row game in mid-2003 . The game was released in 2006 to critical acclaim and commercial success . The sequel , Saints Row 2 , was released in 2008 to similar acclaim but greater commercial success . The series ' third entry , Saints Row : The Third was released on 15 November 2011 . The series ' fourth entry , Saints Row IV was released on 20 August 2013 , with an expansion called Gat out of Hell released on 20 January 2015 in North America and 23 January 2015 in Europe . An upcoming spin-off of the series , Agents of Mayhem is set to be released on August 15 , 2017 . As of September 2013 , the series has had unit sales in excess of 13 million , making it one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time .", "22 Jump Street (Original Motion Picture Score). 22 Jump Street ( Original Motion Picture Score ) is the official score album for the 2014 Columbia Pictures film 22 Jump Street featuring music by composer Mark Mothersbaugh . The album was first released by La La Land Records on September 23 , 2014 as part of a limited edition 2-CD set which also featured score from 2012 film 21 Jump Street . The 22 Jump Street score album was later released digitally as a standalone album by Madison Gate Records .", "Backstreet Boys. The Backstreet Boys ( often abbreviated as BSB ) are an American vocal group , formed in Orlando , Florida in 1993 . The group consists of AJ McLean , Howie D. , Nick Carter , Kevin Richardson , and Brian Littrell . The group rose to fame with their debut international album , Backstreet Boys ( 1996 ) . In the following year they released their second international album Backstreet 's Back ( 1997 ) , and their U.S. debut album which continued the group 's success worldwide . They rose to superstardom with their third studio album Millennium ( 1999 ) and its follow-up album , Black & Blue ( 2000 ) . After a two-year hiatus , they regrouped and released a comeback album Never Gone ( 2005 ) . After the conclusion of the Never Gone Tour in 2006 , Richardson left the group to pursue other interests . The group then released two albums as a quartet : Unbreakable ( 2007 ) and This Is Us ( 2009 ) . In 2012 , the group announced that Richardson had rejoined them permanently . In the following year they celebrated their 20th anniversary and released their first independent album , In a World Like This ( 2013 ) . The group also released their first documentary movie , titled Backstreet Boys : Show 'Em What You 're Made Of in January 2015 . The Backstreet Boys have sold over 130 million records worldwide , making them the best-selling boy band in history , and one of the world 's best-selling music artists . They are the first group since Sade to have their first nine albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200 , and the only boy band to do so . They also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 22 , 2013 .", "72nd Academy Awards. The 72nd Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored films released in 1999 and took place on March 26 , 2000 , at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles , beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , the AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 23 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by husband-and-wife producing team Richard and Lili Fini Zanuck and was directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actor Billy Crystal hosted the show for the seventh time . He first presided over the 62nd ceremony held in 1990 and had last hosted the 70th ceremony held in 1998 . Three weeks earlier in a ceremony at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California held on March 4 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Salma Hayek . American Beauty won five awards , including Best Picture . Other winners included The Matrix with four awards , The Cider House Rules and Topsy-Turvy with two , and All About My Mother , Boys Do n't Cry , Girl , Interrupted , King Gimp , My Mother Dreams the Satan 's Disciples in New York , The Old Man and the Sea , One Day in September , The Red Violin , Sleepy Hollow , and Tarzan with one . The telecast garnered almost 47 million viewers in the United States .", "Party Rock Anthem. `` Party Rock Anthem '' is a hit song performed by the American recording duo LMFAO , featuring British singer Lauren Bennett and American music producer GoonRock . It was released as the first single from their second album Sorry for Party Rocking in 2011 . The single went to number one in Australia , Belgium , Brazil , Canada , Denmark , France , Germany , Iceland , Ireland , New Zealand , Switzerland , the United Kingdom and the United States . It also reached the top five in Finland , Italy , Norway , Poland and Sweden . It is the best-selling single of all time in Australia . Worldwide , it was the third best-selling digital single of 2011 with sales of 9.7 million copies . It is the third best-selling digital song in US history . `` Party Rock Anthem '' is currently ranked Billboard fifth most successful song of all time . It is currently the 33rd most viewed video on YouTube , with over 1.2 billion views . `` Party Rock Anthem '' is a mostly electronic composition . Being featured in the 2012 film 21 Jump Street , it won the MTV Movie Award for Best Music . The song also won the `` Favorite Song '' award at the 2012 Kids ' Choice Awards .", "Rye Rye. Ryeisha Berrain ( born November 25 , 1990 ) , known by her stage name Rye Rye , is an American rapper , singer , dancer and actress . Signed to N.E.E.T. Recordings , she released her first mixtape RYEot PowRR in 2011 and her anticipated debut album Go ! Pop ! Bang ! on May 15 , 2012 . In early 2009 , MSNBC listed Rye Rye as one of the `` 5Top : Top of the pops ! Up-and coming young singers . '' In 2011 , Rye Rye was named one of Billboard 's `` 21 Under 21 '' . Rye Rye made her acting debut in the 2012 film 21 Jump Street .", "The Fast and the Furious. The Fast and the Furious ( also known as Fast & Furious ) is an American franchise based on a series of action films that is largely concerned with illegal street racing and heists , and includes material in various other media that depicts characters and situations from the films . Distributed by Universal Pictures , the series was established with the 2001 film titled The Fast and the Furious ; this was followed by seven sequels , two short films that tie into the series , and as of May 2017 , it has become Universal 's biggest franchise of all time , currently the sixth highest-grossing film series of all time with a combined gross of over $ 5 billion .", "List of 21 Jump Street episodes. 21 Jump Street is an American police procedural crime drama television series that aired on the Fox Network and in first run syndication from April 12 , 1987 , to April 27 , 1991 , with a total of 103 episodes . The series focuses on a squad of youthful-looking undercover police officers investigating crimes in high schools , colleges , and other teenage venues .", "Selena Gomez. Selena Marie Gomez ( -LSB- səˈliːnə_məˈɹiː_ˈɡoʊmɛz -RSB- ; -LSB- seˈlena ˈɣomes -RSB- ; born July 22 , 1992 ) is an American actress and singer . Having appeared in the children 's television series Barney & Friends while growing up , she rose to fame playing the role of Alex Russo on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place ( 2007 -- 2012 ) . In 2008 , she signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records and formed her band Selena Gomez & the Scene . The band released three studio albums and produced four top 30 singles by 2011 . Gomez also formed her own production company in 2008 , July Moon Productions ; she serves as an executive producer on the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why , which released in March 2017 . Between 2009 and 2011 , Gomez starred in films such as Princess Protection Program , Ramona and Beezus , and Monte Carlo , and took on a more mature role in Spring Breakers ( 2013 ) . Gomez also took her singing career in a different direction , with the release of her first solo album Stars Dance ( 2013 ) ; the album debuted atop the Billboard 200 in the United States and included the top ten single `` Come & Get It . '' Gomez released a compilation album in 2014 as her fifth and final release through Hollywood Records , which was preceded by her second top ten single `` The Heart Wants What It Wants '' , and signed a new recording contract with Interscope Records . In 2015 , she released her second solo album , Revival , which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 , while the first three singles , `` Good for You , '' `` Same Old Love , '' and `` Hands to Myself , '' all topped the Mainstream Top 40 chart in the United States . Gomez has also starred in the films The Fundamentals of Caring ( 2016 ) , In Dubious Battle ( 2016 ) , and in the Hotel Transylvania films . Since the start of her singing career , she has gone on to sell over 7 million albums and 22 million singles worldwide , according to Billboard . Gomez has earned a number of awards and nominations for her work as an actress and singer , and has won a Billboard Women in Music award , an MTV Video Music Award , an American Music Award , and fifteen Teen Choice Awards . As of November 2016 , Gomez is the most-followed Instagram user in the world .", "The Wolf of Wall Street (2013 film). The Wolf of Wall Street is a 2013 American biographical black comedy crime film directed by Martin Scorsese . The screenplay by Terence Winter is adapted from the memoir of the same name by Jordan Belfort and recounts Belfort 's perspective on his career as a stockbroker in New York City and how his firm Stratton Oakmont engaged in rampant corruption and fraud on Wall Street that ultimately led to his downfall . Leonardo DiCaprio ( who also co-produced the film ) stars as Belfort , with Jonah Hill as his business partner and friend Donnie Azoff , Margot Robbie as his second wife Naomi Lapaglia and Kyle Chandler as Patrick Denham , the FBI agent who tries to bring him down . Matthew McConaughey , Rob Reiner , Jon Favreau , Joanna Lumley and Jean Dujardin are also featured . The film marks the director 's fifth collaboration with DiCaprio , after Gangs of New York ( 2002 ) , The Aviator ( 2004 ) , The Departed ( 2006 ) and Shutter Island ( 2010 ) , as well as his second collaboration with Winter after the television series Boardwalk Empire ( 2010 -- 14 ) . The Wolf of Wall Street premiered in New York City on December 17 , 2013 and was released theatrically on December 25 , 2013 in the United States , distributed by Paramount Pictures . The film was the first to be released entirely through digital distribution . It was a major commercial success , grossing more than $ 392 million worldwide during its original theatrical run to become Scorsese 's highest-grossing movie and the 17th-highest-grossing film of 2013 . The film was controversial for its morally ambiguous depiction of events , explicit sexual content , profanity , depiction of hard drug use and the use of animals during production . The film also caused controversy due to revelations that it was financed by illegally obtained funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad ( 1MDB ) . The film received mostly positive reviews from critics , with praise for Scorsese 's direction , the comedic performance of DiCaprio and the fast-paced and consistent humor . The film was nominated for several awards including five nominations at the 86th Academy Awards ceremony : Best Picture , Best Director for Scorsese , Best Writing ( Adapted Screenplay ) for Winter and Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor nominations for DiCaprio and Hill , respectively . The film did not win in any category , although DiCaprio did win Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the 71st Golden Globe Awards , where the film was also nominated for Best Picture -- Musical or Comedy . It was also recognized by numerous other awards ceremonies , as well as guilds and critics ' associations . The word `` fuck '' and its numerous conjugations are said between 506 and 569 times , making this the film with the most uses of the word in a mainstream , non-documentary film .", "Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Philip A. `` Phil '' Lord ( born July 12 , 1975 ) and Christopher Robert Miller ( born September 23 , 1975 ) are American film and television writers , producers , directors , actors and animators . Lord and Miller met at Dartmouth College . They are known for directing and writing the animated films Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs ( 2009 ) and The Lego Movie ( 2014 ) , as well as directing the live-action comedy film 21 Jump Street ( 2012 ) and its sequel 22 Jump Street ( 2014 ) . They will direct the upcoming Han Solo film ( 2018 ) for Lucasfilm and Disney . Their films have all received critical and commercial success .", "2012 in film. The following tables list films released in 2012 . Most notably , Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures celebrated their 100th anniversaries . The James Bond series celebrated its 50th anniversary and released its 23rd film , Skyfall . Six box-office blockbusters from previous years ( Beauty and the Beast , Star Wars : Episode I -- The Phantom Menace , Titanic , Raiders of the Lost Ark , Finding Nemo , and Monsters , Inc. ) were re-released in 3D and IMAX . Also 2012 in film marked the debut for High Frame Rate technology . The first film using 48 fps , a higher frame rate than the film industry standard 24 fps , was The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey .", "DreamWorks Animation. DreamWorks Animation SKG , Inc. ( known professionally as DreamWorks Animation or simply DreamWorks ) is an American animation studio that is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures , a division of NBCUniversal , itself a division of Comcast . It is based in Glendale , California and produces animated feature films , television programs and online virtual games . The studio has currently released a total of 34 feature films , including the franchises Shrek , its prequel-spinoff Puss in Boots , Madagascar , Kung Fu Panda , How to Train Your Dragon , and Trolls , and other hits including Monsters vs. Aliens ( 2009 ) , Rise of the Guardians ( 2012 ) , The Croods ( 2013 ) and Home ( 2015 ) . Originally formed under the banner of its main DreamWorks studio in 1997 by some of Amblin Entertainment 's former animation branch Amblimation alumni , it was spun off into a separate public company in 2004 . DreamWorks Animation currently maintains its Glendale campus , as well as satellite studios in India and China . On August 22 , 2016 , NBCUniversal acquired DreamWorks Animation for $ 3.8 billion , making it a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group . As of April 2017 , its feature films have grossed $ 14.20 billion worldwide , with a $ 417.8 million average gross per film . Shrek 2 ( 2004 ) is among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , and fourteen of the films are among the 50 highest-grossing animated films , with Shrek 2 being the ninth all-time highest . Although the studio also made traditionally animated films in the past , as well as stop-motion co-production with Aardman Animations , all of their films now use computer animation . The studio has received three Academy Awards , as well as 41 Emmy and numerous Annie Awards , and multiple Golden Globe & BAFTA nominations . In recent years , the animation studio has acquired and created new divisions in an effort to diversify beyond the high-risk movie business . Films produced by DreamWorks Animation were formerly distributed worldwide by its main DreamWorks studio and then by Paramount Pictures , who acquired the main DreamWorks studio in February 2006 and spun it off again in 2008 . In early 2013 , 20th Century Fox took over a theatrical distribution deal with DreamWorks Animation films starting on March 22 , 2013 with The Croods which will end on June 2 , 2017 with Captain Underpants : The First Epic Movie , after which its parent Universal Pictures will distribute subsequent DreamWorks Animation films , starting on March 1 , 2019 , with the release of How to Train Your Dragon 3 .", "Steven Soderbergh. Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( -LSB- ˈsoʊdərbɜrɡ -RSB- born January 14 , 1963 ) is an American film producer , director , screenwriter , cinematographer and editor . His indie drama Sex , Lies , and Videotape ( 1989 ) won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival , and became a worldwide commercial success , making the then-26-year-old Soderbergh the youngest director to win the festival 's top award . Film critic Roger Ebert dubbed Soderbergh the `` poster boy of the Sundance generation '' . He is best known for directing critically acclaimed commercial Hollywood films including the crime comedy Out of Sight ( 1998 ) , the biographical film Erin Brockovich ( 2000 ) , the crime drama film Traffic ( 2000 ) ( for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director ) , the 2001 remake of the comedy heist film Ocean 's 11 and its two sequels -- known collectively as the Ocean 's Trilogy , the medical thriller Contagion ( 2011 ) and the comedy-drama Magic Mike ( 2012 ) . He has also directed smaller , less conventional works , such as the mystery thriller Kafka ( 1991 ) ; the experimental comedy film Schizopolis ( 1996 ) , which has a non-linear narrative ; Bubble ( 2005 ) , which uses no script and non-professional actors ; the experimental drama film The Girlfriend Experience ( 2009 ) , which starred the then-active pornographic actress Sasha Grey ; and the biopic about Marxist revolutionary Ernesto `` Che '' Guevara , Che ( 2008 ) . Soderbergh also directed , photographed and edited all episodes of the television drama The Knick . In addition , he has produced numerous film and television programs , and provided cinematography and editing on various projects .", "Eminem. Marshall Bruce Mathers III ( born October 17 , 1972 ) , known professionally as Eminem ( often stylized as EMINƎM ) , is an American rapper , record producer , and actor . Eminem is the best-selling artist of the 2000s in the United States . Throughout his career , he has had 10 number-one albums on the Billboard 200 and five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 . With US sales of 45.1 million albums and 42 million tracks as of June 2014 , Eminem is the second best-selling male artist of the Nielsen SoundScan era , the sixth best-selling artist in the United States and the best-selling hip-hop artist . Globally , he has sold more than 172 million albums , thus being one of the world 's best-selling artists . Rolling Stone ranked him 83rd on its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time , calling him the King of Hip Hop . After his debut album Infinite ( 1996 ) and the Slim Shady EP ( 1997 ) , Eminem signed with Dr. Dre 's Aftermath Entertainment and subsequently achieved mainstream popularity in 1999 with The Slim Shady LP , which earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album . His next two releases , 2000 's The Marshall Mathers LP and 2002 's The Eminem Show , were worldwide successes , with each being certified diamond in U.S. sales , and both winning Best Rap Album Grammy Awards -- making Eminem the first artist to win the award for three consecutive LPs . They were followed by Encore in 2004 , another critical and commercial success . Eminem went on hiatus after touring in 2005 , releasing Relapse in 2009 and Recovery in 2010 . Both won Grammy Awards and Recovery was the best-selling album of 2010 worldwide , the second time he had the international best-selling album of the year ( after The Eminem Show ) . Eminem 's eighth album , 2013 's The Marshall Mathers LP 2 , won two Grammy Awards , including Best Rap Album ; it expanded his record for the most wins in that category and his Grammy total to 15 . In addition to his solo career , Eminem is an original member of the Midwest hip hop groups Soul Intent and D12 . He is also known for his collaborations with fellow Detroit-based rapper Royce da 5 ' 9 '' ; the two are collectively known as Bad Meets Evil . Eminem has developed other ventures , including Shady Records , with manager Paul Rosenberg , which helped launch the careers of artists such as 50 Cent . Eminem has also established his own channel , Shade 45 , on Sirius XM Radio . In November 2002 , he starred in the hip hop film 8 Mile , which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song , for `` Lose Yourself '' , becoming the first rap artist to win the award . Eminem has made cameo appearances in the films The Wash ( 2001 ) , Funny People ( 2009 ) , The Interview ( 2014 ) and the television series Entourage ( 2010 ) .", "MTV. MTV ( originally an initialism of Music Television ) is an American cable and satellite television channel owned by Viacom Media Networks ( a division of Viacom ) and headquartered in New York City . Launched on August 1 , 1981 , the channel originally aired music videos as guided by television personalities known as `` video jockeys '' ( VJs ) . In its early years , MTV 's main target demographic was young adults , but today it is primarily towards teenagers , particularly high school and college students . MTV has toned down its music video programming significantly in recent years , and its programming now consists mainly of original reality , comedy and drama programming and some off-network syndicated programs and films , with limited music video programming in off-peak time periods . It has received criticism towards this change of focus , both by certain segments of its audience and musicians . MTV 's influence on its audience , including issues involving censorship and social activism , has also been a subject of debate for several years . In recent years , MTV had struggled with the secular decline of music-related cable media . Its ratings had been said to be failing systematically , as younger viewers increasingly shift towards digital media , with yearly ratings drops as high as 29 % ; thus there was doubt of the lasting relevance of MTV towards young audiences . In April 2016 , MTV announced it would start to return to its original music roots with the reintroduction of the classic MTV series MTV Unplugged . It was also reported that the series MTV Cribs would be making a return on Snapchat , with fourteen original music-related shows speculated to be in production . MTV has spawned numerous sister channels in the US and affiliated channels internationally , some of which have gone independent . As of July 2015 , approximately 92,188,000 US households ( 79.2 % of households with television ) have received MTV .", "South Park. South Park is an American adult animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for the Comedy Central television network . The show revolves around four boys -- Stan Marsh , Kyle Broflovski , Eric Cartman , and Kenny McCormick -- and their bizarre adventures in and around the titular Colorado town . Much like The Simpsons , South Park uses a very large ensemble cast of recurring characters and became infamous for its profanity and dark , surreal humor that satirizes a wide range of topics towards a mature audience . Parker and Stone developed the show from The Spirit of Christmas , two consecutive animated shorts created in 1992 and 1995 . The latter became one of the first Internet viral videos , ultimately leading to South Park 's production . It debuted in August 1997 with great success , consistently earning the highest ratings of any basic cable program . Subsequent ratings have varied but it remains one of Comedy Central 's highest rated shows , and is slated to air in new episodes through 2019 . The pilot episode was produced using cutout animation , leading to all subsequent episodes being produced with computer animation that emulated the cutout technique . Parker and Stone perform most of the voice acting for the show 's male characters . Since 2000 , each episode has typically been written and produced in the week preceding its broadcast , with Parker serving as the primary writer and director . There have been a total of episodes over the course of the show 's 20 seasons . South Park has received numerous accolades , including five Primetime Emmy Awards , a Peabody Award , and numerous inclusions in various publications ' lists of greatest television shows . The show 's popularity resulted in a feature-length theatrical film , South Park : Bigger , Longer & Uncut which was released in June 1999 , less than two years after the show 's premiere , and became a commercial and critical success , even garnering a nomination for an Academy Award . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked South Park the tenth Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time .", "Melissa McCarthy. Melissa Ann McCarthy ( born August 26 , 1970 ) is an American actress , comedian , writer , fashion designer and producer . She began appearing in television and films in the late 1990s , and first gained nationwide recognition for her role as Sookie St. James on the television series Gilmore Girls ( 2000 -- 2007 ) . From 2007 to 2009 , she appeared as Dena on the ABC sitcom Samantha Who ? . McCarthy was then cast as Molly Flynn on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly ( 2010 -- 2016 ) , earning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series as well as two other nominations during subsequent seasons . She has also been nominated four times ( in 2012 , 2013 , 2014 and 2016 ) for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her five appearances as host on Saturday Night Live . McCarthy achieved recognition as Megan Price in the comedy film Bridesmaids ( 2011 ) , which garnered her award nominations including an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress , a BAFTA nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress . In 2013 , she co-starred in the comedy films Identity Thief and The Heat . She appeared in supporting roles in The Nines ( 2007 ) , The Back-up Plan ( 2010 ) , Life as We Know It ( 2010 ) , This Is 40 ( 2012 ) and The Hangover Part III ( 2013 ) . In 2014 , McCarthy starred in the comedy Tammy and the comedy-drama film St. Vincent . In 2015 , she headlined the action comedy film Spy , for which she received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Comedy or Musical nomination . In 2016 , she starred in the comedy films The Boss and Ghostbusters . In 2017 she played White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in several episodes of Saturday Night Live . McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone founded the production company , On the Day Productions . In 2015 , she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and released women 's plus size clothing collection . Also in 2015 , Forbes named McCarthy the third highest-paid actress in the world that year . In 2016 , Forbes named her the world 's second highest-paid actress , earning $ 33 million .", "Mean Girls. Mean Girls is a 2004 American teen comedy film directed by Mark Waters and written by Tina Fey . The film is based in part on Rosalind Wiseman 's non-fiction self-help book Queen Bees and Wannabes , which describes female high school social cliques and the damaging effects they can have on girls . Saturday Night Live ( SNL ) creator Lorne Michaels produced the film . Tina Fey , screenwriter and co-star of the film , was a long-term cast member and writer for SNL . The film stars Lindsay Lohan , Rachel McAdams , Tina Fey , Lacey Chabert , Lizzy Caplan , Daniel Franzese , Jonathan Bennett and Amanda Seyfried ( in her film debut ) , and features appearances from SNL cast members Tim Meadows , Ana Gasteyer , and Amy Poehler . The film marks Lohan 's second collaboration with director Waters , the first being Freaky Friday ( 2003 ) , released a year earlier . Although set in Evanston , Illinois ( a wealthy Chicago suburb ) , the film was mostly shot in Toronto , Ontario , Canada . The film grossed $ 129 million worldwide . Mean Girls has developed a cult status in the years following its release . A direct-to-TV sequel , Mean Girls 2 , was released in 2011 .", "Eric Blakeney. Eric Blakeney ( born September 14 , 1959 ) is an American film and television director , producer and screenwriter . He is known for writing award-winning episodes of television for 21 Jump Street , and writing and directing a feature film , 2000 's Gun Shy .", "Lady Gaga. Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( -LSB- ˈstɛfəniː_dʒɜrməˈnɒtə -RSB- ; born March 28 , 1986 ) , known professionally as Lady Gaga , is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . At the beginning of her career , Gaga became known for her unconventionality and provocative work . A popular contemporary recording artist , she is noted for constantly experimenting with new musical ideas and images . Gaga initially played roles in high school plays , and studied at CAP21 through NYU 's Tisch School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue a musical career . After leaving a rock band , participating in a performance art circuit , and being dropped from a contract with Def Jam Recordings , Gaga worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing . From there , Akon noticed her vocal abilities and helped her sign a joint deal with Interscope Records and his own KonLive Distribution in 2007 . Gaga rose to prominence with the release of her successful debut album The Fame ( 2008 ) and its international chart-topping singles `` Just Dance '' and `` Poker Face '' . A follow-up EP , The Fame Monster ( 2009 ) , was met with a similar reception and the singles `` Bad Romance '' , `` Telephone '' , and `` Alejandro '' were also successful . Gaga 's second full-length album Born This Way ( 2011 ) topped the charts in more than 20 countries , including the US , where it sold over one million copies in its first week . The album produced the number-one single `` Born This Way '' . Gaga 's third album Artpop , released in 2013 , topped the US charts and included the successful single `` Applause '' . In 2014 , Gaga released a collaborative jazz album with Tony Bennett titled Cheek to Cheek , her third consecutive number one in the US . For her work in the television series American Horror Story : Hotel , Gaga won a Golden Globe Award in 2016 . With her fifth studio album Joanne ( 2016 ) , she became the first woman to have four US number one albums in the 2010s . In February 2017 , Gaga headlined the Super Bowl LI halftime show , which had over 150 million audience across various platforms worldwide , making it the most viewed musical event in history . With global album and single sales of 27 million and 146 million respectively , as of January 2016 , she is one of the best-selling musicians of all time . Her achievements include twelve Guinness World Records , three Brit Awards , and six Grammy Awards . She has also received awards from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Council of Fashion Designers of America . Gaga regularly appears on Billboards Artists of the Year lists and Forbess power and earnings rankings . She was ranked at number four on VH1 's Greatest Women in Music , finished second on Times 2011 readers ' poll of the most influential people of the past ten years , and was named Billboards Woman of the Year ( 2015 ) . She is known for her philanthropic work and social activism , including LGBT rights and her own non-profit organization , the Born This Way Foundation , which focuses on promoting youth empowerment and combating bullying .", "Saturday Night Live. Saturday Night Live ( abbreviated as SNL ) is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol . The show premiered on NBC on October 11 , 1975 , under the original title NBC 's Saturday Night . The show 's comedy sketches , which parody contemporary culture and politics , are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members . Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest ( who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast ) and features performances by a musical guest . An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming , `` Live from New York , it 's Saturday Night ! '' , properly beginning the show . In 1980 , Michaels left the series to explore other opportunities . He was replaced by Jean Doumanian , who was replaced by Ebersol after a season of bad reviews . Ebersol ran the show until 1985 , when Michaels returned ; Michaels has remained since then . Many of SNLs cast found national stardom while appearing on the show , and achieved success in film and television , both in front of and behind the camera . Others associated with the show , such as writers , have gone on to successful careers creating , writing , or starring in TV and film . Broadcast from Studio 8H at NBC 's headquarters in the Comcast Building , SNL has aired 829 episodes since its debut , and concluded its forty-second season on May 20 , 2017 , making it one of the longest-running network television programs in the United States . The show format has been developed and recreated in several countries , meeting with different levels of success . Successful sketches have seen life outside of the show as feature films , although only two met with critical and financial success : The Blues Brothers ( 1980 ) and Wayne 's World ( 1992 ) . The show has been marketed in other ways , including home media releases of `` best of '' and whole seasons , and books and documentaries about behind-the-scenes activities of running and developing the show . Throughout four decades on air , Saturday Night Live has received a number of awards , including 50 Primetime Emmy Awards , two Peabody Awards , and three Writers Guild of America Awards . In 2000 , it was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame . It was ranked tenth in TV Guide `` 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time '' list , and in 2007 it was listed as one of Time magazine 's `` 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME '' . As of 2012 , it has received 156 Emmy nominations , the most received by any TV show . The live aspect of the show has resulted in several controversies and acts of censorship , with mistakes and intentional acts of sabotage by performers as well as guests .", "Twenty One Pilots. Twenty One Pilots ( stylized as TWENTY ØNE PILØTS ) is an American musical duo originating from Columbus , Ohio . The band was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph along with former members Nick Thomas and Chris Salih , who eventually left in 2011 , and currently consists of Joseph and drummer Josh Dun . The duo rose to fame in the mid -- 2010s after several years of touring and independent releases . They put out two self-released albums , Twenty One Pilots in 2009 and Regional at Best in 2011 , before being signed by Fueled by Ramen in 2012 . Their label debut , Vessel , was released in 2013 . The duo achieved breakthrough success with their fourth album , Blurryface ( 2015 ) , which produced the successful singles `` Stressed Out '' and `` Ride '' . In addition , the single `` Heathens '' , recorded for the soundtrack of the film Suicide Squad , made the group the first alternative artist to have two concurrent top ten singles in the U.S. . The duo has won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance .", "Arrested Development (TV series). Arrested Development is an American television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz , which originally aired on Fox for three seasons from November 2 , 2003 to February 10 , 2006 . A fourth season of 15 episodes was released on Netflix on May 26 , 2013 . The show follows the fictitious Bluth family , a formerly wealthy and habitually dysfunctional family . It is presented in a continuous format , incorporating handheld camera work and voice-over narration , as well as the use of occasional archival photos and historical footage . The show also utilizes several long-running `` Easter egg '' jokes throughout each season . Ron Howard serves as both an executive producer and the series ' uncredited narrator . Set in Newport Beach , California , Arrested Development was filmed primarily in Culver City and Marina del Rey . After its debut in 2003 , the series received widespread critical acclaim , six Primetime Emmy Awards , and one Golden Globe Award , and has attracted a cult following , including several fan-based websites . In 2007 , Time listed the show among its `` All-TIME 100 TV Shows '' ; in 2008 , it was ranked 16th on Entertainment Weekly `` New TV Classics '' list . In 2011 , IGN named Arrested Development the `` funniest show of all time '' . Its humor has been cited as a key influence on later single-camera sitcoms such as 30 Rock and Community . Despite critical acclaim , Arrested Development received low ratings and viewership on Fox , which canceled the series in 2006 . Rumors of an additional season and a feature film persisted until 2011 , when Netflix agreed to license new episodes and distribute them exclusively on its video streaming service . These episodes were later released in 2013 . Netflix has also commissioned a fifth season of Arrested Development which will premiere in 2018 .", "Star Wars. Star Wars is an American epic space opera franchise , centered on a film series created by George Lucas . It depicts the adventures of various characters `` a long time ago in a galaxy far , far away '' . The franchise began in 1977 with the release of the film Star Wars ( later subtitled Episode IV : A New Hope in 1981 ) , which became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon . It was followed by the successful sequels The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) ; these three films constitute the original Star Wars trilogy . A prequel trilogy was released between 1999 and 2005 , which received mixed reactions from both critics and fans . A sequel trilogy began in 2015 with the release of Star Wars : The Force Awakens . All seven films were nominated for Academy Awards ( with wins going to the first two films ) and have been commercial successes , with a combined box office revenue of over $ 7.5 billion , making Star Wars the third highest-grossing film series . Spin-off films include the animated Star Wars : The Clone Wars ( 2008 ) and Rogue One ( 2016 ) , the latter of which is the first in an upcoming series of anthology films . The series has spawned an extensive media franchise including books , television series , computer and video games , and comic books , all of which take place within the same continuity as the films , resulting in significant development of the series 's fictional universe , with the non-canonical works falling under the defunct Star Wars Legends label . Star Wars also holds a Guinness World Records title for the `` Most successful film merchandising franchise . In 2015 , the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated at USD $ 42 billion , making Star Wars the second highest-grossing media franchise of all time . In 2012 , The Walt Disney Company bought Lucasfilm for $ 4.06 billion and earned the distribution rights to all subsequent Star Wars films , beginning with the release of The Force Awakens in 2015 . The former distributor , 20th Century Fox , retains the physical distribution rights for the first two Star Wars trilogies , owns permanent rights for the original 1977 film and continues to hold the rights for the prequel trilogy and the first two sequels to A New Hope until May 2020 . Walt Disney Studios owns digital distribution rights to all the Star Wars films , excluding A New Hope .", "Jump (1999 film). Jump is a 1999 film , directed and written by Justin McCarthy , and starring James LeGros , Mark Rosenthal and Jessica Hecht ." ]

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[ "Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is an art museum originally chartered in 1876 for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia . The main museum building was completed in 1928 on Fairmount , a hill located at the northwest end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at Eakins Oval . The museum administers collections containing over 240,000 objects including major holdings of European , American and Asian origin . The various classes of artwork include sculpture , paintings , prints , drawings , photographs , armor and decorative arts . The attendance figure for the museum was 751,797 in 2015 , an increase of 17 % from the prior year , ranking it among the top one hundred most-visited art museums in the world . The museum is also one of the largest art museums in the world based on gallery space . The Philadelphia Museum of Art administers several annexes including the Rodin Museum , also located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway , and the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building , which is located across the street just north of the main building . The Perelman Building , which opened in 2007 , houses more than 150,000 prints , drawings and photographs , along with 30,000 costume and textile pieces , and over 1,000 modern and contemporary design objects including furniture , ceramics and glasswork . The museum also administers the historic colonial-era houses of Mount Pleasant and Cedar Grove , both located in Fairmount Park . The main museum building and its annexes are owned by the City of Philadelphia and administered by a registered nonprofit corporation . , the standard adult admission price is $ 20 which allows entrance to the main building and all annexes for two consecutive days . The museum is closed on Mondays except on some holidays . A special `` Pay What You Wish '' program is in effect on the first Sunday of each month from 10:00 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m. and every Wednesday evening from 5:00 -- 8:45 p.m. when visitors are requested to '' ... support us with whatever amount you wish . '' Several special exhibitions are held in the museum every year , including touring exhibitions arranged with other museums in the United States and abroad . Special exhibitions may have an extra charge for entrance .", "Philadelphia. Philadelphia ( -LSB- ˌfɪləˈdɛlfi.ə -RSB- ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States , with an estimated population of 1,567,872 and more than 6 million in the seventh-largest metropolitan statistical area , . Philadelphia is the economic and cultural anchor of the Delaware Valleya region located in the Northeastern United States at the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers with 7.2 million people residing in the eighth-largest combined statistical area in the United States . In 1682 , William Penn , an English Quaker , founded the city to serve as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony . Philadelphia played an instrumental role in the American Revolution as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States , who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787 . Several other key Philadelphia events during the Revolution include the First and Second Continental Congress , the preservation of the Liberty Bell , the Battle of Germantown , the Siege of Fort Mifflin , and the Philadelphia Convention . Philadelphia was one of the nation 's capitals in the Revolutionary War , and served as temporary U.S. capital while Washington , D.C. , was under construction . In the 19th century , Philadelphia became a major industrial center and railroad hub that grew from an influx of European immigrants . The majority of European immigrants have come from Ireland , Italy and Germany -- the three largest reported ancestry groups in the city . The city became a prime destination for African Americans during the Great Migration of the 20th century , as well as Puerto Ricans , surpassing two million occupants by 1950 . The area 's many universities and colleges make Philadelphia a top international study destination , as the city has evolved into an educational and economic hub . With a gross domestic product of $ 388 billion , Philadelphia ranks ninth among world cities and fourth in the nation . Philadelphia is the center of economic activity in Pennsylvania and is home to seven Fortune 1000 companies . The Philadelphia skyline is growing , with a market of almost 81,900 commercial properties in 2016 including several nationally prominent skyscrapers . The city is known for its arts , culture , and rich history , attracting over 41 million domestic tourists alone in 2015 . Philadelphia has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city . Fairmount Park , when combined with the adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed , is one of the largest contiguous urban park areas in the United States . The 67 National Historic Landmarks in the city helped account for the $ 10 billion generated by tourism . Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps , and is also the home of many U.S. firsts , including the first library ( 1731 ) , first hospital ( 1751 ) and medical school ( 1765 ) , first Capital ( 1777 ) , first stock exchange ( 1790 ) , first zoo ( 1874 ) , and first business school ( 1881 ) . Philadelphia is the only World Heritage City in the United States .", "Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art , colloquially `` the Met , '' is located in New York City and is the largest art museum in the United States , and is among the most visited art museums in the world . Its permanent collection contains over two million works , divided among seventeen curatorial departments . The main building , on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan 's Museum Mile , is by area one of the world 's largest art galleries . A much smaller second location , The Cloisters at Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan , contains an extensive collection of art , architecture , and artifacts from Medieval Europe . On March 18 , 2016 , the museum opened the Met Breuer museum at Madison Avenue in the Upper East Side ; it extends the museum 's modern and contemporary art program . The permanent collection consists of works of art from classical antiquity and ancient Egypt , paintings and sculptures from nearly all the European masters , and an extensive collection of American and modern art . The Met maintains extensive holdings of African , Asian , Oceanian , Byzantine , Indian , and Islamic art . The museum is home to encyclopedic collections of musical instruments , costumes and accessories , as well as antique weapons and armor from around the world . Several notable interiors , ranging from first-century Rome through modern American design , are installed in its galleries . The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 for the purposes of opening a museum to bring art and art education to the American people . It opened on February 20 , 1872 , and was originally located at 681 Fifth Avenue .", "Museum. A museum ( / mjuˈziːəm / ; myoo-zee-um ; plural musea or museums ) is an institution that cares for ( conserves ) a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic , cultural , historical , or scientific importance . Many public museums make these items available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary . The largest museums are located in major cities throughout the world , while thousands of local museums exist in smaller cities , towns and rural areas . Museums have varying aims , ranging from serving researchers and specialists to serving the general public . The goal of serving researchers is increasingly shifting to serving the general public . There are many types of museums , including art museums , natural history museums , science museums , war museums , and children 's museums . Amongst the world 's largest and most visited museums are the Louvre in Paris , the National Museum of China in Beijing , the Smithsonian Institution in Washington , D.C. , the British Museum in London , the National Gallery in London , and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City . As of the 2010s , the continuing acceleration in the digitization of information , combined with the increasing capacity of digital information storage , is causing the traditional model of museums ( i.e. as static bricks-and-mortar `` collections of collections '' of three-dimensional specimens and artifacts ) to expand to include virtual exhibits and high-resolution images of their collections that patrons can peruse , study , and explore from any place with Internet . According to The World Museum Community , there are more than 55,000 museums in 202 countries .", "List of artists in the Philadelphia Museum of Art handbook of the collections. The List of artists in the Philadelphia Museum of Art handbook of the collections is a list of the artists indexed in the Philadelphia Museum of Art museum guide . The guide , with an introduction by Anne D'Harnencourt , was produced as a 25th anniversary gift by the Museum Associates in 1995 . The museum 's collections are spread throughout several locations in Fairmount Park in addition to The Rodin museum and the Neo-classical building at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway . The entire collection houses over 70,000 objects , thousands of which are on view at any given time . The museum guide has been designed to highlight seven major sections . In the following list , the artist 's name is followed by the location of one of their works and its page number in the guide . For artists with more than one work in the collection , or for works by artists not listed here , see the Philadelphia Museum of Art website or the corresponding Wikimedia Commons category . Of artists listed , only 9 are women . For the complete list of artists and their artworks in the collection , see the website . Alvar Aalto , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 156 Robert Adam ( 1728 -- 1792 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 143 Ansel Adams , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 247 Adriano Fiorentino ( ca. 1455 -- 1499 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 116 Thomas Affleck , American Art : page 260 Washington Allston ( 1779 -- 1843 ) , American Art : page 268 Lawrence Alma-Tadema ( 1836 -- 1912 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 199 Joseph Anthony Jr. , American Art : page 266 Alexander Porfyrovych Archipenko ( 1887-1964 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 311 Charles Aubry , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 225 Joseph B. Barry , American Art : page 275 Pompeo Batoni ( 1708 -- 1787 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 182 , 221 Max Beckmann ( 1884 -- 1950 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 240 Benedetto di Bindo , European Painting and Sculpture : page 162 Benjamin Bergey , American Art : page 273 Christoffel van den Berghe ( 1590 -- 1638 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 173 Antoine Berjon ( 1754 -- 1843 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 186 John Bieber , American Art : page 264 William Blake ( 1757 -- 1827 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 223 Bill Blass , Costume and Textiles : page 101 David Bomberg ( 1890 -- 1957 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 235 Gerard ter Borch ( 1617 -- 1681 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 177 Michael Botta , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 131 Dieric Bouts ( 1415 -- 1475 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 166 Constantin Brancusi , Twentieth-century Art : page 314 , 320 Jean Brandely , American Art : page 274 Georges Braque ( 1882 -- 1963 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 237 Bronzino ( 1503 -- 1572 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 170 Edward Burne-Jones ( 1833 -- 1898 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 227 Giuseppe Cades ( 1750 -- 1799 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 222 Alexander Calder ( 1898 -- 1976 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 337 Julia Margaret Cameron , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 228 Arthur B. Carles ( 1882 -- 1952 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 319 Martin Carlin ( ca. 1730 -- 1785 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 147 Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux ( 1827 -- 1875 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 190 Mary Cassatt ( 1844 -- 1926 ) , American Art : page 289 Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione ( 1609 -- 1664 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 218 Paul Cézanne ( 1839 -- 1906 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 208 , 211 , 230 Marc Chagall ( 1887 -- 1985 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 306 Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin ( 1699 -- 1779 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 180 Eduard Charlemont , European Painting and Sculpture : page 198 Simon Chaudron , American Art : page 271 Thomas Chippendale , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 139 Giorgio de Chirico ( 1888 -- 1978 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 309 Giovanni Battista Cipriani , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 143 Francesco Clemente ( b. 1952 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 338 Joos van Cleve ( 1485 -- 1541 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 170 Clodion ( 1738 -- 1814 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 144 Chuck Close ( b1940 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 342 Charles-Nicolas Cochin ( 1688 -- 1754 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 221 Comans-La Planche manufactory , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 130 John Constable ( 1776 -- 1837 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 187 Samuel Cooper ( 1609 -- 1672 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 178 Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert ( 1522 -- 1590 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 128 Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot ( 1796 -- 1875 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 188 Gustave Courbet ( 1819 -- 1877 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 192 Charles-Antoine Coypel ( 1694 -- 1752 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 145 Noël-Nicolas Coypel ( 1690 -- 1734 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 179 Carlo Crivelli ( 1430/35 -- 1495 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 166 Salvador Dalí ( 1904 -- 1989 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 323 Gerard David ( 1460 -- 1523 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 165 Thomas J. Davies ( active 1862 -- 70 ) , American Art : page 285 Edgar Degas ( 1834 -- 1917 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 195 , 204 , 231 Willem de Kooning ( 1904 -- 1997 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 326 Eugène Delacroix ( 1798 -- 1863 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 190 Charles Demuth ( 1883 -- 1935 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 239 Dentzel Carousel Co. , American Art : page 296 Derby porcelain , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 141 Jules Desfossé , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 152 Desiderio da Settignano ( 1428 -- 1464 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 115 Mark di Suvero , Twentieth-century Art : page 336 Christian Dorflinger ( 1828 -- 1915 ) , American Art : page 287 Brothers Dosso ( 1469 -- 1542 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 171 Marcel Duchamp ( 1887 -- 1968 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 307 , 316 , 317 Raymond Duchamp-Villon , Twentieth-century Art : page 314 Raoul Dufy ( 1877 -- 1953 ) , Costume and Textiles : page 99 Thomas Eakins ( 1844 -- 1916 ) , American Art : page 228 , 285 , 287 , 292 Wharton Esherick , American Art : page 298 Frederick H. Evans , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 233 Jan van Eyck ( 1370 -- 1441 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 164 Jean-Jacques Feuchère , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 154 Jacobus Fiamengo , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 128 Alexander Fisher ( painter ) ( 1864 -- 1936 ) , Costume and Textiles : page 95 John Flaxman ( 1755 -- 1826 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 148 Jean Jacques Flipart ( 1724 -- 1793 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 221 Orazio Fontana , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 122 Manuel Joachim de Franca ( 1808 -- 1865 ) , American Art : page 274 P.H. Emile Froment-Meurice , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 154 Frank Furness , American Art : page 284 Thomas Gainsborough ( 1727 -- 1788 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 183 Émile Gallé , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 155 Paul Gauguin ( 1848 -- 1903 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 208 Jacques-Fabien Gautier-Dagoty ( 1716 -- 1785 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 219 François-Thomas Germain ( 1726 -- 1791 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 141 Giorgio Ghisi ( 1520 -- 1582 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 217 Teodoro Ghisi , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 217 Giovanni di Paolo ( 1403 -- 1482 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 164 François Girardon ( 1628 -- 1715 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 136 Girolamo da Treviso the Younger ( ca. 1497 -- 1544 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 121 Gobelins Manufactory , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 145 Vincent van Gogh ( 1853 -- 1890 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 203 , 207 Hendrik Goltzius ( 1558 -- 1617 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 172 , 218 Sidney Goodman , Twentieth-century Art : page 339 Pierre Gouthière ( 1732 -- 1813 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 146 Juan Gris ( 1887 -- 1927 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 313 Benjamin Harbeson , American Art : page 259 Marsden Hartley ( 1877 -- 1943 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 311 Maarten van Heemskerck ( 1498 -- 1574 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 128 Lorenz Helmschmid , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 119 Herculaneum pottery , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 150 Albert Herter ( 1871 -- 1950 ) , American Art : page 288 Eva Hesse , Twentieth-century Art : page 335 John Hewson ( artist ) ( 1744 -- 1821 ) , Costume and Textiles : page 86 Edward Hicks ( 1780 -- 1849 ) , American Art : page 281 Peter Holl III , American Art : page 265 Josef Hoffmann , Special Collections : page 464 Winslow Homer ( 1836 -- 1910 ) , American Art : page 291 Hon ` ami Koetsu , Asian art : page 43 , 44 Hsia Ch ` ang , Asian art : page 29 Xu Wei , Asian art : page 31 Christian Huber , American Art : page 265 Richard Humphreys ( philanthropist ) ( 1750 -- 1832 ) , American Art : page 262 Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Oy , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 156 Ike no Taiga , Asian art : page 46 Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres ( 1780 -- 1867 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 185 George Washington Jack , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 151 François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter ( 1770 -- 1841 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 149 Georges Jacob ( 1739 -- 1814 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 149 Jacob-Desmalter , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 149 Jean de Court ( 1555 -- 1585 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 126 Jasper Johns ( b1930 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 250 , 335 Thomas Johnson ( designer ) ( 1714 -- 1778 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 140 Johann Joachim Kändler , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 137 Wassily Kandinsky ( 1866 -- 1944 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 312 Eliza M. Kandle , Costume and Textiles : page 90 Kano Hogai , Asian art : page 47 Kitagawa Utamaro , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 225 Paul Klee ( 1879 -- 1940 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 245 , 321 Yves Klein , Twentieth-century Art : page 332 Franz Kline ( 1910 -- 1962 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 333 Knoll International , American Art : page 300 Gaston Lachaise ( 1882 -- 1935 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 309 John La Farge ( 1835 -- 1910 ) , American Art : page 297 Paul de Lamerie , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 139 Sir Edwin Henry Landseer ( 1802 -- 1873 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 188 Benjamin Henry Latrobe , American Art : page 269 Hippolyte Le Bas , Costume and Textiles : page 90 Fernand Léger ( 1881 -- 1955 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 315 Charles Le Roux , American Art : page 256 Karl Friedrich Lessing ( 1808 -- 1880 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 186 Sol LeWitt , Twentieth-century Art : page 343 Lucas van Leyden ( 1494 -- 1533 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 216 Liberty & Co. , Costume and Textiles : page 96 Josse Lieferinxe ( 1493 -- 1508 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 169 Jacques Lipchitz ( 1891 -- 1973 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 330 El Lissitzky , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 240 Richard Long ( artist ) ( b. 1945 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 251 José Delores Lopez , American Art : page 299 Pietro Lorenzetti ( 1280 -- 1348 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 162 Filippe Maecht , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 130 Man Ray ( 1890 -- 1976 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 241 Édouard Manet ( 1832 -- 1883 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 193 , 194 Marcello ( Duchesse de Castiglione-Colonna ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 194 John Marin ( 1870 -- 1953 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 235 Masaccio ( 1401 -- 1428 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 163 Masolino da Panicale ( 1383 -- 1447 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 163 Alice Trumbull Mason , Twentieth-century Art : page 326 Henri Matisse ( 1869 -- 1954 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 310 , 325 Anton Mauve ( 1838 -- 1888 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 201 Meissen porcelain , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 137 Memphis Group , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 157 Ray K. Metzker , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 248 Clodion ( 1738 -- 1814 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 144 Sigisbert Michel , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 148 Jean-François Millet ( 1814 -- 1875 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 197 Mintons Ltd. , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 153 Joan Miró ( 1893 -- 1983 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 244 , 321 Issey Miyake , Costume and Textiles : page 102 Amedeo Modigliani ( 1884 -- 1920 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 319 Piet Mondrian ( 1872 -- 1944 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 317 Claude Monet ( 1840 -- 1926 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 196 , 209 Thomas Moran ( 1837 -- 1926 ) , American Art : page 290 James Morisset , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 146 Morris & Co. , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 151 Robert Motherwell ( 1915 -- 1991 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 247 Edouard Muller ( painter ) ( 1823 -- 1876 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 152 Munakata Shiko , Asian art : page 47 Elizabeth Murray ( artist ) ( 1940 -- 2007 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 341 Jacques Neilson , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 145 Violet Oakley , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 238 Ōgi Rodō ( 1863 -- 1941 ) , Asian art : page 48 Ohio Valley China Co. , American Art : page 291 Georgia O'Keeffe ( 1887 -- 1986 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 329 Claes Oldenburg , Twentieth-century Art : page 338 Orosius master , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 216 Daniel Pabst , American Art : page 284 Elie Pacot , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 135 Maxfield Parrish , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 232 Joachim Patinir ( 1480 -- 1524 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 168 Charles Willson Peale ( 1741 -- 1827 ) , American Art : page 261 , 267 Anton Peffenhauser , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 126 Joseph Perfetti , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 143 Pablo Picasso ( 1881 -- 1973 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 236 , 245 , 306 , 308 , 318 Horace Pippin ( 1888 -- 1946 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 329 Giovanni Battista Piranesi ( 1720 -- 1778 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 220 Camille Pissarro ( 1830 -- 1903 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 203 Paul Poiret , Costume and Textiles : page 97 Jackson Pollock ( 1912 -- 1956 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 327 Paulus Potter ( 1625 -- 1654 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 176 Nicolas Poussin ( 1594 -- 1665 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 175 Michael Powolny , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 155 Martin Puryear , Twentieth-century Art : page 340 Pierre-Cécile Puvis De Chavannes ( 1824 -- 1898 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 191 Robert Rauschenberg ( 1925 -- 2008 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 334 Osmon Reed , American Art : page 280 Pierre-Auguste Renoir ( 1841 -- 1919 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 196 , 200 Joshua Reynolds ( 1723 -- 1792 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 184 Faith Ringgold , Costume and Textiles : page 103 Diego Rivera ( 1886 -- 1957 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 242 , 322 Francesco Maria Rivolta , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 137 Luca della Robbia , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 113 Howard Roberts , American Art : page 286 Auguste Rodin ( 1840 -- 1917 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 199 , 201 , 210 Rookwood pottery , American Art : page 294 Helen Rose , Costume and Textiles : page 100 James Rosenquist ( b1933 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 332 Georges Rouault ( 1871 -- 1958 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 323 Henri Rousseau ( 1844 -- 1910 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 202 Peter Paul Rubens ( 1577 -- 1640 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 130 , 174 William Rush , American Art : page 276 Santiago Rusinol , European Painting and Sculpture : page 205 Pieter Jansz Saenredam ( 1597 -- 1665 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 173 Augustus Saint-Gaudens ( 1848 -- 1907 ) , American Art : page 293 Roberto Sambonet , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 156 John Singer Sargent ( 1856 -- 1925 ) , American Art : page 289 Rebecca Scattergood Savery , Costume and Textiles : page 91 Savonnerie manufactory , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 134 Elsa Schiaparelli , Costume and Textiles : page 98 Emilio Schuberth , Costume and Textiles : page 101 Georges Seurat ( 1859 -- 1891 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 229 Sèvres porcelain , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 142 Ben Shahn ( 1898 -- 1969 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 328 Charles Sheeler ( 1883 -- 1965 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 243 , 324 Kataro Shirayamadani , American Art : page 294 William Sinclair ( furniture maker ) , American Art : page 270 Olaf Skoogfors , American Art : page 299 John French Sloan ( 1871 -- 1951 ) , American Art : page 233 , 294 Frans Snyders ( 1579 -- 1657 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 174 Marc-Louis-Emmanuel Solon , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 153 Ettore Sottsass Jr. , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 157 Rudolf Staffel , American Art : page 300 Jan Steen ( 1626 -- 1679 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 178 Alfred Stieglitz ( 1864 -- 1946 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 234 , 242 Paul Strand ( 1890 -- 1976 ) , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 238 George Stubbs ( 1724 -- 1806 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 181 Philip Syng Jr. , American Art : page 262 Henry Ossawa Tanner ( 1859 -- 1937 ) , American Art : page 295 Hans Taye , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 130 Thonet Brothers ( 1796 -- 1871 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 153 Bertel Thorvaldsen ( 1770 -- 1844 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 148 Dox Thrash , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 246 Ellen Powell Tiberino , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 249 Giovanni Battista Tiepolo ( 1696 -- 1770 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 182 Louis Comfort Tiffany ( 1848 -- 1933 ) , American Art : page 296 Tiffany Glass and Decorating Co. , American Art : page 296 Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 224 Shomei Tomatsu , Prints , Drawings , and Photographs : page 249 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec ( 1864 -- 1901 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 206 William Ellis Tucker , American Art : page 277 Tucker porcelain , American Art : page 277 J. M. W. Turner ( 1775 -- 1851 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 189 Cy Twombly ( 1928 -- 2011 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 340 Robert Venturi , American Art : page 300 Scott Brown Venturi , American Art : page 300 Claude Joseph Vernet ( 1714 -- 1789 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 180 Édouard Vuillard ( 1868 -- 1940 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 205 , 230 Josiah Wedgwood , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 148 Robert Wellford , American Art : page 266 Adolf Ulrik Wertmüller , American Art : page 269 Benjamin West ( 1738 -- 1820 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 184 Rogier van der Weyden ( 1400 -- 1464 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 167 James Abbott McNeill Whistler ( 1834 -- 1903 ) , American Art : page 283 David Wiand , Costume and Textiles : page 93 Wiener Keramik , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 155 Charles Frederick Worth , Costume and Textiles : page 94 Andrew Wyeth ( 1917 -- 2009 ) , Twentieth-century Art : page 331 Juan Ximenez , European Painting and Sculpture : page 168 Yi Am , Asian art : page 36 Claire Zeisler , American Art : page 301 Antonio Zucchi ( 1726 -- 1796 ) , European decorative arts and Arms & Armour : page 143 Francisco de Zurbarán ( 1598 -- 1664 ) , European Painting and Sculpture : page 176", "Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The Museum of Fine Arts ( or MFA ) in Boston , Massachusetts , is the fourth largest museum in the United States . It contains more than 450,000 works of art , making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas . With more than one million visitors a year , it is the 55th most-visited art museum in the world . Founded in 1870 , the museum moved to its current location in 1909 . The museum is affiliated with the Tufts School of the Museum of Fine Arts .", "Smithsonian American Art Museum. The Smithsonian American Art Museum ( commonly known as SAAM , and formerly the National Museum of American Art ) is a museum in Washington , D.C. Together with its branch museum , the Renwick Gallery , it holds one of the world 's largest and most inclusive collections of art , from the colonial period to the present , made in the United States . The museum has more than 7,000 artists represented in the collection , which contains the largest collection of New Deal art ; a collection of contemporary craft , American impressionist paintings , and masterpieces from the Gilded Age ; photography , modern folk art , works by African American and Latino artists , images of western expansion , and realist art from the first half of the twentieth century . Most exhibitions take place in the museum 's main building , the old Patent Office Building ( shared with the National Portrait Gallery ) , while craft-focused exhibitions are shown in the Renwick Gallery . The museum provides electronic resources to schools and the public through its national education program , including Artful Connections , real-time video conference tours . It maintains seven online research databases with more than 500,000 records , including the Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture that document more than 400,000 artworks in public and private collections worldwide . Since 1951 , the museum has maintained a traveling exhibition program ; as of 2013 , more than 2.5 million visitors have seen the exhibitions .", "Victoria and Albert Museum. The Victoria and Albert Museum ( often abbreviated as the V&A ) , London , is the world 's largest museum of decorative arts and design , housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects . It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert . The V&A is located in the Brompton district of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea , in an area that has become known as `` Albertopolis '' because of its association with Prince Albert , the Albert Memorial and the major cultural institutions with which he was associated . These include the Natural History Museum , the Science Museum and the Royal Albert Hall . The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture , Media and Sport . Like other national British museums , entrance to the museum has been free since 2001 . The V&A covers 12.5 acre and 145 galleries . Its collection spans 5,000 years of art , from ancient times to the present day , from the cultures of Europe , North America , Asia and North Africa . The holdings of ceramics , glass , textiles , costumes , silver , ironwork , jewellery , furniture , medieval objects , sculpture , prints and printmaking , drawings and photographs are among the largest and most comprehensive in the world . The museum owns the world 's largest collection of post-classical sculpture , with the holdings of Italian Renaissance items being the largest outside Italy . The departments of Asia include art from South Asia , China , Japan , Korea and the Islamic world . The East Asian collections are among the best in Europe , with particular strengths in ceramics and metalwork , while the Islamic collection is amongst the largest in the Western world . Overall , it is one of the largest museums in the world . Since 2001 , the museum has embarked on a major # 150m renovation programme , which has seen a major overhaul of the departments , including the introduction of newer galleries , gardens , shops and visitor facilities . New 17th - and 18th-century European galleries were opened on 9 December 2015 . These restored the original Aston Webb interiors and host the European collections 1600 -- 1815 .", "Collection (artwork). A museum is distinguished by a collection of often unique objects that forms the core of its activities for exhibition , education , research , etc. . This differentiates it from an archive or library , where the contents may be more paper-based , replaceable and less exhibition oriented , or a private collection of art formed by an individual , family or institution that may grant no public access . A museum normally has a collecting policy for new acquisitions , so only objects in certain categories and of a certain quality are accepted into the collection . The process by which an object is formally included in the collection is called accessioning and each object is given a unique accession number . Museum collections , and archives in general , are normally catalogued in a collection catalogue , traditionally in a card index , but nowadays in a computerized database . Transferring collection catalogues onto computer-based media is a major undertaking for most museums . All new acquisitions are normally catalogued on a computer in modern museums , but there is typically a backlog of old catalogue entries to be computerized as time and funding allows .", "List of museums. __ NOTOC __ This is a list of museums . A museum is an institution that cares for ( conserves ) a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic , cultural , historical , or scientific importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary . According to Museums of the World , there are about 55,000 museums in 202 countries . The International Council of Museums comprises 30,000 members in 137 countries .", "Outline of Philadelphia. The following outline of Philadelphia is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Philadelphia topics on Wikipedia . Philadelphia -- largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , the second largest city on the East Coast of the United States , and the fifth-most-populous city in the United States . It is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers , and it is the only consolidated city-county in Pennsylvania . As of the , the city had a population of 1,526,006 , growing to 1,547,607 in 2012 by Census estimates . Philadelphia is the economic and cultural center of the , home to over 6 million people and the country 's sixth-largest metropolitan area .", "Brooklyn Museum. The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn . At 560000 sqft , the museum is New York City 's third largest in physical size and holds an art collection with roughly 1.5 million works . Located near the Prospect Heights , Crown Heights , Flatbush , and Park Slope neighborhoods of Brooklyn and founded in 1895 , the Beaux-Arts building , designed by McKim , Mead and White , was planned to be the largest art museum in the world . The museum initially struggled to maintain its building and collection , only to be revitalized in the late 20th century , thanks to major renovations . Significant areas of the collection include antiquities , specifically their collection of Egyptian antiquities spanning over 3,000 years . African , Oceanic , and Japanese art make for notable antiquities collections as well . American art is heavily represented , starting at the Colonial period . Artists represented in the collection include Mark Rothko , Edward Hopper , Norman Rockwell , Winslow Homer , Edgar Degas , Georgia O'Keeffe , and Max Weber . The museum also has a `` Memorial Sculpture Garden '' which features salvaged architectural elements from throughout New York City .", "Collecting. The hobby of collecting includes seeking , locating , acquiring , organizing , cataloging , displaying , storing , and maintaining whatever items are of interest to the individual collector . The scope of collecting is unlimited , which is expressed in the hyperbolic expression : `` If something exists , somebody somewhere collects them . '' The most obvious way to categorise collections is by the type of objects collected . Most collections are of manufactured commercial items , but natural objects such as birds ' eggs , butterflies , rocks , and seashells can also be the subject of a collection . Some collectors may collect not a specific type of object , but instead objects with specific properties ; for example , some people collect items that once belonged to famous people . Among collections of manufactured items , the objects may be antique , or simply collectible . Antiques are collectible items at least 100 years old , while collectibles can be arbitrarily recent . Collectors and dealers may use the word vintage to describe older collectibles . Items which were once everyday objects but may now be collectible since almost all those once produced have been destroyed or discarded are called ephemera . Philately , phillumeny , and deltiology ( collecting postage stamps , matchboxes , and postcards ) are forms of collecting which can be undertaken at minimal expense . Some collectors are generalists with very broad criteria for inclusion , while others focus on a subtopic within their area of interest . Some collectors accumulate arbitrarily many objects that meet the thematic and quality requirements of their collection , others -- called completists or completionists -- aim to acquire all items in a well-defined set that can in principle be completed , and others seek a limited number of items per category ( e.g. one representative item per year of manufacture or place of purchase ) . The monetary value of objects is important to some collectors but irrelevant to others . Some collectors maintain objects in pristine condition , while others use the items they collect . Collecting is for some people a childhood hobby , but for others a lifelong pursuit or one that begins in adulthood . Collectors who begin early in life often modify their aims when they get older . Some novice collectors start purchasing items that appeal to them then slowly work at learning how to build a collection , while others prefer to develop some background in the field before starting to buy items . The emergence of the internet as a global forum for different collectors has resulted in many isolated enthusiasts finding each other .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "National Gallery of Art. The National Gallery of Art , and its attached Sculpture Garden , is a national art museum in Washington , D.C. , located on the National Mall , between 3rd and 9th Streets , at Constitution Avenue NW . Open to the public and free of charge , the museum was privately established in 1937 for the American people by a joint resolution of the United States Congress . Andrew W. Mellon donated a substantial art collection and funds for construction . The core collection includes major works of art donated by Paul Mellon , Ailsa Mellon Bruce , Lessing J. Rosenwald , Samuel Henry Kress , Rush Harrison Kress , Peter Arrell Brown Widener , Joseph E. Widener , and Chester Dale . The Gallery 's collection of paintings , drawings , prints , photographs , sculpture , medals , and decorative arts traces the development of Western Art from the Middle Ages to the present , including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas and the largest mobile created by Alexander Calder . The Gallery 's campus includes the original neoclassical West Building designed by John Russell Pope , which is linked underground to the modern East Building , designed by I. M. Pei , and the 6.1 acre Sculpture Garden . The Gallery often presents temporary special exhibitions spanning the world and the history of art . It is one of the largest museums in North America .", "Museum of Modern Art. The Museum of Modern Art ( MoMA -LSB- ˈmoʊmə -RSB- ) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan in New York City , on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues . MoMA has been important in developing and collecting modernist art , and is often identified as one of the largest and most influential museums of modern art in the world . MoMA 's collection offers an overview of modern and contemporary art , including works of architecture and design , drawing , painting , sculpture , photography , prints , illustrated books and artist 's books , film , and electronic media . The MoMA Library includes approximately 300,000 books and exhibition catalogs , over 1,000 periodical titles , and over 40,000 files of ephemera about individual artists and groups . The archives holds primary source material related to the history of modern and contemporary art .", "University of Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania ( commonly known as Penn or UPenn ) is a private Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States . Incorporated as The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania , Penn is one of 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities and one of the nine original colonial colleges . Benjamin Franklin , Penn 's founder , advocated an educational program that focused as much on practical education for commerce and public service as on the classics and theology , though his proposed curriculum was never adopted . The university coat of arms features a dolphin on the red chief , adopted directly from the Franklin family 's own coat of arms . Penn was one of the first academic institutions to follow a multidisciplinary model pioneered by several European universities , concentrating multiple `` faculties '' ( e.g. , theology , classics , medicine ) into one institution . It was also home to many other educational innovations . The first school of medicine in North America ( Perelman School of Medicine , 1765 ) , the first collegiate business school ( Wharton School of Business , 1881 ) , and the first `` student union '' building and organization ( Houston Hall , 1896 ) were founded at Penn. . With an endowment of $ 10.72 billion ( 2016 ) , Penn had the seventh largest endowment of all colleges in the United States . All of Penn 's schools exhibit very high research activity . In fiscal year 2015 , Penn 's academic research budget was $ 851 million , involving more than 4,300 faculty , 1,100 postdoctoral fellows and 5,500 support staff/graduate assistants . Over its history , the university has also produced many distinguished alumni . These include 14 heads of state ( including two U.S. Presidents ) ; 25 billionaires - the most of any university in the world at the undergraduate level ; three United States Supreme Court justices ; over 33 United States Senators , 42 United States Governors , and 158 members of the U.S. House of Representatives ; 8 signers of the United States Declaration of Independence ; and 12 signers of the United States Constitution . In addition , some 30 Nobel laureates , 169 Guggenheim Fellows , and 80 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences , have been affiliated with Penn. . In addition , Penn has produced a significant number of Fortune 500 CEOs , trailing only Harvard and Stanford worldwide .", "Art museum. An art museum or art gallery is a building or space for the exhibition of art , usually visual art . Museums can be public or private , but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection . Paintings are the most commonly displayed art objects ; however , sculptures , decorative arts , furniture , textiles , costumes , drawings , pastels , watercolors , collages , prints , artist 's books , photographs , and installation art are also regularly shown . Although primarily concerned with providing a space to show works of visual art , art galleries are sometimes used to host other artistic activities , such as performance arts , music concerts , or poetry readings .", "List of museums in Philadelphia. This list of museums in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania encompasses museums defined for this context as institutions ( including nonprofit organizations , government entities , and private businesses ) that collect and care for objects of cultural , artistic , scientific , or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing . Also included are university and non-profit art galleries . Museums that exist only in cyberspace ( i.e. , virtual museums ) are not included . To use the sortable table , click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order ; click again for reverse alphabetical order .", "University of the Arts (Philadelphia). The University of the Arts ( UArts ) is a university of visual and performing arts based in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Its campus makes up part of the Avenue of the Arts in Center City , Philadelphia . Dating back to the 1870s , it is one of the oldest schools of art or music in the United States . The university is composed of two colleges and two Divisions : the College of Art , Media & Design , and the College of Performing Arts , as well as the Division of Liberal Arts and the Division of Continuing Studies . Many alumni have achieved notable success .", "Portland Art Museum. The Portland Art Museum in Portland , Oregon , United States , was founded in 1892 , making it the oldest art museum on the West Coast and seventh oldest in the US . Upon completion of the most recent renovations , the Portland Art Museum became one of the 25 largest art museums in the US , at a total of 240,000 square feet ( 22,000 m ² ) , with more than 112,000 square feet ( 10,400 m ² ) of gallery space . The permanent collection has more than 42,000 works of art , and at least one major traveling exhibition is usually on show . The Portland Art Museum features a center for Native American art , a center for Northwest art , a center for modern and contemporary art , permanent exhibitions of Asian art , and an outdoor public sculpture garden . The Northwest Film Center is also a component of Portland Art Museum . The mission of the Portland Art Museum is to serve the public by providing access to art of enduring quality , by educating a diverse audience about art and by collecting and preserving a wide range of art for the enrichment of present and future generations . The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums , with accreditation through 2024 .", "Culture of Philadelphia. The culture of Philadelphia goes back to 1682 when Philadelphia , Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn. . Originally inhabited by the Lenape , Philadelphia was envisioned as a place where people could live without fear of persecution because of their religion . As a result , many Quakers , Mennonites , and others came to find refuge within the city . As Philadelphia grew into a major political and economic center of the United States , many different groups of religions and ethnicities flocked to the city . 19th and 20th century immigration and migration led to large concentrations of Irish , Italians , Germans , Asians , Puerto Ricans and African Americans . Philadelphia is still a major center of immigration , with large Chinese , Vietnamese , Korean , East African , Middle Eastern , Indian and Mexican immigrant populations , among others . The city 's cultural prominence has risen and fallen since its founding . The city has made contributions in art , music , television , architecture and food . Philadelphia institutions range from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to Pat 's Steaks .", "Louvre. The Louvre ( l ) is the world 's largest museum and a historic monument in Paris , France . A central landmark of the city , it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city 's 1st arrondissement ( district or ward ) . Approximately 38,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century are exhibited over an area of 72,735 square metres ( 782,910 square feet ) . The Louvre is the world 's second most visited museum , receiving 7.4 million visitors in 2016 . The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace , originally built as a fortress in the late 12th century under Philip II . Remnants of the fortress are visible in the basement of the museum . Due to the urban expansion of the city , the fortress eventually lost its defensive function and , in 1546 , was converted by Francis I into the main residence of the French Kings . The building was extended many times to form the present Louvre Palace . In 1682 , Louis XIV chose the Palace of Versailles for his household , leaving the Louvre primarily as a place to display the royal collection , including , from 1692 , a collection of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture . In 1692 , the building was occupied by the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres and the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture , which in 1699 held the first of a series of salons . The Académie remained at the Louvre for 100 years . During the French Revolution , the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum to display the nation 's masterpieces . The museum opened on 10 August 1793 with an exhibition of 537 paintings , the majority of the works being royal and confiscated church property . Because of structural problems with the building , the museum was closed in 1796 until 1801 . The collection was increased under Napoleon and the museum renamed Musée Napoléon , but after Napoleon 's abdication many works seized by his armies were returned to their original owners . The collection was further increased during the reigns of Louis XVIII and Charles X , and during the Second French Empire the museum gained 20,000 pieces . Holdings have grown steadily through donations and bequests since the Third Republic . The collection is divided among eight curatorial departments : Egyptian Antiquities ; Near Eastern Antiquities ; Greek , Etruscan and Roman Antiquities ; Islamic Art ; Sculpture ; Decorative Arts ; Paintings ; Prints and Drawings .", "College of Physicians of Philadelphia. The College of Physicians of Philadelphia is the oldest private medical society in the United States . Founded in 1787 by 24 Philadelphia physicians `` to advance the Science of Medicine , and thereby lessen human misery , by investigating the diseases and remedies which are peculiar to our country '' and to promote `` order and uniformity in the practice of Physick , '' it has made important contributions to medical education and research . The College hosts the Mütter Museum , a gallery of 19th-century specimens , teaching models , instruments , and photographs , as well as the Historical Medical Library , which is one of the country 's oldest medical libraries . The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Building , designed by the firm of Cope & Stewardson and built in 1909 , was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in October , 2008 . It was also then listed on the National Register of Historic Places .", "Indianapolis Museum of Art. The Indianapolis Museum of Art ( known colloquially as the IMA ) is an encyclopedic art museum located in Indianapolis , Indiana , United States . The museum , which underwent a $ 74 million expansion in 2005 , is located on a 152 acre campus on the near northwest area outside downtown Indianapolis , northwest of Crown Hill Cemetery . The Indianapolis Museum of Art is the ninth oldest and eighth largest encyclopedic art museum in the United States . The permanent collection comprises over 54,000 works , including African , American , Asian , and European pieces . Significant areas of the collection include : Neo-Impressionist paintings ; Japanese paintings of the Edo period ; Chinese ceramics and bronzes ; paintings , sculptures , and prints by Paul Gauguin and the Pont-Aven School ; a large number of works by J. M. W. Turner ; and a growing contemporary art collection . Other areas of emphasis include textiles and fashion arts as well as a recent focus on modern design . In addition to its collections , the museum consists of 100 Acres : The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park ; Oldfields , a restored American Country Place era estate once owned by Josiah K. Lilly , Jr. ; and restored gardens and grounds originally designed by Percival Gallagher of the Olmsted Brothers firm . The IMA also owns the Miller House , a Mid-Century modern home designed by Eero Saarinen and located in Columbus , Indiana . The museum 's holdings demonstrate the institution 's emphasis on the connections among art , design , and the natural environment . Founded in 1883 by the Art Association of Indianapolis , the first permanent museum was opened in 1906 as part of the John Herron Art Institute . In 1969 , the Art Association of Indianapolis changed its name to the Indianapolis Museum of Art , and in 1970 the museum moved to its current location at Michigan Road and 38th Street north of downtown Indianapolis . Among the Art Association 's founders was May Wright Sewall ( 1844 -- 1920 ) , known for her work in the women 's suffrage movement . Other supporters have included Booth Tarkington ( 1869 -- 1946 ) , Eli Lilly ( 1885 -- 1977 ) , Herman C. Krannert ( 1887 -- 1972 ) , and Caroline Marmon Fesler ( 1878 -- 1960 ) . The associated John Herron Art Institute was established with the help of notable Hoosier Group artists T. C. Steele and William Forsyth . Dr. Charles L. Venable is the current Melvin and Bren Simon Director and CEO . The museum is widely recognized as innovative in its development of open source technologies , institutional transparency , and collaboration between museums . In 2008 , the IMA became the first fine art museum to be named an Energy Star partner due to its greening initiative and efforts to reduce energy consumption . In 2009 , the IMA was awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service for public service , specifically the museum 's free admission policy and educational programming .", "Erie Art Museum. Erie Art Museum is an art museum in Erie , Pennsylvania , with a collection of over 8,000 objects , including American ceramics , Tibetan paintings , Indian bronzes , contemporary baskets , and many other mediums . The museum hosts 18 to 20 visiting exhibitions annually and shares parts of its collection with national and international partners through traveling exhibits . In October 2011 , the Erie Art Museum was awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service . The museum publishes a monthly eNewsletter on its main website and has hosted an annual blues and jazz music festival at Frontier Park since 1993 .", "Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art. The Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art , founded in 1975 , located within historic Congregation Rodeph Shalom , is dedicated to exhibiting contemporary art that illuminates the Jewish experience . The museum has organized solo and group exhibitions of work in many mediums by artists of diverse backgrounds . In addition to its special-exhibit gallery , the Museum features a permanent collection of important works by accomplished artists including William Anastasi , Chaim Gross , Tobi Kahn , Joan Snyder , Shelley Spector , Boaz Vaadia and Roman Vishniac . Showcased in the Thalheimer Entrance Foyer of the synagogue on Broad Street is the museum 's Leon J. and Julia S. Obermayer Collection of Jewish Ritual Art . The museum 's entrance and parking are on Mt. Vernon Street . The museum 's hours , subject to change , are Monday through Thursday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm ; Friday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm ; and Sunday 10:00 am to noon .", "Royal Collection. The Royal Collection is the art collection of the British Royal Family and the largest private art collection in the world . Spread among 13 occupied and historic royal residences in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , the collection is owned by Queen Elizabeth II and overseen by the Royal Collection Trust , a branch of the Royal Household . The Queen owns some objects in the collection in right of the Crown and some as a private individual . It is made up of over one million objects , including 7,000 paintings , 30,000 watercolours and drawings , and about 500,000 prints , as well as photographs , tapestries , furniture , ceramics , books , sculptures , and the Crown Jewels . Some of the buildings which house the collection , like Hampton Court Palace , are open to the public and not lived in by the Royal Family , whilst others , like Windsor Castle , are both residences and open to the public . The Queen 's Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London was built specially to exhibit pieces from the collection on a rotating basis . There is a similar art gallery next to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh , and a Drawings Gallery at Windsor Castle . The Crown Jewels are on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London . About 3,000 objects are on loan to museums throughout the world , and many others are loaned on a temporary basis to exhibitions .", "Library of Congress. The Library of Congress ( `` LOC '' ) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto national library of the United States . It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States . The Library is housed in three buildings on Capitol Hill in Washington , D.C. ; it also maintains the Packard Campus in Culpeper , Virginia , which houses the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center . The Library of Congress claims to be the largest library in the world . Its `` collections are universal , not limited by subject , format , or national boundary , and include research materials from all parts of the world and in more than 450 languages . Two-thirds of the books it acquires each year are in languages other than English . '' The Library of Congress moved to Washington in 1800 , after sitting for eleven years in the temporary national capitals of New York ( New York City ) and Philadelphia . John J. Beckley , who became the first Librarian of Congress , was paid two dollars per day and was required to also serve as the Clerk of the House of Representatives . The small Congressional Library was housed in the United States Capitol for most of the 19th century until the early 1890s . Most of the original collection had been destroyed by the British in 1814 , during the War of 1812 . To restore its collection in 1815 , the library bought from former president Thomas Jefferson his entire personal collection of 6,487 books . After a period of slow growth , another fire struck the Library in its Capitol chambers in 1851 , again destroying a large amount of the collection , including many of Jefferson 's books . After the American Civil War , the Library of Congress grew rapidly in both size and importance , which sparked a campaign to purchase replacement copies for volumes that had been burned from other sources , collections and libraries ( which had started to appear throughout the burgeoning United States ) . The Library received the right of transference of all copyrighted works to have two copies deposited of books , maps , illustrations and diagrams printed in the United States . It also began to build its collections of British and other European works and then of works published throughout the English-speaking world . This development culminated in the construction between 1888 and 1894 of a separate , extensive library building across the street from the Capitol , in the Beaux Arts style with fine decorations , murals , paintings , marble halls , columns and steps , carved hardwoods and a stained glass dome . It included several stories built underground of steel and cast iron stacks . The Library 's primary mission of researching inquiries made by members of Congress is carried out through the Congressional Research Service , traces its origin to 1914 , and was first permanently authorized ( as the Legislative Reference Service ) with the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 . Although the Library is open to the public , only high-ranking government officials may check out books and materials ( except through Inter-Library Loan , which is available to the public ) . The Library promotes literacy and American literature through projects such as the American Folklife Center , American Memory , Center for the Book , and Poet Laureate .", "Art. Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual , auditory or performing artifacts ( artworks ) , expressing the author 's imaginative or technical skill , intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power . In their most general form these activities include the production of works of art , the criticism of art , the study of the history of art , and the aesthetic dissemination of art . The oldest documented forms of art are visual arts , which include creation of images or objects in fields including painting , sculpture , printmaking , photography , and other visual media . Architecture is often included as one of the visual arts ; however , like the decorative arts , or advertising , it involves the creation of objects where the practical considerations of use are essential -- in a way that they usually are not in a painting , for example . Music , theatre , film , dance , and other performing arts , as well as literature and other media such as interactive media , are included in a broader definition of art or the arts . Until the 17th century , art referred to any skill or mastery and was not differentiated from crafts or sciences . In modern usage after the 17th century , where aesthetic considerations are paramount , the fine arts are separated and distinguished from acquired skills in general , such as the decorative or applied arts . Art may be characterized in terms of mimesis ( its representation of reality ) , expression , communication of emotion , or other qualities . During the Romantic period , art came to be seen as `` a special faculty of the human mind to be classified with religion and science '' . Though the definition of what constitutes art is disputed and has changed over time , general descriptions mention an idea of imaginative or technical skill stemming from human agency and creation . The nature of art and related concepts , such as creativity and interpretation , are explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics .", "Milwaukee Art Museum. The Milwaukee Art Museum ( MAM ) is an art museum in Milwaukee , Wisconsin . Its collection contains nearly 25,000 works of art . It is one of the largest museums in the United States .", "National Gallery. The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster , in Central London . Founded in 1824 , it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900 . The Gallery is an exempt charity , and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture , Media and Sport . Its collection belongs to the public of the United Kingdom and entry to the main collection is free of charge . It is among the most visited art museums in the world , after the Musée du Louvre , the British Museum , and the Metropolitan Museum of Art . Unlike comparable museums in continental Europe , the National Gallery was not formed by nationalising an existing royal or princely art collection . It came into being when the British government bought 38 paintings from the heirs of John Julius Angerstein , an insurance broker and patron of the arts , in 1824 . After that initial purchase the Gallery was shaped mainly by its early directors , notably Sir Charles Lock Eastlake , and by private donations , which comprise two-thirds of the collection . The resulting collection is small in size , compared with many European national galleries , but encyclopaedic in scope ; most major developments in Western painting `` from Giotto to Cézanne '' are represented with important works . It used to be claimed that this was one of the few national galleries that had all its works on permanent exhibition , but this is no longer the case . The present building , the third to house the National Gallery , was designed by William Wilkins from 1832 to 1838 . Only the façade onto Trafalgar Square remains essentially unchanged from this time , as the building has been expanded piecemeal throughout its history . Wilkins 's building was often criticised for the perceived weaknesses of its design and for its lack of space ; the latter problem led to the establishment of the Tate Gallery for British art in 1897 . The Sainsbury Wing , an extension to the west by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown , is a notable example of Postmodernist architecture in Britain . The current Director of the National Gallery is Gabriele Finaldi ." ]

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[ "Dustin Hoffman. Dustin Lee Hoffman ( born August 8 , 1937 ) is an American actor and a director , with a career in film , television , and theatre since 1960 . Hoffman has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters . He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1980 for Kramer vs. Kramer , and in 1989 for Rain Man . Widely considered one of the finest actors in history , Hoffman first drew critical praise for starring in the play , Eh ? , for which he won a Theatre World Award and a Drama Desk Award . This achievement was soon followed by his breakthrough 1967 film role as Benjamin Braddock , the title character in The Graduate . Since that time , Hoffman 's career has largely been focused on the cinema , with sporadic returns to television and to the stage . Hoffman 's notable films include : Midnight Cowboy , Little Big Man , Straw Dogs , Papillon , Lenny , Marathon Man , All the President 's Men , Kramer vs. Kramer , Tootsie , Rain Man , Hook , and Wag the Dog . He made his directorial debut in 2012 , with Quartet . Along with 2 Academy Award wins , Hoffman has been nominated for 5 additional Academy Awards , and he was nominated for 13 Golden Globes , winning 6 ( including an honorary award ) . He has won 4 BAFTAs , 3 Drama Desk Awards , 2 Emmy Awards , and a Genie Award . Hoffman received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1999 , and the Kennedy Center Honors Award in 2012 .", "Dustin Hoffman filmography. American actor Dustin Hoffman began his career by appearing in an episode of Naked City in 1961 . His first theatrical performance was 1961 's A Cook for Mr. General as Ridzinski . Following several guest appearances on television , he starred in the 1966 play Eh ? ; his performance garnered him both a Theatre World Award and Drama Desk Award . Hoffman made his film debut in 1967 when he appeared in the comedy The Tiger Makes Out . In the same year , his breakthrough role as Benjamin `` Ben '' Braddock , the title character in Mike Nichols ' comedy-drama The Graduate , led to Hoffman achieving star status and his first Academy Award nomination . He then acted in the play Jimmy Shine as the eponymous character and the comedy film Madigan 's Millions ( both 1968 ) . In 1969 , he starred alongside Jon Voight in the Academy Award for Best Picture winner Midnight Cowboy , which Hoffman was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor a second time . The 1970s saw Hoffman star in several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films , including the Western Little Big Man ( 1970 ) , psychological thriller Straw Dogs ( 1971 ) , prison film Papillon ( 1973 ) alongside Steve McQueen , Lenny ( 1974 ) about the controversial comedian Lenny Bruce , and the political thriller All the President 's Men ( 1976 ) as journalist Carl Bernstein investigating the Watergate scandal alongside Bob Woodward ( played by Robert Redford ) . After starring in the suspense-thriller Marathon Man ( 1976 ) and the crime drama Straight Time ( 1978 ) , Hoffman starred in the 1979 drama Kramer vs. Kramer , which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the first time for his performance as Ted Kramer . After a three-year acting hiatus , he starred in the comedy Tootsie in 1982 as a struggling actor who pretends to be a woman in order to get an acting role . He returned to stage acting with a 1984 performance as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman -- Hoffman reprised the role a year later in a television film . 1987 saw the release of originally ill-received comedy Ishtar , in which he starred with Warren Beatty ; its critical support has since grown . He won his second Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the autistic Ray Babbitt in the 1988 film Rain Man , co-starring Tom Cruise . In 1989 , he was nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for playing Shylock in an stage performance of The Merchant of Venice . In the 1990s , he made appearances in such film as Warren Beatty 's action comedy adaptation Dick Tracy ( 1990 ) , Steven Spielberg 's Hook ( 1991 ) as Captain Hook , guest starred in the 1991 `` Lisa 's Substitute '' episode of the The Simpsons , medical disaster Outbreak ( 1995 ) , legal crime drama Sleepers ( 1996 ) , thriller Mad City ( 1997 ) , and the satirical black comedy Wag the Dog ( 1997 ) alongside Robert De Niro . In the 2000s , he played theatrical producer Charles Frohman in Finding Neverland , co-starred in the comedy Meet the Fockers ( both 2004 ) as Bernie Focker , the fantasy thriller Perfume : The Story of a Murderer ( 2006 ) , and played the title character in the family comedy Mr. Magorium 's Wonder Emporium ( 2007 ) . Hoffman has acted in the Kung Fu Panda franchise since 2008 and reprised his role as Focker in Little Fockers ( 2010 ) . He starred in the HBO drama series Luck , which was cancelled after one season due to animal safety concerns , and made his directorial debut in 2012 with Quartet .", "Marathon Man (film). Marathon Man is a 1976 American suspense-thriller film directed by John Schlesinger . It was adapted by William Goldman from his 1974 novel of the same name and stars Dustin Hoffman , Laurence Olivier , Roy Scheider , William Devane and Marthe Keller . The music score was composed by Michael Small . The film was a critical and box office success , with Olivier earning a Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination for his role as the film 's antagonist .", "The Meyerowitz Stories. The Meyerowitz Stories ( New and Selected ) is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed and written by Noah Baumbach . The film stars Adam Sandler , Ben Stiller , Emma Thompson , and Dustin Hoffman . It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or in the main competition section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival .", "The Graduate. The Graduate is a 1967 American comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols and written by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry , based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Charles Webb , who wrote it shortly after graduating from Williams College . The film tells the story of 21-year-old Benjamin Braddock ( Dustin Hoffman ) , a recent college graduate with no well-defined aim in life , who is seduced by an older woman , Mrs. Robinson ( Anne Bancroft ) , then falls in love with her daughter Elaine ( Katharine Ross ) . The film was released on December 22 , 1967 , received positive reviews and grossed $ 104.9 million . With the figures adjusted for inflation the film 's gross is $ , making it the 22nd highest-ever grossing film in North America . In 1996 , The Graduate was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant . '' Initially , the film was placed at number 7 on AFI 's 100 Years ... 100 Movies list in 1998 . When AFI revised the list in 2007 , the film was moved to number 17 . The Graduate won the Academy Award for Best Director for Nichols and was nominated in six other categories , making it the last film so far to win Best Director and nothing else .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while working within the film industry . At the 9th Academy Awards ceremony held in 1937 , Walter Brennan was the first winner of this award for his role in Come and Get It . Initially , winners in both supporting acting categories were awarded plaques instead of statuettes . Beginning with the 16th ceremony held in 1944 , however , winners received full-sized statuettes . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . Since its inception , the award has been given to 72 actors . Brennan has received the most awards in this category with three awards . Brennan , Jeff Bridges , Robert Duvall , Arthur Kennedy , Jack Nicholson , and Claude Rains were nominated on four occasions , more than any other actor . As of the 2017 ceremony , Mahershala Ali is the most recent winner in this category for his role as Juan in Moonlight .", "Tootsie. Tootsie is a 1982 American comedy film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Dustin Hoffman , with a supporting cast that includes Bill Murray , Jessica Lange , Teri Garr , Dabney Coleman , Charles Durning , Geena Davis ( in her acting debut ) , and Doris Belack . The film tells the story of a talented but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult forces him to adopt a new identity as a woman in order to land a job . The film was adapted by Larry Gelbart , Barry Levinson ( uncredited ) , Elaine May ( uncredited ) and Murray Schisgal from the story by Gelbart and Don McGuire . In 1998 , the Library of Congress deemed the film `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry . The theme song to the film , `` It Might Be You , '' which was sung by singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop , whose music was composed by Dave Grusin , and whose lyrics were written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman , was a Top 40 hit in the U.S. , and also hit 1 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart .", "Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while working within the film industry . At the 9th Academy Awards ceremony held in 1937 , Gale Sondergaard was the first winner of this award for her role in Anthony Adverse . Initially , winners in both supporting acting categories were awarded plaques instead of statuettes . Beginning with the 16th ceremony held in 1944 , however , winners received full-sized statuettes . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . Since its inception , the award has been given to 78 actresses . Dianne Wiest and Shelley Winters have received the most awards in this category with two awards each . Despite winning no awards , Thelma Ritter was nominated on six occasions , more than any other actress . As of the 2017 ceremony , Viola Davis is the most recent winner in this category for her role as Rose Maxson in Fences .", "Midnight Cowboy. Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 American drama film based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy . The film was written by Waldo Salt , directed by John Schlesinger , and stars Jon Voight alongside Dustin Hoffman . Notable smaller roles are filled by Sylvia Miles , John McGiver , Brenda Vaccaro , Bob Balaban , Jennifer Salt and Barnard Hughes . The film won three Academy Awards : Best Picture , Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay . It was the first LGBT-related Best Picture winner . In addition , it was the only X-rated film ever to win Best Picture , though its rating has since been changed to R . It has since been placed 36th on the American Film Institute 's list of the 100 greatest American films of all time , and 43rd on its 2007 updated version .", "Philip Seymour Hoffman. Philip Seymour Hoffman ( July 23 , 1967 -- February 2 , 2014 ) was an American actor , director , and producer of film and theater . Best known for his distinctive supporting and character roles -- typically lowlifes , bullies , and misfits -- Hoffman made many films from the early 1990s until his death at age 46 . Drawn to theater as a teenager , Hoffman studied acting at New York University 's Tisch School of the Arts . He began his screen career in a 1991 episode of Law & Order and started to appear in films in 1992 . He gained recognition for his supporting work , notably in Boogie Nights ( 1997 ) , Happiness ( 1998 ) , Patch Adams ( 1998 ) , The Big Lebowski ( 1998 ) , Magnolia ( 1999 ) , The Talented Mr. Ripley ( 1999 ) , Almost Famous ( 2000 ) , Punch-Drunk Love ( 2002 ) , and Along Came Polly ( 2004 ) . He began to occasionally play leading roles , and for his portrayal of the author Truman Capote in Capote ( 2005 ) , won multiple accolades including the Academy Award for Best Actor . Hoffman 's profile continued to grow , and he received three more Oscar nominations for his supporting work as a brutally frank CIA officer in Charlie Wilson 's War ( 2007 ) , a priest accused of pedophilia in Doubt ( 2008 ) , and the charismatic leader of a Scientology-type movement in The Master ( 2012 ) . While he mainly worked in independent films , including The Savages ( 2007 ) and Synecdoche , New York ( 2008 ) , Hoffman also appeared in Hollywood blockbusters , such as Twister ( 1996 ) and Mission : Impossible III ( 2006 ) , and in one of his final roles , as Plutarch Heavensbee in the Hunger Games series ( 2013 -- 15 ) . The feature Jack Goes Boating ( 2010 ) marked his debut as a filmmaker . Hoffman was also an accomplished theater actor and director . He joined the off-Broadway LAByrinth Theater Company in 1995 , where he directed , produced , and appeared in numerous stage productions . His performances in three Broadway plays -- True West ( 2000 ) , Long Day 's Journey into Night ( 2003 ) , and Death of a Salesman ( 2012 ) -- all led to Tony Award nominations . Hoffman struggled with drug addiction as a young adult , and relapsed in 2013 after many years of sobriety . In February 2014 , he was found dead with a syringe of heroin still in his arm , but the official cause of death was combined drug intoxication -- an unexpected event that was widely lamented in the film and theater industries . Remembered for his fearlessness in playing reprehensible characters , and for bringing depth and humanity to such roles , Hoffman was described in his New York Times obituary as `` perhaps the most ambitious and widely admired American actor of his generation '' .", "Mark Johnson (producer). Mark Johnson ( born December 27 , 1945 ) is an American film producer . Johnson won the Best Picture Academy Award for producing the 1988 drama movie Rain Man , starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise . The film , winner of four Oscars , also captured a Golden Globe for Best Picture .", "Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan . The show originally aired on the AMC network for five seasons , from January 20 , 2008 , to September 29 , 2013 . It tells the story of Walter White ( Bryan Cranston ) , a struggling high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer . Together with his former student Jesse Pinkman ( Aaron Paul ) , White turns to a life of crime , producing and selling crystallized methamphetamine to secure his family 's financial future before he dies , while navigating the dangers of the criminal world . The title is from a Southern colloquialism meaning to `` raise hell '' . Breaking Bad is set and was filmed in Albuquerque , New Mexico . Walter 's family consists of his wife Skyler ( Anna Gunn ) and children , Walter , Jr. ( RJ Mitte ) and Holly ( Elanor Anne Wenrich ) . The show also features Skyler 's sister Marie Schrader ( Betsy Brandt ) , and her husband Hank ( Dean Norris ) , a Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) agent . Walter hires lawyer Saul Goodman ( Bob Odenkirk ) , who connects him with private investigator and fixer Mike Ehrmantraut ( Jonathan Banks ) and in turn Mike 's employer , drug kingpin Gus Fring ( Giancarlo Esposito ) . The final season introduces the characters Todd Alquist ( Jesse Plemons ) and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle ( Laura Fraser ) . Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time . By the time the series finale aired , the series was among the most-watched cable shows on American television . The show received numerous awards , including sixteen Primetime Emmy Awards , eight Satellite Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two Peabody Awards , two Critics ' Choice Awards , and four Television Critics Association Awards . For his leading performance , Cranston won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times , while Aaron Paul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times ; Anna Gunn won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series twice . In 2013 , Breaking Bad entered the Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed show of all time .", "Death of a Salesman (1985 film). Death of a Salesman is a 1985 American made-for-television film adaptation of the 1949 play of the same name by Arthur Miller , directed by Volker Schlöndorff , starring Dustin Hoffman , Kate Reid , John Malkovich , Stephen Lang and Charles Durning . The film follows the script of the 1949 play almost exactly and originally premiered on CBS on August 16 , 1985 . The film earned 10 Emmy nominations at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony and 4 Golden Globe nominations at the 43rd Golden Globe Awards ceremony , winning 3 and 1 , respectively .", "Bridesmaids (2011 film). Bridesmaids is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Paul Feig , written by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig , and produced by Judd Apatow , Barry Mendel and Clayton Townsend . The plot centers on Annie ( Wiig ) , who suffers a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as maid of honor for her best friend , Lillian , played by Maya Rudolph . Rose Byrne , Melissa McCarthy , Ellie Kemper , and Wendi McLendon-Covey co-star as Lillian 's bridesmaids , with Chris O'Dowd , Rebel Wilson , Matt Lucas , Michael Hitchcock , and Jill Clayburgh , in her final film appearance , in supporting roles . Actresses Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig wrote the screenplay following Wiig 's casting in Apatow 's 2007 comedy film Knocked Up . Budgeted at $ 32.5 million , filming took place in Los Angeles , California . Upon its opening release in the United States and Canada on May 13 , 2011 , Bridesmaids was both critically and commercially successful . The film grossed $ 26 million in its opening weekend , eventually grossing over $ 288 million worldwide , and surpassed Knocked Up to become the top-grossing Apatow production to date , and served as a touchstone for discussion about women in comedy . The film was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy . It received multiple other accolades . On January 24 , 2012 , the film was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Melissa McCarthy and Best Original Screenplay for Wiig and Mumolo . This made it the first Apatow-produced film to be nominated for an Academy Award .", "Screen Actors Guild Award. The Screen Actors Guild Award ( also known as the SAG Award ) is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists ( SAG-AFTRA ) to recognize outstanding performances in film and primetime television . The statuette given , a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy , is called `` The Actor '' . It is 16 in tall , weighs over 12 lb , is cast in solid bronze , and produced by the American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank , California . SAG Awards have been one of the major awards events in Hollywood since 1995 . Nominations for the awards come from two committees , one for film and one for television , each numbering 2100 members of the union , randomly selected anew each year , with the full membership ( 165,000 as of 2012 ) available to vote for the winners . It is considered an indicator of success at the Academy Awards . The awards have been telecast since 1998 on TNT , and since 2007 have been simulcast on TBS . The inaugural SAG Awards aired live on February 25 , 1995 from Universal Studios ' Stage 12 . The second SAG awards aired live from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium , while subsequent awards have been held at the Shrine Exposition Center .", "Academy Award for Best Actress. The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the film industry . The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Janet Gaynor receiving the award for her roles in 7th Heaven , Street Angel , and Sunrise . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . In the first three years of the awards , actresses were nominated as the best in their categories . At that time , all of their work during the qualifying period ( as many as three films , in some cases ) was listed after the award . However , during the 3rd ceremony held in 1930 , only one of those films was cited in each winner 's final award , even though each of the acting winners had two films following their names on the ballots . The following year , this unwieldy and confusing system was replaced by the current system in which an actress is nominated for a specific performance in a single film . Starting with the 9th ceremony held in 1937 , the category was officially limited to five nominations per year . One actress has been nominated posthumously , Jeanne Eagels . Only three film characters have been nominated more than once in this category . Elizabeth I of England ( two times by Cate Blanchett ) , Leslie Crosbie in The Letter , and Esther Blodgett in A Star is Born . Six women on the list have received an Honorary Academy Award for their acting ; they are Greta Garbo , Barbara Stanwyck , Mary Pickford , Deborah Kerr , Gena Rowlands , and Sophia Loren . Since its inception , the award has been given to 74 actresses . Katharine Hepburn has won the most awards in this category , with four Oscars . Meryl Streep , who has a total of 20 Oscar nominations ( three wins ) , has been nominated in this category on 16 occasions , resulting in two awards . As of the 2017 ceremony , Emma Stone is the most recent winner in this category for her role as Mia Dolan in La La Land .", "Rain Man. Rain Man is a 1988 American road comedy-drama film directed by Barry Levinson and written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass . It tells the story of an abrasive and selfish young wheeler-dealer , Charlie Babbitt ( Tom Cruise ) , who discovers that his estranged father has died and bequeathed all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his other son , Raymond ( Dustin Hoffman ) , an autistic savant , of whose existence Charlie was unaware . Charlie is left with only his father 's car and collection of rose bushes . In addition to the two leads , Valeria Golino stars as Charlie 's girlfriend , Susanna . Morrow created the character of Raymond after meeting Kim Peek , a real-life savant ; his characterization was based on both Peek and Bill Sackter , a good friend of Morrow who was the subject of Bill , an earlier film that Morrow wrote . Rain Man received overwhelmingly positive reviews , praising Hoffman 's role and the wit and sophistication of the screenplay , and was the highest-grossing film of 1988 . The film won four Oscars at the 61st Academy Awards ( March 1989 ) , including Best Picture , Best Original Screenplay , Best Director , and Best Actor in a Leading Role for Hoffman . Its crew received an additional four nominations . The film also won the Golden Bear at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival .", "Academy Award for Best Actor. The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the film industry . The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Emil Jannings receiving the award for his roles in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . In the first three years of the awards , actors were nominated as the best in their categories . At that time , all of their work during the qualifying period ( as many as three films , in some cases ) was listed after the award . However , during the 3rd ceremony held in 1930 , only one of those films was cited in each winner 's final award , even though each of the acting winners had two films following their names on the ballots . The following year , this unwieldy and confusing system was replaced by the current system in which an actor is nominated for a specific performance in a single film . Starting with the 9th ceremony held in 1937 , the category was officially limited to five nominations per year . Since its inception , the award has been given to 79 actors . Daniel Day-Lewis has received the most awards in this category with three Oscars . Spencer Tracy and Laurence Olivier were nominated on nine occasions , more than any other actor . As of the 2017 ceremony , Casey Affleck is the most recent winner in this category for his role as Lee Chandler in Manchester by the Sea .", "Academy Award for Best Picture. The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually since the awards debuted in 1929 , by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only category in which every member is eligible to submit a nomination and vote on the final ballot . The actors or actresses in the film will not accept this award unless he or she produced the film . Best Picture is considered the premier award of the Academy Awards , as it represents all the directing , acting , music composing , writing , editing , and other efforts put forth into a film production . Since 1973 , it is the final award presented at the ceremony and a drum roll was used when the winner is announced . The Grand Staircase columns at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles , where the Academy Awards ceremonies have been held since 2002 , showcase every film that has won the Best Picture title since the award 's inception . As of 2017 , there have been 537 films nominated for Best Picture .", "Madigan's Millions. Madigan 's Millions ( It : Un dollaro per 7 vigliacchi , Sp : El Millón de Madigan ) is a 1968 Italian-Spanish comedy crime film directed by Stanley Prager and produced by Sidney W. Pink . The movie was shot in 1966 but was not released for two years . It stars Dustin Hoffman , in his first movie role , as Jason Fister , a young U.S. Treasury Dept. official sent to Rome to recover a large sum of money owed to the United States government by a deceased mobster . The film is in the lowbrow comedy genre , with comic stop-action chase scenes , as well as many scenes involving spaghetti western-style gunplay on the streets of Rome . Hoffman 's Fister is a seemingly naive and mild-mannered bureaucrat with a sense for sniffing out phonies . The interiors of the film were shot largely in Spain , with exteriors in Rome .", "Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy. The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Television Series Musical or Comedy is an award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association ( HFPA ) . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a musical or comedy television series for the calendar year . It was first awarded at the 19th Golden Globe Awards on March 5 , 1962 under the title Best TV Star -- Male to John Charles Daly and Bob Newhart . The nominees for the award announced annually starting in 1963 . The award initially honored actors in both comedy and drama genres until 1969 , when the award was split into categories that honored comedic and dramatic performances separately . It was presented under the new title Best TV Actor -- Musical or Comedy and in 1980 under its current title . Since its inception , the award has been given to 45 actors . Donald Glover is the current recipient of the award for his role as Earnest `` Earn '' Marks on Atlanta . Alan Alda has won the most awards in this category with six wins and received the most nominations at 11 .", "Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ( ATAS ) . It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a television limited series or television movie for the primetime network season . The award was first presented at the 7th Primetime Emmy Awards on March 7 , 1955 to Judith Anderson for her performance as Lady Macbeth on the Hallmark Hall of Fame episode `` Macbeth '' . It has undergone several name changes , with the category split into two categories at the 25th Primetime Emmy Awards -- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Special Program -- Drama or Comedy and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series . By the 31st Primetime Emmy Awards , the categories were merged into one , and has since undergone several name changes , leading to its current title . Since its inception , the award has been given to 52 actresses . Sarah Paulson is the current recipient of the award for her portrayal of Marcia Clark on The People v. O. J. Simpson : American Crime Story . Helen Mirren has won the most awards in this category with four and has received the most nominated for the award on ten occasions , the most within the category .", "71st Golden Globe Awards. 71stGolden Globe Awards January 12 , 2014 Picture -- Drama : 12 Years a Slave Picture -- Musical or Comedy : American Hustle TV Series -- Drama : Breaking Bad TV Series -- Musical or Comedy : Brooklyn Nine-Nine Mini-Series or TV Movie : Behind the Candelabra The 71st Golden Globe Awards , honoring the best in film and American television of 2013 , was broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , on January 12 , 2014 , by NBC , as part of the 2013-14 film awards season . The ceremony was produced by Dick Clark Productions in association with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association . Woody Allen was announced as the Cecil B. DeMille Award honoree for his lifetime achievements on September 13 , 2013 , and Diane Keaton accepted the award for him . On October 15 , Tina Fey and Amy Poehler were announced as the co-hosts for the second time in a row and as the co-hosts for the 72nd Golden Globe Awards . The nominations were announced on December 12 , 2013 , by Aziz Ansari , Zoe Saldana and Olivia Wilde . American Hustle , Behind the Candelabra , Breaking Bad , Brooklyn Nine-Nine , and Dallas Buyers Club were among the films and television shows that received multiple awards .", "Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. The Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture is an award given by the Screen Actors Guild to honor the finest acting achievements in film .", "Magnolia (film). Magnolia is a 1999 American ensemble drama film written , co-produced and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson . The film stars Jeremy Blackman , Tom Cruise , Melinda Dillon , Philip Baker Hall , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Ricky Jay , William H. Macy , Alfred Molina , Julianne Moore , John C. Reilly , Jason Robards and Melora Walters , and is a mosaic of interrelated characters in search of happiness , forgiveness and meaning in the San Fernando Valley . Magnolia received positive reviews , with critics praising its acting , direction , storytelling , ambition , and its soundtrack , largely consisting of Aimee Mann songs ; however , some deemed it overlong and melodramatic . Of the ensemble cast , Tom Cruise was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 72nd Academy Awards , and won the award in that category at the Golden Globes of 2000 . The film also won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival . It was Robards ' final feature film . Following the film 's release , Anderson said : `` I really feel ... That Magnolia is , for better or worse , the best movie I 'll ever make . ''", "Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film. The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Miniseries or Television Film is an award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association ( HFPA ) . It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a miniseries or motion picture made for television for the calendar year . The award was first presented at the 39th Golden Globe Awards on January 30 , 1982 to Jane Seymour for her role on East of Eden . Performances by actresses in a miniseries or television film were originally awarded in the Best Actress -- Television Series Drama category before the creation of this category . Since its inception , the award has been given to 33 actresses . Sarah Paulson is the current recipient of the award for her portrayal of Marcia Clark on The People v. O. J. Simpson : American Crime Story . Ann-Margret , Judy Davis and Helen Mirren have won the most awards in this category , winning two times . Jessica Lange and Mirren have each been nominated for the award on seven occasions , the most within the category .", "Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?. Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me ? is a 1971 American comedy-drama film directed by Ulu Grosbard and starring Dustin Hoffman . It portrays a single day in the life of Georgie Soloway , played by Hoffman . Its narrative is stream of consciousness filled with both comedy and drama .", "Knocked Up. Knocked Up is a 2007 American romantic comedy film written , directed , and co-produced by Judd Apatow , and starring Seth Rogen , Katherine Heigl , Paul Rudd , and Leslie Mann . It follows the repercussions of a drunken one-night stand between a slacker and a just-promoted media personality that results in an unintended pregnancy . The film was released on June 1 , 2007 to box office success , grossing $ 219 million worldwide , and acclaim from critics . A spin-off sequel , This Is 40 , was released in 2012 .", "Doubt (2008 film). Doubt is a 2008 American period drama film written and directed by John Patrick Shanley based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play Doubt : A Parable . Produced by Scott Rudin , the film stars Meryl Streep , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Amy Adams , and Viola Davis . The film premiered October 30 , 2008 at the AFI Fest before being distributed by Miramax Films in limited release on December 12 and in wide release on December 25 . The four main actors were heavily praised for their acting , and all were nominated for Oscars at the 81st Academy Awards .", "Family Business (film). Family Business is a 1989 American comedy-drama heist film directed by Sidney Lumet with a screenplay by Vincent Patrick , based on his novel . It stars Sean Connery , Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick .", "Outbreak (film). Outbreak is a 1995 American medical disaster film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and loosely based on Richard Preston 's nonfiction book , The Hot Zone . It stars Dustin Hoffman , Rene Russo and Morgan Freeman , and co-stars Cuba Gooding Jr. , Kevin Spacey , Donald Sutherland and Patrick Dempsey . The film focuses on an outbreak of a fictional Ebola-like virus , Motaba , in Zaire and later in a small town in the United States . It is primarily set in the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the fictional town of Cedar Creek , California . Outbreak plot speculates how far military and civilian agencies might go to contain the spread of a deadly , contagious disease . The film , released on March 10 , 1995 , was a box-office success and Spacey won two awards for his performance . A real-life outbreak of the Ebola virus was occurring in Zaire when the film was released ." ]

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[ "Deadpool (film). Deadpool is a 2016 American superhero film directed by Tim Miller and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick , based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name . It is the eighth installment and a spin-off in the X-Men film series , and stars Ryan Reynolds as the titular character , as well as Morena Baccarin , Ed Skrein , T. J. Miller , Gina Carano , Leslie Uggams , Brianna Hildebrand , and Stefan Kapičić . In the film , antihero Deadpool hunts the man who nearly destroyed his life while also trying to reunite with his lost love . Development began in February 2004 with New Line Cinema , but moved in March 2005 to 20th Century Fox who bought the film rights . In May 2009 , after Reynolds portrayed the character in X-Men Origins : Wolverine , to the general disappointment of fans , Fox lent the film to writers , and Miller was hired for his directorial debut in April 2011 . Enthusiastic acclaim for leaked CGI test footage by Miller in July 2014 led to Fox greenlighting the film in September . Additional casting began in early 2015 , and principal photography commenced in Vancouver from March to May . Deadpool premiered in Paris on February 8 , 2016 , and was released on February 12 in the United States in IMAX , DLP , D-Box , and premium large format . Critics praised Reynolds ' performance as well as the film 's style , faithful depiction of the titular character , and action sequences , but criticized its plot as formulaic . It received various awards and nominations , including two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy and Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy , and a Producers Guild of America Award nomination for Best Theatrical Motion Picture . It also won two Critics ' Choice Movie Awards for Best Comedy and Best Actor in a Comedy . The film was also a significant commercial success , grossing over $ 783million worldwide and breaking numerous box-office records , becoming the ninth highest-grossing film of 2016 , the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time when unadjusted for inflation , and the highest-grossing X-Men film . Shortly after the film 's success , Fox ordered development of a sequel scheduled to be released on June 1 , 2018 .", "List of accolades received by Deadpool (film). Deadpool is a 2016 American superhero film directed by Tim Miller and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick , based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name . The film stars Ryan Reynolds as the title character , as well as Morena Baccarin , Ed Skrein , T.J. Miller , Gina Carano , Leslie Uggams , Brianna Hildebrand and Stefan Kapičić . In the film , antihero Deadpool hunts the man who nearly destroyed his life while also trying to reunite with his lost love . Deadpool , produced on a budget of $ 58 million , was released theatrically in the United States on February 12 , 2016 and grossed a worldwide total of over $ 783.1 million . The film has garnered numerous awards and nominations with most nominations recognising the film itself , the performances of the cast ( particularly Reynolds ) and the film 's visual effects . Deadpool was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards as well as four Critics ' Choice Movie Awards ( winning two ) , a Directors Guild of America Award , five Empire Awards , eight MTV Movie Awards ( winning two ) , a Producers Guild of America Award , four People 's Choice Awards ( winning two ) , six Teen Choice Awards ( winning two ) , and a Writers Guild of America Award .", "T. J. Miller. Todd Joseph `` T. J. '' Miller ( born June 4 , 1981 ) is an American actor , stand-up comedian , producer , and writer . He currently stars as Erlich Bachman in the HBO sitcom Silicon Valley . Miller has also performed in such films as Cloverfield ( 2008 ) , She 's Out of My League ( 2010 ) , Yogi Bear 3D ( 2010 ) , How to Train Your Dragon ( 2010 ) , How to Train Your Dragon 2 ( 2014 ) , Transformers : Age of Extinction ( 2014 ) , Big Hero 6 ( 2014 ) , Deadpool ( 2016 ) , and Office Christmas Party ( 2016 ) . He hosts `` The Gorburger Show '' , which is currently broadcast on Comedy Central .", "The Gorburger Show. The Gorburger Show is an American comedy television series created by Ryan McNeely and Josh Martin . The series stars T. J. Miller as Gorburger , a giant blue monster who took over a Japanese television station . The series originally aired on Funny or Die for two seasons from 2012 to 2013 . Guests included Jack Black , Flea , Andrew W.K. , Wayne Coyne , Carson Daly , Tegan and Sara and Eagles of Death Metal . On January 13 , 2017 , Comedy Central picked up the series for an eight-episode first season . The series premiered on April 9 , 2017 , on Comedy Central .", "Weasel (Marvel Comics). Weasel ( Jack Hammer ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Weasel is a friend , sidekick , information broker and arms dealer for Deadpool . Weasel is perhaps Deadpool 's best friend . However , because of his frequent mood swings and tenuous mental state , Deadpool still often abuses or mistreats him . Weasel has also displayed an opportunistic streak against his friend 's interests on occasions . Actor T. J. Miller portrays Weasel in the 2016 feature film Deadpool .", "Ryan Reynolds. Ryan Rodney Reynolds ( born October 23 , 1976 ) is a Canadian actor . He portrayed Michael Bergen on the ABC sitcom Two Guys and a Girl ( 1998 -- 2001 ) , Billy Simpson in the YTV Canadian teen soap opera Hillside ( 1991 ) , as well as Marvel Comics characters Hannibal King in Blade : Trinity ( 2004 ) , Wade Wilson / Weapon XI in X-Men Origins : Wolverine ( 2009 ) , and the title character in Deadpool ( 2016 ) for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination . Additionally , he portrayed the Hal Jordan version of the DC Comics superhero Green Lantern in the 2011 film of the same name . Reynolds has also starred in films such as National Lampoon 's Van Wilder ( 2002 ) , The Amityville Horror ( 2005 ) , Definitely , Maybe ( 2008 ) , The Proposal ( 2009 ) , Buried ( 2010 ) , The Croods ( 2013 ) , and Woman in Gold ( 2015 ) .", "Search Party (film). Search Party is a 2014 American comedy film directed by Scot Armstrong in his directorial debut , and co-written with Mike Gagerman and Andrew Waller based on a story by Gagerman and Waller . The film stars T. J. Miller , Adam Pally , Thomas Middleditch , Alison Brie , Shannon Woodward , and Krysten Ritter . The film was released in 2014 internationally , but was not released in the United States until May 13 , 2016 , by Focus World .", "Deadpool. Deadpool ( Wade Winston Wilson ) is a fictional antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Created by artist/writer Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza , the character first appeared in The New Mutants # 98 ( cover-dated February 1991 ) . Initially Deadpool was depicted as a supervillain when he made his first appearance in The New Mutants and later in issues of X-Force , but later evolved into his more recognizable antiheroic persona . Deadpool , whose real name is Wade Wilson , is a disfigured and mentally unstable mercenary with the superhuman ability of an accelerated healing factor and physical prowess . The character is known as the `` Merc with a Mouth '' because of his talkative nature and tendency to break the fourth wall , which is used by writers for humorous effect and running gags . The character 's popularity has seen him feature in numerous other media . In the 2004 series Cable & Deadpool , he refers to his own scarred appearance as `` Ryan Reynolds crossed with a Shar Pei '' . Reynolds himself would eventually portray the character in the 2009 film X-Men Origins : Wolverine and reprised the role in the 2016 film Deadpool .", "X-Men (film series). X-Men is an American superhero film series based on the fictional superhero team of the same name , who originally appeared in a series of comic books created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and published by Marvel Comics . 20th Century Fox obtained the film rights to the characters in 1994 , and after numerous drafts , Bryan Singer was hired to direct X-Men ( 2000 ) and its sequel , X2 ( 2003 ) , while Brett Ratner directed X-Men : The Last Stand ( 2006 ) . After each film earned higher box office grosses than its predecessor , several spin-off films were released , including a trilogy focused on the character of Wolverine : X-Men Origins : Wolverine ( 2009 ) , The Wolverine ( 2013 ) and Logan ( 2017 ) . A prequel , X-Men : First Class , was released in 2011 , followed by sequels X-Men : Days of Future Past ( 2014 , also a sequel to X-Men : The Last Stand ) and X-Men : Apocalypse ( 2016 ) . A spin-off film , Deadpool ( 2016 ) was also released . X-Men , X2 , X-Men : First Class , The Wolverine , X-Men : Days of Future Past , Deadpool and Logan were all met with positive reviews from critics . X-Men : The Last Stand and X-Men : Apocalypse were met with mixed reviews , while X-Men Origins : Wolverine received negative reviews . With ten films released , the X-Men film series is the eighth highest-grossing film series , having grossed over worldwide . It is set to continue in 2018 with the releases of New Mutants , Deadpool 2 and Dark Phoenix .", "Thanos. Thanos ( -LSB- ˈθænɒs -RSB- , -LSB- ˈθænoʊs -RSB- ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character is usually depicted as a Titanian mutant -- Eternal superhuman . The character first appeared in Iron Man # 55 ( February 1973 ) and was created by writer Mike Friedrich and writer-artist Jim Starlin . Debuting in the Bronze Age of Comic Books , the character has been featured in more than four decades of Marvel continuity and a self-titled series . Thanos appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe 's various films , including The Avengers ( 2012 ) , portrayed by Damion Poitier , and Guardians of the Galaxy ( 2014 ) , Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) , Avengers : Infinity War ( 2018 ) and its untitled sequel ( 2019 ) , portrayed by Josh Brolin . The character has appeared in other Marvel-endorsed products , including animated television series , arcade , and video games .", "X-Men (film). X-Men is a 2000 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is the first installment in the X-Men film series , followed by X2 in 2003 and X-Men : The Last Stand in 2006 . The film , directed by Bryan Singer and written by David Hayter , features an ensemble cast that includes Hugh Jackman , Patrick Stewart , Ian McKellen , Halle Berry , Famke Janssen , James Marsden , Bruce Davison , Rebecca Romijn-Stamos , Ray Park , Tyler Mane , and Anna Paquin . It depicts a world in which a small proportion of people are mutants , whose possession of superhuman powers makes them distrusted by normal humans . The film focuses on the mutants Wolverine and Rogue as they are brought into a conflict between two groups that have radically different approaches to bringing about the acceptance of mutant-kind : Professor Xavier 's X-Men , and the Brotherhood of Mutants , led by Magneto . Development for X-Men began as far back as 1984 with Orion Pictures . At one point James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow were in discussions . The film rights went to 20th Century Fox in 1994 and various scripts and film treatments were commissioned from Andrew Kevin Walker , John Logan , Joss Whedon , and Michael Chabon . Singer signed to direct in 1996 , with further rewrites by Ed Solomon , Singer , Tom DeSanto , Christopher McQuarrie and Hayter in which Beast and Nightcrawler were deleted over budget concerns from Fox . X-Men marks the Hollywood debut of actor Hugh Jackman , who was a last-second choice for Wolverine , cast three weeks into filming . Filming took place from September 22 , 1999 to March 3 , 2000 , primarily in Toronto . X-Men was released to positive reviews and was a financial success , starting the X-Men film franchise and spawning a reemergence of superhero films .", "Deadpool (video game). Deadpool is an antihero action comedy beat 'em up video game based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name . The game was developed by High Moon Studios and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 . Former Deadpool comic writer Daniel Way created the game 's plot , and Nolan North voiced the character . The game received mixed reviews , with plot elements commonly praised and gameplay elements found lacking . Deadpool , along with most other games published by Activision that had used the Marvel license , were de-listed and removed from all digital storefronts on January 1 , 2016 . As of July 15 , 2016 the game was made available to purchase again on Steam . The game was re-released on November 18 , 2015 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to coincide with the 2016 film of the same name .", "Deadpool (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). Deadpool ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) is the soundtrack to the 2016 film Deadpool , composed by Junkie XL , under his legal name Tom Holkenborg . Following the release , the soundtrack made the 30 mark on the Billboard 200 , and topped the soundtrack list also from Billboard .", "X-Men: Apocalypse. X-Men : Apocalypse is a 2016 American superhero film based on the fictional X-Men characters that appear in Marvel Comics . It is the ninth installment in the X-Men film series and a sequel to X-Men : Days of Future Past . Directed by Bryan Singer , with a screenplay by Simon Kinberg from a story conceived by Singer , Kinberg , Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris , the film stars James McAvoy , Michael Fassbender , Jennifer Lawrence , Oscar Isaac , Nicholas Hoult , Rose Byrne , Tye Sheridan , Sophie Turner , Olivia Munn and Lucas Till . The ancient mutant En Sabah Nur awakens in 1983 and plans to wipe out modern civilization and take over the world , leading the X-Men to try to stop him and defeat his team of renegade mutants . The film was announced by Singer in December 2013 , with Kinberg , Dougherty , and Harris attached to develop the story . Casting began in October 2014 , while principal photography commenced in April 2015 in Montreal and ended in August of the same year . X-Men : Apocalypse premiered in London on May 9 , 2016 , and was released in North America on May 27 in 3D and 2D , and in IMAX 3D in select international markets . Upon its release , the film garnered a mixed critical reception by film critics who criticized the film for its script , runtime and portrayal of villain , although it was particuarly praised for its visual style , music , action sequences , humor , acting performances , effects and stunts . Despite mixed reviews , the film was a box office success with grossing over $ 543 million worldwide against budget of $ 178 million . A sequel titled X-Men : Dark Phoenix is set for release on November 2 , 2018 .", "Thomas Jane. Thomas Jane ( born Thomas Elliott III ; February 22 , 1969 ) is an American actor . He has appeared in films including Padamati Sandhya Ragam ( 1987 ) , Boogie Nights ( 1997 ) , The Thin Red Line ( 1998 ) , Deep Blue Sea ( 1999 ) , The Punisher ( 2004 ) , The Mist ( 2007 ) , Mutant Chronicles ( 2008 ) , The Veil ( 2016 ) and Before I Wake ( 2016 ) . He is set to appear in The Predator sequel set for a 2018 release date . Jane 's television roles include Mickey Mantle in the television film 61 * ( 2001 ) and starring in the HBO series Hung ( 2009 -- 11 ) and the lead role of Detective Joe Miller in the science fiction series The Expanse , the second season of which debuted on the Syfy network on Feb. 1 , 2017 . He is the founder of RAW Studios , an entertainment company he uses to release comic books he has written , the first of which was Bad Planet . He made his directorial debut with the crime thriller Dark Country ( 2009 ) , in which he also starred .", "X-Men: The Last Stand. X-Men : The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film , based on the X-Men superhero team introduced in Marvel Comics . The film , distributed by 20th Century Fox , is the sequel to 2003 's X2 and the third installment in the X-Men film series . It was directed by Brett Ratner , written by Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn , and features an ensemble cast , including Hugh Jackman , Halle Berry , Ian McKellen , Famke Janssen , Anna Paquin , Kelsey Grammer , James Marsden , Rebecca Romijn , Shawn Ashmore , Aaron Stanford , Vinnie Jones , and Patrick Stewart . The film 's script is loosely based on two X-Men comic book story arcs : `` The Dark Phoenix Saga '' by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne , and `` Gifted '' by writer Joss Whedon and artist John Cassaday , with a plot that revolves around a `` mutant cure '' that causes serious repercussions among mutants and humans , and on the resurrection of Jean Grey . Bryan Singer , who had directed the two previous films , X-Men ( 2000 ) and X2 , decided to leave to work on Superman Returns , as he had not even defined the storyline for a third film . Matthew Vaughn , who was initially hired as the new director , left due to personal and professional issues , and was replaced with Ratner . Filming took place from August 2005 to January 2006 with a budget of $ 210 million , and was consequently the most expensive film at the time of its release . It had extensive visual effects created by 11 different companies . X-Men : The Last Stand was released on May 26 , 2006 , to commercial success . It grossed approximately $ 459 million worldwide , becoming the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2006 ; it was at the time the highest-grossing film in the series and currently the fourth-highest-grossing film of the franchise . Critical reception was mixed , with the acting and the action scenes receiving positive notice , and criticism directed at the screenplay , and overuse of characters and style .", "Tim Miller (director). Timothy `` Tim '' Miller is an American film director and visual effects artist . He made his feature film directing debut with Deadpool ( 2016 ) . He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film as co-story writer and executive producer of the short animated film Gopher Broke ( 2004 ) . Miller also designed the opening sequences of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Thor : The Dark World .", "Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Captain America : The Winter Soldier is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2011 's Captain America : The First Avenger and the ninth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film was directed by Anthony and Joe Russo , with a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely , who had also written The First Avenger . It stars Chris Evans as Captain America , leading an ensemble cast that includes Scarlett Johansson , Sebastian Stan , Anthony Mackie , Cobie Smulders , Frank Grillo , Emily VanCamp , Hayley Atwell , Robert Redford , and Samuel L. Jackson . In Captain America : The Winter Soldier , Captain America , Black Widow , and Falcon join forces to uncover a conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. while facing a mysterious assassin known as the Winter Soldier . A major influence in The Winter Soldier was conspiracy fiction from the 1970s such as Three Days of the Condor , with the script also drawing from the Winter Soldier story arc written by Ed Brubaker . The script was written in 2011 , with the Russo brothers entering negotiations to direct in June 2012 and casting beginning the following month . Principal photography commenced in April 2013 in Los Angeles , California before moving to Washington , D.C. and Cleveland , Ohio . While the directors aimed for more realism , with focus on practical effects and intense stunt work , 2,500 visual effects shots were done by six different companies . Captain America : The Winter Soldier premiered in Los Angeles on March 13 , 2014 . It was released internationally on March 26 , 2014 , and in North America on April 4 , 2014 , in 2D , 3D , and IMAX 3D . The film became a critical and commercial success , grossing over $ 714 million worldwide . It also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects . A sequel titled Captain America : Civil War also directed by the Russo brothers was released on May 6 , 2016 .", "Val Kilmer. Val Edward Kilmer ( born December 31 , 1959 ) is an American actor . Originally a stage actor , Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films , starting with Top Secret ! ( 1984 ) , then the cult classic Real Genius ( 1985 ) , as well as the military action film Top Gun ( 1986 ) and the fantasy film Willow ( 1988 ) . Some of his other notable film roles include Jim Morrison in The Doors ( 1991 ) , Doc Holliday in Tombstone ( 1993 ) , armed robber Chris Shiherlis in Heat ( 1995 ) , Bruce Wayne / Batman in Batman Forever ( 1995 ) , Simon Templar in The Saint ( 1997 ) , astronaut Robby Gallagher in Red Planet ( 2000 ) , and a meth-using informant in The Salton Sea ( 2002 ) .", "Saving Private Ryan. Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic war drama film set during the Invasion of Normandy in World War II . Directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat , the film is notable for its graphic portrayal of war , and for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes , which includes a depiction of the Omaha Beach assault during the Normandy landings . It follows United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller ( Tom Hanks ) and a squad ( Tom Sizemore , Edward Burns , Barry Pepper , Giovanni Ribisi , Vin Diesel , Adam Goldberg , and Jeremy Davies ) as they search for a paratrooper , Private First Class James Francis Ryan ( Matt Damon ) , who is the last-surviving brother of four servicemen . The film received critical acclaim , winning several awards for film , cast , and crew , as well as earning significant returns at the box office . The film grossed US$ 481.8 million worldwide , making it the second-highest-grossing film of the year . The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards ; Spielberg 's direction won his second Academy Award for Best Director , with four more awards going to the film . Saving Private Ryan was released on home video in May 1999 , earning another $ 44 million from sales . In 2014 , the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress , being deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant . ''", "Avengers: Infinity War. Avengers : Infinity War is an upcoming American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is intended to be the sequel to 2012 's Marvel 's The Avengers and 2015 's Avengers : Age of Ultron and the nineteenth film installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo , with a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely , and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. , Josh Brolin , Mark Ruffalo , Tom Hiddleston , Chris Evans , Chris Hemsworth , Jeremy Renner , Chris Pratt , Elizabeth Olsen , Sebastian Stan , Benedict Cumberbatch , Paul Bettany , Samuel L. Jackson , Cobie Smulders , Benedict Wong , Zoe Saldana , Karen Gillan , Vin Diesel , Dave Bautista , Pom Klementieff , Scarlett Johansson , Benicio del Toro , Tom Holland , and Anthony Mackie . In Avengers : Infinity War , the Avengers join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to confront Thanos , who is trying to amass the Infinity Stones . The film was announced in October 2014 as Avengers : Infinity War -- Part 1 . The Russo brothers came on board to direct in April 2015 and by May , Markus and McFeely signed on to write the script for the film . In July 2016 , Marvel shortened the titled to Avengers : Infinity War . Filming began in January 2017 , at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayette County , Georgia , and is scheduled to last until June or July 2017 , shooting back-to-back with a direct sequel . Additional filming took place in Scotland and England . Avengers : Infinity War is scheduled to be released on May 4 , 2018 , in IMAX . An untitled sequel is scheduled to be released on May 3 , 2019 .", "Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) is an American media franchise and shared universe that is centered on a series of superhero films , independently produced by Marvel Studios and based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics . The franchise has expanded to include comic books , short films , television series and digital series . The shared universe , much like the original Marvel Universe in comic books , was established by crossing over common plot elements , settings , cast , and characters . Phil Coulson , portrayed by Clark Gregg , is an original character to the MCU and the only character to appear across all the different media of the MCU . The first film released in the MCU was Iron Man ( 2008 ) , which began the first phase of films culminating in the crossover film Marvel 's The Avengers ( 2012 ) . Phase Two began with Iron Man 3 ( 2013 ) , and concluded with Ant-Man ( 2015 ) . The films are currently in Phase Three , which began with the release of Captain America : Civil War ( 2016 ) . Marvel Television expanded the universe further , first to network television with Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC in the 2013 -- 14 television season , followed by online streaming with Marvel 's Daredevil on Netflix in 2015 , and then to cable television with Marvel 's Cloak & Dagger , which is scheduled to air in 2018 on Freeform . Marvel Television has also produced the digital series Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. : Slingshot , which is a supplement to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Soundtrack albums have been released for all of the films , along with many of television series , as well as the release of compilation albums containing existing music heard in the films . The MCU also includes tie-in comics published by Marvel Comics , while Marvel Studios has also produced a series of direct-to-video short films and a viral marketing campaign for its films and the universe with the faux news program WHIH Newsfront . The franchise has been commercially successful as a multimedia shared universe , though some critics have found that some of its films and television series have suffered in service of the wider universe . It has inspired other film and television studios with comic book character adaptation rights to attempt to create similar shared universes . The MCU has also been the focus of other media , outside of the shared universe , including attractions at the Disneyland Resort and Discovery Times Square , two television specials , guidebooks for each film , a Lego video game , and a commercial with Coca-Cola .", "X2 (film). X2 ( often promoted as X2 : X-Men United and internationally as X-Men 2 ) is a 2003 American superhero film based on the X-Men superhero team appearing in Marvel Comics . It is the sequel to 2000 's X-Men , and the second installment in the X-Men film series . The film was directed by Bryan Singer , written by Michael Dougherty , Dan Harris , and David Hayter , and features an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman , Patrick Stewart , Ian McKellen , Halle Berry , Famke Janssen , James Marsden , Rebecca Romijn-Stamos , Brian Cox , Alan Cumming , Bruce Davison , and Anna Paquin . The plot , inspired by the graphic novel God Loves , Man Kills , pits the X-Men and their enemies , the Brotherhood , against the genocidal Colonel William Stryker ( Brian Cox ) . He leads an assault on Professor Xavier 's school to build his own version of Xavier 's mutant-tracking computer Cerebro , in order to destroy every mutant on Earth and to save the human race from them . Development began shortly after X-Men ( 2000 ) . David Hayter and Zak Penn wrote separate scripts , combining what they felt to be the best elements of both scripts into one screenplay . Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris were eventually hired to rewrite the work , and changed the characterizations of Beast , Angel , and Lady Deathstrike . Sentinels and the Danger Room were set to appear before being deleted because of budget concerns . The film 's premise was influenced by the Marvel Comics storylines Return to Weapon X and God Loves , Man Kills . Filming began in June 2002 and ended that November . Most of the filming took place at Vancouver Film Studios , the largest North American production facility outside of Los Angeles . Production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas adapted similar designs by John Myhre from the previous film . X2 was released in the United States on May 2 , 2003 . It received positive reviews from critics , who mostly praised the storyline , action sequences and acting of the film , and it is considered to be one of the best superhero films ever made . With its critical success , it grossed over approximately $ 407 million , and received eight Saturn Awards nominations .", "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. Sin City : A Dame to Kill For ( also known as Frank Miller 's Sin City : A Dame to Kill For ) is a 2014 American neo-noir action crime film and follow-up to the 2005 film Sin City . Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller , the script is written by Miller and is primarily based on the second book in the Sin City series by Miller . One of the smaller plots of the film is based on the short story `` Just Another Saturday Night , '' which is collected in Booze , Broads , & Bullets , the sixth book in the comic series . Two original stories ( `` The Long Bad Night '' and `` Nancy 's Last Dance '' ) were created exclusively for the film written by Miller . The film stars an ensemble cast including returning cast members Mickey Rourke , Jessica Alba , Rosario Dawson , Jaime King , Powers Boothe and Bruce Willis . Newcomers to the series include Josh Brolin , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Eva Green , Dennis Haysbert , Ray Liotta , Christopher Lloyd , Jamie Chung , Jeremy Piven , Christopher Meloni , Stacy Keach , Lady Gaga , Alexa Vega , Julia Garner , and Juno Temple . The film was released on August 22 , 2014 on 2D , 3D and RealD 3D . Unlike the first film , A Dame to Kill For was a commercial failure , grossing $ 39 million against production budget of $ 65 million . It received mixed reviews from film critics .", "X-Men: Days of Future Past. X-Men : Days of Future Past is a 2014 American superhero film based on the fictional X-Men characters that appear in Marvel Comics . Directed by Bryan Singer , it is the seventh installment of the X-Men film series and acts as a sequel to both 2006 's X-Men : The Last Stand and 2011 's X-Men : First Class . The story , inspired by the 1981 Uncanny X-Men storyline `` Days of Future Past '' by Chris Claremont and John Byrne , focuses on two time periods , with Wolverine traveling back in time to 1973 to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants . The film features an ensemble cast , including Hugh Jackman , James McAvoy , Michael Fassbender , Jennifer Lawrence , Halle Berry , Anna Paquin , Ellen Page , Peter Dinklage , Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart . Simon Kinberg wrote the screenplay from a story conceived by Jane Goldman , himself , and Matthew Vaughn . Vaughn had directed First Class and was set to return in Days of Future Past before leaving for Kingsman : The Secret Service . Thus Singer , who had directed the first two X-Men films , made his return as a director , and brought along most of the crew from those productions . With a budget of $ 200 million , principal photography began in Montreal , Quebec in April 2013 and concluded in August the same year , with additional filming and pick-ups taking place in November 2013 and February 2014 . Twelve companies handled the visual effects . X-Men : Days of Future Past premiered in New York City on May 10 , 2014 , and was theatrically released on May 23 . It became the best-reviewed film in the X-Men film series released thus far ( surpassed only by Logan in 2017 ) , being praised for its story , visual effects , action scenes , acting and thematic elements . During its theatrical run , the film earned over $ 747 million worldwide , making it the 6th highest grossing film of 2014 , as well as the second highest-grossing film in the series behind Deadpool . The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects , making it the first X-Men film to be nominated for an Oscar . A sequel , X-Men : Apocalypse , was released on May 27 , 2016 .", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014 film). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 2014 American action adventure film based on the Mirage Studios characters of the same name , produced by Nickelodeon Movies and Platinum Dunes , and distributed by Paramount Pictures . It is the fifth film of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film series and is also a reboot that features the main characters , portrayed by a new cast and the first in the reboot series . The film was directed by Jonathan Liebesman , written by Josh Appelbaum , André Nemec and Evan Daugherty , and stars Megan Fox , Will Arnett , William Fichtner , Minae Noji , Whoopi Goldberg , Abby Elliott and Tohoru Masamune , and featuring the voices of Johnny Knoxville , Alan Ritchson , Noel Fisher , Jeremy Howard and Tony Shalhoub . The film was announced shortly before Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Peter Laird sold the rights to the characters to Nickelodeon in October 2009 . The film was released on August 8 , 2014 . The film received generally negative reviews from critics , but was a box office success , earning $ 493.3 million on a $ 125 million budget and it became the highest grossing film in the series . The film won the Worst Supporting Actress award at the 35th Golden Raspberry Awards in 2015 for Fox 's performance as April O'Neil and also received nominations for Worst Picture , Worst Prequel , Remake , Rip-off or Sequel , Worst Director , and Worst Screenplay . Conversely , it was also nominated at the 28th Kids ' Choice Awards for Favorite Movie , Favorite Movie Actor and Favorite Movie Actress . A sequel , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles : Out of the Shadows , was released on June 3 , 2016 .", "List of Deadpool titles. Deadpool is a comic book anti-hero in the . Since 1993 he has starred in several ongoing series , as well as a number of limited series and one-shots .", "Back to the Future Part II. Back to the Future Part II is a 1989 American science-fiction adventure comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Bob Gale . It is the sequel to the 1985 film Back to the Future and the second installment in the Back to the Future trilogy . The film stars Michael J. Fox , Christopher Lloyd , Thomas F. Wilson , and Lea Thompson and continues immediately following the original film . After repairing the damage to history done by his previous time travel adventures , Marty McFly ( Fox ) and his friend Dr. Emmett `` Doc '' Brown ( Lloyd ) travel to 2015 to prevent McFly 's future son from ending up imprisoned . However , their presence allows Biff Tannen ( Wilson ) to steal Doc 's DeLorean time machine and travel to 1955 , where he alters history by making his younger self wealthy . The film was produced on a $ 40-million budget and was filmed back-to-back with its sequel , Part III . Filming began in February 1989 after two years were spent building the sets and writing the scripts . Two actors from the first film , Crispin Glover and Claudia Wells , did not return for the final two . While Elisabeth Shue was recast in the role of Wells ' character , Jennifer , Glover 's character , George McFly , was not only minimized in the plot , but also was obscured and recreated with another actor . Glover successfully sued both Zemeckis and Gale , changing how producers can deal with the departure and replacement of actors in a role . Back to the Future Part II was also a ground-breaking project for effects studio Industrial Light & Magic ( ILM ) : In addition to digital compositing , ILM used the VistaGlide motion control camera system , which allowed an actor to portray multiple characters simultaneously on-screen without sacrificing camera movement . Back to the Future Part II was released by Universal Pictures on November 22 , 1989 . The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed over $ 331 million worldwide , making it the third-highest-grossing film of 1989 .", "Team Fortress 2. Team Fortress 2 ( TF2 ) is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed and published by Valve Corporation . It is the sequel to Team Fortress , the 1996 mod for Quake and its 1999 remake , Team Fortress Classic . It was released as part of the video game bundle The Orange Box in October 2007 for Microsoft Windows and the Xbox 360 . A PlayStation 3 version followed in December 2007 . The game was released for Windows as a standalone entry in April 2008 , and was updated to support OS X in June 2010 and Linux in February 2013 . It is distributed online through Valve 's digital retailer Steam , with retail distribution being handled by Electronic Arts . In Team Fortress 2 , players join one of two teams comprising nine character classes , battling in a variety of game modes including capture the flag and king of the hill . The development is led by John Cook and Robin Walker , creators of the original Team Fortress . Announced in 1998 , the game once had more realistic , militaristic visuals and gameplay , but this changed over the protracted nine-year development . After Valve released no information for six years , Team Fortress 2 regularly featured in Wired News annual vaporware list among other ignominies . The finished Team Fortress 2 has cartoon-like visuals influenced by the art of J. C. Leyendecker , Dean Cornwell , and Norman Rockwell , and uses Valve 's Source game engine . Team Fortress 2 received critical acclaim for its art direction , gameplay , humor , and use of character in a multiplayer-only game . Valve continues to release new content , including maps , items and game modes , as well as community-made updates and contributed content . In June 2011 , it became free-to-play , supported by microtransactions for in-game cosmetics . A ` drop system ' was also added and refined , allowing free-to-play users to periodically receive game equipment and items by use of a random number generator . Though the game had a unofficial competitive scene for many years , support for official competitive play through ranked matchmaking and an overhauled casual experience was added in July 2016 .", "Josh Brolin. Josh James Brolin ( -LSB- ˈbroʊlᵻn -RSB- born February 12 , 1968 ) is an American actor . His first role was in the 1985 film The Goonies . Since then he has appeared in a wide number of films , and is best known for his work as Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men , young Agent K in Men in Black 3 , George W. Bush in W. and Dan White in Milk , for which he received Academy Award and SAG Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor . Other roles include Hollow Man , In the Valley of Elah , American Gangster , True Grit , and Sin City : A Dame to Kill For . In 2015 , he appeared in Everest and Sicario . He has also made two appearances through motion capture and voice acting as the villain Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , a role he is slated to reprise in the upcoming films Avengers : Infinity War and the untitled Avengers film . In April 2017 , Brolin was cast as Nathan Summers / Cable as a part of a four-film contract in the X-Men film series , with his first appearance intended to be in Deadpool 2 .", "Joss Whedon. Joss Whedon ( -LSB- ˈwiːdən -RSB- ) ( born Joseph Hill Whedon on June 23 , 1964 ) is an American screenwriter , film and television director , film and television producer , comic book author , and composer . He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-founder of Bellwether Pictures , and is best known as the creator of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer ( 1997 -- 2003 ) , Angel ( 1999 -- 2004 ) , Firefly ( 2002 ) , Dollhouse ( 2009 -- 10 ) and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ( from 2013 ) . Whedon co-wrote the Pixar film Toy Story ( 1995 ) , wrote and directed the Firefly film continuation Serenity ( 2005 ) , co-wrote and directed the Internet mini-series Dr. Horrible 's Sing-Along Blog ( 2008 ) , co-wrote and produced the horror comedy The Cabin in the Woods ( 2012 ) , and wrote and directed the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero films The Avengers ( 2012 ) and its sequel Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) .", "Bad Boys II. Bad Boys II is a 2003 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Michael Bay , produced by Jerry Bruckheimer , and starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith . A sequel to the 1995 film Bad Boys and the second installment in the Bad Boys series , the film follows detectives Burnett and Lowrey investigating the flow of ecstasy into Miami . Despite receiving generally negative reviews , the film was a box office success , grossing $ 270 million worldwide ." ]

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[ "Stephon Marbury. Stephon Xavier Marbury ( born February 20 , 1977 ) is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association ( CBA ) . He has won three CBA championships with Beijing in 2012 , 2014 and 2015 , and is widely considered as the greatest foreign player to ever play in the Chinese Basketball Association . The , 205 lb point guard was selected out of the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 4th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft , but was traded shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Timberwolves . He was an NBA All-Star in 2001 and 2003 and was voted into the All-NBA Third Team in 2000 and 2003 .", "National Basketball Association. The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is the major men 's professional basketball league in North America , and is widely considered to be the premier men 's professional basketball league in the world . It has 30 teams ( 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada ) , and is an active member of USA Basketball ( USAB ) , which is recognized by FIBA ( also known as the International Basketball Federation ) as the national governing body for basketball in the United States . The NBA is one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . NBA players are the world 's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player . The league was founded in New York City on June 6 , 1946 , as the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) . The league adopted the name National Basketball Association on August 3 , 1949 , after merging with its rival National Basketball League ( NBL ) . The league 's several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices located in the Olympic Tower at 645 Fifth Avenue in New York City . NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus , New Jersey .", "New York Knicks. The New York Knickerbockers , commonly referred to as the Knicks , are an American professional basketball team based in New York City . The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden , located in the borough of Manhattan . They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City ; the other is the Brooklyn Nets . The team , established by Ned Irish in 1946 , was one of the founding members of the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) , which became the NBA after merging with the rival National Basketball League ( NBL ) in 1949 . Along with the Boston Celtics , the Knicks are one of only two original NBA teams still located in its original city . The Knicks were successful during their early years and were constant playoff contenders under the franchise 's first head coach Joe Lapchick . Beginning in 1950 , the Knicks made three consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals , all of which were losing efforts . Lapchick resigned in 1956 and the team subsequently began to falter . It was not until the late 1960s when Red Holzman became head coach that the Knicks began to regain their former dominance . Holzman successfully guided the Knicks to two NBA championships , in 1970 and 1973 . The Knicks of the 1980s had mixed success that included six playoff appearances ; however , they failed to participate in the NBA Finals . The playoff-level Knicks of the 1990s were led by future Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing ; this era was marked by passionate rivalries with the Chicago Bulls , Indiana Pacers , and Miami Heat . During this time , they were known for playing tough defense under head coaches Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy . During this era , the Knicks made two appearances in the NBA Finals , in 1994 and 1999 , though they were unable to win an NBA championship . Since 2000 , the Knicks have struggled to regain their former glory . In 2012 -- 13 , the franchise won its first division title in 19 years , but was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Indiana Pacers . According to a 2016 Forbes report , the Knicks were the most-valuable NBA franchise , worth approximately $ 3 billion .", "Golden State Warriors. The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland , California . The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Western Conference Pacific Division . The team was established in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors based in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , a founding member of the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) . In 1962 , the franchise relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and was renamed the San Francisco Warriors . In 1971 , the team changed its geographic moniker to Golden State , California 's state nickname . Since 1971 , the team 's home court has been the Oracle Arena in Oakland . The team is nicknamed the `` Dubs . '' The Warriors have reached nine NBA Finals , winning four NBA championships in 1947 , 1956 , 1975 and most recently in 2015 when they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers . Golden State 's four NBA championships are the fifth most in history behind only the Boston Celtics ( 17 ) , Los Angeles Lakers ( 16 ) , Chicago Bulls ( 6 ) and San Antonio Spurs ( 5 ) . Wilt Chamberlain and Stephen Curry have both been named the NBA 's Most Valuable Player while playing for the Warriors , for a total of three MVP awards . Golden State holds the NBA record for best regular season with 73 -- 9 and most combined wins in a season ( regular season and postseason ) with 88 wins .", "Starbury. Starbury , Inc. is an American brand of sneakers and clothing endorsed by CBA player Stephon Marbury , and was marketed by Steve and Barry 's . The line was launched in September 2006 as a pair of $ 14.98 basketball shoes to compete with higher priced products endorsed by celebrity athletes . Marbury claims that the products are of the same level of quality as more expensive alternatives .", "Houston Rockets. The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston , Texas . The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member of the league 's Western Conference Southwest Division . The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center , located in downtown Houston . The Rockets have won two NBA championships and four Western Conference titles . The team was established as the San Diego Rockets , an expansion team originally based in San Diego , in 1967 . In 1971 , the Rockets moved to Houston . The Rockets won only 15 games in their debut season as a franchise in 1967 . In the 1968 NBA draft , the Rockets , picking first overall , selected power forward Elvin Hayes , who would lead the team to its first playoff appearance in his rookie season . The Rockets did not finish a season with a winning record until the 1976 -- 77 season , when they traded for center Moses Malone . Malone went on to win the NBA Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) award twice and led Houston to the conference finals in his first year with the team . He also led the Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1981 where they were defeated in six games by the Boston Celtics , led by Larry Bird and future Rockets coach Kevin McHale . In 1984 , the Rockets drafted center Hakeem Olajuwon , who would be paired with 7 ft Ralph Sampson , forming one of the tallest front courts in the NBA . Nicknamed the `` Twin Towers '' , they led the team to the 1986 NBA Finals -- the second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history -- where Houston was again defeated by the Boston Celtics . The Rockets continued to reach the playoffs throughout the 1980s , but failed to advance past the first round for several years following a second-round defeat to the Seattle SuperSonics in 1987 . Rudy Tomjanovich took over as head coach midway through the 1991 -- 92 season , ushering in the most successful period in franchise history . Olajuwon-led Rockets went to the 1994 NBA Finals and won franchise 's first championship against Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks . The following season , the Rockets reinforced by another All-Star , Clyde Drexler , repeated as champions as the sixth seed in the West and swept the Orlando Magic , led by a young Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway , in four games . Houston became the lowest-seeded team in NBA history to win the title . The Rockets acquired all-star forward Charles Barkley in 1996 , but the presence of three of the NBA 's 50 greatest players of all-time ( Olajuwon , Drexler , and Barkley ) was not enough to propel Houston past the Western Conference Finals . Each one of the aging trio had left the team by 2001 , and the Rockets of the early 21st century , led by superstars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming , followed the trend of consistent regular-season respectability followed by playoff underachievement as both players struggled with injuries . After Yao 's early retirement in 2011 , the Rockets entered a period of rebuilding , completely dismantling and retooling their roster . The acquisition of franchise player James Harden in 2012 has launched the Rockets back into championship contention in the mid-2010s . The Rockets , under general manager Daryl Morey , are notable for popularizing the use of advanced statistical analytics ( similar to sabermetrics in baseball ) in player acquisitions and style of play .", "Basketball. Basketball is a non-contact sport played on a rectangular court . While most often played as a team sport with five players on each side , three-on-three , two-on-two , and one-on-one competitions are also common . The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 in in diameter and 10 ft high that is mounted to a backboard at each end of the court . The game was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith , who would be the first basketball coach of the Kansas Jayhawks , one of the most successful programs in the game 's history . A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket being defended by the opposition team during regular play . A field goal scores three points for the shooting team if the player shoots from behind the three-point line , and two points if shot from in front of the line . A team can also score via free throws , which are worth one point , after the other team is assessed with certain fouls . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins , but additional time ( overtime ) is mandated when the score is tied at the end of regulation . The ball can be advanced on the court by passing it to a teammate , or by bouncing it while walking or running ( dribbling ) . It is a violation to lift , or drag , one 's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it , or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The game has many individual techniques for displaying skill -- ball-handling , shooting , passing , dribbling , dunking , shot-blocking , and rebounding . Basketball teams generally have player positions , the tallest and strongest members of a team are called a center or power forward , while slightly shorter and more agile players are called small forward , and the shortest players or those who possess the best ball handling skills are called a point guard or shooting guard . The point guard directs the on court action of the team , implementing the coach 's game plan , and managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays ( player positioning ) . Basketball is one of the world 's most popular and widely viewed sports . The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is the most popular and widely considered to be the highest level of professional basketball in the world and NBA players are the world 's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player . Outside North America , the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the Euroleague and FIBA Americas League . The FIBA Basketball World Cup attracts the top national teams from around the world . Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams , like EuroBasket and FIBA Americas Championship . The FIBA Women 's Basketball World Cup features the top national women 's basketball teams from continental championships . The main North American league is the WNBA , whereas the EuroLeague Women has been dominated by teams from the Russian Women 's Basketball Premier League .", "Stephen Curry. Wardell Stephen Curry II ( born March 14 , 1988 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . Many players and analysts have called him the greatest shooter in NBA history . In 2014 -- 15 , Curry won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and led the Warriors to their first championship since 1975 . The following season , he became the first player in NBA history to be elected MVP by a unanimous vote and to lead the league in scoring while shooting above 50 -- 40 -- 90 . That same year , the Warriors broke the record for the most wins in an NBA season . Curry is the son of former NBA player Dell Curry and older brother of current NBA player Seth Curry . He played college basketball for Davidson . There , he was twice named Southern Conference Player of the Year and set the all-time scoring record for both Davidson and the Southern Conference . During his sophomore year , he also set the single-season NCAA record for three-pointers made . During the 2012 -- 13 season , Curry set the NBA record for three-pointers made in a regular season with 272 . He surpassed that record in 2015 with 286 , and again in 2016 with 402 . During the 2013 -- 14 season , he and teammate Klay Thompson were nicknamed the `` Splash Brothers '' en route to setting the NBA record for combined three-pointers in a season with 484 , a record they broke the following season ( 525 ) and again in the 2015 -- 16 season ( 678 ) .", "Orlando Magic. The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando , Florida . The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member club of the league 's Eastern Conference Southeast Division . The franchise was established in 1989 as an expansion franchise , and such notable NBA stars as Shaquille O'Neal , Penny Hardaway , Patrick Ewing , Grant Hill , Tracy McGrady , Steve Francis , Dwight Howard , Vince Carter , and Rashard Lewis have played for the club throughout its young history . The franchise has also played in the NBA playoffs for more than half of its existence ( 14 playoff appearances in 27 years ) , and twice went to the NBA Finals , in 1995 and 2009 . Orlando has been the second most successful of the four expansion teams brought into the league in 1988 and 1989 in terms of winning percentage , after fellow Floridian team Miami Heat .", "NBA Finals. The NBA Finals is the seasonal championship series of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The entrants are determined by the victors of the Eastern and Western conferences , who engage in a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion . The winners of the Finals are awarded the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy , which replaced the Walter A. Brown Trophy in 1983 . Prior to the 1949-50 season , the series was named the BAA Finals , before seeing alteration following the merger between the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) and the National Basketball League ( NBL ) which created the modern NBA . The competition oversaw further name changes to NBA World Championship Series from 1950 to 1982 , as well as a brief stint as the Showdown , before settling on NBA Finals in 1986 . The NBA Finals was initially structured to harbor a 2 -- 3 -- 2 format until 2013 , where the first and last two games of the series were played at the arena of the team who earned home court advantage by having the better record during the regular season . This was then altered as teams with home-court went 21 -- 8 in all Finals appearances . The competition is currently structured under a 2 -- 2 -- 1 -- 1 -- 1 format , where the first two games are played at home for the higher seeded team , and the following two at the home of the lower seeded team . The following three are played at each team 's home arena respectively . A total of 19 franchises have won the NBA Finals . The Boston Celtics hold the record for the most victories , having won the competition 17 times , as well as winning the competition the most times in a row , winning it eight times from 1959 to 1966 . The Los Angeles Lakers have been runners-up the most times , losing fifteen finals . The Eastern Conference has provided the most champions , with 38 wins from eight franchises , while the Western Conference have 32 , also from eight franchises . The current champions are the Cleveland Cavaliers , who beat the Golden State Warriors in seven games in the 2016 Finals .", "NBA draft. The NBA draft is an annual event dating back to 1947 in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league . These are typically college basketball players , but international players are also eligible to be drafted . College players who have finished their four-year college eligibility are automatically eligible for selection , while the underclassman have to declare their eligibility and give up their remaining college eligibility . International players who are at least 23 years old are automatically eligible for selection , while the players younger than 22 have to declare their eligibility . Players who are not automatically eligible but have declared their eligibility are often called `` early-entrants '' or `` early-entry candidates '' . The draft usually takes place at the end of June , during the NBA offseason . Since 1989 , the draft has consisted of two rounds ; this is much shorter than the entry drafts of the other major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada , all of which run at least seven rounds . Sixty players are selected in each draft . No player may sign with the NBA until he has been eligible for at least one draft . In the past , high school players were also eligible to be selected . However , starting in the 2006 draft , high school players were not eligible to enter the draft directly after graduating from high school . The rules now state that high school players will gain eligibility for draft selection one year after their high school graduation , and they must also be at least 19 years old as of the end of the calendar year of the draft . Some players have chosen to use that year to play professionally overseas for example , such as Brandon Jennings ( Italy ) or Emmanuel Mudiay ( China ) . Thon Maker was eligible despite not going to college because he chose to undertake a postgraduate year , so he was technically one year removed from graduation .", "San Antonio Spurs. The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio , Texas . The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Western Conference Southwest Division . The team plays its home games at the AT&T Center in San Antonio . The Spurs are one of four former American Basketball Association ( ABA ) teams to remain intact in the NBA after the 1976 ABA -- NBA merger and the only former ABA team to have won an NBA championship . The Spurs ' five NBA championships are the fourth most in history behind only the Boston Celtics ( 17 ) , Los Angeles Lakers ( 16 ) , and Chicago Bulls ( 6 ) . The Spurs currently rank first among active franchises for the highest winning percentage in NBA history , and have a winning head-to-head regular season record against every active NBA franchise . In their 40 NBA seasons since 1976 -- 77 , the Spurs have won 22 division titles . They have made the playoffs in 27 of the last 28 seasons ( since 1989 -- 90 ) and have only missed the playoffs four times since entering the NBA ; they have not missed the playoffs in the 19 seasons since Tim Duncan was drafted by the Spurs in 1997 . With their 50th win in the 2016 -- 17 season , the Spurs extended their record for most consecutive 50-win seasons to 18 ( the 1998 -- 99 season was shortened to 50 games because of a lockout and based on their win percentage of .740 , would have easily surpassed 50 wins in an 82-game season , and thus extend the record by 2 more seasons ) . Thus , since the 1997 -- 98 season , the Spurs have had 20 consecutive seasons with a winning percentage of .610 or greater during the regular season which is also an NBA record . Only the team 's current head coach , Gregg Popovich , who had been the team 's general manager before replacing Bob Hill in 1996 , has had a longer tenure with the Spurs .", "YouTube. YouTube is an American video-sharing website headquartered in San Bruno , California . The service was created by three former PayPal employees -- Chad Hurley , Steve Chen , and Jawed Karim -- in February 2005 . Google bought the site in November 2006 for US$ 1.65 billion ; YouTube now operates as one of Google 's subsidiaries . The site allows users to upload , view , rate , share , add to favorites , report and comment on videos , subscribe to other users , and it makes use of WebM , H. 264/MPEG -4 AVC , and Adobe Flash Video technology to display a wide variety of user-generated and corporate media videos . Available content includes video clips , TV show clips , music videos , short and documentary films , audio recordings , movie trailers and other content such as video blogging , short original videos , and educational videos . Most of the content on YouTube has been uploaded by individuals , but media corporations including CBS , the BBC , Vevo , and Hulu offer some of their material via YouTube as part of the YouTube partnership program . Unregistered users can only watch videos on the site , while registered users are permitted to upload an unlimited number of videos and add comments to videos . Videos deemed potentially offensive are available only to registered users affirming themselves to be at least 18 years old . YouTube earns advertising revenue from Google AdSense , a program which targets ads according to site content and audience . The vast majority of its videos are free to view , but there are exceptions , including subscription-based premium channels , film rentals , as well as YouTube Red , a subscription service offering ad-free access to the website and access to exclusive content made in partnership with existing users . , there are more than 400 hours of content uploaded to YouTube each minute , and one billion hours of content is watched on YouTube every day . , the website is ranked as the second most popular site in the world by Alexa Internet , a web traffic analysis company .", "New York City. The City of New York , often called New York City or simply New York , is the most populous city in the United States . With an estimated 2016 population of 8,537,673 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 sqmi , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the United States . Located at the southern tip of the state of New York , the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area , one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . A global power city , New York City exerts a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . Home to the headquarters of the United Nations , New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world . Situated on one of the world 's largest natural harbors , New York City consists of five boroughs , each of which is a separate county of New York State . The five boroughs -- Brooklyn , Queens , Manhattan , The Bronx , and Staten Island -- were consolidated into a single city in 1898 . The city and its metropolitan area constitute the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States , and as many as 800 languages are spoken in New York , making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world . New York City is home to more than 3.2 million residents born outside the United States , the world 's largest foreign-born population of any city . By 2016 estimates , the New York City metropolitan region remains by a significant margin the most populous in the United States , as defined by both the Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) , 20.2 million residents , and the Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , 23.7 million residents . In 2013 , the MSA produced a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of nearly US$ 1.39 trillion . In 2012 , the CSA generated a GMP of over US$ 1.55 trillion . NYC 's MSA and CSA GDP are higher than the GDPs of all but 11 and 12 countries , respectively . New York City traces its origin to its 1624 founding in Lower Manhattan as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626 . The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother , the Duke of York . New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790 . It has been the country 's largest city since 1790 . The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a symbol of the United States and its democracy . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known , and the city received a record of nearly 60 million tourists in 2015 , hosting three of the world 's ten most visited tourist attractions in 2013 . Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world . Times Square , iconic as the world 's `` heart '' and its `` Crossroads '' , is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District , one of the world 's busiest pedestrian intersections , and a major center of the world 's entertainment industry . The names of many of the city 's bridges , tapered skyscrapers , and parks are known around the world . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and the city is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization , the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Manhattan 's real estate market is among the most expensive in the world . Manhattan 's Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere , with multiple signature Chinatowns developing across the city . Providing continuous 24/7 service , the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive metro systems worldwide , with stations in operation . Over 120 colleges and universities are located in New York City , including Columbia University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "Los Angeles Lakers. The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles . The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member of the league 's Western Conference Pacific Division . The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center , an arena shared with the NBA 's Los Angeles Clippers , the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women 's National Basketball Association , and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA , and have won 16 NBA championships , their last being in 2010 . As of 2015 , the Lakers are the second most valuable franchise in the NBA according to Forbes , having an estimated value of $ 2.7 billion . The franchise began with the 1947 purchase of a disbanded team , the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League ( NBL ) . The new team began playing in Minneapolis , calling themselves the Minneapolis Lakers in honor of the state 's nickname , `` Land of 10,000 Lakes '' . Initially a member of the NBL , the Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America and winning five of the next six BAA and NBA championships in Minneapolis after the NBA formed in 1949 . The team was propelled by center George Mikan , who is described by the NBA 's official website as the league 's `` first superstar '' . After struggling financially in the late 1950s following Mikan 's retirement , they relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960 -- 61 season . Led by Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor and Jerry West , Los Angeles made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s , but lost each series to the Boston Celtics , beginning their long and storied rivalry . In 1968 , the Lakers acquired four-time NBA Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Wilt Chamberlain to play center , and after losing in the Finals in 1969 and 1970 , they won their sixth NBA title -- and first in Los Angeles -- in 1972 , led by new head coach Bill Sharman . After the retirement of West and Chamberlain , the team acquired another center , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , who had won multiple MVP awards , but was unable to make the Finals in the late 1970s . The 1980s Lakers were nicknamed `` Showtime '' due to their Magic Johnson-led fast break-offense , and won five championships in a 9-year span , including their first ever Finals championship against the Celtics in 1985 . This team featured Hall of Famers in Johnson , Abdul-Jabbar , and James Worthy , and a Hall of Fame coach , Pat Riley . After Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson 's retirement , the team struggled in the early 1990s before acquiring Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in 1996 . Led by O'Neal , Bryant , and another Hall of Fame coach , Phil Jackson , Los Angeles won three consecutive titles between 2000 to 2002 , securing the franchise its second `` three-peat '' . After losing both the 2004 and 2008 NBA Finals , the Lakers won two more championships by defeating the Orlando Magic in 2009 and Boston in 2010 . The Lakers hold the record for NBA 's longest winning streak , 33 straight games , set during the 1971 -- 72 season . 21 Hall of Famers have played for Los Angeles , while four have coached the team . Four Lakers -- Abdul-Jabbar , Johnson , O'Neal , and Bryant -- have won the NBA MVP Award for a total of eight awards .", "NBA Most Valuable Player Award. The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) is an annual National Basketball Association ( NBA ) award given since the 1955 -- 56 season to the best performing player of the regular season . The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy , which is named in honor of the first commissioner ( then president ) of the NBA , who served from 1946 until 1963 . Until the , the MVP was selected by a vote of NBA players . Since the , the award is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada , each of whom casts a vote for first to fifth place selections . Each first-place vote is worth 10 points ; each second-place vote is worth seven ; each third-place vote is worth five , fourth-place is worth three and fifth-place is worth one . Starting from 2010 , one ballot was cast by fans through online voting . The player with the highest point total wins the award . , the current holder of the award is Stephen Curry , who won both the 2015 and 2016 MVP Awards . Every player who has won this award and has been eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has been inducted . Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the award a record six times . Both Bill Russell and Michael Jordan won the award five times , while Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James won the award four times . Russell and James are the only players to have won the award four times in five seasons . Moses Malone , Larry Bird and Magic Johnson each won the award three times , while Bob Pettit , Karl Malone , Tim Duncan , Steve Nash and Stephen Curry have each won it twice . Only two rookies have won the award : Wilt Chamberlain in the and Wes Unseld in the 1968 -- 69 season . Hakeem Olajuwon of Nigeria , Tim Duncan of the U.S. Virgin Islands , Steve Nash of Canada and Dirk Nowitzki of Germany are the only MVP winners considered `` international players '' by the NBA . Stephen Curry in 2015 -- 16 is the only player to have won the award unanimously . Shaquille O'Neal in 1999 -- 2000 and LeBron James in 2012 -- 13 are the only two players to have fallen one vote shy of a unanimous selection , both receiving 120 of 121 votes . Since the , every winner was from a team that won at least 50 games in the regular season that year.Except for seasons affected by lockouts , when the schedule was shortened from the norm of 82 games . Karl Malone won in 1998 -- 99 when Utah was 37 -- 13 in 50 games , which projected to 60 wins in 82 games . James won in 2011 -- 12 when the Miami Heat were 46 -- 20 in 66 games , which projected to 57 wins .", "My Other Home. My Other Home ( Simplified Chinese : 纽约人在北京 , literally `` A New Yorker in Beijing '' ) is an upcoming Chinese-American sports biographical film directed by Yang Zi and produced by Huang Jianxin , starring American basketball player Stephon Marbury as himself . Filming began on April 26 , 2016 in Beijing 's LeSports Center . The film is scheduled for release in China in August 2017 .", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "Steve Kerr. Stephen Douglas Kerr ( born September 27 , 1965 ) is an American former professional basketball player and the current head coach of the Golden State Warriors . Kerr is a six-time NBA champion , winning three with the Chicago Bulls and two with the San Antonio Spurs as a player , and one with the Warriors as a head coach . Kerr has the highest career three-point percentage ( 45.4 % ) for any player with at least 250 three pointers made in NBA history . On June 2 , 2007 , the Phoenix Suns named Kerr the team 's President of Basketball Operations and General Manager . Kerr helped Managing Partner Robert Sarver buy the Suns in 2004 and became one of Sarver 's trusted basketball advisors . Kerr announced his retirement from the Suns in June 2010 . Afterwards , Kerr returned as a color commentator for NBA on TNT until 2014 , when he pursued a career in coaching . On May 14 , 2014 , the Golden State Warriors named Kerr the team 's head coach . On April 4 , 2015 , with a win over the Dallas Mavericks , Kerr broke the NBA record for the most regular season wins for a rookie coach . The Warriors went on to win the 2015 NBA Finals , making Kerr the first rookie coach to win a championship since Pat Riley in the 1982 NBA Finals . On April 13 , 2016 , the Warriors broke the record for the most wins in an NBA season .", "Utah Jazz. The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City , Utah . The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member club of the league 's Western Conference Northwest Division . Since 1991 , the team has played its home games at Vivint Smart Home Arena . The franchise began play in 1974 as the New Orleans Jazz , an expansion team based in New Orleans ; the Jazz moved to Salt Lake City in 1979 . The Jazz were one of the least successful teams in the league in their early years . Although 10 seasons elapsed before the Jazz qualified for their first playoff appearance in 1984 , they did not miss the playoffs again until 2004 . During the late 1980s , John Stockton and Karl Malone arose as the franchise players for the team , and formed one of the most famed point guard -- power forward duos in NBA history . Led by coach Jerry Sloan , who took over for Frank Layden in 1988 , they became one of the powerhouse teams of the 1990s , culminating in two NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998 , where they lost both times to the Chicago Bulls , led by Michael Jordan . Both Stockton and Malone moved on in 2003 . After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons the Jazz returned to prominence under the on-court leadership of point guard Deron Williams . However , partway through the 2010 -- 11 NBA season , the Jazz began restructuring after Sloan 's retirement and Williams ' trade to the New Jersey Nets . Quin Snyder was hired as head coach in June 2014 . Valued in 2015 at $ 850 million by Forbes , the Jazz rank as the 20th most valuable franchise in the NBA ahead of the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks .", "2000–01 New Jersey Nets season. The 2000 -- 01 NBA season was the Nets ' 34th season in the National Basketball Association , and 25th season in East Rutherford , New Jersey . The Nets won the Draft Lottery and selected Kenyon Martin with the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft , while signing free agent Aaron Williams during the offseason . Under new head coach Byron Scott , the Nets got off to a 6 -- 4 start , but then lost nine consecutive games while losing 17 of their next 20 games . Injuries limited Keith Van Horn to 49 games , and Kendall Gill to 31 games , while Kerry Kittles missed the entire season with a knee injury . The Nets lost their final six games finishing sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 26 -- 56 record . Despite their struggles , Stephon Marbury averaged 23.9 points per game and was selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game . Following the season , Marbury was traded along with Johnny Newman to the Phoenix Suns , who released Newman as he signed with the Dallas Mavericks during the next season , Gill signed with the Miami Heat , rookie Stephen Jackson signed with the San Antonio Spurs and Sherman Douglas retired .", "NBA playoffs. The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament among 16 teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference ( called divisions , pre-1970 ) , ultimately deciding the league 's season champion in the NBA Finals .", "New York. New York is a state in the northeastern United States , and is the 27th-most extensive , fourth-most populous , and seventh-most densely populated U.S. state . New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut , Massachusetts , and Vermont to the east . The state has a maritime border in the Atlantic Ocean with Rhode Island , east of Long Island , as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the northwest . The state of New York , with an estimated 19.8 million residents in 2015 , is also referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City , the state 's most populous city and its economic hub . With an estimated population of 8.55 million in 2015 , New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . The New York Metropolitan Area is one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . New York City is a global city , exerting a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . The home of the United Nations Headquarters , New York City is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , as well as the world 's most economically powerful city . New York City makes up over 40 % of the population of New York State . Two-thirds of the state 's population lives in the New York City Metropolitan Area , and nearly 40 % lives on Long Island . Both the state and New York City were named for the 17th-century Duke of York , future King James II of England . The next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo , Rochester , Yonkers , and Syracuse , while the state capital is Albany . New York has a diverse geography . The southern part of the state consists of Long Island and several smaller associated islands , as well as New York City and the lower Hudson River Valley , most of which lie within the wider Atlantic Coastal Plain . The large region known as Upstate New York consists of several ranges of the wider Appalachian Mountains , including the Allegheny Plateau and Catskills along New York 's Southern Tier , and the Adirondack Mountains , Thousand Islands archipelago , and Saint Lawrence Seaway in the Northeastern lobe of the state . These more mountainous regions are bisected by two major river valleys -- the north-south Hudson River Valley and the east-west Mohawk River Valley , which forms the core of the Erie Canal . Western New York is considered part of the Great Lakes Region and straddles Lake Ontario and Lake Erie . Between the two lakes lies Niagara Falls . The central part of the state is dominated by the Finger Lakes , a popular vacation and tourist destination . New York had been inhabited by tribes of Algonquian and Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans for several hundred years by the time the earliest Europeans came to New York . The first Europeans to arrive were French colonists and Jesuit missionaries who arrived southward from settlements at Montreal for trade and proselytizing . In 1609 , the region was claimed by Henry Hudson for the Dutch , who built Fort Nassau in 1614 at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers , where the present-day capital of Albany later developed . The Dutch soon also settled New Amsterdam and parts of the Hudson Valley , establishing the colony of New Netherland , a multicultural community from its earliest days and a center of trade and immigration . The British annexed the colony from the Dutch in 1664 . The borders of the British colony , the Province of New York , were similar to those of the present-day state . Many landmarks in New York are well known to both international and domestic visitors , with New York State hosting four of the world 's ten most-visited tourist attractions in 2013 : Times Square , Central Park , Niagara Falls ( shared with Ontario ) , and Grand Central Terminal . New York is home to the Statue of Liberty , a symbol of the United States and its ideals of freedom , democracy , and opportunity . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . New York 's higher education network comprises approximately 200 colleges and universities , including Columbia University , Cornell University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "1996–97 Milwaukee Bucks season. The 1996 -- 97 NBA season was the Bucks ' 29th season in the National Basketball Association . In the 1996 NBA draft , the Bucks selected Georgia Tech point guard Stephon Marbury with the fourth pick , but soon traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves for rookie shooting guard Ray Allen out of Connecticut . Offseason acquisitions included signing free agents Armen Gilliam and Andrew Lang , while acquiring Elliot Perry from the Phoenix Suns . Under new head coach Chris Ford , the Bucks appeared to be on their way breaking out of the gate with a 15 -- 11 start . However , they could n't maintain that momentum and missed the playoffs again by finishing seventh in the Central Division with a 33 -- 49 record . Vin Baker made his third straight All-Star appearance in the 1997 NBA All-Star Game , and Allen was selected to the All-Rookie Second Team averaging 13.4 points per game . Following the season , Baker was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics in an offseason three-team trade , Johnny Newman was dealt to the Denver Nuggets , and Sherman Douglas , who was involved in a trade with Cleveland signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Nets .", "Minnesota Timberwolves. The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis , Minnesota . The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member club of the league 's Western Conference Northwest Division . Founded in 1989 , the team is owned by Glen Taylor . The Timberwolves play their home games at Target Center , their home since 1990 . Like most expansion teams , the Timberwolves struggled in their early years , but after the acquisition of Kevin Garnett in the 1995 NBA draft , the team qualified for the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons from 1997 to 2004 . Despite losing in the first round in their first seven attempts , the Timberwolves won their first division championship in 2004 and advanced to the Western Conference Finals that same season . Garnett was also named the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for that season . The team has been in rebuilding mode for the past decade since missing the playoffs in 2005 , and trading Garnett to the Boston Celtics in 2007 . Garnett returned to the Timberwolves in a February 2015 trade and finished his career there , retiring in the 2016 offseason .", "NBA TV. NBA TV is an American sports-oriented cable and satellite television network that is owned by the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) and operated by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner ; the NBA also uses the network as a way of advertising the league 's out-of-market sports package NBA League Pass , and partner channel TNT . Dedicated to basketball , the network features exhibition , regular season and playoff game telecasts from the NBA and related professional basketball leagues , as well as NBA-related content including analysis programs , specials and documentaries . The network also serves as national broadcaster of the NBA D-League and WNBA games . NBA TV is the oldest cable network in North America to be owned or controlled by a professional sports league , having launched on March 17 , 1999 . As of February 2015 , NBA TV is available to approximately 57,129,001 households that subscribe to cable , satellite or telco television service ( totaling 49.1 % of households with at least one television set ) in the United States . The highest measured audience was a Golden State Warriors vs San Antonio Spurs regular season game on April 10 , 2016 with an average 2.6 million viewers .", "Brooklyn Nets. The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn . The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member club of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . The team plays its home games at Barclays Center . They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City ; the other are the New York Knicks . The team was established in 1967 as a charter franchise of the NBA 's rival league , the American Basketball Association ( ABA ) . They played in New Jersey as the New Jersey Americans during their first season , before moving to Long Island in 1968 and changing their name to the New York Nets . During this time , the Nets won two ABA championships ( in 1974 and 1976 ) . In 1976 , the ABA merged with the NBA , and the Nets were absorbed into the NBA along with three other ABA teams ( the San Antonio Spurs , Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets , all of whom remain in the league today ) . In 1977 , the team returned to New Jersey and played as the New Jersey Nets from 1977 to 2012 . During this time , the Nets won two consecutive Eastern Conference championships ( in the 2001 -- 02 and 2002 -- 03 seasons ) , but failed to win a league title . In the summer of 2012 , the team moved to Barclays Center , and took its current geographic name .", "New Orleans Pelicans. The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans . The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member club of the league 's Western Conference Southwest Division . The team plays their home games in the Smoothie King Center ( formerly known as the New Orleans Arena ) . The Pelicans were established as the New Orleans Hornets in the when then-owner of the Charlotte Hornets , George Shinn , relocated the franchise to New Orleans . Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 , the franchise temporarily relocated to Oklahoma City , where they spent two seasons officially known as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets . The team returned to New Orleans full-time for the 2007 -- 08 season . On January 24 , 2013 , the franchise announced it would rename itself the Pelicans , effective after the conclusion of the 2012 -- 13 season . The Charlotte Hornets name , history and records from 1988 to 2002 were returned to its original city to be used by the then -- Charlotte Bobcats franchise , which subsequently became the Charlotte Hornets , starting May 20 , 2014 . In 14 seasons of play since the original franchise relocated from North Carolina , the Louisiana franchise has achieved an overall regular season record of 528 -- 604 , and has qualified for the playoffs six times . Their achievements include one playoff series victory and one division title .", "Charlotte Hornets. The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte , North Carolina . The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member club of the league 's Eastern Conference Southeast Division . The team is largely owned by former NBA player and North Carolina native Michael Jordan , who acquired controlling interest in the team in 2010 . The Hornets play their home games at the Spectrum Center in Uptown Charlotte . The original Hornets franchise was established in 1988 as an expansion team , owned by George Shinn . In 2002 , Shinn 's franchise relocated to New Orleans and became the New Orleans Hornets . In 2004 the NBA established the Charlotte Bobcats , which was regarded as a new expansion team at the time . In 2013 , the New Orleans franchise announced it would rebrand itself the New Orleans Pelicans , ultimately returning the Hornets name , records , and official history ( spanning 1988 -- 2002 ) to Charlotte . The Bobcats were officially renamed the Charlotte Hornets for the 2014 -- 15 NBA season .", "Washington Wizards. The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington , D.C. . The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Southeast Division . The team plays its home games at the Verizon Center , in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington , D.C. The franchise was established in 1961 as the Chicago Packers based in Chicago , Illinois , and were renamed to Chicago Zephyrs the following season . In 1963 , they relocated to Baltimore , Maryland and became the Baltimore Bullets , taking the name from previous team of the same name . In 1973 , the team changed its moniker to Capital Bullets to reflect their move to Washington metropolitan area , and then changed their name to Washington Bullets in the following season . In 1997 , they rebranded themselves to the Wizards . The Wizards have appeared in four NBA Finals , and won in 1978 . They have won four conference titles ( 1971 , 1975 , 1978 , 1979 ) , and seven division titles ( 1971 , 1972 , 1973 , 1974 , 1975 , 1979 , 2017 ) . Wes Unseld is the only player in franchise history to become the MVP ( 1969 ) , and win the Finals MVP award ( 1978 ) . Four players ( Walt Bellamy , Terry Dischinger , Earl Monroe and Wes Unseld ) have won the Rookie of the Year award .", "Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League ( NFL ) . The game is the culmination to a regular season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year . Normally , Roman numerals are used to identify each game , rather than the year in which it is held . For example , Super Bowl I was played on January 15 , 1967 , following the 1966 regular season . The single exception to this rule is Super Bowl 50 , which was played on February 7 , 2016 , following the 2015 regular season . The next game , Super Bowl LII , scheduled for February 4 , 2018 , will follow the 2017 regular season . The game was created as part of a merger agreement between the NFL and its then-rival league , the American Football League ( AFL ) . It was agreed that the two leagues ' champion teams would play in the AFL -- NFL World Championship Game until the merger was to officially begin in 1970 . After the merger , each league was redesignated as a `` conference '' , and the game has since been played between the conference champions to determine the NFL 's league champion . Currently , the National Football Conference ( NFC ) leads the league with 26 wins to 25 wins for the American Football Conference ( AFC ) . The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most Super Bowl championship titles , with six . The New England Patriots have the most Super Bowl appearances , with nine . The day on which the Super Bowl is played , now considered by some as an unofficial American national holiday , is called `` Super Bowl Sunday '' . It is the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption , after Thanksgiving Day . In addition , the Super Bowl has frequently been the most-watched American television broadcast of the year ; the seven most-watched broadcasts in U.S. television history are Super Bowls . In 2015 , Super Bowl XLIX became the most-watched American television program in history with an average audience of 114.4 million viewers , the fifth time in six years the game had set a record , starting with the 2010 Super Bowl , which itself had taken over the number-one spot held for 27 years by the final episode of M * A * S * H . The Super Bowl is also among the most-watched sporting events in the world , almost all audiences being North American , and is second to soccer 's UEFA Champions League final as the most watched annual sporting event worldwide . The NFL restricts the use of its `` Super Bowl '' trademark ; it is frequently called the Big Game or other generic terms by non-sponsoring corporations . Because of the high viewership , commercial airtime during the Super Bowl broadcast is the most expensive of the year , leading to companies regularly developing their most expensive advertisements for this broadcast . As a result , watching and discussing the broadcast 's commercials has become a significant aspect of the event . In addition , popular singers and musicians including Michael Jackson , Madonna , Prince , Beyoncé , Paul McCartney , The Rolling Stones , The Who , Whitney Houston , and Lady Gaga have performed during the event 's pre-game and halftime ceremonies .", "Boston Celtics. The Boston Celtics ( -LSB- ˈsɛltɪks -RSB- ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston , Massachusetts . The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division . Founded in 1946 and one of eight NBA teams ( out of 23 total teams ) to survive the league 's first decade , the team is owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC . The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden , which they share with the National Hockey League ( NHL ) 's Boston Bruins . The franchise 's 17 championships are the most of any NBA team , and account for 24.3 percent of all NBA championships since the league 's founding in 1946 . As a percentage of championships won , the Celtics are the most successful franchise to date in the major four traditional North American professional sports leagues . The Celtics have played the Lakers a record 12 times in the finals , including their most recent appearances in 2008 and 2010 , where the Celtics have won nine meetings ( but only two since 1980 ) . Four Celtics players ( Bob Cousy , Bill Russell , Dave Cowens and Larry Bird ) have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for an NBA record total of 10 MVP awards . Their mascot ` Lucky the Leprechaun ' is a nod to the team 's Irish heritage and to Boston 's historically large Irish population . The Celtics rose again after struggling through the 1990s to win a championship in 2008 with the help of Kevin Garnett , Paul Pierce , and Ray Allen in what was known as the new `` Big Three '' era , following the original `` Big Three '' era of the 1980s that featured Larry Bird , Kevin McHale , and Robert Parish . After the end of the second `` Big Three '' era , general manager Danny Ainge began a rebuilding process with the help of new head coach Brad Stevens , who led the Celtics to a return to the playoffs in 2015 , 2016 , and 2017 . During the 2016 -- 17 season , the Celtics clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs ." ]

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[ "Cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy ( CP ) is a group of permanent movement disorders that appear in early childhood . Signs and symptoms vary among people . Often , symptoms include poor coordination , stiff muscles , weak muscles , and tremors . There may be problems with sensation , vision , hearing , swallowing , and speaking . Often babies with cerebral palsy do not roll over , sit , crawl , or walk as early as other children of their age . Other symptoms include seizures and problems with thinking or reasoning , each of which occurs in about one third of people with CP . While the symptoms may get more noticeable over the first few years of life , the underlying problems do not worsen over time . Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormal development or damage to the parts of the brain that control movement , balance , and posture . Most often the problems occur during pregnancy ; however , they may also occur during childbirth , or shortly after birth . Often the cause is unknown . Risk factors include preterm birth , being a twin , certain infections during pregnancy such as toxoplasmosis or rubella , exposure to methylmercury during pregnancy , a difficult delivery , and head trauma during the first few years of life , among others . About 2 % of cases are believed to be due to an inherited genetic cause . A number of sub-types are classified based on the specific problems present . For example , those with stiff muscles have spastic cerebral palsy , those with poor coordination have ataxic cerebral palsy , and those with writhing movements have athetoid cerebral palsy . Diagnosis is based on the child 's development over time . Blood tests and medical imaging may be used to rule out other possible causes . CP is partly preventable through immunization of the mother and efforts to prevent head injuries in children such as through improved safety . There is no cure for CP ; however , supportive treatments , medications , and surgery may help many individuals . This may include physical therapy , occupational therapy , and speech therapy . Medications such as diazepam , baclofen , and botulinum toxin may help relax stiff muscles . Surgery may include lengthening muscles and cutting overly active nerves . Often external braces and other assistive technology are helpful . Some affected children can achieve near normal adult lives with appropriate treatment . While alternative medicines are frequently used there is no evidence to support their use . CP is the most common movement disorder in children . It occurs in about 2.1 per 1,000 live births . Cerebral palsy has been documented throughout history with the first known descriptions occurring in the work of Hippocrates in the 5th century BCE . Extensive study of the condition began in the 19th century by William John Little , after whom spastic diplegia was called `` Little disease '' . William Osler first named it `` cerebral palsy '' from the German `` zerebrale Kinderlähmung '' ( cerebral child-paralysis ) . A number of potential treatments are being examined , including stem cell therapy . However , more research is required to determine if it is effective and safe .", "Self-Help Group for Cerebral Palsy. The Self-Help Group for Cerebral Palsy ( SGCP ) is a non-governmental and non-profit organization in Nepal dedicated for helping and educating children and adults suffering from cerebral palsy . Cerebral palsy ( CP ) is a neurological disorder that is caused during childhood which permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination . The organization has one rehabilitation center established in 2005 , situated in Dhapakel , Lalitpur that consists of a team of medical professionals , trained teachers and social workers .", "Cerebral perfusion pressure. Cerebral perfusion pressure , or CPP , is the net pressure gradient causing cerebral blood flow to the brain ( brain perfusion ) . It must be maintained within narrow limits because too little pressure could cause brain tissue to become ischemic ( having inadequate blood flow ) , and too much could raise intracranial pressure ( ICP ) .", "CP1 (classification). CP1 is a disability sport classification specific to cerebral palsy . In many sports , it is grouped inside other classifications to allow people with cerebral palsy to compete against people with other different disabilities but the same level of functionality . CP1 classified competitors are the group who are most physically affected by their cerebral palsy . They are quadriplegics . The most popular sport for people in this class is boccia , where they are classified as either BC1 or BC3 . Other sports open to competitors in this class include athletics , cycling , race running , slalom , and swimming . In some of these sports , different classification systems or names for CP1 are used .", "World Cerebral Palsy Day. World Cerebral Palsy Day is an social movement and a day to celebrate and affirm the lives of the 17 million people living with cerebral palsy ( CP ) . The project was launched in 2012 by Cerebral Palsy Alliance ( Australia ) and United Cerebral Palsy ( USA ) . It is supported by over 380 CP service organisations , universities , parent groups , research institutions , student groups , schools and children 's hospitals from 62 countries . The first World CP Day campaign was called ` Change My World in 1 Minute ' . The project sought ideas from the global community of people with CP for technologies and products that needed inventing - that had the potential to ` change the world ' for people living with CP . In 2012 , more than 470 ideas were posted on the World CP Day website . Three ideas were shortlisted and then the call went out to inventors . A research team from the University of Virginia ( USA ) won the major prize . They developed a prototype solar powered wheelchair which was an idea posted by Alper Sirvan , a man with cerebral palsy in Turkey . The wheelchair prototype was presented to Alper on World CP Day 2013 . In 2015 , the campaign evolved into a social movement that targets the six key issues that affect people with CP around the world , irrespective of geographical , cultural and economic differences . The website provides tools and resources for organisations to adapt and take action locally and , in doing so , builds the global movement for change . The 2017 date for the observance is Friday October 6 .", "Covenant Players. Covenant Players ( aka CP ) is a professional theater company , fielding touring troupes in over 30 countries , founded on September 29 , 1963 , and still operating . It presents original Christian-themed plays written by founder Charles M. Tanner to schools , churches , hospitals , social service groups , the military , corporate and community organizations . The mission of Covenant Players is `` to communicate the Lord Jesus Christ through the medium of drama '' . CP can tailor-make presentations for Christian or secular clientele/audiences . CP 's World Headquarters ( aka WHQ ) is located in Oxnard , California , US and their North American Headquarters in Toledo , Ohio . Around 25 full-time performing units are supported by principal offices in Germany , Great Britain , Australia , New Zealand and South Africa . Members are currently drawn from some two dozen nationalities . Founder Charles M. Tanner died on March 11 , 2006 after years of declining health following a massive stroke in 1998 ; Bobbi Johnson-Tanner became International Director .", "Cyclophosphamide. Cyclophosphamide ( CP ) , also known as cytophosphane among other , is a medication used as chemotherapy and to suppress the immune system . As chemotherapy it is used to treat lymphoma , multiple myeloma , leukemia , ovarian cancer , breast cancer , small cell lung cancer , neuroblastoma , and sarcoma . As an immune suppressor it is used in nephrotic syndrome and following organ transplant . It is taken by mouth or injection into a vein . Most people develop side effects . Common side effects include low white blood cell counts , loss of appetite , vomiting , hair loss , and bleeding from the bladder . Other severe side effects include an increased future risk of cancer , infertility , allergic reactions , and pulmonary fibrosis . Cyclophosphamide is in the alkylating agent and nitrogen mustard family of medications . It works by interfering with the duplication of DNA and the creation of RNA . Cyclophosphamide was approved for medical use in the United States in 1959 . It is on the World Health Organization 's List of Essential Medicines , the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system . The wholesale cost in the developing world is about 3.65 to 14.30 USD per 1 g vial . In the United Kingdom this dose costs the NHS about 17.06 pounds . In the United States this dose by mouth is about 19.56 USD .", "Ataxic cerebral palsy. Ataxic cerebral palsy is clinically observed in approximately 5-10 % of all cases of cerebral palsy , making it the least frequent form of cerebral palsy diagnosed . Ataxic cerebral palsy is caused by damage to cerebellar structures , differentiating it from the other two forms of cerebral palsy , which are spastic cerebral palsy ( damage to cortical motor areas and underlying white matter ) and athetoid cerebral palsy ( damage to basal ganglia ) . Because of the damage to the cerebellum , which is essential for coordinating muscle movements and balance , patients with ataxic cerebral palsy experience problems in coordination , specifically in their arms , legs , and trunk . Ataxic cerebral palsy is known to decrease muscle tone . The most common manifestation of ataxic cerebral palsy is intention ( action ) tremor , which is especially apparent when carrying out precise movements , such as tying shoe laces or writing with a pencil . This symptom gets progressively worse as the movement persists , causing the hand to shake . As the hand gets closer to accomplishing the intended task , the trembling intensifies which makes it even more difficult to complete . Like all forms of CP , there is no `` cure '' for ataxic cerebral palsy . However , there are a number of diverse treatments which together have been used to limit the negative effects of the condition . Like all forms of CP it is most common for ataxic cerebral palsy to be congenital , resulting from errors in the development of the cerebellum and connexins during pregnancy . However it is also possible to be acquired via meningitis or even by head trauma , although the latter more often leads to one of the many forms of traumatic brain injury , which is categorically separate from cerebral palsy as a class .", "CP8 (classification). CP8 is a disability sport classification specific to cerebral palsy . In many sports , it is grouped inside other classifications to allow people with cerebral palsy to compete against people with other different disabilities but the same level of functionality . CP8 classified competitors are the group who are least physically affected by their cerebral palsy , with their disability generally manifested as spasticity in at least one limb . There are a number of sports for which they are eligible to participate in , including alpine skiing , athletics , cycling , football , Nordic skiing , standing volleyball and swimming . In some of these sports , different classification systems or names for CP8 are used .", "United Cerebral Palsy. United Cerebral Palsy ( UCP ) is an international nonprofit charitable organization consisting of a network of affiliates . UCP is a leading service provider and advocate for adults and children with disabilities . As one of the largest health nonprofits in the United States , the UCP mission is to advance the independence , productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities through an affiliate network .", "Cyproterone acetate. Cyproterone acetate ( abbreviated as CPA ) , sold alone under the brand name Androcur or with ethinylestradiol ( EE ) as Diane or Diane-35 among others , is an antiandrogen and progestogen that is used in the treatment of androgen-related conditions like acne , hirsutism ( excessive hair growth ) , early-onset puberty , and prostate cancer , as a component of hormone therapy for transgender women , and in oral contraceptives . It is formulated and used both alone and in combination with an estrogen and is available for use both by mouth and by injection into muscle . CPA blocks the effects of androgens like testosterone in the body , which it does by preventing them from interacting with their biological target , the androgen receptor ( AR ) , and by reducing their production by the gonads and hence their concentrations in the body . In addition , it has progesterone-like effects by activating the progesterone receptor ( PR ) . CPA is well-absorbed , is extensively bound to plasma proteins , and has an elimination half-life of around 40 hours . Common side effects of non-contraceptive ( i.e. , high ) dosages of CPA in men include gynecomastia ( breast development ) and feminization in general and in both men and women include hypogonadism ( low sex hormone levels ) , reversible infertility , sexual dysfunction , mental symptoms like depression , fatigue , and irritability , vitamin B12 deficiency , and elevated liver enzymes . Rare but serious adverse reactions of CPA include blood clots , liver damage , and certain types of benign brain tumors ( specifically prolactinomas and meningiomas ) . CPA can also cause adrenal insufficiency as a withdrawal effect if it is discontinued abruptly from a high dosage . CPA was first marketed in 1973 , and was the first antiandrogen to be introduced for medical use . Other important antiandrogens besides CPA include spironolactone and bicalutamide . The drug is available widely throughout the world , but is notably not approved for use in the United States .", "Management of cerebral palsy. Over time , the approach to cerebral palsy management has shifted away from narrow attempts to fix individual physical problems such as spasticity in a particular limb to making such treatments part of a larger goal of maximizing the person 's independence and community engagement . Much of childhood therapy is aimed at improving gait and walking . Approximately 60 % of people with CP are able to walk independently or with aids at adulthood . However , the evidence base for the effectiveness of intervention programs reflecting the philosophy of independence has not yet caught up : effective interventions for body structures and functions have a strong evidence base , but evidence is lacking for effective interventions targeted toward participation , environment , or personal factors . There is also no good evidence to show that an intervention that is effective at the body-specific level will result in an improvement at the activity level , or vice versa . Although such cross-over benefit might happen , not enough high-quality studies have been done to demonstrate it . Because cerebral palsy has `` varying severity and complexity '' across the lifespan , a multidisciplinary approach for cerebral palsy management is recommended , focusing on `` maximising individual function , choice and independence '' in line with the International Classification of Functioning , Disability and Health 's goals . The team may include a paediatrician , a health visitor , a social worker , a physiotherapist , an orthotist , a speech and language therapist , an occupational therapist , a teacher specialising in helping children with visual impairment , an educational psychologist , an orthopaedic surgeon , a neurologist and a neurosurgeon . Various forms of therapy are available to people living with cerebral palsy as well as caregivers and parents . Treatment may include one or more of the following : physical therapy ; occupational therapy ; speech therapy ; water therapy ; drugs to control seizures , alleviate pain , or relax muscle spasms ( e.g. benzodiazepines ) ; surgery to correct anatomical abnormalities or release tight muscles ; braces and other orthotic devices ; rolling walkers ; and communication aids such as computers with attached voice synthesisers . Many of the therapies used to treat CP have no good evidence base . The treatments with the best evidence are medications ( anticonvulsants , botulinum toxin , bisphosphonates , diazepam ) , therapy ( bimanual training , casting , constraint-induced movement therapy , context-focused therapy , fitness training , goal-directed training , hip surveillance , home programmes , occupational therapy after botulinum toxin , pressure care ) and surgery ( selective dorsal rhizotomy ) .", "CP7 (classification). CP7 is a disability sport classification specific to cerebral palsy . In many sports , it is grouped inside other classifications to allow people with cerebral palsy to compete against people with other different disabilities but the same level of functionality . Sportspeople in this class are able to walk , but may appear to have a limp as half their body is affected by cerebral palsy . Sports which are open to this classification include athletics , football , skiing , standing volleyball , and swimming . In athletics , they compete in the T37/F37 class . CP7 alpine skiers compete in LW9/1 and LW9/2 in para-alpine , and in LW9 for para-Nordic skiing . CP7 swimmers are often classified in S7 , S8 , S9 or S10 .", "CP4 (classification). CP4 is a disability sport classification specific to cerebral palsy . In many sports , it is grouped inside other classifications to allow people with cerebral palsy to compete against people with other different disabilities but the same level of functionality . Compared lower number CP classes , they have fewer issues with head movement and trunk function . They tend to use wheelchairs on a daily basis though they may be ambulant with the use of assistive devices . Sports that CP4 athletes are eligible to participate in include athletics , cycling , skiing , slalom , swimming , wheelchair tennis , wheelchair fencing , wheelchair curling , wheelchair basketball , table tennis , sledge hockey , shooting , sailing , rowing , powerlifting , para-equestrian , race running and archery . In some of these sports , different classification systems or names for CP4 are used . When they attend a classifying event , they go with their wheelchair to avoid being put into an ambulatory class .", "Cytopathic effect. Cytopathic effect or cytopathogenic effect ( abbreviated CPE ) refers to structural changes in host cells that are caused by viral invasion . The infecting virus causes lysis of the host cell or when the cell dies without lysis due to an inability to reproduce . Both of these effects occur due to CPEs . If a virus causes these morphological changes in the host cell , it is said to be cytopathogenic . Common examples of CPE include rounding of the infected cell , fusion with adjacent cells to form syncytia , and the appearance of nuclear or cytoplasmic inclusion bodies . CPEs and other changes in cell morphology are only a few of the many effects by cytocidal viruses . When a cytocidal virus infects a permissive cell , the viruses kill the host cell through changes in cell morphology , in cell physiology , and the biosynthetic events that follow . These changes are necessary for efficient virus replication but at the expense of the host cell .", "Customer profitability. Customer profitability ( CP ) is the profit the firm makes from serving a customer or customer group over a specified period of time , specifically the difference between the revenues earned from and the costs associated with the customer relationship in a specified period . According to Philip Kotler , `` a profitable customer is a person , household or a company that overtime , yields a revenue stream that exceeds by an acceptable amount the company 's cost stream of attracting , selling and servicing the customer . '' Calculating customer profit is an important step in understanding which customer relationships are better than others . Often , the firm will find that some customer relationships are unprofitable . The firm may be better off ( more profitable ) without these customers . At the other end , the firm will identify its most profitable customers and be in a position to take steps to ensure the continuation of these most profitable relationships . However , abandoning customers is a sensitive practice , and a business should always consider the public relations consequences of such actions .", "Athetoid cerebral palsy. Athetoid cerebral palsy or dyskinetic cerebral palsy ( sometimes abbreviated ADCP ) is a type of cerebral palsy primarily associated with damage , like other forms of CP , to the basal ganglia in the form of lesions that occur during brain development due to bilirubin encephalopathy and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury . Unlike spastic or ataxic cerebral palsies , ADCP is characterized by both hypertonia and hypotonia , due to the affected individual 's inability to control muscle tone . Clinical diagnosis of ADCP typically occurs within 18 months of birth and is primarily based upon motor function and neuroimaging techniques . While there are no cures for ADCP , some drug therapies as well as speech , occupational therapy , and physical therapy have shown capacity for treating the symptoms . Classification of cerebral palsy can be based on severity , topographic distribution , or motor function . Severity is typically assessed via the Gross Motor Function Classification System ( GMFCS ) or the International Classification of Functioning , Disability and Health ( described further below ) . Classification based on motor characteristics classifies CP as occurring from damage to either the corticospinal pathway or extrapyramidal regions . Athetoid dyskinetic cerebral palsy is a non-spastic , extrapyramidal form of cerebral palsy ( spastic cerebral palsy , in contrast , results from damage to the brain 's corticospinal pathways ) . Non-spastic cerebral palsy is divided into two groups , ataxic and dyskinetic . Dyskinetic cerebral palsy is separated further into two different groups ; choreoathetoid and dystonic . Choreo-athetotic CP is characterized by involuntary movements most predominantly found in the face and extremities . Dystonic ADCP is characterized by slow , strong contractions , which may occur locally or encompass the whole body . Clinically , physicians have also classified cerebral palsy according to the topographic distribution of muscle spasticity . This method classifies children as diplegic , ( bilateral involvement with leg involvement greater than arm involvement ) , hemiplegic ( unilateral involvement ) , or quadriplegic ( bilateral involvement with arm involvement equal to or greater than leg involvement ) .", "Spastic cerebral palsy. Spastic cerebral palsy is the type of cerebral palsy wherein spasticity is the exclusive impairment present . Itself an umbrella term encompassing spastic hemiplegia , spastic diplegia , spastic quadriplegia and -- where solely one limb or one specific area of the body is affected -- spastic monoplegia . Spastic cerebral palsy affects the cerebral cortex it is overwhelmingly the most common type of overall cerebral palsy . The Society for Cerebral Palsy in Europe ( SCPE ) estimates that the spasticity-only cerebral palsy classification sweeps in 90 % of global cerebral palsy cases . But even if the 90 % assertion is an exaggeration , more conservative scientific estimates still place the prevalence of spasticity-dominant or spasticity-only cerebral palsy at anywhere from 70 -- 80 % of all cases , leaving cases dominated by ataxic cerebral palsy , dyskinetic cerebral palsy and athetoid cerebral palsy trailing at 20 -- 30 % .", "CPPS. CPPS may stand for : Chronic pelvic pain syndrome , a pelvic pain condition affecting men Comstock Park Public Schools The post-nominal initials of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood ( C.PP.S . )", "CP5 (classification). CP5 is a disability sport classification specific to cerebral palsy . In many sports , it is grouped inside other classifications to allow people with cerebral palsy to compete against people with other different disabilities but the same level of functionality . Sportspeople in this class have greater functional control of their upper body , and are generally ambulant with the use of an assistive device . Quick movements can upset their balance . Sports that CP5 athletes are eligible to participate in include athletics , cycling , football , swimming , skiing wheelchair tennis , archery , para-equestrian , powerlifting , rowing , shooting , sledge hockey , sailing , table tennis , wheelchair basketball , wheelchair curling , and wheelchair fencing . In some of these sports , different classification systems or names for CP5 are used .", "Chlorpromazine. Chlorpromazine ( CPZ ) , marketed under the trade names Thorazine and Largactil among others , is an antipsychotic medication . It is primarily used to treat psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia . Other uses include the treatment of bipolar disorder , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , nausea and vomiting , anxiety before surgery , and hiccups that do not improve following other measures . It can be given by mouth , by injection into a muscle , or into a vein . Common side effects include movement problems , sleepiness , dry mouth , low blood pressure upon standing , and increased weight . Serious side effects may include the potentially permanent movement disorder tardive dyskinesia , neuroleptic malignant syndrome , and low white blood cell levels . In older people with psychosis as a result of dementia it may increase the risk of dying . It is unclear if it is safe for use in pregnancy . Chlorpromazine is in the typical antipsychotic class . Its mechanism of action is not entirely clear but believed to be related to its ability as a dopamine antagonist . It also has anti-serotonergic and antihistaminergic properties . Chlorpromazine was discovered in 1950 and was the first antipsychotic . It is on the World Health Organization 's List of Essential Medicines , the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system . Its introduction has been labeled as one of the great advances in the history of psychiatry . It is available as a generic medication . The wholesale cost in the developing world is between US$ 0.02 and US$ 0.12 per day . In the United States it costs about US$ 2 per day .", "Developmental disability. Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions that are due to mental or physical impairments . Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life , especially in `` language , mobility , learning , self-help , and independent living '' . Developmental disabilities can be detected early on , and do persist throughout an individual 's lifespan . Developmental disability that affects all areas of a child 's development is sometimes referred to as global developmental delay . Most common developmental disabilities : Fragile X syndrome ( FXS ) is thought to cause autism and intellectual disability , usually among boys . Down syndrome is a condition in which people are born with an extra copy of chromosome 21 . Normally , a person is born with two copies of chromosome 21 . However , if they are born with Down syndrome , they have an extra copy of this chromosome . This extra copy affects the development of the body and brain , causing physical and mental challenges for the individual . Pervasive developmental disorders ( PDD ) are a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social , communication and behavioral challenges . Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders ( FASD ) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy . FASDs are 100 % preventable if a woman does not drink alcohol during pregnancy . Cerebral palsy ( CP ) is a group of disorders that affect a person 's ability to move and maintain balance and posture . CP is the most common motor disability in childhood . Intellectual disability , also ( sometimes proscriptively ) known as mental retardation , is defined as an IQ below 70 along with limitations in adaptive functioning and onset before the age of 18 years .", "Colored people's time. Colored people 's time ( also abbreviated to CP time or CPT ) is an American expression referring to a negative stereotype of African Americans as frequently being late . The expression is often described as a derogatory racist stereotype . It is considered derogatory because it implies that African Americans have a relaxed or indifferent view of work ethic , which leads to them being labeled as lazy or unreliable . The phrase has been used as early as 1912 . CP time is a cultural phenomenon that exists amongst people of African descent . It exists in Africa , widely known as `` African time . '' These are differences between Monochronic societies and Polychronic societies ( i.e. , Africa )", "Communication Function Classification System. The Communication Function Classification System ( CFCS ) for individuals with cerebral palsy ( CP ) is a five-level classification system which began development at Michigan State University and currently under further refinement at the University of Wyoming . The research , organized and conducted by Dr. Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker , Ph.D. , CCC-A/SLP , follows two widely used classification systems for cerebral palsy : the Gross Motor Function Classification System ( GMFCS ) and the Manual Ability Classification System ( MACS ) . Dr. Ray Kent of the University of Wisconsin -- Madison , Dr. Peter Rosenbaum of McMaster University , and Dr. Nigel Paneth of Michigan State University are also an integral part of this research .", "Cerebral atrophy. Cerebral atrophy is a common feature of many of the diseases that affect the brain . Atrophy of any tissue means a decrement in the size of the cell , which can be due to progressive loss of cytoplasmic proteins . In brain tissue , atrophy describes a loss of neurons and the connections between them . Atrophy can be generalized , which means that all of the brain has shrunk ; or it can be focal , affecting only a limited area of the brain and resulting in a decrease of the functions that area of the brain controls . If the cerebral hemispheres ( the two lobes of the brain that form the cerebrum ) are affected , conscious thought and voluntary processes may be impaired . Some degree of cerebral shrinkage occurs naturally with age ; after the brain completes growth and attains its maximum mass at around age 25 , it gradually loses mass with each decade of life , although the rate of loss is comparatively tiny until the age of 60 , when approximately .5 to 1 % of brain volume is lost per year . By age 75 , the brain is an average of 15 % smaller than it was at 25 . Some areas of the brain such as short-term memory are affected more than others and men lose more brain mass overall than women . Brain atrophy does not affect all regions with the same intensity as shown by neuroimaging .", "Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis or chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome ( CP/CPPS ) is a pelvic pain condition in men , and should be distinguished from other forms of prostatitis such as chronic bacterial prostatitis and acute bacterial prostatitis . This condition was formerly known as prostatodynia ( painful prostate ) . CP/CPPS and interstitial cystitis are sometimes referred to jointly as `` UCPPS '' ( urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome ) .", "Cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis ( CF ) is a genetic disorder that affects mostly the lungs , but also the pancreas , liver , kidneys , and intestine . Long-term issues include difficulty breathing and coughing up mucus as a result of frequent lung infections . Other signs and symptoms may include sinus infections , poor growth , fatty stool , clubbing of the fingers and toes , and infertility in males . Different people may have different degrees of symptoms . CF is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner . It is caused by the presence of mutations in both copies of the gene for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator ( CFTR ) protein . Those with a single working copy are carriers and otherwise mostly normal . CFTR is involved in production of sweat , digestive fluids , and mucus . When CFTR is not functional , secretions which are usually thin instead become thick . The condition is diagnosed by a sweat test and genetic testing . Screening of infants at birth takes place in some areas of the world . There is no known cure for cystic fibrosis . Lung infections are treated with antibiotics which may be given intravenously , inhaled , or by mouth . Sometimes , the antibiotic azithromycin is used long term . Inhaled hypertonic saline and salbutamol may also be useful . Lung transplantation may be an option if lung function continues to worsen . Pancreatic enzyme replacement and fat-soluble vitamin supplementation are important , especially in the young . Airway clearance techniques such as chest physiotherapy have some short-term benefit , but long-term effects are unclear . The average life expectancy is between 42 and 50 years in the developed world . Lung problems are responsible for death in 80 % of people with cystic fibrosis . CF is most common among people of Northern European ancestry and affects about one out of every 3,000 newborns . About one in 25 people is a carrier . It is least common in Africans and Asians . It was first recognized as a specific disease by Dorothy Andersen in 1938 , with descriptions that fit the condition occurring at least as far back as 1595 . The name ` cystic fibrosis ' refers to the characteristic fibrosis and cysts that form within the pancreas .", "CP6 (classification). CP6 is a disability sport classification specific to cerebral palsy . In many sports , it is grouped inside other classifications to allow people with cerebral palsy to compete against people with other different disabilities but the same level of functionality . Sportspeople in this class are ambulatory , and able to walk without the use of an assistive device . Their bodies are constantly in motion . The running form of people in this class is often better than their form while walking . Some of the sports that CP6 sportspeople are eligible to participate in at the elite level include athletics , cycling , football , skiing , swimming , race running , para-taekwondo , wheelchair tennis , archery , para-equestrian , powerlifting , rowing , sailing , shooting , sledge hockey , table tennis , wheelchair basketball , wheelchair fencing , and table tennis In some of these sports , different classification systems or names for CP6 are used .", "Cerebral Palsy Greece. Cerebral Palsy Greece ( CPG ) is a Greek nonprofit charitable organization that serves people with cerebral palsy . Cerebral Palsy Greece was founded as the Athens Spastic Society in 1972 . In 2001 , thanks to a significant donation made by the Lilian Voudouri Foundation and the success of the TV-Marathon organized by Mega Channel in 1996 , CPG built the Open Door Centre of Education and Rehabilitation in Argyroupolis , Greece . CPG benefitted from the auction sale of some valuable Piaget jewellery featured in the Christie 's London sale , SALE 7970 -- IMPORTANT JEWELS held on 8 June 2011 . CPG currently serves about 250 people a day and has served over 3000 families .", "Carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs after breathing in too much carbon monoxide ( CO ) . Symptoms of mild acute poisoning include lightheadedness , confusion , headache , feeling like the world is spinning , and flu-like effects . Larger exposures can lead to toxicity of the central nervous system and heart , and death . After acute poisoning , long-term problems may occur . Carbon monoxide can also have negative effects on a baby if exposed during pregnancy . Chronic exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide can lead to depression , confusion , and memory loss . Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas , but , being colorless , odorless , tasteless , and initially non-irritating , it is difficult for people to detect . Carbon monoxide is a product of incomplete combustion of organic matter . It is often produced by motor vehicles that run on gasoline , diesel , methane , or other carbon-based fuels and from tools , gas heaters , and cooking equipment that are powered by carbon-based fuels such as propane , butane and charcoal . Exposure at 100 ppm or greater can be dangerous to human health . Carbon monoxide mainly causes adverse effects by combining with hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin ( HbCO ) in the blood . This prevents hemoglobin from carrying oxygen to the tissues . Additionally , myoglobin and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase are thought to be adversely affected . Carboxyhemoglobin can revert to hemoglobin , but the recovery takes time as the HbCO complex is fairly stable . Treatment of poisoning largely consists of giving 100 % oxygen or providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy , although the optimum treatment remains controversial . Oxygen works as an antidote as it increases the removal of carbon monoxide from hemoglobin , in turn providing the body with normal levels of oxygen . The prevention of poisoning is a significant public health issue . Domestic carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by early detection with the use of household carbon monoxide detectors . Carbon monoxide poisoning is the most common type of fatal poisoning in many countries . It has also commonly been used as a method to commit suicide , usually by deliberately inhaling the exhaust fumes of a running vehicle . Modern automobiles still produce levels of carbon monoxide which will kill in an enclosed space or if the exhaust path is obstructed .", "The Canadian Press. The Canadian Press ( often abbreviated as CP ) , known in French as La Presse Canadienne ( PC ) , is a national news agency headquartered in Toronto . It was established in 1917 as a vehicle to permit Canadian newspapers of the day to exchange their news and information . For most of its history , The Canadian Press has been a private , not-for-profit cooperative , owned and operated by its member newspapers . In mid-2010 , however , it announced plans to become a for-profit business owned by three media companies once certain conditions are met . On November 26 , 2010 , Torstar Corporation , The Globe and Mail and Square Victoria Communications Group announced that they had invested in a new for-profit entity , Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. , to take over the operations of the Canadian Press . Over the years , The Canadian Press and its affiliates have adapted to reflect changes in the media industry , technological change and the growing appetite for rapid news updates . It currently offers a wide variety of text , audio , photographic , video and graphic content to websites , radio , television , and commercial clients in addition to newspapers and its long-standing ally , The Associated Press ( AP ) , a global news service based in the United States .", "Cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome. Cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome ( CCAS ) , also called `` Schmahmann 's syndrome '' is a condition that follows from lesions ( damage ) to the cerebellum of the brain . This syndrome , described by Dr. Jeremy Schmahmann and his colleagues refers to a constellation of deficits in the cognitive domains of executive function , spatial cognition , language , and affect resulting from damage to the cerebellum . Impairments of executive function include problems with planning , set-shifting , abstract reasoning , verbal fluency , and working memory , and there is often perseveration , distractibility and inattention . Language problems include dysprosodia , agrammatism and mild anomia . Deficits in spatial cognition produce visual -- spatial disorganization and impaired visual -- spatial memory . Personality changes manifest as blunting of affect or disinhibited and inappropriate behavior . These cognitive impairments result in an overall lowering of intellectual function . CCAS challenges the traditional view of the cerebellum being responsible solely for regulation of motor functions . It is now thought that the cerebellum is responsible for monitoring both motor and nonmotor functions . The nonmotor deficits described in CCAS are believed to be caused by dysfunction in cerebellar connections to the cerebral cortex and limbic system ." ]

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[ "Alfred Hitchcock. Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock ( 13 August 1899 -- 29 April 1980 ) was an English film director and producer , at times referred to as `` The Master of Suspense '' . He pioneered many elements of the suspense and psychological thriller genres . He had a successful career in British cinema with both silent films and early talkies and became renowned as England 's best director . Hitchcock moved to Hollywood in 1939 , and became a U.S. citizen in 1955 . Hitchcock became a highly visible public figure through interviews , movie trailers , cameo appearances in his own films , and the ten years in which he hosted the television programme Alfred Hitchcock Presents ( 1955 -- 1965 ) . He also fashioned for himself a recognisable directorial style . Hitchcock 's stylistic trademarks include the use of camera movement that mimics a person 's gaze , forcing viewers to engage in a form of voyeurism . In addition , he framed shots to maximise anxiety , fear , or empathy , and used innovative forms of film editing . His work often features fugitives on the run alongside `` icy blonde '' female characters . In 1978 , film critic John Russell Taylor described Hitchcock as `` the most universally recognizable person in the world '' , and `` a straightforward middle-class Englishman who just happened to be an artistic genius '' . Prior to 1980 , there had long been talk of Hitchcock being knighted for his contribution to film . Critic Roger Ebert wrote : `` Other British directors like Sir Carol Reed and Sir Charlie Chaplin were knighted years ago , while Hitchcock , universally considered by film students to be one of the greatest filmmakers of all time , was passed over '' . Hitchcock later received his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in the 1980 New Year Honours . Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career spanning six decades and is often regarded as one of the most influential directors in cinematic history . Following a 2007 critics ' poll by Britain 's Daily Telegraph in which he was ranked Britain 's greatest filmmaker , one scholar wrote : `` Hitchcock did more than any director to shape modern cinema , which would be utterly different without him . His flair was for narrative , cruelly withholding crucial information ( from his characters and from the audience ) and engaging the emotions of the audience like no one else . '' Hitchcock 's first thriller , The Lodger : A Story of the London Fog ( 1926 ) , helped shape the thriller genre in film . His 1929 film , Blackmail , is often cited as the first British sound feature film , while Rear Window ( 1954 ) , Vertigo ( 1958 ) , North by Northwest ( 1959 ) , and Psycho ( 1960 ) are regularly ranked among the greatest films of all time .", "Hitchcock (film). Hitchcock is a 2012 American biographical drama film directed by Sacha Gervasi , based on Stephen Rebello 's non-fiction book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho . The film was released in selected cities on November 23 , 2012 , with a worldwide release on December 14 , 2012 . Hitchcock centers on the relationship between film director Alfred Hitchcock ( Anthony Hopkins ) and his wife Alma Reville ( Helen Mirren ) during the making of Psycho , a controversial horror film that became one of the most acclaimed and influential works in the filmmaker 's career .", "Vertigo (film). Vertigo is a 1958 American film noir psychological thriller film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock . The story was based on the 1954 novel D'entre les morts ( From Among the Dead ) by Boileau-Narcejac . The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor . The film stars James Stewart as former police detective John `` Scottie '' Ferguson . Scottie is forced into early retirement because an incident in the line of duty has caused him to develop acrophobia ( an extreme fear of heights ) and vertigo ( a false sense of rotational movement ) . Scottie is hired by an acquaintance , Gavin Elster , as a private investigator to follow Gavin 's wife Madeleine ( Kim Novak ) , who is behaving strangely . The film was shot on location in San Francisco , California , and at Paramount Studios in Hollywood . It is the first film to use the dolly zoom , an in-camera effect that distorts perspective to create disorientation , to convey Scottie 's acrophobia . As a result of its use in this film , the effect is often referred to as `` the Vertigo effect '' . Vertigo received mixed reviews upon initial release , but is now often cited as a classic Hitchcock film and one of the defining works of his career . Attracting significant scholarly criticism , it replaced Citizen Kane ( 1941 ) as the best film ever made in the 2012 British Film Institute 's Sight & Sound critics ' poll . In 1996 , the film underwent a major restoration to create a new 70mm print and DTS soundtrack . It has appeared repeatedly in polls of the best films by the American Film Institute , including a 2007 ranking as the ninth-greatest American movie of all time .", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted and executive produced by Alfred Hitchcock , which aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965 . It featured dramas , thrillers , and mysteries . By the time it premiered on October 2 , 1955 , Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades . Time magazine named it one of `` The 100 Best TV Shows of all time '' . The Writers Guild of America ranked it # 79 on their list of the 101 Best-Written TV Series tying it with Monty Python 's Flying Circus , Star Trek : The Next Generation and Upstairs , Downstairs . A series of literary anthologies with the running title Alfred Hitchcock Presents were issued to capitalize on the success of the television series . One volume , devoted to stories that censors would n't allow to be adapted for broadcast , was entitled Alfred Hitchcock Presents : Stories They Would n't Let Me Do on TV '' -- though eventually several of the stories collected were adapted .", "Psycho (1960 film). Psycho is a 1960 American psychological horror film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock , and written by Joseph Stefano , starring Anthony Perkins , Janet Leigh , John Gavin , Vera Miles and Martin Balsam , and was based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch . The film centers on the encounter between a secretary , Marion Crane ( Leigh ) , who ends up at a secluded motel after stealing money from her employer , and the motel 's disturbed owner-manager , Norman Bates ( Perkins ) , and its aftermath . When originally made , Psycho was seen as a departure from Hitchcock 's previous film North by Northwest , having been filmed on a low budget , with a television crew and in black and white . The film initially received mixed reviews , but outstanding box office returns prompted reconsideration which led to overwhelming critical acclaim and four Academy Award nominations , including Best Supporting Actress for Leigh and Best Director for Hitchcock . Psycho is now considered one of Hitchcock 's best films and praised as a major work of cinematic art by international film critics and scholars . Often ranked among the greatest films of all time , it set a new level of acceptability for violence , deviant behavior and sexuality in American films , and is widely considered to be the earliest example of the slasher film genre . After Hitchcock 's death in 1980 , Universal Studios began producing follow-ups : three sequels , a remake , a television film spin-off , and a prequel TV series . In 1992 , the US Library of Congress deemed the film `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry .", "Hitchcock (disambiguation). Alfred Hitchcock ( 1899 -- 1980 ) was an English film director . Hitchcock may also refer to :", "Alfred Hitchcock filmography. Alfred Hitchcock ( 1899 -- 1980 ) was an English director and filmmaker . Popularly known as the `` Master of Suspense '' for his use of innovative film techniques in thrillers , Hitchcock started his career in the British film industry as a title designer and art director for a number of silent films during the early 1920s . His directorial debut was the 1925 release The Pleasure Garden . Hitchcock followed this with The Lodger : A Story of the London Fog , his first commercial and critical success . It featured many of the thematic elements his films would be known for such as an innocent man on the run . It also featured the first of his famous cameo appearances . Two years later he directed Blackmail ( 1929 ) which was his first sound film . In 1935 Hitchcock directed The 39 Steps . Three years later he directed The Lady Vanishes starring Margaret Lockwood , and Michael Redgrave . In 1940 Hitchcock transitioned to Hollywood productions , the first of which was the psychological thriller Rebecca starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine . He received his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director , and the film won Best Picture . Hitchcock worked with Fontaine again the following year on the film Suspicion which also starred Cary Grant . In 1943 Hitchcock directed another psychological thriller Shadow of a Doubt which starred Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten . Three years later he reunited with Grant on Notorious which also starred Ingrid Bergman . The film included a three minute intermittent kissing scene between the leads shot specifically to skirt the Motion Picture Production Code which at the time limited such scenes to three seconds . In 1948 Hitchcock directed Rope which starred James Stewart . The film was his first in Technicolor and is remembered for its use of long takes to make the film appear to be a single continuous shot . Three years later he directed Strangers on a Train ( 1951 ) . Hitchcock collaborated with Grace Kelly on three films : Dial M for Murder ( 1954 ) , Rear Window ( 1954 ) and To Catch a Thief ( 1955 ) . For Rear Window , Hitchcock received a nomination for Best Director at the Academy Awards . 1955 marked his debut on television as the host of the anthology television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents which he also produced . In 1958 Hitchcock directed the psychological thriller Vertigo starring Stewart and Kim Novak . The film topped the 2012 poll of the British film magazine Sight & Sound of the 50 Greatest Films of All Time and also topped the American Film Institute 's Top Ten in the mystery genre . He followed this with the spy thriller North by Northwest ( 1959 ) which starred Grant and Eva Marie Saint . In 1960 he directed Psycho , the biggest commercial success of his career and for which he received his fifth nomination for Best Director at the Academy Awards . Three years later he directed horror film The Birds starring Tippi Hedren . The following year he reunited with Hedren on the film Marnie which also starred Sean Connery . In recognition of his career , Hitchcock garnered the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) Fellowship Award , the American Film Institute 's Life Achievement Award , the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award , the Directors Guild of America 's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award . He received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to acknowledge his film and television achievements . In 1980 Hitchcock received a knighthood .", "Psycho (1998 film). Psycho is a 1998 American horror film produced and directed by Gus Van Sant for Universal Pictures , a remake of the 1960 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Vince Vaughn , Julianne Moore , Viggo Mortensen , William H. Macy and Anne Heche . The film is about an embezzler who arrives at an old motel run by an insane killer named Norman Bates . Both films are adapted from Robert Bloch 's 1959 novel of the same name , which was in turn inspired by the crimes of Wisconsin murderer Ed Gein . Although this version is in color , features a different cast , and is set in 1998 , it is closer to a shot-for-shot remake than most remakes , often copying Hitchcock 's camera movements and editing , and Joseph Stefano 's script is mostly carried over . Bernard Herrmann 's musical score is reused as well , though with a new arrangement by Danny Elfman and recorded in stereo . Some changes are introduced to account for advances in technology since the original film and to make the content more explicit . Murder sequences are also intercut with surreal dream images . The film received negative reviews and was both a commercial and critical failure . It was nominated for three Golden Raspberry Awards and won two , the film for Worst Prequel , Remake , Rip-off , or Sequel , Van Sant for Worst Director , and Heche was nominated for Worst Actress .", "Rear Window. Rear Window is a 1954 American Technicolor mystery thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by John Michael Hayes based on Cornell Woolrich 's 1942 short story `` It Had to Be Murder '' . Originally released by Paramount Pictures , the film stars James Stewart , Grace Kelly , Wendell Corey , Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr . It was screened at the 1954 Venice Film Festival . The film is considered by many filmgoers , critics and scholars to be one of Hitchcock 's best and one of the greatest movies ever made . The film received four Academy Award nominations and was ranked No. 42 on AFI 's 100 Years ... 100 Movies list and No. 48 on the 10th-anniversary edition . In 1997 , Rear Window was added to the United States National Film Registry in the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Suspense. Suspense is a feeling of pleasurable fascination and excitement mixed with apprehension , tension , and anxiety developed from an unpredictable , mysterious , and rousing source of entertainment . The term most often refers to an audience 's perceptions in a dramatic work . Suspense is not exclusive to fiction . It may operate whenever there is a perceived suspended drama or a chain of cause is left in doubt , with tension being a primary emotion felt as part of the situation . In the kind of suspense described by film director Alfred Hitchcock , an audience experiences suspense when they expect something bad to happen and have ( or believe they have ) a superior perspective on events in the drama 's hierarchy of knowledge , yet they are powerless to intervene to prevent it from happening . Films having a lot of suspense belong in the thriller genre . In broader definition of suspense , this emotion arises when someone is aware of his lack of knowledge about the development of a meaningful event ; thus , suspense is a combination of anticipation and uncertainty dealing with the obscurity of the future . In terms of narrative expectations , it may be contrasted with mystery or curiosity and surprise . Suspense could however be some small event in a person 's life , such as a child anticipating an answer to a request they 've made , such as , `` May I get the kitty ? '' Therefore , suspense may be experienced to different degrees .", "North by Northwest. North by Northwest is a 1959 American thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant , Eva Marie Saint and James Mason . The screenplay was by Ernest Lehman , who wanted to write `` the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures '' . North by Northwest is a tale of mistaken identity , with an innocent man pursued across the United States by agents of a mysterious organization trying to prevent him from blocking their plan to smuggle out microfilm that contains government secrets . This is one of several Hitchcock films that features a music score by Bernard Herrmann and a memorable opening title sequence by graphic designer Saul Bass . This film is generally cited as the first to feature extended use of kinetic typography in its opening credits . North by Northwest is now numbered among the essential Hitchcock pictures and is often listed as one of the greatest films of all time . It was selected in 1995 for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress , as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .", "List of awards and nominations received by Alfred Hitchcock. The following is a list of awards and nominations received by English film director and producer Sir Alfred Hitchcock , chronicling his achievements in the film industry . The six-times Academy Awards-nominee and four times the Emmy Awards demonstrably won eight Golden Laurel Awards , two Golden Globes , the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award , the AFI Life Achievement Award , the Directors Guild of America Award , the Film Society of Lincoln Center 's Gala Tribute Award , the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Award , the New York Film Critics Circle Award , and the Saturn Award . In England , Hitchcock was honored by the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award and made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by the Queen Elizabeth II . Apart from his three Cannes Film Festival nominations , he also received two Silver Shell Awards at San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain , the Jussi Award in Finland , the Kinema Junpo Award in Japan , the Mention Award at Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland , and at Venice Film Festival in Italy a Golden Lion nomination . In addition , six of movies directed by Hitchcock were inducted into the National Film Registry and four of them are listed in the American Film Institute list of the 100 greatest American movies of all time ( along with Vertigo , which was ranked as the Best Mystery Movie Ever ) . Two other his pictures entered the list of the 100 Greatest British Films of the 20th Century , released by British Film Institute in UK .", "The Girl (2012 TV film). The Girl is a 2012 British television film directed by Julian Jarrold , written by Gwyneth Hughes and produced by the BBC and HBO Films . The film stars Sienna Miller as Tippi Hedren and Toby Jones as Alfred Hitchcock . It is based on Donald Spoto 's 2009 book , Spellbound by Beauty : Alfred Hitchcock and His Leading Ladies , which discusses British-born film director Hitchcock and the women who played leading roles in his films . The Girls title was inspired by Hitchcock 's alleged nickname for Hedren . The film depicts Hitchcock 's alleged obsession with Hedren , the American model and actress he brought from relative obscurity to star in his 1963 film The Birds . Hitchcock becomes infatuated with his leading lady ; when she rebuffs his advances , he subjects her to a series of traumatic experiences during the filming of The Birds . Hitchcock 's obsession with Hedren continues when she stars in his next production , Marnie . Hedren grows increasingly uncomfortable with his attentions , and decides that she needs to escape the situation . However , she can not work elsewhere because of her exclusive contract with Hitchcock ; this effectively ends her Hollywood career . The Girl made its television debut in the United States on 20 October 2012 on HBO and aired in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 26 December . Jones and Miller were nominated for awards at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards and the British Academy Television Awards for their roles in the film , which received mixed reviews from critics . The Daily Mirror Jane Simon praised Miller 's portrayal of Hedren . Although she endorsed the film , Hedren said its length kept it from showing some of the positive aspects of her relationship with Hitchcock . Others who knew ( and worked with ) Hitchcock criticised the film because of its portrayal of him as a sexual predator . Kim Novak ( who starred in one of Hitchcock 's films ) and Nora Brown ( widow of one of Hitchcock 's close friends ) disputed the film 's version of events .", "Mystery film. Mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime . It focuses on the efforts of the detective , private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues , investigation , and clever deduction . The plot often centers on the deductive ability , prowess , confidence , or diligence of the detective as they attempt to unravel the crime or situation by piecing together clues and circumstances , seeking evidence , interrogating witnesses , and tracking down a criminal . Suspense is often maintained as an important plot element . This can be done through the use of the soundtrack , camera angles , heavy shadows , and surprising plot twists . Alfred Hitchcock used all of these techniques , but would sometimes allow the audience in on a pending threat then draw out the moment for dramatic effect . This genre has ranged from early mystery tales , fictional or literary detective stories , to classic Hitchcockian suspense-thrillers to classic private detective films . A related film subgenre is spy films .", "Hitchcockian. Hitchcockian films are those made by various filmmakers , with the styles and themes similar to those of Alfred Hitchcock .", "Academy Award for Best Picture. The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually since the awards debuted in 1929 , by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only category in which every member is eligible to submit a nomination and vote on the final ballot . The actors or actresses in the film will not accept this award unless he or she produced the film . Best Picture is considered the premier award of the Academy Awards , as it represents all the directing , acting , music composing , writing , editing , and other efforts put forth into a film production . Since 1973 , it is the final award presented at the ceremony and a drum roll was used when the winner is announced . The Grand Staircase columns at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles , where the Academy Awards ceremonies have been held since 2002 , showcase every film that has won the Best Picture title since the award 's inception . As of 2017 , there have been 537 films nominated for Best Picture .", "Themes and plot devices in Hitchcock films. Alfred Hitchcock 's films show an interesting tendency towards recurring themes and plot devices throughout his life as a director . This article lists some of the themes and plot devices that occur repeatedly in his films .", "Film. A film , also called a movie , motion picture , theatrical film , or photoplay , is a series of still images which , when shown on a screen , creates the illusion of moving images due to the phi phenomenon . This optical illusion causes the audience to perceive continuous motion between separate objects viewed rapidly in succession . The process of filmmaking is both an art and an industry . A film is created by photographing actual scenes with a motion picture camera ; by photographing drawings or miniature models using traditional animation techniques ; by means of CGI and computer animation ; or by a combination of some or all of these techniques and other visual effects . The word `` cinema '' , short for cinematography , is often used to refer to the industry of films and filmmaking or to the art of filmmaking itself . The contemporary definition of cinema is the art of simulating experiences to communicate ideas , stories , perceptions , feelings , beauty or atmosphere by the means of recorded or programmed moving images along with other sensory stimulations . Films were originally recorded onto plastic film through a photochemical process and then shown through a movie projector onto a large screen . The adoption of CGI-based special effects led to the use of digital intermediates . Most contemporary films are now fully digital through the entire process of production , distribution , and exhibition from start to finish . Films recorded in a photochemical form traditionally included an analogous optical soundtrack , which is a graphic recording of the spoken words , music and other sounds that accompany the images . It runs along a portion of the film exclusively reserved for it and is not projected . Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures . They reflect those cultures , and , in turn , affect them . Film is considered to be an important art form , a source of popular entertainment , and a powerful medium for educating -- or indoctrinating -- citizens . The visual basis of film gives it a universal power of communication . Some films have become popular worldwide attractions by using dubbing or subtitles to translate the dialog into the language of the viewer . Some have criticized the film industry 's glorification of violence and its potentially negative treatment of women . The individual images that make up a film are called frames . During projection of traditional films , a rotating shutter causes intervals of darkness as each frame , in turn , is moved into position to be projected , but the viewer does not notice the interruptions because of an effect known as persistence of vision , whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after the source has been removed . The perception of motion is due to a psychological effect called phi phenomenon . The name `` film '' originates from the fact that photographic film ( also called film stock ) has historically been the medium for recording and displaying motion pictures . Many other terms exist for an individual motion picture , including picture , picture show , moving picture , photoplay , and flick . The most common term in the United States is movie , while in Europe film is preferred . Terms for the field , in general , include the big screen , the silver screen , the movies , and cinema ; the latter is commonly used in scholarly texts and critical essays , especially by European writers . In early years , the word sheet was sometimes used instead of screen .", "Alfred Hitchcock's Anthology. Alfred Hitchcock 's Anthology ( AHA ) was a seasonally printed collection of suspenseful and thrilling short stories reprinted from Alfred Hitchcock 's Mystery Magazine . Produced from 1977 to 1989 , the anthology contains stories from authors such as : Patricia Highsmith , Robert Bloch , Bill Pronzini , Isaac Asimov , and Lawrence Block . The anthology is marketed as everything you would `` expect from the Master of Suspense '' , though Hitchcock never had any direct involvement with the publications .", "Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. Alfred Hitchcock 's Mystery Magazine ( AHMM ) is a monthly digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime and detective fiction . AHMM is named for Alfred Hitchcock , the famed director of suspense films and television .", "Hitchcock/Truffaut (film). Hitchcock/Truffaut is a 2015 French-American documentary film directed by Kent Jones about François Truffaut 's book on Alfred Hitchcock , Hitchcock/Truffaut , and its impact on cinema . Truffaut interviewed Hitchcock over eight days in 1962 at his offices at Universal Studios to write his book , and the documentary features reflections from directors including James Gray , Martin Scorsese , Paul Schrader , Wes Anderson , David Fincher , Arnaud Desplechin , and Olivier Assayas . It was first screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was shown in the TIFF Docs section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival .", "Alfred Hitchcock bibliography. A list of books and essays about Alfred Hitchcock :", "Do You Like Hitchcock?. Do You Like Hitchcock ? ( orig . Ti piace Hitchcock ? ) is a 2005 television movie directed by Dario Argento . The film is a homage to the acclaimed thriller film director Alfred Hitchcock .", "Suspicion (1941 film). Suspicion ( 1941 ) is a romantic psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock , and starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine as a married couple . It also stars Sir Cedric Hardwicke , Nigel Bruce , Dame May Whitty , Isabel Jeans , Heather Angel , and Leo G. Carroll . Suspicion is based on Francis Iles 's novel Before the Fact ( 1932 ) . For her role as Lina , Joan Fontaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1941 . This is the only Oscar-winning performance in a Hitchcock film . In the film , a shy spinster runs off with a charming playboy , who turns out to be penniless , a gambler , and dishonest in the extreme . She comes to suspect that he is also a murderer , and that he is attempting to kill her .", "BAFTA Fellowship. The BAFTA Fellowship , or the Academy Fellowship , is a lifetime achievement award presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) since 1971 `` in recognition of outstanding achievement in the art forms of the moving image '' , and is the highest honour the Academy can bestow . Fellowship recipients have been mainly film directors , but some have also been awarded to actors , film and television producers , cinematographers , film editors , screenwriters and ( since 2007 ) to contributors to the video game industry . People from the United Kingdom dominate the list , but it includes over a dozen U.S. citizens and several from other countries in Europe , though none of the latter have been recognized since 1996 . Shigeru Miyamoto , in 2010 , became the first citizen of an Asian country to receive the award . The inaugural recipient of the award was filmmaker and producer Alfred Hitchcock . The award has been made posthumously to comedy pair Morecambe and Wise in 1999 , and to Stanley Kubrick , who died that same year and was made a fellow in 2000 . The most recent recipient was British actress Joanna Lumley .", "Thriller (genre). Thriller is a broad genre of literature , film and television , having numerous subgenres . Thrillers are characterized and defined by the moods they elicit , giving viewers heightened feelings of suspense , excitement , surprise , anticipation and anxiety . Successful examples of thrillers are the films of Alfred Hitchcock . Thrillers generally keep the audience on the `` edge of their seats '' as the plot builds towards a climax . The cover-up of important information is a common element . Literary devices such as red herrings , plot twists , and cliffhangers are used extensively . A thriller is usually a villain-driven plot , whereby he or she presents obstacles that the protagonist must overcome . Homer 's Odyssey is one of the oldest stories in the Western world and is regarded as an early prototype of the thriller .", "Rebecca (1940 film). Rebecca is a 1940 American psychological thriller-mystery film directed by Alfred Hitchcock . It was Hitchcock 's first American project , and his first film produced under contract with David O. Selznick . The film 's screenplay was a version by Joan Harrison and Robert E. Sherwood based on Philip MacDonald and Michael Hogan 's adaptation of Daphne du Maurier 's 1938 novel Rebecca . The film was produced by Selznick and stars Laurence Olivier as the brooding aristocratic widower Maxim de Winter and Joan Fontaine as the young woman who becomes his second wife , with Judith Anderson and George Sanders . The film is shot in black-and-white , and is a gothic tale . Maxim de Winter 's first wife Rebecca , who died before the story starts , is never seen . Her reputation and others ' recollections about her , however , are a constant presence in the lives of Maxim , his new young second wife , and the housekeeper Danvers . Rebecca won two Academy Awards , Outstanding Production and Cinematography , out of a total 11 nominations . Olivier , Fontaine and Anderson were all Oscar nominated for their respective roles . However , since 1936 ( when awards for actors in supporting roles were first introduced ) , Rebecca is the only film that , despite winning Best Picture , received no Academy Award for acting , directing or writing . Rebecca was the opening film at the 1st Berlin International Film Festival in 1951 .", "Frenzy. Frenzy is a 1972 British psychological horror-thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock . It is the penultimate feature film of his extensive career . The screenplay by Anthony Shaffer was based on the novel Goodbye Piccadilly , Farewell Leicester Square by Arthur La Bern . The film stars Jon Finch , Alec McCowen , and Barry Foster and features Billie Whitelaw , Anna Massey , Barbara Leigh-Hunt , Bernard Cribbins and Vivien Merchant . The original music score was composed by Ron Goodwin . The plot centres on a serial killer in contemporary London . In a very early scene there is dialogue that mentions two actual London serial murder cases : the Christie murders in the early 1950s , and the Jack the Ripper murders in 1888 . Barry Foster has said that , in order to prepare for his role , he was asked by Hitchcock to study two books about Neville Heath , an English serial killer who would often pass himself off as an officer in the RAF . Frenzy was the third and final film that Hitchcock made in Britain after he moved to Hollywood in 1939 . The other two were Under Capricorn in 1949 and Stage Fright in 1950 ( although there were some interior and exterior scenes filmed in London for the 1956 remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much ) . The last film he made in Britain before his move to America was Jamaica Inn ( 1939 ) . The film was screened at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival , but was not entered into the main competition .", "Psycho (franchise). Psycho is an American horror franchise consisting of six films loosely based on the Psycho novels by Robert Bloch , namely Psycho , Psycho II , Psycho III , Bates Motel , Psycho IV : The Beginning , the 1998 remake of the original film , and additional merchandise spanning various media . The first film , Psycho , was directed by filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock . Subsequently , another film related to the series was made : an Alfred Hitchcock biopic . Also , an independent documentary called The Psycho Legacy was released on October 19 , 2010 . It mostly focused on Psycho II , Psycho III and Psycho IV : The Beginning , but did cover the impact and legacy of the original film . A TV series , Bates Motel , aired on A&E between 2013 and 2017 , as a contemporary reboot to the first film set in a modern-day setting . It stars Freddie Highmore as a teenaged Norman Bates and Vera Farmiga as his mother Norma Bates . The films focus on the life of Norman Bates , a deeply disturbed young man who operates the Bates Motel . He has a mental instability that he ended up with a psychotic twisted personality and , as a result , occasionally kills people .", "Identification (literature). Identification is a term used in literary and film studies to describe a psychological relationship between the reader of a novel and a character in the book , or between a spectator in the audience and a character on screen . In both cases , readers and spectators see themselves in the fictional character . Identification is usually supposed to be largely unconscious : a reader may be aware that she likes a given character , but not that she actually sees that character as an alter ego , a version of her , or a projection of her aspirations for herself . It would be a mistake to think all heroes foster identification , or that all villains inhibit identification -- many , perhaps even most , characters elicit some degree of identification on the part of the reader or spectator . In film , Alfred Hitchcock exploited the traits of casual identification with specific moments , even when the character was villainous . In Psycho ( 1960 ) , Hitchcock explained that as the character Norman Bates ( Anthony Perkins ) was disposing of the car containing Marion Crane 's body in a swamp , for a brief moment he had the car stop sinking . `` When Perkins is looking at the car sinking in the pond ... the public are thinking , ' I hope it goes all the way down ! ' It 's a natural instinct . ''", "Shadow of a Doubt. Shadow of a Doubt is a 1943 American psychological thriller film noir directed by Alfred Hitchcock , and starring Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten . Written by Thornton Wilder , Sally Benson , and Alma Reville , the film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Story for Gordon McDonell . In 1991 , the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress , being deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' ." ]

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[ "Julius Caesar. Gaius Julius Caesar ( -LSB- ˈɡaː.i.ʊs ˈjuː.li.ʊs ˈkae̯.sar -RSB- ; 13 July 100 BC -- 15 March 44 BC ) , known as Julius Caesar , was a Roman politician , general , and notable author of Latin prose . He played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire . In 60 BC , Caesar , Crassus , and Pompey formed a political alliance that dominated Roman politics for several years . Their attempts to amass power as Populares were opposed by the Optimates within the Roman Senate , among them Cato the Younger with the frequent support of Cicero . Caesar 's victories in the Gallic Wars , completed by 51 BC , extended Rome 's territory to the English Channel and the Rhine . Caesar became the first Roman general to cross both the Channel and the Rhine , when he built a bridge across the Rhine and crossed the Channel to invade Britain . These achievements granted him unmatched military power and threatened to eclipse the standing of Pompey , who had realigned himself with the Senate after the death of Crassus in 53 BC . With the Gallic Wars concluded , the Senate ordered Caesar to step down from his military command and return to Rome . Caesar refused the order , and instead marked his defiance in 49 BC by crossing the Rubicon with the 13th Legion , leaving his province and illegally entering Roman Italy under arms . Civil war resulted , and Caesar 's victory in the war put him in an unrivalled position of power and influence . After assuming control of government , Caesar began a programme of social and governmental reforms , including the creation of the Julian calendar . He centralised the bureaucracy of the Republic and was eventually proclaimed `` dictator in perpetuity '' , giving him additional authority . But the underlying political conflicts had not been resolved , and on the Ides of March ( 15 March ) 44 BC , Caesar was assassinated by a group of rebellious senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus . A new series of civil wars broke out , and the constitutional government of the Republic was never fully restored . Caesar 's adopted heir Octavian , later known as Augustus , rose to sole power after defeating his opponents in the civil war . Octavian set about solidifying his power , and the era of the Roman Empire began . Much of Caesar 's life is known from his own accounts of his military campaigns , and from other contemporary sources , mainly the letters and speeches of Cicero and the historical writings of Sallust . The later biographies of Caesar by Suetonius and Plutarch are also major sources . Caesar is considered by many historians to be one of the greatest military commanders in history .", "Julius Caesar (disambiguation). Gaius Julius Caesar ( 100 -- 44 BC ) was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men of classical antiquity . Julius Caesar may also refer to : Any of the Julii Caesares , a branch of the patrician Julian family line , of which the famous Julius Caesar was a member Julius Caesar ( judge ) ( 1557/8 -- 1636 ) , an English judge and politician ( MP for Reigate , Bletchingley , Windsor , Westminster , Middlesex and Maldon ) Julius Caesar ( cricketer ) ( 1830 -- 1878 ) , a Surrey cricketer Cajus Julius Caesar ( born 1951 ) , German politician ( CDU ) , member of the German parliament , the Bundestag Julius Caesar Aranzi , Italian anatomist Julius Caesar Capaccio , a learned Italian On stage and screen : Julius Caesar ( play ) , a 1599 play by William Shakespeare Giulio Cesare , a 1724 Italian opera by George Frideric Handel and Nicola Francesco Haym Caesar ( Mercury Theatre ) , 1937 stage production of Orson Welles 's Mercury Theatre Film and video adaptations of the Shakespeare play : Julius Caesar ( 1914 film ) , an Italian film Julius Caesar ( 1926 film ) , Julius Caesar ( 1950 film ) , starring Charlton Heston Julius Caesar ( 1953 film ) , starring Marlon Brando , James Mason and John Gielgud Julius Caesar ( 1970 film ) , starring Charlton Heston , Jason Robards and Richard Johnson Julius Caesar ( 1979 ) , a television version produced by the BBC and starring Richard Pasco , Charles Gray and Keith Michell Julius Caesar ( TV miniseries ) , a 2002 TV miniseries directed by Uli Edel In fictional characters : A number of fictionalized depictions of the Roman dictator , including : Gaius Julius Caesar ( character of Rome ) Julius Caesar , a recurring character in Asterix Caesar ( Xena ) , a recurring villain on the TV show Xena : Warrior Princess General Julicaesar , a villain from the series Great Mazinger In other uses : Julius Caesar ( album ) , an album by Smog Julius Caesar ( crater ) , an impact crater on the moon Caesar , Life of a Colossus ; ( nonfiction book ) 2006 biography of Julius Caeser by Adrian Goldsworthy", "Caesar (title). Caesar ( English Caesars ; Latin Caesares ) is a title of imperial character . It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar , the Roman dictator . The change from being a familial name to a title adopted by the Roman Emperors can be dated to about AD 68/69 , the so-called `` Year of the Four Emperors '' .", "Julius Caesar (play). The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a tragedy by William Shakespeare , believed to have been written in 1599 . It is one of several plays written by Shakespeare based on true events from Roman history , which also include Coriolanus and Antony and Cleopatra . Although the title is Julius Caesar , Brutus speaks more than four times as many lines , and the central psychological drama of the play focuses on Brutus ' struggle between the conflicting demands of honor , patriotism , and friendship .", "Julius Caesar (1953 film). Julius Caesar is a 1953 epic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film adaptation of the play by Shakespeare , directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz , who also wrote the uncredited screenplay , and produced by John Houseman . The original music score is by Miklós Rózsa . The film stars Marlon Brando as Mark Antony , James Mason as Brutus , John Gielgud as Cassius , Louis Calhern as Julius Caesar , Edmond O'Brien as Casca , Greer Garson as Calpurnia , and Deborah Kerr as Portia .", "Caesar (disambiguation). Julius Caesar ( 100 -- 44 BC ) was a Roman general and dictator . Caesar or Cæsar may also refer to :", "Julius Caesar (miniseries). Julius Caesar is a 2003 mini-series about the life of Julius Caesar . It was directed by Uli Edel , and written by Peter Pruce and Craig Warner . It is a dramatization of the life of Julius Caesar through 82 BC to his death in 44 BC . It is of note that it is mostly historically accurate and being one of the last two films of Richard Harris being released in the year of his death . The series was originally broadcast on TNT in two parts , airing June 29 and 30 , 2003 , and involved location shooting in Malta and Bulgaria . Run time is 178 minutes and the DVD has a making-of featurette . The slogan is His Time Has Come . It was released on DVD , in 2004 in the United States and in 2005 in the United Kingdom . The film was nominated for 2 Emmys and currently has a 6.8 out of 10 stars with nearly two thousand votes on IMDB .", "Cultural depictions of Julius Caesar. Gaius Julius Caesar ( 100 BC -- 44 BC ) , one of the most influential men in world history , has frequently appeared in literary and artistic works since ancient times .", "Caesar (Mercury Theatre). Caesar is the title of Orson Welles 's innovative 1937 adaptation of William Shakespeare 's Julius Caesar , a modern-dress bare-stage production that evoked comparison to contemporary Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany . Considered Welles 's highest achievement in the theatre , it premiered November 11 , 1937 , as the first production of the Mercury Theatre , an independent repertory theatre company that presented an acclaimed series of productions on Broadway through 1941 .", "Julius Caesar (1950 film). Julius Caesar is a 1950 film adaptation of the Shakespeare play Julius Caesar . The first film version of the play with sound , it was produced and directed by David Bradley using actors from the Chicago area . Charlton Heston , who had known Bradley since his youth , and who was establishing himself in television and theater in New York , played Mark Antony . He was the only paid cast member . Bradley himself played Brutus , and Harold Tasker had the title role . Bradley recruited drama students from his alma mater Northwestern University for bit parts and extras , one of whom was future star Jeffrey Hunter , who studied alongside Heston at Northwestern .", "Roman Empire. The Roman Empire ( Imperium Rōmānum -LSB- ɪmˈpɛ.ri.ũː roːˈmaː.nũː -RSB- Koine and Medieval Greek : Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων , tr . ) was the post-Roman Republic period of the ancient Roman civilization , characterized by government headed by emperors and large territorial holdings around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe , Africa and Asia . The city of Rome was the largest city in the world BC , with Constantinople ( New Rome ) becoming the largest around AD 500 , and the Empire 's populace grew to an estimated 50 to 90 million inhabitants ( roughly 20 % of the world 's population at the time ) . An average of figures from different sources as listed at the US Census Bureau 's Historical Estimates of World Population The 500-year-old republic which preceded it was severely destabilized in a series of civil wars and political conflict , during which Julius Caesar was appointed as perpetual dictator and then assassinated in 44 BC . Civil wars and executions continued , culminating in the victory of Octavian , Caesar 's adopted son , over Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC and the annexation of Egypt . Octavian 's power was then unassailable and in 27 BC the Roman Senate formally granted him overarching power and the new title Augustus , effectively marking the end of the Roman Republic . The imperial period of Rome lasted approximately 1,500 years compared to the 500 years of the Republican era . The first two centuries of the empire 's existence were a period of unprecedented political stability and prosperity known as the Pax Romana , or `` Roman Peace '' . Following Octavian 's victory , the size of the empire was dramatically increased . After the assassination of Caligula in AD 41 , the Senate briefly considered restoring the republic , but the Praetorian Guard proclaimed Claudius emperor instead . Under Claudius , the empire invaded Britannia , its first major expansion since Augustus . After Claudius ' successor , Nero , committed suicide in AD 68 , the empire suffered a series of brief civil wars , as well as a concurrent major rebellion in Judea , during which four different legionary generals were proclaimed emperor . Vespasian emerged triumphant in AD 69 , establishing the Flavian dynasty , before being succeeded by his son Titus , who opened the Colosseum shortly after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius . His short reign was followed by the long reign of his brother Domitian , who was eventually assassinated . The Senate then appointed the first of the Five Good Emperors . The empire reached its greatest extent under Trajan , the second in this line . A period of increasing trouble and decline began with the reign of Commodus . Commodus ' assassination in 192 triggered the Year of the Five Emperors , of which Septimius Severus emerged victorious . The assassination of Alexander Severus in 235 led to the Crisis of the Third Century in which 26 men were declared emperor by the Roman Senate over a fifty-year time span . It was not until the reign of Diocletian that the empire was fully stabilized with the introduction of the Tetrarchy , which saw four emperors rule the empire at once . This arrangement was ultimately unsuccessful , leading to a civil war that was finally ended by Constantine I , who defeated his rivals and became the sole ruler of the empire . Constantine subsequently shifted the capital to Byzantium , which was renamed `` Constantinople '' in his honour . It remained the capital of the east until its demise . Constantine also adopted Christianity which later became the official state religion of the empire . This eastern part of the empire ( modernly called `` Byzantine Empire '' ) remained one of the leading powers in the world alongside its arch-rival the Sassanid Empire , which had inherited a centuries-old Roman-Persian conflict from its predecessor the Parthians . Following the death of Theodosius I , the last emperor to rule a united Roman Empire , the dominion of the empire was gradually eroded by abuses of power , civil wars , barbarian migrations and invasions , military reforms and economic depression . The Sack of Rome in 410 by the Visigoths and again in 455 by the Vandals accelerated the Western Empire 's decay , while the deposition of the emperor , Romulus Augustulus , in 476 by Odoacer , is generally accepted to mark the end of the empire in the west . However , Augustulus was never recognized by his Eastern colleague , and separate rule in the Western part of the empire only ceased to exist upon the death of Julius Nepos , in 480 . The Eastern Roman Empire endured for another millennium , eventually falling to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 . The Roman Empire was among the most powerful economic , cultural , political and military forces in the world of its time . It was one of the largest empires in world history . At its height under Trajan , it covered 5 million square kilometres . It held sway over an estimated 70 million people , at that time 21 % of the world 's entire population . The longevity and vast extent of the empire ensured the lasting influence of Latin and Greek language , culture , religion , inventions , architecture , philosophy , law and forms of government on the empire 's descendants . Throughout the European medieval period , attempts were even made to establish successors to the Roman Empire , including the Empire of Romania , a Crusader state , and the Holy Roman Empire . By means of European colonialism following the Renaissance , and their descendant states , Greco-Roman and Judaeo-Christian culture was exported on a worldwide scale , playing a crucial role in the development of the modern world .", "Emperor (novel series). Emperor is an internationally acclaimed historical five-novel series by British author Conn Iggulden about the life of Roman statesman and general Gaius Julius Caesar . The five novels were published between 2003 and 2013 : The Gates of Rome - released 2003 ; The Death of Kings - released early 2004 ; The Field of Swords - released late 2004 ; The Gods of War - released 2005 ; The Blood of Gods - released May 2013 . The series was well received by critics but also drew comment that Iggulden sometimes changed historical facts in order to create a more thrilling narrative . This is acknowledged by Iggulden , and noted at the end of every novel . The most notable change in the main plot features Caesar and Brutus growing up as childhood friends ( Brutus was in reality 15 years younger than Caesar and sometimes rumoured to be his son , though this is unlikely ) . This gives the series some complexities similar to the movie 1900 , in which two boys who grow up together are shaped by their differences , culminating in diverging destinies on the Ides of March . Apart from Caesar and Brutus , historical characters include : Gaius Marius , Cornelius Sulla , Mithridates VI of Pontus , Cinna , Cornelia , Pompey , Crassus , Cato the Younger , Spartacus , Crixus , Brutus ' mother Servilia , Octavian and his mother Atia , Titus Annius Milo , Publius Clodius Pulcher , Vercingetorix , Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus , Lucius Sergius Catilina , Mark Antony , and Cleopatra VII of Egypt , who gives Caesar a son . The book series is being adapted into a movie trilogy to be directed by Burr Steers . The first movie of the trilogy , Emperor : Young Caesar will be based upon the first two books .", "Julius Caesar (1970 film). Julius Caesar is a 1970 British independent film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play of the same name , directed by Stuart Burge from a screenplay by Robert Furnival . The film stars Charlton Heston , Jason Robards , John Gielgud , Robert Vaughn , Richard Chamberlain , Diana Rigg , and Jill Bennett . It is the first film version of the play made in colour .", "The Twelve Caesars. De vita Caesarum ( Latin ; literal translation : About the Life of the Caesars ) , commonly known as The Twelve Caesars , is a set of twelve biographies of Julius Caesar and the first 11 emperors of the Roman Empire written by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus . The work , written in AD 121 during the reign of the emperor Hadrian , was the most popular work of Suetonius , at that time Hadrian 's personal secretary , and is the largest among his surviving writings . It was dedicated to a friend , the Praetorian prefect Gaius Septicius Clarus . The Twelve Caesars is considered very significant in antiquity and remains a primary source on Roman history . The book discusses the significant and critical period of the Principate from the end of the Republic to the reign of Domitian ; comparisons are often made with Tacitus whose surviving works document a similar period .", "Julius Caesar (1914 film). Julius Caesar ( Italian : Giulio Cesare ) is a 1914 Italian silent historical film directed by Enrico Guazzoni and starring Amleto Novelli , Bruto Castellani and Pina Menichelli . Taking its inspiration from William Shakespeare 's 1599 play of the same title , the film portrays the events leading up to the assassination of Julius Caesar . In the wake of Guazzoni 's internationally successful Quo Vadis it was produced on an epic scale , including vast sets recreating Ancient Rome and more than 20,000 extras .", "Assassination of Julius Caesar. The assassination of Julius Caesar was the result of a conspiracy by many Roman senators . Led by Gaius Cassius Longinus , Decimus Junius Brutus , and Marcus Junius Brutus , they stabbed Julius Caesar to death in a location adjacent to the Theatre of Pompey on the Ides of March ( March 15 ) , 44 BC . Caesar was the dictator of the Roman Republic at the time , having recently been declared dictator perpetuo by the Senate . This declaration made several senators fear that Caesar wanted to overthrow the Senate in favor of tyranny . The conspirators were unable to restore the Roman Republic . The ramifications of the assassination led to the Liberators ' civil war and , ultimately , to the Principate period of the Roman Empire .", "Caesar, Life of a Colossus. Caesar , Life of a Colossus is a nonfiction book written by Adrian Goldsworthy . It was published in 2006 by Yale University Press ( 519 pages ) This is a biography of Julius Caesar . However , it is an outline of Caeser 's life in the context of the many institutions with which he interacted : `` Roman society , the politics of the senate , Gaul ( ancient France ) '' as well as the army of that ancient republic . One underlying structure of this book is to take the reader on a journey that follows `` the many gambles , strange turns , and unlikely incidents in Caesar 's career . '' The book is referenced with endnotes and an index , located in the back of the book , showing it is based on ancient scholarly sources . The work of sifting through these sometimes conflicting sources to the tell the story is also part of the narrative . Additionally , a bibliography of scholarly commentary , published during our more modern age , regarding Julius Caesar and Ancient Rome during his lifetime , is also in the back of the book . Hence , although the author has written this book for the lay reader , it is also useful for scholarly study .", "Caesar (game). Caesar is a board wargame depicting the ancient Battle of Alesia in which Julius Caesar and his legions defeated the Gauls under Vercingetorix . Originally published as Alesia in 1971 , it was redesigned and reissued by Avalon Hill in 1976 . Jon Freeman called it `` one of the few legends in wargaming '' for its relatively simple rules that still result in a tense and suspenseful game . The basic concept of the game is the double siege , with Roman lines facing both inwards around Alesia , and outwards against Gallic relieving forces . The exact lines of the fortifications are preprinted on the game board ; the Roman player starts by placing all the Roman counters , which may go anywhere outside Alesia , although there are advantages to placing them along the fortification lines . The Gallic player then places some counters inside Alesia , along with the counter representing Vercingetorix , and keeps the remainder offboard . There are up to 24 turns in the game , divided into two `` Assault Periods '' of 12 turns each , representing the two days of the battle . During each turn , the Gallic player moves on-board units , then the off-board units ( showing the other player the locations but not the numbers of the units off-board ) , then resolves combat with adjacent Roman units . The Roman player then moves his units , and resolves the resulting combat . The object of the game is for Vercingetorix to escape from Alesia and move off the game board , in which case the Gallic player wins . If a Roman unit ever moves next to him , he is considered to have been captured , and the Romans win . Since the Romans have too few units to cover all of the double line of fortifications , and do not know exactly the numbers of the off-board units , there is considerable guesswork in trying to anticipate where the breakout might occur . At the same time , the Romans can move rapidly along the fortifications and concentrate their forces , so the Gauls must commit strongly when they decide to make their move . The original game design was Robert L. Bradley 's first effort , and quite unwieldy , with a game board over four feet across , 1,000 counters , and poorly defined victory conditions . The 1971 release , characterized as a `` semi-professional version '' with limited sales , was a redesign that shrank the board and reduced the number of counters . After Avalon Hill acquired the game , Donald Greenwood undertook additional development , reducing the size of the board still further , and simplifying the mechanics of off-board movement .", "Poems by Julius Caesar. Poems by Julius Caesar are mentioned by several sources in antiquity . None are extant . Tacitus considered their loss a happy accident for the dictator 's literary reputation : Plutarch says that verse compositions were among the entertainments Caesar offered the Cilician pirates who captured him as a young man in 75 BC . Pliny places `` the divine Julius '' on his list of serious men who wrote not-so-serious poems . Caesar 's Dicta Collectanea , a collection of his memorable quotations , is assumed to have contained quotations from his verse as well as prose works . The titles of two works Caesar wrote as a young man are known , a Laudes Herculis ( `` Praises of Hercules '' ) and the verse tragedy Oedipus ; their planned publication by the librarian Pompeius Macer was squelched by a `` short and simple '' -- or perhaps `` curt and direct '' -- letter from Caesar 's heir Augustus as incompatible with his program of deification . A third title , Iter ( `` The Journey '' ) , dates from 46 BC , composed during a 24-day trip from Rome to Spain during the civil war . This verse travelogue may have been modeled after Lucilius 's poem about a trip to Sicily . Caesar 's choice of writing as a pastime in prelude to the decisive and brutal Battle of Munda illustrates the dual preoccupations of the Late Republican aristocrat , with militarism and political power-plays balanced by elite intellectual and aesthetic aspirations .", "Roman Republic. The Roman Republic ( Res publica Romana -LSB- ˈreːs ˈpuːb.lɪ.ka roːˈmaː.na -RSB- ) was the era of ancient Roman civilization beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom , traditionally dated to 509 BC , and ending in 27 BC with the establishment of the Roman Empire . It was during this period that Rome 's control expanded from the city 's immediate surroundings to hegemony over the entire Mediterranean world . During the first two centuries of its existence , the Roman Republic expanded through a combination of conquest and alliance , from central Italy to the entire Italian peninsula . By the following century , it included North Africa , most of the Iberian Peninsula , and what is now southern France . Two centuries after that , towards the end of the 1st century BC , it included the rest of modern France , Greece , and much of the eastern Mediterranean . By this time , internal tensions led to a series of civil wars , culminating with the assassination of Julius Caesar , which led to the transition from republic to empire . The exact date of transition can be a matter of interpretation . Historians have variously proposed Julius Caesar 's crossing of the Rubicon River in 49 BC , Caesar 's appointment as dictator for life in 44 BC , and the defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC . However , most use the same date as did the ancient Romans themselves , the Roman Senate 's grant of extraordinary powers to Octavian and his adopting the title Augustus in 27 BC , as the defining event ending the Republic . Roman government was headed by two consuls , elected annually by the citizens and advised by a senate composed of appointed magistrates . As Roman society was very hierarchical by modern standards , the evolution of the Roman government was heavily influenced by the struggle between the patricians , Rome 's land-holding aristocracy , who traced their ancestry to the founding of Rome , and the plebeians , the far more numerous citizen-commoners . Over time , the laws that gave patricians exclusive rights to Rome 's highest offices were repealed or weakened , and leading plebeian families became full members of the aristocracy . The leaders of the Republic developed a strong tradition and morality requiring public service and patronage in peace and war , making military and political success inextricably linked . Many of Rome 's legal and legislative structures ( later codified into the Justinian Code , and again into the Napoleonic Code ) can still be observed throughout Europe and much of the world in modern nation states and international organizations .", "Early life and career of Julius Caesar. The early career of Julius Caesar was characterized by military adventurism and political persecution . Julius Caesar was born on July 13 , 100 BC , into a patrician family , the gens Julia , which claimed descent from Iulus , son of the legendary Trojan prince Aeneas , supposedly the son of the goddess Venus . His father died early , and his family status put him at odds with the Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla , who almost had him executed . At about that time , Caesar found himself captured by pirates , only to crucify his former captors after he was ransomed . Before long he began his military career . He served in Hispania , married Sulla 's granddaughter and was elected chief priest , all in rapid succession . Shortly after this , he was suspected , though not convicted , of involvement in the Catiline Conspiracy . Before long he was leaving for a governorship in Hispania and positioning himself to be one of the most important figures in history .", "Gaius Julius Caesar (proconsul). Gaius Julius Caesar ( ca. 130 BC -- 85 BC ) was a Roman senator , a supporter of his brother-in-law , Gaius Marius , and the father of Gaius Julius Caesar , the dictator . Caesar was married to Aurelia Cotta , a member of the Aurelii and Rutilii families . They had two daughters , known as Julia Major and Julia Minor , and a son , Gaius , who was born in 100 BC . He was the brother of Sextus Julius Caesar ( consul in 91 BC ) and the son of Gaius Julius Caesar . Caesar 's progress through the cursus honorum is well known , although the specific dates associated with his offices are controversial . According to two elogia erected in Rome long after his death , Caesar was a commissioner in the colony at Cercina , military tribune , quaestor , praetor , and proconsul of Asia . The dates of these offices are unclear . The colony is probably one of Marius ' of 103 BC . Broughton dated the praetorship to 92 BC , with the quaestorship falling towards the beginning of the 90s BC . Brennan has dated the praetorship to the beginning of the decade . Caesar died suddenly in 85 BC , in Rome , while putting on his shoes one morning . Another Caesar , possibly his father , had died similarly in Pisa . His father had seen to his education by one of the best orators of Rome , Marcus Antonius Gnipho . In his will , he left Caesar the bulk of his estate , but after Marius 's faction had been defeated in the civil war of the 80s BC , this inheritance was confiscated by the dictator Sulla .", "Caesarism. Caesarism is a form of political rule that emulates the rule of Roman dictator Julius Caesar over the Roman Republic , in that it is led by a charismatic strongman whose rule is based upon ' a cult of personality , whose rationale is the need to rule by force , establishing a violent social order , and being a regime involving prominence of the military in the government . It has been used by proponents of it , but it has also been commonly used in a pejorative manner . A so-called `` democratic '' form of Caesarism has been advocated by theorists like Venezuela 's Laureano Vallenilla Lanz in Cesarismo Democrático ( 1919 ) . The most famous person who themselves espoused Caesarism , was Napoleon Bonaparte , who admired and emulated Caesar during his rule in France . Italian Duce Benito Mussolini and the ideology of Italian Fascism espoused Caesarism . Benjamin Disraeli was also famously accused of Caesarism in March 1878 when , in anticipation of war with Russia , he mobilised British reserves and called Indian troops to Malta . G. K. Chesterton made one of the most ringing denunciations of Caesarism in his work Heretics , calling it `` the worst form of slavery '' .", "Julius Caesar (overture). The Julius Caesar overture , Op. 128 , is a concert overture written in 1851 by Robert Schumann , inspired by Shakespeare 's play Julius Caesar and influenced by the Egmont and Coriolan overtures of Ludwig van Beethoven . Julius Caesar is usually associated with two other Schumann concert overtures written about that time , also inspired by great literature : The Bride of Messina , Op. 100 ( based on Schiller 's eponymous play ) and Hermann und Dorothea , Op. 136 ( based on Goethe 's epic poem ) . The year 1851 was intensely active for Schumann : not only did he complete these three overtures , he also wrote his Piano Trio No. 3 , his 1st and 2nd violin sonatas , a chamber oratorio , lieder , works for chorus and orchestra , and works for solo piano ; and thoroughly revised his Symphony No. 4 . The Julius Caesar overture is in the key of F minor and is scored for piccolo , flute , 2 oboes , 2 clarinets , 2 bassoons , 4 horns , 2 trumpets , 3 trombones , timpani and strings . The gloomy , brooding nature of the overture has often been noted : A darkly hued work , imbued with a spirit of tragic grandeur from start to finish ; a brooding introduction to Shakespeare 's play , full of oppressive , militaristic flourishes and hinting at some violent threat that never fully manifests itself . It was not intended to portray the historical person of Julius Caesar , but was inspired by William Shakespeare 's eponymous play . In his sketches for the work , beneath the staves on the first page Schumann wrote down what he considered the central `` plot points '' of the play : `` Caesar / Life in Rome . Brutus . / Conspiracy . Calpurnia . The Ides . Death . Philippi . / Octavian 's revenge . Victory over Brutus '' . It also drew inspiration from two overtures of Ludwig van Beethoven : that to his incidental music to Egmont , with which it shares the key of F minor , the `` uncompromising sonata form '' , and the coda in the major key ; and to a lesser extent his concert overture Coriolan . Schumann started writing the music in mid-January 1851 . His wife Clara noted in her diary on 17 January that he was now working on the overture . He wrote out the full score between 27 January and 2 February , finishing it only a few days before he conducted the premiere of his 3rd Symphony , `` Rhenish '' ( 6 February ) . The work had its premiere on 3 August 1852 in Düsseldorf . Earlier that year he had consulted Dr Wolfgang Müller about his physical ailments . Müller was also a director of the Düsseldorf Music Society , of which Schumann was Music Director and chief conductor , and advised him to do less conducting and hand some of the work to his deputy Julius Tausch . On 8 July Schumann commenced a series of 18 cold baths in the Rhine under Müller 's instruction . This resulted in some improvement in his condition . On 30 July , against Müller 's advice , he attended the first rehearsal of the Julius Caesar overture under Tausch , but became agitated and took over the conducting of the work himself . At the concert on 3 August , once again without warning , he took personal command of the orchestra and conducted the premiere of the work himself ; he also went on to `` tactlessly '' conduct a Beethoven overture that Tausch had rehearsed but Schumann had not . The Julius Caesar Overture produced little noticeable effect on the audience . The result for Schumann was exhaustion , and Müller recommended he have more intensive treatment , and sent him for sea baths at Scheveningen , Netherlands . This was the beginning of the insanity that marked his last years . Schumann was known to be interested in musical cryptograms , best demonstrated in his piano suite Carnaval , Op. 9 . Eric Sams suggests there are many other clues throughout Schumann 's works , including a cipher for `` C-A-E-S-A-R '' in the opening chords of the Julius Caesar overture . The work has been recorded a number of times , but is not often performed in concert .", "Caesar and Cleopatra (play). Caesar and Cleopatra is a play written in 1898 by George Bernard Shaw that depicts a fictionalized account of the relationship between Julius Caesar and Cleopatra . It was first published with Captain Brassbound 's Conversion and The Devil 's Disciple in Shaw 's 1901 collection Three Plays for Puritans . It was first performed in a single staged reading at Newcastle upon Tyne on 15 March 1899 , to secure the copyright . The play was produced in New York in 1906 and in London at the Savoy Theatre in 1907 .", "Dead Caesar. Dead Caesar was a 2007 stage show written by Australian comedian Chris Taylor from The Chaser . The satirical show parodied Julius Caesar a play by William Shakespeare .", "Shakespeare Writing \"Julius Caesar\". Shakespeare Writing `` Julius Caesar '' ( La Mort de Jules César ( Shakespeare ) ) , also known as La Rêve de Shakespeare , is a 1907 French short silent film directed by Georges Méliès .", "Caesar (McCullough novel). Caesar : Let the Dice Fly is the fifth historical novel in Colleen McCullough 's Masters of Rome series .", "Emperor. An emperor ( through Old French empereor from Latin imperator ) is a monarch , usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm . Empress , the female equivalent , may indicate an emperor 's wife ( empress consort ) , mother ( empress dowager ) , or a woman who rules in her own right ( empress regnant ) . Emperors are generally recognized to be of a higher honour and rank than kings . In Europe the title of Emperor has been used since the Middle Ages , considered equal or almost equal in dignity to that of Pope , due to the latter 's position as visible head of the Church and spiritual leader of Western Europe . The Emperor of Japan is the only currently reigning monarch whose title is translated into English as `` Emperor '' . Both kings and emperors are monarchs , but emperor and empress are considered the higher monarchical titles . In as much as there is a strict definition of emperor , it is that an emperor has no relations implying the superiority of any other ruler , and typically rules over more than one nation . Thus a king might be obliged to pay tribute to another ruler , or be restrained in his actions in some unequal fashion , but an emperor should in theory be completely free of such restraints . However monarchs heading empires have not always used the title -- the British sovereign did not assume the title until the incorporation of India into the British Empire , and used it to symbolise British control over all its territories , even those lying outside actual British India , the reason being that India was the jewel in the crown of the British Empire . In Western Europe the title of Emperor was used exclusively by the Holy Roman Emperor , whose imperial authority was derived from the concept of translatio imperii , i.e. they claimed succession to the authority of the Western Roman Emperors , thus linking themselves to Roman institutions and traditions as part of state ideology . Although initially ruling much of Central Europe and northern Italy , by the 19th century the Emperor exercised little power beyond the German speaking states . Although technically an elective title , by the late 16th century the imperial title had in practice come to be inherited by the Habsburg Archdukes of Austria and , following the Thirty Years ' War , their control over the states ( outside of the Habsburg Monarchy , i.e. Austria , Bohemia , and various territories outside of the empire ) had become nearly non-existent . However , in 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of the French , and was shortly followed by Francis II , Holy Roman Emperor , who to declared himself Emperor of Austria in the same year ; however , the position of Holy Roman Emperor continued until Francis II abdicated that position in 1806 . In Eastern Europe the rulers of the Russian Empire also used translatio imperii to wield imperial authority as successors to the Eastern Roman Empire . Their title of Emperor was officially recognised by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1514 , although not officially used by the Russian monarchs until 1547 . In practice the Russian Emperors are often known by their Russian-language title Tsar , which may also used to refer to rulers equivalent to a king . Historians have liberally used emperor and empire anachronistically and out of its Roman and European context to describe any large state from the past or the present . Such pre-Roman titles as `` Great King '' or `` King of Kings '' , used by the Kings of Persia and others , are often considered as the equivalent . Sometimes this reference has even extended to non-monarchically ruled states and their spheres of influence such as the `` Athenian Empire '' of the late 5th century BC , the `` Angevin Empire '' of the Plantagenets , and the Soviet and American `` empires '' of the Cold War era . However such `` empires '' did not need to be headed by an `` emperor '' . Empire became identified instead with vast territorial holdings rather than the title of its ruler by the mid-18th century . For purposes of protocol , emperors were once given precedence over kings in international diplomatic relations ; currently , however , precedence amongst heads of state -- whether they be Kings , Queens , Emperors , Princes , or Presidents -- is determined by the duration of time that each one has been continuously in office . Outside the European context , emperor was the translation given to holders of titles who were accorded the same precedence as European emperors in diplomatic terms . In reciprocity , these rulers might accredit equal titles in their native languages to their European peers . Through centuries of international convention , this has become the dominant rule to identifying an emperor in the modern era .", "Julius Caesar (album). Julius Caesar is the third album by Bill Callahan ( also known as Smog ) , released in 1993 on Drag City . It was re-released in Europe in 2001 on Domino Records . After his two first LPs , which were recorded at home with an experimental lo-fi-approach , Callahan decided to record this album in a professional studio . Nevertheless , he kept control over the recording process , with only Kim Osterwalder helping out on cello . The song `` One Less Star '' appeared in Above the Below , a 2003-documentary about a stunt by David Blaine . `` Chosen One '' was covered live by The Flaming Lips in a record store in Minneapolis on December 12 , 1993 , a recording which later appeared on their EP Due to High Expectations ... the Flaming Lips Are Providing Needles for Your Balloons . The song also appeared ( as a Peel Session ) on Callahan 's rarities compilation Accumulation : None in 2002 . The song `` 37 Push Ups '' appeared in the record company Kill Rock Stars ' compilation album , Rock Stars Kill .", "Julius Caesar Scaliger. Julius Caesar Scaliger ( -LSB- ˈskælədʒər -RSB- April 23 , 1484 -- October 21 , 1558 ) , or Giulio Cesare della Scala , was an Italian scholar and physician , who spent a major part of his career in France . He employed the techniques and discoveries of Renaissance humanism to defend Aristotelianism against the new learning . In spite of his arrogant and contentious disposition , his contemporary reputation was high . Jacques Auguste de Thou claimed that none of the ancients could be placed above him and that he had no equal in his own time .", "Gaius Cassius Longinus. Gaius Cassius Longinus ( -LSB- ˈgaː.i.ʊs ˈkas.si.ʊs ˈlɔŋ.gɪ.nʊs -RSB- ; October 3 , before 85 BC -- October 3 , 42 BC ) was a Roman senator , a leading instigator of the plot to kill Julius Caesar , and the brother in-law of Marcus Junius Brutus . He commanded troops with Brutus during the Battle of Philippi against the combined forces of Mark Antony and Octavian , Caesar 's former supporters , and committed suicide after being defeated by Mark Antony . He was elected Tribune of the Plebs in 49 B.C. . He opposed Caesar , and he commanded a fleet against him during Caesar 's Civil War : after Caesar defeated Pompey in the Battle of Pharsalus , Caesar overtook Cassius and forced him to surrender . After Caesar 's death , Cassius fled to the East , where he amassed an army of twelve legions . He was supported and made Governor by the Senate . Though he and Brutus marched west against the allies of the Second Triumvirate , Cassius was defeated at the Battle of Phillippi and committed suicide . He followed the teachings of the philosopher Epicurus , although scholars debate whether or not these beliefs affected his political life . Cassius is a main character in Shakespeare 's play Julius Caesar that depicts the assassination of Caesar and its aftermath . He is also shown in the lowest circle of Hell in Dante 's The Inferno as punishment for betraying and killing Caesar ." ]

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[ "Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American black comedy neo-noir crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino , from a story by Tarantino and Roger Avary . Directed in a highly stylized manner , Pulp Fiction connects the intersecting storylines of Los Angeles mobsters , fringe players , small-time criminals , and a mysterious briefcase . The film 's title refers to the pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th century , known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue . The screenplay of Pulp Fiction was written in 1992 and 1993 , and incorporated some scenes originally written by Avary for True Romance . Its plot , as in many of Tarantino 's other works , is presented out of chronological order . The film is also self-referential from its opening moments , beginning with a title card that gives two dictionary definitions of `` pulp '' . Considerable screen time is devoted to monologues and casual conversations with eclectic dialogue revealing each character 's perspectives on several subjects , and the film features an ironic combination of humor and strong violence . Its script was reportedly turned down by Columbia TriStar as `` too demented '' . Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein was instantly enthralled with it , however , and the film became the first that Miramax fully financed . Pulp Fiction won the Palme d'Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival , and was a major critical and commercial success upon its U.S. release . It revitalized the careers of John Travolta ( who received an Academy Award nomination ) , Samuel L. Jackson , and Uma Thurman . It was also nominated for seven Oscars , including Best Picture ; Tarantino and Avary won for Best Original Screenplay . The nature of its development , marketing , and distribution -- and its consequent profitability -- had a sweeping effect on the field of independent cinema . Since its release , Pulp Fiction has been widely regarded as Tarantino 's masterpiece , with particular praise singled out for its screenwriting . The film 's self-reflexivity , unconventional structure , and extensive use of homage and pastiche have led critics to describe it as a touchstone of postmodern film . It is often considered a cultural watershed , with a strong influence felt not only in later movies that adopted various elements of its style , but in several other media as well . A 2008 Entertainment Weekly poll named it the best film since 1983 , and the work has appeared on many critics ' lists of the greatest films ever made . In 2013 , Pulp Fiction was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .", "Quentin Tarantino. Quentin Jerome Tarantino ( -LSB- ˌtærənˈtiːnoʊ -RSB- born March 27 , 1963 ) is an American director , writer , and actor . His films are characterized by nonlinear storylines , satirical subject matter , an aestheticization of violence , extended scenes of dialogue , ensemble casts consisting of established and lesser-known performers , references to popular culture , soundtracks primarily containing songs and score pieces from the 1960s to the 1980s , and features of neo-noir film . He is widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation . His career began in the late 1980s , when he wrote and directed My Best Friend 's Birthday , the screenplay of which formed the basis for True Romance . In the early 1990s , he began his career as an independent filmmaker with the release of Reservoir Dogs in 1992 ; regarded as a classic and cult hit , it was called the `` Greatest Independent Film of All Time '' by Empire . Its popularity was boosted by his second film , Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , a black comedy crime film that was a major success both among critics and audiences . Judged the greatest film from 1983 -- 2008 by Entertainment Weekly , many critics and scholars have named it one of the most significant works of modern cinema . For his next effort , Tarantino paid homage to the blaxploitation films of the 1970s with Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , an adaptation of the novel Rum Punch . Kill Bill , a highly stylized `` revenge flick '' in the cinematic traditions of Kung fu films , Japanese martial arts , Spaghetti Westerns and Italian horror , followed six years later , and was released as two films : Volume 1 in 2003 and Volume 2 in 2004 . Tarantino directed Death Proof ( 2007 ) as part of a double feature with friend Robert Rodriguez , under the collective title Grindhouse . His long-postponed Inglourious Basterds , which tells the fictional alternate history story of two plots to assassinate Nazi Germany 's political leadership , was released in 2009 to positive reviews . After that came 2012 's critically acclaimed Django Unchained , a Western film set in the antebellum era of the Deep South . It became the highest-grossing film of his career so far , making over $ 425 million at the box office . His eighth film , the mystery Western The Hateful Eight , was released in its roadshow version December 25 , 2015 , in 70 mm film format , complete with opening `` overture '' and halfway-point intermission , after the fashion of big-budget films of the 1960s and early 1970s . Tarantino 's films have garnered both critical and commercial success . He has received many industry awards , including two Academy Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two BAFTA Awards and the Palme d'Or , and has been nominated for an Emmy and a Grammy . He was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time in 2005 . Filmmaker and historian Peter Bogdanovich has called him `` the single most influential director of his generation '' . In December 2015 , Tarantino received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry .", "John Travolta. John Joseph Travolta ( born February 18 , 1954 ) is an American actor , producer , dancer , and singer . Travolta first became known in the 1970s , after appearing on the television series Welcome Back , Kotter ( 1975 -- 1979 ) and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever ( 1977 ) and Grease ( 1978 ) . His acting career declined through the 1980s , but enjoyed a resurgence in the 1990s with his role in Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , and he has since starred in films such as Face/Off ( 1997 ) , Swordfish ( 2001 ) , Wild Hogs , and Hairspray ( both 2007 ) . Travolta was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for performances in Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction . He won his only Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy for his performance in Get Shorty and has received a total of six nominations , the most recent being in 2008 . In 2014 , he received the IIFA Award for Outstanding Achievement in International Cinema . In 2016 , Travolta received his first Primetime Emmy Award as a producer of the first season of the anthology series American Crime Story , subtitled The People v. O. J. Simpson , also receiving an additional Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of lawyer Robert Shapiro in the series .", "Brad Pitt. William Bradley Pitt ( born December 18 , 1963 ) is an American actor and producer . He has received multiple awards and nominations including an Academy Award as producer under his own company Plan B Entertainment . Pitt first gained recognition as a cowboy hitchhiker in the road movie Thelma & Louise ( 1991 ) . His first leading roles in big-budget productions came with the dramas A River Runs Through It ( 1992 ) and Legends of the Fall ( 1994 ) , and Interview with the Vampire ( 1994 ) . He gave critically acclaimed performances in the crime thriller Seven and the science fiction film 12 Monkeys ( both 1995 ) , the latter earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination . Pitt starred in the cult film Fight Club ( 1999 ) and the heist film Ocean 's Eleven ( 2001 ) and its sequels , Ocean 's Twelve ( 2004 ) and Ocean 's Thirteen ( 2007 ) . His greatest commercial successes have been Troy ( 2004 ) , Mr. & Mrs. Smith ( 2005 ) , and World War Z ( 2013 ) . Pitt received his second and third Academy Award nominations for his leading performances in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ( 2008 ) and Moneyball ( 2011 ) . He produced The Departed ( 2006 ) and 12 Years a Slave ( 2013 ) , both of which won the Academy Award for Best Picture , and also The Tree of Life , Moneyball , and The Big Short ( 2015 ) , all of which garnered Best Picture nominations . As a public figure , Pitt has been cited as one of the most influential and powerful people in the American entertainment industry , as well as the world 's most attractive man , by various media outlets . His personal life is also the subject of wide publicity . Divorced from actress Jennifer Aniston , to whom he was married for five years , he has been married to actress Angelina Jolie since 2014 . They have six children together , three of whom were adopted internationally . In September 2016 , Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt .", "Mia Wallace. Mia Wallace is a fictional character in the 1994 Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction . Uma Thurman 's performance as Wallace earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress . The character is considered one of the most iconic female film roles from the 1990s .", "Bruce Willis. Walter Bruce Willis ( born March 19 , 1955 ) is an American actor , producer , and singer . His career began on the Off-Broadway stage and then in television in the 1980s , most notably as David Addison in Moonlighting ( 1985 -- 1989 ) . He is known for his role of John McClane in the Die Hard series . He has appeared in over 60 films , including Color of Night ( 1994 ) , Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , 12 Monkeys ( 1995 ) , The Fifth Element ( 1997 ) , Armageddon ( 1998 ) , The Sixth Sense ( 1999 ) , Unbreakable ( 2000 ) , Sin City ( 2005 ) , Red ( 2010 ) , The Expendables 2 ( 2012 ) , and Looper ( 2012 ) . Willis married actress Demi Moore in 1987 , and they had three daughters , including Rumer , before their divorce in 2000 . Since 2009 , he has been married to model Emma Heming , with whom he has two daughters .", "Al Pacino. Alfredo James Pacino ( -LSB- pəˈtʃiːnoʊ -RSB- born April 25 , 1940 ) is an American actor of stage and screen , filmmaker , and screenwriter . Pacino has had a career spanning some fifty years , during which time he has received numerous accolades and honors both competitive and honorary , among them an Academy Award , two Tony Awards , two Primetime Emmy Awards , a British Academy Film Award , four Golden Globe Awards , the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute , the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award , and the National Medal of Arts . He is also one of few performers to have won a competitive Oscar , an Emmy and a Tony Award for acting , dubbed the `` Triple Crown of Acting '' . A method actor and former student of the HB Studio and the Actors Studio in New York City , where he was taught by Charlie Laughton and Lee Strasberg , Pacino made his feature film debut with a minor role in Me , Natalie ( 1969 ) and gained favorable notices for his lead role as a heroin addict in The Panic in Needle Park ( 1971 ) . He achieved international acclaim and recognition for his breakthrough role as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola 's The Godfather ( 1972 ) . He received his first Oscar nomination and would reprise the role in the equally successful sequels The Godfather Part II ( 1974 ) and The Godfather Part III ( 1990 ) . Pacino 's performance as Michael Corleone is now regarded as one of the greatest screen performances in film history . Pacino received his first Best Actor Oscar nomination for Serpico ( 1973 ) ; he was also nominated for The Godfather Part II , Dog Day Afternoon ( 1975 ) and ... And Justice for All ( 1979 ) and won the award in 1993 for his performance as a blind Lieutenant Colonel in Scent of a Woman ( 1992 ) . For his performances in The Godfather , Dick Tracy ( 1990 ) and Glengarry Glen Ross ( 1992 ) , Pacino was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Other notable roles include Tony Montana in Scarface ( 1983 ) , Carlito Brigante in Carlito 's Way ( 1993 ) , Lieutenant Vincent Hanna in Heat ( 1995 ) , Benjamin Ruggiero in Donnie Brasco ( 1997 ) , Lowell Bergman in The Insider ( 1999 ) and Detective Will Dormer in Insomnia ( 2002 ) . In television , Pacino has acted in several productions for HBO including the miniseries Angels in America ( 2003 ) and the Jack Kevorkian biopic You Do n't Know Jack ( 2010 ) , both of which won him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie . In addition to his work in film , Pacino has had an extensive career on stage and is a two-time Tony Award winner , in 1969 and 1977 , for his performances in Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie ? and The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel respectively . A lifelong fan of Shakespeare , Pacino directed and starred in Looking for Richard ( 1996 ) , a documentary film about the play Richard III , a role which Pacino had earlier portrayed on-stage in 1977 . He has also acted as Shylock in a 2004 feature film adaptation and a 2010 production of The Merchant of Venice . Having made his filmmaking debut with Looking for Richard , Pacino has also directed and starred in the independent film Chinese Coffee ( 2000 ) and the films Wilde Salomé ( 2011 ) and Salomé ( 2013 ) , about the play Salomé by Oscar Wilde . Since 1994 , Pacino has been the joint president of the Actors Studio with Ellen Burstyn and Harvey Keitel .", "Harvey Keitel. Harvey Keitel ( -LSB- kaɪˈtɛl -RSB- ; born May 13 , 1939 ) is an American actor and producer . An Oscar and Golden Globe Award nominee , he has appeared in films such as Martin Scorsese 's Mean Streets , Taxi Driver and The Last Temptation of Christ ; Ridley Scott 's The Duellists and Thelma & Louise ; Peter Yates ' Mother , Jugs & Speed ; Quentin Tarantino 's Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction ; Jane Campion 's The Piano ; Abel Ferrara 's Bad Lieutenant ; Robert Rodriguez 's From Dusk till Dawn ; James Mangold 's Cop Land ; Wes Anderson 's Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel ; and Paolo Sorrentino 's Youth . Along with actors Al Pacino and Ellen Burstyn , he is the current co-president of the Actors Studio .", "Francis Ford Coppola. Francis Ford Coppola ( -LSB- pronˈkoʊpələ -RSB- born April 7 , 1939 ) , also credited as Francis Coppola , is a semi-retired American film director , producer , and screenwriter . He is considered to have been a central figure of the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking . After directing The Rain People ( 1969 ) , he co-wrote the 1970 film Patton , earning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay along with co-writer Edmund H. North . His directorial prominence was cemented with the release in 1972 of The Godfather , a film which revolutionized movie-making in the gangster genre , earning praise from both critics and the public before winning three Academy Awards -- including his second Oscar ( Best Adapted Screenplay , with Mario Puzo ) , Best Picture , and his first nomination for Best Director . He followed with The Godfather Part II in 1974 , which became the first sequel to win the Academy Award for Best Picture . Highly regarded by critics , it brought him three more Academy Awards : Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Director and Best Picture , and made him the second director , after Billy Wilder , to be honored three times for the same film . The Conversation , which he directed , produced and wrote , was released that same year , winning the Palme d'Or at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival . He next directed 1979 's Apocalypse Now . While notorious for its lengthy and strenuous production , the film was widely acclaimed for its vivid and stark depiction of the Vietnam War , winning the Palme d'Or at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival . Coppola is one of only eight filmmakers to win two Palme d'Or awards . While a number of Coppola 's ventures in the 1980s and 1990s were critically lauded , he has never quite achieved the same commercial success with films as in the 1970s . His most well-known films released since the start of the 1980s are the dramas The Outsiders and Rumble Fish ( both 1983 ) , the crime-drama The Cotton Club ( 1984 ) , and the horror film Bram Stoker 's Dracula ( 1992 ) .", "Clint Eastwood. Clinton Eastwood Jr. '' ' ( born May 31 , 1930 ) is an American actor , filmmaker , musician , and political figure . After achieving success in the Western TV series Rawhide , he rose to international fame with his role as the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone 's Dollars trilogy of spaghetti Westerns during the 1960s , and as antihero cop Harry Callahan in the five Dirty Harry films throughout the 1970s and 1980s . These roles , among others , have made Eastwood an enduring cultural icon of masculinity . For his work in the Western film Unforgiven ( 1992 ) and the sports drama Million Dollar Baby ( 2004 ) , Eastwood won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture , as well as receiving nominations for Best Actor . Eastwood 's greatest commercial successes have been the adventure comedy Every Which Way But Loose ( 1978 ) and its sequel , the action comedy Any Which Way You Can ( 1980 ) , after adjustment for inflation . Other popular films include the Western Hang 'Em High ( 1968 ) , the psychological thriller Play Misty for Me ( 1971 ) , the crime film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot ( 1974 ) , the Western The Outlaw Josey Wales ( 1976 ) , the prison film Escape from Alcatraz ( 1979 ) , the action film Firefox ( 1982 ) , the suspense thriller Tightrope ( 1984 ) , the Western Pale Rider ( 1985 ) , the war films Where Eagles Dare ( 1968 ) , Heartbreak Ridge ( 1986 ) , the action thriller In the Line of Fire ( 1993 ) , the romantic drama The Bridges of Madison County ( 1995 ) , and the drama Gran Torino ( 2008 ) . In addition to directing many of his own star vehicles , Eastwood has also directed films in which he did not appear , such as the mystery drama Mystic River ( 2003 ) and the war film Letters from Iwo Jima ( 2006 ) , for which he received Academy Award nominations , and the drama Changeling ( 2008 ) . The war drama biopic American Sniper '' ( 2014 ) set box office records for the largest January release ever and was also the largest opening ever for an Eastwood film . Eastwood received considerable critical praise in France for several films , including some that were not well received in the United States . Eastwood has been awarded two of France 's highest honors : in 1994 he became a recipient of the Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres , and in 2007 he was awarded the Legion of Honour medal . In 2000 , Eastwood was awarded the Italian Venice Film Festival Golden Lion for lifetime achievement . Since 1967 , Eastwood has run his own production company , Malpaso , which has produced all but four of his American films . Starting in 1986 , Eastwood served for two years as Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea , California , a non-partisan office .", "Matthew McConaughey. Matthew David McConaughey ( -LSB- məˈkɒnəheɪ -RSB- born November 4 , 1969 ) is an American actor . He first gained notice for his breakout role in the coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused ( 1993 ) . He appeared in such films as the slasher Texas Chainsaw Massacre : The Next Generation ( 1994 ) , the legal thriller A Time to Kill ( 1996 ) , Steven Spielberg 's historical drama Amistad ( 1997 ) , the science fiction drama Contact ( 1997 ) , the comedy EDtv ( 1999 ) , and the war film U-571 ( 2000 ) . In the 2000s , Matthew McConaughey became best known for starring in romantic comedies , including The Wedding Planner ( 2001 ) , How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days ( 2003 ) , Failure to Launch ( 2006 ) , Fool 's Gold ( 2008 ) , and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ( 2009 ) . Since 2011 he has preferred dramatic roles , in such films as The Lincoln Lawyer ( 2011 ) , Bernie ( 2011 ) , Killer Joe ( 2011 ) , The Paperboy ( 2012 ) , Mud ( 2012 ) , Magic Mike ( 2012 ) , The Wolf of Wall Street ( 2013 ) , Dallas Buyers Club ( 2013 ) , Interstellar ( 2014 ) , The Sea of Trees , and Free State of Jones ( both 2016 ) . McConaughey achieved much success in 2013 for portraying a cowboy diagnosed with AIDS in the biographical film Dallas Buyers Club , which earned him the Academy Award , Golden Globe Award , and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor , among other awards and nominations . In 2014 , he also starred as Rust Cohle in the first season of HBO 's crime anthology series True Detective , for which he won a Critics ' Choice Award and was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award .", "Jared Leto. Jared Joseph Leto ( -LSB- ˈlɛtoʊ -RSB- born December 26 , 1971 ) is an American actor , singer-songwriter , and director . After starting his career with television appearances in the early 1990s , Leto achieved recognition for his role as Jordan Catalano on the television series My So-Called Life ( 1994 ) . He made his film debut in How to Make an American Quilt ( 1995 ) and received critical praise for his performance in Prefontaine ( 1997 ) . Leto played supporting roles in The Thin Red Line ( 1998 ) , Fight Club ( 1999 ) and American Psycho ( 2000 ) , as well as the lead role in Urban Legend ( 1998 ) , and earned critical acclaim after portraying heroin addict Harry Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream ( 2000 ) . He later began focusing increasingly on his music career , returning to acting with Panic Room ( 2002 ) , Alexander ( 2004 ) , Lord of War ( 2005 ) , Lonely Hearts ( 2006 ) , Chapter 27 ( 2007 ) , and Mr. Nobody ( 2009 ) . In 2012 , he directed the documentary film Artifact . In 2016 , he played the DC Comics supervillain Joker in the DC Extended Universe film Suicide Squad . Leto 's performance as a transgender woman in Dallas Buyers Club ( 2013 ) earned him an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor . Leto is considered to be a method actor , known for his constant devotion to and research of his roles . He often remains completely in character for the duration of the shooting schedules of his films , even to the point of adversely affecting his health . He is also known to be selective about his film roles . Leto is the lead vocalist , multi-instrumentalist and main songwriter for Thirty Seconds to Mars , a band he formed in 1998 in Los Angeles , California , with his older brother Shannon Leto . Their debut album , 30 Seconds to Mars ( 2002 ) , was released to positive reviews but only to limited success . The band achieved worldwide fame with the release of their second album A Beautiful Lie ( 2005 ) . Their following releases , This Is War ( 2009 ) and Love , Lust , Faith and Dreams ( 2013 ) , received further critical and commercial success . As of September 2014 , the band has sold over 15 million albums worldwide . Leto has also directed music videos , including the MTV Video Music Award -- winning `` The Kill '' ( 2006 ) , `` Kings and Queens '' ( 2009 ) , and `` Up in the Air '' ( 2013 ) .", "Martin Scorsese. Martin Charles Scorsese ( -LSB- skɔːrˈsɛsi -RSB- -LSB- skorˈseːze -RSB- ; born November 17 , 1942 ) is an American director , producer , screenwriter , and film historian , whose career spans more than 50 years . Scorsese 's body of work addresses such themes as Sicilian-American identity , Roman Catholic concepts of guilt and redemption , faith , machismo , modern crime , and gang conflict . Many of his films are also known for their depiction of violence and liberal use of profanity . Part of the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking , he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and influential filmmakers in cinematic history . In 1990 , he founded The Film Foundation , a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation , and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation . He is a recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to the cinema , and has won an Academy Award , a Palme d'Or , Cannes Film Festival Best Director Award , Silver Lion , Grammy Award , Emmys , Golden Globes , BAFTAs , and DGA Awards . He has directed works such as the crime film Mean Streets ( 1973 ) , the vigilante-thriller Taxi Driver ( 1976 ) , the biographical sports drama Raging Bull ( 1980 ) , the black comedy The King of Comedy ( 1983 ) , the religious epic drama The Last Temptation of Christ ( 1988 ) , the crime film Goodfellas ( 1990 ) , the psychological thriller Cape Fear ( 1991 ) and the crime film Casino ( 1995 ) , some of which he collaborated on with actor and close friend Robert De Niro . Scorsese has also been noted for his successful collaborations with actor Leonardo DiCaprio , having directed him in five films , beginning with Gangs of New York ( 2002 ) and most recently The Wolf of Wall Street ( 2013 ) . Their third film together , The Departed , won Scorsese the Academy Award for Best Director in addition to the film winning the award for Best Picture . Their collaborations have resulted in numerous Academy Award nominations for both as well as them winning several other prestigious awards . Scorsese 's other film work includes the concert film The Last Waltz ( 1978 ) , the black comedy After Hours ( 1985 ) , the biographical drama The Aviator ( 2004 ) , the psychological thriller Shutter Island ( 2010 ) , the historical adventure drama Hugo ( 2011 ) and the religious epic Silence ( 2016 ) . His work in television includes the pilot episode of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire and Vinyl , the latter of which he also co-created . He won the Academy Award for Best Director for the crime drama The Departed ( 2006 ) . With eight Best Director nominations , he is the most nominated living director and is tied with Billy Wilder for the second most nominations overall .", "Music from the Motion Picture Pulp Fiction. Music from the Motion Picture Pulp Fiction is the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino 's 1994 film Pulp Fiction . No traditional film score was commissioned for Pulp Fiction . The film contains a mix of American rock and roll , surf music , pop and soul . The soundtrack is equally untraditional , consisting of nine songs from the movie , four tracks of dialogue snippets followed by a song , and three tracks of dialogue alone . Seven songs featured in the movie were not included in the original 41-minute soundtrack . The album reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200 , while Urge Overkill 's cover of the Neil Diamond song `` Girl , You 'll Be a Woman Soon '' peaked at No. 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 .", "Harvey Weinstein. Harvey Weinstein , CBE ( born March 19 , 1952 ) is an American film producer and film studio executive . He is best known as co-founder of Miramax , which produced several popular independent films including Pulp Fiction , Sex , Lies and Videotape , The Crying Game and Clerks . He and his brother Bob have been co-chairmen of The Weinstein Company , their film production company , since 2005 . He won an Academy Award for producing Shakespeare in Love , and garnered seven Tony Awards for producing a variety of winning plays and musicals , including The Producers , Billy Elliot the Musical , and August : Osage County .", "Pulp fiction. Pulp fiction may refer to : Pulp magazines , short stories presented in a magazine format , printed on cheaply made wood-pulp paper Pulp Fiction , a 1994 film directed by Quentin Tarantino Pulp Fiction ( soundtrack ) , the soundtrack album from the film", "Michael Keaton. Michael John Douglas ( born September 5 , 1951 ) , known professionally as Michael Keaton , is an American actor , producer and director . He first rose to fame for his comedic film roles in Night Shift ( 1982 ) , Mr. Mom ( 1983 ) , Johnny Dangerously ( 1984 ) and Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , and he earned further acclaim for his dramatic portrayal of the title character in Tim Burton 's Batman ( 1989 ) and Batman Returns ( 1992 ) . Since then , he has appeared in a variety of films ranging from dramas and romantic comedies to thriller and action films ; such as Clean and Sober ( 1988 ) , The Dream Team ( 1989 ) , Pacific Heights ( 1990 ) , Much Ado About Nothing ( 1993 ) , My Life ( 1993 ) , The Paper ( 1994 ) , Multiplicity ( 1996 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Herbie : Fully Loaded ( 2005 ) , The Other Guys ( 2010 ) , Need for Speed ( 2014 ) , RoboCop ( 2014 ) , Spotlight ( 2015 ) and The Founder ( 2016 ) , and he has also provided voices for characters in animated films such as Cars ( 2006 ) , Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) and Minions ( 2015 ) . In 2017 , Keaton will play the role of Marvel Comics supervillain the Vulture in Spider-Man : Homecoming . Keaton 's lead performance in Birdman or ( The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance ) ( 2014 ) earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy , the Critics ' Choice Award for Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy , and nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award , British Academy Film Award , and Academy Award for Best Actor . He previously received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance in Live from Baghdad ( 2002 ) and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for The Company ( 2007 ) . Keaton was awarded a Career Achievement Award from both the Hollywood Film Festival and Zurich Film Festivals . On January 18 , 2016 , he was named Officer of Order of Arts and Letters in France . He is also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University . </span>", "Elizabeth Banks. Elizabeth Irene Banks ( née Mitchell ; February 10 , 1974 ) is an American actress , director , and producer . Banks made her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy ( 1998 ) , and is known for her roles in such films as Wet Hot American Summer ( 2001 ) , Sam Raimi 's Spider-Man trilogy ( 2002 -- 2007 ) , Seabiscuit ( 2003 ) , The 40-Year-Old Virgin ( 2005 ) , Zack and Miri Make a Porno ( 2008 ) , Role Models ( 2008 ) , The Next Three Days ( 2010 ) , Pitch Perfect ( 2012 ) , The Lego Movie ( 2014 ) , and The Hunger Games film series ( 2012 -- 2015 ) . In 2014 , she portrayed Melinda Ledbetter , the girlfriend and later wife of the Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson , in Bill Pohlad 's film Love & Mercy and made her directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2 , whose $ 69M opening weekend gross set a record for a first-time director . On television , Banks had a recurring role as Avery Jessup on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock , which garnered her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations . She also had recurring roles on the comedy series Scrubs and Modern Family , the latter of which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination . In 2015 , she reprised her role as Lindsay in Wet Hot American Summer for the Netflix miniseries Wet Hot American Summer : First Day of Camp . , Box Office Mojo ranked Banks as the 32nd-highest grossing actor of all time , and the sixth-highest grossing female actor .", "Quentin Tarantino filmography. Quentin Tarantino is an American director , producer , screenwriter and actor , who , as of 2015 , has directed eight films and written all of them . He began his career in the late 1980s by directing , writing and starring in the black-and-white My Best Friend 's Birthday , a partially lost amateur short film which was never officially released . He impersonated musician Elvis Presley in a small role in the sitcom The Golden Girls ( 1988 ) , and briefly appeared in Eddie Presley ( 1992 ) . As an independent filmmaker , he directed , wrote and appeared in the crime thriller Reservoir Dogs ( 1992 ) , which tells the story of five strangers who team up for a jewelry heist . It proved to be Tarantino 's breakthrough film and was named the `` Greatest Independent Film of all Time '' by Empire . His screenplay for Tony Scott 's True Romance ( 1993 ) was nominated for a Saturn Award . In 1994 , Tarantino wrote and directed the neo-noir black comedy Pulp Fiction , a major critical and commercial success . Cited in the media as a defining film of the modern Hollywood , the film earned Tarantino an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and a Best Director nomination . Also in 1994 , he served as an executive producer for Killing Zoe and wrote two other films . The following year , Tarantino directed The Man from Hollywood , one of the four segments of the anthology film Four Rooms , and an episode of ER , entitled `` The Motherhood '' . He wrote Robert Rodriguez 's From Dusk till Dawn ( 1996 ) -- one of the many collaborations between them -- which attained cult status and spawned several sequels , in which they served as executive producers . His next directorial ventures Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) and Kill Bill ( 2003 -- 04 ) were met with critical acclaim . The latter , a two-part martial arts film ( Volume 1 and Volume 2 ) , follows a former assassin , seeking revenge on her ex-colleagues who attempted to kill her . Tarantino 's direction of `` Grave Danger '' , a CSI : Crime Scene Investigation episode , garnered him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series nomination . He directed a scene in Frank Miller and Rodriguez 's Sin City ( 2005 ) . Tarantino and Rodriguez later collaborated in the double feature Grindhouse ( 2007 ) ; he directed the segment Death Proof . He next penned and directed the war film Inglourious Basterds ( 2009 ) , a fictionalized account of the Nazi occupation of France during World War II . The critically and commercially successful film earned Tarantino two nominations at the 82nd Academy Awards -- Best Director and Best Original Screenplay . His greatest commercial success came with the 2012 western film Django Unchained , earning $ 425.4 million worldwide ; it also won him another Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay . He then wrote and directed another commercially successful western film The Hateful Eight ( 2015 ) , whose screenplay was nominated for a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award .", "Reservoir Dogs. Reservoir Dogs is a 1992 American crime thriller film that depicts the events before and after a botched diamond heist . The film was the feature-length debut of writer and director Quentin Tarantino , and stars Harvey Keitel , Michael Madsen , Steve Buscemi , Chris Penn , Lawrence Tierney and Tim Roth . Tarantino and criminal-turned-author Edward Bunker have minor roles . It incorporates many themes that have become Tarantino 's hallmarks : violent crime , pop culture references , profanity , and nonlinear storytelling . The film has become regarded as a classic of independent film and a cult film . It was named `` Greatest Independent Film of all Time '' by Empire . Reservoir Dogs was generally well received , and the cast was praised by many critics . Although it was not given much promotion upon release , the film became a modest success in the United States after grossing $ 2.8 million against its $ 1.2 million budget . The film was more successful in the United Kingdom , grossing nearly # 6.5 million , and it achieved higher popularity after the success of Tarantino 's next film , Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) . A soundtrack was released featuring songs used in the film , which are mostly from the 1970s .", "Uma Thurman. Uma Karuna Thurman ( born April 29 , 1970 ) is an American actress and model . She has performed in a variety of films , ranging from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action movies . Following her appearances on the December 1985 and May 1986 covers of British Vogue , she starred in Dangerous Liaisons ( 1988 ) . Thurman rose to international prominence with her performance in Quentin Tarantino 's Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , for which she was nominated for the Academy Award , the BAFTA Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress . She starred in several more films throughout the 1990s such as Batman & Robin ( 1997 ) , Gattaca ( 1997 ) and Les Misérables ( 1998 ) . Thurman was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Film for Hysterical Blindness ( 2002 ) . Hailed as Quentin Tarantino 's muse , she reunited with the director to play the main role in both Kill Bill films ( 2003 -- 2004 ) , which brought her two additional Golden Globe Award nominations . Other acting credits in the decade include Be Cool ( 2005 ) , The Producers ( 2005 ) and My Super Ex-Girlfriend ( 2006 ) . She received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her five-episode role in Smash ( 2012 ) , and garnered critical praise for her supporting performance in the Volume I of Lars von Trier 's two-part art drama Nymphomaniac ( 2013 ) .", "Oliver Stone. William Oliver Stone ' ( born September 15 , 1946 ) is an American screenwriter , film director , and producer . Stone won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as writer of Midnight Express ( 1978 ) . He also wrote the acclaimed gangster movie Scarface ( 1983 ) . As a director , Stone achieved prominence as director/writer of the war drama Platoon ( 1986 ) , for which Stone won the Academy Award for Best Director ; the film was awarded Best Picture . Platoon was the first in a trilogy of films based on the Vietnam War , in which Stone served as an infantry soldier . He continued the series with Born on the Fourth of July ( 1989 ) -- for which Stone won his second Best Director Oscar -- and Heaven & Earth ( 1993 ) . Stone 's other notable works include the Salvadoran Civil War-based drama Salvador ( 1986 ) ; the financial drama Wall Street ( 1987 ) and its 2010 sequel Money Never Sleeps ; the Jim Morrison biopic The Doors ( 1991 ) ; and a trilogy of films based on the American Presidency -- JFK ( 1991 ) , Nixon ( 1995 ) and W. ( 2008 ) . His latest film is Snowden ( 2016 ) . Many of Stone 's films focus on controversial American political issues during the late 20th century , and as such were considered contentious at the times of their releases . They often combine different camera and film formats within a single scene , as evidenced in JFK , Natural Born Killers , and Nixon '' .", "Leading man. Leading man or leading gentleman is an informal term for the actor who is the protagonist or plays a love interest to the leading actress in a film or play . A leading man is sometimes an all-rounder ; capable of singing , dancing , and acting at a professional level . A leading man can also be an actor who is often seen in romantic roles . An example of this would be Bruce Cabot 's role in King Kong . Less frequently , the epithet has been applied to an actor who is often associated with one particular actress ; for example , Spencer Tracy had a similar association with Katharine Hepburn . However , used in this sense , the woman is usually described as the leading lady of the man . The term is also used collectively , as in `` Hollywood 's leading men '' to refer to a group of notable , famous , or popular actors . Leading men of the 1930s included John Barrymore , Clark Gable , John Wayne and Sessue Hayakawa . Some examples of modern day leading men include Ben Stiller , Denzel Washington , Johnny Depp , Leonardo DiCaprio , Matt Damon , Ben Affleck , George Clooney , Brad Pitt , Tom Cruise , and Ryan Reynolds .", "Jennifer Lawrence. Jennifer Shrader Lawrence ( born August 15 , 1990 ) is an American actress . Since 2015 , Lawrence has been the highest-paid actress in the world , and her films have grossed over $ 5.5 billion worldwide . She appeared in Time 100 most influential people in the world in 2013 and Forbes Celebrity 100 the following year and in 2016 . During her childhood , Lawrence performed in church plays and school musicals . When she was 14 , a talent scout spotted her in New York . She then moved to Los Angeles and began her acting career by playing guest roles in television shows . Her first major role came as a main cast member on the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show ( 2007 -- 2009 ) . Lawrence made her film debut with a supporting role in Garden Party ( 2008 ) , and had her breakthrough playing a poverty-stricken teenager in the independent drama Winter 's Bone ( 2010 ) . She achieved wider recognition for playing the mutant Mystique in X-Men : First Class ( 2011 ) , a role she reprised in later installments of the series . Lawrence 's fame continued to grow with her starring role as Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games film series ( 2012 -- 2015 ) , which established her as the highest-grossing action heroine of all time . She went on to earn various accolades from her collaborations with director David O. Russell . Her performance as a depressed widow in the romance film Silver Linings Playbook ( 2012 ) received an Academy Award for Best Actress , making her the second youngest Best Actress Oscar winner . Lawrence subsequently won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for playing a troubled wife in the black comedy American Hustle ( 2013 ) . She also received Golden Globe Awards for her roles in both of these films and for playing the eponymous inventor in the biopic Joy ( 2015 ) . Lawrence is known in the media for being a vocal advocate of feminism and gender equality , and is the founder of the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation through which she supports various charitable organizations .", "Pornographic film actor. A pornographic actor ( or actress for female ) , or porn star , is a person who performs sex acts in film that is usually characterized as a pornographic film . Pornographic films tend to be made in a number of distinct pornographic subgenres and attempt to present a sexual fantasy and the actors selected for a particular role are primarily selected on their ability to create or fit that fantasy . Pornographic films are characterized as either `` softcore '' , which does not contain depictions of sexual penetration or `` extreme fetishism '' , and `` hardcore '' , which can contain depictions of penetration or extreme fetishism , or both . The genres and sexual intensity of films is mainly determined by demand . Depending on the genre of the film , the on-screen appearance , age , and physical features of the main actors and their ability to create the sexual mood of the film is of critical importance . Most actors specialize in certain genres , such as lesbian sex , bondage , strap-on sex , anal sex , double penetration , semen swallowing , teenage women , interracial or MILFs . Irrespective of the genre , most actors are required to appear nude in pornographic films .", "Steven Soderbergh. Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( -LSB- ˈsoʊdərbɜrɡ -RSB- born January 14 , 1963 ) is an American film producer , director , screenwriter , cinematographer and editor . His indie drama Sex , Lies , and Videotape ( 1989 ) won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival , and became a worldwide commercial success , making the then-26-year-old Soderbergh the youngest director to win the festival 's top award . Film critic Roger Ebert dubbed Soderbergh the `` poster boy of the Sundance generation '' . He is best known for directing critically acclaimed commercial Hollywood films including the crime comedy Out of Sight ( 1998 ) , the biographical film Erin Brockovich ( 2000 ) , the crime drama film Traffic ( 2000 ) ( for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director ) , the 2001 remake of the comedy heist film Ocean 's 11 and its two sequels -- known collectively as the Ocean 's Trilogy , the medical thriller Contagion ( 2011 ) and the comedy-drama Magic Mike ( 2012 ) . He has also directed smaller , less conventional works , such as the mystery thriller Kafka ( 1991 ) ; the experimental comedy film Schizopolis ( 1996 ) , which has a non-linear narrative ; Bubble ( 2005 ) , which uses no script and non-professional actors ; the experimental drama film The Girlfriend Experience ( 2009 ) , which starred the then-active pornographic actress Sasha Grey ; and the biopic about Marxist revolutionary Ernesto `` Che '' Guevara , Che ( 2008 ) . Soderbergh also directed , photographed and edited all episodes of the television drama The Knick . In addition , he has produced numerous film and television programs , and provided cinematography and editing on various projects .", "Maria de Medeiros. Maria Esteves de Medeiros Victorino de Almeida , DamSE ( born 19 August 1965 ) , known as Maria de Medeiros ( -LSB- mɐˈɾiɐ ðɨ mɨˈðɐjɾuʃ -RSB- ) , is a Portuguese actress , director , and singer who has been involved in both European and American film productions . She is best known internationally for playing Fabienne in Quentin Tarantino 's 1994 film Pulp Fiction .", "David Lynch. David Keith Lynch ( born January 20 , 1946 ) is an American director , screenwriter , producer , painter , musician , and photographer . He has been described by The Guardian as `` the most important director of this era . '' AllMovie called him `` the Renaissance man of modern American filmmaking '' , while the success of his films has led to him being labelled `` the first popular Surrealist . '' Born to a middle-class family in Missoula , Montana , Lynch spent his childhood traveling around the United States , before going on to study painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia , where he first made the transition to producing short films . He moved to Los Angeles , where he produced his first motion picture , the surrealist horror film Eraserhead ( 1977 ) . After Eraserhead became a cult classic on the midnight movie circuit , Lynch was employed to direct a biographical film about a deformed man , Joseph Merrick , titled The Elephant Man ( 1980 ) , from which he gained mainstream success . He was then employed by the De Laurentiis Entertainment Group , and proceeded to make two films : the science-fiction epic Dune ( 1984 ) , which proved to be a critical and commercial failure , and then a neo-noir crime film , Blue Velvet ( 1986 ) , which stirred controversy over its violence but grew in critical reputation later on . Next , Lynch created his own television series with Mark Frost , the popular murder mystery Twin Peaks ( 1990 -- 1991 ; 2017 ) : he also created a cinematic prequel , Twin Peaks : Fire Walk with Me ( 1992 ) ; a road movie , Wild at Heart ( 1990 ) ; and a family film , The Straight Story ( 1999 ) ; in the same period . Turning further towards surrealist filmmaking , three of his subsequent films operated on `` dream logic '' , non-linear narrative structures : the psychological thriller Lost Highway ( 1997 ) , the neo-noir mystery film Mulholland Drive ( 2001 ) and the mystery film Inland Empire ( 2006 ) . Meanwhile , Lynch embraced the Internet as a medium , producing several web-based shows , such as the animated DumbLand ( 2002 ) and the surreal sitcom Rabbits ( 2002 ) . Other endeavours of his include : his work as a singer-songwriter , having released two solo albums -- Crazy Clown Time ( 2011 ) and The Big Dream ( 2013 ) ; music for various of his films including `` Ghost of Love '' for Inland Empire ; the David Lynch Foundation , which he founded to fund the teaching of Transcendental Meditation in schools ; painting and photography ; writing two books -- Images ( 1994 ) and Catching the Big Fish ( 2006 ) ; and directing several music videos and commercials . Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director and a nomination for best screenplay . He has won France 's César Award for Best Foreign Film twice , as well as the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival . The French government awarded him the Legion of Honor , the country 's top civilian honor , as a Chevalier in 2002 and then an Officier in 2007 . Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive are widely considered by critics to be among the greatest films of their respective decades .", "Gay pulp fiction. Gay pulp fiction , or gay pulps , refers to printed works , primarily fiction , that include references to male homosexuality , specifically male gay sex , and that are cheaply produced , typically in paperback books made of wood pulp paper ; lesbian pulp fiction is similar work about women . Michael Bronski , the editor of an anthology of gay pulp writing , notes in his introduction , `` Gay pulp is not an exact term , and it is used somewhat loosely to refer to a variety of books that had very different origins and markets '' People often use the term to refer to the `` classic '' gay pulps that were produced before about 1970 , but it may also be used to refer to the gay erotica or pornography in paperback book or digest magazine form produced since that date .", "Women in film. Women in film describes the role of women as film directors , actresses , cinematographers , film producers , film critics , and other film industry professions . The work of women film scholars , including feminist film theorists is also described . Women are statistically underrepresented in creative positions in the center of the US film industry , Hollywood . This underrepresentation has been called the `` celluloid ceiling '' , a variant on the employment discrimination term `` glass ceiling '' . In 2013 , the '' ... top-paid actors ... made 2 1/2 times as much money as the top-paid actresses . '' '' -LSB- O -RSB- lder -LSB- male -RSB- actors make more than their female equals '' in age , with `` female movie stars mak -LSB- ing -RSB- the most money on average per film at age 34 , while male stars earn the most at 51 . '' In 2013 , 9 % of directors were women . A woman director won the Academy Award for Best Director for the first time when Kathryn Bigelow won for The Hurt Locker ( 2009 ) .", "Pulp Fiction (Banksy). Pulp Fiction is the name given to a number of works by stencil graffiti artist Banksy . They depict the characters played by Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction , with their guns replaced by bananas . A stencil graffiti work existed on a wall near the Old Street tube station in the City of London from 2002 to 2007 . Prints of the image on its original site have been sold for # 1,000 . A print of the Pulp Fiction stencil was sold for # 10,600 in 2012 .", "Samuel L. Jackson. Samuel Leroy Jackson ( born December 21 , 1948 ) is an American actor and film producer . He achieved prominence and critical acclaim in the early 1990s with films such as Jungle Fever ( 1991 ) , Patriot Games ( 1992 ) , Amos & Andrew ( 1993 ) , True Romance ( 1993 ) , Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) and his collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino including Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Django Unchained ( 2012 ) , and The Hateful Eight ( 2015 ) . He is a highly prolific actor , having appeared in over 100 films , including Die Hard with a Vengeance ( 1995 ) , Unbreakable ( 2000 ) , Shaft ( 2000 ) , The 51st State ( 2001 ) , Black Snake Moan ( 2006 ) , Snakes on a Plane ( 2006 ) , and the Star Wars prequel trilogy ( 1999 -- 2005 ) , as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe . With Jackson 's permission , his likeness was used for the Ultimate version of the Marvel Comics character Nick Fury . He later cameoed as the character in a post-credits scene from Iron Man ( 2008 ) , and went on to sign a nine-film commitment to reprise this role in future films , including major roles in Iron Man 2 ( 2010 ) , Marvel 's The Avengers ( 2012 ) , Captain America : The Winter Soldier ( 2014 ) and Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) and minor roles in Thor ( 2011 ) and Captain America : The First Avenger ( 2011 ) . He has also portrayed the character in the second and final episodes of the first season of the TV show Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. . He has provided his voice to several animated films , television series and video games , including the roles of Lucius Best / Frozone in Pixar Animation Studios ' film The Incredibles ( 2004 ) , Mace Windu in Star Wars : The Clone Wars ( 2008 ) , Afro Samurai in the anime television series Afro Samurai ( 2007 ) , and Frank Tenpenny in the video game Grand Theft Auto : San Andreas ( 2004 ) . Jackson has achieved critical and commercial acclaim , surpassing Frank Welker as the actor with the highest-grossing film total of all time in October 2011 , and he has received numerous accolades and awards . He is married to LaTanya Richardson , with whom he has a daughter , Zoe . Samuel L. Jackson is ranked as the highest all-time box office star with over $ 4.9053 billion total box office gross , an average of $ 69.1 million per film ." ]

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[ "Beginners. Beginners is a 2010 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Mills . It tells the story of Oliver , a man reflecting on the life and death of his father , Hal , while trying to forge a new romantic relationship with a woman , Anna , dealing with father issues of her own . The film is based on the true-life coming out of Mills 's father at the age of 75 , five years before his death . Beginners premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival , where the Los Angeles Times heralded it as a `` heady , heartfelt film '' with a cast who have `` a strong sense of responsibility to their real-world counterparts '' . Christopher Plummer received numerous accolades , including the 2011 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor , for his performance .", "Alfred Hitchcock. Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock ( 13 August 1899 -- 29 April 1980 ) was an English film director and producer , at times referred to as `` The Master of Suspense '' . He pioneered many elements of the suspense and psychological thriller genres . He had a successful career in British cinema with both silent films and early talkies and became renowned as England 's best director . Hitchcock moved to Hollywood in 1939 , and became a U.S. citizen in 1955 . Hitchcock became a highly visible public figure through interviews , movie trailers , cameo appearances in his own films , and the ten years in which he hosted the television programme Alfred Hitchcock Presents ( 1955 -- 1965 ) . He also fashioned for himself a recognisable directorial style . Hitchcock 's stylistic trademarks include the use of camera movement that mimics a person 's gaze , forcing viewers to engage in a form of voyeurism . In addition , he framed shots to maximise anxiety , fear , or empathy , and used innovative forms of film editing . His work often features fugitives on the run alongside `` icy blonde '' female characters . In 1978 , film critic John Russell Taylor described Hitchcock as `` the most universally recognizable person in the world '' , and `` a straightforward middle-class Englishman who just happened to be an artistic genius '' . Prior to 1980 , there had long been talk of Hitchcock being knighted for his contribution to film . Critic Roger Ebert wrote : `` Other British directors like Sir Carol Reed and Sir Charlie Chaplin were knighted years ago , while Hitchcock , universally considered by film students to be one of the greatest filmmakers of all time , was passed over '' . Hitchcock later received his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in the 1980 New Year Honours . Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career spanning six decades and is often regarded as one of the most influential directors in cinematic history . Following a 2007 critics ' poll by Britain 's Daily Telegraph in which he was ranked Britain 's greatest filmmaker , one scholar wrote : `` Hitchcock did more than any director to shape modern cinema , which would be utterly different without him . His flair was for narrative , cruelly withholding crucial information ( from his characters and from the audience ) and engaging the emotions of the audience like no one else . '' Hitchcock 's first thriller , The Lodger : A Story of the London Fog ( 1926 ) , helped shape the thriller genre in film . His 1929 film , Blackmail , is often cited as the first British sound feature film , while Rear Window ( 1954 ) , Vertigo ( 1958 ) , North by Northwest ( 1959 ) , and Psycho ( 1960 ) are regularly ranked among the greatest films of all time .", "Absolute Beginners (film). Absolute Beginners is a 1986 British rock musical film adapted from Colin MacInnes ' book of the same name about life in late 1950s London . The film was directed by Julien Temple , featured David Bowie and Sade , and Patsy Kensit in one of her first mainstream roles . The film was screened out of competition at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival . Upon release , Absolute Beginners received immense coverage in the British media . At the time , the British film industry was perceived as being on the point of collapse ( with the recent failure of the film Revolution ) . However , the film was panned by critics and became a box office bomb . Some of the criticisms included stylistic anachronisms , such as the mini-skirt and decidedly 1980s music from the likes of The Style Council and Sade , the bowdlerisation of Kensit 's character ( Crepe Suzette had been depicted as a promiscuous `` negrophile '' in the book ) , and the casting of Bowie , who made it a condition of his musical contribution . Although the film was not a success , Bowie 's theme song was very popular in the UK and reached number two in the charts . The commercial failure of Absolute Beginners and another film released about the same time , The Mission , led to the collapse of Goldcrest , a major British film studio .", "Vertigo (film). Vertigo is a 1958 American film noir psychological thriller film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock . The story was based on the 1954 novel D'entre les morts ( From Among the Dead ) by Boileau-Narcejac . The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor . The film stars James Stewart as former police detective John `` Scottie '' Ferguson . Scottie is forced into early retirement because an incident in the line of duty has caused him to develop acrophobia ( an extreme fear of heights ) and vertigo ( a false sense of rotational movement ) . Scottie is hired by an acquaintance , Gavin Elster , as a private investigator to follow Gavin 's wife Madeleine ( Kim Novak ) , who is behaving strangely . The film was shot on location in San Francisco , California , and at Paramount Studios in Hollywood . It is the first film to use the dolly zoom , an in-camera effect that distorts perspective to create disorientation , to convey Scottie 's acrophobia . As a result of its use in this film , the effect is often referred to as `` the Vertigo effect '' . Vertigo received mixed reviews upon initial release , but is now often cited as a classic Hitchcock film and one of the defining works of his career . Attracting significant scholarly criticism , it replaced Citizen Kane ( 1941 ) as the best film ever made in the 2012 British Film Institute 's Sight & Sound critics ' poll . In 1996 , the film underwent a major restoration to create a new 70mm print and DTS soundtrack . It has appeared repeatedly in polls of the best films by the American Film Institute , including a 2007 ranking as the ninth-greatest American movie of all time .", "Absolute Beginners. Absolute Beginners may refer to : Absolute Beginners ( novel ) , a 1959 novel by Colin MacInnes Absolute Beginners ( film ) , a 1986 rock musical film based on the novel Absolute Beginners : The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack , the soundtrack album to the 1986 film Absolute Beginners `` Absolute Beginners '' ( David Bowie song ) , a 1986 single by David Bowie , title song from the above film `` Absolute Beginners '' ( The Jam song ) , a 1981 single by The Jam", "Alfred Hitchcock filmography. Alfred Hitchcock ( 1899 -- 1980 ) was an English director and filmmaker . Popularly known as the `` Master of Suspense '' for his use of innovative film techniques in thrillers , Hitchcock started his career in the British film industry as a title designer and art director for a number of silent films during the early 1920s . His directorial debut was the 1925 release The Pleasure Garden . Hitchcock followed this with The Lodger : A Story of the London Fog , his first commercial and critical success . It featured many of the thematic elements his films would be known for such as an innocent man on the run . It also featured the first of his famous cameo appearances . Two years later he directed Blackmail ( 1929 ) which was his first sound film . In 1935 Hitchcock directed The 39 Steps . Three years later he directed The Lady Vanishes starring Margaret Lockwood , and Michael Redgrave . In 1940 Hitchcock transitioned to Hollywood productions , the first of which was the psychological thriller Rebecca starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine . He received his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director , and the film won Best Picture . Hitchcock worked with Fontaine again the following year on the film Suspicion which also starred Cary Grant . In 1943 Hitchcock directed another psychological thriller Shadow of a Doubt which starred Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten . Three years later he reunited with Grant on Notorious which also starred Ingrid Bergman . The film included a three minute intermittent kissing scene between the leads shot specifically to skirt the Motion Picture Production Code which at the time limited such scenes to three seconds . In 1948 Hitchcock directed Rope which starred James Stewart . The film was his first in Technicolor and is remembered for its use of long takes to make the film appear to be a single continuous shot . Three years later he directed Strangers on a Train ( 1951 ) . Hitchcock collaborated with Grace Kelly on three films : Dial M for Murder ( 1954 ) , Rear Window ( 1954 ) and To Catch a Thief ( 1955 ) . For Rear Window , Hitchcock received a nomination for Best Director at the Academy Awards . 1955 marked his debut on television as the host of the anthology television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents which he also produced . In 1958 Hitchcock directed the psychological thriller Vertigo starring Stewart and Kim Novak . The film topped the 2012 poll of the British film magazine Sight & Sound of the 50 Greatest Films of All Time and also topped the American Film Institute 's Top Ten in the mystery genre . He followed this with the spy thriller North by Northwest ( 1959 ) which starred Grant and Eva Marie Saint . In 1960 he directed Psycho , the biggest commercial success of his career and for which he received his fifth nomination for Best Director at the Academy Awards . Three years later he directed horror film The Birds starring Tippi Hedren . The following year he reunited with Hedren on the film Marnie which also starred Sean Connery . In recognition of his career , Hitchcock garnered the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) Fellowship Award , the American Film Institute 's Life Achievement Award , the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award , the Directors Guild of America 's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award . He received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to acknowledge his film and television achievements . In 1980 Hitchcock received a knighthood .", "North by Northwest. North by Northwest is a 1959 American thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant , Eva Marie Saint and James Mason . The screenplay was by Ernest Lehman , who wanted to write `` the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures '' . North by Northwest is a tale of mistaken identity , with an innocent man pursued across the United States by agents of a mysterious organization trying to prevent him from blocking their plan to smuggle out microfilm that contains government secrets . This is one of several Hitchcock films that features a music score by Bernard Herrmann and a memorable opening title sequence by graphic designer Saul Bass . This film is generally cited as the first to feature extended use of kinetic typography in its opening credits . North by Northwest is now numbered among the essential Hitchcock pictures and is often listed as one of the greatest films of all time . It was selected in 1995 for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress , as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .", "Hitchcock (film). Hitchcock is a 2012 American biographical drama film directed by Sacha Gervasi , based on Stephen Rebello 's non-fiction book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho . The film was released in selected cities on November 23 , 2012 , with a worldwide release on December 14 , 2012 . Hitchcock centers on the relationship between film director Alfred Hitchcock ( Anthony Hopkins ) and his wife Alma Reville ( Helen Mirren ) during the making of Psycho , a controversial horror film that became one of the most acclaimed and influential works in the filmmaker 's career .", "Absolute Beginners (David Bowie song). `` Absolute Beginners '' is a song written and recorded by David Bowie . It was the theme song to the 1986 film of the same name ( itself an adaptation of the book Absolute Beginners ) . Although the film was not a commercial success , the song became one of Bowie 's most successful 1980s singles . It was released on 3 March 1986 and reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart . It also reached the top ten on the main singles charts in 12 other countries , his last song to accomplish that . It was less successful in the US , peaking at No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 . Bowie performed it live on his Glass Spider and 2000 tours .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Norman Lloyd. Norman Lloyd ( born Norman Perlmutter ; November 8 , 1914 ) is an American actor , producer and director with a career in entertainment spanning eight decades . He has worked in every major facet of the industry including radio , theatre , television and film dating back to the Great Depression , and at years of age is the oldest working Hollywood actor . In the 1930s he apprenticed with Eva Le Gallienne 's Civic Repertory Theatre and worked with such influential companies as the Federal Theatre Project 's Living Newspaper unit , the Mercury Theatre and the Group Theatre . Lloyd 's long professional association with Alfred Hitchcock began with his memorable performance as a Nazi agent in the 1942 film Saboteur . He also appeared in Spellbound ( 1945 ) , and went on to produce Hitchcock 's long-running anthology television series , Alfred Hitchcock Presents . Lloyd directed and produced episodic television throughout the 1950s , 1960s and 1970s . As an actor , he has appeared in over 60 films and television shows , with his roles including Bodalink in Limelight , Mr. Nolan in Dead Poets Society and Mr. Letterblair in The Age of Innocence . In the 1980s , Lloyd gained a new generation of fans for playing Dr. Daniel Auschlander , one of the starring roles on the medical drama St. Elsewhere .", "BAFTA Fellowship. The BAFTA Fellowship , or the Academy Fellowship , is a lifetime achievement award presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) since 1971 `` in recognition of outstanding achievement in the art forms of the moving image '' , and is the highest honour the Academy can bestow . Fellowship recipients have been mainly film directors , but some have also been awarded to actors , film and television producers , cinematographers , film editors , screenwriters and ( since 2007 ) to contributors to the video game industry . People from the United Kingdom dominate the list , but it includes over a dozen U.S. citizens and several from other countries in Europe , though none of the latter have been recognized since 1996 . Shigeru Miyamoto , in 2010 , became the first citizen of an Asian country to receive the award . The inaugural recipient of the award was filmmaker and producer Alfred Hitchcock . The award has been made posthumously to comedy pair Morecambe and Wise in 1999 , and to Stanley Kubrick , who died that same year and was made a fellow in 2000 . The most recent recipient was British actress Joanna Lumley .", "Jack Nicholson. John Joseph `` Jack '' Nicholson ( born April 22 , 1937 ) is an American actor and filmmaker , who has performed for over 60 years . Nicholson is known for playing a wide range of starring or supporting roles , including satirical comedy , romance and dark portrayals of antiheroes and psychopathic characters . In many of his films , he has played the `` eternal outsider , the sardonic drifter , '' someone who rebels against the social structure . Nicholson 's 12 Academy Award nominations make him the most nominated male actor in the Academy 's history . Nicholson has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice , one for the drama One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest ( 1975 ) and the other for the romantic comedy As Good as It Gets ( 1997 ) . He also won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the comedy-drama Terms of Endearment ( 1983 ) . Nicholson is one of three male actors to win three Academy Awards . Nicholson is one of only two actors to be nominated for an Academy Award for acting in every decade from the 1960s to the 2000s ; the other is Michael Caine . He has won six Golden Globe Awards , and received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2001 . In 1994 , he became one of the youngest actors to be awarded the American Film Institute 's Life Achievement Award . Other films in which he has starred include the road movie Easy Rider ( 1969 ) , the drama Five Easy Pieces ( 1970 ) , the comedy-drama film The Last Detail ( 1973 ) , the neo-noir mystery film Chinatown ( 1974 ) , the drama The Passenger ( 1975 ) , and the epic film Reds ( 1981 ) . He played Jack Torrance in Stanley Kubrick 's horror film The Shining ( 1980 ) , the Joker in Tim Burton 's superhero film Batman ( 1989 ) , and Frank Costello in Martin Scorsese 's neo-noir crime drama The Departed ( 2006 ) . Other films include the legal drama A Few Good Men ( 1992 ) , the Sean Penn-directed mystery film The Pledge ( 2001 ) , and the comedy-drama About Schmidt ( 2002 ) .", "Christopher Nolan. Christopher Edward Nolan ( -LSB- ˈnoʊlən -RSB- born 30 July 1970 ) is an English-American film director , screenwriter and producer . He is one of the highest-grossing directors in history , and among the most successful and acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century . Having made his directorial debut with Following ( 1998 ) , Nolan gained considerable attention for his second feature , Memento ( 2000 ) , for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay . The acclaim garnered by his independent films gave Nolan the opportunity to make the big-budget thriller Insomnia ( 2002 ) and the mystery drama The Prestige ( 2006 ) . He found further popular and critical success with The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) ; Inception ( 2010 ) , for which he received a second Original Screenplay nomination and one for the Academy Award for Best Picture ; and Interstellar ( 2014 ) . His nine films have grossed over US$ 4.2 billion worldwide and garnered a total of 26 Oscar nominations and seven wins . Nolan has co-written several of his films with his younger brother , Jonathan , and runs the production company Syncopy Inc. with his wife , Emma Thomas . Nolan 's films are rooted in philosophical , sociological and ethical concepts , exploring human morality , the construction of time , and the malleable nature of memory and personal identity . His body of work is permeated by materialistic perspectives , labyrinthine plots , nonlinear storytelling , practical special effects , and analogous relationships between visual language and narrative elements .", "Absolute Beginners (novel). Absolute Beginners is a novel by Colin MacInnes , written and set in 1958 London , England . It was published in 1959 . The novel is the second of MacInnes ' London Trilogy , coming after City of Spades ( 1958 ) and before Mr. Love and Justice ( 1960 ) . These novels are each self-contained , with no shared characters .", "Steven Soderbergh. Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( -LSB- ˈsoʊdərbɜrɡ -RSB- born January 14 , 1963 ) is an American film producer , director , screenwriter , cinematographer and editor . His indie drama Sex , Lies , and Videotape ( 1989 ) won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival , and became a worldwide commercial success , making the then-26-year-old Soderbergh the youngest director to win the festival 's top award . Film critic Roger Ebert dubbed Soderbergh the `` poster boy of the Sundance generation '' . He is best known for directing critically acclaimed commercial Hollywood films including the crime comedy Out of Sight ( 1998 ) , the biographical film Erin Brockovich ( 2000 ) , the crime drama film Traffic ( 2000 ) ( for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director ) , the 2001 remake of the comedy heist film Ocean 's 11 and its two sequels -- known collectively as the Ocean 's Trilogy , the medical thriller Contagion ( 2011 ) and the comedy-drama Magic Mike ( 2012 ) . He has also directed smaller , less conventional works , such as the mystery thriller Kafka ( 1991 ) ; the experimental comedy film Schizopolis ( 1996 ) , which has a non-linear narrative ; Bubble ( 2005 ) , which uses no script and non-professional actors ; the experimental drama film The Girlfriend Experience ( 2009 ) , which starred the then-active pornographic actress Sasha Grey ; and the biopic about Marxist revolutionary Ernesto `` Che '' Guevara , Che ( 2008 ) . Soderbergh also directed , photographed and edited all episodes of the television drama The Knick . In addition , he has produced numerous film and television programs , and provided cinematography and editing on various projects .", "Cary Grant. Cary Grant ( born Archibald Alec Leach ; January 18 , 1904 -- November 29 , 1986 ) was a British-American actor , known as one of classic Hollywood 's definitive leading men . He began a career in Hollywood in the early 1930s , and became known for his transatlantic accent , debonair demeanor , and light-hearted approach to acting and sense of comic timing . He became an American citizen in 1942 . Born in Horfield , Bristol , Grant became attracted to theatre at a young age , and began performing with a troupe known as `` The Penders '' from the age of six . After attending Bishop Road Primary School and Fairfield Grammar School in Bristol , he toured the country as a stage performer , and decided to stay in New York City after a performance there . He established a name for himself in vaudeville in the 1920s and toured the United States before moving to Hollywood in the early 1930s . He initially appeared in crime films or dramas such as Blonde Venus ( 1932 ) and She Done Him Wrong ( 1933 ) , but later gained renown for his appearances in romantic comedy and screwball comedy films such as The Awful Truth ( 1937 ) , Bringing Up Baby ( 1938 ) , His Girl Friday ( 1940 ) and The Philadelphia Story ( 1940 ) . Along with the later Arsenic and Old Lace ( 1944 ) and I Was a Male War Bride ( 1949 ) ; these films are frequently cited as among the all-time great comedy films . Having established himself as a major Hollywood star , he was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Actor , for Penny Serenade ( 1941 ) and None but the Lonely Heart ( 1944 ) . In the 1940s and 1950s , Grant forged a working relationship with the director Alfred Hitchcock , appearing in films such as Suspicion ( 1941 ) , Notorious ( 1946 ) , To Catch a Thief ( 1955 ) and North by Northwest ( 1959 ) . Hitchcock admired Grant and considered him to have been the only actor that he had ever loved working with . Towards the end of his film career , Grant was praised by critics as a romantic leading man , and received five Golden Globe Award for Best Actor nominations , including Indiscreet ( 1958 ) with Ingrid Bergman , That Touch of Mink ( 1962 ) with Doris Day , and Charade ( 1963 ) with Audrey Hepburn . He is remembered by critics for his unusually broad appeal , as a handsome , suave actor who did not take himself too seriously , possessing the ability to play with his own dignity in comedies without sacrificing it entirely . His comic timing and delivery made Grant what Premiere magazine considers to have been `` quite simply , the funniest actor cinema has ever produced '' . Grant was married five times ; three of his marriages were elopements with actresses -- Virginia Cherrill ( 1934 -- 1935 ) , Betsy Drake ( 1949 -- 1962 ) and Dyan Cannon ( 1965 -- 1968 ) . He has one daughter with Cannon , Jennifer Grant ( born 1966 ) . After his retirement from film acting in 1966 , Grant pursued numerous business interests , representing cosmetics firm Fabergé , and sitting on the board of MGM and others . He was presented with an Honorary Oscar by his friend Frank Sinatra at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970 , and in 1981 , he was accorded the Kennedy Center Honors . In 1999 , the American Film Institute named Grant the second greatest male star of Golden Age Hollywood cinema , after Humphrey Bogart .", "Psycho (1960 film). Psycho is a 1960 American psychological horror film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock , and written by Joseph Stefano , starring Anthony Perkins , Janet Leigh , John Gavin , Vera Miles and Martin Balsam , and was based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch . The film centers on the encounter between a secretary , Marion Crane ( Leigh ) , who ends up at a secluded motel after stealing money from her employer , and the motel 's disturbed owner-manager , Norman Bates ( Perkins ) , and its aftermath . When originally made , Psycho was seen as a departure from Hitchcock 's previous film North by Northwest , having been filmed on a low budget , with a television crew and in black and white . The film initially received mixed reviews , but outstanding box office returns prompted reconsideration which led to overwhelming critical acclaim and four Academy Award nominations , including Best Supporting Actress for Leigh and Best Director for Hitchcock . Psycho is now considered one of Hitchcock 's best films and praised as a major work of cinematic art by international film critics and scholars . Often ranked among the greatest films of all time , it set a new level of acceptability for violence , deviant behavior and sexuality in American films , and is widely considered to be the earliest example of the slasher film genre . After Hitchcock 's death in 1980 , Universal Studios began producing follow-ups : three sequels , a remake , a television film spin-off , and a prequel TV series . In 1992 , the US Library of Congress deemed the film `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry .", "The 39 Steps (1935 film). The 39 Steps is a 1935 British thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock , starring Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll . Very loosely based on the 1915 adventure novel The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan , the film is about an everyman civilian in London , Richard Hannay , who becomes caught up in preventing an organization of spies called the 39 Steps from stealing British military secrets . After being mistakenly accused of the murder of a counter-espionage agent , Hannay goes on the run to Scotland with an attractive woman in the hopes of stopping the spy ring and clearing his name . The British Film Institute ranked it the fourth best British film of the 20th century . In 2004 , Total Film named it the 21st greatest British movie ever made , and in 2011 ranked it the second-best book-to-film adaptation of all time .", "Frenzy. Frenzy is a 1972 British psychological horror-thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock . It is the penultimate feature film of his extensive career . The screenplay by Anthony Shaffer was based on the novel Goodbye Piccadilly , Farewell Leicester Square by Arthur La Bern . The film stars Jon Finch , Alec McCowen , and Barry Foster and features Billie Whitelaw , Anna Massey , Barbara Leigh-Hunt , Bernard Cribbins and Vivien Merchant . The original music score was composed by Ron Goodwin . The plot centres on a serial killer in contemporary London . In a very early scene there is dialogue that mentions two actual London serial murder cases : the Christie murders in the early 1950s , and the Jack the Ripper murders in 1888 . Barry Foster has said that , in order to prepare for his role , he was asked by Hitchcock to study two books about Neville Heath , an English serial killer who would often pass himself off as an officer in the RAF . Frenzy was the third and final film that Hitchcock made in Britain after he moved to Hollywood in 1939 . The other two were Under Capricorn in 1949 and Stage Fright in 1950 ( although there were some interior and exterior scenes filmed in London for the 1956 remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much ) . The last film he made in Britain before his move to America was Jamaica Inn ( 1939 ) . The film was screened at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival , but was not entered into the main competition .", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted and executive produced by Alfred Hitchcock , which aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965 . It featured dramas , thrillers , and mysteries . By the time it premiered on October 2 , 1955 , Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades . Time magazine named it one of `` The 100 Best TV Shows of all time '' . The Writers Guild of America ranked it # 79 on their list of the 101 Best-Written TV Series tying it with Monty Python 's Flying Circus , Star Trek : The Next Generation and Upstairs , Downstairs . A series of literary anthologies with the running title Alfred Hitchcock Presents were issued to capitalize on the success of the television series . One volume , devoted to stories that censors would n't allow to be adapted for broadcast , was entitled Alfred Hitchcock Presents : Stories They Would n't Let Me Do on TV '' -- though eventually several of the stories collected were adapted .", "Philip Kaufman. Philip Kaufman ( born October 23 , 1936 ) is an American film director and screenwriter who has directed fifteen films over a career spanning more than five decades . He has been described as a `` maverick '' and an `` iconoclast , '' notable for his versatility and independence . He is considered an `` auteur '' , whose films have always expressed his personal vision . His choice of topics has been eclectic and sometimes controversial , having adapted novels with diverse themes and stories . Kaufman 's works have included genres such as realism , horror , fantasy , erotic , Westerns , underworld crime , and inner city gangs . Examples are Milan Kundera 's The Unbearable Lightness of Being ( 1988 ) , Michael Crichton 's Rising Sun ( 1993 ) , a remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers ( 1978 ) , and the erotic writings of Anaïs Nin 's Henry & June . His film The Wanderers ( 1979 ) has achieved cult status . But his greatest success was Tom Wolfe 's true-life The Right Stuff , which received eight Academy Award nominations , including Best Picture . According to film historian Annette Insdorf , `` no other living American director has so consistently and successfully made movies for adults , tackling sensuality , artistic creation , and manipulation by authorities . '' Other critics note that Kaufman 's films are `` strong on mood and atmosphere , '' with powerful cinematography and a `` lyrical , poetic style '' to portray different historic periods . His later films have a somewhat European style , but the stories always `` stress individualism and integrity , and are clearly American . ''", "Rebecca (1940 film). Rebecca is a 1940 American psychological thriller-mystery film directed by Alfred Hitchcock . It was Hitchcock 's first American project , and his first film produced under contract with David O. Selznick . The film 's screenplay was a version by Joan Harrison and Robert E. Sherwood based on Philip MacDonald and Michael Hogan 's adaptation of Daphne du Maurier 's 1938 novel Rebecca . The film was produced by Selznick and stars Laurence Olivier as the brooding aristocratic widower Maxim de Winter and Joan Fontaine as the young woman who becomes his second wife , with Judith Anderson and George Sanders . The film is shot in black-and-white , and is a gothic tale . Maxim de Winter 's first wife Rebecca , who died before the story starts , is never seen . Her reputation and others ' recollections about her , however , are a constant presence in the lives of Maxim , his new young second wife , and the housekeeper Danvers . Rebecca won two Academy Awards , Outstanding Production and Cinematography , out of a total 11 nominations . Olivier , Fontaine and Anderson were all Oscar nominated for their respective roles . However , since 1936 ( when awards for actors in supporting roles were first introduced ) , Rebecca is the only film that , despite winning Best Picture , received no Academy Award for acting , directing or writing . Rebecca was the opening film at the 1st Berlin International Film Festival in 1951 .", "Absolute Beginners (The Jam song). `` Absolute Beginners '' was a single released by The Jam on 16 October 1981 . Although it did not appear on any of the band 's studio albums , it reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart . The song was named after the Colin MacInnes novel of the same name . The book was one of songwriter Paul Weller 's favourites , being chosen by him when he appeared on Desert Island Discs . Tales From The Riverbank appeared as the B-side . The band 's record company Polydor later stated that they believed Tales From The Riverbank should have been released as the A-side . The music video to the song was filmed in the vicinity of Nomis studios , Shepherd 's Bush . The song also appeared on the soundtrack for the 1997 film Grosse Pointe Blank .", "Suspicion (1941 film). Suspicion ( 1941 ) is a romantic psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock , and starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine as a married couple . It also stars Sir Cedric Hardwicke , Nigel Bruce , Dame May Whitty , Isabel Jeans , Heather Angel , and Leo G. Carroll . Suspicion is based on Francis Iles 's novel Before the Fact ( 1932 ) . For her role as Lina , Joan Fontaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1941 . This is the only Oscar-winning performance in a Hitchcock film . In the film , a shy spinster runs off with a charming playboy , who turns out to be penniless , a gambler , and dishonest in the extreme . She comes to suspect that he is also a murderer , and that he is attempting to kill her .", "Hitchcock (disambiguation). Alfred Hitchcock ( 1899 -- 1980 ) was an English film director . Hitchcock may also refer to :", "The Birds (film). The Birds is a 1963 American horror-thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock , loosely based on the 1952 story of the same name by Daphne du Maurier . It focuses on a series of sudden , unexplained violent bird attacks on the people of Bodega Bay , California over the course of a few days . The film stars Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren , in her screen debut , supported by Jessica Tandy , Suzanne Pleshette and Veronica Cartwright . The screenplay is by Evan Hunter , who was told by Hitchcock to develop new characters and a more elaborate plot while keeping du Maurier 's title and concept of unexplained bird attacks . In 2016 , The Birds was deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' by the United States Library of Congress , and selected it for preservation in its National Film Registry .", "Ian Sharp. Ian Sharp ( born 13 November 1946 , Clitheroe , Lancashire ) is an English film and television director . Sharp was educated at Queen Elizabeth 's Grammar School , Blackburn and Hatfield College , Durham University where he gained an honours degree in Psychology and Modern Philosophy in 1968 . During the seventies , he worked at the BBC making documentaries first for the General Features Department and then for Music and Arts , especially Arena and Omnibus . In 1978 the BBC gave him 3 months sabbatical to make a movie called The Music Machine , and it was this experience that led him to turn towards drama . His first break came in 1980 with the ITV comedy drama series Minder . That was quickly followed by The Professionals , and he made a total of 6 episodes for those two series . Shortly after that , he directed his first full feature movie , Who Dares Wins ( 1982 ) , for producer Euan Lloyd . Next came the first six episodes of Robin of Sherwood for ITV , and the ensuing few years consisted of mainly television work until Robert Zemeckis asked him to direct the second unit on Who Framed Roger Rabbit starring Bob Hoskins . In 1994 Martin Campbell asked him to direct the action scenes for GoldenEye , starring Pierce Brosnan . He speaks fluent French and German and lives in Oxfordshire with his wife , the broadcaster and author Sue Cook .", "Inception. Inception is a 2010 science fiction film written , co-produced , and directed by Christopher Nolan , and co-produced by Emma Thomas . The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a professional thief who steals information by infiltrating the subconscious , and is offered a chance to have his criminal history erased as payment for a seemingly impossible task : `` inception '' , the implantation of another person 's idea into a target 's subconscious . The ensemble cast additionally includes Ken Watanabe , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Marion Cotillard , Ellen Page , Tom Hardy , Dileep Rao , Cillian Murphy , Tom Berenger , and Michael Caine . After the 2002 completion of Insomnia , Nolan presented to Warner Bros. a written 80-page treatment about a horror film envisioning `` dream stealers '' based on lucid dreaming . Deciding he needed more experience before tackling a production of this magnitude and complexity , Nolan retired the project and instead worked on 2005 's Batman Begins , 2006 's The Prestige , and The Dark Knight in 2008 . The treatment was revised over 6 months and was purchased by Warner in February 2009 . Inception was filmed in six countries , beginning in Tokyo on June 19 and ending in Canada on November 22 . Its official budget was US$ 160 million , split between Warner Bros and Legendary . Nolan 's reputation and success with The Dark Knight helped secure the film 's $ 100 million in advertising expenditure . Inceptions première was held in London on July 8 , 2010 ; its wide release to both conventional and IMAX theaters began on July 16 , 2010 . A box office success , Inception grossed over $ 800 million worldwide . The home video market also had strong results , with $ 68 million in DVD and Blu-ray sales . Inception opened to acclaim from critics , who praised its story , score , and ensemble cast . It won four Academy Awards for Best Cinematography , Best Sound Editing , Best Sound Mixing , and Best Visual Effects , and was nominated for four more : Best Picture , Best Original Screenplay , Best Art Direction , and Best Original Score .", "Barbra Streisand. Barbara Joan `` Barbra '' Streisand ( -LSB- ˈstraɪsænd -RSB- born April 24 , 1942 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress , and filmmaker . In a career spanning six decades , she has become an icon in multiple fields of entertainment and has been recognized with two Academy Awards , ten Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Grammy Legend Award , five Emmy Awards including one Daytime Emmy , a Special Tony Award , an American Film Institute award , a Kennedy Center Honors prize , four Peabody Awards , the Presidential Medal of Freedom , and nine Golden Globes . She is among a small group of entertainers who have been honored with an Emmy , Grammy , Oscar , and Tony Award , and is one of only two artists who have also won a Peabody . Streisand is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , with more than 68.5 million albums in the United States and with a total of 145 million records sold worldwide making her the best-selling female artist among the top-selling artists recognized by the Recording Industry Association of America . After beginning a successful recording career in the 1960s , Streisand ventured into film by the end of that decade . She starred in the critically acclaimed Funny Girl , for which she won the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . Her other films include The Owl and the Pussycat , The Way We Were , and A Star Is Born , for which she received her second Academy Award , composing music for the love theme `` Evergreen '' , the first woman to be honored as a composer . With the release of Yentl in 1983 , Streisand became the first woman to write , produce , direct , and star in a major studio film . The film won an Oscar for Best Score and a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical ; Streisand received the Golden Globe Award for Best Director , the first ( and to date only ) woman to win that award . The RIAA and Billboard recognize Streisand as holding the record for the most top 10 albums of any female recording artist : a total of 34 since 1963 . According to Billboard , Streisand holds the record for the female with the most number one albums ( 11 ) . Billboard also recognizes Streisand as the greatest female of all time on its Billboard 200 chart and one of the greatest artists of all time on its Hot 100 chart . Streisand is the only recording artist to have a number-one album in each of the last six decades , having released 53 gold albums , 31 platinum albums , and 14 multi-platinum albums in the United States .", "Kate Winslet. Kate Elizabeth Winslet , CBE ( born 5 October 1975 ) , is an English actress and singer . She is the recipient of an Academy Award , three BAFTA Awards , a BIFA Award , four Golden Globe Awards , a Grammy Award , a Primetime Emmy Award , an AACTA Award and three Screen Actors Guild Awards . Winslet is the youngest person to receive six Academy Award nominations , with seven nominations in total , and is one of the few actresses to win three of the four major American entertainment awards ( EGOT ) . In addition , she has won awards from the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts and European Film Academy , among others , and the Honorary César Award in 2012 . Brought up in Berkshire , Winslet studied drama from childhood and began her career in British television in 1991 . She made her film debut in Heavenly Creatures ( 1994 ) , for which she received praise . She garnered recognition for her supporting role in Sense and Sensibility ( 1995 ) before achieving global stardom with the epic romance Titanic ( 1997 ) , which was the highest-grossing film of all time at that point . Winslet 's performances in Iris ( 2001 ) , Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ( 2004 ) , Finding Neverland ( 2004 ) , Little Children ( 2006 ) , Revolutionary Road ( 2008 ) , The Dressmaker ( 2015 ) and Steve Jobs ( 2015 ) continued to draw praise from film critics . In 2008 , film critic David Edelstein described her as `` the best English-speaking film actress of her generation '' . Winslet won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in The Reader ( 2008 ) and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for playing the title role in the HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce ( 2011 ) . Winslet 's greatest commercial successes since Titanic include the romantic comedy The Holiday ( 2006 ) , the animated film Flushed Away ( 2006 ) , and the first two films of The Divergent Series . In addition to acting , Winslet has narrated documentaries and children 's books . She was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children in 2000 for narrating Listen to the Storyteller . She has also provided her vocals to soundtracks of her films , including the single `` What If '' from Christmas Carol : The Movie ( 2001 ) . Divorced from two film directors , Jim Threapleton and Sam Mendes , Winslet is currently married to businessman Ned Rocknroll .", "Robyn Hitchcock. Robyn Rowan Hitchcock ( born 3 March 1953 ) is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist . While primarily a vocalist and guitarist , he also plays harmonica , piano , and bass guitar . After reaching prominence in the late 1970s with The Soft Boys , Hitchcock launched a prolific solo career . His musical and lyrical styles have been influenced by the likes of Bob Dylan , John Lennon , and Syd Barrett . Hitchcock 's lyrics tend to include surrealism , comedic elements , characterisations of English eccentrics , and melancholy depictions of everyday life . He was signed to two major North American labels ( A&M Records , then Warner Bros. ) over the course of the 1980s and 1990s , and was the subject of a live performance/documentary film ( Storefront Hitchcock ) by major motion picture director Jonathan Demme in 1998 , but despite this , mainstream success has been limited . He has earned strong critical reviews over a steady stream of album releases and live performances , and a `` cult following '' for his songs ." ]

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[ "No Reservations (film). No Reservations is a 2007 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Scott Hicks . Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones , Aaron Eckhart and Abigail Breslin , the screenplay by Carol Fuchs is an adaptation of an original script by Sandra Nettelbeck , which served as the basis for the 2001 German film Mostly Martha , and revolves around a hard-edged chef whose life is turned upside down when she decides to take in her young niece following a tragic accident that killed her sister . Patricia Clarkson , Bob Balaban and Jenny Wade co-star , with Brían F. O'Byrne , Lily Rabe , and Zoe Kravitz -- appearing in her first feature film -- playing supporting roles . The film received a mixed reception by critics , who found it `` predictable and too melancholy for the genre '' , resulting in a 41 % overall approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes . Upon its opening release on July 27 , 2007 in the United States and Canada , No Reservations became a moderate commercial success : The film grossed $ 12 million in its opening weekend , eventually grossing over $ 43 million at the domestic box-office and over $ 92 million worldwide . Breslin was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her performance .", "No Reservations. No Reservations may refer to : Anthony Bourdain : No Reservations , a television series hosted by Anthony Bourdain No Reservations : Around the World on an Empty Stomach , a 2007 book by Anthony Bourdain based on his TV series No Reservations ( film ) , a 2007 film starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart No Reservations ( Blackfoot album ) , 1975 No Reservations ( Apache Indian album ) , 1993", "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. Anthony Bourdain : No Reservations is an American travel and food show that airs on the Travel Channel ; it also airs on the Discovery Travel & Living channel around the world . In it , host Anthony Bourdain visits overseas countries , cities worldwide , and places within the U.S. , where hosts treat him to local culture and cuisine . The series premiered in 2005 on the Travel Channel . The format and content of the show is similar to Bourdain 's 2001 -- 2002 Food Network series , A Cook 's Tour . The Travel Channel announced that season 9 would be the show 's final season . Season 9 premiered on September 3 , 2012 and concluded with its series finale episode ( Brooklyn ) on November 5 , 2012 . The special episode Anthony Bourdain in Beirut that aired between Seasons 2 and 3 was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Programming in 2007 . In 2009 and 2011 the series won the Emmy for `` Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming '' .", "Indian reservation. An Indian reservation is a legal designation for an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the US Bureau of Indian Affairs , rather than the state governments of the United States in which they are physically located . Each of the 326 Indian reservations in the United States are associated with a particular Nation . Not all of the country 's 567 recognized tribes have a reservation -- some tribes have more than one reservation , some share reservations , while others have none . In addition , because of past land allotments , leading to some sales to non-Native Americans , some reservations are severely fragmented , with each piece of tribal , individual , and privately held land being a separate enclave . This jumble of private and public real estate creates significant administrative , political , and legal difficulties . The collective geographical area of all reservations is 56,200,000 acre , approximately the size of Idaho . While most reservations are small compared to US states , there are 12 Indian reservations larger than the state of Rhode Island . The largest reservation , the Navajo Nation Reservation , is similar in size to West Virginia . Reservations are unevenly distributed throughout the country ; the majority are west of the Mississippi River and occupy lands that were first reserved by treaty or ` granted ' from the public domain . Because tribes possess tribal sovereignty , even though it is limited , laws on tribal lands vary from the surrounding area . These laws can permit legal casinos on reservations , for example , which attract tourists . The tribal council , not the local government nor the United States federal government , often has jurisdiction over reservations . Different reservations have different systems of government , which may or may not replicate the forms of government found outside the reservation . Most Native American reservations were established by the federal government ; a limited number , mainly in the East , owe their origin to state recognition . The name `` reservation '' comes from the conception of the Native American tribes as independent sovereigns at the time the U.S. Constitution was ratified . Thus , the early peace treaties ( often signed under duress ) in which Native American tribes surrendered large portions of land to the U.S. also designated parcels which the tribes , as sovereigns , `` reserved '' to themselves , and those parcels came to be called `` reservations . '' The term remained in use even after the federal government began to forcibly relocate tribes to parcels of land to which they had no historical connection . A majority of Native Americans and Alaska Natives live somewhere other than the reservations , often in big western cities such as Phoenix and Los Angeles . In 2012 , there were over 2.5 million Native Americans with about 1 million living on reservations .", "Outer Critics Circle Award. The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway . They were begun during the 1949 -- 1950 theatre season . The awards are decided upon by theatre critics who review for out-of-town newspapers , national publications , and other media outlets outside of New York City . Simon Saltzman , a long-time member of the OCC executive committee and theater reviewer , currenty serves as president . The first awards ( for 1949 -- 50 ) were : The Cocktail Party ( Play ) ; The Consul ( Musical ) ; Sheila Guyse , Performances in Supporting Roles for Lost in the Stars , and Daniel Reed , Performances in Supporting Roles for Come Back , Little Sheba . The nominees are announced each April . The presentation of awards is made in May at Sardi 's Restaurant in Manhattan , New York City , and precede the Tony Awards ceremony . The nominees for 2010 -- 11 were announced on April 26 , 2011 by Tyne Daly and Brian d'Arcy James . Winners were announced on May 16 , with the ceremony held on May 26 . The nominees for 2011 -- 12 were announced on April 23 , 2012 by Lily Rabe and Richard Thomas ; the awards were announced on May 14 . The nominees for 2012 -- 13 were announced on April 22 , 2013 by Robert Cuccioli and Laila Robins ; the awards were announced on May 13 . The nominees for 2013 -- 2014 were announced on April 22 , 2014 by Cicely Tyson and Vanessa Williams . Winners were announced on May 12 , 2014 . The nominees for 2014 -- 15 were announced on April 20 , 2015 by Raúl Esparza and Katie Finneran . The winners were announced on May 11 .", "No Reservations (Blackfoot album). No Reservations is the first album by the American Southern rock band Blackfoot , released in 1975 .", "Table reservation. A table reservation is an arrangement made in advance to have a table available at a restaurant . While most restaurants in the vast majority of the world do not require a reservation , and some have no policy or simply any channel for making one , so-called higher-end restaurants mainly in overcrowded cities often require a reservation , and some may have tables booked for weeks in advance . At particularly exclusive venues , it may be impossible to make a reservation on the same day as the planned visit . The modern reservation system evolved from the prior practice of arranging catering at a restaurant . Today , at such venues , observes Joy Smith , author of Kitchen Afloat : Galley Management and Meal Preparation ( 2002 ) : `` It 's always smart to inquire about a restaurant 's reservation policy . Some will only reserve for large parties of six or more '' . In recent times , many restaurants have replaced the traditional pencil and notebook with an online reservation system . Some websites exist which provide this service for multiple venues , such as Bookatable , Chope , eTender , EZTABLE , Clicktable , Killer Rezzy ( which also offers `` rogue '' reservations , which members can sell ) , OpenTable , Resy , Yelp Reservations ( formerly known as SeatMe ) , Shout , ( which allows users to either make a reservation or put the one they have up for sale ) Zomato , ResDiary and Zurvu . Reservations for later dining times may prove problematic , as a restaurant may have a backlog which will require the reservation-holders to wait beyond their stated arrival time . In addition , diners with a late reservation face a higher chance that the restaurant will run out of necessary ingredients for a particularly popular dish . Most restaurants do not charge a customer who fails to honor their reservations , and courts have tended not to impose substantial penalties on restaurants that fail to honor reservations . Nonetheless , it is generally considered polite to call and cancel a reservation once it is known one will not use it .", "Duncan Shepherd. Duncan Shepherd , a longtime film critic , wrote a weekly column for the alternative weekly the San Diego Reader from 1972 until November 2010 . Shepherd 's pithy , incisive , and ( in later years ) very often negative reviews have sparked strong reactions from readers . Shepherd attended Columbia University ( `` a school chosen solely for the number of proximate movie theaters in New York City '' , according to the critic ) and received a Master 's degree from the University of California , San Diego . His thesis , entitled `` Scratching the surface : a speculation into the importance of the image in a movie and the neglect of the image in movie criticism '' , was published in 1974 . At UCSD he took film classes from Manny Farber ( Negative Space ) , a noted film critic and painter . Shepherd , in fact , was a `` sounding board '' for a 1971 Farber essay on director Raoul Walsh ( `` He Used to Be a Big Shot '' ) , found in Farber 's book ( originally published in Artforum magazine ) . At the San Diego Reader , Shepherd awarded a `` priority '' to movies from one to five stars , with `` antipathies '' receiving a black spot . Five-star reviews became rare : only three movies since 2000 have received the highest rating : Mystic River ( 2003 ) , Stevie ( 2002 ) , and A Serious Man ( 2010 ) . Fewer than 100 films were listed as 5-star films , while nearly 2,000 have had the black spot bestowed upon them . Favorite directors with a number of five-star films include Alain Resnais and Akira Kurosawa . Among contemporary directors , Shepherd praises perhaps the Coen brothers and Clint Eastwood the highest . Many of the directors and producers Farber championed in Negative Space are favored by Shepherd as well , including Val Lewton ( Curse of the Cat People , a 5-star rated film ) , Preston Sturges , Jean-Luc Godard ( Alphaville , Contempt ) , Luis Buñuel ( The Exterminating Angel ) and Nicolas Roeg ( Cold Heaven ) . Also , the `` long-neglected '' action directors found in Farber 's famous `` Underground Films '' essay from 1957 : e.g. , Raoul Walsh , William Wellman , Robert Wise ( `` a sometime member of the underground '' ) , John Farrow ( The Big Clock , 5 stars ) and Robert Aldrich ( Kiss Me Deadly and Ulzana 's Raid , both 5 stars ) . A chief concern of Shepherd 's is cinematography , which he frequently commented on in his column using descriptive language ( he did not care for the `` dingy , dungeony image '' of the Academy Award-winning Chicago , for example . ) Nor does he much appreciate digital video , which he typically finds blurry and fuzzy . The then-state-of-the-art digital video found in George Lucas 's Star Wars : Episode II -- Attack of the Clones , for example , is `` somewhat overcast , monotoned , seemingly covered in a sort of pinkish-complected skin , like an unboiled wiener . '' In a September 1996 response to critics of his star ratings , Shepherd asserted that readers too often misunderstand his intent ( `` The context is everything '' ) . A one-star rating does not mean `` terrible '' and a two-star rating , he suggests , is `` a bit more cordial than the back of a hand . ''", "No Reservations (Apache Indian album). No Reservations ( also called Don Raja ) is a music album by Apache Indian , released on Tuesday , 18 May 1993 on Mango/Island/PolyGram Records . It was on the short list of nominees for the 1993 Mercury Prize .", "Without Reservations. Without Reservations is a 1946 American comedy film starring Claudette Colbert and John Wayne , directed by Mervyn LeRoy , and released by RKO Radio Pictures . The film was adapted by Andrew Solt from the novel Thanks , God ! I 'll Take It From Here by Jane Allen and Mae Livingston . The opening shot shows `` Arrowhead '' Pictures motion picture studio . This is the actual RKO Radio Pictures building at 780 Gower Street in Hollywood , retouched with `` Arrowhead '' replacing the RKO signs on the building . It remains a historic structure on the corner to this day .", "No Doubt. No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim , California , that formed in 1986 . Since 1994 , the group has consisted of vocalist Gwen Stefani , bassist and keyboardist Tony Kanal , guitarist and keyboardist Tom Dumont , and drummer Adrian Young . Since the mid-1990s in live performances and the studio , they have been supported by keyboardist and trombonist Gabrial McNair and keyboardist and trumpeter Stephen Bradley . The ska sound of their song `` Trapped in a Box '' ( 1992 ) that was featured on their first album No Doubt ( 1992 ) failed to make an impact . The Beacon Street Collection ( 1993 ) is a raw expression of their sound , inspired by ska punk and released independently by the band under their own record label . The album sold over 100,000 copies in 1995 , over three times as many as their first album . The band 's diamond-certified album Tragic Kingdom ( 1995 ) helped launch the third-wave ska revival of the 1990s , and `` Do n't Speak '' , the third single from the album , set a record when it spent 16 weeks at the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart . The group 's next album , Return of Saturn ( 2000 ) , despite its Top 40 hit single `` Simple Kind of Life '' , did not match the success of their previous album but received critical praise and was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 43rd Grammy Awards . Fifteen months later , the band reappeared with Rock Steady ( 2001 ) , which incorporated reggae and dancehall music into their work . The album was primarily recorded in Jamaica and featured collaborations with Jamaican artists Bounty Killer , Sly and Robbie , and Lady Saw . The album produced two Grammy-winning singles , `` Hey Baby '' and `` Underneath It All '' . Hella Good was also nominated for a Grammy award . On 22 November 2002 , No Doubt received the Key to the City of Anaheim , given by the Mayor of Anaheim , Tom Daly , in Disneyland during the band 's appearance on ` Breakfast with Kevin and Bean ' ( KROQ-FM ) where they performed five songs . After a 2004 tour the band embarked on solo projects , with Stefani releasing two successful solo albums Love . Angel . Music . Baby . ( 2004 ) and The Sweet Escape ( 2006 ) while Tom Dumont released his own solo music project , Invincible Overlord . In 2008 , the band resumed working slowly on their sixth effort , titled Push and Shove ( 2012 ) , and released their single `` Settle Down '' . They have sold over 33 million records worldwide .", "Reservation (mixtape). Reservation is the third mixtape by American rapper and singer Angel Haze . It was released on July 17 , 2012 , by labels Biz 3 , Noizy Cricket and True Panther . Reservation received critical acclaim from critics , receiving an 88/100 score from aggregate review site Metacritic , while the BBC named it one of the best mixtapes of 2012 . Reservation was preceded by two promotional singles , `` Werkin ' Girls '' and `` Hot Like Fire '' . The mixtape spawned the single `` New York '' , which became a top sixty UK hit , peaking at number fifty-eight on the UK Singles Chart , and number twelve on the UK R&B Chart .", "Gwen Stefani. Gwen Renée Stefani ( -LSB- gwɛn_ˈstəˈfɑːni -RSB- born October 3 , 1969 ) is an American singer , songwriter , fashion designer , actress , and television personality . She is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt that experienced major success after their breakthrough studio album Tragic Kingdom ( 1995 ) along with various successful singles , including `` Just a Girl '' , `` Do n't Speak '' , `` Hey Baby '' , and `` It 's My Life '' . During the band 's hiatus , Stefani embarked on a solo pop career in 2004 by releasing her debut studio album Love . Angel . Music . Baby . Inspired by pop music from the 1980s , the album was met with both critical and commercial success . It spawned three commercially successful singles : `` What You Waiting For ? '' , `` Rich Girl '' , and `` Hollaback Girl '' , the latter reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 while also becoming the first US download to sell one million copies . In 2006 Stefani released her second studio album The Sweet Escape . The album produced two successful singles : `` Wind It Up '' and the album 's title track `` The Sweet Escape '' . Her third solo album This Is What the Truth Feels Like was released in March 2016 and became her first solo number-one album on the Billboard 200 . Stefani has won three Grammy Awards . As a solo artist she has received various accolades , including an American Music Award , Brit Award , World Music Award and two Billboard Music Awards . In 2003 , she debuted her clothing line L.A.M.B. and expanded her collection with the 2005 Harajuku Lovers line , drawing inspiration from Japanese culture and fashion . Stefani performs and makes public appearances with four back-up dancers known as the Harajuku Girls . She was married to British musician Gavin Rossdale from 2002 to 2015 and they have three sons . Billboard magazine ranked Stefani the 54th most successful artist and 37th most successful Hot 100 artist of the 2000 -- 09 decade . VH1 ranked her 13th on their `` 100 Greatest Women in Music '' list in 2012 . Including her work with No Doubt , Stefani has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide .", "Yelp. Yelp is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Francisco , California . It develops , hosts and markets Yelp.com and the Yelp mobile app , which publish crowd-sourced reviews about local businesses , as well as the online reservation service Yelp Reservations and online food-delivery service Eat24 . The company also trains small businesses in how to respond to reviews , hosts social events for reviewers , and provides data about businesses , including health inspection scores . Yelp was founded in 2004 by former PayPal employees Russel Simmons and Jeremy Stoppelman . Yelp grew quickly and raised several rounds of funding . By 2010 it had $ 30 million in revenues and the website had published more than 4.5 million crowd-sourced reviews . From 2009 to 2012 , Yelp expanded throughout Europe and Asia . In 2009 it entered several negotiations with Google for a potential acquisition . Yelp became a public company in March 2012 and became profitable for the first time two years later . As of 2016 , Yelp.com has 135 million monthly visitors and 95 million reviews . The company 's revenues come from businesses advertising . According to BusinessWeek , Yelp has a complicated relationship with small businesses . Criticism of Yelp focuses on the legitimacy of reviews , public statements of Yelp manipulating and blocking reviews in order to increase ad spending , as well as concerns regarding the privacy of reviewers .", "New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director. The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director is one of the awards given by the New York Film Critics Circle to honour the finest achievements in filmmaking . In the last three decades ( 1970s , 1980s , and 1990s ) , the New York Film Critics have rarely made the same choice as the Academy Awards . Both associations have agreed on the same winner , over the period 1970 -- 1999 , on the following : Woody Allen for Annie Hall ( 1977 ) and Jonathan Demme for The Silence of the Lambs ( 1991 ) . It 's notable that from 2000 to 2009 , the critics ' group have agreed with the Academy on six occasions : Steven Soderbergh for Traffic ( 2000 ) , Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby ( 2004 ) , Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain ( 2005 ) , Martin Scorsese for The Departed ( 2006 ) , Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for No Country for Old Men ( 2007 ) , and Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker ( 2009 ) .", "Black Hills. The Black Hills ( Ȟe Sápa , Moʼȯhta-voʼhonáaeva , awaxaawi shiibisha ) are a small , isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming , United States . Black Elk Peak , which rises to 7244 ft , is the range 's highest summit . The Black Hills encompass the Black Hills National Forest . The name `` Black Hills '' is a translation of the Lakota Pahá Sápa . The hills were so-called because of their dark appearance from a distance , as they were covered in trees . Native Americans have a long history in the Black Hills . After conquering the Cheyenne in 1776 , the Lakota took over the territory of the Black Hills , which became central to their culture . In 1868 , the U.S. government signed the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 , establishing the Great Sioux Reservation west of the Missouri River , and exempting the Black Hills from all white settlement forever . However , when settlers discovered gold there in 1874 , as a result of George Armstrong Custer 's Black Hills Expedition , miners swept into the area in a gold rush . The US government took back the Black Hills and in 1889 reassigned the Lakota , against their wishes , to five smaller reservations in western South Dakota , selling off 9 million acres of their former land . Unlike most of South Dakota , the Black Hills were settled by European Americans primarily from population centers to the west and south of the region , as miners flocked there from earlier gold boom locations in Colorado and Montana . As the economy of the Black Hills has shifted from natural resources ( mining and timber ) since the late 20th century , the hospitality and tourism industries have grown to take its place . Locals tend to divide the Black Hills into two areas : `` The Southern Hills '' and `` The Northern Hills '' . The Southern Hills is home to Mount Rushmore National Memorial , Wind Cave National Park , Jewel Cave National Monument , Black Elk Peak ( the highest point in the United States east of the Rockies , formerly known as Harney Peak ) , Custer State Park ( the largest state park in South Dakota ) , the Crazy Horse Memorial ( the largest sculpture in the world ) , and the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs , the world 's largest mammoth research facility . Attractions in the Northern Hills include Spearfish Canyon , historic Deadwood , and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally , held each August . The first Rally was held on August 14 , 1938 and the 75th Rally in 2015 saw more than 1 million bikers visit the Black Hills . Devils Tower National Monument , located in the Wyoming Black Hills , is an important nearby attraction and was the United States ' first national monument .", "Tom Waits. Thomas Alan `` Tom '' Waits ( born December 7 , 1949 ) is an American singer-songwriter , composer , and actor . Waits has a distinctive voice , described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding like `` it was soaked in a vat of bourbon , left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months , and then taken outside and run over with a car '' . With this trademark growl , his incorporation of pre-rock music styles such as blues , jazz , and vaudeville , and experimental tendencies verging on industrial music , Waits has built up a distinctive musical persona . He has worked as a composer for movies and musicals and has acted in supporting roles in films , including Paradise Alley and Bram Stoker 's Dracula . He also starred in Jim Jarmusch 's 1986 film Down by Law . He was nominated for an Academy Award for his soundtrack work on One from the Heart . Waits ' lyrics frequently present atmospheric portraits of grotesque , often seedy characters and places , although he has also shown a penchant for more conventional ballads . He has a cult following and has influenced subsequent songwriters despite having little radio or music video support . His songs are best-known through cover versions by more commercial artists : `` Jersey Girl '' , performed by Bruce Springsteen , `` Ol' ' 55 '' , by the Eagles , and `` Downtown Train '' , by Rod Stewart . Although Waits ' albums have met with mixed commercial success in his native United States , they have occasionally achieved gold album sales status in other countries . He has been nominated for a number of major music awards and has won Grammy Awards for two albums , Bone Machine and Mule Variations . In 2011 , Waits was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . He is also included among the 2010 list of Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Singers , as well as the 2015 list of Rolling Stone 's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time . Waits lives in Sonoma County , California , with his wife Kathleen Brennan ( married August 1980 ) and their three children .", "Dabney Coleman. Dabney Wharton Coleman ( born January 3 , 1932 ) is an American actor . In a career spanning over five decades , Coleman has had roles in films such as The Towering Inferno ( 1974 ) , 9 to 5 ( 1980 ) , On Golden Pond ( 1981 ) , Tootsie ( 1982 ) , WarGames ( 1983 ) , Cloak & Dagger ( 1984 ) , The Beverly Hillbillies ( 1993 ) , You 've Got Mail ( 1998 ) , Recess : School 's Out ( 2001 ) , Moonlight Mile ( 2002 ) , and Rules Do n't Apply ( 2016 ) . Coleman has also had prominent roles on television as the title character in the NBC series Buffalo Bill ( 1983 -- 1984 ) , Burton Fallin on the CBS series The Guardian ( 2001 -- 2004 ) , the voice of Principal Peter Prickly in the animated series Recess ( 1997 -- 1999 ) , and Louis `` The Commodore '' Kaestner on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire ( 2010 -- 2011 ) . He has won one Primetime Emmy Award from six nominations , and one Golden Globe Award from three nominations .", "Drew Nieporent. Drew Nieporent is a New York City restaurateur . His company Myriad Restaurant Group owns and operates numerous restaurants , many of which are known for their celebrity clientele , and in some cases celebrity co-owners . Many are known for their difficulty in obtaining reservations . In an interview with Cigar Aficionado , Nieporent recalled turning down Henry Kissinger . Nieporent 's Nobu and Nobu London both earned two Michelin stars . The restaurants ' partners are celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa and actor Robert De Niro .", "Native American reservation politics. Native American politics remain divided over different issues such as assimilation , education , healthcare , and economic factors that affect reservations . As a nation living within the United States of America , the Native American people face conflicting opinions within their tribes , essentially those living on federally approved reservations . Interactions with the federal government and the overall American culture surrounding them influence day-to-day tribal life . Native American culture as a whole rests between the divide of the traditionalists and those who wish to trade the old ways for improved conditions .", "Outback Steakhouse. Outback Steakhouse is an Australian-themed American casual dining restaurant chain , serving American cuisine , based in Tampa , Florida , with almost 1,000 locations in 23 countries throughout North and South America , Asia , and Australia . It was founded in February 1988 in Tampa by Bob Basham , Chris T. Sullivan , Trudy Cooper , and Tim Gannon , and it was owned and operated in the United States by OSI Restaurant Partners until it was acquired by Bloomin ' Brands , and by other franchise and venture agreements internationally . Canadian Outback restaurants began in 1996 . In March 2009 , Outback Steakhouse Canada abruptly closed all nine locations in the province of Ontario , citing poor economic conditions . However , the restaurant later opened a location in Niagara Falls ; its Edmonton , Alberta , franchise remains in operation . In 1997 , Outback entered the South Korean market through the franchise agreement with Aussie Chung Inc. . Currently , there are 101 Outback Steakhouse locations throughout South Korea . On June 14 , 2007 , OSI Restaurant Partners completed a stock repurchase plan , and the company is now privately held . In April 2012 , Bloomin ' Brands , the current owner of Outback Steakhouse , filed with the SEC to raise up to $ 300 million in an initial public offering . Bloomin ' Brands , Inc. became a publicly traded company on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol `` BLMN . ''", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Critic. A critic is a professional who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art , literature , music , cinema , theater , fashion , architecture , and food . Critics may also take as their subject social or government policy . Critical judgments , whether derived from critical thinking or not , weigh up a range of factors , including an assessment of the extent to which the item under review achieves its purpose and its creator 's intention and a knowledge of its context . They may also include a positive or negative personal response . Characteristics of a good critic are articulateness , preferably having the ability to use language with a high level of appeal and skill . Sympathy , sensitivity and insight are important too . Form , style and medium are all considered by the critic . In architecture and food criticism , the item 's function , value and cost may be added components . Critics are publicly accepted and , to a significant degree , followed because of the quality of their assessments or their reputation . Influential critics of art , music , theatre and architecture often present their arguments in complete books . One very famous example is John Ruskin 's Seven Lamps of Architecture and The Stones of Venice . Critics may base their assessment on a range of theoretical positions . For instance , they may take a Feminist or Freudian perspective . Unlike other individuals who may editorialize on subjects via websites or letters written to publications , professional critics are paid to produce their assessment and opinions for print , radio , magazine , television , or Internet companies . When their personal opinion outweighs considered judgment , people who give opinions , whether on current events , public affairs , sports , media or art are often referred to as `` pundits '' instead of critics . Critics are themselves subject to competing critics , since the final critical judgment always entails some subjectivity . An established critic can play a powerful role as a public arbiter of taste or opinion . Also , critics or a coordinated group of critics , may award symbols of recognition .", "Criticism. Criticism is the practice of judging the merits and faults of something . The judger is called a critic . To engage in criticism is to criticise ( in British English ) . ( See American and British English spelling differences . ) One specific item of criticism is called a criticism or critique '' . Criticism is an evaluative or corrective exercise that can occur in any area of human life . Criticism can therefore take many different forms ( see below ) . How exactly people go about criticizing , can vary a great deal . In specific areas of human endeavour , the form of criticism can be highly specialized and technical ; it often requires professional knowledge to understand the criticism . This article provides only general information about criticism . For subject-specific information , see the Varieties of criticism page . To criticize does not necessarily imply `` to find fault '' , but the word is often taken to mean the simple expression of an object against prejudice , no matter positive or negative . Often criticism involves active disagreement , but it may only mean `` taking sides '' . It could just be an exploration of the different sides of an issue . Fighting is not necessarily involved . Criticism is often presented as something unpleasant , but sometimes , that may not be the case . There are also friendly criticisms , amicably discussed , and some people find great pleasure in criticism ( `` keeping people sharp '' , `` providing the critical edge '' ) . The Pulitzer Prize for Criticism has been presented since 1970 to a newspaper writer who has demonstrated ` distinguished criticism ' . Normally criticism involves a dialogue of some kind , direct or indirect , and in that sense criticism is an intrinsically social activity . Even if one is only criticizing a book or an idea in private , it is usually assumed there is someone who will be made aware of the criticism being expressed at some point , although who exactly will hear it , may also remain unknown . One is still engaging with the ideas of others , even if only indirectly . One can of course also keep a criticism to oneself , rather than express or communicate it , but in general the intention is , that someone else ought to be aware of it , however that may occur . Self-criticism , even if wholly private , still mentally takes the concerns of others into account . Another meaning of criticism is the study , evaluation , and interpretation of literature , artwork , film , and social trends ( see the article links below ) . The goal of this type of criticism is to understand the possible meanings of cultural phenomena , and the context in which they take shape . In so doing , the attempt is often made to evaluate how cultural productions relate to other cultural productions , and what their place is within a particular genre , or a particular cultural tradition .", "Nicolas Cage. Nicolas Kim Coppola ( born January 7 , 1964 ) , known professionally as Nicolas Cage , is an American actor and producer . He has performed in leading roles in a variety of films , ranging from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action films . In the early years of his career , Cage starred in films such as Valley Girl ( 1983 ) , Racing with the Moon ( 1984 ) , Birdy ( 1984 ) , Peggy Sue Got Married ( 1986 ) , Raising Arizona ( 1987 ) , Moonstruck ( 1987 ) , Vampire 's Kiss ( 1989 ) , Wild at Heart ( 1990 ) , Fire Birds ( 1990 ) , Honeymoon in Vegas ( 1992 ) , and Red Rock West ( 1993 ) . Cage received an Academy Award , a Golden Globe , and Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance as an alcoholic Hollywood writer in Leaving Las Vegas ( 1995 ) before coming to the attention of wider audiences with mainstream films , such as The Rock ( 1996 ) , Face/Off ( 1997 ) , Con Air ( 1997 ) and City of Angels ( 1998 ) . He earned his second Academy Award nomination for his performance as Charlie and Donald Kaufman in Adaptation ( 2002 ) . In 2002 , he directed the film Sonny , for which he was nominated for Grand Special Prize at Deauville Film Festival . Cage owns the production company Saturn Films and has produced films such as Shadow of the Vampire ( 2000 ) and The Life of David Gale ( 2003 ) . He has also appeared in National Treasure ( 2004 ) , Lord of War ( 2005 ) , Bad Lieutenant : Port of Call New Orleans ( 2009 ) , and Kick-Ass ( 2010 ) . Films such as Ghost Rider ( 2007 ) and Knowing ( 2009 ) were box office successes . Cage has been strongly criticized in recent years for his choice of roles , some of which have been universally panned . However , he recently starred in The Croods and Joe , both of which were warmly received by critics .", "Abigail Breslin. Abigail Kathleen Breslin ( born April 14 , 1996 ) is an American actress and singer . She appeared in her first commercial when she was three years old , and in her first film , Signs ( 2002 ) , at the age of five . Her other film roles include Little Miss Sunshine ( 2006 ) , for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress , No Reservations ( 2007 ) , Nim 's Island ( 2008 ) , Definitely , Maybe ( 2008 ) , My Sister 's Keeper ( 2009 ) , Zombieland ( 2009 ) , and Rango ( 2011 ) . In September 2015 , she began acting in the horror-comedy Scream Queens on Fox , in which she has her first regular role on a television series .", "Roger Ebert. Roger Joseph Ebert ( -LSB- ˈiːbərt -RSB- June 18 , 1942 -- April 4 , 2013 ) was an American film critic and historian , journalist , screenwriter , and author . He was a film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013 . In 1975 , Ebert became the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism . Ebert and Chicago Tribune critic Gene Siskel helped popularize nationally televised film reviewing when they co-hosted the PBS show Sneak Previews , followed by several variously named At the Movies programs . The two verbally sparred and traded humorous barbs while discussing films . They created and trademarked the phrase `` Two Thumbs Up , '' used when both hosts gave the same film a positive review . After Siskel died in 1999 , Ebert continued hosting the show with various co-hosts and then , starting in 2000 , with Richard Roeper . Neil Steinberg of the Chicago Sun-Times said Ebert `` was without question the nation 's most prominent and influential film critic '' , Tom Van Riper of Forbes described him as `` the most powerful pundit in America '' , and Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times called him `` the best-known film critic in America '' . Ebert lived with cancer of the thyroid and salivary glands from 2002 . This required treatments necessitating the removal of his lower jaw , which cost him the ability to speak or eat normally . His ability to write remained unimpaired , however , and he continued to publish frequently both online and in print until his death on April 4 , 2013 .", "No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach. No Reservations : Around the World on an Empty Stomach is a book by Anthony Bourdain and a companion to the television show of the same name . The book serves as a scrap book of the previous three seasons of the television show and has extensive photographs of Bourdain and his crew at work filming the series .", "Andy Samberg. Andrew David Samberg ( born David A. J. Samberg ; August 18 , 1978 ) is an American actor , filmmaker , musician and comedian . He is a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and was a cast member on Saturday Night Live ( 2005 -- 2012 ) , where he and his fellow group members have been credited with popularizing the SNL Digital Shorts . He occasionally goes by the stage name Young Sandwich . Samberg has starred in several films , including Hot Rod ( 2007 ) , I Love You , Man ( 2009 ) , That 's My Boy ( 2012 ) , Celeste and Jesse Forever ( 2012 ) , Hotel Transylvania ( 2012 ) , Hotel Transylvania 2 ( 2015 ) , Popstar : Never Stop Never Stopping ( 2016 ) , and Storks ( 2016 ) . He currently stars in the police sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine , for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Television Series Musical or Comedy in 2014 .", "Edward Norton. Edward Harrison Norton ( born August 18 , 1969 ) is an American actor , filmmaker and activist . He has been nominated for three Academy Awards for his work in the films Primal Fear ( 1996 ) , American History X ( 1998 ) and Birdman ( 2014 ) . He also starred in other roles , such as Everyone Says I Love You ( 1996 ) , The People vs. Larry Flynt ( 1996 ) , Fight Club ( 1999 ) , Red Dragon ( 2002 ) , 25th Hour ( 2002 ) , Kingdom of Heaven ( 2005 ) , The Illusionist ( 2006 ) , Moonrise Kingdom ( 2012 ) , The Grand Budapest Hotel ( 2014 ) and Sausage Party ( 2016 ) . He has also directed and co-written films , including his directorial debut , Keeping the Faith ( 2000 ) . He has done uncredited work on the scripts for The Score ( 2001 ) , Frida ( 2002 ) , and The Incredible Hulk ( 2008 ) . Alongside his work in cinema , Norton is an environmental and social activist , and is a member of the board of trustees of Enterprise Community Partners , a non-profit organization for developing affordable housing founded by his grandfather James Rouse . Norton is president of the American branch of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust . He ran in the 2009 New York City Marathon to raise money for the Trust . He also raises money for charity through Crowdrise , a social networking community for volunteers and a micro-donations fundraising platform . In July 2010 , Norton was designated as the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon . On July 2 , 2014 , Norton was elected chairman of the board of trustees to Signature Theatre , a not-for-profit theater company in New York . Norton has been on Signature 's board since 1996 and served as the co-chair of the Capital Campaign during the building of the Pershing Square Signature Center .", "Black List (survey). The Black List is an annual survey of the `` most liked '' motion picture screenplays not yet produced . It has been published every year since 2005 on the second Friday of December by Franklin Leonard , a development executive who subsequently worked at Universal Pictures and Will Smith 's Overbrook Entertainment . The website states that these are not necessarily `` the best '' screenplays , but rather `` the most liked '' , since it is based on a survey of studio and production company executives . Of the approximately 1000 screenplays The Black List has included since 2005 , nearly a third have been later produced as theatrical films , including successful and award-winning examples such as Argo , American Hustle , Juno , The King 's Speech , Slumdog Millionaire , Spotlight and The Revenant . The produced films have all together grossed well over $ 25.54 billion , and have been nominated for 241 Academy Awards and 205 Golden Globe Awards , winning 48 and 40 , respectively . As of the 88th Academy Awards , four of the last eight best picture Oscars went to scripts featured on a previous Black List , as well as ten of the last 20 screenwriting Oscars ( Original and Adapted Screenplays ) . In addition , writers whose scripts are listed often find that they are more readily hired for other jobs , even if their listed screenplays still have not been produced , such as Jim Rash and Nat Faxon , two of the writers of the Oscar-winning screenplay of The Descendants , who had an earlier screenplay make the list . Slate columnist David Haglund has written that the list 's reputation as a champion for `` beloved but challenging '' works has been overstated , since `` these are screenplays that are already making the Hollywood rounds . And while , as a rule , they have not yet been produced , many of them are already in production . ''", "Critics' Choice Movie Awards. The Critics ' Choice Movie Awards ( formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award ) is an awards show presented annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association ( BFCA ) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement . Written ballots are submitted during a week-long nominating period , and the resulting nominees are announced in December . The winners chosen by subsequent voting are revealed at the annual Critics ' Choice Movie Awards ceremony in January . Additional , special awards are given out at the discretion of the BFCA Board of Directors . The awards were originally named simply Critics ' Choice Awards . In 2010 , the word Movie was added to their name , to differentiate them from the Critics ' Choice Television Awards , which were first bestowed the following year by the newly created Broadcast Television Critics Association . The name Critics ' Choice Awards now officially refers to both sets of awards collectively . From 2006 through 2009 , the awards ceremony was held in the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium . From 2010 through 2012 , it took place in the refurbished , historic Hollywood Palladium . The live television broadcast of the event moved from VH1 to The CW in 2013 , with the 19th ceremony airing on January 16 , 2014 , live from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica , California . In October 2014 , it was announced that the Critics ' Choice Movie Awards would move to A&E for 2015 and 2016 ." ]

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[ "Claire Danes. Claire Catherine Danes ( born April 12 , 1979 ) is an American actress . She is the recipient of three Emmy Awards , four Golden Globe Awards , and two Screen Actors Guild Awards . In 2012 , Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world , and she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015 . Danes gained recognition with her role as Angela Chase in the acclaimed 1994 teen drama series My So-Called Life . The role won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series . She made her film debut the same year in Little Women ( 1994 ) . Her other films include Romeo + Juliet ( 1996 ) , The Rainmaker ( 1997 ) , Les Misérables ( 1998 ) , Brokedown Palace ( 1999 ) , the 1999 English dub of Princess Mononoke ( 1997 ) , Igby Goes Down ( 2002 ) , The Hours ( 2002 ) , Terminator 3 : Rise of the Machines ( 2003 ) , Shopgirl ( 2005 ) and Stardust ( 2007 ) . From 1998 to 2000 , Danes attended Yale University before dropping out to return to acting . She appeared in an Off-Broadway production of The Vagina Monologues in 2000 , and made her Broadway debut playing Eliza Doolittle in the 2007 revival of Pygmalion . In 2010 , she portrayed Temple Grandin in the highly acclaimed HBO TV film Temple Grandin , which won her a second Golden Globe and her first Primetime Emmy Award for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie . Since 2011 , she has starred as Carrie Mathison in the Showtime drama series Homeland , for which she has won two Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series , two Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Drama , and the Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Drama . She is married to actor Hugh Dancy , with whom she has one child .", "Romeo + Juliet. William Shakespeare 's Romeo + Juliet ( shortened to Romeo + Juliet ) is a 1996 American romantic drama film directed , co-produced and co-written by Baz Luhrmann , co-produced by Gabriella Martinelli and co-written by Craig Pearce , being an adaption and modernization of William Shakespeare 's tragedy Romeo and Juliet . The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the leading roles of Romeo and Juliet , who instantly fall in love when Romeo crashes a party and meets her despite them being members of the Montague and Capulet family ; Brian Dennehy , John Leguizamo , Pete Postlethwaite , Paul Sorvino and Diane Venora star in supporting roles . While it retains the original Shakespearean dialogue , the Montagues and the Capulets are represented as warring mafia empires ( with legitimate business fronts ) and swords are replaced with guns ( with brand names such as `` Dagger '' and `` Sword '' ) . Some of the characters ' names are also changed . Lord and Lady Montague and Lord and Lady Capulet are given first names ( as opposed to the Shakespeare original where their first names are never mentioned ) , Friar Lawrence becomes Father Lawrence , and Prince Escalus is renamed Captain Prince . There is also no Friar John , who was in the original play . Also , some characters were switched from one family to the other -- in the original , Gregory and Sampson are Capulets , but in the film , they are Montagues . ( Abram , as Abra , and Petruchio , conversely , are shifted from the Montague to the Capulet family . ) In addition , a few plot details are shifted , most notably near the ending . The film was released on November 1 , 1996 by 20th Century Fox to commercial and generally critical success , grossing over $ 147.5 million over a $ 14.5 million budget and receiving generally positive reviews . At the 47th Berlin International Film Festival in 1997 , DiCaprio won the Silver Bear for Best Actor and Luhrmann won the Alfred Bauer Prize . Luhrmann was also nominated for the Golden Bear Award for Best Picture . At the 69th Academy Awards , Catherine Martin and Brigitte Broch were nominated for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration .", "Jeremy Irons. Jeremy John Irons ( born 19 September 1948 ) is an English actor . After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School , Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969 and has since appeared in many West End theatre productions , including The Winter 's Tale , Macbeth , Much Ado About Nothing , The Taming of the Shrew , Godspell , Richard II , and Embers . In 1984 , he made his Broadway debut in Tom Stoppard 's The Real Thing and received a Tony Award for Best Actor . Irons ' first major film role came in the 1981 romantic drama The French Lieutenant 's Woman , for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor . After starring in dramas such as Moonlighting ( 1982 ) , Betrayal ( 1983 ) , and The Mission ( 1986 ) , he gained critical acclaim for portraying twin gynaecologists in David Cronenberg 's psychological thriller Dead Ringers ( 1988 ) . In 1990 , Irons played accused murderer Claus von Bülow in Reversal of Fortune , and took home multiple awards , including an Academy Award for Best Actor . Other notable films have included Steven Soderbergh 's mystery thriller Kafka ( 1991 ) , the period drama The House of the Spirits ( 1993 ) , the romantic drama M. Butterfly ( 1993 ) , the voice of Scar in Disney 's The Lion King ( 1994 ) , Simon Gruber in the action film Die Hard with a Vengeance ( 1995 ) , the drama Lolita ( 1997 ) , Musketeer Aramis in The Man in the Iron Mask ( 1998 ) , the action adventure Dungeons & Dragons ( 2000 ) , the drama The Merchant of Venice ( 2004 ) , the drama Being Julia ( 2004 ) , the epic historical drama Kingdom of Heaven ( 2005 ) , the fantasy-adventure Eragon ( 2006 ) , the Western Appaloosa ( 2008 ) , and the indie drama Margin Call ( 2011 ) . In 2016 , he appeared in Assassin 's Creed and , starting that year , he plays Alfred Pennyworth in the DC Extended Universe , beginning with Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , and later reprising the role in Justice League ( 2017 ) and The Batman ( TBA ) . Irons has also made several notable appearances on TV . He earned his first Golden Globe Award nomination for his break-out role in the ITV series Brideshead Revisited ( 1981 ) . In 2005 , Irons starred opposite Helen Mirren in the historical miniseries Elizabeth I , for which he received a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor . From 2011 to 2013 he starred as Pope Alexander VI in the Showtime historical series The Borgias . He is one of the few actors who won the `` Triple Crown of Acting '' , winning an Academy Award ( for film ) , an Emmy Award ( television ) and a Tony Award ( for theatre ) . In October 2011 , he was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations .", "Hugh Grant. Hugh John Mungo Grant ( born 9 September 1960 ) is an English actor and film producer . Grant has received a Golden Globe , a BAFTA , and an Honorary César for his work . His films have earned more than US$ 2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide . Grant first received attention after earning the Volpi Cup for his performance in James Ivory 's Maurice ( 1987 ) but achieved international success after appearing in the Richard Curtis-scripted Four Weddings and a Funeral ( 1994 ) . Grant used this breakthrough role as a frequent cinematic persona during the 1990s , delivering comic performances in films such as Mickey Blue Eyes ( 1999 ) and Notting Hill ( 1999 ) . One of the best known figures in 1990s British popular culture , Grant was in a high-profile relationship with Elizabeth Hurley , which was the focus of much attention in the British and international media . By the turn of the 21st century , Grant had established himself as a leading man , skilled with a satirical comic talent . Grant has expanded his oeuvre with critically acclaimed turns as a cad in Bridget Jones 's Diary ( 2001 ) , About a Boy ( 2002 ) , and American Dreamz ( 2006 ) . Grant later played against type with multiple cameo roles in the epic sci-fi drama film , Cloud Atlas ( 2012 ) . He 's also known for appearing in period pieces such as The Remains of the Day ( 1993 ) , Sense and Sensibility ( 1995 ) and Florence Foster Jenkins ( 2016 ) . Within the film industry , Grant is cited as an anti-star who approaches his roles like a character actor , and attempts to make his acting appear spontaneous . Hallmarks of his comic skills include a nonchalant touch of irony/sarcasm and studied physical mannerisms , as well as his precisely-timed dialogue delivery and facial expressions . The entertainment media 's coverage of Grant 's life off the big screen has often overshadowed his work as an actor . Grant has been outspoken about his antipathy towards the profession of acting , and in his disdain towards the culture of celebrity and hostility towards the media . In a career spanning 30 years , Grant has repeatedly claimed that acting was not his true calling , but rather a career that unintentionally developed by happenstance .", "Kristin Scott Thomas. Dame Kristin Ann Scott Thomas , DBE ( born 24 May 1960 ) is an English actress . She won the Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award for Four Weddings and a Funeral ( 1994 ) and received a Best Actress Academy Award nomination for The English Patient ( 1996 ) . For her work in the theatre , she has been nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Actress five times , winning in 2008 for the Royal Court revival of The Seagull . Scott Thomas made her film debut in the Prince-directed Under the Cherry Moon in 1986 , Further film roles include Bitter Moon ( 1992 ) , An Unforgettable Summer ( 1994 ) , Mission : Impossible ( 1996 ) , The Horse Whisperer ( 1998 ) , Gosford Park ( 2001 ) , Nowhere Boy ( 2010 ) , and Suite Française ( 2015 ) . She has also worked in French cinema , winning the European Film Award for Best Actress for Philippe Claudel 's I 've Loved You So Long ( 2008 ) . Her other French films include The Valet ( 2006 ) , Tell No One ( 2007 ) , Leaving ( 2009 ) , Love Crime ( 2010 ) , and Sarah 's Key ( 2010 ) .", "Joseph Fiennes. Joseph Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes ( -LSB- ˈfaɪnz -RSB- born 27 May 1970 ) is an English film and stage actor . He is known for his portrayals of William Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love ( 1998 ) , for which he was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role , Sir Robert Dudley in Elizabeth ( 1998 ) , Commisar Danilov in Enemy at the Gates ( 2001 ) , and Monsignor Timothy Howard in the second season of the TV series American Horror Story ( 2012 -- 2013 ) . He currently stars in the drama series The Handmaid 's Tale ( 2017-present ) .", "Carrie Mathison. Carrie Anne Mathison , played by actress Claire Danes , is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American television drama/thriller series Homeland on Showtime , created by Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon . Carrie is a CIA officer who , while on assignment in Iraq , learned from a CIA asset that an American prisoner of war had been turned by al-Qaeda . After a U.S. Marine sergeant named Nicholas Brody is rescued from captivity , Mathison believes that he is the POW described to her . Carrie 's investigation of Brody is complicated by her bipolar disorder and results in an obsession with her suspect . For her performance as Mathison , Claire Danes has received several major acting awards , including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series , the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Drama , the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series , the Satellite Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Drama , and the TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama . She is the second actress to win all the five main TV acting awards for her performance in the Lead Drama Actress categories .", "England. England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom . It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west . The Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea lies to the southwest . England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south . The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain ( which lies in the North Atlantic ) in its centre and south ; and includes over 100 smaller islands such as the Isles of Scilly , and the Isle of Wight . The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Palaeolithic period , but takes its name from the Angles , one of the Germanic tribes who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries . England became a unified state in the 10th century , and since the Age of Discovery , which began during the 15th century , has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world . The English language , the Anglican Church , and English law -- the basis for the common law legal systems of many other countries around the world -- developed in England , and the country 's parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations . The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England , transforming its society into the world 's first industrialised nation . England 's terrain mostly comprises low hills and plains , especially in central and southern England . However , there are uplands in the north ( for example , the mountainous Lake District , and the Pennines ) and in the southwest ( for example , Dartmoor and the Cotswolds ) . The capital is London , which is the largest metropolitan area in both the United Kingdom and the European Union.According to the European Statistical Agency , London is the largest Larger Urban Zone in the EU , a measure of metropolitan area which comprises a city 's urban core as well as its surrounding commuting zone . London 's municipal population is also the largest in the EU . England 's population of over 53 million comprises 84 % of the population of the United Kingdom , largely concentrated around London , the South East , and conurbations in the Midlands , the North West , the North East , and Yorkshire , which each developed as major industrial regions during the 19th century . The Kingdom of England -- which after 1535 included Wales -- ceased being a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707 , when the Acts of Union put into effect the terms agreed in the Treaty of Union the previous year , resulting in a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain . In 1801 , Great Britain was united with the Kingdom of Ireland through another Act of Union to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . In 1922 the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom , leading to the latter being renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .", "Eddie Redmayne. Edward John David Redmayne , ( -LSB- ` rɛdˌmeɪn -RSB- born 6 January 1982 ) is an English actor of stage and screen . Born and raised in Westminster , he studied history of art at Trinity College , Cambridge , after which he briefly dabbled with a modelling career . Redmayne began his professional acting career as a youth in West End theatre before making his screen debut in 1998 with guest appearances on television . His first film roles came in 2006 with Like Minds and The Good Shepherd , and he went on to play supporting roles in several films , including Savage Grace ( 2007 ) , Elizabeth : The Golden Age ( 2007 ) , and The Other Boleyn Girl ( 2008 ) . Redmayne also starred in the stage productions of Red ( 2009 -- 10 ) and Richard II ( 2011 -- 12 ) . The former won him the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play . His film breakthrough came with the roles of Colin Clark in the biographical drama My Week with Marilyn ( 2011 ) and Marius Pontmercy in Tom Hooper 's musical Les Misérables ( 2012 ) . In 2014 , Redmayne portrayed English physicist Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything , winning an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor . The following year , he played Lili Elbe , one of the first known recipients of sex reassignment surgery , in Hooper 's The Danish Girl , which saw him nominated for Best Actor in the three aforementioned awards . In 2016 , he starred as Newt Scamander in the fantasy film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them .", "Claire Bloom. Patricia Claire Blume CBE ( born 15 February 1931 ) is an English film and stage actress whose career has spanned over six decades . She is famous for leading roles in plays such as A Streetcar Named Desire , A Doll 's House , and Long Day 's Journey into Night , and has starred in nearly sixty films . After an uprooted and unstable childhood in war-torn England , Bloom studied drama , which became her passion . She had her debut on the London stage when she was sixteen , and soon took roles in various Shakespeare plays . They included Hamlet , in which she played Ophelia alongside Richard Burton , with whom she would have a `` long and stormy '' first love affair . For her Juliet in Romeo and Juliet , critic Kenneth Tynan stated it was `` the best Juliet I 've ever seen . '' And after she starred as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire , its playwright , Tennessee Williams , was `` exultant , '' stating , `` I declare myself absolutely wild about Claire Bloom . '' In 1952 , Bloom was discovered by Hollywood film star Charlie Chaplin , who had been searching for months for an actress with `` beauty , talent , and a great emotional range , '' to co-star alongside him in Limelight . It became Bloom 's major film debut and made her into an international film star . During her lengthy film career , she starred alongside numerous major actors , including Richard Burton , Laurence Olivier , John Gielgud , Paul Scofield , Ralph Richardson , Yul Brynner , George C. Scott , James Mason , Paul Newman and Rod Steiger , whom she would marry . In 2010 , Bloom played the role of Queen Mary in the British film , The King 's Speech , and she currently acts in British films . She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to drama .", "Ashton Kutcher. Christopher Ashton Kutcher ( -LSB- ˈkʊtʃər -RSB- born February 7 , 1978 ) is an American actor and investor . Kutcher began his career as a model and began his acting career portraying Michael Kelso in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show , which aired for eight seasons . He made his film debut in the romantic comedy Coming Soon and became known by audiences in the comedy film Dude , Where 's My Car ? , which was a box office hit . In 2003 , Kutcher appeared in romantic comedies Just Married and My Boss 's Daughter and , the same year , he created , produced , and hosted Punk 'd which aired on MTV for five seasons until its revival in 2012 . In 2004 , Kutcher starred in the lead role of the psychological film The Butterfly Effect and gained public recognition . Kutcher subsequently appeared in more romantic comedies , including Guess Who ( 2005 ) , A Lot Like Love ( 2005 ) , What Happens in Vegas ( 2008 ) , and No Strings Attached ( 2011 ) . From 2011 to 2015 , he starred as Walden Schmidt on the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men . In 2013 , Kutcher portrayed Steve Jobs in the biographical film Jobs .", "Homeland (TV series). Homeland is an American spy thriller television series developed by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa based on the Israeli series Prisoners of War ( Original title חטופים Hatufim , literally `` Abductees '' ) , which was created by Gideon Raff . The series stars Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison , a Central Intelligence Agency officer with bipolar disorder , and Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody , a U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper . Mathison had come to believe that Brody , who was held captive by al-Qaeda as a prisoner of war , was `` turned '' by the enemy and poses a threat to the United States . The series is broadcast in the U.S. on the cable channel Showtime , and is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios ( formerly Fox 21 ) . It premiered on October 2 , 2011 . The first episode was made available online , more than two weeks before the television broadcast , with viewers having to complete game tasks to gain access . On October 22 , 2013 , Showtime renewed Homeland for a fourth season , which premiered on October 5 , 2014 . On November 10 , 2014 , Showtime renewed the series for a 12-episode fifth season that premiered on October 4 , 2015 . On December 9 , 2015 , the series was renewed for a sixth season . The sixth season debuted on January 15 , 2017 . The series has also been renewed for a seventh and eighth season ; the eighth is planned to be the series ' final season by the creators . The series has received generally positive reviews , and has won several awards , including the 2012 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series , and the 2011 and 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama , as well as the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Damian Lewis and Claire Danes , respectively .", "The Danish Girl (film). The Danish Girl is a 2015 British-American romantic drama film directed by Tom Hooper , based on the 2000 fictional novel of the same name by David Ebershoff and loosely inspired by the lives of Danish painters Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener . The film stars Eddie Redmayne as Elbe , one of the first known recipients of sex reassignment surgery , Alicia Vikander as Wegener , Ben Whishaw as Henrik , Sebastian Koch as Dr. Kurt Warnekros , Amber Heard as Ulla Paulson and Matthias Schoenaerts as Hans Axgil . The film was screened in the main competition section of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival , and it was shown in the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival . The film was released in a limited release on 27 November 2015 by Focus Features in the United States . The film was released on 1 January 2016 , in the United Kingdom , with Universal Pictures International handling international distribution . The film received some criticism for its inaccurate portrayal of historical events , but Redmayne and Vikander 's performances received widespread acclaim and nominations for all of the major acting awards . Vikander won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and Redmayne was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor . It was also nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best British Film .", "Michael Caine. Sir Michael Caine , ( -LSB- keɪn -RSB- born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr. ; 14 March 1933 ) is an English actor and author . Renowned for his distinctive working class cockney accent , Caine has appeared in over 115 films and is regarded as a British film icon . He made his breakthrough in the 1960s with starring roles in a number of acclaimed British films , including Zulu ( 1964 ) , The Ipcress File ( 1965 ) , Alfie ( 1966 ) , for which he was nominated for an Academy Award , The Italian Job ( 1969 ) , and Battle of Britain ( 1969 ) . His most notable roles in the 1970s included Get Carter ( 1971 ) , The Last Valley , Sleuth ( 1972 ) , for which he earned his second Academy Award nomination , The Man Who Would Be King ( 1975 ) , and A Bridge Too Far ( 1977 ) . He achieved some of his greatest critical success in the 1980s , with Educating Rita ( 1983 ) earning him the BAFTA and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor . In 1986 , he received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Woody Allen 's Hannah and Her Sisters . Caine played Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol ( 1992 ) . Having by that time practically retired from acting on the big screen , he enjoyed a career resurgence in the late 1990s , receiving his second Golden Globe Award for his performance in Little Voice in 1998 and receiving his second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Cider House Rules the following year . Caine played Nigel Powers in the 2002 parody Austin Powers in Goldmember , and Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan 's The Dark Knight Trilogy . He appeared in several other of Nolan 's films including The Prestige ( 2006 ) , Inception ( 2010 ) , and Interstellar ( 2014 ) . He also appeared as a supporting character in Alfonso Cuarón 's Children of Men and Pixar 's 2011 film Cars 2 . As of February 2017 , films in which he has starred have grossed over $ 3.5 billion domestically and over $ 7.8 billion worldwide . Caine is ranked as the twelfth highest grossing box office star . Caine is one of only two actors nominated for an Academy Award for acting in every decade from the 1960s to 2000s ( the other one being Jack Nicholson ; Laurence Olivier was also nominated for an acting Academy Award in five different decades , beginning in 1939 and ending in 1978 ) . In 2000 , Caine was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his contribution to cinema .", "Martin Freeman. Martin John Christopher Freeman ( born 8 September 1971 ) is an English actor , who became known for portraying Tim Canterbury in the original UK version of sitcom mockumentary The Office , Dr. John Watson in the British crime drama Sherlock , Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson 's The Hobbit film trilogy , and Lester Nygaard in the dark comedy-crime drama TV series Fargo . His other notable film roles include the romantic comedy Love Actually ( 2003 ) , the comic science fiction film The Hitchhiker 's Guide to the Galaxy ( 2005 ) , the semi-improvised comedy Nativity ! ( 2009 ) , and the comedic Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy , most prominently in the sci-fi comedy The World 's End ( 2013 ) . Among other accolades , he has won an Emmy Award , BAFTA Award and an Empire Award , with nominations including two other Emmy Awards , two other BAFTA Awards , a Saturn Award , and a Golden Globe Award .", "Claire Foy. Claire Foy ( born 16 April 1984 ) is an English actress . She studied drama and screen studies at Liverpool John Moores University and trained at the Oxford School of Drama , where she appeared in four plays , including Watership Down . She made her screen debut in the pilot episode of Being Human ( 2008 ) and in an episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors ( 2008 ) . Following her professional stage debut at the Royal National Theatre , she played the title role in the BBC One production of Little Dorrit , ( 2008 ) , and made her film debut as Anna in Season of the Witch ( 2011 ) . She had main roles as Erin Matthews in the Channel 4 series The Promise ( 2011 ) and several other television films and miniseries , including as Kate Balfour in the NBC series Crossbones ( 2014 ) . She received unanimous praise for her performance as Anne Boleyn in BBC2 's Wolf Hall ( 2015 ) , for which she was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress and the Critics ' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries . Since 2016 , she has portrayed the young Queen Elizabeth II on the Netflix series The Crown , a role for which she has received critical acclaim and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Drama and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series , and was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress .", "Laurence Olivier. Laurence Kerr Olivier , Baron Olivier , ( -LSB- ˈlɒrəns_kɜr_ɒˈlɪvieɪ -RSB- 22 May 1907 -- 11 July 1989 ) , was an English actor who , along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud , dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century . He also worked in films throughout his career , playing more than fifty cinema roles . Late in his career , he had considerable success in television roles . His family had no theatrical connections , but Olivier 's father , a clergyman , decided that his son should become an actor . After attending a drama school in London , Olivier learned his craft in a succession of acting jobs during the late 1920s . In 1930 he had his first important West End success in Noël Coward 's Private Lives , and he appeared in his first film . In 1935 he played in a celebrated production of Romeo and Juliet alongside Gielgud and Peggy Ashcroft , and by the end of the decade he was an established star . In the 1940s , together with Richardson and John Burrell , Olivier was the co-director of the Old Vic , building it into a highly respected company . There his most celebrated roles included Shakespeare 's Richard III and Sophocles 's Oedipus . In the 1950s Olivier was an independent actor-manager , but his stage career was in the doldrums until he joined the avant garde English Stage Company in 1957 to play the title role in The Entertainer , a part he later played on film . From 1963 to 1973 he was the founding director of Britain 's National Theatre , running a resident company that fostered many future stars . His own parts there included the title role in Othello ( 1964 ) and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice ( 1970 ) . Among Olivier 's films are Wuthering Heights ( 1939 ) , Rebecca ( 1940 ) , and a trilogy of Shakespeare films as actor-director : Henry V ( 1944 ) , Hamlet ( 1948 ) , and Richard III ( 1955 ) . His later films included Sleuth ( 1972 ) , Marathon Man ( 1976 ) , and The Boys from Brazil ( 1978 ) . His television appearances included an adaptation of The Moon and Sixpence ( 1960 ) , Long Day 's Journey into Night ( 1973 ) , Love Among the Ruins ( 1975 ) , Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ( 1976 ) , Brideshead Revisited ( 1981 ) and King Lear ( 1983 ) . Olivier 's honours included a knighthood ( 1947 ) , a life peerage ( 1970 ) and the Order of Merit ( 1981 ) . For his on-screen work he received four Academy Awards , two British Academy Film Awards , five Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards . The National Theatre 's largest auditorium is named in his honour , and he is commemorated in the Laurence Olivier Awards , given annually by the Society of London Theatre . He was married three times , to the actresses Jill Esmond from 1930 to 1940 , Vivien Leigh from 1940 to 1960 , and Joan Plowright from 1961 until his death .", "Keira Knightley. Keira Christina Knightley ( -LSB- ˌkɪərə_ˈnaɪtli -RSB- born 26 March 1985 ) is an English actress . She began acting as a child on television and made her film debut in 1995 . After having worked in supporting roles in various films , Knightley gained recognition with the 2002 comedy drama Bend It Like Beckham . She achieved international fame after landing the role of Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series . One of the highest-paid actresses of Hollywood , Knightley has won an Empire Award , and has garnered multiple nominations for the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes . Knightley became known for starring in period dramas such as Pride & Prejudice ( 2005 ) , for which she earned nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress ; Atonement ( 2007 ) , for which she was nominated again for a Golden Globe ; Silk ( 2007 ) ; The Duchess ( 2008 ) ; A Dangerous Method ( 2011 ) ; and Anna Karenina ( 2012 ) . She has also appeared in a variety of other genres , including the romantic comedy Love Actually ( 2003 ) , as Guinevere in the historical action King Arthur ( 2004 ) , the psychological thriller The Jacket ( 2005 ) , biographical action Domino ( 2005 ) , the historical romantic drama The Edge of Love ( 2008 ) , the film noir London Boulevard ( 2010 ) , the dystopian science fiction Never Let Me Go ( 2010 ) , the romantic drama Last Night ( 2010 ) , and the dark comedy Seeking a Friend for the End of the World ( 2012 ) . In its 2008 list , Forbes identified Knightley as the second-highest-paid actress in Hollywood , with reported earnings of US$ 32 million in 2007 , making her the only non-American on the list of highest-paid actresses that year . In 2014 , she was nominated for a Golden Globe , a SAG , a BAFTA Award , and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the historical drama The Imitation Game . In October 2015 , Knightley made her Broadway debut in the title role of Thérèse Raquin .", "Elizabeth Hurley. Elizabeth Jane Hurley ( born 10 June 1965 ) , sometimes known as Liz Hurley , is an English actress and model . She has been associated with the cosmetics company Estée Lauder since the company gave Hurley her first modelling job at the age of 29 . They have featured her as a representative and model for their products , especially perfumes such as Sensuous , Intuition , and Pleasures , since 1995 . Hurley owns an eponymous beachwear line . As an actress , her best-known film roles to date have been as Vanessa Kensington in Mike Myers ' hit spy comedy , Austin Powers : International Man of Mystery ( 1997 ) and as the Devil in Bedazzled ( 2000 ) . In 2015 , Hurley began starring in the E! original series The Royals . In the 1990s , Hurley became known as the girlfriend of Hugh Grant . In 1994 , as Grant became the focus of international media attention due to the success of his film Four Weddings and a Funeral , Hurley accompanied him to the film 's Los Angeles premiere in a plunging black Versace dress held together with gold safety pins , which gained her instant media attention .", "Four Weddings and a Funeral. Four Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 British romantic comedy film directed by Mike Newell . It was the first of several films by screenwriter Richard Curtis to feature Hugh Grant , and follows the adventures of Charles ( Grant ) and his circle of friends through a number of social occasions as they each encounter romance . Andie MacDowell stars as Charles ' love interest Carrie , with Kristin Scott Thomas , James Fleet , Simon Callow , John Hannah , Charlotte Coleman , David Bower , Corin Redgrave and Rowan Atkinson in supporting roles . It was made in six weeks and cost under # 3 million , becoming an unexpected success and the highest-grossing British film in cinema history at the time , with worldwide box office in excess of $ 245.7 million , and receiving Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay . In addition to this , Grant won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and the film also won the BAFTA Awards Best Film , Best Direction and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Scott Thomas . In 1999 , Four Weddings and a Funeral placed 23rd on the British Film Institute 's Top 100 British films list .", "Henry Cavill. Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill ( -LSB- ˈkævᵻl -RSB- born 5 May 1983 ) is a British actor . Cavill began his career starring in the film adaptations of The Count of Monte Cristo ( 2002 ) and I Capture the Castle ( 2003 ) . He later appeared in minor and supporting roles in television shows such as BBC 's The Inspector Lynley Mysteries , ITV 's Midsomer Murders and Showtime 's The Tudors ( 2007-10 ) , then crossed to mainstream Hollywood films such as Tristan & Isolde ( 2006 ) , Stardust ( 2007 ) , Blood Creek ( 2009 ) and Immortals ( 2011 ) . Cavill starred as Charles Brandon , 1st Duke of Suffolk in the Showtime television series The Tudors ; and in 2008 became the official spokesman for the Dunhill fragrance collection for men . Cavill gained further prominence and international fame playing the titular superhero Superman in the DC Extended Universe starting with the 2013 reboot film Man of Steel , originally the highest-grossing Superman film of all time until it was surpassed by 2016 's Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , where he reprised his role as Superman ; making it his highest-grossing film to date . In 2015 , he co-starred with Armie Hammer in the spy film The Man from U.N.C.L.E.", "Claire Ross-Brown. Claire Ross-Brown ( born 11 November 1972 ) is an English actress . Claire was born in Chelsea , London . Her father is English and her mother , although English , is of Italian and Malaysian ancestry . Claire studied at the Corona Stage Academy . Ross-Brown 's acting debut was in the long-running successful British television series EastEnders and then films such as The Rainbow by Ken Russell . Whilst at stage school Claire became one of the first lingerie models for the well-known high street chain C & A . It was a controversial campaign at the time as she was only 14 years of age and lingerie was a new concept for such young girls . After some years away from acting , where she focused on her studying , Claire then did a four-year stint as head-hunter in Banking and Finance ( she was 19 at the time and the youngest in her company to do this job ) . Claire then returned to the screen appearing in the cable TV show Agony in England . In 1999 Claire moved to Copenhagen , Denmark . She is known in Denmark for her role as Claire , in the Danish cult series Klovn which has been Denmark 's most successful comedy ever , hence Claire 's breakthrough into the Danish film and TV market . Claire stars alongside comedians Casper Christensen , Frank Hvam and actress Iben Hjejle . As well as appearing in TV and films in Denmark and abroad , Ross-Brown has appeared as herself in shows such as `` Come Dine With Me '' ( Danish : 4 stjerners middag , Djævleræs and Master chef ) amongst others and is one of the main English voice over artists in Denmark . Claire has appeared in films such as Love me Forever , Take the Trash out ( Danish , Blå Mænd , Pisteleros and The Collector ( Danish : Inkasso ) . In 2012 Claire appears in films : In Real Life and The Stranger Inside . Claire is also the new face of `` Intraceuticals '' for 2012 .", "Tom Hanks. Thomas Jeffrey Hanks ( born July 9 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles , including Splash ( 1984 ) , Big ( 1988 ) , Turner & Hooch ( 1989 ) , A League of Their Own ( 1992 ) , Sleepless in Seattle ( 1993 ) , Philadelphia ( 1993 ) , Forrest Gump ( 1994 ) , Apollo 13 ( 1995 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , You 've Got Mail ( 1998 ) , The Green Mile ( 1999 ) , Cast Away ( 2000 ) , Road to Perdition ( 2002 ) , and The Da Vinci Code ( 2006 ) , as well as for his voice work in the animated films The Polar Express ( 2004 ) and the Toy Story series . Hanks ' films have grossed more than $ 4.5 billion at U.S. and Canadian box offices and more than $ 9.0 billion worldwide , making him the third-highest-grossing actor in North America . Hanks has been nominated for numerous awards during his career . He won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia , as well as a Golden Globe , an Academy Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award , and a People 's Choice Award for Best Actor for his role in Forrest Gump . In 2004 , he received the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) . In 2014 , he received a Kennedy Center Honor and , in 2016 , he received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama , as well as the French Legion of Honor . Hanks is also known for his collaborations with film director Steven Spielberg on Saving Private Ryan , Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) , The Terminal ( 2004 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) , as well as the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers , which launched Hanks as a successful director , producer , and screenwriter . In 2010 , Spielberg and Hanks were executive producers on the HBO miniseries The Pacific ( a companion piece to Band of Brothers ) .", "British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor. The British Academy Television Awards are given out by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) . They are informally known as the BAFTA TV Awards . They have been awarded since 1954 . From 1968-1997 , the BAFTA TV Awards and the BAFTA Film Awards were presented in one joint ceremony . Since 1998 , there have been two separate ceremonies . The film awards are held in February , two weeks ahead of the Academy Awards ( Oscars ) in America , while the Television awards are held in late May . The BAFTA TV Award is the UK equivalent to the Emmy Award in the United States . The awards for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress were first presented at the 2010 ceremony .", "Daniel Craig. Daniel Wroughton Craig ( born 2 March 1968 ) is an English actor . He trained at the National Youth Theatre and graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1991 , before beginning his career on stage . His film debut was in the drama The Power of One ( 1992 ) . Other early appearances were in the Disney family film A Kid in King Arthur 's Court ( 1995 ) and the biographical film Elizabeth ( 1998 ) , as well as in the historical war drama television series Sharpe 's Eagle ( 1993 ) and the action-adventure drama series Zorro . Cast as the fictional British secret agent James Bond in October 2005 , his first film in the role , Casino Royale , was released internationally in November 2006 . Craig 's appearances in the British television film Love Is the Devil : Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon ( 1998 ) , the indie war film The Trench ( 1999 ) , and the drama Some Voices ( 2000 ) attracted the film industry 's attention . This led to roles in bigger productions such as the action film Lara Croft : Tomb Raider ( 2001 ) , the crime thriller Road to Perdition ( 2002 ) , the crime thriller Layer Cake ( 2004 ) , and the Steven Spielberg historical drama Munich ( 2005 ) . Craig achieved international fame when chosen as the sixth actor to play the role of Ian Fleming 's James Bond in the official film series , taking over from Pierce Brosnan in 2005 . Although his casting was initially greeted with scepticism , his debut was highly acclaimed and earned him a BAFTA award nomination , with Casino Royale becoming the highest-grossing in the series at the time . Quantum of Solace followed two years later . Craig 's third Bond film , Skyfall , premiered in 2012 and is currently the highest-grossing film in the series , was the highest-grossing film in the UK until 2015 and the fifteenth highest-grossing film of all time . Craig 's fourth Bond film , Spectre , premiered in 2015 . In 2006 , he joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . Since taking the role of Bond , he has continued to star in other films , including the World War II film Defiance ( 2008 ) , science fiction Western Cowboys & Aliens ( 2010 ) , and the English-language adaptation of Stieg Larsson 's mystery thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ( 2011 ) . Craig also made a guest appearance as Bond in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games , alongside Queen Elizabeth II . As of 20 February 2017 , Craig is the second longest serving James Bond , surpassed only by Roger Moore .", "The Flock (film). The Flock is a 2007 American thriller film directed by Andrew Lau , the co-director of the Infernal Affairs trilogy . The film , which marks his first English-language film , stars Richard Gere and Claire Danes .", "Scott Patterson. Scott Gordon Patterson ( born September 11 , 1958 ) is an American actor and musician . He is known for his role as Luke Danes in Gilmore Girls and Agent Strahm in Saw IV , Saw V and Saw VI . He also starred as Michael Buchanan in the NBC drama series The Event and as a Tenctonese alien commander in the TV film Alien Nation : Dark Horizon .", "Geneviève Bujold. Geneviève Bujold ( -LSB- ʒən.vjɛːv by.ʒɔld -RSB- ; or -LSB- by.ʒo -RSB- , born July 1 , 1942 ) is a Canadian actress best known for her portrayal of Anne Boleyn in the 1969 film Anne of the Thousand Days . She won a Golden Globe Award for best actress and was nominated for an Academy Award . She has played roles in numerous Canadian , American , and French films .", "London (2005 American film). London is a 2005 independent film centering on a Manhattan party . The movie , produced by Paul Davis-Miller & Bonnie Timmermann , was directed and written by Brian `` Hunter '' Richards . It stars Jessica Biel , Chris Evans , Jason Statham , Joy Bryant , Dane Cook , Kat Dennings and Louis C.K.", "Ralph Fiennes. Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes ( -LSB- ˈreɪf_ˈfaɪnz -RSB- born 22 December 1962 ) is an English actor , director and producer . A noted Shakespeare interpreter , he first achieved success onstage at the Royal National Theatre . Fiennes ' portrayal of Nazi war criminal Amon Göth in Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) earned him nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor , and he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role . His performance as Count Almásy in The English Patient ( 1996 ) garnered him a second Academy Award nomination , for Best Actor , as well as BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations . Since then , Fiennes has been in a number of notable films , including Quiz Show ( 1994 ) , Strange Days ( 1995 ) , The End of the Affair ( 1999 ) , Red Dragon ( 2002 ) , The Constant Gardener ( 2005 ) , In Bruges ( 2008 ) , The Reader ( 2008 ) , Clash of the Titans ( 2010 ) , Great Expectations ( 2012 ) and The Grand Budapest Hotel ( 2014 ) . He voiced Rameses in The Prince of Egypt ( 1998 ) and Alfred Pennyworth in The Lego Batman Movie ( 2017 ) . Fiennes is also known for his roles in major film franchises such as the Harry Potter film series ( 2005 -- 2011 ) , in which he played the villainous Lord Voldemort , and the James Bond series , in which he has played Gareth Mallory / M , starting with the 2012 film Skyfall . In 2011 , Fiennes made his directorial debut with his film adaptation of Shakespeare 's tragedy Coriolanus , in which he also played the title character . Fiennes won a Tony Award for playing Prince Hamlet on Broadway . Since 1999 , Fiennes has served as an ambassador for UNICEF UK . One of the highest profile actors in contemporary British popular culture , Fiennes appeared on Debrett 's 2017 list of the most influential people in the UK .", "It's All About Love. It 's All About Love is a 2003 romance-drama film written and directed by Thomas Vinterberg . Its narrative can be classified as apocalyptic science fiction , but Vinterberg prefers to call it `` a dream '' . Unlike the director 's earlier Danish-language films , It 's All About Love is entirely in English and stars Joaquin Phoenix , Claire Danes and Sean Penn. . The production was led by Denmark 's Nimbus Film , but the film was largely an international co-production , with involvement of companies from nine different countries in total . It was very poorly received by film critics .", "The Actors. The Actors is a 2003 film written and directed by Conor McPherson and starring Dylan Moran and Michael Caine . In supporting roles are Michael Gambon , Miranda Richardson and Lena Headey . The Actors is a contemporary comedy set in Dublin . It follows the exploits of two mediocre stage actors as they devise a plan to con a retired gangster out of # 50,000 . The gangster owes the money to a third party , whom he has never met . The actors take advantage of this fact by impersonating this ` unidentified ' third party , and claiming the debt as their own . To pull it off they enlist Moran 's eerily intelligent nine-year-old niece , who restructures the plan each time something goes wrong . The two protagonists are acting in a version of Shakespeare 's Richard III in which everyone dresses in Nazi uniform , a sly nod to Ian McKellen 's production . The film is centred on the Olympia Theatre , and it is noteworthy for featuring the famous glass awning over the entrance which has since been destroyed in a traffic accident . The glass awning has since been rebuilt to its full former glory ." ]

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[ "Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Hampton play). Les liaisons dangereuses ( -LSB- le ljɛ.zɔ̃ dɑ̃.ʒə.ʁøz -RSB- ) is a play by Christopher Hampton adapted from the 1782 novel of the same title by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos . The plot focuses on the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont , rivals who use sex as a weapon of humiliation and degradation , all the while enjoying their cruel games . Their targets are the virtuous ( and married ) Madame de Tourvel and Cécile de Volanges , a young girl who has fallen in love with her music tutor , the Chevalier Danceny . In order to gain their trust , Merteuil and Valmont pretend to help the secret lovers so they can use them later in their own treacherous schemes .", "Dangerous Liaisons (disambiguation). Dangerous Liaisons is a 1988 American film adaptation of a Christopher Hampton play based on Les Liaisons dangereuses , a French novel by Choderlos de Laclos . Dangerous Liaisons may also refer to : Les Liaisons dangereuses , a French epistolary novel by Choderlos de Laclos published in 1782 , the source work for all later adaptions Les liaisons dangereuses ( film ) , a French adaptation by Roger Vadim released in 1960 Les liaisons dangereuses ( play ) , Christopher Hampton 's 1985 play based on the novel The Dangerous Liaisons , a 1994 opera by Conrad Susa , adapted by Philip Littell from the novel Dangerous Liaisons ( 2005 film ) , a 2005 gay adult film adapted by Tony DiMarco from the novel Dangerous Liaisons ( 2007 ) , the sixth episode of Hidden Palms ; see List of Hidden Palms episodes Dangerous Liaisons ( 2012 film ) , Chinese film directed by Hur Jin-ho , a Korean director , based on de Laclos ' novel Dangerous Liaisons ( The Vampire Diaries ) , a 2012 episode of the television series , The Vampire Diaries", "Dangerous Liaisons. Dangerous Liaisons is a 1988 American historical drama film based upon Christopher Hampton 's play Les liaisons dangereuses , which in turn was a theatrical adaptation of the 18th-century French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos . The film was directed by Stephen Frears . The performances of Glenn Close , John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer , the cinematography of Philippe Rousselot , the costume design by James Acheson , and the screenplay by Christopher Hampton , garnered critical acclaim . Swoosie Kurtz , Mildred Natwick and Peter Capaldi appeared in supporting roles , as did the young , and then-relatively unknown , actors Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman . The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards , including Best Picture ; it won those for Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Costume Design , and Best Art Direction .", "Christopher Hampton. Christopher James Hampton , CBE , FRSL ( born 26 January 1946 ) is a British playwright , screenwriter , translator and film director . He is best known for his play based on the novel Les Liaisons dangereuses and the film version Dangerous Liaisons ( 1988 ) and also more recently for writing the nominated screenplay for the film adaptation of Ian McEwan 's Atonement .", "Dangerous Liaisons (2005 film). Dangerous Liaisons is a gay pornographic film directed by Michael Lucas and released by Lucas Entertainment in 2005 . The film is a film adaptation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses , a novel written in 1782 by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos . Set in the fashion industry of modern-day New York City , Lucas inserted pornographic scenes into the common themes of lust and deceit for the plot of his X-rated version . A documentary of the film , More Dangerous : The Making of Michael Lucas ' Dangerous Liaisons , premiered at the 2006 Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival on July 22 , 2006 .", "Dangerous Liaisons (2012 film). Dangerous Liaisons is a 2012 Chinese film by Hur Jin-ho loosely based on the novel with the same title by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos . The novel has been adapted numerous times , including Les Liaisons Dangereuses , an adaptation by Roger Vadim ( 1959 ) , the eponymous Hollywood film ( 1988 ) , Valmont ( 1989 ) , Cruel Intentions ( 1999 ) , and Untold Scandal from South Korea ( 2003 ) . This version is set in 1930s Shanghai and stars South Korean actor Jang Dong-gun and Chinese actresses Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung . The film screened in the Directors ' Fortnight section at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival , the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival , and the 2012 Busan International Film Festival .", "Les Liaisons dangereuses (film). Les liaisons dangereuses ( Dangerous Liaisons ) is a 1959 French-language film , loosely based on the 1782 novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos , though is set in present-day France . It was directed by Roger Vadim , and stars Jeanne Moreau , Gerard Phillipe , and Annette Vadim . It was a French/Italian co-production .", "The Dangerous Liaisons. The Dangerous Liaisons is an opera in two acts and eight scenes , with music by Conrad Susa to an English libretto by Philip Littell . It is based on the novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos . The opera received its first performance by the San Francisco Opera on 10 September 1994 , with stage direction by Colin Graham and Donald Runnicles as the conductor . The world-premiere cast included Thomas Hampson as Valmont , Frederica von Stade as Merteuil , David Hobson as Chevalier de Danceny , Renée Fleming as Tourvel and Mary Mills as Cécile de Volanges . The opera was performed at Washington Opera in March 1998 . The opera has set numbers with recitative and spoken dialog . It is set in France in the 18th century and was also aired on the American PBS television network , a video recording of which was also made .", "Liaisons dangereuses (disambiguation). Les Liaisons dangereuses is a French epistolary novel by Choderlos de Laclos . Les Liaisons dangereuses may also refer to : Les liaisons dangereuses ( film ) , a 1959 film adapted by Claude Brulé and directed by Roger Vadim Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 , the soundtrack by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers with Barney Wilen for the above film Les liaisons dangereuses ( play ) , a 1985 play adapted by Christopher Hampton Les Liaisons dangereuses ( TV miniseries ) , a 2003 TV miniseries adapted by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt Liaisons Dangereuses ( band ) , a German electropunk band from the early 1980s and their eponymous 1981 album", "A Dangerous Method. A Dangerous Method is a 2011 German-Canadian-American-British historical film directed by David Cronenberg and starring Keira Knightley , Viggo Mortensen , Michael Fassbender , and Vincent Cassel . The screenplay was adapted by writer Christopher Hampton from his 2002 stage play The Talking Cure , which was based on the 1993 non-fiction book by John Kerr , A Most Dangerous Method : The story of Jung , Freud , and Sabina Spielrein . The film marks the third consecutive collaboration between Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen ( after A History of Violence and Eastern Promises ) . This is also the third Cronenberg film made with British film producer Jeremy Thomas , after completing together the William Burroughs adaptation Naked Lunch and the J. G. Ballard adaptation Crash . A Dangerous Method was a German/Canadian co-production . The film premiered at the 68th Venice Film Festival and was also featured at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival . Set on the eve of World War I , A Dangerous Method describes the turbulent relationships between Carl Jung , founder of analytical psychology ; Sigmund Freud , founder of the discipline of psychoanalysis ; and Sabina Spielrein , initially a patient of Jung and later a physician and one of the first female psychoanalysts . Among the film 's many honors , Mortensen was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture for his portrayal of Freud .", "Les Liaisons dangereuses. Les Liaisons dangereuses ( -LSB- le ljɛ.zɔ̃ dɑ̃.ʒə.ʁøz -RSB- ; Dangerous Liaisons ) is a French epistolary novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos , first published in four volumes by Durand Neveu from March 23 , 1782 . It is the story of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont , two rivals ( and ex-lovers ) who use seduction as a weapon to humiliate and degrade others , all the while enjoying their cruel games and boasting about their manipulative talents . It has been claimed to depict the decadence of the French aristocracy shortly before the French Revolution , thereby exposing the perversions of the so-called Ancien Régime . However , it has also been described as an amoral story . As an epistolary novel , the book is composed entirely of letters written by the various characters to each other . In particular , the letters between Valmont and the Marquise drive the plot , with those of their victims and other characters serving as contrasting figures to give the story its depth . It is often claimed to be the source of the saying `` Revenge is a dish best served cold '' , a paraphrased translation of `` La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid '' ( more literally , `` Revenge is a dish that is eaten cold '' ) . However , the expression does not actually occur in the original novel in any form .", "Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. Pierre Ambroise François Choderlos de Laclos ( -LSB- pjɛʁ ɑ̃brwaːz ʃɔdɛʁlo də laklo -RSB- ; 18 October 1741 -- 5 September 1803 ) was a French novelist , official , freemason and army general , best known for writing the epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses ( Dangerous Liaisons ) ( 1782 ) . A unique case in French literature , he was for a long time considered to be as scandalous a writer as the Marquis de Sade or Nicolas-Edme Rétif . He was a military officer with no illusions about human relations , and an amateur writer ; however , his initial plan was to `` write a work which departed from the ordinary , which made a noise , and which would remain on earth after his death '' ; from this point of view he mostly attained his goals , with the fame of his masterwork Les Liaisons dangereuses . It is one of the masterpieces of novelistic literature of the 18th century , which explores the amorous intrigues of the aristocracy . It has inspired a large number of critical and analytic commentaries , plays , and films .", "Michael Jackson's Dangerous Liaisons. Michael Jackson 's Dangerous Liaisons is a book by the writer and paedophile activist Tom O'Carroll , writing under the pen-name Carl Toms , in which the author reviews all-extensively the controversially intimate relationships of the American singer Michael Jackson with young boys . Published at 2010 in the United Kingdom by Troubador Publishing Ltd , the book received pre-publication endorsements from five professors : D. J. West , emeritus professor of clinical criminology , University of Cambridge ; Richard Green , emeritus professor of psychiatry , UCLA ; William Armstrong Percy III , professor of history , University of Massachusetts ; Thomas K. Hubbard , professor of classics , University of Texas ; and James R. Kincaid , professor of English , University of Southern California . After publication , J. Michael Bailey , professor of psychology at Northwestern University , also gave high praise in a review for Archives of Sexual Behavior . Describing the author as `` an unapologetic pedophile '' , Bailey nevertheless advised potential readers to set aside any scepticism to which that might give rise . `` The book , '' he wrote , `` is fascinating , challenging and discomfiting . Anyone wanting to understand Michael Jackson will need to read it . '' Bailey noted that the book takes `` a pro-pedophilic stance '' and argues `` persuasively '' that Jackson was `` almost certainly pedophilic '' .", "Les Liaisons dangereuses (miniseries). Les Liaisons dangereuses ( English title : Dangerous Liaisons ) is a 2003 French television mini-series directed by Josée Dayan starring Catherine Deneuve , Rupert Everett , Nastassja Kinski and Leelee Sobieski . It is based on the classic eighteenth-century novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos .", "Mary Reilly (film). Mary Reilly is a 1996 American film directed by Stephen Frears and starring Julia Roberts and John Malkovich . The movie was written by Christopher Hampton and adapted from the novel Mary Reilly by Valerie Martin ( itself inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson 's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde ) . This was the re-teaming of director Frears , screenwriter Hampton , and actors Malkovich and Glenn Close , all of whom were involved in the Oscar-winning Dangerous Liaisons ( 1988 ) .", "Dangerous Liaisons (The Vampire Diaries). `` Dangerous Liaisons '' is the fourteenth episode of the third season of The CW television series , The Vampire Diaries and the 58th episode of the series overall . It originally aired on February 9 , 2012 . The episode was written by Caroline Dries and directed by Chris Grismer .", "Cruel Intentions. Cruel Intentions is a 1999 American romantic teen drama film starring Sarah Michelle Gellar , Ryan Phillippe , Reese Witherspoon , and Selma Blair . The film is an adaptation of Les Liaisons dangereuses , written by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos in 1782 , but set among wealthy teenagers attending high school in modern New York City instead of 18th century France . The film started as an independent film with a small budget , and was later picked up by Columbia Pictures . It was released on March 5 , 1999 to mixed critical reviews , but was a box office success , earning $ 75 million worldwide . It was followed by two direct-to-video films : a prequel , Cruel Intentions 2 , and a sequel , Cruel Intentions 3 . In early 2016 , it was announced Cruel Intentions could receive a television series spin-off with Gellar set to reprise her role as Kathryn , as NBC ordered a pilot to a follow-up TV series , but the series was not picked up . On October 31 , 2016 , NBC announced that it had passed on the project , but Sony Pictures Television announced it was shopping the pilot with other networks .", "Bad Liaisons. Bad Liaisons is a 1955 French drama film directed by Alexandre Astruc and starring Anouk Aimée . It tells the story of an ambitious journalist who has sacrificed her emotional life for the sake of her career . The story is told through flashbacks during a police interrogation . The film is based on the novel The Cautious Maiden by Cécil Saint-Laurent . Filming took place from 7 March to 7 May 1955 . The film was shown in competition at the 16th Venice International Film Festival and won the award for Most Promising New Director . It was released in France on 21 October 1955 .", "Hampton, Virginia. Hampton is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia . As of the 2010 census , the population was 137,436 . As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area , it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula . Hampton traces its history to the city 's Old Point Comfort , the home of Fort Monroe for almost 400 years , which was named by the 1607 voyagers , led by Captain Christopher Newport , who first established Jamestown as an English colonial settlement . Since consolidation in 1952 , Hampton has included the former Elizabeth City County and the incorporated town of Phoebus , consolidating by mutual agreement . After the end of the American Civil War , historic Hampton University was established opposite from the town on the Hampton River , providing an education for many newly-freed former slaves and for area Native Americans . In the 20th century , the area became the location of Langley Air Force Base , NASA Langley Research Center , and the Virginia Air and Space Center . Hampton features many miles of waterfront and beaches . For residents and visitors alike , the city features a wide array of business and industrial enterprises , retail and residential areas , and historical sites . Most recently , the new Peninsula Town Center development opened in May 2010 on the site of the former Coliseum Mall . Located in the area adjacent to the Hampton Coliseum and the Convention Center , the new urbanism-type project features a wide mix of retail stores , housing and other attractions . Development of new residential development and additional public facilities ( such as the new fishing pier recently opened ) are underway at Buckroe Beach , long a noted resort area . Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway , it hosts the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel ( HRBT ) on Interstate 64 . First opened in 1957 , it was the world 's first bridge-tunnel , crossing the mouth of the Hampton Roads harbor , which serves as the gateway to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean from the eastern United States ' largest ice-free harbor and its tributary rivers . Expanded in the 1970s , the HRBT remains Virginia 's busiest and deepest such facility .", "Hank Moonjean. Hank Moonjean ( January 19 , 1930 -- October 7 , 2012 ) was an American film producer , executive producer , and associate producer . His production credits included Dangerous Liaisons , Child 's Play , and The Great Gatsby and several movies featuring Burt Reynolds . Moonjean and film producer Norma Heyman jointly received an Academy Award for Best Picture nomination for the 1988 dramatic film , Dangerous Liaisons .", "The Hamptons (TV series). The Hamptons is a limited run prime-time soap opera which aired during the summer of 1983 ( from July 27 through August 24 ) for 5 episodes on ABC . It was produced by Gloria Monty , the producer credited with turning General Hospital from a low-rated daytime serial to a soap phenomenon . The series is set in Manhattan and the affluent Long Island community referenced in the show 's title . The cast includes actors with previous experience in daytime and prime-time serials : Leigh Taylor-Young ( Peyton Place ) , Michael Goodwin ( Another World ) , John Reilly ( As the World Turns , Dallas ) Bibi Besch ( Secrets of Midland Heights , Somerset , Love Is a Many Splendored Thing ) , etc. . The series was shot on videotape rather than film , which gave it a look consistent with most daytime soap operas . The focus of the series was on the wealthy Chadway and Duncan-Mortimer families , who co-owned the stylish Duncan-Chadway department stores . The Chadways ( Peter , wife Lee , and son Brian ) were positioned as the noble family , while the Duncan-Mortimers ( Jay , wife Adrienne , and daughter Tracy ) were the schemers . The plots concerned power maneuvers to gain control of the retail corporation , and illicit sexual couplings . By the final episode , Peter Chadway was accused of murder , Jay Mortimer , who had schemed to seize control of the company , was exposed as having forced his stepdaughter Tracy into an incestuous relationship , and rival businessman Nick Atwater used the vulnerable state of the Chadway marriage to insinuate himself further into Lee 's life . The cliffhangers were left unresolved . It was assumed if ratings were good , the series would return to the schedule at some point , but no further episodes were produced .", "Hampton Roads. Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in Virginia and the surrounding metropolitan region in Southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina , United States . Comprising the Virginia Beach -- Norfolk -- Newport News , VA -- NC metropolitan area and an extended Combined Statistical Area that includes the Elizabeth City , NC Micropolitan Statistical Area and Kill Devil Hills , NC Micropolitan Statistical Area , Hampton Roads is known for its large military presence , ice-free harbor , shipyards , coal piers , and miles of waterfront property and beaches , all of which contribute to the diversity and stability of the region 's economy . The body of water known as Hampton Roads is one of the world 's largest natural harbors ( more accurately a roadstead or `` roads '' ) . It incorporates the mouths of the Elizabeth River , Nansemond River , and James River with several smaller rivers and empties into the Chesapeake Bay near its mouth leading to the Atlantic Ocean . The land area ( also known as `` Tidewater '' ) includes a collection of cities , counties and towns on the Virginia Peninsula and in South Hampton Roads . Some of the outlying areas further from the harbor may or may not be included as part of `` Hampton Roads '' , depending upon the organization or usage . For example , as defined for federal economic purposes , the Hampton Roads metropolitan statistical area ( MSA ) includes two counties in northeastern North Carolina and two counties in Virginia 's Middle Peninsula . The Virginia Beach -- Norfolk -- Newport News , VA -- NC MSA has a population of over 1.7 million , making it the 37th-largest metropolitan area in the United States and the largest on the Eastern Seaboard between New York and Miami . The Combined Statistical Area includes four additional counties in North Carolina , pushing the regional population to over 1.8 million residents , the 32nd largest CSA in the country . The area is steeped in 400 years of American history , with hundreds of historical sites and attractions that draw visitors from around the world each year . The harbor was the key to Hampton Roads ' growth , both on land and in water-related activities and events . While the harbor and its tributaries were ( and still are ) important transportation conduits , at the same time they presented obstacles to land-based commerce and travel . Creating and maintaining adequate infrastructure has long been a major challenge . The Hampton Roads Bridge -- Tunnel ( HRBT ) and the Monitor -- Merrimac Memorial Bridge -- Tunnel ( MMMBT ) are major harbor crossings of the Hampton Roads Beltway interstate , which links the large population centers of Hampton Roads . In 2007 , the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority ( HRTA ) was formed under a controversial state law to levy various additional taxes , fees , and tolls to generate funding for major regional transportation projects , including a long-sought but costly third crossing of the harbor of Hampton Roads .", "Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Jonathan Rhys Meyers ( born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe ; 27 July 1977 ) is an Irish actor . He is best known for his roles in the films Velvet Goldmine ( 1998 ) , Bend It Like Beckham ( 2002 ) , Match Point ( 2005 ) , Mission Impossible III ( 2006 ) and his television roles as Elvis Presley in the biographical miniseries Elvis ( 2005 ) , which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Miniseries or Television Film , and as King Henry VIII in the historical drama The Tudors ( 2007 -- 10 ) . He has been the face model for several Hugo Boss fragrances advertising campaigns . In 2013 , Meyers appeared as the villain Valentine Morgenstern in The Mortal Instruments : City of Bones , based on Cassandra Clare 's novel , City of Bones . He also starred in the NBC drama series Dracula ( 2013 -- 14 ) as the title character . Meyers appeared in the 2015 film Stonewall , directed by Roland Emmerich .", "Dangerous Acquaintances. Dangerous Acquaintances is the eighth studio album by English singer Marianne Faithfull . It was released on 1 September 1981 by Island Records . The album was seen by reviewers as a disappointing follow-up to Faithfull 's Broken English , as the album trades the angry and controversial alternative new wave arrangements of the previous one for a more mainstream rock texture , using over a dozen session musicians and , for some , giving a certain anonymous feel to the songs . The title is a reference to the Pierre Choderlos de Laclos 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses . The main singles of the album were `` Intrigue '' , penned by the singer 's then-husband , Ben Brierley , and `` For Beauty 's Sake '' , written by Faithfull and Steve Winwood .", "Joss Whedon. Joss Whedon ( -LSB- ˈwiːdən -RSB- ) ( born Joseph Hill Whedon on June 23 , 1964 ) is an American screenwriter , film and television director , film and television producer , comic book author , and composer . He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-founder of Bellwether Pictures , and is best known as the creator of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer ( 1997 -- 2003 ) , Angel ( 1999 -- 2004 ) , Firefly ( 2002 ) , Dollhouse ( 2009 -- 10 ) and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ( from 2013 ) . Whedon co-wrote the Pixar film Toy Story ( 1995 ) , wrote and directed the Firefly film continuation Serenity ( 2005 ) , co-wrote and directed the Internet mini-series Dr. Horrible 's Sing-Along Blog ( 2008 ) , co-wrote and produced the horror comedy The Cabin in the Woods ( 2012 ) , and wrote and directed the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero films The Avengers ( 2012 ) and its sequel Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) .", "Liaisons Dangereuses (band). Liaisons Dangereuses was founded by Beate Bartel ( Mania D , Einstürzende Neubauten ) and Chrislo Haas ( Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft ) together with vocalist Krishna Goineau in 1981 . As a part of the Neue Deutsche Welle scene ( especially electropunk ) in Germany they pioneered electronic body music . After recording four ten-minute cassettes , they released their sole album in 1981 . The self-titled album was mixed at Conny Plank 's studio in Köln . The group made several live appearances throughout 1981 and 1982 and were occasionally joined by Anita Lane ( Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds ) and Hideto Sasaki . The album carried the single `` Los Niños del Parque '' which became an underground hit and has been cited by many prominent Chicago house and Detroit techno DJ 's as a crucial influence .", "Dangerous Moonlight. Dangerous Moonlight ( also known as Suicide Squadron in the USA ) is a 1941 British film , starring Anton Walbrook , best known for its score written by Richard Addinsell with orchestrations by Roy Douglas , which includes the Warsaw Concerto . Among the costumes , the gowns were designed by Cecil Beaton . The film 's love-story plot told mainly in flashbacks , revolves around the fictional composer of the Warsaw Concerto , a piano virtuoso and `` shell-shocked '' combat pilot , who meets an American war correspondent in Warsaw , and later returns from America to join the RAF in England to continue to fight against the Germans and their occupation of Poland .", "The Golden Boys. The Golden Boys is a romantic comedy , set on Cape Cod in 1905 , about three 70-year-old retired sea captains who try to lure an attractive middle-aged woman into marriage . Developed under the working title Chatham , the film is an adaptation of the Joseph Lincoln novel Cap’n Eri and was released by Roadside Attractions on April 17 , 2009 .", "The Secret Agent (film). The Secret Agent is a 1996 American drama-thriller film written and directed by Christopher Hampton and starring Bob Hoskins and Patricia Arquette . It is adapted from Joseph Conrad 's 1907 novel of the same name .", "Dan \"Two Dogs\" Hampton. Dan Hampton is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1986 to 2006 . He flew 151 combat missions in the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and logged 726 career combat hours . Lt. Col ( Ret . ) Hampton is best known as a `` Wild Weasel '' , or Surface-to-Air ( SAM ) site killer , recording 21 hard kills on SAM sites . Hampton fought in multiple wars , including the Gulf War , Kosovo War , and Iraq War . He also flew combat air patrols during the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11 , 2001 . Hampton was also wounded in the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing and again as a private military contractor in Baghdad . Hampton is the author of the The Mercenary , New York Times bestseller Viper Pilot : A Memoir of Air Combat , Lords of the Sky , and The Hunter Killers . Additionally , he is the CEO of MVI International , a private military company based out of Colorado .", "Falsettos. Falsettos is a musical with a book by James Lapine and William Finn , and music and lyrics by Finn . The musical consists of March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland , the last two installments in one trio of one-act Off-Broadway musicals ( the first was In Trousers ) . The story involves Marvin , his ex-wife Trina , his psychiatrist Mendel , his son Jason , his gay lover Whizzer Brown , and his neighbors Cordelia and Dr. Charlotte . The musical premiered on Broadway in 1992 and was nominated for seven Tony Awards , of which it won Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score . It was revived briefly on Broadway in 2016 , and this revival performance has been nominated for five Tony Awards .", "Grey's Anatomy. Grey 's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series that premiered on American Broadcasting Company ( ABC ) as a mid-season replacement on March 27 , 2005 . The series focuses on the fictional lives of surgical interns , residents and attending physicians , as they evolve into seasoned doctors while trying to maintain personal lives and relationships . The title is a play on Gray 's Anatomy , a human anatomy textbook by Henry Gray . The show 's premise originated with Shonda Rhimes , who serves as an executive producer , along with Betsy Beers , Mark Gordon , Krista Vernoff , Rob Corn , Mark Wilding , and Allan Heinberg . Although it is set in Seattle at the fictional Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital ( formerly Seattle Grace ) it is primarily filmed in Los Angeles , California . The show was originally titled Complications , a reference to the complicated medical procedures and personal lives of the characters . The series was created to be racially diverse , utilizing a color-blind casting technique . It revolves around the title character , Dr. Meredith Grey , played by Ellen Pompeo . The original cast consisted of nine star-billed actors : Pompeo , Sandra Oh , Katherine Heigl , Justin Chambers , T. R. Knight , Chandra Wilson , James Pickens Jr. , Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey . The cast has undergone major changes through the show 's run , with many members leaving and being replaced by others . In its twelfth season , the show had a large ensemble of sixteen actors , including four from the original cast . On February 10 , 2017 , ABC renewed Grey 's Anatomy for a fourteenth season , which will premiere in the fall of 2017 . Grey 's Anatomy , even in its thirteenth season , is ABC 's highest-rated drama ; although its ratings have fallen over the course of its run ( it was once among the overall top 10 shows in the United States ) , it is still one of the highest rated shows among the 18 -- 49 demographic , and the No. 3 drama on all of broadcast television . Grey 's Anatomy has been well received by critics throughout much of its run , and has been included in various critics 's year-end top ten lists . Since its inception , the show has been described by the media outlets as a television `` phenomenon '' or a `` juggernaut , '' owing to its longevity and dominant ratings . It is considered to have had a significant impact on popular culture and has received numerous awards , including the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama . It has received multiple Emmy nominations , including two for Outstanding Drama Series . In 2012 , Grey 's Anatomy was named the fifth-highest revenue earning show , in terms of advertising per half-hour . It is the longest running scripted primetime show currently airing on ABC , and the second-longest scripted primetime ABC show ever ." ]

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[ "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Oscar speech. An Oscar speech is a public monologue given by a person who has just been awarded an Academy Award , an accolade given annual by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to honor cinematic achievements in the film industry . Though speeches are common for award ceremonies , it is a particularly significant feature of the Academy Awards due to their worldwide audience and history of featuring prominent celebrities .", "71st Academy Awards. The 71st Academy Awards ceremony , organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best of 1998 in film and took place on March 21 , 1999 , at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actress Whoopi Goldberg hosted the show for the third time . She first hosted the 66th ceremony held in 1994 and had last hosted the 68th ceremony in 1996 . Nearly a month earlier in a ceremony held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California on February 27 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Anne Heche . Shakespeare in Love won seven awards including Best Picture . Other winners included Saving Private Ryan with five awards , Life Is Beautiful with three , and Affliction , Bunny , Election Night , Elizabeth , Gods and Monsters , The Last Days , The Personals , The Prince of Egypt , and What Dreams May Come with one . The telecast garnered nearly 46 million viewers in the United States .", "83rd Academy Awards. The 83rd Academy Awards ceremony , organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2010 in the United States and took place on February 27 , 2011 , at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST ( 8:30 p.m. EST ) . During the ceremony , Academy Awards ( commonly called the Oscars ) were presented in 24 competitive categories . The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC , and produced by Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer , with Mischer also serving as director . Actors James Franco and Anne Hathaway co-hosted the ceremony , marking the first time for each . In related events , the Academy held its second annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 13 , 2010 . On February 12 , 2011 , in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Marisa Tomei . Inception and The King 's Speech won four awards each , with the latter film winning Best Picture . Other winners included The Social Network with three awards , Alice in Wonderland , The Fighter , and Toy Story 3 , with two awards , and Black Swan , God of Love , In a Better World , Inside Job , The Lost Thing , Strangers No More , and The Wolfman with one . The telecast garnered almost 38 million viewers in the United States .", "72nd Academy Awards. The 72nd Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored films released in 1999 and took place on March 26 , 2000 , at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles , beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , the AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 23 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by husband-and-wife producing team Richard and Lili Fini Zanuck and was directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actor Billy Crystal hosted the show for the seventh time . He first presided over the 62nd ceremony held in 1990 and had last hosted the 70th ceremony held in 1998 . Three weeks earlier in a ceremony at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California held on March 4 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Salma Hayek . American Beauty won five awards , including Best Picture . Other winners included The Matrix with four awards , The Cider House Rules and Topsy-Turvy with two , and All About My Mother , Boys Do n't Cry , Girl , Interrupted , King Gimp , My Mother Dreams the Satan 's Disciples in New York , The Old Man and the Sea , One Day in September , The Red Violin , Sleepy Hollow , and Tarzan with one . The telecast garnered almost 47 million viewers in the United States .", "85th Academy Awards. The 85th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2012 and took place on February 24 , 2013 , at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . The ceremony was the first in the Academy 's 85-year history to adopt the phrase `` The Oscars '' as the ceremony 's official name during the broadcast and marketing . During the ceremony , the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC , and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and directed by Don Mischer . Actor Seth MacFarlane hosted the show for the first time . In related events , the Academy held its 4th annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on December 1 , 2012 . On February 9 , 2013 , in a ceremony at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by hosts Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana . Life of Pi won four awards including Best Director for Ang Lee . Argo won three awards , including Best Picture , the fourth film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture without its director nominated . Other winners included Les Misérables also with three awards , Django Unchained , Lincoln , and Skyfall with two , and Amour , Anna Karenina , Brave , Curfew , Inocente , Paperman , Searching for Sugar Man , Silver Linings Playbook , and Zero Dark Thirty with one . The telecast garnered more than 40 million viewers in the United States .", "Academy Award for Best Picture. The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually since the awards debuted in 1929 , by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only category in which every member is eligible to submit a nomination and vote on the final ballot . The actors or actresses in the film will not accept this award unless he or she produced the film . Best Picture is considered the premier award of the Academy Awards , as it represents all the directing , acting , music composing , writing , editing , and other efforts put forth into a film production . Since 1973 , it is the final award presented at the ceremony and a drum roll was used when the winner is announced . The Grand Staircase columns at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles , where the Academy Awards ceremonies have been held since 2002 , showcase every film that has won the Best Picture title since the award 's inception . As of 2017 , there have been 537 films nominated for Best Picture .", "78th Academy Awards. The 78th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , took place on March 5 , 2006 , at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:00 p.m. PST / 8:00 p.m. EST. . The ceremony was scheduled one week later than usual to avoid conflicting with the 2006 Winter Olympics . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories honoring films released in 2005 . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actor Jon Stewart hosted the show for the first time . Two weeks earlier in a ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills , California held on February 18 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Rachel McAdams . Crash won three awards including Academy Award for Best Picture . Other winners included Brokeback Mountain , King Kong , and Memoirs of a Geisha also with three awards apiece , and Capote , The Chronicles of Narnia : The Lion , the Witch and the Wardrobe , The Constant Gardener , Hustle and Flow , March of the Penguins , The Moon and the Son : An Imagined Conversation , A Note of Triumph : The Golden Age of Norman Corwin , Six Shooter , Syriana , Tsotsi , Walk the Line , and Wallace & Gromit : The Curse of the Were-Rabbit with one each . The telecast garnered nearly 39 million viewers in the United States .", "89th Academy Awards. The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2016 , and took place on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles , California , at 5:30 p.m. PST . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd and directed by Glenn Weiss . Comedian Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony for the first time . In related events , the Academy held its 8th Annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 12 , 2016 . On February 11 , 2017 , in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Scientific and Technical Awards were presented by hosts John Cho and Leslie Mann . Moonlight won three awards , including Best Picture , and La La Land won the most awards of the ceremony with six after receiving a record-tying 14 nominations . In an event unprecedented in the history of the Oscars , La La Land was incorrectly announced as the Best Picture ; after a few minutes the error was corrected and Moonlight was declared the winner . Moonlight became the first film with an all-black cast and the first LGBT-themed film to win Best Picture . Hacksaw Ridge and Manchester by the Sea won two awards each . Winners with one award include Arrival , Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , Fences , The Jungle Book , O.J. : Made in America , Piper , The Salesman , Sing , Suicide Squad , The White Helmets , and Zootopia .", "67th Academy Awards. The 67th Academy Awards ceremony , organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) took place on March 27 , 1995 , at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as the Oscars ) in 23 categories honoring the films released in 1994 . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Jeff Margolis . Comedian David Letterman hosted the show for the first time . Three weeks earlier in a ceremony held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California on March 4 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Jamie Lee Curtis . Forrest Gump won six awards , including Best Picture . Other winners included Ed Wood , The Lion King , and Speed with two awards , and The Adventures of Priscilla , Queen of the Desert , Blue Sky , Bob 's Birthday , Bullets over Broadway , Burnt by the Sun , Franz Kafka 's It 's a Wonderful Life , Legends of the Fall , The Madness of King George , Maya Lin : A Strong Clear Vision , Pulp Fiction , A Time for Justice , and Trevor with one . The telecast garnered more than 48 million viewers in the United States , making it the most watched Oscars telecast since the 55th Academy Awards in 1983 .", "66th Academy Awards. The 66th Academy Awards ceremony , organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored films released in 1993 and took place on March 21 , 1994 , at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 23 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Jeff Margolis . Actress Whoopi Goldberg hosted the show for the first time . Nearly a month earlier in a ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills , California on February 26 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Laura Dern . Schindler 's List won seven awards , including Best Picture and Best Director for Steven Spielberg . Other winners included Jurassic Park and The Piano with three awards each , Philadelphia with two awards , and The Age of Innocence , Belle Epoque , Defending Our Lives , The Fugitive , I Am a Promise : The Children of Stanton Elementary School , Mrs. Doubtfire , Schwarzfahrer and The Wrong Trousers with one . The telecast was watched by more than 46 million viewers in the United States .", "Academy Award for Best Actor. The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the film industry . The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Emil Jannings receiving the award for his roles in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . In the first three years of the awards , actors were nominated as the best in their categories . At that time , all of their work during the qualifying period ( as many as three films , in some cases ) was listed after the award . However , during the 3rd ceremony held in 1930 , only one of those films was cited in each winner 's final award , even though each of the acting winners had two films following their names on the ballots . The following year , this unwieldy and confusing system was replaced by the current system in which an actor is nominated for a specific performance in a single film . Starting with the 9th ceremony held in 1937 , the category was officially limited to five nominations per year . Since its inception , the award has been given to 79 actors . Daniel Day-Lewis has received the most awards in this category with three Oscars . Spencer Tracy and Laurence Olivier were nominated on nine occasions , more than any other actor . As of the 2017 ceremony , Casey Affleck is the most recent winner in this category for his role as Lee Chandler in Manchester by the Sea .", "Academy Honorary Award. The Academy Honorary Award -- instituted in 1948 for the 21st Academy Awards ( previously called the Special Award , which was first presented in early 1929 ) -- is given annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) to celebrate motion picture achievements that are not covered by existing Academy Awards , although prior winners of competitive Academy Awards are not excluded from receiving the Honorary Award . Unless otherwise specified , Honorary Award recipients receive the same gold Oscar statuettes received by winners of the competitive Academy Awards . Unlike the Special Achievement Award instituted in 1972 ( and discontinued in 1995 ) , those on whom the Academy confers its Honorary Award do not have to meet `` the Academy 's eligibility year and deadline requirements . '' Like the Special Achievement Award , the Special Award and Honorary Award have been used to reward significant achievements of the year that did not fit in existing categories , subsequently leading the Academy to establish several new categories , and to honor exceptional career achievements , contributions to the motion picture industry , and service to the Academy . The Academy Honorary Award is often awarded in preference to those with noted achievements in motion pictures who have nevertheless never won an Academy Award . Thus , many of its recipients are Classic Hollywood stars , such as Lillian Gish , Barbara Stanwyck , Kirk Douglas , and Lauren Bacall . Since 2009 the Honorary Award is presented at the annual Governors Awards rather than at the Academy Awards .", "88th Academy Awards. The 88th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2015 and took place on February 28 , 2016 , at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles , 5:30 p.m. PST . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by David Hill and Reginald Hudlin and directed by Glenn Weiss . Actor Chris Rock hosted the show for the second time , having previously hosted the 77th ceremony held in 2005 . In related events , the Academy held its 7th Annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 14 , 2015 . On February 13 , 2016 , in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by hosts Olivia Munn and Jason Segel . Spotlight won two awards including Best Picture , and Mad Max : Fury Road won six awards , the most for the evening . The Revenant earned three awards including Best Director for Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio . Brie Larson won Best Actress for Room , while Mark Rylance and Alicia Vikander won supporting acting honors for Bridge of Spies and The Danish Girl , respectively . The telecast garnered 34.42 million viewers in the United States .", "87th Academy Awards. The 87th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2014 and took place on February 22 , 2015 , at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC , and produced by Neil Meron and Craig Zadan and directed by Hamish Hamilton . Actor Neil Patrick Harris hosted the ceremony for the first time . In related events , the Academy held its 6th Annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 8 , 2014 . On February 7 , 2015 , in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by hosts Margot Robbie and Miles Teller . Birdman or ( The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance ) , and The Grand Budapest Hotel each won four awards , with the former film earning the Best Picture honor . Other winners include Whiplash with three , and American Sniper , Big Hero 6 , Boyhood , Citizenfour , Crisis Hotline : Veterans Press 1 , Feast , Ida , The Imitation Game , Interstellar , The Phone Call , Selma , Still Alice and The Theory of Everything with one . The telecast garnered more than 37 million viewers in the United States .", "Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS , also known as simply the Academy ) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion pictures . The Academy 's corporate management and general policies are overseen by a Board of Governors , which includes representatives from each of the craft branches . The roster of the Academy 's approximately 6,000 motion picture professionals is a `` closely guarded secret '' . While the great majority of its members are based in the United States , membership is open to qualified filmmakers around the world . The Academy is known around the world for its annual Academy Awards , now officially known as The `` Oscars '' . In addition , the Academy holds the Governors Awards annually for lifetime achievement in film ; presents Scientific and Technical Awards annually ; gives Student Academy Awards annually to filmmakers at the undergraduate and graduate level ; awards up to five Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting annually ; and operates the Margaret Herrick Library ( at the Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study ) in Beverly Hills , California , and the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in Hollywood , Los Angeles . The Academy plans to open the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles in 2017 .", "77th Academy Awards. The 77th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , took place on February 27 , 2005 , at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as the Oscars ) in 24 categories honoring films released in 2004 . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and was directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actor Chris Rock hosted the show for the first time . Two weeks earlier in a ceremony at The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena , California held on February 12 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Scarlett Johansson . The Aviator won the most awards of the night with five . Million Dollar Baby won four awards , including Best Picture . Other winners included The Incredibles , and Ray with two awards , and Born into Brothels , Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , Finding Neverland , Lemony Snicket 's A Series of Unfortunate Events , Mighty Times : The Children 's March , The Motorcycle Diaries , Ryan , The Sea Inside , Sideways , Spider-Man 2 , and Wasp each with one . The telecast garnered over 42 million viewers in the United States .", "75th Academy Awards. The 75th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) took place on March 23 , 2003 , at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories honoring films released in 2002 . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and was directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actor Steve Martin hosted for the second time , having previously presided over the 73rd ceremony held in 2001 . Three weeks earlier in a ceremony at Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California held on March 1 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Kate Hudson . Chicago won six awards including Best Picture . Other winners included The Pianist with three awards , Frida and The Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers with two , and Adaptation , Bowling for Columbine , The ChubbChubbs ! , 8 Mile , The Hours , Nowhere in Africa , Road to Perdition , Spirited Away , Talk to Her , This Charming Man , and Twin Towers with one . The telecast garnered about 33 million viewers in the United States , making it the least watched and lowest rated televised Oscar ceremony at the time .", "80th Academy Awards. The 80th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2007 and took on place February 24 , 2008 , at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC , and produced by Gil Cates and directed by Louis J , Horvitz . Actor Jon Stewart hosted the show for the second time , having previously presided over the 78th ceremony held in 2006 . Two weeks earlier in a gala at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California held on February 9 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Jessica Alba . No Country for Old Men won the most awards of the ceremony with four including Best Picture . Other winners included The Bourne Ultimatum with three awards , La Vie en Rose ( La môme ) and There Will Be Blood with two awards , and Atonement , The Counterfeiters , Elizabeth : The Golden Age , Freeheld , The Golden Compass , Juno , Michael Clayton , The Mozart of Pickpockets , Once , Peter and the Wolf , Ratatouille , Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street , and Taxi to the Dark Side with one . The telecast garnered under 32 million viewers , making it the least watched Oscar broadcast since 1974 , when Nielsen began keeping records of viewership .", "76th Academy Awards. The 76th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2003 and took place on February 29 , 2004 , at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Joe Roth and was directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actor Billy Crystal hosted for the eighth time . He first presided over the 62nd ceremony held in 1990 and had last hosted the 72nd ceremony held in 2000 . Two weeks earlier in a ceremony at The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena , California held on February 14 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Jennifer Garner . The Lord of the Rings : The Return of the King won all eleven awards it was nominated for , tying the Academy Awards record for most awards won ( alongside Ben Hur and Titanic ) , including Best Director for Peter Jackson and Best Picture . Other winners included Master and Commander : The Far Side of the World and Mystic River with two awards and The Barbarian Invasions , Chernobyl Heart , Cold Mountain , Finding Nemo , The Fog of War : Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara , Harvie Krumpet , Lost in Translation , Monster , and Two Soldiers with one . The telecast garnered nearly 44 million viewers in North America the United States , making it the most-watched telecast in four years .", "74th Academy Awards. The 74th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , took place on March 24 , 2002 , at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories honoring films released in 2001 . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Laura Ziskin and directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actress Whoopi Goldberg hosted the show for the fourth time . She first hosted the 66th ceremony held in 1994 and had last hosted the 71st ceremony in 1999 . Three weeks earlier , in a ceremony held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , on March 2 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Charlize Theron . A Beautiful Mind won four awards , including Best Picture and Best Director for Ron Howard . Other winners included The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring also with four awards , Black Hawk Down and Moulin Rouge ! with two , and The Accountant , For the Birds , Gosford Park , Iris , Monster 's Ball , Monsters , Inc. , Murder on a Sunday Morning , No Man 's Land , Pearl Harbor , Shrek , Thoth , and Training Day , with one . Despite a record length of four hours and twenty-three minutes , the telecast garnered nearly 42 million viewers in the United States .", "79th Academy Awards. The 79th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2006 and took place February 25 , 2007 , at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Laura Ziskin and directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actress Ellen DeGeneres hosted for the first time . Two weeks earlier in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California held on February 10 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Maggie Gyllenhaal . The Departed won four awards , including Best Picture and Best Director for Martin Scorsese . Other winners included Pan 's Labyrinth with three , An Inconvenient Truth , Dreamgirls , and Little Miss Sunshine with two , and Babel , The Blood of Yingzhou District , The Danish Poet , Happy Feet , The Last King of Scotland , Letters from Iwo Jima , The Lives of Others , Marie Antoinette , Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man 's Chest , The Queen , and West Bank Story with one . The telecast garnered nearly 40 million viewers in the United States .", "70th Academy Awards. The 70th Academy Awards ceremony , organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , took place on March 23 , 1998 , at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. . During the show , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories honoring films released in 1997 . The ceremony , which was televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actor Billy Crystal hosted the show for the sixth time . He first presided over the 62nd ceremony held in 1990 , and he had hosted the previous year 's gala . Nearly a month earlier in an event held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California on February 28 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Ashley Judd . Titanic won a record-tying eleven awards including Best Director for James Cameron and Best Picture . Other winners included As Good as It Gets , Good Will Hunting and L.A. Confidential with two awards , and The Full Monty , Geri 's Game , Karakter , The Long Way Home , Visas and Virtue , Men in Black , and A Story of Healing with one . The telecast garnered more than 57 million viewers in the United States , making it the most watched Oscars broadcast in history .", "90th Academy Awards. The 90th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , will honor the best films of 2017 and will take place on March 4 , 2018 , at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles , California , at 5:30 p.m. PST . The ceremony was scheduled well after its usual late-February date to avoid conflicting with the 2018 Winter Olympics . During the ceremony , AMPAS will present Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony will be televised in the United States by ABC , and produced by Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd . Comedian Jimmy Kimmel will host for a second consecutive year .", "84th Academy Awards. The 84th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2011 in the United States and took place on February 26 , 2012 , at the Hollywood and Highland Center Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC , and produced by Brian Grazer and Don Mischer , with Mischer also serving as director . Actor Billy Crystal hosted the show for the ninth time . He first presided over the 62nd ceremony held in 1990 and had last hosted the 76th ceremony held in 2004 . On June 14 , 2011 , Academy president Tom Sherak announced at a press conference that , in an attempt to further revitalize interest surrounding the awards , the 2012 ceremony would feature between five and ten Best Picture nominees depending on voting results , as opposed to a set number of nominees . In related events , the Academy held its third annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 12 , 2011 . On February 11 , 2012 , in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Milla Jovovich . The Artist won five awards , including Best Actor for Jean Dujardin , Best Director for Michel Hazanavicius , and Best Picture , the first silent feature to win an Academy Award for Best Picture since 1927 's Wings , the inaugural winner in 1929 . Other winners included Hugo also with five awards , The Iron Lady with two awards , and Beginners , The Descendants , The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore , The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo , The Help , Midnight in Paris , The Muppets , Rango , Saving Face , A Separation , The Shore , and Undefeated with one . The telecast garnered more than 39 million viewers in the United States .", "82nd Academy Awards. The 82nd Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2009 and took place on March 7 , 2010 , at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . The ceremony was scheduled well after its usual late-February date to avoid conflicting with the 2010 Winter Olympics . During the ceremony , the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC , and was produced by Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman and directed by Hamish Hamilton . Actors Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin hosted the show . Martin hosted for the third time ; he first presided over the 73rd ceremony held in 2001 and last hosted the 75th ceremony held in 2003 . Meanwhile , this was Baldwin 's first Oscars hosting stint . This was also the first telecast to have multiple hosts since the 59th ceremony held in 1987 . On June 24 , 2009 , Academy president Sid Ganis announced at a press conference that , in an attempt to revitalize interest surrounding the awards , the 2010 ceremony would feature ten Best Picture nominees instead of five , a practice that was discontinued after the 16th ceremony in 1944 . On February 20 , 2010 , in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Elizabeth Banks . The Hurt Locker won six awards , including Best Picture and Best Director for Kathryn Bigelow , the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director . Other winners were Avatar with three awards , Crazy Heart , Precious , and Up , with two awards , and The Cove , Inglourious Basterds , The Blind Side , Logorama , Music by Prudence , The New Tenants , The Secret in Their Eyes , Star Trek , and The Young Victoria with one . The telecast garnered nearly 42 million viewers in the United States , making it the most watched Oscar telecast since the 77th Academy Awards in 2005 .", "68th Academy Awards. The 68th Academy Awards ceremony , organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 1995 in the United States and took place on March 25 , 1996 , at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Quincy Jones and directed by Jeff Margolis . Actress Whoopi Goldberg hosted the show for the second time , having previously presided over the 66th ceremony in 1994 . Three weeks earlier , in a ceremony held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , on March 2 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Richard Dreyfuss . Braveheart won five awards , including Best Director for Mel Gibson and Best Picture . Other winners included Apollo 13 , Pocahontas , Restoration and The Usual Suspects with two awards , and Anne Frank Remembered , Antonia 's Line , Babe , A Close Shave , Dead Man Walking , Il Postino : The Postman , Leaving Las Vegas , Lieberman in Love , Mighty Aphrodite , One Survivor Remembers , and Sense and Sensibility with one . The telecast garnered almost 45 million viewers in the United States .", "Academy Award for Best Actress. The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the film industry . The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Janet Gaynor receiving the award for her roles in 7th Heaven , Street Angel , and Sunrise . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . In the first three years of the awards , actresses were nominated as the best in their categories . At that time , all of their work during the qualifying period ( as many as three films , in some cases ) was listed after the award . However , during the 3rd ceremony held in 1930 , only one of those films was cited in each winner 's final award , even though each of the acting winners had two films following their names on the ballots . The following year , this unwieldy and confusing system was replaced by the current system in which an actress is nominated for a specific performance in a single film . Starting with the 9th ceremony held in 1937 , the category was officially limited to five nominations per year . One actress has been nominated posthumously , Jeanne Eagels . Only three film characters have been nominated more than once in this category . Elizabeth I of England ( two times by Cate Blanchett ) , Leslie Crosbie in The Letter , and Esther Blodgett in A Star is Born . Six women on the list have received an Honorary Academy Award for their acting ; they are Greta Garbo , Barbara Stanwyck , Mary Pickford , Deborah Kerr , Gena Rowlands , and Sophia Loren . Since its inception , the award has been given to 74 actresses . Katharine Hepburn has won the most awards in this category , with four Oscars . Meryl Streep , who has a total of 20 Oscar nominations ( three wins ) , has been nominated in this category on 16 occasions , resulting in two awards . As of the 2017 ceremony , Emma Stone is the most recent winner in this category for her role as Mia Dolan in La La Land .", "86th Academy Awards. The 86th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2013 and took place on March 2 , 2014 , at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . The ceremony was scheduled well after its usual late-February date to avoid conflicting with the 2014 Winter Olympics . During the ceremony , the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC , and produced by Neil Meron and Craig Zadan and directed by Hamish Hamilton . Actress Ellen DeGeneres hosted the show for the second time , having previously hosted the 79th ceremony held in 2007 . In related events , the Academy held its 5th annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 16 , 2013 . On February 15 , 2014 , in a ceremony at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by hosts Kristen Bell and Michael B. Jordan . 12 Years a Slave won three awards including Best Picture . Gravity won the most awards with seven including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón . Other winners included Dallas Buyers Club also with three awards , Frozen and The Great Gatsby with two , and Blue Jasmine , The Great Beauty , Helium , Her , The Lady in Number 6 : Music Saved My Life , Mr Hublot , and 20 Feet from Stardom with one . The telecast garnered nearly 44 million viewers in the United States , making it the most watched Oscar ceremony since the 72nd Academy Awards in 2000 .", "1st Academy Awards. The 1st Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 1927 and 1928 and took place on May 16 , 1929 , at a private dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles , California . AMPAS president Douglas Fairbanks hosted the show . Tickets cost $ 5 ( which would be $ 69 in 2016 considering inflation ) , 270 people attended the event and the presentation ceremony lasted fifteen minutes . Awards were created by Louis B. Mayer , founder of Louis B. Mayer Pictures Corporation ( at present merged into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ) . It is the only Academy Awards ceremony not to be broadcast either on radio or television . During the ceremony , the AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( now commonly referred to as Oscars ) in twelve categories . Winners were announced three months before the live event . Some nominations were announced without reference to a specific film , such as for Ralph Hammeras and Nugent Slaughter , who received nominations in the now defunct category of Engineering Effects . Unlike later ceremonies , an actor or director could be awarded for multiple works within a calendar year . Emil Jannings , for example , was given the Best Actor award for his work in both The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command . Moreover , Charlie Chaplin and Warner Brothers each received an Honorary Award . Major winners at the ceremony included 7th Heaven and Sunrise , which each received three awards , and Wings , receiving two awards . Among its honors , Sunrise won the award for Unique and Artistic Picture and Wings won the award for Outstanding Picture ( now known as Best Picture ) . These two categories at the time were seen as equally the top award of the night intended to honor different and equally important aspects of superior film making . The next year , the Academy dropped the Unique and Artistic Picture award , and decided retroactively that the award won by Wings was the highest honor that could be awarded .", "69th Academy Awards. The 69th Academy Awards ceremony , organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) took place on March 24 , 1997 , at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented the Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories honoring films released in 1996 . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Louis J. Horvitz . Actor Billy Crystal hosted the show for the fifth time . He first presided over the 62nd ceremony held in 1990 and had last hosted the 65th ceremony held in 1993 . Three weeks earlier , in a ceremony held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California on March 1 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Helen Hunt . The English Patient won the most awards of the evening with nine including Best Picture . Other winners included Fargo with two awards , and Breathing Lessons : The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien , Dear Diary , Emma , Evita , The Ghost and the Darkness , Independence Day , Jerry Maguire , Kolya , The Nutty Professor , Quest , Shine , Sling Blade , and When We Were Kings with one .", "62nd Academy Awards. The 62nd Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 1989 and took place on March 26 , 1990 , at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 23 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Jeff Margolis . Actor Billy Crystal hosted the show for the first time . Three weeks earlier in a ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills , California on March 3 , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by hosts Richard Dysart and Diane Ladd . Driving Miss Daisy won four awards including Best Picture and Best Actress for Jessica Tandy , the oldest person at the time to win a competitive acting Oscar . Other winners included Glory with three awards , Born on the Fourth of July , The Little Mermaid , and My Left Foot with two , and The Abyss , Balance , Batman , Cinema Paradiso , Common Threads : Stories from the Quilt , Dead Poets Society , Henry V , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , The Johnstown Flood , and Work Experience with one . The telecast garnered more than 40 million viewers in the United States ." ]

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[ "Hubert Humphrey. Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. ( May 27 , 1911January 13 , 1978 ) was an American politician who served as the 38th Vice President of the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson from 1965 to 1969 . Humphrey twice served in the United States Senate , representing Minnesota from 1949 to 1964 and 1971 to 1978 . He was the nominee of the Democratic Party in the 1968 presidential election , losing to the Republican nominee Richard M. Nixon . Born in Wallace , South Dakota in 1911 , Humphrey attended the University of Minnesota before earning his pharmacist license from the Capitol College of Pharmacy in 1931 . He helped run his father 's pharmacy until 1937 when he returned to academia , graduating with a master 's degree from Louisiana State University in 1940 , where he was a political science instructor . He returned to Minnesota during World War II and became a supervisor for the Works Progress Administration . He was then appointed state director of the Minnesota war service program before becoming the assistant director of the War Manpower Commission . In 1943 , Humphrey became a professor of Political Science at Macalester College and ran a failed campaign for mayor of Minneapolis . Humphrey helped found the Minnesota Democratic -- Farmer -- Labor Party ( DFL ) in 1944 , and in 1945 , became the DFL candidate for mayor of Minneapolis for a second time , winning with 61 % of the vote . Humphrey served as mayor from 1945 to 1948 , he was reelected and became the co-founder of the liberal anti-communist group Americans for Democratic Action in 1947 . Humphrey was elected to the Senate in 1948 , the year his proposal of ending racial segregation was included in the party platform at the Democratic National Convention , where he gave one of his most notable speeches on the convention floor , suggesting the Democratic Party `` walk into the sunshine of human rights . '' He served three terms in the Senate from 1949 to 1964 and was the Democratic Majority Whip from 1961 to 1964 . During his tenure , Humphrey was the lead author of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , introduced the first initiative to create the Peace Corps , sponsored the clause of the McCarran Act to threaten concentration camps for ` subversives ' , proposed making Communist Party membership a felony and chaired the Select Committee on Disarmament . Humphrey ran for two failed Presidential campaigns in the 1952 and 1960 Democratic primaries . After Lyndon B. Johnson inherited the presidency after John F. Kennedy 's assassination in November 1963 , he chose Humphrey to be his running mate in 1964 against Republican Barry Goldwater and the Democratic ticket was elected in a landslide in 1964 . After Johnson made the surprise announcement that he would not seek reelection in March 1968 , Humphrey launched his campaign for the presidency the following month . Humphrey 's main Democratic challengers were anti-Vietnam War Senators Eugene McCarthy and Robert F. Kennedy . Humphrey , who was loyal to the Johnson administration 's policies on the Vietnam War as Vice President , saw opposition from many within his own party and avoided the primaries to focus on receiving the delegates of non-primary states at the Democratic Convention . Humphrey 's delegate strategy succeeded in clinching the nomination , choosing Senator Edmund Muskie as his running mate . With the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and the assassination of Robert Kennedy that year , and heightened opposition to the Vietnam War , the convention saw major protests which later proved costly to Humphrey 's campaign . On November 5 , 1968 , Humphrey lost to former Vice President Richard Nixon in the general election . Humphrey then returned to teaching in Minnesota before returning to the Senate in 1971 . He became the first Deputy President pro tempore of the United States Senate and served until his death in 1978 . Humphrey died of bladder cancer at his home in Waverly , Minnesota , and is buried at the Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis . He was succeeded by his wife of 41 years Muriel Humphrey as interim Senator for Minnesota .", "Minneapolis. Minneapolis ( -LSB- mɪniˈæpəlɪs -RSB- ) is the county seat of Hennepin County , and the larger of the Twin Cities , the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the United States . As of 2015 , Minneapolis is the largest city in the state of Minnesota and 46th-largest in the United States with a population of 410,939 . Minneapolis and Saint Paul anchor the second-largest economic center in the Midwest , after Chicago . Minneapolis lies on both banks of the Mississippi River , just north of the river 's confluence with the Minnesota River , and adjoins Saint Paul , the state 's capital . The city is abundantly rich in water , with thirteen lakes , wetlands , the Mississippi River , creeks and waterfalls , many connected by parkways in the Chain of Lakes and the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway . It was once the world 's flour milling capital and a hub for timber . The city and surrounding region is the primary business center between Chicago and Seattle , with Minneapolis proper containing America 's fifth-highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies . As an integral link to the global economy , Minneapolis is categorized as a global city . Noted for its strong music and performing arts scenes , Minneapolis is home to both the award-winning Guthrie Theater and the historic First Avenue nightclub . Reflecting the region 's status as an epicenter of folk , funk , and alternative rock music , the city served as the launching pad for several of the 20th century 's most influential musicians , including Bob Dylan and Prince . The name Minneapolis is attributed to Charles Hoag , the city 's first schoolteacher , who combined mni , a Dakota Sioux word for water , and polis , the Greek word for city .", "Hubert Humphrey (disambiguation). Hubert Humphrey ( 1911 -- 1978 ) was the 38th Vice President of the United States . Hubert Humphrey may also refer to : Hubert H. Humphrey III , known as Skip Humphrey ( born 1942 ) , his son , Minnesotan politician , Minnesota Attorney General , 1983 -- 1999 Hubert Humphrey ( MLM ) ( born 1942 ) , American founder of several multi-level marketing programs Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome , a stadium in Minneapolis", "Hubert Humphrey presidential campaign, 1968. The Hubert Humphrey presidential campaign of 1968 began when Vice President of the United States Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota decided to seek the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States following the announcement by President Lyndon B. Johnson that he would not seek the party 's nomination . Johnson had been stalled by the anti-Vietnam War candidacy of Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota , who along with Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York , became the main opponents for Humphrey . The contest between the men featured a battle for control of the Democratic Party , and cast Humphrey 's `` old politics '' , against the `` new politics '' of McCarthy and Kennedy . The main cause of the division was the Vietnam War , which intensified during Humphrey 's tenure as Vice President and grew increasingly unpopular . Humphrey entered the race too late to participate in any primaries , and relied on `` favorite son '' candidates to help him win delegates . He also lobbied for endorsements from powerful bosses within the Democratic Party , which provided him with necessary delegates . This traditional approach was criticized by the other candidates , who hoped to win the nomination from popular support . Robert Kennedy was assassinated in June 1968 , leaving McCarthy as his only opponent , until the 1968 Democratic National Convention , when Senator George McGovern of South Dakota ran as the successor of Kennedy . Humphrey won the party 's nomination at the Convention on the first ballot , amid riots in Chicago . He selected little-known Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine as his running mate . During the general election , Humphrey faced former Vice President Richard Nixon of New York , the Republican Party nominee . Nixon led in most polls throughout the campaign , and successfully criticized Humphrey 's role in Vietnam , connecting him to the unpopular president and the general disorder in the nation . Humphrey experienced a surge in the polls in the days prior to the election , largely due to incremental progress in the peace process in Vietnam and a break with the Johnson war policy , but was defeated by Nixon on Election Day .", "Saint Paul, Minnesota. Saint Paul ( -LSB- ˌseɪnt_ˈpɔːl -RSB- abbreviated St. Paul ) is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota . As of 2016 , the city 's estimated population was 304,442 . Saint Paul is the county seat of Ramsey County , the smallest and most densely populated county in Minnesota . The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River , and adjoins Minneapolis , the state 's largest city . Known as the `` Twin Cities '' , the two form the core of Minneapolis -- Saint Paul , the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the United States , with about 3.52 million residents . Founded near historic Native American settlements as a trading and transportation center , the city rose to prominence when it was named the capital of the Minnesota Territory in 1849 . The Dakota name for Saint Paul is `` Imnizaska '' . Though Minneapolis ( Bdeota ) is better-known nationally , Saint Paul contains the state government and other important institutions . Regionally , the city is known for the Xcel Energy Center , home of the Minnesota Wild , and for the Science Museum of Minnesota . As a business hub of the Upper Midwest , it is the headquarters of companies such as Ecolab . Saint Paul , along with its Twin City , Minneapolis , is known for its high literacy rate . It was the only city in the United States with a population of 250,000 or more to see an increase in circulation of Sunday newspapers in 2007 . The settlement originally began at present-day Lambert 's Landing , but was known as Pig 's Eye after Pierre `` Pig 's Eye '' Parrant established a popular tavern there . When Lucien Galtier , the first Catholic pastor of the region , established the Log Chapel of Saint Paul ( shortly thereafter to become the first location of the Cathedral of Saint Paul ) , he made it known that the settlement was now to be called by that name , as `` Saint Paul as applied to a town or city was well appropriated , this monosyllable is short , sounds good , it is understood by all Christian denominations '' .", "Electoral history of Hubert Humphrey. Hubert Horatio Humphrey , 38th Vice President of the United States ( 1965 -- 1969 ) , United States Senator from Minnesota ( 1949 -- 1964 and 1971 -- 1978 ) , 35th Mayor of Minneapolis , Minnesota ( 1945 -- 1948 ) . Minnesota United States Senate election , 1948 : Hubert Humphrey ( DFL ) -- 729,494 ( 59.78 % ) Joseph H. Ball ( R ) ( inc. ) -- 485,801 ( 39.81 % ) Vincent Raymond Dunne ( Socialist Workers ) -- 4,951 ( 0.41 % ) 1952 Democratic presidential primaries : Estes Kefauver -- 3,169,448 ( 65.04 % ) Pat Brown -- 485,578 ( 9.97 % ) Richard B. Russell , Jr. -- 371,179 ( 7.62 % ) Matthew M. Neely -- 191,471 ( 3.93 % ) Robert J. Bulkley -- 184,880 ( 3.79 % ) Hubert Humphrey -- 102,527 ( 2.10 % ) Adlai Stevenson II -- 81,096 ( 1.66 % ) Dwight D. Eisenhower -- 64,911 ( 1.33 % ) Harry S. Truman ( inc. ) -- 62,345 ( 1.28 % ) 1952 Democratic National Convention ( 1st Presidential tally ) : Estes Kefauver -- 340 Adlai Stevenson II -- 273 Richard B. Russell , Jr. -- 268 W. Averell Harriman -- 123.5 Robert S. Kerr -- 65 Alben W. Barkely -- 48.5 Paul A. Dever -- 37.5 Scattering -- 26.5 Hubert Humphrey -- 26 J. William Fulbright -- 22 Minnesota United States Senate election , 1954 : Hubert Humphrey ( DFL ) ( inc. ) -- 642,193 ( 56.39 % ) Val Bjornson ( R ) -- 479,619 ( 42.11 % ) Frank P. Ryan ( I ) -- 12,457 ( 1.09 % ) Vincent Raymond Dunne ( Socialist Workers ) -- 4,683 ( 0.41 % ) 1956 Democratic National Convention ( Vice Presidential tally ) : First ballot : Estes Kefauver -- 466.5 John F. Kennedy -- 294.5 Albert Gore , Sr. -- 178 Robert F. Wagner , Jr. -- 162.5 Hubert Humphrey -- 134 Luther Hodges -- 40 P. T. Maner -- 33 LeRoy Collins -- 29 Clinton Anderson -- 16 Frank G. Clement -- 14 Pat Brown -- 1 Lyndon B. Johnson -- 1 Stuart Symington -- 1 Second ballot : John F. Kennedy -- 618 Estes Kefauver -- 551.5 Albert Gore , Sr. -- 110.5 Hubert Humphrey -- 74.5 Robert F. Wagner , Jr. -- 9.5 Luther Hodges -- 0.5 Third ballot : Estes Kefauver -- 755.5 John F. Kennedy -- 589 Albert Gore , Sr. -- 13.5 Robert F. Wagner , Jr. -- 6 Hubert Humphrey -- 2 1960 Democratic presidential primaries : John F. Kennedy -- 1,847,259 ( 31.43 % ) Pat Brown -- 1,354,031 ( 23.04 % ) George H. McLain -- 646,387 ( 11.00 % ) Hubert Humphrey -- 590,410 ( 10.05 % ) George Smathers -- 322,235 ( 5.48 % ) Michael DiSalle -- 315,312 ( 5.37 % ) Unpledged delegates -- 241,958 ( 4.12 % ) Albert S. Potter -- 208,057 ( 3.54 % ) Wayne Morse -- 147,262 ( 2.51 % ) Adlai Stevenson II -- 51,833 ( 0.88 % ) 1960 Democratic National Convention ( Presidential tally ) : John F. Kennedy -- 806 ( 52.89 % ) Lyndon B. Johnson -- 409 ( 26.84 % ) Stuart Symington -- 86 ( 5.64 % ) Adlai Stevenson II -- 80 ( 5.25 % ) Robert Meyner -- 43 ( 2.82 % ) Hubert Humphrey -- 42 ( 2.76 % ) George Smathers -- 30 ( 1.97 % ) Ross Barnett -- 23 ( 1.51 % ) Herschel C. Loveless -- 2 ( 0.13 % ) Pat Brown -- 1 ( 0.07 % ) Orval E. Faubus -- 1 ( 0.07 % ) Albert Rosellini -- 1 ( 0.07 % ) Minnesota United States Senate election , 1960 : Hubert Humphrey ( DFL ) ( inc. ) -- 884,168 ( 57.53 % ) P. Kenneth Peterson ( R ) -- 648,586 ( 42.20 % ) Carl Feingold ( Socialist Workers ) -- 4,085 ( 0.27 % ) 1964 Democratic presidential primaries : Pat Brown -- 1,693,813 ( 27.26 % ) Lyndon B. Johnson ( inc. ) -- 1,106,999 ( 17.82 % ) Sam Yorty -- 798,431 ( 12.85 % ) George Wallace -- 798,431 ( 12.85 % ) John W. Reynolds -- 522,405 ( 8.41 % ) Albert S. Porter -- 493,619 ( 7.94 % ) Matthew E. Welsh -- 376,023 ( 6.05 % ) Daniel Brewster -- 267,106 ( 4.30 % ) Jennings Randolph -- 131,432 ( 2.12 % ) Unpledged -- 81,614 ( 1.31 % ) Robert F. Kennedy -- 36,258 ( 0.58 % ) Lar Daly -- 15,160 ( 0.24 % ) Henry Cabot Lodge , Jr. -- 8,495 ( 0.14 % ) Albert J. Easter -- 8,275 ( 0.13 % ) Adlai Stevenson II -- 800 ( 0.01 % ) Hubert Humphrey -- 548 ( 0.01 % ) 1964 Democratic National Convention ( Vice Presidential tally ) : Hubert Humphrey -- 2,316 ( 100.00 % ) United States presidential election , 1964 : Lyndon B. Johnson/Hubert Humphrey ( D ) -- 43,127,041 ( 61.1 % ) and 486 electoral votes ( 44 states and D.C. carried ) Barry Goldwater/William E. Miller ( R ) -- 27,175,754 ( 38.5 % ) and 52 electoral votes ( 6 states carried ) 1968 Democratic presidential primaries : Eugene McCarthy -- 2,914,933 ( 38.73 % ) Robert Kennedy -- 2,305,148 ( 30.63 % ) Stephen M. Young -- 549,140 ( 7.30 % ) Lyndon B. Johnson ( inc. ) -- 383,590 ( 5.10 % ) Thomas C. Lynch -- 380,286 ( 5.05 % ) Roger D. Branigin -- 238,700 ( 3.17 % ) George Smathers -- 236,242 ( 3.14 % ) Hubert Humphrey -- 166,463 ( 2.21 % ) Unpledged -- 161,143 ( 2.14 % ) Scott Kelly -- 128,899 ( 1.71 % ) George Wallace -- 34,489 ( 0.46 % ) Richard Nixon ( write-in ) -- 13,610 ( 0.18 % ) Ronald Reagan ( write-in ) -- 5,309 ( 0.07 % ) Ted Kennedy -- 4,052 ( 0.05 % ) Paul C. Fisher -- 506 ( 0.01 % ) John G. Crommelin -- 186 ( 0.00 % ) 1968 Democratic National Convention ( Presidential tally ) : Hubert Humphrey -- 1,760 ( 67.43 % ) Eugene McCarthy -- 601 ( 23.03 % ) George McGovern -- 147 ( 5.63 % ) Channing E. Phillips -- 68 ( 2.61 % ) Daniel K. Moore -- 18 ( 0.69 % ) Ted Kennedy -- 13 ( 0.50 % ) Paul Bryant -- 1 ( 0.04 % ) James H. Gray -- 1 ( 0.04 % ) George Wallace -- 1 ( 0.04 % ) United States presidential election , 1968 Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew ( R ) -- 31,783,783 ( 43.4 % ) and 301 electoral votes ( 32 states carried ) Hubert Humphrey/Edmund Muskie ( D ) -- 31,271,839 ( 42.7 % ) and 191 electoral votes ( 13 states and D.C. carried ) George Wallace/Curtis LeMay ( American Independent ) -- 9,901,118 ( 13.5 % ) and 46 electoral votes ( 5 states carried ) Eugene McCarthy ( I ) -- 25,634 Others -- 243,258 ( 0.3 % ) DFL primary for United States Senate from Minnesota , 1970 : Hubert Humphrey -- 338,705 ( 79.25 % ) Earl D. Craig -- 88,709 ( 20.76 % ) Minnesota United States Senate election , 1970 : Hubert Humphrey ( DFL ) -- 788,256 ( 57.75 % ) Clark MacGregor ( R ) -- 568,025 ( 41.62 % ) Nancy Strebe ( Socialist Workers ) -- 6,122 ( 0.45 % ) William Braatz ( Indrustial Government ) -- 2,484 ( 0.18 % ) 1972 Democratic presidential primaries : Hubert Humphrey -- 4,121,372 ( 25.77 % ) George McGovern -- 4,053,451 ( 25.34 % ) George Wallace -- 3,755,424 ( 23.48 % ) Edmund Muskie -- 1,840,217 ( 11.51 % ) Eugene McCarthy -- 553,990 ( 3.46 % ) Henry M. Jackson -- 505,198 ( 3.16 % ) Shirley Chisholm -- 430,703 ( 2.69 % ) Terry Sanford -- 331,415 ( 2.07 % ) John Lindsay -- 196,406 ( 1.23 % ) Samuel Yorty -- 79,446 ( 0.50 % ) Wilbur Mills -- 37,401 ( 0.23 % ) Walter E. Fauntroy -- 21,217 ( 0.13 % ) Unpledged -- 19,533 ( 0.12 % ) Ted Kennedy -- 16,693 ( 0.10 % ) Vance Hartke -- 11,798 ( 0.07 % ) Patsy Mink -- 8,286 ( 0.05 % ) None -- 6,269 ( 0.04 % ) 1972 Democratic National Convention ( Presidential tally ) : George McGovern -- 1,729 ( 57.37 % ) Henry M. Jackson -- 525 ( 17.42 % ) George Wallace -- 382 ( 12.67 % ) Shirley Chisholm -- 152 ( 5.04 % ) Terry Sanford -- 78 ( 2.59 % ) Hubert Humphrey -- 67 ( 2.22 % ) Wilbur Mills -- 34 ( 1.13 % ) Edmund Muskie -- 25 ( 0.83 % ) Ted Kennedy -- 13 ( 0.43 % ) Wayne L. Hays -- 5 ( 0.17 % ) Eugene McCarthy -- 2 ( 0.07 % ) Ramsey Clark -- 1 ( 0.03 % ) Walter Mondale -- 1 ( 0.03 % ) 1976 Democratic presidential primaries : Jimmy Carter -- 6,235,609 ( 39.27 % ) Jerry Brown -- 2,449,374 ( 15.43 % ) George Wallace -- 1,955,388 ( 12.31 % ) Mo Udall -- 1,611,754 ( 10.15 % ) Henry M. Jackson -- 1,134,375 ( 7.14 % ) Frank Church -- 830,818 ( 5.23 % ) Robert Byrd -- 340,309 ( 2.14 % ) Sargent Shriver -- 304,399 ( 1.92 % ) Unpledged -- 283,437 ( 1.79 % ) Ellen McCormack -- 238,027 ( 1.50 % ) Fred R. Harris -- 234,568 ( 1.48 % ) Milton Shapp -- 88,254 ( 0.56 % ) Birch Bayh -- 86,438 ( 0.54 % ) Hubert Humphrey -- 61,992 ( 0.39 % ) Ted Kennedy -- 19,805 ( 0.13 % ) Lloyd Bentsen -- 4,046 ( 0.03 % ) Terry Sanford -- 404 ( 0.00 % ) 1976 Democratic National Convention ( Presidential tally ) : Jimmy Carter -- 2,239 ( 74.48 % ) Mo Udall -- 330 ( 10.98 % ) Jerry Brown -- 301 ( 10.01 % ) George Wallace -- 57 ( 1.90 % ) Ellen McCormack -- 22 ( 0.73 % ) Frank Church -- 19 ( 0.63 % ) Hubert Humphrey -- 10 ( 0.33 % ) Henry M. Jackson -- 10 ( 0.33 % ) Fred R. Harris -- 9 ( 0.30 % ) Milton Shapp -- 2 ( 0.07 % ) Robert Byrd -- 2 ( 0.07 % ) Hugh Carey , César Chávez , Leon Jaworski , Barbara Jordan , Ted Kennedy , George McGovern , Edmund Muskie , Jennings Randolph , Fred Stover -- each 1 vote ( 0.03 % ) Minnesota United States Senate election , 1976 : Hubert Humphrey ( DFL ) ( inc. ) -- 1,290,736 ( 67.51 % ) Gerald Brekke ( R ) -- 478,602 ( 25.03 % ) Paul Helm ( American ) -- 125,612 ( 6.57 % ) William Peterson ( Socialist Workers ) -- 9,380 ( 0.49 % ) Robin E. Miller ( Libertarian ) -- 5,476 ( 0.29 % ) Matt Savola ( Communist ) -- 2,214 ( 0.12 % )", "Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome ( commonly called the Metrodome ) was a domed sports stadium located in downtown Minneapolis , Minnesota . It opened in 1982 as a replacement for Metropolitan Stadium , the former home of the National Football League 's ( NFL ) Minnesota Vikings and Major League Baseball 's ( MLB ) Minnesota Twins , and Memorial Stadium , the former home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football and baseball teams . The Metrodome was the home of the Vikings from 1982 to 2013 , the Twins from 1982 to 2009 , the National Basketball Association 's ( NBA ) Minnesota Timberwolves in their 1989 -- 90 inaugural season , the Golden Gophers football team until 2008 and the Golden Gophers baseball team from 2004 to 2012 . It was also the home of the Minnesota Strikers of the North American Soccer League in 1984 . On January 18 , 2014 , the Metrodome roof was deflated , signaling the beginning of demolition work . The Vikings played at the University of Minnesota 's TCF Bank Stadium for the 2014 and 2015 NFL seasons , ahead of the planned opening of U.S. Bank Stadium in 2016 . The stadium had a fiberglass fabric roof that was self-supported by air pressure and was the third major sports facility to have this feature ( the first two being the Pontiac Silverdome and the Carrier Dome ) . The Metrodome was similar in design to the former RCA Dome and to BC Place before that stadium was reconfigured with a retractable roof . The Metrodome was reputedly the inspiration for the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo , Japan . The stadium was the only facility to have hosted a Super Bowl ( 1992 ) , World Series ( 1987 , 1991 ) , MLB All-Star Game ( 1985 ) and NCAA Division I Basketball Final Four ( 1992 , 2001 ) . The Metrodome was the ninth-oldest stadium in the NFL . Locally , the Metrodome had several nicknames such as `` The Dome '' , `` The Thunderdome '' , and `` The Homer Dome . '' Preparation for the demolition of the Metrodome began the day after the facility hosted the final home game for the Minnesota Vikings on December 29 , 2013 , with actual demolition beginning on January 18 , 2014 . The Metrodome was torn down in sections while construction of U.S. Bank Stadium began .", "Minnesota. Minnesota ( -LSB- -LSB- ˌmɪnəˈso̞ɾɐ -RSB- help = no -RSB- ) is a state in the midwestern and northern regions of the United States . Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state on May 11 , 1858 , created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory . The state has a large number of lakes , and is known by the slogan `` Land of 10,000 Lakes '' . Its official motto is L'Étoile du Nord ( French : Star of the North ) . Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 21st most populous of the U.S. states ; nearly 60 percent of its residents live in the Minneapolis -- Saint Paul metropolitan area ( known as the `` Twin Cities '' ) , the center of transportation , business , industry , education , and government and home to an internationally known arts community . The remainder of the state consists of western prairies now given over to intensive agriculture ; deciduous forests in the southeast , now partially cleared , farmed and settled ; and the less populated North Woods , used for mining , forestry , and recreation . Minnesota is known for its progressive political orientation and its high rate of civic participation and voter turnout . Until European settlement , Minnesota was inhabited by the Dakota and Ojibwe/Anishinaabe . During the 19th and early 20th centuries , a large number of European settlers entered the state who had mainly emigrated from Scandinavia and Germany . The state remains today a center of Scandinavian American and German American culture . In recent decades , immigration from Asia , the Horn of Africa , and Latin America has broadened its historic demographic and cultural composition . Minnesota 's standard of living index is among the highest in the United States , and the state is also among the best-educated and wealthiest in the nation .", "University of Minnesota. The University of Minnesota , Twin Cities ( often referred to as The University of Minnesota , Minnesota , the U of M , UMN , or simply the U ) is a public research university in Minneapolis and Saint Paul , Minnesota . The Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses are approximately 3 mi apart , and the Saint Paul campus is actually in neighboring Falcon Heights . It is the oldest and largest campus within the University of Minnesota system and has the sixth-largest main campus student body in the United States , with 51,147 students in 2013 -- 14 . The university is the flagship institution of the University of Minnesota system , and is organized into 19 colleges and schools , with sister campuses in Crookston , Duluth , Morris , and Rochester . Minnesota is one of America 's Public Ivy universities , which refers to top public universities in the United States capable of providing a collegiate experience comparable with the Ivy League . Founded in 1851 , The University of Minnesota is categorized as an R1 Doctoral University with the highest research activity in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education . Minnesota is a member of the Association of American Universities and is ranked 14th in research activity with $ 881 million in research and development expenditures in the fiscal year ending June 30 , 2015 . Minnesota faculty , alumni , and researchers have won 25 Nobel Prizes and three Pulitzer Prizes . Notable University of Minnesota alumni include two Vice Presidents of the United States , Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale , and Bob Dylan , who received the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature .", "Detroit. Detroit ( -LSB- dᵻˈtrɔɪt -RSB- ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan , the largest city on the United States -- Canada border , and the seat of Wayne County . The municipality of Detroit had a 2015 estimated population of 677,116 , making it the 21st-most populous city in the United States . The metropolitan area , known as Metro Detroit , is home to 4.3 million people , making it the second-largest in the Midwest . Detroit is a major port on the Detroit River , a strait that connects the Great Lakes system to the Saint Lawrence Seaway . The Detroit Metropolitan Airport is among the most important hubs in the United States . The City of Detroit anchors the second-largest economic region in the Midwest , behind Chicago , and the thirteenth-largest in the United States . Detroit and its neighboring Canadian city Windsor are connected through a tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge , the busiest international crossing in North America . Detroit is best-known as the center of the American automobile industry , and the `` Big Three '' auto manufacturers General Motors , Ford , and Chrysler are all headquartered in Metro Detroit . Detroit was founded on July 24 , 1701 by the French explorer and adventurer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and a party of settlers . During the 19th century , it became an important industrial hub at the center of the Great Lakes region . With expansion of the auto industry in the early 20th century , the city and its suburbs experienced rapid growth , and by the 1940s , the city had become the fourth-largest in the country . However , due to industrial restructuring , the loss of jobs in the auto industry , and rapid suburbanization , Detroit lost considerable population from the late 20th century to the present . Since reaching a peak of 1.8 million at the 1950 census , Detroit 's population has declined by more than 60 per cent . In 2013 , Detroit became the largest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy , which it successfully exited in December 2014 , when the city government regained control of Detroit 's finances . Detroit 's diverse culture has had both local and international influence , particularly in music , with the city giving rise to the genres of Motown and techno , and playing an important role in the development of jazz , hip-hop , rock , and punk music . The erstwhile rapid growth of Detroit left a globally unique stock of architectural monuments and historic places of the first half of the 20th century , and since the 2000s conservation efforts managed to save many architectural pieces and allowed several large-scale revitalisations , including the restoration of several historic theatres and entertainment venues , highrise renovations , new sports stadiums , and a riverfront revitalization project . More recently , the population of Downtown Detroit , Midtown Detroit , and various other neighborhoods has increased . In 2015 , Detroit was named a `` City of Design '' by UNESCO , the first U.S. city to receive that designation .", "Humphrey School of Public Affairs. The Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota is one of the country 's top-ranked professional public policy and planning schools.The school is noted for equipping students to play key roles in public life at the local , state , national , and global level and offers six distinctive master 's degrees , a doctoral degree , and five certificate programs . The Humphrey School ranks among the top 10 professional schools of public affairs at public universities in the country . Best Value Schools ranks Humphrey School 8th out of 50 most innovative public policy schools in the U.S. . The school is named after Hubert H. Humphrey , former Vice President of the United States and Presidential candidate . The school is located on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota , which is also home to other top-ranking schools including the University of Minnesota Law School and Carlson School of Management in Minneapolis , MN . The program concentration in nonprofit management ranks second in the United States . The Humphrey School is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy , Affairs , and Administration ( NASPAA ) .", "Twin cities. Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres that are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time , losing most of their mutual buffer zone . There are no precise criteria for twin-cityhood , but to be considered twin cities , the cities involved have to have a similar administrative status and somewhat comparable sizes ; a suburb of a much larger population center is usually not considered to form a twin city with it . For example , South San Francisco ( population about 65,000 ) is not considered a twin city with San Francisco ( population about 850,000 ) . However , cities considered twinned by proximity do not necessarily match demographically , economically , or politically . In many historical cases , cities that grew into each other 's space lost their individual identities , and the border or barrier originally separating them became almost irrelevant . An 1873 case of twin cities merging to become a united city is Budapest in Hungary , which began as two settlements ( Buda and Pest ) facing each other across the Danube at a strategic fording place along a trade route . In China , the three ancient cities of Hankou , Hanyang , and Wuchang , separated by the junction of the Yangtze and Hanjiang rivers , were joined in 1927 into the single entity of Wuhan . Twin cities may share an airport into whose airport codes are integrated the component initials e.g. DFW ( Dallas -- Fort Worth ) , LBA ( Leeds -- Bradford ) , MSP ( Minneapolis -- Saint Paul , Minnesota ) and CAK ( Akron -- Canton , Ohio ) . In some cases , such as Albury/Wodonga in Australia , the two cities are permanently divided by a state border , often one that strictly adheres to a geographical landmark , such as the Murray River that divides New South Wales from Victoria , and thus Albury from Wodonga . In other cases twin cities can be divided by an international border , but retain a cultural and historical similarity , for example Haparanda ( Sweden ) and Tornio ( Finland ) , Leticia ( Colombia ) and Tabatinga ( Brazil ) or Valga ( Estonia ) and Valka ( Latvia ) .", "Government of Minneapolis. Minneapolis -LSB- ˌmɪniˈæplɪs -RSB- is the largest city in the state of Minnesota in the United States , and the county seat of Hennepin County .", "St. Louis. St. Louis '' ' ( -LSB- seɪnt_ˈluːɪs -RSB- ) is an independent city and major U.S. port in the state of Missouri , built along the western bank of the Mississippi River , on the border with Illinois . The city had an estimated 2016 population of 311,404 , and is the cultural and economic center of the Greater St. Louis area ( home to 2,916,447 people ) , making it the largest metropolitan area in Missouri and the 19th-largest in the United States . Prior to European settlement , the area was a major regional center of Native American Mississippian culture . The city of St. Louis was founded in 1764 by French fur traders Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau , and named after Louis IX of France . In 1764 , following France 's defeat in the Seven Years ' War , the area was ceded to Spain and retroceded back to France in 1800 . In 1803 , the United States acquired the territory as part of the Louisiana Purchase . During the 19th century , St. Louis developed as a major port on the Mississippi River . In the 1870 Census , St. Louis was ranked as the 4th-largest city in the United States . It separated from St. Louis County in 1877 , becoming an independent city and limiting its own political boundaries . In 1904 , it hosted the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and the Summer Olympics . The economy of metro St. Louis relies on service , manufacturing , trade , transportation of goods , and tourism . Its metro area is home to major corporations , including Anheuser-Busch , Express Scripts , Centene , Boeing Defense , Emerson , Energizer , Panera , Enterprise , Peabody Energy , Ameren , Ralcorp , Monsanto , Scottrade , Edward Jones , Go Jet , Purina and Sigma-Aldrich . This city has also become known for its growing medical , pharmaceutical and research presence . St. Louis has 2 professional sports teams : the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball and the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League . The city is commonly identified with the 630 ft tall Gateway Arch in Downtown St. Louis .", "Minneapolis–Saint Paul. Minneapolis -- Saint Paul is a major metropolitan area built around the Mississippi , Minnesota and St. Croix rivers in east central Minnesota . The area is commonly known as the Twin Cities after its two largest cities , Minneapolis , the city with the largest population in the state , and Saint Paul , the state capital . It is an example of twin cities in the sense of geographical proximity . Minnesotans living outside of Minneapolis and Saint Paul often refer to the two together ( or the seven-county metro area collectively ) as The Cities . There are several different definitions of the region . Many refer to the Twin Cities as the seven-county region which is governed under the Metropolitan Council regional governmental agency and planning organization . The Office of Management and Budget officially designates 16 counties as the Minneapolis -- St. Paul -- Bloomington MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area , the 16th largest in the United States . The entire region known as the Minneapolis -- St. Paul MN-WI Combined Statistical Area , has a population of 3,866,768 , the 14th largest , according to 2015 Census estimates . Despite the Twin moniker , both cities are independent municipalities with defined borders . Minneapolis is somewhat younger with modern skyscrapers , while Saint Paul has been likened to an East Coast city , with quaint neighborhoods and a vast collection of well-preserved late-Victorian architecture . Minneapolis was influenced by its early Scandinavian and Lutheran heritage . St. Paul was influenced by its early French , Irish and German Catholic roots .", "Government and politics in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Saint Paul , Minnesota is the capital of Minnesota . The city is also the largest city and county seat of Ramsey County . Saint Paul has a strong mayor-council government . Seven city council members elected in wards and one mayor elected at large serve the city .", "Duluth, Minnesota. Duluth -LSB- dəˈluːθ -RSB- is a major port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Saint Louis County . Duluth has a population of 86,110 and is the second-largest city on Lake Superior 's shores , after Thunder Bay , Ontario , in Canada ; it has the largest metropolitan area on the lake . The Duluth MSA had a population of 279,771 in 2010 , the second-largest in Minnesota . Situated on the north shore of Lake Superior at the westernmost point of the Great Lakes , Duluth is accessible to oceangoing vessels from the Atlantic Ocean 2300 mi away via the Great Lakes Waterway and the Saint Lawrence Seaway . Duluth forms a metropolitan area with neighboring Superior , Wisconsin , called the Twin Ports . The cities share the Duluth -- Superior harbor and together are the Great Lakes ' largest port , transporting coal , iron ore ( taconite ) , and grain . A tourist destination for the Midwest , Duluth features the United States ' only all-freshwater aquarium , the Great Lakes Aquarium ; the Aerial Lift Bridge , which spans the Duluth Ship Canal into the Duluth -- Superior Harbor ; and Minnesota Point ( known locally as Park Point ) , the world 's longest freshwater baymouth bar , spanning 6 mi . The city is also the starting point for vehicle trips along Minnesota 's North Shore . The city is named for Daniel Greysolon , Sieur du Lhut , the first known European explorer of the area .", "Houston. Houston ( -LSB- ˈhjuːstən -RSB- ) is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States . With a census-estimated 2014 population of 2.239 million within an area of 667 sqmi , it is also the largest city in the southern United States and the seat of Harris County . Located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf of Mexico , it is the principal city of the Greater Houston metro area , which is the fifth-most populated MSA in the United States . Houston was founded on August 28 , 1836 , near the banks of Buffalo Bayou ( now known as Allen 's Landing ) and incorporated as a city on June 5 , 1837 . The city was named after former General Sam Houston , who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto 25 mi east of where the city was established . The burgeoning port and railroad industry , combined with oil discovery in 1901 , has induced continual surges in the city 's population . In the mid-20th century , Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center -- the world 's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions -- and NASA 's Johnson Space Center , where the Mission Control Center is located . Houston 's economy has a broad industrial base in energy , manufacturing , aeronautics , and transportation . Leading in health care sectors and building oilfield equipment , outside of New York City , Houston has more Fortune 500 headquarters than any other U.S. municipality within its city limits . The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled . Nicknamed the `` Space City '' , Houston is a global city , with strengths in business , international trade , entertainment , culture , media , fashion , science , sports , technology , education , medicine , and research . The city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community . Houston is the most diverse city in Texas and has been described as the most racially and ethnically diverse major metropolis in the U.S. . It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits , which attract more than 7 million visitors a year to the Museum District . Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District and offers year-round resident companies in all major performing arts .", "Des Moines, Iowa. Des Moines -LSB- dᵻˈmɔɪn -RSB- is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa . It is also the county seat of Polk County . A small part of the city extends into Warren County . It was incorporated on September 22 , 1851 , as Fort Des Moines , which was shortened to `` Des Moines '' in 1857 . It is on and named after the Des Moines River , which likely was adapted from the French colonial name , Rivière des Moines , meaning `` River of the Monks . '' The city 's population was 203,433 as of the 2010 census . The five-county metropolitan area is ranked 91st in terms of population in the United States with 599,789 residents according to the 2013 estimate by the United States Census Bureau . Des Moines is a major center of the U.S. insurance industry and has a sizable financial services and publishing business base . The city was credited as the `` number one spot for U.S. insurance companies '' in a Business Wire article and named the third-largest `` insurance capital '' of the world . The city is the headquarters for the Principal Financial Group , the Meredith Corporation , Ruan Transportation , EMC Insurance Companies , and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield . Other major corporations such as Wells Fargo , Voya Financial , Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company , ACE Limited , Marsh , Monsanto and Pioneer Hi-Bred have large operations in or near the metro area . In recent years Microsoft , Hewlett Packard and Facebook have built data processing and logistical facilities in the Des Moines metro . Forbes magazine ranked Des Moines as the `` Best Place for Business '' in both 2010 and 2013 . In 2014 , NBC ranked Des Moines as the `` Wealthiest City in America , '' according to its criteria . Des Moines is an important city in U.S. presidential politics : as the state 's capital , it is the site of the first caucuses of the presidential primary cycle . Many presidential candidates set up campaign headquarters in Des Moines . A 2007 article in The New York Times said , `` If you have any desire to witness presidential candidates in the most close-up and intimate of settings , there is arguably no better place to go than Des Moines . ''", "Mayor. In many countries , a mayor ( -LSB- ˈmɛər -RSB- or -LSB- ˈmeɪər -RSB- , from the Latin maior -LSB- majˈjɔr -RSB- , meaning `` bigger '' ) is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town . Worldwide , there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as the means by which a mayor is elected or otherwise mandated . Depending on the system chosen , a mayor may be the chief executive officer of the municipal government , may simply chair a multi-member governing body with little or no independent power , or may play a solely ceremonial role . Options for selection of a mayor include direct election by the public , or selection by an elected governing council or board .", "Chicago. Chicago ( -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɑːɡoʊ -RSB- or -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɔːɡoʊ -RSB- ) , officially the City of Chicago , is the third-most populous city in the United States . With over 2.7 million residents , it is also the most populous city in both the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States . It is the county seat of Cook County . The Chicago metropolitan area , often referred to as Chicagoland , has nearly 10 million people and is the third-largest in the U.S. Chicago has been called a global architecture capital . In terms of wealth and economy , Chicago is considered one of the most important business centers in the world . Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 , near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed , and grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century . Positioned along Lake Michigan , the city is an international hub for finance , commerce , industry , technology , telecommunications , and transportation : O'Hare International Airport is the second-busiest airport in the world when measured by aircraft traffic ; the region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and rail road freight . In 2012 , Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , and ranked seventh in the world in the 2016 Global Cities Index . Chicago has the third-largest gross metropolitan product in the United States -- about $ 640 billion according to 2015 estimates . The city has one of the world 's largest and most diversified economies with no single industry employing more than 14 % of the workforce . In 2016 , Chicago hosted over 54 million domestic and international visitors , a new record making it one of the top visited cities in the nation . Landmarks in the city include Millennium Park , Navy Pier , the Magnificent Mile , Art Institute of Chicago , Museum Campus , the Willis ( Sears ) Tower , Museum of Science and Industry , and Lincoln Park Zoo . Chicago 's culture includes the visual arts , novels , film , theater , especially improvisational comedy , and music , particularly jazz , blues , soul , hip hop , gospel and house music . There are many colleges and universities in the Chicago area ; among these , Northwestern University , University of Chicago , and the University of Illinois at Chicago are classified as `` highest research '' doctoral universities . Additionally , Chicago has professional sports teams in each of the major professional leagues . The city has many nicknames , the best-known being the Windy City .", "Dallas. Dallas ( -LSB- ˈdæləs -RSB- ) is a major city in the U.S. state of Texas . It is the most populous city in the Dallas -- Fort Worth metroplex , the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the United States . The city 's population ranks ninth in the U.S. and third in Texas after Houston and San Antonio . The city 's prominence arose from its historical importance as a center for the oil and cotton industries , and its position along numerous railroad lines . The bulk of the city is in Dallas County , of which it is the county seat ; however , sections of the city are located in Collin , Denton , Kaufman , and Rockwall counties . According to the 2010 United States Census , the city had a population of 1,197,816 . The United States Census Bureau 's estimate for the city 's population increased to 1,317,929 as of July 1 , 2016 . The city is the largest economic center of the 12-county Dallas -- Fort Worth metroplex metropolitan area ( commonly referred to as DFW ) , which had a population of 7,246,231 as of July 1 , 2016 , representing growth in excess of 807,000 people since the 2010 census . In 2016 DFW ascended to the number one spot in the nation in year-over-year population growth . In 2014 , the metropolitan economy surpassed Washington , D.C. to become the fifth largest in the U.S. , with a 2014 real GDP over $ 504 billion . As such , the metropolitan area 's economy is the 10th largest in the world . In 2013 , the metropolitan area led the nation with the largest year-over-year increase in employment and advanced to become the fourth-largest employment center in the nation ( behind New York City , Los Angeles and Chicago ) with more than three million non-farm jobs . As of January 2017 , the metropolitan job count has increased to 3,558,200 jobs . The city 's economy is primarily based on banking , commerce , telecommunications , technology , energy , healthcare and medical research , and transportation and logistics . The city is home to the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the nation ( behind New York City and Houston ) . Located in North Texas , Dallas is the main core of the largest metropolitan area in the South and the largest inland metropolitan area in the United States that lacks any navigable link to the sea . Dallas and nearby Fort Worth were developed due to the construction of major railroad lines through the area allowing access to cotton , cattle , and later oil in North and East Texas . The construction of the Interstate Highway System reinforced Dallas ' prominence as a transportation hub with four major interstate highways converging in the city , and a fifth interstate loop around it . Dallas developed as a strong industrial and financial center , and a major inland port , due to the convergence of major railroad lines , interstate highways , and the construction of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport , one of the largest and busiest airports in the world .", "St. Cloud, Minnesota. St. Cloud -LSB- ˌseɪntˈklaʊd -RSB- is a city in the state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state 's central region . Its population is 67,109 according to the 2015 US census estimates , making it Minnesota 's tenth largest city . St. Cloud is the county seat of Stearns County and was named after the city of Saint-Cloud , France ( in Île-de-France , near Paris ) , which was named after the 6th-century French monk Clodoald . Though mostly in Stearns County , St. Cloud also extends into Benton and Sherburne counties , and straddles the Mississippi River . It is the center of a small , contiguous urban area totaling over 116,000 residents , with Waite Park , Sauk Rapids , Sartell , St. Joseph , Rockville , and St. Augusta directly bordering the city , and Foley , Rice , Kimball , Clearwater , Clear Lake , and Cold Spring nearby . With 189,093 residents at the 2010 census , the St. Cloud metropolitan area is the fourth-largest in Minnesota , behind Minneapolis -- St. Paul , Duluth -- Superior , and Rochester . ( The population of Fargo-Moorhead is also larger than St. Cloud 's , but most of that is in North Dakota , with only 58,999 residents in Minnesota . ) St. Cloud is 65 mi northwest of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis -- St. Paul along Interstate 94 , U.S. Highway 10 , and Minnesota State Highway 23 . The St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) is made up of Stearns and Benton Counties . The city was included in a newly defined Minneapolis -- St. Paul -- St. Cloud Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) in 2000 . St. Cloud as a whole has never been part of the 13-county MSA comprising Minneapolis , St. Paul , Bloomington and parts of western Wisconsin , although its Sherburne County portion is considered part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area by Census Bureau definition . St. Cloud State University , Minnesota 's third-largest public university , is located between the downtown area and the Beaver Islands , which form a maze for a two-mile stretch of the Mississippi . The approximately 30 undeveloped islands are a popular destination for kayak and canoe enthusiasts and are part of a state-designated 12-mile stretch of wild and scenic river . St. Cloud owns and operates a hydroelectric dam on the Mississippi that can produce up to nine megawatts of electricity .", "Minneapolis City Council. The Minneapolis City Council is the governing body of the City of Minneapolis . It consists of 13 members , elected from separate wards to four-year terms in office . Barbara Johnson , Fourth Ward Council Member and a member of the Minnesota Democratic -- Farmer -- Labor Party ( DFL ) , is the current president of the council . The council is dominated by members of the DFL , with a total of 12 members . The Green Party of Minnesota has one member , Cam Gordon . Each member 's term is four years , and there are no limits on the number of terms a member may serve .", "Winnipeg. Winnipeg ( -LSB- ˈwɪnɪpɛɡ -RSB- ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada . It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America and is 110 km from the U.S. border . It is also the place of the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers . The city is named after the nearby Lake Winnipeg ; the name comes from the Western Cree words for muddy water . The region was a trading centre for aboriginal peoples long before the arrival of Europeans . French traders built the first fort on the site in 1738 . A settlement was later founded by the Selkirk settlers of the Red River Colony in 1812 , the nucleus of which was incorporated as the City of Winnipeg in 1873 . As of 2011 , Winnipeg is the seventh most populated municipality in Canada . Being located very far inland , the local climate is extremely seasonal even by Canadian standards with average January lows of around -21 C and average July highs of 26 C. Known as the `` Gateway to the West '' , Winnipeg is a railway and transportation hub with a diversified economy . This multicultural city hosts numerous annual festivals , including the Festival du Voyageur , the Winnipeg Folk Festival , the Jazz Winnipeg Festival , the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival , and Folklorama . Winnipeg was the first Canadian host of the Pan American Games . It is home to several professional sports franchises , including the Winnipeg Blue Bombers ( Canadian football ) , the Winnipeg Jets ( ice hockey ) , Manitoba Moose ( ice hockey ) and the Winnipeg Goldeyes ( baseball ) .", "Toronto. Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario . With a population of 2,731,571 , it is the fourth most populous city in North America after Mexico City , New York City , and Los Angeles . Toronto is the centre of the Greater Toronto Area ( GTA ) , the most populous metropolitan area in Canada , and anchors the Golden Horseshoe , a heavily urbanized region that is home to 9.2 million people , or over 26 % of the population of Canada . A global city , Toronto is an international centre of business , finance , arts , and culture , and is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world . Aboriginal peoples have inhabited the area now known as Toronto for thousands of years . The city itself is situated on the southern terminus of an ancient Aboriginal trail leading north to Lake Simcoe , used by the Wyandot , Iroquois , and the Mississauga . Permanent European settlement began in the 1790s , after the broadly disputed Toronto Purchase of 1787 , when the Mississaugas surrendered the area to the British Crown . The British established the town of York , and later designated it as the capital of Upper Canada . During the War of 1812 , the town was the site of the Battle of York and suffered heavy damage by U.S. troops . York was renamed and incorporated as the city of Toronto in 1834 , and became the capital of the province of Ontario during Canadian Confederation in 1867 . The city proper has since expanded past its original borders through amalgamation with surrounding municipalities at various times in its history to its current area of 630.2 km2 . Located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario , Toronto is situated on a broad sloping plateau intersected by an extensive network of rivers , deep ravines , and urban forest , with 140 independently unique and clearly defined official neighbourhoods making up the city . The diverse population of Toronto reflects its current and historical role as an important destination for immigrants to Canada , with nearly 50 % of residents belonging to a visible minority population group , and over 200 distinct ethnic origins represented among its inhabitants . While the majority of Torontonians speak English as their primary language , there are over 160 different languages spoken in the city . Toronto is a prominent centre for music , theatre , motion picture production , and television production , and is home to the headquarters of Canada 's major national broadcast networks and media outlets . Its varied cultural institutions , which include numerous museums and galleries , festivals and public events , entertainment districts , national historic sites , and sports activities , attract over 25 million tourists each year . Toronto is known for its many skyscrapers and high-rise buildings , in particular the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere , the CN Tower . As Canada 's commercial capital , the city is home to the Toronto Stock Exchange , the headquarters of Canada 's five largest banks , and the headquarters of many large Canadian and multinational corporations . Its economy is highly diversified with strengths in technology , design , financial services , life sciences , education , arts , fashion , business services , environmental innovation , food services , and tourism .", "Milwaukee. Milwaukee ( -LSB- mᵻlˈwɔːki -RSB- , -LSB- localˈmwɔːki -RSB- ) is the largest city in the state of Wisconsin and the fifth-largest city in the Midwestern United States . The county seat of Milwaukee County , it is on Lake Michigan 's western shore . Ranked by estimated 2014 population , Milwaukee was the 31st largest city in the United States . The city 's estimated population in 2015 was 600,155 . Milwaukee is the main cultural and economic center of the Milwaukee metropolitan area . It is also part of the larger Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha , WI combined statistical area , which had an estimated population of 2,026,243 in the 2010 census . The first Europeans to pass through the area were French Catholic missionaries and fur traders . In 1818 , the French Canadian explorer Solomon Juneau settled in the area , and in 1846 Juneau 's town combined with two neighboring towns to incorporate as the city of Milwaukee . Large numbers of German immigrants helped increase the city 's population during the 1840s , with Poles and other immigrants arriving in the following decades . Milwaukee is known for its brewing traditions . The city is experiencing its largest construction boom since the 1960s . Major new additions to the city in the past two decades include the Milwaukee Riverwalk , the Wisconsin Center , Miller Park , an expansion to the Milwaukee Art Museum , Milwaukee Repertory Theater , and Pier Wisconsin , as well as major renovations to the UW -- Milwaukee Panther Arena . The under-construction Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center is scheduled to open in 2018 .", "Indianapolis. Indianapolis ( pronounced -LSB- ˌɪndi.əˈnæpəlᵻs -RSB- ) , is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County . It is in the East North Central region of the Midwestern United States . With an estimated population of 855,164 in 2016 , Indianapolis is the third most populous city in the Midwest and 15th most populous in the U.S. . The city is the economic and cultural center of the Indianapolis metropolitan area , home to 2 million people , the 34th most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. Its combined statistical area ranks 27th , with 2.38 million inhabitants . Indianapolis covers 372 sqmi , making it the 16th largest city by land area in the U.S. Founded in 1821 as a planned city for the new seat of the government of Indiana , Indianapolis was platted by Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham on a 1 sqmi grid adjacent to the White River . The city grew beyond the Mile Square , as completion of the National Road and advent of the railroad solidified the city 's position as a manufacturing and transportation hub . Indianapolis is within a single-day drive of 70 percent of the nation 's population , lending to one of its nicknames as the `` Crossroads of America '' . Anchoring the 26th largest economic region in the U.S. , the city 's economy is based primarily on business services , transportation and logistics , education , financial services , hospitality and tourism , and distribution services . Indianapolis has developed niche markets in amateur sports and auto racing . The city is perhaps best known for annually hosting the world 's largest single-day sporting event , the Indianapolis 500 . Led by the Lilly Endowment , the city 's philanthropic community has been instrumental in the development of its cultural institutions , such as The Children 's Museum of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Museum of Art . The city is notable as headquarters for the American Legion and home to a significant collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and war dead , the most in the U.S. outside of Washington , D.C. . Since the 1970 city-county consolidation , known as Unigov , local government administration has operated under the direction of an elected 25-member city-county council headed by the mayor . Indianapolis is considered a `` high sufficiency '' global city .", "Minneapolis mayoral election, 2013. The 2013 Minneapolis mayoral election was held on November 5 , 2013 to elect the Mayor of Minneapolis for a four-year term . This was the second mayoral election in the city 's history to use instant-runoff voting , popularly known as ranked choice voting , first implemented in the city 's 2009 elections . Municipal elections in Minnesota are nonpartisan , although candidates are able to identify with a political party on the ballot . After incumbent Mayor R. T. Rybak announced in late 2012 that he would not seek a fourth term , 35 candidates began campaigns to replace him . Many of these candidates sought the endorsement of the Minneapolis unit of the Minnesota Democratic -- Farmer -- Labor Party ( DFL ) , though the convention ultimately ended with no endorsement . Although she did not win enough votes to be victorious on the first ballot , DFLer Betsy Hodges held a `` commanding '' lead and was `` poised '' to be elected following completion of vote tabulations . Second-place finisher Mark Andrew effectively conceded on election night , saying that it was unlikely that he would overcome Hodges ' lead . Hodges was elected in the 33rd round after two days of vote tabulations .", "Hubert H. Humphrey Building. The Hubert H. Humphrey Building is a low-rise Brutalist office building located in Washington , D.C. , in the United States . Originally known as the South Portal Building , the Hubert H. Humphrey Building was dedicated on November 1 , 1977 . It became the headquarters of the United States Department of Health , Education , and Welfare ( HEW ) . After the department 's education component was given to the newly created United States Department of Education in 1979 , the newly named United States Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) continued to occupy the structure . The Hubert H. Humphrey Building is located at 200 Independence Avenue SW in Washington , D.C. . It is named for Hubert H. Humphrey , then serving as U.S. Senator from Minnesota , and formerly Vice President of the United States .", "South Bend, Indiana. South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County , Indiana , United States , on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend , from which it derives its name . As of the 2010 census , the city had a total of 101,168 residents ; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 318,586 and Combined Statistical Area of 721,296 . It is the fourth-largest city in Indiana , serving as the economic and cultural hub of Northern Indiana . The highly ranked University of Notre Dame is located just to the north in unincorporated Notre Dame , Indiana and is an integral contributor to the region 's economy . The area was originally settled in the early 19th century by fur traders and was established as a city in 1865 . The St. Joseph River shaped South Bend 's economy through the mid-20th century . River access assisted heavy industrial development such as that of the Studebaker Corporation , the Oliver Chilled Plow Company , and other large corporations . The population of South Bend declined after 1960 , when it had a peak population of 132,445 . This was chiefly due to migration to suburban areas as well as the demise of Studebaker and other heavy industry . Today , the largest industries in South Bend are health care , education , small business , and tourism . Remaining large corporations include Crowe Horwath , Honeywell , and AM General . Recently , the city population has started to grow for the first time in nearly fifty years . The old Studebaker plant and surrounding area , now called Ignition Park , is being redeveloped as a technology center to attract new industry . The city has also been featured in national news coverage for Mayor Pete Buttigieg , who has achieved recognition for his various economic development projects within the city , his position as the youngest mayor to be elected in a city of more than 100,000 residents , and his essay in which he came out as the first openly gay executive in the state of Indiana .", "Mankato, Minnesota. Mankato is a city in Blue Earth , Nicollet , and Le Sueur counties in the State of Minnesota . The population was 41,044 according to 2015 US census estimates , making it the fifth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis -- Saint Paul metropolitan area . The county seat of Blue Earth County , it is located along a large bend of the Minnesota River at its confluence with the Blue Earth River . Mankato is across the Minnesota River from North Mankato . Mankato and North Mankato have a combined population of over 53,000 , according to the 2010 census . It completely encompasses the town of Skyline . North of Mankato Regional Airport , a tiny non-contiguous part of the city is located within Le Sueur County . Most of the city of Mankato is located within Blue Earth County . Mankato is the larger of the two principal cities of the Mankato-North Mankato metropolitan area , which covers Blue Earth and Nicollet counties and had a combined population of 94,149 at the 2010 census . Mankato was designated a Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S. Census Bureau in November 2008 . U.S. Highways 14 and 169 and Minnesota State Highways 22 and 60 are four of the main routes in Mankato ." ]

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[ "Alex Rodriguez. Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez ( born July 27 , 1975 ) , nicknamed `` A-Rod '' , is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman . He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , and New York Yankees . Rodriguez was one of the sport 's most highly touted prospects and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time . During his 22-year career , Rodriguez has amassed a .297 batting average , 696 home runs , over 2,000 runs batted in ( RBI ) , over 2,000 runs scored , and over 3,000 hits . He is a 14-time All-Star and has won three American League ( AL ) Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Awards , ten Silver Slugger Awards , and two Gold Glove Awards . Rodríguez is the career record holder for grand slams with 25 . However , he has led a highly controversial career due to signing two of the most lucrative sports contracts in history while incurring criticism from the media for his behavior and use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs . The Mariners selected Rodriguez first overall in the 1993 MLB draft , and he debuted in the major leagues the following year at the age of 18 . In 1996 , he became the Mariners ' starting shortstop and finished second in voting for the AL MVP Award . Rodriguez 's combination of power , speed , and defense made him a cornerstone of the franchise , but he left the team via free agency after the 2000 season to join the Rangers . The 10-year , $ 252 million contract he signed was the richest in baseball history . He played at a high level in his three years with Texas , highlighted by his first AL MVP Award win in 2003 , but the team failed to make the playoffs during his tenure . Prior to the 2004 season , Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees , for whom he converted to a third baseman due to incumbent shortstop Derek Jeter . In his first four seasons with New York , he was twice more named AL MVP . After opting out of his contract following the 2007 season , Rodriguez signed a new 10-year , $ 275 million deal with the Yankees , extending his record for the sport 's most lucrative contract . He became the youngest player ever to hit 500 home runs , reaching the milestone in 2007 . He won his first World Series in 2009 , which was the first year of the new Yankee Stadium . The following year , he became the career leader in home runs by a player of Hispanic descent . In recent years , Rodriguez has been hampered by hip and knee injuries , which have caused him to exclusively become a designated hitter . He played his final game as a Yankee on August 12 , 2016 . In February 2009 , after previously denying use of performance-enhancing drugs , including during a 2007 interview with Katie Couric on 60 Minutes , Rodriguez admitted to using steroids , saying he used them from 2001 to 2003 when playing for Rangers due to `` an enormous amount of pressure '' to perform . While recovering from a hip injury in 2013 , Rodriguez made headlines by feuding with team management over his rehabilitation and for having allegedly obtained performance-enhancing drugs as part of the Biogenesis baseball scandal . In August 2013 , MLB suspended him 211 games for his involvement in the scandal , but he was allowed to play while appealing the punishment . Had the original suspension been upheld , it would have been the longest non-lifetime suspension in Major League Baseball history . After an arbitration hearing , the suspension was reduced to 162 games , keeping him off the field for the entire 2014 season .", "List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders. This is a list of the top 300 Major League Baseball leaders in home runs hit . In the sport of baseball , a home run is a hit in which the batter scores by circling all the bases and reaching home plate in one play , without the benefit of a fielding error . This can be accomplished either by hitting the ball out of play while it is still in fair territory ( a conventional home run ) , or by an inside-the-park home run . Barry Bonds holds the Major League Baseball home run record with 762 . He passed Hank Aaron , who is currently second with 755 , on August 7 , 2007 . The only other player to have hit 700 or more is Babe Ruth with 714 . Alex Rodriguez ( 696 ) , Willie Mays ( 660 ) , Ken Griffey , Jr. ( 630 ) , Jim Thome ( 612 ) and Sammy Sosa ( 609 ) are the only other players to have hit 600 or more ; Albert Pujols is the active leader in home runs with 599 in his career . Listed are all Major League Baseball players with 214 or more home runs hit during official regular season ( i.e. , excluding playoffs or exhibition games ) . Players in bold face are active as of the 2017 Major League Baseball season ( including free agents ) , with the number in parentheses designating the number of home runs they have hit during the 2017 season . The last change in the cutoff for the top 300 occurred on April 22 , 2017 , when Giancarlo Stanton hit his 214th career home run , displacing Travis Hafner and Andy Pafko .", "500 home run club. In Major League Baseball ( MLB ) , the 500 home run club is a group of batters who have hit 500 or more regular-season home runs in their careers . On August 11 , 1929 , Babe Ruth became the first member of the club . Ruth ended his career with 714 home runs , a record which stood from 1935 until Hank Aaron surpassed it in 1974 . Aaron 's ultimate career total , 755 , remained the record until Barry Bonds set the current mark of 762 during the 2007 season . Twenty-seven players are members of the 500 home run club . At .344 , Ted Williams holds the highest batting average among the club members while Harmon Killebrew holds the lowest at .256 . Of these 27 players , 14 were right-handed batters , 11 were left-handed , and 2 were switch hitters . The San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox are the only franchises to see four players reach the milestone while on their roster : for the Giants , Mel Ott while the team was in New York , Willie Mays , Willie McCovey , and most recently Bonds , and , for the Red Sox , Jimmie Foxx , Ted Williams , and more recently Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz . Five 500 home run club members -- Aaron , Mays , Eddie Murray , Rafael Palmeiro , and Alex Rodriguez -- are also members of the 3,000 hit club . Gary Sheffield 's 500th home run was his first career home run with the New York Mets , the first time that a player 's 500th home run was also his first with his franchise . Alex Rodriguez , at 32 years and 8 days , was the youngest player to reach the milestone while Ted Williams , at 41 years and 291 days , was the oldest.The most recent player to reach 500 home runs is David Ortiz , who hit his 500th home run on September 12 , 2015 . Membership in the 500 home run club is sometimes described as a guarantee of eventual entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame , although some believe the milestone has become less meaningful in recent years . Five eligible club members -- Barry Bonds , Mark McGwire , Rafael Palmeiro , Gary Sheffield and Sammy Sosa -- have not been elected to the Hall . Bonds and Sosa made their first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot in ; Bonds received only 36.2 % and Sosa 12.5 % of the total votes , with 75 % required for induction . Eligibility requires that a player has `` been retired five seasons '' or be deceased for at least six months , disqualifying three retired living players who have been active within the past five seasons -- Jim Thome , Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz . Some believe the milestone has become less important with the large number of new members ; 10 players joined the club from 1999 to 2009 . Additionally , several of these recent members have had ties to performance-enhancing drugs . Some believe that by not electing McGwire to the Hall the voters were establishing a `` referendum '' on how they would treat players from the `` Steroid Era '' . On January 8 , 2014 , Rafael Palmeiro became the first member of the 500 Home Run Club to be removed from the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot . As the BBWAA announced the selections for the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2014 , Palmeiro appeared on just 4.4 % of the ballots . Players must be named on at least of 5.0 % of ballots to remain on future ballots . As of Opening Day 2017 , Albert Pujols is the only active member of the 500 home run club .", "Home run. In baseball , a home run ( abbreviated HR ) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process . In modern baseball , the feat is typically achieved by hitting the ball over the outfield fence between the foul poles ( or making contact with either foul pole ) without first touching the ground , resulting in an automatic home run . There is also the `` inside-the-park '' home run , increasingly rare in modern baseball , where the batter reaches home safely while the baseball is in play on the field . When a home run is scored , the batter is also credited with a hit and a run scored , and an RBI for each runner that scores , including himself . Likewise , the pitcher is recorded as having given up a hit , and a run for each runner that scores including the batter . Home runs are among the most popular aspects of baseball and , as a result , prolific home run hitters are usually the most popular among fans and consequently the highest paid by teams -- hence the old saying , variously attributed to slugger Ralph Kiner , or to a teammate talking about Kiner , `` Home run hitters drive Cadillacs , and singles hitters drive Fords . ''", "Hank Aaron Award. The Hank Aaron Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball ( MLB ) players selected as the top hitter in each league , as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media . It was introduced in 1999 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Hank Aaron 's surpassing of Babe Ruth 's career home run mark of 714 home runs . The award was the first major award to be introduced by Major League Baseball in 19 years . For the 1999 season , a winner was selected using an objective points system . Hits , home runs , and runs batted in ( RBI ) were given certain point values and the winner was the player who had the highest tabulated points total . In 2000 , the system was changed to a ballot in which each MLB team 's radio and television play-by-play broadcasters and color analysts voted for three players in each league . Their first place vote receives five points , the second place vote receives three points , and the third place vote receives one point . Beginning in 2003 , fans were given the opportunity to vote via MLB 's official website , MLB.com . Fans ' votes account for 30 % of the points , while broadcasters ' and analysts ' votes account for the other 70 % . The 2004 -- 2006 Hank Aaron Award was decided in three separate phases . In August fans voted at each Club 's official Web site from among three players nominated by the respective Club . The leading vote getter from each Club became one of 30 finalists , from which a special Major League Baseball panel chose six finalists from each League . Online fan voting then determined the overall League winner . In 2007 -- 2008 five finalists in each league were determined in fan balloting on MLB.com , from 30 club nominees selected by a special panel assembled by Major League Baseball and MLB.com . Online fan votes decided the overall League winner . For the 2009 Award fans selected both the finalists and the ultimate winners of the award . In September fans voted for one finalist out of three nominees from each MLB Club . Once those 30 finalists were selected , fans voted for one American League and one National League winner , from September 16 -- 30 . The award is handed out to the winners of both leagues before Game 4 of the World Series every year , with Aaron himself presenting the awards . The first winners of the award were Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa in 1999 , while the most recent winners are David Ortiz and Kris Bryant . Alex Rodriguez has won the award four times , the most of any player . The winner with the most hits is Todd Helton , who won as a Colorado Rockies in 2000 . The winner with the most home runs is Barry Bonds from 2001 , and Manny Ramírez in 1999 has the most RBIs .", "Alex Rodriguez (disambiguation). Alex Rodriguez ( born 1975 ) is an American Major League Baseball player . Alex Rodriguez or Alexander Rodriguez may also refer to : Álex Rodríguez ( film editor ) ( born 1971 ) , Mexican film editor Alex Rodriguez ( musician ) , US musician Alex Rodriguez ( Andorran footballer ) ( born 1980 ) , Andorran footballer Álex Rodríguez ( Panamanian footballer ) ( born 1990 ) , Panamanian football goalkeeper Alex Rodriguez ( Spanish footballer ) ( born 1993 ) , Spanish football player who plays for Wellington Phoenix Alexander Rodríguez ( gymnast ) ( born 1985 ) , Puerto Rican gymnast Alexander Rodríguez ( cyclist ) , Colombian cyclist and competitor in the 2001 Vuelta a Colombia", "50 home run club. In Major League Baseball ( MLB ) , the 50 home run club is the group of batters who have hit 50 or more home runs in a single season . Babe Ruth was the first to achieve this , doing so in 1920 . By reaching the milestone , he also became the first player to hit 30 and then 40 home runs in a single-season , breaking his own record of 29 from the 1919 season . Ruth subsequently became the first player to reach the 50 home run club on four occasions , repeating the achievement in 1921 , 1927 and 1928 . He remained the only player to accomplish this until Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa matched his feat in 1999 and 2001 , respectively , thus becoming the only players to achieve four consecutive 50 home run seasons . Barry Bonds hit the most home runs to join the club , collecting 73 in 2001 . The most recent player to reach the milestone is Chris Davis , achieving the feat during the 2013 season . In total , 27 players have reached the 50 home run club in MLB history and nine have done so more than once . Of these , fifteen were right-handed batters , eleven were left-handed , and one was a switch hitter , meaning he could bat from either side of the plate . Two of these players ( including one active member of the 50 home run club ) have played for only one major league team . The New York Yankees are the only franchise to have four players reach the milestone while on their roster : Ruth , Mickey Mantle , Roger Maris and Alex Rodriguez . Ten players are also members of the 500 home run club and two of them ( Willie Mays and Rodriguez ) are also a members of the 3,000 hit club . Ten players won the Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Award in the same year as their 50 home run season . Mantle is the only player to have earned the Major League Triple Crown alongside achieving 50 home runs , leading both leagues in batting average , home runs and runs batted in ( RBI ) . Mantle and Maris -- collectively known as the M&M Boys -- are the only teammates to reach the 50 home run club in the same season , hitting a combined 115 home runs in 1961 and breaking the single-season record for home runs by a pair of teammates . Albert Belle is the only player to amass 50 or more doubles in addition to attaining 50 home runs . Prince Fielder , at 23 years and 139 days , was the youngest player to reach the milestone while Bonds , at age 37 , was the oldest . Due to the infrequent addition of members into the 50 home run club , Baseball Digest called it `` a restrictive fraternity comprising slugging elite '' in 1954 , when there were only six members . Of the seventeen members eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame , eight have been elected and three were elected on the first ballot . Eligibility requires that a player has `` been retired five seasons '' or deceased for at least six months , disqualifying eight active players and two players who have been retired for less than five seasons . Some believe the milestone has become less important with the large number of new members ; fifteen players joined the club on a total of 24 occasions from 1995 to 2010 . Additionally , several of these recent members have had ties to performance-enhancing drugs .", "Power–speed number. Power -- speed number or power/speed number ( PSN ) is a sabermetrics baseball statistic developed by baseball author and analyst Bill James which combines a player 's home run and stolen base numbers into one number . The formula is : . ( It is the harmonic mean of the two totals . ) Power -- speed number is displayed as a number with one digit after the decimal point . James introduced the power -- speed number in his commentary on Bobby Bonds , writing `` it is so crafted that a player who does well in both home runs and stolen bases will rate high , and his rating is determined by the balance of the two as well as by the total . '' The highest single season power -- speed number was turned in 1998 by Alex Rodriguez , then of the Seattle Mariners . Rodriguez hit 42 home runs and stole 46 bases to record a power -- speed number of 43.9 . The highest career power -- speed number belongs to Barry Bonds . Bonds had 762 career home runs and 514 career stolen bases for a career power -- speed number of 613.9 . Rickey Henderson is second on the career list at 490.4 , followed by Willie Mays ( 447.1 ) , Alex Rodriguez ( 410.6 ) , Barry 's father Bobby Bonds ( 386.0 ) , and Joe Morgan ( 385.9 ) . The 2012 leaders were Ryan Braun in the National League ( 34.6 ) , and Mike Trout in the American League ( 37.2 ) .", "40–40 club. In Major League Baseball ( MLB ) , the 40 -- 40 club is the group of batters who have collected 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season . Jose Canseco was the first to achieve this , doing so in 1988 after having predicted the feat in April of that year . The most recent player to reach the milestone is Alfonso Soriano , achieving the feat during the 2006 season . In total , only four players have reached the 40 -- 40 club in MLB history and none have done so more than once . Of these , three were right-handed batters and one was left-handed . Two players -- Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez -- are also members of the 500 home run club . Jose Canseco is the only player to have won the MVP Award in the same year of his 40 -- 40 season , he 's also the only one to lead his club to the postseason making it to the World Series . Alfonso Soriano collected 41 doubles alongside achieving 40 -- 40 . Rodriguez is the only non-outfielder to attain 40 -- 40 . All four 40-40 club members had at least 400 career home runs and 200 stolen bases . Becoming a member of the 40 -- 40 club is an elusive achievement in modern American baseball , as players who possess the power to hit 40 home runs and the speed to steal 40 bases in a season are rare . Generally a player with the strength to hit 40 home runs will not have nearly the speed necessary to steal 40 bases , and vice versa . This remains true even as statistical trends change in baseball -- stolen base totals in the 1980s were unusually high , but very few players reached 40 home runs ; home run totals were extremely high in the late 1990s , but stolen bases became more rare as the steal was a sparingly used tactic . Bonds achieved the feat when his body was lean and quick , before his body grew thicker . Due to the relative modernity of the 40 -- 40 club , no eligible club members have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame . Eligibility requires that a player has `` been retired five seasons '' or deceased for at least six months , disqualifying active players . As of the 2015 season only Rodriguez remains active . Bonds remains on the Hall of Fame Ballot , and Soriano will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2020 . Soriano is the only member that has not been linked to the use of performance-enhancing drugs ; he joined the club in 2006 after MLB started its drug-test program . Bonds and Canseco were named in the Mitchell Report , while Rodriguez admitted in 2009 to using steroids . Soriano is also the only player to achieve the feat while playing at home . After stealing a base in an October 2 , 2015 game for the NC Dinos , first baseman Eric Thames became the first player to join the Korea Baseball Organization 's 40 -- 40 club .", "Silver Slugger Award. The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League , as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . These voters consider several offensive categories in selecting the winners , including batting average , slugging percentage , and on-base percentage , in addition to `` coaches ' and managers ' general impressions of a player 's overall offensive value '' . Managers and coaches are not permitted to vote for players on their own team . The Silver Slugger was first awarded in 1980 and is given by Hillerich & Bradsby , the manufacturer of Louisville Slugger bats . The award is a bat-shaped trophy , 3 feet ( 91 cm ) tall , engraved with the names of each of the winners from the league and plated with sterling silver . The prize is presented to outfielders irrespective of their specific position . This means that it is possible for three left fielders , or any other combination of outfielders , to win the award in the same year , rather than one left fielder , one center fielder , and one right fielder . In addition , only National League pitchers receive a Silver Slugger Award ; lineups in the American League include a designated hitter in place of the pitcher in the batting order , so the designated hitter receives the award instead . Embattled home run record-holder Barry Bonds won twelve Silver Slugger Awards in his career as an outfielder , the most of any player . He also won the award in five consecutive seasons twice in his career : from 1990 to 1994 , and again from 2000 to 2004 . Retired catcher Mike Piazza and former New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez are tied for second , with ten wins each . Rodriguez ' awards are split between two positions ; he won seven Silver Sluggers as a shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers , and three with the Yankees as a third baseman . Wade Boggs leads third basemen with eight Silver Slugger Awards ; Barry Larkin leads shortstops with nine . Other leaders include Ryne Sandberg ( seven wins as a second baseman ) and Mike Hampton ( five wins as a pitcher ) . Todd Helton and Albert Pujols are tied for the most wins among first baseman with four , although Pujols has won two awards at other positions . David Ortiz has won seven awards at designated hitter position , the most at that position .", "Major League Baseball. Major League Baseball ( MLB ) is a professional baseball organization , the oldest of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . A total of 30 teams now play in the National League ( NL ) and American League ( AL ) , with 15 teams in each league . The NL and AL operated as separate legal entities from 1876 and 1901 respectively . After cooperating but remaining legally separate entities since 1903 , the leagues merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball in 2000 . The organization also oversees Minor League Baseball , which comprises about 240 teams affiliated with the Major League clubs . With the World Baseball Softball Confederation , MLB manages the international World Baseball Classic tournament . Baseball 's first professional team was founded in Cincinnati in 1869 , 30 years after Abner Doubleday supposedly invented the game of baseball . The first few decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and by players who often jumped from one team or league to another . The period before 1920 in baseball was known as the dead-ball era ; players rarely hit home runs during this time . Baseball survived a conspiracy to fix the 1919 World Series , which came to be known as the Black Sox Scandal . The sport rose in popularity in the 1920s , and survived potential downturns during the Great Depression and World War II . Shortly after the war , baseball 's color barrier was broken by Jackie Robinson . The 1950s and 1960s were a time of expansion for the AL and NL , then new stadiums and artificial turf surfaces began to change the game in the 1970s and 1980s . Home runs dominated the game during the 1990s , and media reports began to discuss the use of anabolic steroids among Major League players in the mid-2000s . In 2006 , an investigation produced the Mitchell Report , which implicated many players in the use of performance-enhancing substances , including at least one player from each team . Today , MLB is composed of thirty teams : twenty-nine in the United States and one in Canada . Teams play 162 games each season and five teams in each league advance to a four-round postseason tournament that culminates in the World Series , a best-of-seven championship series between the two league champions that dates to 1903 . Baseball broadcasts are aired on television , radio , and the Internet throughout North America and in several other countries throughout the world . MLB has the highest season attendance of any sports league in the world with more than 73 million spectators in 2015 .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Álex Rodríguez (film editor). Alex Rodríguez ( born May 18 , 1971 ) is a Mexican film editor with more than twenty film credits . Rodríguez was born in Saint-Martin-d'Hères , France . He has edited several films directed by Alfonso Cuarón , commencing with Y tu mamá también ( 2001 ) . He and Cuarón were nominated for the Academy Award for Film Editing for the film Children of Men ( 2006 ) . The critic Wesley Morris described their work as follows : '' ` Children of Men ' has a blistering immediacy that 's singular in this age of rapid cutting . Along with Alex Rodríguez , Cuarón cut the picture himself , and while he uses digital effects as enrichment , he builds scenes within the camera 's frame rather than just in an editing room . So the film is as theatrical as it is cinematic . ''", "List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders. In baseball , a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle all the bases ending at home plate , scoring himself and each runner who was already on base , with no errors by the defensive team on the play . The feat is typically achieved by hitting the ball over the outfield fence in fair territory without it first touching the ground , which results in an automatic home run . There is also the rarer inside-the-park home run , where the hitter circles the bases while the baseball is in play on the field . In Major League Baseball ( MLB ) , a player in each league wins the home run title each season by hitting the most home runs that year . Only home runs hit in a particular league count towards that league 's seasonal lead . Mark McGwire , for example , hit 58 home runs in 1997 , more than any other player that year . However , McGwire was traded from the American League 's ( AL ) Oakland Athletics to the National League 's ( NL ) St. Louis Cardinals midway through the season and his individual AL and NL home run totals ( 34 and 24 , respectively ) did not lead either league . The first home run champion in the National League was George Hall ; in the league 's inaugural 1876 season , Hall hit five home runs for the short-lived National League Philadelphia Athletics . In 1901 , the American League was established and Hall of Fame second baseman Nap Lajoie led it with 14 home runs for the American League Philadelphia Athletics . Over the course of his 22-season career , Babe Ruth led the American League in home runs 12 times . Mike Schmidt and Ralph Kiner have the second and third most home run titles respectively , Schmidt with eight and Kiner with seven , all won in the National League . Kiner 's seven consecutive titles from 1946 to 1952 are also the most consecutive home run titles by any player . The most recent champions ( 2015 ) are Chris Davis with 47 home runs in the American League , and Nolan Arenado and Bryce Harper tied with 42 in the National League . Ruth set the Major League Baseball single-season home run record four times , first at 29 ( 1919 ) , then 54 ( 1920 ) , 59 ( 1921 ) , and finally 60 ( 1927 ) . Ruth 's 1920 and 1921 seasons are tied for the widest margin of victory for a home run champion as he topped the next highest total by 35 home runs in each season . The single season mark of 60 stood for over 30 years until Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961 . Maris ' mark was in turn broken by both Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa during the 1998 home run record chase , with McGwire ultimately setting the mark at 70 . Barry Bonds , who also has the most career home runs , set the current single season record of 73 in 2001 . The 1998 and 2001 seasons each had 4 players hit 50 or more home runs -- Greg Vaughn , Ken Griffey , Jr. , Sosa , and McGwire in 1998 and Alex Rodriguez , Luis Gonzalez , Sosa , and Bonds in 2001 . A player has hit 50 or more home runs 42 times . Of these feats , 25 occurred since 1990 . The lowest home run total to ever lead a major league was four , a feat achieved in the NL by Lip Pike in 1877 and Paul Hines in 1878 .", "World Series. The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) in North America , contested since 1903 between the American League ( AL ) champion team and the National League ( NL ) champion team . The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff , and the winning team is awarded the Commissioner 's Trophy . As the series is played in October ( and occasionally November ) , during the fall season in North America , it is often referred to as the Fall Classic . Prior to 1969 , the team with the best regular season win-loss record in each league automatically advanced to the World Series ; since then each league has conducted a championship series ( ALCS and NLCS ) preceding the World Series to determine which teams will advance . As of 2016 , the World Series has been contested 112 times , with the AL winning 64 and the NL winning 48 . The 2016 World Series took place between the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs . Seven games were played , with the Cubs victorious after game seven , played in Cleveland . The final score was 8 -- 7 ; the game went into extra innings after a tied score of 6 -- 6 . This was the third World Series won by the Cubs , as well as their first title since 1908 , a period of 108 years . With the Cubs ' record long title drought finally ended , the Indians ' championship dry spell of 68 years and counting -- the Indians last won the Series in 1948 -- is currently the longest-running Series title absence . In the American League , the New York Yankees have played in 40 World Series and won 27 , the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics have played in 14 and won 9 , and the Boston Red Sox have played in 12 and won 8 , including the first World Series . In the National League , the St. Louis Cardinals have appeared in 19 and won 11 , the New York/San Francisco Giants have played in 20 and won 8 , the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have appeared in 18 and won 6 , and the Cincinnati Reds have appeared in 9 and won 5 . As of 2016 , no team has won consecutive World Series championships since the New York Yankees in , , and -- the longest such drought in Major League Baseball history .", "Home (2015 film). Home is a 2015 American 3D computer-animated science fiction comedy-adventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is loosely based on Adam Rex 's 2007 children 's book The True Meaning of Smekday and starring the voices of Jim Parsons , Rihanna , Steve Martin , Jennifer Lopez , and Matt Jones . Tim Johnson is the director of the film , Chris Jenkins and Suzanne Buirgy are its producers , and the screenplay is by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember . The story takes place on planet Earth , where an alien race called the Boov invade the planet . However , a girl named Gratuity `` Tip '' Tucci manages to avoid capture , and goes on the run with Oh , a fugitive Boov . The film was released in theaters on March 27 , 2015 . Home was promoted with the release of a four-minute short film titled Almost Home , which was shown in theaters before DreamWorks Animation 's Mr. Peabody & Sherman and Blue Sky Studios ' Rio 2 in 2014 . It premiered at the Boulder International Film Festival on March 7 , 2015 . Besides lending her voice to the film , Rihanna also created a concept album of the same name . The soundtrack includes guest vocals from Jennifer Lopez , among others , was supported by two singles , `` Towards the Sun '' and `` Feel the Light '' . Home grossed $ 386 million worldwide .", "Scarlett Johansson. Scarlett Johansson ( -LSB- dʒoʊˈhænsən -RSB- born November 22 , 1984 ) is an American actress , model , and singer . She made her film debut in the fantasy comedy North ( 1994 ) . Johansson subsequently starred in Manny & Lo ( 1996 ) , and garnered further acclaim and prominence with roles in The Horse Whisperer ( 1998 ) and Ghost World ( 2001 ) . She shifted to adult roles with her performances in Girl with a Pearl Earring ( 2003 ) and Lost in Translation ( 2003 ) , for which she won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role . Her subsequent films included A Love Song for Bobby Long ( 2004 ) , Match Point ( 2005 ) , The Island ( 2005 ) , The Black Dahlia ( 2006 ) , The Prestige ( 2006 ) , The Other Boleyn Girl ( 2008 ) , Vicky Cristina Barcelona ( 2008 ) , He 's Just Not That Into You ( 2009 ) , Don Jon ( 2013 ) , Her ( 2013 ) , Under the Skin ( 2013 ) , Lucy ( 2014 ) , The Jungle Book ( 2016 ) , and Ghost in the Shell ( 2017 ) . Since 2008 , Johansson has also portrayed the Marvel Comics character Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . She won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in the 2010 Broadway revival of A View from the Bridge . As a singer , Johansson has released two albums , Anywhere I Lay My Head ( 2008 ) and Break Up ( 2009 ) . Johansson is considered one of Hollywood 's modern sex symbols , and has frequently appeared in published lists of the sexiest women in the world . , she is the highest-grossing actress of all time in North America , with her films making over $ 3.6 billion . In 2016 , she was the highest-grossing actress , with a $ 1.2 billion total for the year .", "List of Major League Baseball career extra base hits leaders. In baseball , an extra base hit ( EB , EBH or XBH ) , also known as a long hit , is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner ( see fielder 's choice ) . Extra base hits are often not listed separately in tables of baseball statistics , but are easily determined by calculating the sum total of a batter 's doubles , triples , and home runs . Hank Aaron is the all-time leader with 1,477 career extra base hits . Barry Bonds ( 1,440 ) is the only other player with more than 1,400 career extra base hits . Only 38 players all time have reached 1,000 career extra base hits , with 5 of them ( Alex Rodriguez , Albert Pujols , David Ortiz , Adrián Beltré , and Carlos Beltrán ) being active .", "New York Yankees. The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx . The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) East division . The Yankees are one of two major league clubs based in New York City , the other being the New York Mets of the National League . In the season , the club began play in the AL as the Baltimore Orioles ( no relation to the modern Baltimore Orioles ) . Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchased the franchise ( which had ceased operations ) and moved it to New York City , renaming the club the New York Highlanders . The Highlanders were officially renamed the Yankees in . The team is owned by Yankee Global Enterprises , an LLC controlled by the family of the late George Steinbrenner , who purchased the team in 1973 . Brian Cashman is the team 's general manager , and former catcher Joe Girardi is the team 's skipper . The team 's home games were played at the original Yankee Stadium from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008 . In 2009 , they moved into a new ballpark of the same name after the previous facility was closed and demolished . The team is perennially among the leaders in MLB attendance -- in 2011 , the Yankees had the second-highest attendance . One of the most successful sports clubs in the world , the Yankees have won 18 division titles , 40 AL pennants , and 27 World Series championships , all of which are MLB records . Forty-four Yankees players and eleven Yankees managers have been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame , including Babe Ruth , Lou Gehrig , Joe DiMaggio , Mickey Mantle , Yogi Berra , and Whitey Ford . In pursuit of winning championships , the franchise has used a large payroll to attract talent , particularly during the Steinbrenner era . According to Forbes , the Yankees are the second highest valued sports franchise in the United States and the fourth in the world , with an estimated value of approximately $ 3.4 billion . The Yankees have garnered enormous popularity and a dedicated fanbase , as well as widespread enmity from fans of other MLB teams . The team 's rivalry with the Boston Red Sox is one of the most well-known rivalries in U.S. sports .", "Barry Bonds. Barry Lamar Bonds ( born July 24 , 1964 ) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants . Bonds received seven NL MVP awards and 14 All-Star selections , and is considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time . Bonds was regarded as an exceptional hitter : he led MLB in on-base plus slugging six times , and placed within the top five hitters in 12 of his 17 qualifying seasons . He holds many MLB hitting records , including most career home runs , most home runs in a single season ( 73 , set in 2001 ) and most career walks . He also received eight Gold Gloves for his defense in the outfield . He is ranked second in career Wins Above Replacement among all major league position players by both Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference . com , behind only Babe Ruth . Bonds led a controversial career , notably as a central figure in baseball 's steroids scandal . In 2007 , he was indicted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for allegedly lying to the grand jury during the federal government 's investigation of BALCO . The perjury charges against Bonds were dropped , and he was also initially convicted of obstruction of justice , but that was overturned in 2015 . Bonds has not been elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first four years of eligibility . Bonds served as the hitting coach for the Miami Marlins in 2016 , and was let go at the end of the season .", "Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field is a baseball stadium on the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables , Florida , United States . It is the home field of the University of Miami Hurricanes baseball team . The stadium holds a capacity of 5,000 spectators . The first game was held on February 16 , 1973 . Miami fan George Light donated money for the field 's construction . Mark Light Field is named for George Light 's son , Mark Light , who died of muscular dystrophy . Following a $ 3.9 million contribution by New York Yankees All-Star Alex Rodriguez , the facility was renovated in 2007-2009 and renamed . In 2013 , the Hurricanes ranked 26th among Division I baseball programs in attendance , averaging 2,635 per home game .", "Triple Play 99. Triple Play 99 ( TP99 ) is a video game featuring rosters current from January 15 , 1998 and stats from the 1997 season . Seattle Mariners shortstop Alex Rodriguez is featured on the cover . The game has all 30 Major League Baseball teams including the newly added Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays . Triple Play 99 adds 3D hardware support , a career mode , a manager mode and a league-wide draft . TP99 includes all of the real stadiums , including Bank One Ballpark and Tropicana Field , except for the Kingdome ( Seattle Mariners ) , which no longer exists , and three secret stadiums within the game . Injuries are also included in TP99 . Players can accidentally collide when trying to catch the ball and will fall over . Players may unexpectedly have an injury while playing as well , and the game will require that you bring in a substitute . Pitchers can also lose their stamina faster than normal , making things even tougher . The game does have a stamina meter , and also shows a count of how many pitches the pitcher has thrown , how many balls , strikes , hits , home runs allowed , and walks . One of the more entertaining parts of this game was the `` commercials '' said by the two announcers , with products such as Chork , Popemobile Cabs and Lobster Cola .", "National Football League. The National Football League ( NFL ) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams , divided equally between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) . The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America , and the highest professional level of American football in the world . The NFL 's 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas , with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week . Following the conclusion of the regular season , six teams from each conference ( four division winners and two wild card teams ) advance to the playoffs , a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl , which is usually held in the first Sunday in February , and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC . The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association ( APFA ) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season . The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League ( AFL ) in 1966 , and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season ; the merger was completed in 1970 . Today , the NFL has the highest average attendance ( 67,591 ) of any professional sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States . The Super Bowl is among the biggest club sporting events in the world and individual Super Bowl games account for many of the most watched television programs in American history , all occupying the Nielsen 's Top 5 tally of the all-time most watched U.S. television broadcasts by 2015 . The NFL 's executive officer is the commissioner , who has broad authority in governing the league . The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen ( nine NFL titles before the Super Bowl era , and four Super Bowl championships afterwards ) ; the team with the most Super Bowl championships is the Pittsburgh Steelers with six . The current NFL champions are the New England Patriots , who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34 -- 28 in Super Bowl LI .", "Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award. The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award ( MVP ) is an annual Major League Baseball ( MLB ) award , given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League . Since 1931 , it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers ' Association of America ( BBWAA ) . The winners receive the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Memorial Baseball Award , which became the official name of the award in 1944 , in honor of the first MLB commissioner , who served from 1920 until his death on November 25 , 1944 . MVP voting takes place before the postseason , but the results are not announced until after the World Series . The BBWAA began by polling three writers in each league city in 1938 , reducing that number to two per league city in 1961 . The BBWAA does not offer a clear-cut definition of what `` most valuable '' means , instead leaving the judgment to the individual voters . First basemen , with 34 winners , have won the most MVPs among infielders , followed by second basemen ( 16 ) , third basemen ( 15 ) , and shortstops ( 15 ) . Of the 24 pitchers who have won the award , 15 are right-handed while 9 are left-handed . Walter Johnson , Carl Hubbell , and Hal Newhouser are the only pitchers who have won multiple times , Newhouser winning consecutively in 1944 and 1945 . Hank Greenberg , Stan Musial , Alex Rodriguez , and Robin Yount have won at different positions , while Rodriguez is the only player who has won the award with two different teams at two different positions . Barry Bonds has won the most often ( seven times ) and the most consecutively ( 2001 -- 04 ) . Jimmie Foxx was the first player to win multiple times ; 9 players have won three times , and 19 have won twice . Frank Robinson is the only player to win the award in both the American and National Leagues . The award 's only tie occurred in the National League in 1979 , when Keith Hernandez and Willie Stargell received an equal number of points . There have been 18 unanimous winners , who received all the first-place votes . The New York Yankees have the most winning players with 22 , followed by the St. Louis Cardinals with 17 winners . The award has never been presented to a member of the following four teams : Arizona Diamondbacks , Miami Marlins , New York Mets , and Tampa Bay Rays . The most recent recipients are Mike Trout in the American League and Kris Bryant in the National League . In recent decades , pitchers have rarely won the award . When Justin Verlander won the AL award in 2011 , he became the first pitcher in either league to be named the MVP since Dennis Eckersley in 1992 . Verlander also became the first starting pitcher to win this award since Roger Clemens had accomplished the feat in 1986 . The National League went even longer without an MVP award to a pitcher -- after Bob Gibson won in 1968 , no pitcher in that league was named MVP until Clayton Kershaw in 2014 .", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "At bats per home run. In baseball statistics , at bats per home run ( AB/HR ) is a way to measure how frequently a batter hits a home run . It is determined by dividing the number of at bats by the number of home runs hit . Mark McGwire possesses the MLB record for this statistic with a career ratio of 10.61 at bats per home run and Babe Ruth is second , with 11.76 at bats per home run . Giancarlo Stanton , with 14.33 at bats per home run , currently holds the record among active players .", "Pixar. Pixar ( -LSB- ˈpɪksɑr -RSB- ) , also referred to as Pixar Animation Studios , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville , California that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company . Pixar began in 1979 as the Graphics Group , part of the Lucasfilm computer division , before its spin-out as a corporation in 1986 , with funding by Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs , who became the majority shareholder . Disney purchased Pixar in 2006 at a valuation of $ 7.4 billion , a transaction that resulted in Jobs becoming Disney 's largest single shareholder at the time . Pixar is best known for CGI-animated feature films created with RenderMan , Pixar 's own implementation of the industry-standard RenderMan image-rendering application programming interface , used to generate high-quality images . Pixar has produced seventeen feature films , beginning with Toy Story ( 1995 ) , which was the first-ever computer-animated feature film , and its most recent being Finding Dory ( 2016 ) . All 17 of its films have debuted with CinemaScore ratings of at least an `` A − , '' indicating positive receptions with audiences . The studio has also produced several short films . , its feature films have earned approximately $ 10.8 billion at the box office worldwide , with an average worldwide gross of $ 634 million per film . Finding Dory , along with its predecessor Finding Nemo ( 2003 ) , as well as Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) are among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , with the lattermost film being the third all-time highest-grossing animated film with a gross of $ 1.063 billion . Fourteen of Pixar 's films are also among the 50 highest-grossing animated films of all time . The studio has earned sixteen Academy Awards , seven Golden Globe Awards , and eleven Grammy Awards , among many other awards and acknowledgments . Many of Pixar 's films have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature since its inauguration in 2001 , with eight winning ; this includes Finding Nemo and Toy Story 3 , along with The Incredibles ( 2004 ) , Ratatouille ( 2007 ) , WALL-E ( 2008 ) , Up ( 2009 ) , Brave ( 2012 ) , and Inside Out ( 2015 ) . Monsters , Inc. ( 2001 ) and Cars ( 2006 ) are the only two films that were nominated for the award without winning it , while Cars 2 ( 2011 ) , Monsters University ( 2013 ) , The Good Dinosaur ( 2015 ) , and Finding Dory have not been nominated . Up and Toy Story 3 were also the respective second and third animated films to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture , the first being Walt Disney Animation Studios ' Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) . Luxo Jr. , a character from the studio 's 1986 short film of the same name , is the studio 's mascot . On September 6 , 2009 , Pixar executives John Lasseter , Brad Bird , Pete Docter , Andrew Stanton , and Lee Unkrich were presented with the Golden Lion award for Lifetime Achievement by the biennial Venice Film Festival . The award was presented by Lucasfilm 's founder George Lucas .", "The Simpsons. The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series is a satirical depiction of working-class life epitomized by the Simpson family , which consists of Homer , Marge , Bart , Lisa , and Maggie . The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture , society , television , and the human condition . The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a solicitation for a series of animated shorts with producer James L. Brooks . Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family , substituting Bart for his own name . The shorts became a part of The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19 , 1987 . After a three-season run , the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and became an early hit for Fox , becoming the network 's first series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season ( 1989 -- 90 ) . Since its debut on December 17 , 1989 , episodes of The Simpsons have been broadcast . Its 28th season began on September 25 , 2016 . It is the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American animated program , and , in 2009 , it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest-running American scripted primetime television series . The Simpsons Movie , a feature-length film , was released in theaters worldwide on July 27 , 2007 , and grossed over $ 527 million . On November 4 , 2016 , the series was renewed for a twenty-ninth and thirtieth season of 22 episodes each , extending the show to 2019 . The Simpsons received widespread critical acclaim throughout its first nine seasons , which are generally considered its `` Golden Age '' . Time named it the 20th century 's best television series , and Erik Adams of The A.V. Club named it `` television 's crowning achievement regardless of format '' . On January 14 , 2000 , the Simpson family was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . It has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series , including 31 Primetime Emmy Awards , 30 Annie Awards , and a Peabody Award . Homer 's exclamatory catchphrase `` D'oh ! '' has been adopted into the English language , while The Simpsons has influenced many adult-oriented animated sitcoms . Despite this , the show has also been criticized for what many perceive as a decline in quality over the years .", "Chicago. Chicago ( -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɑːɡoʊ -RSB- or -LSB- ʃᵻˈkɔːɡoʊ -RSB- ) , officially the City of Chicago , is the third-most populous city in the United States . With over 2.7 million residents , it is also the most populous city in both the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States . It is the county seat of Cook County . The Chicago metropolitan area , often referred to as Chicagoland , has nearly 10 million people and is the third-largest in the U.S. Chicago has been called a global architecture capital . In terms of wealth and economy , Chicago is considered one of the most important business centers in the world . Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 , near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed , and grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century . Positioned along Lake Michigan , the city is an international hub for finance , commerce , industry , technology , telecommunications , and transportation : O'Hare International Airport is the second-busiest airport in the world when measured by aircraft traffic ; the region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and rail road freight . In 2012 , Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , and ranked seventh in the world in the 2016 Global Cities Index . Chicago has the third-largest gross metropolitan product in the United States -- about $ 640 billion according to 2015 estimates . The city has one of the world 's largest and most diversified economies with no single industry employing more than 14 % of the workforce . In 2016 , Chicago hosted over 54 million domestic and international visitors , a new record making it one of the top visited cities in the nation . Landmarks in the city include Millennium Park , Navy Pier , the Magnificent Mile , Art Institute of Chicago , Museum Campus , the Willis ( Sears ) Tower , Museum of Science and Industry , and Lincoln Park Zoo . Chicago 's culture includes the visual arts , novels , film , theater , especially improvisational comedy , and music , particularly jazz , blues , soul , hip hop , gospel and house music . There are many colleges and universities in the Chicago area ; among these , Northwestern University , University of Chicago , and the University of Illinois at Chicago are classified as `` highest research '' doctoral universities . Additionally , Chicago has professional sports teams in each of the major professional leagues . The city has many nicknames , the best-known being the Windy City .", "New York City. The City of New York , often called New York City or simply New York , is the most populous city in the United States . With an estimated 2016 population of 8,537,673 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 sqmi , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the United States . Located at the southern tip of the state of New York , the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area , one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . A global power city , New York City exerts a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . Home to the headquarters of the United Nations , New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world . Situated on one of the world 's largest natural harbors , New York City consists of five boroughs , each of which is a separate county of New York State . The five boroughs -- Brooklyn , Queens , Manhattan , The Bronx , and Staten Island -- were consolidated into a single city in 1898 . The city and its metropolitan area constitute the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States , and as many as 800 languages are spoken in New York , making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world . New York City is home to more than 3.2 million residents born outside the United States , the world 's largest foreign-born population of any city . By 2016 estimates , the New York City metropolitan region remains by a significant margin the most populous in the United States , as defined by both the Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) , 20.2 million residents , and the Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , 23.7 million residents . In 2013 , the MSA produced a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of nearly US$ 1.39 trillion . In 2012 , the CSA generated a GMP of over US$ 1.55 trillion . NYC 's MSA and CSA GDP are higher than the GDPs of all but 11 and 12 countries , respectively . New York City traces its origin to its 1624 founding in Lower Manhattan as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626 . The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother , the Duke of York . New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790 . It has been the country 's largest city since 1790 . The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a symbol of the United States and its democracy . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known , and the city received a record of nearly 60 million tourists in 2015 , hosting three of the world 's ten most visited tourist attractions in 2013 . Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world . Times Square , iconic as the world 's `` heart '' and its `` Crossroads '' , is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District , one of the world 's busiest pedestrian intersections , and a major center of the world 's entertainment industry . The names of many of the city 's bridges , tapered skyscrapers , and parks are known around the world . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and the city is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization , the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Manhattan 's real estate market is among the most expensive in the world . Manhattan 's Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere , with multiple signature Chinatowns developing across the city . Providing continuous 24/7 service , the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive metro systems worldwide , with stations in operation . Over 120 colleges and universities are located in New York City , including Columbia University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "American League. The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs , or simply the American League ( AL ) , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball ( MLB ) in the United States and Canada . It developed from the Western League , a minor league based in the Great Lakes states , which eventually aspired to major league status . It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season , 25 years after the formation of the National League ( the `` Senior Circuit '' ) . At the end of every season , the American League champion plays in the World Series against the National League champion ; two seasons did not end in playing a World Series . Through 2016 , American League teams have won 64 of the 112 World Series played since 1903 , with 27 of those coming from the New York Yankees alone . The 2016 American League champions are the Cleveland Indians . The New York Yankees have won 40 American League titles , the most in the league 's history , followed by the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics ( 15 ) and the Boston Red Sox ( 13 ) .", "Barbra Streisand. Barbara Joan `` Barbra '' Streisand ( -LSB- ˈstraɪsænd -RSB- born April 24 , 1942 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress , and filmmaker . In a career spanning six decades , she has become an icon in multiple fields of entertainment and has been recognized with two Academy Awards , ten Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Grammy Legend Award , five Emmy Awards including one Daytime Emmy , a Special Tony Award , an American Film Institute award , a Kennedy Center Honors prize , four Peabody Awards , the Presidential Medal of Freedom , and nine Golden Globes . She is among a small group of entertainers who have been honored with an Emmy , Grammy , Oscar , and Tony Award , and is one of only two artists who have also won a Peabody . Streisand is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , with more than 68.5 million albums in the United States and with a total of 145 million records sold worldwide making her the best-selling female artist among the top-selling artists recognized by the Recording Industry Association of America . After beginning a successful recording career in the 1960s , Streisand ventured into film by the end of that decade . She starred in the critically acclaimed Funny Girl , for which she won the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . Her other films include The Owl and the Pussycat , The Way We Were , and A Star Is Born , for which she received her second Academy Award , composing music for the love theme `` Evergreen '' , the first woman to be honored as a composer . With the release of Yentl in 1983 , Streisand became the first woman to write , produce , direct , and star in a major studio film . The film won an Oscar for Best Score and a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical ; Streisand received the Golden Globe Award for Best Director , the first ( and to date only ) woman to win that award . The RIAA and Billboard recognize Streisand as holding the record for the most top 10 albums of any female recording artist : a total of 34 since 1963 . According to Billboard , Streisand holds the record for the female with the most number one albums ( 11 ) . Billboard also recognizes Streisand as the greatest female of all time on its Billboard 200 chart and one of the greatest artists of all time on its Hot 100 chart . Streisand is the only recording artist to have a number-one album in each of the last six decades , having released 53 gold albums , 31 platinum albums , and 14 multi-platinum albums in the United States ." ]

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[ "Friendship. Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between people . Friendship is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an association . Friendship has been studied in academic fields such as communication , sociology , social psychology , anthropology , and philosophy . Various academic theories of friendship have been proposed , including social exchange theory , equity theory , relational dialectics , and attachment styles . A World Happiness Database study found that people with close friendships are happier . Although there are many forms of friendship , some of which may vary from place to place , certain characteristics are present in many types of bond . Such characteristics include affection ; sympathy ; empathy ; honesty ; altruism ; mutual understanding and compassion ; enjoyment of each other 's company ; trust ; and the ability to be oneself , express one 's feelings , and make mistakes without fear of judgment from the friend . While there is no practical limit on what types of people can form a friendship , friends tend to share common backgrounds , occupations , or interests and have similar demographics .", "Friendship (disambiguation). Friendship is co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more humans . Friendship may also refer to :", "Friends. Friends ( stylized as F • R • I • E • N • D • S ) is an American television sitcom , created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman , which aired on NBC from September 22 , 1994 , to May 6 , 2004 , lasting ten seasons . With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer , the show revolves around six 20-30 something friends living in Manhattan . The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions , in association with Warner Bros. . Television . The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright , Marta Kauffman , and David Crane . Kauffman and Crane began developing Friends under the title Insomnia Cafe between November and December 1993 . They presented the idea to Bright , and together they pitched a seven-page treatment of the show to NBC . After several script rewrites and changes , including a title change to Six of One and Friends Like Us , the series was finally named Friends . Filming took place at Warner Bros. . Studios in Burbank , California . All ten seasons of Friends ranked within the top ten of the final television season ratings ; ultimately reaching the No. 1 spot with its eighth season . The series finale on May 6 , 2004 , was watched by around 52.5 million American viewers , making it the fifth most watched series finale in television history , and the most watched television episode of the 2000s decade . Friends received acclaim throughout its run , becoming one of the most popular television shows of all time . The series was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards , winning the Outstanding Comedy Series award in 2002 for its eighth season . The show ranked no. 21 on -LSB- -LSB- TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time | TV Guide '' 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time -RSB- -RSB- and no. 7 on Empire magazine 's The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 1997 , the episode `` The One with the Prom Video '' was ranked no. 100 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2013 , Friends '' ranked no. 24 on the Writers Guild of America 's 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time and no. 28 on TV Guide 's 60 Best TV Series of All Time .", "Discipline (academia). An academic discipline or academic field is a branch of knowledge . It incorporates expertise , people , projects , communities , challenges , studies , inquiry , and research areas that are strongly associated with a given scholastic subject area or college department . For example , the branches of science are commonly referred to as the scientific disciplines , e.g. physics , mathematics , and computer science . Individuals associated with academic disciplines are commonly referred to as experts or specialists . Others , who may have studied liberal arts or systems theory rather than concentrating in a specific academic discipline , are classified as generalists . While academic disciplines in and of themselves are more or less focused practices , scholarly approaches such as multidisciplinarity , interdisciplinarity , transdisciplinarity , and crossdisciplinarity integrate aspects from multiple academic disciplines , therefore addressing any problems that may arise from narrow concentration within specialized fields of study . For example , professionals may encounter trouble communicating across academic disciplines because of differences in language or specified concepts . Some researchers believe that academic disciplines may be replaced by what is known as Mode 2 or `` post-academic science '' , which involves the acquisition of cross-disciplinary knowledge through collaboration of specialists from various academic disciplines .", "Philosophy. Philosophy ( from Greek φιλοσοφία , philosophia , literally `` love of wisdom '' ) is the study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as existence , knowledge , values , reason , mind , and language . The term was probably coined by Pythagoras ( c. 570 -- c. 495 BC ) . Philosophical methods include questioning , critical discussion , rational argument and systematic presentation . Classic philosophical questions include : Is it possible to know anything and to prove it ? What is most real ? However , philosophers might also pose more practical and concrete questions such as : Is there a best way to live ? Is it better to be just or unjust ( if one can get away with it ) ? Do humans have free will ? Historically , `` philosophy '' encompassed any body of knowledge . From the time of Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle to the 19th century , `` natural philosophy '' encompassed astronomy , medicine and physics . For example , Newton 's 1687 Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy later became classified as a book of physics . In the 19th century , the growth of modern research universities led academic philosophy and other disciplines to professionalize and specialize . In the modern era , some investigations that were traditionally part of philosophy became separate academic disciplines , including psychology , sociology , linguistics and economics . Other investigations closely related to art , science , politics , or other pursuits remained part of philosophy . For example , is beauty objective or subjective ? Are there many scientific methods or just one ? Is political utopia a hopeful dream or hopeless fantasy ? Major sub-fields of academic philosophy include metaphysics ( `` concerned with the fundamental nature of reality and being '' ) , epistemology ( about the `` nature and grounds of knowledge -LSB- and -RSB- ... its limits and validity '' ) , ethics , aesthetics , political philosophy , logic , philosophy of science and the history of Western philosophy . Since the 20th century , professional philosophers contribute to society primarily as professors , researchers and writers . However , many of those who study philosophy in undergraduate or graduate programs contribute in the fields of law , journalism , politics , religion , science , business and various art and entertainment activities .", "Psychology. Psychology is the science of behavior and mind , embracing all aspects of conscious and unconscious experience as well as thought . It is an academic discipline and a social science which seeks to understand individuals and groups by establishing general principles and researching specific cases . In this field , a professional practitioner or researcher is called a psychologist and can be classified as a social , behavioral , or cognitive scientist . Psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behavior , while also exploring the physiological and biological processes that underlie cognitive functions and behaviors . Psychologists explore behavior and mental processes , including perception , cognition , attention , emotion ( affect ) , intelligence , phenomenology , motivation ( conation ) , brain functioning , and personality . This extends to interaction between people , such as interpersonal relationships , including psychological resilience , family resilience , and other areas . Psychologists of diverse orientations also consider the unconscious mind . Psychologists employ empirical methods to infer causal and correlational relationships between psychosocial variables . In addition , or in opposition , to employing empirical and deductive methods , some -- especially clinical and counseling psychologists -- at times rely upon symbolic interpretation and other inductive techniques . Psychology has been described as a `` hub science '' , with psychological findings linking to research and perspectives from the social sciences , natural sciences , medicine , humanities , and philosophy . While psychological knowledge is often applied to the assessment and treatment of mental health problems , it is also directed towards understanding and solving problems in several spheres of human activity . By many accounts psychology ultimately aims to benefit society . The majority of psychologists are involved in some kind of therapeutic role , practicing in clinical , counseling , or school settings . Many do scientific research on a wide range of topics related to mental processes and behavior , and typically work in university psychology departments or teach in other academic settings ( e.g. , medical schools , hospitals ) . Some are employed in industrial and organizational settings , or in other areas such as human development and aging , sports , health , and the media , as well as in forensic investigation and other aspects of law .", "Friend (disambiguation). A friend is a partner in friendship , an interpersonal relationship between humans . Friend or The Friend may also refer to :", "Interpersonal relationship. An interpersonal relationship is a strong , deep , or close association or acquaintance between two or more people that may range in duration from brief to enduring . This association may be based on inference , love , solidarity , regular business interactions , or some other type of social commitment . Interpersonal relationships are formed in the context of social , cultural and other influences . The context can and may and perhaps will vary from family or kinship relations , friendship , marriage , relations with associates , work , clubs , neighborhoods , and places of worship . They may be regulated by law , custom , or mutual agreement , and are the basis of social groups and society as a whole .", "Romantic friendship. A romantic friendship or passionate friendship is a very close but typically non-sexual relationship between friends , often involving a degree of physical closeness beyond that which is common in the contemporary Western societies . It may include for example holding hands , cuddling , hugging , kissing , giving massages , and sharing a bed , or co-sleeping , without sexual intercourse or other physical sexual expression . In historical scholarship , the term may be used to describe a very close relationship between people of the same sex during a period of history when homosexuality did not exist as a social category . In this regard , the term was coined in the later 20th century in order to retrospectively describe a type of relationship which until the mid 19th century had been considered unremarkable but since the second half of the 19th century had become more rare as physical intimacy between non-sexual partners came to be regarded with anxiety . Romantic friendship between women in Europe and North America became especially prevalent in the late 18th and early 19th centuries , with the simultaneous emergence of female education and a new rhetoric of sexual difference .", "Harvard University. Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge , Massachusetts , established in 1636 , whose history , influence , and wealth have made it one of the world 's most prestigious universities . Established originally by the Massachusetts legislature and soon thereafter named for John Harvard ( its first benefactor ) , Harvard is the United States ' oldest institution of higher learning , and the Harvard Corporation ( formally , the President and Fellows of Harvard College ) is its first chartered corporation . Although never formally affiliated with any denomination , the early College primarily trained Congregationalist and Unitarian clergy . Its curriculum and student body were gradually secularized during the 18th century , and by the 19th century Harvard had emerged as the central cultural establishment among Boston elites . Following the American Civil War , President Charles W. Eliot 's long tenure ( 1869 -- 1909 ) transformed the college and affiliated professional schools into a modern research university ; Harvard was a founding member of the Association of American Universities in 1900 . James Bryant Conant led the university through the Great Depression and World War II and began to reform the curriculum and liberalize admissions after the war . The undergraduate college became coeducational after its 1977 merger with Radcliffe College . The university is organized into eleven separate academic units -- ten faculties and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study -- with campuses throughout the Boston metropolitan area : its 209 acre main campus is centered on Harvard Yard in Cambridge , approximately 3 mi northwest of Boston ; the business school and athletics facilities , including Harvard Stadium , are located across the Charles River in the Allston neighborhood of Boston and the medical , dental , and public health schools are in the Longwood Medical Area . Harvard 's $ 34.5 billion financial endowment is the largest of any academic institution . Harvard is a large , highly residential research university . The nominal cost of attendance is high , but the university 's large endowment allows it to offer generous financial aid packages . It operates several arts , cultural , and scientific museums , alongside the Harvard Library , which is the world 's largest academic and private library system , comprising 79 individual libraries with over 18 million volumes . Harvard 's alumni include eight U.S. presidents , several foreign heads of state , 62 living billionaires , 359 Rhodes Scholars , and 242 Marshall Scholars . To date , some 130 Nobel laureates , 18 Fields Medalists , and 13 Turing Award winners have been affiliated as students , faculty , or staff .", "University of Chicago. The University of Chicago ( U of C , Chicago , or UChicago ) is a private research university in Chicago , Illinois . It holds top-ten positions in numerous national and international rankings and measures . The university , established in 1890 , is composed of the College , various graduate programs , and interdisciplinary committees organized into five academic research divisions and seven professional schools . Beyond the arts and sciences , Chicago is also well known for its professional schools , which include the Pritzker School of Medicine , the Booth School of Business , the Law School , the School of Social Service Administration , the Harris School of Public Policy Studies , the Divinity School and the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies . The university currently enrolls approximately 5,700 students in the College and around 15,000 students overall . University of Chicago scholars have played a major role in the development of many academic disciplines , including : the Chicago school of economics ; the Chicago school of sociology ; law and economics theory in legal analysis ; the Chicago school of literary criticism ; the Chicago school of religion ; and the behavioralism school of political science . Chicago 's physics department helped develop the world 's first man-made , self-sustaining nuclear reaction ( Chicago Pile-1 ) beneath the viewing stands of university 's Stagg Field . Chicago 's research pursuits are aided through its operation of world-renowned institutions , including the nearby Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory , as well as the Marine Biological Laboratory . The university is also home to the University of Chicago Press , the largest university press in the United States . With an estimated completion date of 2020 , the Barack Obama Presidential Center will be housed at the university and include both the Obama presidential library and offices of the Obama Foundation . Founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and widely considered the wealthiest American in history John D. Rockefeller , the University of Chicago was incorporated in 1890 ; William Rainey Harper became the university 's first president in 1891 , and the first classes were held in 1892 . Both Harper and future president Robert Maynard Hutchins advocated for Chicago 's curriculum to be based upon theoretical and perennial issues rather than on applied sciences and commercial utility . With Harper 's vision in mind , the University of Chicago also became one of the 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities , an international organization of leading research universities , in 1900 . The University of Chicago has many prominent alumni . 91 Nobel laureates have been affiliated with the university as professors , students , faculty , or staff , the fourth most of any institution in the world . Similarly , 34 faculty members and 16 alumni have been awarded the MacArthur `` Genius Grant '' . In addition , Chicago 's alumni include 51 Rhodes Scholars , 23 Marshall Scholars , 9 Fields Medalists , 20 National Humanities Medalists , 13 billionaire graduates , and a plethora of members of the United States Congress and heads of state of countries all over the world .", "University of Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania ( commonly known as Penn or UPenn ) is a private Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States . Incorporated as The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania , Penn is one of 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities and one of the nine original colonial colleges . Benjamin Franklin , Penn 's founder , advocated an educational program that focused as much on practical education for commerce and public service as on the classics and theology , though his proposed curriculum was never adopted . The university coat of arms features a dolphin on the red chief , adopted directly from the Franklin family 's own coat of arms . Penn was one of the first academic institutions to follow a multidisciplinary model pioneered by several European universities , concentrating multiple `` faculties '' ( e.g. , theology , classics , medicine ) into one institution . It was also home to many other educational innovations . The first school of medicine in North America ( Perelman School of Medicine , 1765 ) , the first collegiate business school ( Wharton School of Business , 1881 ) , and the first `` student union '' building and organization ( Houston Hall , 1896 ) were founded at Penn. . With an endowment of $ 10.72 billion ( 2016 ) , Penn had the seventh largest endowment of all colleges in the United States . All of Penn 's schools exhibit very high research activity . In fiscal year 2015 , Penn 's academic research budget was $ 851 million , involving more than 4,300 faculty , 1,100 postdoctoral fellows and 5,500 support staff/graduate assistants . Over its history , the university has also produced many distinguished alumni . These include 14 heads of state ( including two U.S. Presidents ) ; 25 billionaires - the most of any university in the world at the undergraduate level ; three United States Supreme Court justices ; over 33 United States Senators , 42 United States Governors , and 158 members of the U.S. House of Representatives ; 8 signers of the United States Declaration of Independence ; and 12 signers of the United States Constitution . In addition , some 30 Nobel laureates , 169 Guggenheim Fellows , and 80 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences , have been affiliated with Penn. . In addition , Penn has produced a significant number of Fortune 500 CEOs , trailing only Harvard and Stanford worldwide .", "Friend of a friend. Friend of a friend ( FOAF ) is a phrase used to refer to someone that one does not know well , literally , a friend of a friend . In some social sciences , the phrase is used as a half-joking shorthand for the fact that much of the information on which people act comes from distant sources ( as in `` It happened to a friend of a friend of mine '' ) and can not be confirmed . It is probably best known from urban legend studies , where it was popularized by Jan Harold Brunvand . The acronym FOAF was coined by Rodney Dale and used in his 1978 book The Tumour in the Whale : A Collection of Modern Myths . The rise of social network services has led to increased use of this term . Six degrees of separation is a related theory . Bo Anderson made an analysis of the friend-of-a-friend relationship in connection with his criticism of balance theory . We have all encountered cases in which somebody has said , `` You should meet so-and-so '' , only to find that we have little in common with that person , even though he or she was introduced to us by a mutual friend ... In some friendships the persons value the exclusiveness of their relationship and are therefore not likely to let others into it . Friends differ from acquaintances in that they are not merely slots in a grid of social network relationships , but are valued for their personal , unique qualities . Hence , when I relate to a friend of a friend , I need to know something about the perceptions and exchanges that make up this friendship . My reaction to my friend 's friend ( or spouse ) may even be unfavorable , although I may also well understand and sympathize with my friend 's affection for her , given his needs , perceptions , interests and so on .", "University of London. The University of London is a collegiate research university located in London , England , consisting of 18 constituent colleges , nine research institutes and a number of central bodies . The university is the largest university by number of full-time students in the United Kingdom , with 161,270 campus-based students and over 50,000 distance learning students in the University of London International Programmes . The university was established by royal charter in 1836 , as a degree-awarding examination board for students holding certificates from University College London ( UCL ) ( previously called London University ) and King 's College London and `` other such other Institutions , corporate or unincorporated , as shall be established for the purpose of Education , whether within the Metropolis or elsewhere within our United Kingdom '' . The university moved to a federal structure in 1900 . For most practical purposes , ranging from admissions to funding , the constituent colleges operate on an independent basis , with some recently obtaining the power to award their own degrees whilst remaining in the federal university . The ten largest colleges of the university are UCL , King 's College London , Queen Mary , City , Birkbeck , the London School of Economics and Political Science , Royal Holloway , Goldsmiths , SOAS , and St George 's . The specialist colleges of the university include the London Business School , the Royal Veterinary College and Heythrop College , specialising in philosophy and theology . Imperial College London was formerly a member before leaving the university in 2007 . City is the most recent constituent college , having joined on 1 September 2016 . University of London 's alumni include at least four monarchs , 52 presidents or prime ministers , 74 Nobel laureates , six Grammy winners , two Oscar winners , three Olympic gold medalists . Many notable alumni also include several diplomats and civil servants across the world and staff associated with the collegiate research university . In post-nominals , the University of London is commonly abbreviated as Lond . or , more rarely , Londin. , from the Latin Universitas Londiniensis , after its degree abbreviations .", "Loneliness. Loneliness is a complex and usually unpleasant emotional response to isolation . Loneliness typically includes anxious feelings about a lack of connection or communication with other beings , both in the present and extending into the future . As such , loneliness can be felt even when surrounded by other people . The causes of loneliness are varied and include social , mental , emotional , or even physical factors . Research has shown that loneliness is prevalent throughout society , including people in marriages , relationships , families , veterans , and those with successful careers . It has been a long explored theme in the literature of human beings since classical antiquity . Loneliness has also been described as social pain -- a psychological mechanism meant to motivate an individual to seek social connections . Loneliness is often defined in terms of one 's connectedness to others , or more specifically as `` the unpleasant experience that occurs when a person 's network of social relations is deficient in some important way . ''", "University of Virginia. The University of Virginia ( U.Va . or UVA ) , frequently referred to simply as Virginia , is a public research university and the flagship for the Commonwealth of Virginia . Founded in 1819 by Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson , UVA is known for its historic foundations , student-run honor code , and secret societies . UNESCO designated UVA as America 's first and only collegiate World Heritage Site in 1987 , an honor shared with nearby Monticello . The university was established in 1819 , and its original governing Board of Visitors included Thomas Jefferson , James Madison , and James Monroe . Monroe was the sitting President of the United States at the time of its foundation . Former Presidents Jefferson and Madison were UVA 's first two rectors and Jefferson conceived and designed the original courses of study and Academical Village . UVA was the first elected member of the Association of American Universities from the South , in 1904 , and remains the only member institution in Virginia . UVA is classified as a Research University with Very High Research by the Carnegie Foundation , and is considered Virginia 's flagship university by the College Board . In 2015 the journal Science honored UVA faculty for discovering two of its top 10 annual scientific breakthroughs ; from the fields of Medicine and Psychology . UVA faculty and alumni have founded a large number of companies , such as Reddit , that produce more than $ 1.6 trillion in annual revenue , equivalent to the 10th-largest economy in the world . UVA 's academic strength is broad , with 121 majors across the eight undergraduate and three professional schools . Students come to attend the university in Charlottesville from all 50 states and 148 countries . The historic 1682 acres campus is internationally protected by UNESCO and has been ranked as one of the most beautiful collegiate grounds in the country . UVA additionally maintains 2,913 acres southeast of the city , at Morven Farm . The university also manages the College at Wise in Southwest Virginia , and until 1972 operated George Mason University and the University of Mary Washington in Northern Virginia . Virginia student athletes compete in 26 collegiate sports and the Cavaliers lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in men 's team NCAA championships with 18 , additionally placing second in women 's national titles with 7 . UVA was awarded the men 's Capital One Cup in 2015 after fielding the top overall men 's athletics program in the nation .", "University of Cambridge. The University of Cambridge ( informally Cambridge University ) The corporate title of the university is The Chancellor , Masters , and Scholars of the University of Cambridge . is a collegiate public research university in Cambridge , England . Founded in 1209 and given royal charter status by King Henry III in 1231 , Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world 's third-oldest surviving university . The university grew out of an association of scholars who left the University of Oxford after a dispute with the townspeople . The two ancient universities share many common features and are often referred to jointly as `` Oxbridge '' . Cambridge is formed from a variety of institutions which include 31 constituent colleges and over 100 academic departments organised into six schools . Cambridge University Press , a department of the university , is the world 's oldest publishing house and the second-largest university press in the world . The university also operates eight cultural and scientific museums , including the Fitzwilliam Museum , and a botanic garden . Cambridge 's libraries hold a total of around 15 million books , eight million of which are in Cambridge University Library , a legal deposit library . In the year ended 31 July 2016 , the university had a total income of # 1.64 billion , of which # 462 million was from research grants and contracts . The central university and colleges have a combined endowment of around # 5.89 billion , the largest of any university outside the United States . The university is closely linked with the development of the high-tech business cluster known as `` Silicon Fen '' . It is a member of numerous associations and forms part of the `` golden triangle '' of leading English universities and Cambridge University Health Partners , an academic health science centre . As of 2017 , Cambridge is ranked the world 's fourth best university by three ranking tables and no other institution in the world ranks in the top 10 for as many subjects . Cambridge is consistently ranked as the top university in the United Kingdom . The university has educated many notable alumni , including eminent mathematicians , scientists , politicians , lawyers , philosophers , writers , actors , and foreign Heads of State . Ninety-five Nobel laureates , fifteen British prime ministers and ten Fields medalists have been affiliated with Cambridge as students , faculty , or alumni .", "International relations. International relations ( IR ) or international affairs , depending on academic institution , is either a field of political science , an interdisciplinary academic field similar to global studies , or an entirely independent academic discipline in which students take a variety of internationally focused courses in social science and humanities disciplines . In both cases , the field studies relationships between political entities ( polities ) such as states , sovereign states , empires , inter-governmental organizations ( IGOs ) , international non-governmental organizations ( INs ) , non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) , and multinational corporations ( MNCs ) , and the wider world-systems produced by this interaction . International relations is an academic and a public policy field , and so can be positive and normative , because it analyzes and formulates the foreign policy of a given State . As political activity , international relations dates from the time of the Greek historian Thucydides ( c. 460 -- 395 BC ) , and , in the early 20th century , became a discrete academic field ( No. 5901 in the 4-digit UNESCO Nomenclature ) within political science . In practice International Relations and International Affairs forms a separate academic program or field from Political Science , and the courses taught therein are highly interdisciplinary . For example , international relations draws from the fields of : technology and engineering , economics , communication studies , history , international law , demography , philosophy , geography , social work , sociology , anthropology , criminology , psychology , gender studies , cultural studies , culturology , and diplomacy . The scope of international relations comprehends globalization , diplomatic relations , state sovereignty , international security , ecological sustainability , nuclear proliferation , nationalism , economic development , global finance , as well as terrorism and organized crime , human security , foreign interventionism , and human rights , as well , as , more recently , comparative religion .", "Social support. Social support is the perception and actuality that one is cared for , has assistance available from other people , and that one is part of a supportive social network . These supportive resources can be emotional ( e.g. , nurturance ) , tangible ( e.g. , financial assistance ) , informational ( e.g. , advice ) , or companionship ( e.g. , sense of belonging ) and intangible ( e.g. , personal advice ) . Social support can be measured as the perception that one has assistance available , the actual received assistance , or the degree to which a person is integrated in a social network . Support can come from many sources , such as family , friends , pets , neighbors , coworkers , organizations , etc. . Government-provided social support is often referred to as public aid . Social support is studied across a wide range of disciplines including psychology , medicine , sociology , nursing , public health , and social work . Social support has been linked to many benefits for both physical and mental health , but social support is not always beneficial . Two main models have been proposed to describe the link between social support and health : the buffering hypothesis and the direct effects hypothesis . Gender and cultural differences in social support have also been found . Definitions Cats Social support can be categorized and measured in several different ways . There are four common functions of social support : Emotional support is the offering of empathy , concern , affection , love , trust , acceptance , intimacy , encouragement , or caring . It is the warmth and nurturance provided by sources of social support . Providing emotional support can let the individual know that he or she is valued . It is also referred to as `` esteem support '' or `` appraisal support . '' Tangible support is the provision of financial assistance , material goods , or services . Also called instrumental support , this form of social support encompasses the concrete , direct ways people assist others . Informational support is the provision of advice , guidance , suggestions , or useful information to someone . This type of information has the potential to help others problem-solve . Companionship support is the type of support that gives someone a sense of social belonging ( and is also called belonging ) . This can be seen as the presence of companions to engage in shared social activities . Researchers also commonly make a distinction between perceived and received support . Perceived support refers to a recipient 's subjective judgment that providers will offer ( or have offered ) effective help during times of need . Received support ( also called enacted support ) refers to specific supportive actions ( e.g. , advice or reassurance ) offered by providers during times of need . Furthermore , social support can be measured in terms of structural support or functional support . Structural support ( also called social integration ) refers to the extent to which a recipient is connected within a social network , like the number of social ties or how integrated a person is within his or her social network . Family relationships , friends , and membership in clubs and organizations contribute to social integration . Functional support looks at the specific functions that members in this social network can provide , such as the emotional , instrumental , informational , and companionship support listed above . Data suggests that emotional support may play a more significant role in protecting individuals from the deleterious effects of stress than structural means of support , such as social involvement or activity These different types of social support have different patterns of correlations with health , personality , and personal relationships . For example , perceived support is consistently linked to better mental health whereas received support and social integration are not . In fact , research indicates that perceived social support that is untapped can be more effective and beneficial than utilized social support . Some have suggested that invisible support , a form of support where the person has support without his or her awareness , may be the most beneficial .", "Science. Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe . Contemporary science is typically subdivided into the natural sciences , which study the material universe ; the social sciences , which study people and societies ; and the formal sciences , which study logic and mathematics . The formal sciences are often excluded as they do not depend on empirical observations . Disciplines which use science , like engineering and medicine , may also be considered to be applied sciences . From classical antiquity through the 19th century , science as a type of knowledge was more closely linked to philosophy than it is now , and in the Western world the term `` natural philosophy '' once encompassed fields of study that are today associated with science , such as astronomy , medicine , and physics . However , during the Islamic Golden Age foundations for the scientific method were laid by Ibn al-Haytham in his Book of Optics . While the classification of the material world by the ancient Indians and Greeks into air , earth , fire and water was more philosophical , medieval Middle Easterns used practical and experimental observation to classify materials . In the 17th and 18th centuries , scientists increasingly sought to formulate knowledge in terms of physical laws . Over the course of the 19th century , the word `` science '' became increasingly associated with the scientific method itself as a disciplined way to study the natural world . It was during this time that scientific disciplines such as biology , chemistry , and physics reached their modern shapes . That same time period also included the origin of the terms `` scientist '' and `` scientific community '' , the founding of scientific institutions , and the increasing significance of their interactions with society and other aspects of culture .", "Fellow. A fellow is a member of a group of people who work together in a fellowship pursuing mutual knowledge or practice . There are many different kinds of fellowships which are awarded for different reasons in academia and industry , often indicating an advanced level of scholarship .", "Quakers. Quakers ( or Friends ) are members of a historically Christian group of religious movements generally known as the Religious Society of Friends . The Evangelical Friends Church International uses the phrase Friends Church . Members of the various Quaker movements are all generally united in a belief in the ability of each human being to experientially access `` that of God in every person , '' and therefore they profess the priesthood of all believers , a doctrine derived from the First Epistle of Peter . They include those with evangelical , holiness , liberal , and traditional Quaker understandings of Christianity . To differing extents , the different movements that make up the Religious Society of Friends/Friends Church avoid creeds and hierarchical structures . In 2007 , there were about 359,000 adult Quakers . In 2012 , there were 377,055 adult Quakers . Around 79 % of Quakers worldwide belong to the `` evangelical '' and `` programmed '' branches of Quakerism -- these Quakers worship in services with singing and a prepared message from the Bible , coordinated by a pastor . Around 11 % of Friends practice waiting worship , or unprogrammed worship ( more commonly known today as Meeting for Worship ) , where the order of service is not planned in advance , is predominantly silent , and may include unprepared vocal ministry from those present . Some meetings of both types have Recorded Ministers in their meetings -- Friends recognised for their gift of vocal ministry . The first Quakers lived in mid-17th century England . The movement arose from the Legatine-Arians and other dissenting Protestant groups , breaking away from the established Church of England . The Quakers , especially the ones known as the Valiant Sixty , attempted to convert others to their understanding of Christianity , travelling both throughout Great Britain and overseas , preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ . Some of these early Quaker ministers were women . They based their message on the religious belief that `` Christ has come to teach his people himself '' , stressing the importance of a direct relationship with God through Jesus Christ , and a direct religious belief in the universal priesthood of all believers . They emphasized a personal and direct religious experience of Christ , acquired through both direct religious experience and the reading and studying of the Bible . Quakers focused their private life on developing behaviour and speech reflecting emotional purity and the light of God . In the past , Quakers were known for their use of thee as an ordinary pronoun , refusal to participate in war , plain dress , refusal to swear oaths , opposition to slavery , and teetotalism . Described as `` natural capitalists '' by the BBC journalist Peter Jackson , some Quakers founded banks and financial institutions , including Barclays , Lloyds , and Friends Provident ; manufacturing companies , including shoe retailer C. & J. Clark and the big three British confectionery makers Cadbury , Rowntree and Fry 's ; and philanthropic efforts , including abolition of slavery , prison reform , and social justice projects .", "King's College London. King 's College London ( informally King 's or KCL ) is a public research university located in London , United Kingdom , and a founding constituent college of the federal University of London . King 's was established in 1829 by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington and received its royal charter in the same year . In 1836 , King 's became one of the two founding colleges of the University of London . In the late 20th century , it grew through a series of mergers , including with Queen Elizabeth College and Chelsea College of Science and Technology ( in 1985 ) , the Institute of Psychiatry ( in 1997 ) , the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy 's and St Thomas ' Hospitals and the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery ( in 1998 ) . King 's is regarded as one of the top multidisciplinary research universities in the world , ranked 21st in the world by the 2016/17 QS World University Rankings , and 36th in the world by the 2016/17 THE World Rankings . It is usually considered part of the `` golden triangle '' along with the University of Oxford , the University of Cambridge , University College London , Imperial College London , and the London School of Economics . It is a member of academic organisations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities , the European University Association , and the Russell Group . King 's has five campuses : its historic main campus on the Strand in central London , three other Thames-side campuses ( Guy 's , St Thomas ' and Waterloo ) and one in Denmark Hill in south London . In 2015/16 , King 's had a total income of # 738.4 million , of which # 193.2 million was from research grants and contracts and as of 2014/15 , King 's had students and 5,948 staff . It has the fifth largest endowment of any university in the United Kingdom , and the largest of any in London . Its academic activities are organised into nine faculties which are subdivided into numerous departments , centres and research divisions . King 's is home to six Medical Research Council centres and is a founding member of the King 's Health Partners academic health sciences centre , Francis Crick Institute and MedCity . It is the largest European centre for graduate and post-graduate medical teaching and biomedical research , by number of students , including the world 's first nursing school , the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery . King 's alumni and staff include 12 Nobel laureates ; contributors to the discovery of DNA structure , Hepatitis C and the Higgs boson ; pioneers of in-vitro fertilisation , stem cell/mammal cloning and the modern hospice movement ; and key researchers advancing radar , radio , television and mobile phones . Alumni also include heads of states , governments and intergovernmental organisations ; nineteen members of the current House of Commons and sixteen members of the current House of Lords ; and the recipients of two Oscars , three Grammys and an Emmy .", "Study group. A study group is a small group of people who regularly meet to discuss shared fields of study . These groups can be found in high school and college setting , within companies , occasionally primary/junior school and sometimes Middle School/Intermediate . Professional advancement organizations also may encourage study groups . Study groups have helped students who have trouble being in a large group setting . Each group is unique and draws on the backgrounds and abilities of its members to determine the material that will be covered . Often , a leader who is not actively studying the material will direct group activities . Some colleges actively set up study group programs for students to sign up . Typical college level academic groups include 5-20 students and an administrator or tutor drawn from the graduate program or an upperclassman . Professional groups are often smaller .", "University of Florida. The University of Florida ( commonly referred to as Florida or UF ) is an American public land-grant , sea-grant , and space-grant research university on a 2000 acre campus in Gainesville , Florida . It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and traces its origins to 1853 , and has operated continuously on its Gainesville campus since September 1906 . The University of Florida is one of sixty-two elected member institutions of the Association of American Universities ( AAU ) , the association of preeminent North American research universities , and the only AAU member university in Florida . The University is classified as a Research University with Very High Research by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching . After the Florida state legislature 's creation of performance standards in 2013 , the Florida Board of Governors designated the University of Florida as one of the two `` preeminent universities '' among the twelve universities of the State University System of Florida . For 2017 , U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida as the fourteenth best public university in the United States . The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools ( SACS ) . It is the third largest Florida university by student population , and is the eighth largest single-campus university in the United States with 49,913 students enrolled for the fall 2012 semester . The University of Florida is home to sixteen academic colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes . It offers multiple graduate professional programs -- including business administration , engineering , law , dentistry , medicine , and veterinary medicine -- on one contiguous campus , and administers 123 master 's degree programs and seventy-six doctoral degree programs in eighty-seven schools and departments . The University of Florida 's intercollegiate sports teams , commonly known by their `` Florida Gators '' nickname , compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) Division I and the Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) . In their 108-year history , the university 's varsity sports teams have won thirty-five national team championships , thirty of which are NCAA titles , and Gator athletes have won 275 individual national championships .", "Ivy League. The Ivy League is a collegiate athletic conference comprising sports teams from eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States . The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group beyond the sports context . The eight institutions are Brown University , Columbia University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , Harvard University , the University of Pennsylvania , Princeton University , and Yale University . The term Ivy League has connotations of academic excellence , selectivity in admissions , and social elitism . While the term was in use as early as 1933 , it only became official after the formation of the NCAA Division I athletic conference in 1954 . Seven of the eight schools were founded during the United States colonial period . Cornell was founded in 1865 . Ivy League institutions account for seven of the nine Colonial Colleges chartered before the American Revolution ; the other two are Rutgers University and the College of William & Mary . Ivy League schools are generally viewed as some of the most prestigious , and are ranked among the best universities worldwide by U.S. News & World Report . All eight universities place in the top fifteen of the U.S. News & World Report 2017 nation university rankings , including the top four schools and five of the top eight . U.S. News has named a member of the Ivy League as the best national university in each of the past seventeen years ending with the 2017 rankings : Princeton ten times , Harvard twice , and the two schools tied for first five times . Undergraduate enrollments range from about 4,000 to 14,000 , making them larger than those of a typical private liberal arts college and smaller than a typical public state university . Total enrollments , including graduate students , range from approximately 6,400 at Dartmouth to over 20,000 at Columbia , Cornell , Harvard , and Penn. . Ivy League financial endowments range from Brown 's $ 3.2 billion to Harvard 's $ 36.4 billion , the largest financial endowment of any academic institution in the world .", "Pet. A pet or companion animal is an animal kept primarily for a person 's company , protection , and/or entertainment rather than as a working animal , sport animal , livestock , or laboratory animal . Popular pets are often noted for their attractive appearances , and their loyal or playful personalities . Pets provide their owners ( or guardians ) physical and emotional benefits . Walking a dog can supply both the human and pet with exercise , fresh air , and social interaction . Pets can give companionship to elderly adults who do not have adequate social interaction with other people , as well as to other people who are living alone . There is a medically approved class of therapy animals , mostly dogs or cats , that are brought to visit confined humans . Pet therapy utilizes trained animals and handlers to achieve specific physical , social , cognitive , and emotional goals with patients . The most popular pets are likely dogs and cats but people also keep house rabbits , ferrets ; rodents such as gerbils , hamsters , chinchillas , fancy rats , and guinea pigs ; avian pets , such as canaries , parakeets , corvids , parrots , and chickens ; reptile pets , such as turtles , lizards and snakes ; aquatic pets , such as goldfish , tropical fish and frogs ; and arthropod pets , such as tarantulas and hermit crabs . Some scholars and animal rights organizations have raised concern over pet-keeping with regards to the autonomy and objectification of nonhuman animals .", "Columbia University. Columbia University ( Columbia ; officially Columbia University in the City of New York ) is a private Ivy League research university in Upper Manhattan , New York City . It was established in 1754 as King 's College by royal charter of George II of Great Britain . After the American Revolutionary War , King 's College briefly became a state entity , and was renamed Columbia College in 1784 . Columbia contains the oldest college in the state of New York and the fifth chartered institution of higher learning in the country , making it one of nine colonial colleges founded before the Declaration of Independence . The college has produced numerous distinguished alumni . It has additionally been amongst the most selective colleges in the United States since its founding . With an acceptance rate of 5.8 % , it currently stands as the 3rd most selective college in the United States and 2nd most selective college in the Ivy League . A 1787 charter placed the institution under a private board of trustees before it was renamed Columbia University in 1896 when the campus was moved from Madison Avenue to its current location in Morningside Heights occupying 32 acres of land . Columbia is one of the fourteen founding members of the Association of American Universities and was the first school in the United States to grant the M.D. degree . The university is organized into twenty schools , including Columbia College , the School of Engineering and Applied Science , and the School of General Studies , as well as Columbia Law School , Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons , and Columbia Business School . The university also has global research outposts in Amman , Beijing , Istanbul , Paris , Mumbai , Rio de Janeiro , Santiago , Asunción and Nairobi . It has affiliations with several other institutions nearby , including Teachers College ( Columbia 's Department of Education and Faculty of Education ; its Ph.D. s are conferred by the Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ) , Barnard College , and Union Theological Seminary , with joint undergraduate programs available through the Jewish Theological Seminary of America , University College London , Sciences Po , City University of Hong Kong , and the Juilliard School . The university has graduated many notable alumni . Alumni and affliates include 5 Founding Fathers of the United States - amongst these an author of the Declaration of Independence and an author of the United States Constitution ; 10 Justices of the United States Supreme Court ; 20 living billionaires ; 123 Pulitzer Prize winners ; 39 Academy Award winners ; 3 United States Presidents ; 29 heads of state ; 101 National Academy members ; 98 Nobel laureates ; 77 National Medal of Science winners ; 23 National Humanities Medal recipients . Columbia is second only to Harvard University in the number of Nobel Prize-winning affiliates . Columbia administers annually the Pulitzer Prize .", "Friends (disambiguation). Friends is a United States television sitcom . Friends or The Friends may also refer to : Partners in friendship , an interpersonal relationship between humans Quakers , or members of the Religious Society of Friends", "Collegiality. Collegiality is the relationship between colleagues . Colleagues are those explicitly united in a common purpose and respecting each other 's abilities to work toward that purpose . A colleague is an associate in a profession or in a civil or ecclesiastical office . Thus , the word collegiality can connote respect for another 's commitment to the common purpose and ability to work toward it . In a narrower sense , members of the faculty of a university or college are each other 's colleagues ; very often the word is taken to mean that . Sometimes colleague is taken to mean a fellow member of the same profession . The word college is sometimes used in a broad sense to mean a group of colleagues united in a common purpose , and used in proper names , such as Electoral College , College of Cardinals , and College of Pontiffs . Sociologists of organizations use the word collegiality in a technical sense , to create a contrast with the concept of bureaucracy . Classical authors such as Max Weber consider collegiality as an organizational device used by autocrats to prevent experts and professionals from challenging monocratic and sometimes arbitrary powers . More recently , authors such as Eliot Freidson ( USA ) , Malcolm Waters ( Australia ) and Emmanuel Lazega ( France ) have shown that collegiality can now be understood as a full-fledged organizational form . This is especially useful to account for coordination in knowledge intensive organizations in which interdependent members jointly perform non routine tasks -- an increasingly frequent form of coordination in knowledge economies . A specific social discipline comes attached to this organizational form , a discipline described in terms of niche seeking , status competition , lateral control , and power among peers in corporate law partnerships , in dioceses , in scientific laboratories , etc. . This view of collegiality is obviously very different from the ideology of collegiality stressing mainly trust and sharing in the collegium .", "Love triangle. A love triangle ( also called a romantic love triangle or a romance triangle ) is usually a romantic relationship involving three people . While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third , it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two . The relationships can be friendships , romantic , or familial . The 1994 book Beliefs , Reasoning , and Decision Making states , `` Although the romantic love triangle is formally identical to the friendship triad , as many have noted their actual implications are quite different ... Romantic love is typically viewed as an exclusive relationship , whereas friendship is not . '' Statistics suggest that , in Western society , `` wittingly or not , most adults have been involved in a love triangle '' . Two main forms of love triangle have been distinguished : `` there is the rivalrous triangle , where the lover is competing with a rival for the love of the beloved , and the split-object triangle , where a lover has split their attention between two love objects '' .", "Clique. A clique ( AusE , CanE , -LSB- ˈkliːk -RSB- or -LSB- ˈklɪk -RSB- ) , in the social sciences , is a group of individuals who interact with one another and share similar interests . Interacting with cliques is part of normative social development regardless of gender , ethnicity or popularity . Although cliques are most commonly studied during adolescence and middle childhood development , they exist in all age groups . Typically , people in a clique will not have a complete open friend group , and can therefore `` ban '' members of the clique if they do something that is considered unacceptable , such as talking to someone generally disliked by the clique . People that are part of a clique are bonded together through shared and similar social characteristics such as race , ethnicity , economic status and physical appearance . Being part of a clique is usually seen as a norm in society regardless of status . Cliques are most likely prevalent during teenage years , but are found in other age groups . Cliques may be formed among , for example , athletes , nerds , workmates , fraternities , sororities , and cheerleaders . Cohesive factors may include ethnicity , similar interest , and physical appearance . Members of a clique often isolate themselves as a group and tend to view the clique as superior to anyone outside the clique ." ]

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[ "Judd Apatow. Judd Apatow ( -LSB- ˈæpətaʊ -RSB- born December 6 , 1967 ) is an American film producer , writer , director , actor , and comedian . He is the founder of Apatow Productions , through which he produced and developed the television series Freaks and Geeks , Undeclared , Girls , Love , Crashing and directed the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin ( 2005 ) , Knocked Up ( 2007 ) , Funny People ( 2009 ) , This Is 40 ( 2012 ) , and Trainwreck ( 2015 ) . Apatow 's work has won numerous awards including a Primetime Emmy Award ( for The Ben Stiller Show ) , a Hollywood Comedy Award , and an AFI Award for Bridesmaids ( 2011 ) . His films have also been nominated for Grammy Awards , PGA Awards , Golden Globe Awards , and Academy Awards . Also known for producing hit films such as The Cable Guy ( 1996 ) , Anchorman : The Legend of Ron Burgundy ( 2004 ) , Talladega Nights : The Ballad of Ricky Bobby ( 2006 ) , Superbad ( 2007 ) , Forgetting Sarah Marshall ( 2008 ) , Step Brothers ( 2008 ) , Pineapple Express ( 2008 ) , Get Him to the Greek ( 2010 ) , Bridesmaids ( 2011 ) , The Five-Year Engagement ( 2012 ) , and Anchorman 2 : The Legend Continues ( 2013 ) .", "Undeclared. Undeclared is an American sitcom created by Judd Apatow , which aired on Fox during the 2001 -- 02 season . The show has developed a cult following , and in 2012 , Entertainment Weekly listed it at # 16 in the `` 25 Best Cult TV Shows from the Past 25 Years '' .", "Funny People. Funny People is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written , produced and directed by Judd Apatow . It stars Adam Sandler , Seth Rogen , Leslie Mann , Eric Bana , Jason Schwartzman , Jonah Hill and Aubrey Plaza , and follows a famous comedian who is diagnosed with a terminal disease and tries to fix the relationships in his life . The film was released on July 31 , 2009 and was a box office bomb , grossing $ 71 million against its $ 75 million budget .", "Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation , informally known as Parks and Rec , is an American political comedy television sitcom starring Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope , a perky , mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks Department of Pawnee , a fictional town in Indiana . Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur , the series aired on NBC from April 9 , 2009 to February 24 , 2015 , for 125 episodes , over seven seasons . It was written by the same writers and uses the same filming style as The Office , with the same implication of a documentary crew filming everyone . The ensemble and supporting cast feature Rashida Jones as Ann Perkins , Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford , Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson , Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate , Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz , Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer , Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt , Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger , Jim O'Heir as Garry `` Jerry '' Gergich , Retta as Donna Meagle , and Billy Eichner as Craig Middlebrooks . The writers researched local California politics for the show , and consulted with urban planners and elected officials . Poehler 's character , Leslie Knope , underwent major changes after the first season , in response to audience feedback that she seemed unintelligent and `` ditzy '' . The writing staff incorporated current events into the episodes , such as a government shutdown in Pawnee inspired by the real-life global financial crisis of 2007 -- 2008 . Several guest stars , such as Jason Mantzoukas , Kathryn Hahn , Sam Elliott , Bill Murray , Louis C.K. , Paul Rudd , and Jon Hamm , have been featured in the show , and their characters often appear in multiple episodes . Parks and Recreation was part of NBC 's `` Comedy Night Done Right '' programming during its Thursday night prime-time block . The series received mixed reviews during its first season , but , after a re-approach to its tone and format , the second and subsequent seasons were widely acclaimed . Throughout its run , Parks and Recreation received several awards and nominations , including two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series , six Emmy nominations , a Golden Globe win for Poehler 's performance , and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Musical or Comedy . In TIMEs 2012 year-end lists issue , Parks and Recreation was named the number one television series of that year . In 2013 , after receiving four consecutive nominations in the category , Parks and Recreation won the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy .", "Knocked Up. Knocked Up is a 2007 American romantic comedy film written , directed , and co-produced by Judd Apatow , and starring Seth Rogen , Katherine Heigl , Paul Rudd , and Leslie Mann . It follows the repercussions of a drunken one-night stand between a slacker and a just-promoted media personality that results in an unintended pregnancy . The film was released on June 1 , 2007 to box office success , grossing $ 219 million worldwide , and acclaim from critics . A spin-off sequel , This Is 40 , was released in 2012 .", "This Is 40. This Is 40 is a 2012 American comedy film written , co-produced and directed by Judd Apatow , and starring Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann . It is a spin-off of Knocked Up , which starred Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl . Filming was conducted in mid-2011 , and the film was released in North America on December 21 , 2012 . The film follows the lives of middle-aged married couple Pete and Debbie as they each turn 40 , with their jobs and daughters adding stress to their relationship . This Is 40 received mixed reviews from critics , who praised its cast , acting ( particularly Mann , Rudd and Fox ) and the film 's comedic moments and perceptive scenes , but criticized the film 's overlong running time and occasional aimlessness .", "Apatow Productions. Apatow Productions is an American film and television production company founded by Judd Apatow in 1999 .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "Freaks and Geeks. Freaks and Geeks is an American teen comedy-drama television series , created by Paul Feig , with Judd Apatow as executive producer , that aired on NBC during the 1999 -- 2000 television season . Eighteen episodes were completed , but the series was canceled after only 12 had aired . A fan-led campaign persuaded NBC to broadcast three more episodes in July 2000 ; the three remaining unaired episodes , for a total of 18 , aired that September on the cable network Fox Family Channel . The series appeared on Time magazine 's 2007 `` 100 Greatest Shows of All Time '' list , and placed third on the magazine 's list of greatest television shows of the 2000s ( decade ) . In 2007 , Freaks and Geeks ranked # 21 on TV Guides Top Cult Shows Ever . In 2008 , Entertainment Weekly ranked it the 13th-best series of the past 25 years . The same year , AOL TV named it the Best School Show of All Time . In 2013 TV Guide included it in its list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time , and ranked it # 1 on their list of 60 shows that were `` Cancelled Too Soon '' . It launched several of its young actors into successful television and film careers .", "The 40-Year-Old Virgin. The 40-Year-Old Virgin is a 2005 American sex comedy film written , produced and directed by Judd Apatow , about a middle-aged man 's journey to finally have sex . It was co-written by Steve Carell , though it features a great deal of improvised dialogue . The film was released theatrically in North America on August 19 , 2005 and was released on region 1 DVD on December 13 , 2005 . It is the directorial debut of Judd Apatow , who directed successful films , such as Knocked Up , Funny People , This Is 40 and Trainwreck , and Seth Rogen 's first role in a comedy film , since his bit part role in the film Anchorman : The Legend of Ron Burgundy ( 2004 ) .", "The West Wing. The West Wing is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22 , 1999 , to May 14 , 2006 . The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House , where the Oval Office and offices of presidential senior staff are located , during the fictitious Democratic administration of Josiah Bartlet ( played by Martin Sheen ) . The West Wing was produced by Warner Bros. . Television . For the first four seasons , there were three executive producers : Aaron Sorkin ( lead writer of almost all of the first four seasons ) ; Thomas Schlamme ( primary director ) ; and John Wells . After Sorkin left the series , Wells assumed the role of head writer , with later executive producers being directors Alex Graves and Christopher Misiano ( seasons 6 -- 7 ) , and writers Lawrence O'Donnell Jr. and Peter Noah ( season 7 ) . The West Wing received acclaim from critics , as well as praise from political science professors and former White House staffers . In total , The West Wing won three Golden Globe Awards and 26 Emmy Awards , including the award for Outstanding Drama Series , which it won four consecutive times from 2000 through 2003 . The show 's ratings waned in later years following the departure of series creator Sorkin after the fourth season ( Sorkin wrote or co-wrote 85 of the first 88 episodes ) , yet it remained popular among high-income viewers , a key demographic for the show and its advertisers , with around 16 million viewers . In the years since its run , it has appeared on several lists of the greatest television dramas ever made . The Writers Guild of America also ranked it # 10 in its `` 101 Best-Written TV Series '' list .", "The Five-Year Engagement. The Five-Year Engagement is a 2012 American comedy film co-written , directed , and produced by Nicholas Stoller . Produced with Judd Apatow and Rodney Rothman , it is co-written by Jason Segel , who also stars in the lead roles with Emily Blunt as a couple whose relationship becomes strained when their engagement is continually extended . The film was released in North America on April 27 , 2012 and in the United Kingdom on June 22 , 2012 .", "Girls (TV series). Girls is an American television series that premiered on HBO on April 15 , 2012 . Created by and starring Lena Dunham and executive produced by Judd Apatow , Girls is a comedy-drama following the lives of four young women living in New York City . The show 's premise and major aspects of the main character were drawn from Dunham 's own life . The series has received a positive response from critics and consistent accolades , including the 2013 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Musical or Comedy . Girls sixth and final season concluded on April 16 , 2017 , with a total of 62 episodes .", "Friends. Friends ( stylized as F • R • I • E • N • D • S ) is an American television sitcom , created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman , which aired on NBC from September 22 , 1994 , to May 6 , 2004 , lasting ten seasons . With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer , the show revolves around six 20-30 something friends living in Manhattan . The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions , in association with Warner Bros. . Television . The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright , Marta Kauffman , and David Crane . Kauffman and Crane began developing Friends under the title Insomnia Cafe between November and December 1993 . They presented the idea to Bright , and together they pitched a seven-page treatment of the show to NBC . After several script rewrites and changes , including a title change to Six of One and Friends Like Us , the series was finally named Friends . Filming took place at Warner Bros. . Studios in Burbank , California . All ten seasons of Friends ranked within the top ten of the final television season ratings ; ultimately reaching the No. 1 spot with its eighth season . The series finale on May 6 , 2004 , was watched by around 52.5 million American viewers , making it the fifth most watched series finale in television history , and the most watched television episode of the 2000s decade . Friends received acclaim throughout its run , becoming one of the most popular television shows of all time . The series was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards , winning the Outstanding Comedy Series award in 2002 for its eighth season . The show ranked no. 21 on -LSB- -LSB- TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time | TV Guide '' 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time -RSB- -RSB- and no. 7 on Empire magazine 's The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 1997 , the episode `` The One with the Prom Video '' was ranked no. 100 on TV Guide 's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time . In 2013 , Friends '' ranked no. 24 on the Writers Guild of America 's 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time and no. 28 on TV Guide 's 60 Best TV Series of All Time .", "Maude Apatow. Maude Apatow ( born December 15 , 1997 ) is an American actress . She is the eldest daughter of director Judd Apatow and actress Leslie Mann and is known for her roles as the daughter to her real-life mother 's characters in Knocked Up ( 2007 ) , Funny People ( 2009 ) , and This Is 40 ( 2012 ) .", "Jason Segel. Jason Jordan Segel ( -LSB- ` siːgəl -RSB- born January 18 , 1980 ) is an American actor , screenwriter , producer , and author , best known for his role as Marshall Eriksen in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother , as well as for his work with producer Judd Apatow on the television series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared , and for the critically and commercially successful comedies he 's starred in , written and produced . Segel has starred in several films , including Knocked Up ( 2007 ) , Forgetting Sarah Marshall ( 2008 ) , I Love You , Man ( 2009 ) , Despicable Me ( 2010 ) , Jeff , Who Lives at Home ( 2011 ) , The Muppets ( 2011 ) , The Five-Year Engagement ( 2012 ) , Sex Tape ( 2014 ) and The Discovery ( 2017 ) . His performance as the late author David Foster Wallace in the 2015 film The End of the Tour was met with critical acclaim , earning him a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead .", "Saturday Night Live. Saturday Night Live ( abbreviated as SNL ) is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol . The show premiered on NBC on October 11 , 1975 , under the original title NBC 's Saturday Night . The show 's comedy sketches , which parody contemporary culture and politics , are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members . Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest ( who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast ) and features performances by a musical guest . An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming , `` Live from New York , it 's Saturday Night ! '' , properly beginning the show . In 1980 , Michaels left the series to explore other opportunities . He was replaced by Jean Doumanian , who was replaced by Ebersol after a season of bad reviews . Ebersol ran the show until 1985 , when Michaels returned ; Michaels has remained since then . Many of SNLs cast found national stardom while appearing on the show , and achieved success in film and television , both in front of and behind the camera . Others associated with the show , such as writers , have gone on to successful careers creating , writing , or starring in TV and film . Broadcast from Studio 8H at NBC 's headquarters in the Comcast Building , SNL has aired 829 episodes since its debut , and concluded its forty-second season on May 20 , 2017 , making it one of the longest-running network television programs in the United States . The show format has been developed and recreated in several countries , meeting with different levels of success . Successful sketches have seen life outside of the show as feature films , although only two met with critical and financial success : The Blues Brothers ( 1980 ) and Wayne 's World ( 1992 ) . The show has been marketed in other ways , including home media releases of `` best of '' and whole seasons , and books and documentaries about behind-the-scenes activities of running and developing the show . Throughout four decades on air , Saturday Night Live has received a number of awards , including 50 Primetime Emmy Awards , two Peabody Awards , and three Writers Guild of America Awards . In 2000 , it was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame . It was ranked tenth in TV Guide `` 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time '' list , and in 2007 it was listed as one of Time magazine 's `` 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME '' . As of 2012 , it has received 156 Emmy nominations , the most received by any TV show . The live aspect of the show has resulted in several controversies and acts of censorship , with mistakes and intentional acts of sabotage by performers as well as guests .", "Review. A review is an evaluation of a publication , service , or company such as a movie ( a movie review ) , video game ( video game review ) , musical composition ( music review of a composition or recording ) , book ( book review ) ; a piece of hardware like a car , home appliance , or computer ; or an event or performance , such as a live music concert , play , musical theater show , dance show , or art exhibition . In addition to a critical evaluation , the review 's author may assign the work a rating to indicate its relative merit . More loosely , an author may review current events , trends , or items in the news . A compilation of reviews may itself be called a review . The New York Review of Books , for instance , is a collection of essays on literature , culture , and current affairs . National Review , founded by William F. Buckley , Jr. , is an influential conservative magazine , and Monthly Review is a long-running socialist periodical .", "Trainwreck (film). Trainwreck is a 2015 American romantic comedy film directed by Judd Apatow and written by Amy Schumer . The film stars Schumer and Bill Hader along with an ensemble cast that includes Brie Larson , Colin Quinn , John Cena , Tilda Swinton and LeBron James . The film is about a hard-drinking , promiscuous young magazine writer named Amy ( Schumer ) who has her first serious relationship with a sports doctor named Aaron ( Hader ) . Principal photography began on May 19 , 2014 , in New York City . The film premiered at the 2015 South by Southwest Film Festival on March 15 , 2015 , and was released theatrically in the United States on July 17 , 2015 , by Universal Pictures . The film won awards for Schumer 's performance and was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay .", "Casting in Judd Apatow films. This list is incomplete ; you can help Wikipedia by expanding it . Judd Apatow 's films and television shows often feature the same actors , including : Jay Baruchel Steve Carell Will Ferrell James Franco Carla Gallo Bill Hader Jonah Hill David Krumholtz Jane Lynch Leslie Mann Craig Robinson Seth Rogen Paul Rudd Jason Segel Martin Starr Kristen Wiig Danny McBride Aziz Ansari", "Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar . The series , created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage , originally ran on The CW for six seasons from September 19 , 2007 , to December 17 , 2012 . Narrated by the omniscient blogger `` Gossip Girl '' , voiced by Kristen Bell , the series revolves around the fictional lives of upper-class adolescents living in Manhattan 's Upper East Side . The series begins with the return of Upper East Side teenage it girl Serena van der Woodsen ( Blake Lively ) from a `` mysterious absence '' . Gossip Girl reveals that Serena has been away at boarding school in Cornwall , Connecticut , but not everyone welcomes Serena back to Manhattan with open arms . Blair Waldorf ( Leighton Meester ) , whom creators describe as being `` the queen at the center of their chess game , '' is the queen bee of Constance Saint Jude prep school 's social scene . She also happens to be the childhood `` best friend '' and occasional rival of Serena van der Woodsen . The story also follows scholarship student and aspiring writer Dan Humphrey ( Penn Badgley ) , who lives in Brooklyn and is a self-described `` outsider '' , Nate Archibald ( Chace Crawford ) , the so-called `` golden boy '' , who was Blair 's childhood sweetheart and first love , and Chuck Bass ( Ed Westwick ) , the womanizing , `` bad boy '' heir who is part of `` Manhattan 's elite '' and `` the king of their chess game . '' Other characters of the turbulent Manhattan scene include Dan 's childhood best friend Vanessa Abrams ( Jessica Szohr ) ; Jenny Humphrey ( Taylor Momsen ) , Dan 's rebellous adolescent sister who the ` Queen B ' dubs as ` Little J' ; Lily van der Woodsen ( Kelly Rutherford ) , Serena 's mother and heiress , and Rufus Humphrey ( Matthew Settle ) , former 90 's band ` Lincoln Hawk ' frontman and Lily 's former lover . Rufus is Dan and Jenny 's father and primary guardian . Dorota ( Zuzanna Szadkowski ) is Blair 's primary housekeeper since her youth . Bart Bass ( Chuck 's father ) is a rude and wealthy business man on the upper east side . The success of Gossip Girl led to adaptations outside the United States . The show has received numerous award nominations , winning 18 Teen Choice Awards . The CW officially renewed Gossip Girl for a sixth and final season on May 11 , 2012 . The final season , consisting of 10 episodes , premiered on October 8 , 2012 , and ended on December 17 , 2012 .", "Bridesmaids (2011 film). Bridesmaids is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Paul Feig , written by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig , and produced by Judd Apatow , Barry Mendel and Clayton Townsend . The plot centers on Annie ( Wiig ) , who suffers a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as maid of honor for her best friend , Lillian , played by Maya Rudolph . Rose Byrne , Melissa McCarthy , Ellie Kemper , and Wendi McLendon-Covey co-star as Lillian 's bridesmaids , with Chris O'Dowd , Rebel Wilson , Matt Lucas , Michael Hitchcock , and Jill Clayburgh , in her final film appearance , in supporting roles . Actresses Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig wrote the screenplay following Wiig 's casting in Apatow 's 2007 comedy film Knocked Up . Budgeted at $ 32.5 million , filming took place in Los Angeles , California . Upon its opening release in the United States and Canada on May 13 , 2011 , Bridesmaids was both critically and commercially successful . The film grossed $ 26 million in its opening weekend , eventually grossing over $ 288 million worldwide , and surpassed Knocked Up to become the top-grossing Apatow production to date , and served as a touchstone for discussion about women in comedy . The film was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy . It received multiple other accolades . On January 24 , 2012 , the film was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Melissa McCarthy and Best Original Screenplay for Wiig and Mumolo . This made it the first Apatow-produced film to be nominated for an Academy Award .", "Bestseller. A bestseller is a book that is included on a list of top-selling or frequently-borrowed titles , normally based on publishing industry and book trade figures and library circulation statistics ; such lists may be published by newspapers , magazines , or book store chains . Some lists are broken down into classifications and specialties ( number one best selling new novel , nonfiction book , cookbook , etc. ) . An author may also be referred to as a bestseller if their work often appears in this category . Well-known bestseller lists in the U.S. are published by Publishers Weekly , USA Today , New York Times and the Washington Post . Most of these lists track book sales from national and independent bookstores , as well as sales from major internet retailers such as Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble . In everyday use , the term bestseller is not usually associated with a specified level of sales , and may be used very loosely indeed in publishers ' publicity . Books of superior academic value or literary merit tend not to be bestsellers , although there are exceptions . Lists simply give the highest-selling titles in the category over the stated period . Some books have sold many more copies than current `` bestsellers '' , but over a long period of time . Blockbusters for films and chart-toppers in recorded music are similar terms , although , in film and music , these measures generally are related to industry sales figures for attendance , requests , broadcast plays , or units sold . Particularly in the case of novels , a large budget and a chain of literary agents , editors , publishers , reviewers , retailers , librarians , and marketing efforts are involved in `` making '' bestsellers , that is , trying to increase sales . Steinberg defined a bestseller as a book for which demand , within a short time of that book 's initial publication , vastly exceeds what is then considered to be big sales .", "Gwyneth Paltrow. Gwyneth Kate Paltrow ( -LSB- ˈɡwɪnᵻθ_ˈpæltroʊ -RSB- born September 27 , 1972 ) is an American actress , singer , comedian and food writer . She gained early notice for her work in films such as the thriller Seven ( 1995 ) and the period drama Emma ( 1996 ) . Following starring roles in the romantic comedy-drama Sliding Doors ( 1998 ) and the thriller A Perfect Murder ( 1998 ) , Paltrow garnered worldwide recognition through her performance in Shakespeare in Love ( 1998 ) , for which she won an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards . Paltrow has portrayed supporting , as well as lead roles , in films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley ( 1999 ) , The Royal Tenenbaums ( 2001 ) , Shallow Hal ( 2001 ) , and Proof ( 2005 ) , for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination . Since 2008 , Paltrow has portrayed Pepper Potts , the female lead of the Iron Man franchise in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , in Iron Man ( 2008 ) , Iron Man 2 ( 2010 ) , The Avengers ( 2012 ) , and Iron Man 3 ( 2013 ) . She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011 for her role as Holly Holliday on the Fox television series Glee , her first and so far only foray into television acting . She reprised the role several other times throughout the series ' run . Paltrow has been the face of Estée Lauder 's Pleasures perfume since 2005 . She is also the face of American fashion brand Coach , owner of a lifestyle company ( GOOP ) , and author of two cookbooks .", "The Truman Show. The Truman Show is a 1998 American satirical comedy-drama science fiction film directed by Peter Weir , produced by Scott Rudin , Andrew Niccol , Edward S. Feldman , and Adam Schroeder , and written by Niccol . The film stars Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank , adopted and raised by a corporation inside a simulated television show revolving around his life , until he discovers it and decides to escape ; additional roles are provided by Laura Linney , Noah Emmerich , Natascha McElhone , Holland Taylor , and Ed Harris . The Truman Show was originally a spec script by Niccol , inspired by an episode of The Twilight Zone called `` Special Service '' . Unlike the finished product , it was more of a science-fiction thriller , with the story set in New York City . Scott Rudin purchased the script , and set up production at Paramount Pictures . Brian De Palma was to direct before Weir signed as director , making the film for $ 60 million -- $ 20 million less than the original estimate . Niccol rewrote the script while the crew was waiting for Carrey to sign . The majority of filming took place at Seaside , Florida , a master-planned community located in the Florida Panhandle . The film was a financial success , debuting to critical acclaim , and earned numerous nominations at the 71st Academy Awards , 56th Golden Globe Awards , 52nd British Academy Film Awards and The Saturn Awards . The Truman Show has been analyzed as a thesis on Christianity , metaphilosophy , simulated reality , existentialism and reality television .", "Reddit. Reddit ( stylized as reddit , -LSB- ˈrɛdɪt -RSB- ) is an American social news aggregation , web content rating , and discussion website . Reddit 's registered community members can submit content such as text posts or direct links . Registered users can then vote submissions up or down that determines their position on the page . Submissions with the most up-votes appear on the front page or the top of a category . Content entries are organized by areas of interest called `` subreddits '' . Subreddit topics include news , science , gaming , movies , music , books , fitness , food , image-sharing , and many others . The site prohibits harassment , and moderation requires substantial resources . As of 2017 , Reddit had 542 million monthly visitors ( 234 million unique users ) , ranking # 4 most visited web-site in US and # 9 in the world . Across 2015 , Reddit saw 82.54 billion pageviews , 73.15 million submissions , 725.85 million comments , and 6.89 billion upvotes from its users . Reddit was founded by University of Virginia roommates Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian in 2005 . Condé Nast Publications acquired the site in October 2006 . Reddit became a direct subsidiary of Condé Nast 's parent company , Advance Publications , in September 2011 . As of August 2012 , Reddit operates as an independent entity , although Advance is still its largest shareholder . Reddit is based in San Francisco , California . In October 2014 , Reddit raised $ 50 million in a funding round led by Sam Altman and including investors Marc Andreessen , Peter Thiel , Ron Conway , Snoop Dogg , and Jared Leto . Their investment saw the company valued at $ 500 million .", "The Big Bang Theory. The Big Bang Theory is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady , both of whom serve as executive producers on the series , along with Steven Molaro . All three also serve as head writers . The show premiered on CBS on September 24 , 2007 . The series ' tenth season premiered on September 19 , 2016 . In March 2017 , the series was renewed for two additional seasons , bringing its total to twelve , and running through the 2018 -- 19 television season . The show is primarily centered on five characters living in Pasadena , California : Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper , both physicists at Caltech , who share an apartment ; Penny , a waitress and aspiring actress who later becomes a pharmaceutical representative and who lives across the hall ; and Leonard and Sheldon 's similarly geeky and socially awkward friends and co-workers , aerospace engineer Howard Wolowitz and astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali . The geekiness and intellect of the four men are contrasted for comic effect with Penny 's social skills and common sense . Over time , supporting characters have been promoted to starring roles : Leslie Winkle , a physicist who dated Leonard and Howard ; neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler , who joins the group after being matched to Sheldon on a dating website ( and later becomes Sheldon 's girlfriend ) ; Bernadette Rostenkowski , Howard 's wife ( previously his girlfriend ) , a microbiologist and former part-time waitress alongside Penny ; Stuart Bloom , the cash-strapped owner of the comic book store the characters often visit ; and Emily Sweeney , a dermatologist who dated Raj .", "National Lampoon's Vacation. National Lampoon 's Vacation , sometimes referred to as Vacation , is a 1983 American road comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and starring Chevy Chase , Beverly D'Angelo , Randy Quaid , Dana Barron , and Anthony Michael Hall . John Candy , Imogene Coca , Christie Brinkley , and a young Jane Krakowski appear in supporting roles . The screenplay was written by John Hughes , based on his short story `` Vacation ' 58 '' which appeared in National Lampoon . The film was a box-office hit , earning more than $ 60 million in the US with an estimated budget of $ 15 million , and received positive reviews from critics . As a result of its success , four sequels have been produced over the last three decades : European Vacation ( 1985 ) , Christmas Vacation ( 1989 ) , Vegas Vacation ( 1997 ) , and most recently , Vacation ( 2015 ) which serves as both a reboot and a continuation . In 2000 , readers of Total Film '' voted it the 46th greatest comedy film of all time . In August 2015 was listed as the best film in the Vacation film series by Daniel Cohen . It continues to be a cult film and a staple on cable television .", "Grand Slam (tennis). The Grand Slam tournaments , also called majors , are the four most-important annual tennis events . They offer the most ranking points , prize money , public and media attention , the greatest strength and size of field , and greater number of `` best of '' sets for men . The Grand Slam itinerary consists of the Australian Open in mid January , the French Open in May and June , Wimbledon in June and July , and the US Open in August and September . Each tournament is played over a period of two weeks . The Australian and United States tournaments are played on hard courts , the French on clay , and Wimbledon on grass . Wimbledon is the oldest , founded in 1877 , followed by the US in 1881 , the French in 1891 , and the Australian in 1905 . However , of these four , only Wimbledon was a major before 1924 -- 25 , the time when all four became designated Grand Slam tournaments . Skipping Grand Slam tournaments -- especially the Australian Open because of the remoteness , the inconvenient dates ( around Christmas and New Year 's Day ) and the low prize money -- was not unusual before 1982 , which was the start of the norm of counting Grand Slam titles . The term Grand Slam also , and originally , refers to the achievement of winning all four major championships in a single calendar year within one of the five events : men 's and women 's singles ; men 's , women 's , and mixed doubles . In doubles , one team may accomplish a Grand Slam playing together or one player may achieve it with different partners . The term `` Grand Slam '' without qualification refers to winning the four majors in a single calendar year . Winning the four majors in consecutive tournaments but not in the same year is known as a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam , while winning all four majors at any point during the course of a career is known as a Career Grand Slam . Winning the gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in addition to the four majors in a one calendar year is known as a `` Golden Grand Slam '' or more commonly the `` Golden Slam '' . Also , winning the Year-End Championship ( known as ATP World Tour Finals for men 's singles and doubles disciplines , and WTA Tour Championships for both women 's disciplines ) in the same period is known as a `` Super Slam '' . Together , all four Majors in all three disciplines ( singles , doubles , and mixed doubles ) are called a `` boxed set '' of Grand Slam titles . No male or female player has won all twelve events in one calendar year , although a `` career boxed set '' has been achieved by three female players .", "Academy Award for Best Director. The Academy Award for Best Director ( officially known as the Academy Award for Best Directing ) is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) . It is given in honor of a film director who has exhibited outstanding directing while working in the film industry . The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with the award being split into `` Dramatic '' and `` Comedy '' categories ; Frank Borzage and Lewis Milestone won for Seventh Heaven and Two Arabian Knights , respectively . However , these categories were merged for all subsequent ceremonies . Nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the directors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . For the first eleven years of the Academy Awards , directors were allowed to be nominated for multiple films in the same year . However , after the nomination of Michael Curtiz for two films , Angels with Dirty Faces and Four Daughters , at the 11th Academy Awards , the rules were revised so that an individual could only be nominated for one film at each ceremony . That rule has since been amended , although the only director who has received multiple nominations in the same year was Steven Soderbergh for Erin Brockovich and Traffic in 2000 , winning the award for the latter . The Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture have been very closely linked throughout their history . Of the 89 films that have been awarded Best Picture , 63 have also been awarded Best Director . Since its inception , the award has been given to 69 directors or directing teams . John Ford has received the most awards in this category with four . William Wyler was nominated on twelve occasions , more than any other individual . As of the 2017 ceremony , Damien Chazelle is the most recent winner in this category for his work on La La Land . Chazelle also became the youngest director in history to receive this award , at the age of 32 . Two directing teams have shared the award ; Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins for West Side Story in 1961 and Joel and Ethan Coen for No Country for Old Men in 2007 . The Coen brothers are the only siblings to have won the award .", "Dallas Buyers Club. Dallas Buyers Club is a 2013 American biographical drama film , co-written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack , and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée . The film tells the story of Ron Woodroof , an AIDS patient diagnosed in the mid 1980s when HIV/AIDS treatments were under-researched , while the disease was not understood and highly stigmatized . As part of the experimental AIDS treatment movement , he smuggled unapproved pharmaceutical drugs into Texas for treating his symptoms , and distributed them to fellow people with AIDS by establishing the `` Dallas Buyers Club '' while facing opposition from the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) . Two fictional supporting characters , Dr. Eve Saks ( Jennifer Garner ) , and Rayon ( Jared Leto ) , were composite roles created from the writer 's interviews with transgender AIDS patients , activists , and doctors . Screenwriter Borten interviewed Woodroof in 1992 and wrote the script , which he polished with writer Wallack in 2000 , and then sold to producer Robbie Brenner . Several other actors , directors , and producers who were attached at various times to the development of the film left the project . Universal Pictures also tried to make the film , but did not . A couple of screenwriters wrote drafts that were rejected . In 2009 , producer Brenner involved Matthew McConaughey , because of his Texas origins , the same as Woodroof 's . Brenner selected the first draft , written by Borten and Wallack , for the film , and then Vallée was set to direct the film . Principal photography began on November 11 , 2012 , in New Orleans , Louisiana , continuing for 25 days of filming , which also included shooting in Baton Rouge . Brenner and Rachel Winter co-produced the film . The official soundtrack album was featured by various artists , and was released digitally on October 29 , 2013 , by the Relativity Music Group . Dallas Buyers Club premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and was released theatrically in the United States on November 1 , 2013 , by Focus Features , strategically entering wide release on November 22 for award season . The film grossed over $ 27 million domestically and $ 27.9 million internationally , the box office revenue returned over $ 55 million against a budget of $ 5 million in 182-days of a theatrical run . It grossed over $ 4.5 million from DVD , and over $ 3 million from Blu-ray sales . The film received universal critical acclaim , resulting in numerous accolades . Most praised the performances of McConaughey and Leto , who received the Academy Award for Best Actor and for Best Supporting Actor , respectively , at the 86th Academy Awards , making this the first film since Mystic River ( 2003 ) , and only the fifth movie ever , to win both awards . The film also won the award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling , and garnered nominations for Best Picture , Best Original Screenplay , and Best Editing .", "Planet of the Apes. Planet of the Apes is an American science fiction media franchise consisting of films , books , television series , comics , and other media about a world in which humans and intelligent apes clash for control . The series began with French author Pierre Boulle 's 1963 novel La Planète des Singes , translated into English as Planet of the Apes or Monkey Planet . The 1968 film adaptation , Planet of the Apes , was a critical and commercial hit , initiating a series of sequels , tie-ins , and derivative works . Arthur P. Jacobs produced the series under APJAC Productions until his death in 1973 ; since then 20th Century Fox has owned the franchise . Four sequels followed the original film between 1970 and 1973 : Beneath the Planet of the Apes , Escape from the Planet of the Apes , Conquest of the Planet of the Apes , and Battle for the Planet of the Apes . They did not approach the critical acclaim of the original , but were commercially successful . The series also spawned two television series in 1974 and 1975 . Plans for a film remake stalled in `` development hell '' for over ten years before Tim Burton 's Planet of the Apes was released in 2001 . A new reboot film series commenced in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes , which was followed by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes in 2014 ; another sequel , titled War for the Planet of the Apes , is planned for a 2017 release . Other media and merchandising tie-ins include books , comics , video games , and toys . Planet of the Apes has received particular attention for its treatment of race , which critics consider its primary theme . Critics have also written on its Cold War and animal rights themes . The series has had a wide influence on subsequent films , media , and art , as well as popular culture and political discourse ." ]

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[ "Rhode Island. Rhode Island ( -LSB- roʊd_ˈaɪlənd -RSB- ) , officially the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . Rhode Island is the smallest in area , the eighth least populous , and the second most densely populated of the 50 U.S. states , following New Jersey . Its official name is also the longest of any state in the Union . Rhode Island is bordered by Connecticut to the west , Massachusetts to the north and east , and the Atlantic Ocean to the south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound . The state also shares a short maritime border with New York . On May 4 , 1776 , the Colony of Rhode Island became the first of the Thirteen Colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown , and was the fourth among the newly sovereign states to ratify the Articles of Confederation on February 9 , 1778 . It boycotted the 1787 convention that drew up the United States Constitution and initially refused to ratify it . On May 29 , 1790 , Rhode Island became the 13th and last state to ratify the Constitution . Rhode Island 's official nickname is `` The Ocean State '' , a reference to the fact that the state has several large bays and inlets that amount to about 14 % of its total area . Rhode Island covers 1214 sqmi , of which 1045 sqmi are land .", "Massachusetts. Massachusetts -LSB- mæsəˈtʃuːsᵻts -RSB- or -LSB- ˌmæsəˈtʃuːzᵻts -RSB- ; officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , is the most populous state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east , the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south , New Hampshire and Vermont to the north , and New York to the west . The state is named for the Massachusett tribe , which once inhabited the area . The capital of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England is Boston . Over 80 % of Massachusetts ' population lives in the Greater Boston metropolitan area , a region influential upon American history , academia , and industry . Originally dependent on agriculture , fishing and trade , Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution . During the 20th century , Massachusetts ' economy shifted from manufacturing to services . Modern Massachusetts is a global leader in biotechnology , engineering , higher education , finance , and maritime trade . Plymouth was the site of the first colony in New England , founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims , passengers of the Mayflower . In 1692 , the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of America 's most infamous cases of mass hysteria , the Salem witch trials . In 1777 , General Henry Knox founded the Springfield Armory , which during the Industrial Revolution catalyzed numerous important technological advances , including interchangeable parts . In 1786 , Shays ' Rebellion , a populist revolt led by disaffected American Revolutionary War veterans , influenced the United States Constitutional Convention . In the 18th century , the Protestant First Great Awakening , which swept the Atlantic World , originated from the pulpit of Northampton preacher Jonathan Edwards . In the late 18th century , Boston became known as the `` Cradle of Liberty '' for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution . The entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts has played a powerful commercial and cultural role in the history of the United States . Before the American Civil War , Massachusetts was a center for the abolitionist , temperance , and transcendentalist movements . In the late 19th century , the sports of basketball and volleyball were invented in the western Massachusetts cities of Springfield and Holyoke , respectively . In 2004 , Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legally recognize same-sex marriage as a result of the decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court . Many prominent American political dynasties have hailed from the state , including the Adams and Kennedy families . Harvard University in Cambridge is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States , with the largest financial endowment of any university , and Harvard Law School has educated a contemporaneous majority of Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States . Kendall Square in Cambridge has been called `` the most innovative square mile on the planet '' , in reference to the high concentration of entrepreneurial start-ups and quality of innovation which have emerged in the vicinity of the square since 2010 . Both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , also in Cambridge , have been ranked among the most highly regarded academic institutions in the world . Massachusetts ' public school students place among the top nations in the world in academic performance .", "Providence, Rhode Island. Providence is the capital of and most populous city in the U.S. state of Rhode Island , founded in 1636 , and one of the oldest cities in the United States . It is located in Providence County and is the third most populous city in New England , after Boston and Worcester . Providence has a city population of 179,154 ; it is also part of the Providence metropolitan area which extends into southern Massachusetts . The Providence metropolitan area has an estimated population of 1,604,291 , which exceeds that of Rhode Island as a whole by about 60 % . This can be considered , in turn , to be part of the Greater Boston commuting area , which contains 7.6 million people . Providence was founded by Roger Williams , a religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony . He named the area in honor of `` God 's merciful Providence '' , which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers to settle . The city is situated at the mouth of the Providence River at the head of Narragansett Bay . Providence was one of the first cities in the country to industrialize and became noted for its textile manufacturing and subsequent machine tool , jewelry , and silverware industries . Today , the city of Providence is home to eight hospitals and seven institutions of higher learning which have shifted the city 's economy into service industries , though it still retains some manufacturing activity . The city was once nicknamed the `` Beehive of Industry '' ; it began rebranding itself as the `` Creative Capital '' in 2009 to emphasize its educational resources and arts community .", "New England. New England is a geographical region comprising six states of the northeast United States : Connecticut , Maine , Massachusetts , New Hampshire , Rhode Island , and Vermont . It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and south , and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north , respectively . The Atlantic Ocean is to the east and southeast , and Long Island Sound is to the south . Boston , the capital of Massachusetts , is New England 's largest city . The largest metropolitan area is Greater Boston , which also includes Worcester ( the second-largest city in both Massachusetts and New England ) , Manchester ( the largest city in New Hampshire ) , and Providence ( the capital and largest city of Rhode Island ) , with nearly a third of the entire region 's population . In 1620 , Puritan Separatist Pilgrims from England first settled in the region , forming the Plymouth Colony , the second successful English settlement in the Americas , following the Jamestown Settlement in Virginia founded in 1607 . Ten years later , more Puritans settled north of Plymouth Colony in Boston , thus forming Massachusetts Bay Colony . Over the next 126 years , people in the region fought in four French and Indian Wars , until the British and their Iroquois allies defeated the French and their Algonquin allies in North America . In 1692 , the town of Salem , Massachusetts and surrounding areas experienced one of the most infamous cases of mass hysteria in the history of the Western Hemisphere , the Salem witch trials . In the late 18th century , political leaders from the New England Colonies known as the Sons of Liberty initiated resistance to Britain 's efforts to impose new taxes without the consent of the colonists . The Boston Tea Party was a protest to which Britain responded with a series of punitive laws stripping Massachusetts of self-government , which were termed the `` Intolerable Acts '' by the colonists . The confrontation led to the first battles of the American Revolutionary War in 1775 , and the expulsion of the British authorities from the region in spring 1776 . The region played a prominent role in the movement to abolish slavery in the United States , and was the first region of the U.S. transformed by the Industrial Revolution , centered on the Blackstone and Merrimack river valleys . The physical geography of New England is diverse for such a small area ; southeastern New England is covered by a narrow coastal plain , while the western and northern regions are dominated by the rolling hills and worn-down peaks of the northern end of the Appalachian Mountains . With the Atlantic fall line lying so close to the coast , numerous industrial cities were able to take advantage of water power along the numerous rivers , such as the Connecticut River , which bisects the region from north to south . Each state is principally subdivided into small incorporated municipalities known as towns , many of which are governed by town meetings . The only unincorporated areas in the region exist in the sparsely populated northern regions of Maine , New Hampshire , and Vermont . The region is one of the U.S. Census Bureau 's nine regional divisions and the only multi-state region with clear , consistent boundaries . It maintains a strong sense of cultural identity , although the terms of this identity are often contrasted , combining Puritanism with liberalism , agrarian life with industry , and isolation with immigration .", "Outline of Massachusetts. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts : Massachusetts -- U.S. state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America . It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south , New York to the west , and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north ; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean . Approximately two-thirds of the state 's population lives in Greater Boston , most of which is either urban or suburban . In the late 18th century , Boston became known as the `` Cradle of Liberty '' for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution and the independence of the United States from Great Britain . Massachusetts is also home to Harvard University , the oldest institution of higher learning in the U.S. , founded in 1636 .", "Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of North America , bordering the Atlantic Ocean . It was a colony of the Kingdom of England from 1636 to 1707 , when the Acts of Union were passed , and then a colony of the unified Kingdom of Great Britain until 1776 . After the American Revolution , it became the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations ( commonly known as just Rhode Island ) .", "Rhode Island v. Massachusetts. Rhode Island v. Massachusetts , , was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court asserted its original jurisdiction over a suit in equity by one state against another over their shared border . The case involved a boundary dispute between Massachusetts and Rhode Island dating back to colonial times . Daniel Webster was involved in the case representing Massachusetts .", "Outline of Rhode Island. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the U.S. State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , commonly known as Rhode Island :", "Rhode Island (disambiguation). Rhode Island is a constituent state in the United States , officially titled the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations . Rhode Island may also refer to : Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , a former British colony in North America . Aquidneck Island , officially named Rhode Island , part of the U.S. state and the source of its name University of Rhode Island Rhodes , the Greek island Road Island , an album by Ambrosia", "Southeastern Massachusetts. Southeastern Massachusetts consists of those portions of Massachusetts that are , by their proximity , economically and culturally linked to Providence , Rhode Island as well as Boston . Despite the location of Cape Cod and the islands to its south , which are the southeasternmost parts of the state , they are not normally grouped in this designation . At its broadest definition , it includes all of Massachusetts south of Boston and southeast of Worcester .", "Boston. Boston ( pronounced -LSB- ˈbɒstən -RSB- ) is the capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States . Boston is also the seat of Suffolk County , although the county government was disbanded on July 1 , 1999 . The city proper covers 48 mi2 with an estimated population of 667,137 in 2015 , making it the largest city in New England and the 23rd most populous city in the United States . The city is the economic and cultural anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area known as Greater Boston , a Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) home to a census-estimated 4.7 million people in 2014 and ranking as the tenth-largest such area in the country . Alternately , as a Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , this wider commuting region is home to some 8.1 million people , making it the sixth-largest as such in the United States . One of the oldest cities in the United States , Boston was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers from England . It was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution , such as the Boston Massacre , the Boston Tea Party , the Battle of Bunker Hill , and the Siege of Boston . Upon U.S. independence from Great Britain , it continued to be an important port and manufacturing hub as well as a center for education and culture . Through land reclamation and municipal annexation , Boston has expanded beyond the original peninsula . Its rich history attracts many tourists , with Faneuil Hall alone drawing over 20 million visitors per year . Boston 's many firsts include the United States ' first public school , Boston Latin School ( 1635 ) , first subway system , the Tremont Street Subway ( 1897 ) , and first public park , Boston Common ( 1634 ) . The area 's many colleges and universities make Boston an international center of higher education , including law , medicine , engineering , and business , and the city is considered to be a world leader in innovation and entrepreneurship , with nearly 2,000 startups . Boston 's economic base also includes finance , professional and business services , biotechnology , information technology , and government activities . Households in the city claim the highest average rate of philanthropy in the United States ; businesses and institutions rank among the top in the country for environmental sustainability and investment . The city has one of the highest costs of living in the United States as it has undergone gentrification , though it remains high on world livability rankings .", "Interstate 195 (Rhode Island–Massachusetts). Interstate 195 ( I-195 ) is an Interstate Highway running a combined 44.23 mi in the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts . It travels from a junction with I-95 in Providence , Rhode Island , east to a junction with I-495 and Route 25 in Wareham , Massachusetts . It runs east -- west and passes through the cities of Fall River , Massachusetts , and New Bedford , Massachusetts . I-195 is occasionally referred to as the East Providence Expressway , but the name is not commonly used outside of the Providence area . I-195 provides a major direct highway route from New York to Cape Cod via I-95 through Providence as well as for travelers coming from Connecticut , western Massachusetts and other Rhode Island points . Its major junction with I-95 in Downtown Providence provides a direct connection , since improved with the section in downtown Providence being replaced and moved to the south to lie just south of the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier .", "New Hampshire. New Hampshire ( -LSB- nuː_ˈhæmpʃər -RSB- ) is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south , Vermont to the west , Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east , and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north . New Hampshire is the 5th smallest by land area and the 9th least populous of the 50 United States . In January 1776 , it became the first of the British North American colonies to establish a government independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain 's authority , and it was the first to establish its own state constitution . Six months later , it became one of the original 13 states that founded the United States of America , and in June 1788 it was the ninth state to ratify the Constitution , bringing that document into effect . Concord is the state capital , while Manchester is the largest city in the state and in northern New England , including Vermont and Maine . It has no general sales tax , nor is personal income ( other than interest and dividends ) taxed at either the state or local level . The New Hampshire primary is the first primary in the U.S. presidential election cycle . Its license plates carry the state motto , `` Live Free or Die '' . The state 's nickname , `` The Granite State '' , refers to its extensive granite formations and quarries . Among prominent individuals from New Hampshire are founding father Nicholas Gilman , Senator Daniel Webster , Revolutionary War hero John Stark , editor Horace Greeley , founder of the Christian Science religion Mary Baker Eddy , poet Robert Frost , astronaut Alan Shepard , rock musician Ronnie James Dio , author Dan Brown , actor Adam Sandler , inventor Dean Kamen , comedians Sarah Silverman and Seth Meyers , restaurateurs Richard and Maurice McDonald , and President of the United States Franklin Pierce . With some of the largest ski mountains on the East Coast , New Hampshire 's major recreational attractions include skiing , snowmobiling , and other winter sports , hiking and mountaineering , observing the fall foliage , summer cottages along many lakes and the seacoast , motor sports at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway , and Motorcycle Week , a popular motorcycle rally held in Weirs Beach near Laconia in June . The White Mountain National Forest links the Vermont and Maine portions of the Appalachian Trail , and boasts the Mount Washington Auto Road , where visitors may drive to the top of 6288 ft Mount Washington .", "Geography of Massachusetts. Massachusetts is the 7th smallest state in the United States with an area of 10555 sqmi . It is bordered to the north by New Hampshire and Vermont , to the west by New York , to the south by Connecticut and Rhode Island , and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean . Massachusetts is the most populous New England state . Massachusetts is nicknamed `` The Bay State '' because of several large bays , which distinctly shape its coast : Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay , to the east ; Buzzards Bay , to the south ; and several cities and towns on the Massachusetts -- Rhode Island border sit adjacent to Mount Hope Bay . At the southeastern corner of the state is a large , sandy , arm-shaped peninsula , Cape Cod . The islands Martha 's Vineyard and Nantucket lie south of Cape Cod , across Nantucket Sound . Central Massachusetts features rolling , rocky hills , while Western Massachusetts encompasses a fertile valley and mountains surrounding the Connecticut River , as well as the Berkshire Mountains . Boston is Massachusetts ' largest city , at the inmost point of Massachusetts Bay , the mouth of the Charles River . Most Bay Staters live in the Boston area , which cover most of eastern Massachusetts . Eastern Massachusetts is fairly densely populated and mostly suburban . Western Massachusetts features both the Connecticut River Valley - a fairly even mix of urban enclaves ( e.g. Springfield , Northampton , ) and rural college towns ( Amherst , South Hadley ) - and the Berkshire Mountains , ( a branch of the Appalachian Mountains ) that remains mostly rural . Massachusetts has 351 cities and towns . Every part of the state is within an incorporated city or town , but many towns include large rural areas . The state 's 14 counties have few government functions and serve as little more than judicial districts .", "Long Island. Long Island is a large , densely-populated island off the East Coast of the United States , beginning at New York Harbor just 0.35 miles ( 0.56 km ) from Manhattan Island and extending eastward into the North Atlantic Ocean . The island comprises four counties in the U.S. state of New York : Kings and Queens ( which comprise the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens , respectively ) to the west ; and Nassau and Suffolk to the east . However , many people in the New York metropolitan area ( even those living in Brooklyn and Queens ) colloquially use the term `` Long Island '' ( or `` The Island '' ) exclusively to refer to the Nassau -- Suffolk county area collectively , which is mainly suburban in character . More generally , `` Long Island '' may also refer collectively both to the main Island as well as its nearby , surrounding outer barrier islands . North of the island is the Long Island Sound , across from which lie the states of Connecticut and a small part of Rhode Island across the Block Island Sound . Across the Sound , to the northwest , lies Westchester County on mainland New York . To the west , Long Island is separated from the Bronx and the island of Manhattan by the East River . To the extreme southwest , it is separated from the New York City borough of Staten Island and the U.S. state of New Jersey by Upper New York Bay , the Narrows , and Lower New York Bay . To the east lie Block Island and numerous smaller islands . Both the longest and the largest island in the contiguous United States , Long Island extends 118 mi eastward from New York Harbor to Montauk Point , with a maximum north-to-south distance of 23 mi between Long Island Sound and the Atlantic coast . With a land area of 1,401 square miles ( 3,630 km2 ) , Long Island is the 11th-largest island in the United States and the 149th-largest island in the world -- larger than the 1,214 sqmi of the smallest U.S. state , Rhode Island . With a Census-estimated population of 7,838,722 in 2015 , constituting nearly 40 % of the state 's population , Long Island is the most populated island in any U.S. state or territory , and the 18th-most populous island in the world ( ahead of Ireland , Jamaica , and Hokkaidō ) . Its population density is 5595.1 PD/sqmi . If Long Island geographically constituted an independent metropolitan statistical area , it would rank fourth most populous in the United States ; while if it were a U.S. state , Long Island would rank 13th in population and first in population density . Long Island is culturally and ethnically diverse , featuring some of the wealthiest and most expensive neighborhoods in the Western Hemisphere near the shorelines as well as many working-class areas in all four counties . As a hub of commercial aviation , Long Island contains two of the New York City metropolitan area 's three busiest airports , JFK International Airport and LaGuardia Airport , in addition to Islip MacArthur Airport ; as well as two major air traffic control radar facilities , the New York TRACON and the New York ARTCC . Nine bridges and 13 tunnels ( including railroad tunnels ) connect Brooklyn and Queens to the three other boroughs of New York City . Ferries connect Suffolk County northward across Long Island Sound to the state of Connecticut . The Long Island Rail Road is the busiest commuter railroad in North America and operates 24/7 . Biotechnology companies and scientific research play a significant role in Long Island 's economy , including research facilities at Brookhaven National Laboratory , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory , Plum Island Animal Disease Center , State University of New York at Stony Brook , the New York University Tandon School of Engineering , the City University of New York , and Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine .", "Interstate 95 in Rhode Island. Interstate 95 ( I-95 ) is the main north -- south Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States , running generally southwest-northeast through the U.S. state of Rhode Island . It runs from the border with Connecticut near Westerly , through Warwick and Providence , and to the Massachusetts state line in Pawtucket . It has two auxiliary routes , both of which enter Massachusetts -- I-195 : a spur from Providence east to Cape Cod , and I-295 , a western bypass of the Providence-Pawtucket area . South of Warwick , I-95 does not follow U.S. Route 1 ( US 1 ) , which it generally replaced in New England . It instead takes a shorter inland route , parallel to Route 3 . Route 3 was designated Route 1A in 1922 , a New England Interstate Route , but it has never been a U.S. Route .", "Rhode Island Sound. Rhode Island Sound is a strait of water , off the coast of the U.S. state of Rhode Island at mouth of Narragansett Bay . It forms the eastern extension of Long Island Sound and opens out the Atlantic Ocean between Block Island and Martha 's Vineyard .", "Connecticut. Connecticut ( -LSB- kəˈnɛtᵻkət -RSB- ) is the southernmost state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . As of the 2010 Census , Connecticut features the highest per-capita income , Human Development Index ( 0.962 ) , and median household income in the United States . Connecticut is bordered by Rhode Island to the east , Massachusetts to the north , New York to the west , and Long Island Sound to the south . Its capital city is Hartford , and its most populous city is Bridgeport . Although Connecticut is technically part of New England , it is often grouped along with New York and New Jersey as the Tri-state area . The state is named for the Connecticut River , a major U.S. river that approximately bisects the state . The word `` Connecticut '' is derived from various anglicized spellings of an Algonquian word for `` long tidal river '' . Connecticut is the third smallest state by area , the 29th most populous , and the fourth most densely populated of the 50 United States . It is known as the `` Constitution State '' , the `` Nutmeg State '' , the `` Provisions State '' , and the `` Land of Steady Habits '' . It was influential in the development of the federal government of the United States . Much of southern and western Connecticut ( along with the majority of the state 's population ) is part of the New York metropolitan area ; three of Connecticut 's eight counties are statistically included in the New York City combined statistical area , which is widely referred to as the Tri-State area . Connecticut 's center of population is in Cheshire , New Haven County , which is also located within the Tri-State area . Connecticut 's first European settlers were Dutch . They established a small , short-lived settlement in present-day Hartford at the confluence of the Park and Connecticut rivers called Huys de Goede Hoop . Initially , half of Connecticut was a part of the Dutch colony New Netherland , which included much of the land between the Connecticut and Delaware rivers . The first major settlements were established in the 1630s by England . Thomas Hooker led a band of followers overland from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and founded what became the Connecticut Colony ; other settlers from Massachusetts founded the Saybrook Colony and the New Haven Colony . The Connecticut and New Haven Colonies established documents of Fundamental Orders , considered the first constitutions in North America . In 1662 , the three colonies were merged under a royal charter , making Connecticut a crown colony . This colony was one of the Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution . The Connecticut River , Thames River , and ports along the Long Island Sound have given Connecticut a strong Maritime tradition which continues today . The state also has a long history of hosting the financial services industry , including insurance companies in Hartford and hedge funds in Fairfield County .", "Providence metropolitan area. The Providence metropolitan area is a region extending into eight counties in two states , and is the 39th largest metropolitan area in the United States . Anchored by the city of Providence , Rhode Island , it has an estimated population of 1,622,520 , exceeding that of Rhode Island by slightly over 60 % . The area covers almost all of Rhode Island . 38 of the 39 municipalities in the state are included . Only Westerly is not . The Providence Metropolitan Statistical Area also extends into southern Massachusetts with an average population density of 2300 per mi ² ( 888 per km ² ) . Its Gross Metropolitan Product is the country 's 42nd largest at $ 64.7 billion , just above the Gross State Product of the entire state of Hawaii . In 2006 , this area was officially added to the Boston Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , the fifth-largest CSA in the country . In 2004 , Smart Growth America named the New York City metro area the `` Least Sprawling '' metropolitan area in the country , though Wendell Cox , correcting for the fact that this is only true when New Jersey 's and Connecticut 's contributions are ignored , asserts that this title should belong to the Providence metropolitan area . Cox makes clear , however , that he is criticizing the definitional criteria of `` sprawl '' developed by Smart Growth America , satirically pointing out the incongruity of Providence winning the crown when , for example , only 0.4 % of transportation uses mass transit .", "New York. New York is a state in the northeastern United States , and is the 27th-most extensive , fourth-most populous , and seventh-most densely populated U.S. state . New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut , Massachusetts , and Vermont to the east . The state has a maritime border in the Atlantic Ocean with Rhode Island , east of Long Island , as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the northwest . The state of New York , with an estimated 19.8 million residents in 2015 , is also referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City , the state 's most populous city and its economic hub . With an estimated population of 8.55 million in 2015 , New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . The New York Metropolitan Area is one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world . New York City is a global city , exerting a significant impact upon commerce , finance , media , art , fashion , research , technology , education , and entertainment , its fast pace defining the term New York minute . The home of the United Nations Headquarters , New York City is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , as well as the world 's most economically powerful city . New York City makes up over 40 % of the population of New York State . Two-thirds of the state 's population lives in the New York City Metropolitan Area , and nearly 40 % lives on Long Island . Both the state and New York City were named for the 17th-century Duke of York , future King James II of England . The next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo , Rochester , Yonkers , and Syracuse , while the state capital is Albany . New York has a diverse geography . The southern part of the state consists of Long Island and several smaller associated islands , as well as New York City and the lower Hudson River Valley , most of which lie within the wider Atlantic Coastal Plain . The large region known as Upstate New York consists of several ranges of the wider Appalachian Mountains , including the Allegheny Plateau and Catskills along New York 's Southern Tier , and the Adirondack Mountains , Thousand Islands archipelago , and Saint Lawrence Seaway in the Northeastern lobe of the state . These more mountainous regions are bisected by two major river valleys -- the north-south Hudson River Valley and the east-west Mohawk River Valley , which forms the core of the Erie Canal . Western New York is considered part of the Great Lakes Region and straddles Lake Ontario and Lake Erie . Between the two lakes lies Niagara Falls . The central part of the state is dominated by the Finger Lakes , a popular vacation and tourist destination . New York had been inhabited by tribes of Algonquian and Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans for several hundred years by the time the earliest Europeans came to New York . The first Europeans to arrive were French colonists and Jesuit missionaries who arrived southward from settlements at Montreal for trade and proselytizing . In 1609 , the region was claimed by Henry Hudson for the Dutch , who built Fort Nassau in 1614 at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers , where the present-day capital of Albany later developed . The Dutch soon also settled New Amsterdam and parts of the Hudson Valley , establishing the colony of New Netherland , a multicultural community from its earliest days and a center of trade and immigration . The British annexed the colony from the Dutch in 1664 . The borders of the British colony , the Province of New York , were similar to those of the present-day state . Many landmarks in New York are well known to both international and domestic visitors , with New York State hosting four of the world 's ten most-visited tourist attractions in 2013 : Times Square , Central Park , Niagara Falls ( shared with Ontario ) , and Grand Central Terminal . New York is home to the Statue of Liberty , a symbol of the United States and its ideals of freedom , democracy , and opportunity . In the 21st century , New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . New York 's higher education network comprises approximately 200 colleges and universities , including Columbia University , Cornell University , New York University , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .", "Interstate 295 (Rhode Island–Massachusetts). Interstate 295 ( abbreviated I-295 also known as Providence Beltway ) is an Interstate route 26.58 mi in length within the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts . It serves as a western bypass around Providence , Rhode Island with the southern terminus located in Warwick , Rhode Island and the northern terminus in Attleboro , Massachusetts .", "The Rhode Island System. The Rhode Island System refers to a system of mills , complete with small villages and farms , ponds , dams , and spillways first developed by Samuel Slater and his brother John Slater ( brother Samuel Slater , who had earlier built the first fully functional water-powered textile mill in America at Pawtucket , Rhode Island , in 1790 . The Blackstone River Valley of Massachusetts and Rhode Island consists of a series of historic mill villages that followed the Rhode Island system , and which gave birth to the American Industrial Revolution . Today the 45 mile stretch of river valley and the system of mills and villages is a national heritage corridor , The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor , that encompasses sections of two states . The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor was the second heritage corridor of its type in the US national Park service , having been chartered first in 1986 . See also , Waltham-Lowell system Category : History of the textile industry Category : Company towns in Rhode Island Category : History of Rhode Island", "Maine. Maine ( -LSB- ˈmeɪn -RSB- ) is the northernmost state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . Maine is the 39th most extensive and the 41st most populous of the U.S. states and territories . It is bordered by New Hampshire to the west , the Atlantic Ocean to the east , and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the north . Maine is the easternmost state in the contiguous United States , and the northernmost east of the Great Lakes . It is known for its jagged , rocky coastline ; low , rolling mountains ; heavily forested interior , and picturesque waterways ; and also its seafood cuisine , especially clams and lobster . There is a continental climate throughout the state , even in coastal areas such as its most populous city of Portland . The capital is Augusta . For thousands of years , indigenous peoples were the only inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine . At the time of European arrival in what is now Maine , several Algonquian-speaking peoples inhabited the area . The first European settlement in the area was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island , by Pierre Dugua , Sieur de Mons . The first English settlement was the short-lived Popham Colony , established by the Plymouth Company in 1607 . A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s , although the rugged climate , deprivations , and conflict with the local peoples caused many to fail over the years . As Maine entered the 18th century , only a half dozen European settlements had survived . Loyalist and Patriot forces contended for Maine 's territory during the American Revolution and the War of 1812 . At the close of the War of 1812 , it was occupied by British forces , but the territory of Maine was returned to the United States as part of a peace treaty that was to include dedicated land on the Michigan peninsula for Native American peoples . Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1820 , when it voted to secede from Massachusetts to become a separate state . On March 15 , 1820 , under the Missouri Compromise , it was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state .", "University of Rhode Island. The University of Rhode Island , commonly referred to as URI , is the principal public research as well as the land grant and sea grant university for the state of Rhode Island . Its main campus is located in the village of Kingston in southern Rhode Island . Additionally , smaller campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence , the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center in Providence , the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett , and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West Greenwich . The university offers bachelor 's degrees , master 's degrees , and doctoral degrees in 80 undergraduate and 49 graduate areas of study through eight academic colleges . These colleges include Arts and Sciences , Business Administration , Education and Professional Studies , Engineering , Health Sciences , Environment and Life Sciences , Nursing and Pharmacy . Another college , University College for Academic Success , serves primarily as an advising college for all incoming undergraduates and follows them through their first two years of enrollment at URI . The University enrolled about 13,600 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate students in Fall 2015 . U.S. News & World Report classifies URI as a tier 1 national university , ranking it tied for 161st in the U.S.", "United States. The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse . At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco . Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations . The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .", "Interstate 95 in Massachusetts. Interstate 95 ( I-95 ) is a major highway on the East Coast of the United States , paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine . The Massachusetts portion of the highway enters from the state of Rhode Island in Attleboro and travels in a northeasterly direction to the junction with Route 128 in Canton . As the original plans for I-95 ( which would have taken it through central neighborhoods of Boston and the northern suburbs of Saugus and Lynn ) were canceled , the highway follows the Route 128 loop around the Greater Boston area to Peabody . From there , I-95 splits from Route 128 and turns north towards the Merrimack River . I-95 enters New Hampshire from Salisbury .", "Rhode Island Route 24. Route 24 is a limited-access state highway in the U.S. state of Rhode Island . It runs approximately 8 mi from Route 114 in Portsmouth to Massachusetts Route 24 in Fall River , Massachusetts . The layout of Rhode Island 's highways effectively make Tiverton and Little Compton isolated from the rest of the state . Because of this , people travelling to this part of the state from the Providence area will often cut through Massachusetts using Interstate 195 and Route 24 . This route is often far faster than other routes which stay inside Rhode Island .", "Providence Plantations. Providence Plantation was a colonial plantation that was the first permanent European American settlement in present-day Rhode Island . It was established at Providence in 1636 by English clergyman Roger Williams and a small band of followers who had left the oppressive atmosphere of the Massachusetts Bay Colony to seek freedom of worship . Narragansett sachems Canonicus and Miantonomi granted Williams a sizable tract of land for his new village . `` Providence Plantations '' refers to the mainland portion of the state , which included Williams 's Providence Plantation and Samuel Gorton 's Shawomet Purchase ( 1642 ) , which was renamed Warwick Plantation . `` Rhode Island '' referred to Aquidneck Island , on which the settlements of Portsmouth ( 1638 ) and Newport ( 1639 ) were established . In 1663 , the four settlements merged to form the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations . Today , the state is officially named The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , although `` and Providence Plantations '' is little used .", "Nantucket, Massachusetts. Nantucket -LSB- ˌnænˈtʌkᵻt -RSB- is an island about 30 mi by ferry south from Cape Cod , in the American state of Massachusetts . Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget , it constitutes the Town of Nantucket , and the conterminous Nantucket County , which are consolidated . As of the 2010 census , the population was 10,172 . Part of the town is designated the Nantucket CDP , or census-designated place . The region of Surfside on Nantucket is the southernmost settlement in Massachusetts . The name `` Nantucket '' is adapted from similar Algonquian names for the island , perhaps meaning `` faraway land or island '' . Nantucket is a tourist destination and summer colony . Due to tourists and seasonal residents , the population of the island increases to at least 50,000 during the summer months . In 2008 , Forbes magazine cited Nantucket as having home values among the highest in the US . Home prices per square foot are considered much higher than those in the Hamptons on Long Island . The National Park Service cites Nantucket , designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1966 , as being the `` finest surviving architectural and environmental example of a late 18th - and early 19th-century New England seaport town '' .", "Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Woonsocket ( -LSB- wʌnˈsɒkᵻt -RSB- ) is a city in Providence County , Rhode Island , United States . The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census , making it the sixth largest city in the state . Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts state line . The city is the corporate headquarters of CVS Health , a pharmacy services provider . It is home to Landmark Medical Center , the Museum of Work and Culture and the American-French Genealogical Society .", "Vermont. Vermont ( -LSB- vərˈmɒnt , _ vɜr - -RSB- ) is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . It borders the other U.S. states of Massachusetts to the south , New Hampshire to the east , New York to the west , and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north . Lake Champlain forms half of Vermont 's western border with the state of New York and the Green Mountains run north-south the length of the state . Vermont is the 2nd-least populous of the U.S. states , ahead of Wyoming in population . The capital is Montpelier , the least populous state capital in the U.S. . The most populous municipality , Burlington , is the least populous city in the U.S. to be the most populous within a state . As of 2015 , Vermont was the leading producer of maple syrup in the U.S. . It was ranked as the safest state in the country in 2016 . For thousands of years indigenous peoples , including the Algonquian-speaking Abenaki and Mohawk , occupied much of the territory that is now Vermont and was later claimed by France 's colony of New France . France ceded the territory to Great Britain after being defeated in 1763 in the Seven Years ' War . For many years , the nearby colonies , especially the provinces of New Hampshire and New York , disputed control of the area ( then called the New Hampshire Grants ) . Settlers who held land titles granted by New York were opposed by the Green Mountain Boys militia , which supported the many settlers whose claims were based on grants from New Hampshire . Ultimately , those settlers prevailed in creating an independent state , the Vermont Republic . Founded in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War , the republic lasted for 14 years . Aside from the original 13 states that were formerly colonies , Vermont is one of only four U.S. states that were previously sovereign states ( along with California , Hawaii , and Texas ) . Vermont was also the first state to join the U.S. as its 14th member state after the original 13 . While still an independent republic , Vermont was the first of any future U.S. state to partially abolish slavery .", "Massachusetts (disambiguation). Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the United States . Massachusetts may also refer to :" ]

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[ "Giancarlo Stanton. Giancarlo Cruz Michael Stanton ( born November 8 , 1989 ) is an American professional baseball left fielder and right fielder for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . Prior to 2012 , he was known as Mike Stanton . Stanton graduated from Notre Dame High School , before he was selected by the Marlins in the 2007 MLB draft . Stanton made his MLB debut with the Marlins in June 2010 . He is a three-time MLB All-Star and was the Hank Aaron Award winner for the National League in 2014 after leading the league in home runs . In November 2014 , the Marlins signed Stanton to the richest contract in sports history , worth $ 325 million over 13 years .", "Major League Baseball. Major League Baseball ( MLB ) is a professional baseball organization , the oldest of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . A total of 30 teams now play in the National League ( NL ) and American League ( AL ) , with 15 teams in each league . The NL and AL operated as separate legal entities from 1876 and 1901 respectively . After cooperating but remaining legally separate entities since 1903 , the leagues merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball in 2000 . The organization also oversees Minor League Baseball , which comprises about 240 teams affiliated with the Major League clubs . With the World Baseball Softball Confederation , MLB manages the international World Baseball Classic tournament . Baseball 's first professional team was founded in Cincinnati in 1869 , 30 years after Abner Doubleday supposedly invented the game of baseball . The first few decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and by players who often jumped from one team or league to another . The period before 1920 in baseball was known as the dead-ball era ; players rarely hit home runs during this time . Baseball survived a conspiracy to fix the 1919 World Series , which came to be known as the Black Sox Scandal . The sport rose in popularity in the 1920s , and survived potential downturns during the Great Depression and World War II . Shortly after the war , baseball 's color barrier was broken by Jackie Robinson . The 1950s and 1960s were a time of expansion for the AL and NL , then new stadiums and artificial turf surfaces began to change the game in the 1970s and 1980s . Home runs dominated the game during the 1990s , and media reports began to discuss the use of anabolic steroids among Major League players in the mid-2000s . In 2006 , an investigation produced the Mitchell Report , which implicated many players in the use of performance-enhancing substances , including at least one player from each team . Today , MLB is composed of thirty teams : twenty-nine in the United States and one in Canada . Teams play 162 games each season and five teams in each league advance to a four-round postseason tournament that culminates in the World Series , a best-of-seven championship series between the two league champions that dates to 1903 . Baseball broadcasts are aired on television , radio , and the Internet throughout North America and in several other countries throughout the world . MLB has the highest season attendance of any sports league in the world with more than 73 million spectators in 2015 .", "World Series. The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) in North America , contested since 1903 between the American League ( AL ) champion team and the National League ( NL ) champion team . The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff , and the winning team is awarded the Commissioner 's Trophy . As the series is played in October ( and occasionally November ) , during the fall season in North America , it is often referred to as the Fall Classic . Prior to 1969 , the team with the best regular season win-loss record in each league automatically advanced to the World Series ; since then each league has conducted a championship series ( ALCS and NLCS ) preceding the World Series to determine which teams will advance . As of 2016 , the World Series has been contested 112 times , with the AL winning 64 and the NL winning 48 . The 2016 World Series took place between the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs . Seven games were played , with the Cubs victorious after game seven , played in Cleveland . The final score was 8 -- 7 ; the game went into extra innings after a tied score of 6 -- 6 . This was the third World Series won by the Cubs , as well as their first title since 1908 , a period of 108 years . With the Cubs ' record long title drought finally ended , the Indians ' championship dry spell of 68 years and counting -- the Indians last won the Series in 1948 -- is currently the longest-running Series title absence . In the American League , the New York Yankees have played in 40 World Series and won 27 , the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics have played in 14 and won 9 , and the Boston Red Sox have played in 12 and won 8 , including the first World Series . In the National League , the St. Louis Cardinals have appeared in 19 and won 11 , the New York/San Francisco Giants have played in 20 and won 8 , the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have appeared in 18 and won 6 , and the Cincinnati Reds have appeared in 9 and won 5 . As of 2016 , no team has won consecutive World Series championships since the New York Yankees in , , and -- the longest such drought in Major League Baseball history .", "2017 World Series. The 2017 World Series will be the 113th edition of Major League Baseball 's championship series , a best-of-seven playoff between the National League champion and American League champion . Home field advantage will be decided by whichever league champion has the better record .", "2017 Major League Baseball draft. The 2017 Major League Baseball ( MLB ) First-Year Player Draft will begin on June 12 , 2017 . The draft will assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams . With the worst record in the 2016 MLB season , the Minnesota Twins received the first overall pick . In addition , compensation picks will be distributed for players who did not sign from the 2016 MLB Draft .", "2016 Major League Baseball draft. The 2016 Major League Baseball ( MLB ) First-Year Player Draft began on June 9 , 2016 , to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams . The draft order is the reverse order of the 2015 MLB season standings . In addition , compensation picks will be distributed for players who did not sign from the 2015 MLB Draft . The Philadelphia Phillies received the first overall selection . The Los Angeles Dodgers received the 36th pick as compensation for failing to sign Kyle Funkhouser , the 35th overall selection of the 2015 MLB Draft . Teams from the smallest markets and revenue pools are eligible for competitive balance draft picks . The first six picks , Round A , were determined by lottery between the Arizona Diamondbacks , Colorado Rockies , Cincinnati Reds , Miami Marlins , San Diego Padres , Tampa Bay Rays , Milwaukee Brewers , Cleveland Indians , Oakland Athletics , Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , and St. Louis Cardinals . The six preceding teams that do not receive a pick in Round A were entered into a second lottery , with the Baltimore Orioles , Minnesota Twins , and Seattle Mariners , to receive the six picks in Round B . The twelve competitive balance draft picks are the only picks allowed to be traded . The Reds received the first pick in Round A , followed by the Athletics , Rockies , Diamondbacks , Marlins , and Pirates . The Padres received the first pick of Round B , followed by the Indians , Twins , Brewers , Orioles , and Rays .", "National Football League Draft. The National Football League Draft , also called the player selection meeting , is an annual event in which the National Football League ( NFL ) teams select eligible college football players . It serves as the league 's most common source of player recruitment . The basic design of the draft is that each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order relative to its record in the previous year , which means that the last place team is positioned first . From this position , the team can either select a player or trade their position to another team for other draft positions , a player or players , or any combination thereof . The round is complete when each team has either selected a player or traded its draft position . Certain aspects of the draft , including team positioning and the number of rounds in the draft , have seen revisions since its first creation in 1936 , but the fundamental methodology has remained the same . Currently the draft consists of seven rounds . The original rationale in creating the draft was to increase the competitive parity between the teams as the worst team would , ideally , have chosen the best player available . In the early years of the draft , players were chosen based on hearsay , print media , or other rudimentary evidence of a player 's ability . In the 1940s , some franchises began employing full-time scouts . The ensuing success of their corresponding teams eventually forced the other franchises to also hire scouts . Colloquially , the name of the draft each year takes on the form of the NFL season in which players picked could begin playing . For example , the 2010 NFL draft was for the 2010 NFL season . However , the NFL-defined name of the process has changed since its inception . The location of the draft has continually changed over the years to accommodate more fans , as the event has gained popularity . The draft 's popularity now garners prime-time television coverage . In the league 's early years the draft was held in various cities with NFL franchises until the league settled on New York City starting in 1965 , where it remained until 2015 . The 2015 and 2016 NFL drafts were held in Chicago , while the 2017 version was held in Philadelphia . In recent years , the NFL draft has occurred in late April or early May .", "New York Yankees. The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx . The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) East division . The Yankees are one of two major league clubs based in New York City , the other being the New York Mets of the National League . In the season , the club began play in the AL as the Baltimore Orioles ( no relation to the modern Baltimore Orioles ) . Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchased the franchise ( which had ceased operations ) and moved it to New York City , renaming the club the New York Highlanders . The Highlanders were officially renamed the Yankees in . The team is owned by Yankee Global Enterprises , an LLC controlled by the family of the late George Steinbrenner , who purchased the team in 1973 . Brian Cashman is the team 's general manager , and former catcher Joe Girardi is the team 's skipper . The team 's home games were played at the original Yankee Stadium from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008 . In 2009 , they moved into a new ballpark of the same name after the previous facility was closed and demolished . The team is perennially among the leaders in MLB attendance -- in 2011 , the Yankees had the second-highest attendance . One of the most successful sports clubs in the world , the Yankees have won 18 division titles , 40 AL pennants , and 27 World Series championships , all of which are MLB records . Forty-four Yankees players and eleven Yankees managers have been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame , including Babe Ruth , Lou Gehrig , Joe DiMaggio , Mickey Mantle , Yogi Berra , and Whitey Ford . In pursuit of winning championships , the franchise has used a large payroll to attract talent , particularly during the Steinbrenner era . According to Forbes , the Yankees are the second highest valued sports franchise in the United States and the fourth in the world , with an estimated value of approximately $ 3.4 billion . The Yankees have garnered enormous popularity and a dedicated fanbase , as well as widespread enmity from fans of other MLB teams . The team 's rivalry with the Boston Red Sox is one of the most well-known rivalries in U.S. sports .", "American League. The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs , or simply the American League ( AL ) , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball ( MLB ) in the United States and Canada . It developed from the Western League , a minor league based in the Great Lakes states , which eventually aspired to major league status . It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season , 25 years after the formation of the National League ( the `` Senior Circuit '' ) . At the end of every season , the American League champion plays in the World Series against the National League champion ; two seasons did not end in playing a World Series . Through 2016 , American League teams have won 64 of the 112 World Series played since 1903 , with 27 of those coming from the New York Yankees alone . The 2016 American League champions are the Cleveland Indians . The New York Yankees have won 40 American League titles , the most in the league 's history , followed by the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics ( 15 ) and the Boston Red Sox ( 13 ) .", "National League. The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs , known simply as the National League ( NL ) , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball ( MLB ) in the United States and Canada , and the world 's oldest current professional team sports league . Founded on February 2 , 1876 , to replace the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , it is sometimes called the Senior Circuit , in contrast to MLB 's other league , the American League , which was founded 25 years later . Both leagues currently have 15 teams . The two league champions of 1903 arranged to compete against each other in the inaugural World Series . After the 1904 champions failed to reach a similar agreement , the two leagues formalized the World Series as an arrangement between the leagues . National League teams have won 48 of the 112 World Series contested from 1903 to 2016 . The 2016 National League champions are the Chicago Cubs .", "Major League Baseball All-Star. A Major League Baseball All-Star is a professional baseball player who has been named to either the American League ( AL ) or National League ( NL ) All-Star Team for the annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game , which is also known as the `` Midsummer Classic '' . Since July 1933 , fans have generally participated in the selection of the players who fill the AL and NL All-Star rosters ; managers , players , and coaches have also made choices in the selection process during various seasons . Between 1935 and 1946 , each All-Star Team manager selected the entire team ; the 1945 All-Star Game was cancelled due to travel restrictions during World War II and no players were officially named . Two All-Star Games were played from 1959 through 1962 , with each named player continuing to receive one All-Star appearance credit per season . In 2017 , each team will have 32 players , with fans voting for the starting players ( including a designated hitter of the AL team ) , and the players selecting the reserve players for each position and five starting pitchers and three relief pitchers . The final All-Star player vote still exists , but the MLB commissioner 's office will now fill out the remaining roster spots instead of the managers.The All-Star Game is scheduled to be held on July 11 at Marlins Park , home of the NL East Division 's Miami Marlins .", "2017 Major League Baseball season. The 2017 Major League Baseball season began on April 2 , 2017 with three games , including the 2016 World Series champions Chicago Cubs facing off against the St. Louis Cardinals , and is scheduled to end on October 1 . The postseason will begin on October 3 . The 2017 World Series is set to begin October 24 and a potential Game 7 is scheduled for November 1 . The 88th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be held on July 11 at Marlins Park , the home of the Miami Marlins . For the first time since 2002 when the game ended in a tie , the All Star Game will not determine home field advantage for the World Series . Instead , home field advantage will be awarded to the team with the better regular season record . The 2017 Major League Baseball draft will begin on June 12 .", "National Football League. The National Football League ( NFL ) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams , divided equally between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) . The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America , and the highest professional level of American football in the world . The NFL 's 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas , with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week . Following the conclusion of the regular season , six teams from each conference ( four division winners and two wild card teams ) advance to the playoffs , a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl , which is usually held in the first Sunday in February , and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC . The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association ( APFA ) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season . The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League ( AFL ) in 1966 , and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season ; the merger was completed in 1970 . Today , the NFL has the highest average attendance ( 67,591 ) of any professional sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States . The Super Bowl is among the biggest club sporting events in the world and individual Super Bowl games account for many of the most watched television programs in American history , all occupying the Nielsen 's Top 5 tally of the all-time most watched U.S. television broadcasts by 2015 . The NFL 's executive officer is the commissioner , who has broad authority in governing the league . The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen ( nine NFL titles before the Super Bowl era , and four Super Bowl championships afterwards ) ; the team with the most Super Bowl championships is the Pittsburgh Steelers with six . The current NFL champions are the New England Patriots , who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34 -- 28 in Super Bowl LI .", "Outfielder. An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball , farthest from the batter . These defenders are the left fielder , the center fielder , and the right fielder . An outfielder 's duty is to try to catch long fly balls before they hit the ground or to quickly catch or retrieve and return to the infield any other balls entering the outfield . Outfielders normally play behind the six other members of the defense who play in or near the infield . By convention , each of the nine defensive positions in baseball is numbered . The outfield positions are 7 ( left field ) , 8 ( center field ) and 9 ( right field ) . These numbers are shorthand designations useful in baseball scorekeeping and are not necessarily the same as the squad numbers worn on player uniforms . Outfielders named to the MLB All-Century Team are Hank Aaron , Ty Cobb , Joe DiMaggio , Mickey Mantle , Willie Mays , Stan Musial , Pete Rose , Babe Ruth , Ted Williams and Ken Griffey Jr. . .", "Aaron Judge. Aaron James Judge ( born April 26 , 1992 ) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . Judge played college baseball at Fresno State , and was drafted by the Yankees in the first round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft . He made his MLB debut in 2016 , and won the American League 's Rookie of the Month Award for April 2017 .", "Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics ( often abbreviated to A 's ) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland , California . The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) West division . The club plays its home games at the Oakland -- Alameda County Coliseum . The club has won nine World Series championships , the third most of all current Major League Baseball teams . The Athletics ' 2017 season will be the team 's 50th season in Oakland . One of the American League 's eight charter franchises , the club was founded in Philadelphia , in 1901 as the Philadelphia Athletics . They won three World Series championships from 1910 to 1913 and two in a row in 1929 and 1930 . The team 's owner and manager for its first 50 years was Connie Mack and Hall of Fame players included Chief Bender , Frank `` Home Run '' Baker , Jimmie Foxx , and Lefty Grove . The team left Philadelphia for Kansas City in 1955 and became the Kansas City Athletics before moving to Oakland in 1968 . They won three World Championships in a row from 1972 to 1974 , led by players including Catfish Hunter , Reggie Jackson , ace reliever Rollie Fingers , and colorful owner Charlie O. Finley . After being sold by Finley to Walter A. Haas Jr. , the team won three consecutive pennants and the 1989 World Series behind the `` Bash Brothers '' , Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire , as well as Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley , Rickey Henderson and manager Tony La Russa . The book Moneyball and its film adaptation show how the A 's used evidence-based sabermetrics to compete despite their financial limitations around the turn of the millennium .", "Boston Red Sox. The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston , Massachusetts . The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) East division . The Red Sox have won eight World Series championships and have played in twelve . Founded in as one of the American League 's eight charter franchises , the Red Sox ' home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The `` Red Sox '' name was chosen by the team owner , John I. Taylor , around , following the lead of previous teams that had been known as the `` Boston Red Stockings '' , including the forerunner of the Atlanta Braves . Boston was a dominant team in the new league , defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in 1903 and winning four more championships by . However , they then went into one of the longest championship droughts in baseball history , dubbed the `` Curse of the Bambino '' after its alleged beginning with the Red Sox ' sale of Babe Ruth to the rival New York Yankees two years after their world championship in 1918 , an 86-year wait before the team 's sixth World Championship in . The team 's history during that period was punctuated with some of the most memorable moments in World Series history , including Enos Slaughter 's `` mad dash '' in , the `` Impossible Dream '' of , Carlton Fisk 's home run in , and Bill Buckner 's error in . Following their victory in the 2013 World Series , they became the first team to win three World Series trophies in the 21st century , including championships in 2004 and . Red Sox history has also been marked by the team 's intense rivalry with the Yankees , arguably the fiercest and most historic in North American professional sports . The Boston Red Sox are owned by Fenway Sports Group , which also owns the Liverpool F.C. of the Premier League in England . The Red Sox are consistently one of the top MLB teams in average road attendance , while the small capacity of Fenway Park prevents them from leading in overall attendance . From May 15 , 2003 to April 10 , 2013 , the Red Sox sold out every home game -- a total of 820 games ( 794 regular season ) for a major professional sports record . Neil Diamond 's `` Sweet Caroline '' has become an anthem for the Red Sox .", "Baltimore Orioles. The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore , Maryland . The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member of the American League ( AL ) East division . One of the AL 's eight charter franchises when the league was established in 1901 with President Ban Johnson , this particular franchise spent its first year as a major league club in Milwaukee , Wisconsin as the Milwaukee Brewers before moving to St. Louis , Missouri to become the St. Louis Browns . After 52 often-beleaguered years in St. Louis , the franchise was purchased in November 1953 by Baltimore business interests led by Clarence Miles . The franchise officially moved to Baltimore for the 1954 season and adopted the historic `` Orioles '' name in honor of the official state bird of Maryland . The Orioles name had also been used by several previous major and minor league baseball clubs in Baltimore , including the franchise that would eventually become the New York Yankees . Nicknames for the team include the `` O 's '' and the `` Birds '' . The Orioles experienced their greatest success from 1966 to 1983 , when they made six World Series appearances , winning three of them ( 1966 , 1970 , 1983 ) . The franchise has also won a total of nine division championships ( 1969 -- 1971 , 1973 -- 1974 , 1979 , 1983 , 1997 , 2014 ) , six pennants ( 1966 , 1969 -- 1971 , 1979 , 1983 ) , three wild card berths ( 1996 , 2012 , 2016 ) , and five Most Valuable Player Awards ( third baseman Brooks Robinson in 1964 , outfielder Frank Robinson in 1966 , first baseman Boog Powell in 1970 , and shortstop Cal Ripken , Jr. in 1983 and 1991 ) . After suffering a stretch of 14 straight losing seasons from 1998 to 2011 , the team has qualified for the postseason three times since 2012 under manager Buck Showalter , including a division title and advancement to the American League Championship Series for the first time in 17 years in 2014 . The Orioles are also well known for their successful stadium , the trend-setting Oriole Park at Camden Yards , which opened in 1992 in downtown Baltimore .", "Major League Baseball draft. The first-year player draft , is Major League Baseball 's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players , from high schools , colleges , and other amateur baseball clubs , to its teams . The draft order is determined based on the previous season 's standings , with the team possessing the worst record receiving the first pick . In addition , teams which lost free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded `` compensatory '' picks . The first amateur draft was held in 1965 . Unlike most sports drafts , the first-year player draft is held mid-season , in June . Another distinguishing feature of this draft in comparison with those of other North American major professional sports leagues is its sheer size : under the current collective bargaining agreement the draft lasts 40 rounds , plus compensatory picks . In contrast , the NFL draft lasts for seven rounds ( a maximum of 256 selections ) , the NHL entry draft lasts seven rounds and roughly 215 picks , and the NBA draft lasts for only two rounds ( 60 selections ) .", "List of Major League Baseball first-round draft picks. Major League Baseball ( MLB ) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball , and is the organization that operates the National League and the American League . In 2000 , the two leagues were officially disbanded as separate legal entities , and all of their rights and functions were consolidated in the commissioner 's office . Since that time , MLB has operated as a single league , and constitutes one of the major professional sports leagues of the United States . It is composed of 30 teams . The First-Year Player Draft , also known as the Rule 4 Draft , is MLB primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools , colleges , and other amateur baseball clubs to its teams . The first draft took place in 1965 ; it was introduced to prevent richer teams from negotiating wealthier contracts with top-level prospects and therefore , monopolizing the player market . Originally , three drafts were held each year . The first draft took place in June and involved high-school graduates and college seniors who had just finished their seasons . The second draft took place in January for high school and college players who had graduated in December . The third draft took place in August and was for players who participated in American amateur summer leagues . The August draft was eliminated after two years , and the January draft lasted until 1986 . The draft order is determined based on the previous season 's standings , with the team possessing the worst record receiving the first pick . In addition , teams that lost free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded `` compensatory '' picks .", "2016 World Series. The 2016 World Series was the 112th edition of Major League Baseball 's championship series , a best-of-seven playoff between the National League ( NL ) champion Chicago Cubs and the American League ( AL ) champion Cleveland Indians , the first meeting of those franchises in postseason history . The Indians had home-field advantage because the AL had won the 2016 All-Star Game . The Cubs defeated the Indians 4 games to 3 to win their first World Series since 1908 . Game 7 , an 8 -- 7 victory in extra innings , which marked the fifth time that a Game 7 had gone past nine innings , was the first to have a rain delay which occurred as the tenth inning was about to start . The Cubs became the sixth team to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven World Series , following the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates , the 1958 New York Yankees , the 1968 Detroit Tigers , the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates , and the 1985 Kansas City Royals . The Cubs , playing in their eleventh World Series and their first since 1945 , won their third championship and first since 1908 , ending one of the longest world championship droughts in North American professional sports history . It was the Indians ' sixth appearance in the World Series and their first since 1997 , with their last Series win having come in 1948 . The two teams entered their matchup as the two franchises with the longest World Series title droughts , a combined 176 years without a championship . Cleveland manager Terry Francona , who had previously won World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 , fell short in his bid to become the third manager , and the first non-Yankees manager , to win his first three trips to the Fall Classic , after Casey Stengel , and Joe Torre .", "Academy Awards. The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette , officially called the `` Academy Award of Merit '' , which has become commonly known by its nickname `` Oscar '' . The awards , first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel , are overseen by AMPAS . The awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953 . It is now seen live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online . The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony . Its equivalents -- the Emmy Awards for television , the Tony Awards for theater , and the Grammy Awards for music and recording -- are modeled after the Academy Awards . The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , honoring the best films of 2016 , were held on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre , in Los Angeles , California . The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC . A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th .", "San Francisco Giants. The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball franchise based in San Francisco , California . Founded in 1883 as the New York Gothams , and renamed three years later to the New York Giants , the team eventually moved to San Francisco in 1958 . The Giants compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the National League ( NL ) West division . As one of the longest-established and most successful professional baseball teams , the franchise has won the most games of any team in the history of American baseball . The team was the first major league team based in New York City , most memorably playing at the legendary Polo Grounds . They have won 23 NL pennants and have played in 20 World Series competitions -- both NL records . The Giants ' eight World Series championships rank second in the National League and are tied for fourth overall ( New York Yankees are first with 27 , then the St. Louis Cardinals ( the National League record-holders ) with 11 , the Oakland Athletics with 9 , and the Boston Red Sox also with 8 ) . The Giants have played in the World Series 20 times -- 14 times in New York , six in San Francisco -- but boycotted the event in 1904 . Playing as the New York Giants , they won 14 pennants and five World Series championships behind managers such as John McGraw and Bill Terry and players like Christy Mathewson , Carl Hubbell , Mel Ott , Bobby Thomson , and Willie Mays . The Giants ' franchise has the most Hall of Fame players in all of professional baseball . The Giants ' rivalry with the Dodgers is one of the longest-standing and biggest rivalries in American sports . The teams began their rivalry as the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers , respectively , before both franchises moved west for the 1958 season . The Giants have won six pennants and three World Series championships since arriving in San Francisco . Those three championships have come in 2010 , 2012 , and most recently in 2014 , having defeated the Kansas City Royals four games to three during the 2014 World Series .", "America's Got Talent. America 's Got Talent ( sometimes abbreviated as AGT ) is an American reality television series on the NBC television network , and part of the global Got Talent franchise . It is a talent show that features singers , dancers , magicians , comedians , and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of one million dollars . The show debuted in June 2006 for the summer television season . From season three ( 2008 ) onwards , the prize includes the one million dollars , payable in a financial annuity over 40 years , and a chance to headline a show on the Las Vegas Strip . Among its significant features is that it gives an opportunity to talented amateurs or unknown performers , with the results decided by an audience vote . The format is a popular one and has often been reworked for television in the United States and the United Kingdom . This incarnation was created by Simon Cowell , and was originally due to be a 2005 British series called Paul O'Grady 's Got Talent but was postponed due to O'Grady 's acrimonious split with broadcaster ITV ( later launching as Britain 's Got Talent in 2007 ) . As such , the U.S. version became the first full series of the franchise . The original judging panel consisted of David Hasselhoff , Brandy Norwood , and Piers Morgan . Sharon Osbourne replaced Norwood in season two ( 2007 ) , and Howie Mandel replaced Hasselhoff in season five ( 2010 ) . Howard Stern replaced Morgan in season seven ( 2012 ) . Mel B replaced Osbourne in season eight ( 2013 ) , while Heidi Klum joined as a fourth judge . Simon Cowell replaced Stern for season eleven ( 2016 ) . Regis Philbin was the original host ( season one ) , followed by Jerry Springer for two seasons ( 2007 -- 2008 ) , followed by Nick Cannon for eight seasons ( 2009 -- 2016 ) . Supermodel and host Tyra Banks replaced Cannon for the twelfth season . On August 2 , 2016 , NBC renewed the series for a twelfth season , which premiered on May 30 , 2017 .", "Atlanta Braves. The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball franchise based in the Atlanta metropolitan area . The franchise competes in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member of the National League ( NL ) East division . The Braves played home games at Atlanta -- Fulton County Stadium from 1966 to 1996 , and Turner Field from 1997 to 2016 . Since 2017 , their home stadium has been SunTrust Park , a new stadium 10 miles ( 16 km ) northwest of downtown Atlanta in the Cumberland neighborhood of Cobb County . The Braves play spring training games in Lake Buena Vista , Florida . In January 2017 , the Braves announced a formal agreement to move their spring training home to North Port , Florida . The `` Braves '' name , which was first used in 1912 , originates from a term for a Native American warrior . They are nicknamed `` the Bravos '' , and often referred to as `` America 's Team '' in reference to the team 's games being broadcast on the nationally available TBS from the 1970s until 2007 , giving the team a nationwide fan base . From 1991 to 2005 , the Braves were one of the most successful franchises in baseball , winning division titles an unprecedented 14 consecutive times in that period ( omitting the strike-shortened 1994 season in which there were no official division champions ) . The Braves won the NL West 1991 -- 93 and the NL East 1995 -- 2005 , and they returned to the playoffs as the National League Wild Card in 2010 . The Braves advanced to the World Series five times in the 1990s , winning the title in 1995 . Since their debut in the National League in 1876 , the franchise has won 16 divisional titles , 17 National League pennants , and three World Series championships -- in 1914 as the Boston Braves , in 1957 as the Milwaukee Braves , and in 1995 in Atlanta . The Braves are the only Major League Baseball franchise to have won the World Series in three different home cities . The Braves and the Chicago Cubs are the National League 's two remaining charter franchises . The Braves were founded in Boston , Massachusetts , in 1871 , as the Boston Red Stockings ( not to be confused with the American League 's Boston Red Sox ) . The team states it is `` the oldest continuously operating professional sports franchise in America . '' After various name changes , the team eventually began operating as the Boston Braves , which lasted for most of the first half of the 20th century . Then , in 1953 , the team moved to Milwaukee , Wisconsin , and became the Milwaukee Braves , followed by the final move to Atlanta in 1966 . The team 's tenure in Atlanta is noted for Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth 's career home run record in 1974 .", "New York Mets. The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens . The Mets compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the National League ( NL ) East division . The Mets are one of two Major League clubs based in New York City ; the other is the New York Yankees . One of baseball 's first expansion teams , the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York 's departed NL teams , the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants . The Mets ' colors are composed of the Dodgers ' blue and the Giants ' orange , which also comprises the outer two bands of the New York City flag . During the 1962 and 1963 seasons , the Mets played their home games at the Polo Grounds . From 1964 to 2008 , the Mets ' home ballpark was Shea Stadium . In 2009 , they moved into their current ballpark , Citi Field . In their 1962 inaugural season , the Mets posted a record of 40 -- 120 , the worst regular season record since MLB went to a 162-game schedule ( two games were canceled ) . The team never finished better than second to last until the 1969 `` Miracle Mets '' beat the Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 World Series in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in World Series history . Since then , they have played in four additional World Series , including a dramatic run in that ended in a seven-game loss to the Oakland Athletics , a second championship in over the Boston Red Sox , a Subway Series loss against their cross-town rivals the New York Yankees in , and a five-game loss to the Kansas City Royals in . The Mets qualified to play in the Major League Baseball postseason in 2006 , when they came within one game of the World Series , losing to the eventual champion St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS . The Mets missed the playoffs with losses on the last day of the regular season in 2007 and 2008 . The Mets made the playoffs in 2015 for the first time in nine years , and won their first NL pennant in 15 years . The team again returned to the playoffs in 2016 , this time with a wild card berth . This is the team 's second back-to-back playoff appearance , the first occurring during the 1999 and 2000 seasons .", "Draft (sports). A draft is a process used in some countries and sports to allocate certain players to teams . In a draft , teams take turns selecting from a pool of eligible players . When a team selects a player , the team receives exclusive rights to sign that player to a contract , and no other team in the league may sign the player . The best-known type of draft is the entry draft , which is used to allocate players who have recently become eligible to play in a league . Depending on the sport , the players may come from college , high school or junior teams or teams in other countries . An entry draft is intended to prevent expensive bidding wars for young talent and to ensure that no one team can sign contracts with all of the best young players and make the league uncompetitive . To encourage parity , teams that do poorly in the previous season usually get to choose first in the postseason draft , sometimes with a `` lottery '' factor to discourage teams from deliberately losing . Other types of drafts include the expansion draft , in which a new team selects players from other teams in the league ; and the dispersal draft , in which a league 's surviving teams select players from the roster of a newly defunct franchise . Drafts are usually permitted under anti-trust or restraint of trade laws because they are included in collective bargaining agreements between leagues and labor unions representing players . These agreements generally stipulate that after a certain number of seasons , a player whose contract has expired becomes a free agent and can sign with any team . They also require minimum and sometimes maximum salaries for newly drafted players . National Football League President Joseph Carr instituted a draft in 1935 as a way to restrain teams ' payrolls and reduce the dominance of the league 's perennial contenders . It was adopted by the precursor of the National Basketball Association in 1947 ; by the National Hockey League in 1963 ; and by Major League Baseball in 1965 , although draft systems had been used in baseball since the 19th century . Drafts are uncommon outside the U.S. and Canada , and most professional football clubs obtain young players through transfers from smaller clubs or by developing youth players through their own academies . The youth system is operated directly by the teams themselves , who develop their players from childhood . Parity in these leagues is instead maintained through promotion and relegation , which automatically expels the weakest teams from a league in exchange for the strongest teams in the next lower league . The result is a drastically different endgame for poor teams : a North American sports team may see the opportunity to get better through the draft after a poor season , but a European club will instead be relegated down to a league with less money and prestige , potentially exacerbating the problems .", "Washington Nationals. The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington , D.C. . The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the National League ( NL ) East division . From 2005 to 2007 , the team played in RFK Stadium ; since 2008 their home stadium has been Nationals Park on South Capitol Street in Southeast D.C. , near the Anacostia River . The Nationals are the fourth major league franchise to be based in Washington , D.C. , and the first since 1971 . The original Washington Senators , who were often referred to as the Nationals , played in the National League from 1891 to 1899 . They were followed by a second Washington Senators franchise in 1901 , a charter member of the new American League , who were officially named the Washington Nationals from 1905 to 1956 . The second Senators franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961 and became the Minnesota Twins . They were replaced that season by a third Senators franchise , who eventually moved to Arlington , Texas , after the 1971 season and became the Texas Rangers . The current National League club was founded in 1969 as the Montreal Expos , part of the MLB expansion , which included the Seattle Pilots , Kansas City Royals , and San Diego Padres . Based in Montreal , the Expos were the first Major League team in Canada . Home games were played at Jarry Park Stadium and later in Olympic Stadium . During the strike-shortened 1981 season , the Expos won a division championship and made their only post-season appearance in Montreal , defeating the Philadelphia Phillies , 3 -- 2 , in the National League Division Series , but losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers , 3 -- 2 , in the National League Championship Series . The franchise had its highest winning percentage in the strike-shortened season of 1994 , when the team had the best record in baseball . The team 's subsequent shedding of players caused fan interest to drop off , and after the 2001 season , MLB considered revoking the team 's franchise , along with either the Minnesota Twins or the Tampa Bay Devil Rays . After being purchased by MLB in 2002 , the team was moved before the 2005 season to Washington , D.C. , and renamed the Nationals , the first franchise relocation in Major League Baseball since the third Washington Senators moved to Texas in 1971 . While the team initially struggled after moving to Washington , the Nationals have experienced moderate success in recent years , winning division titles in 2012 , 2014 , and 2016 . Two of the team 's first overall picks in the MLB Draft , Stephen Strasburg in 2009 and Bryce Harper in 2010 , attracted new levels of attention to the team . At the time of his selection , Strasburg was called the `` most-hyped pick in draft history , '' and Harper later became the youngest position player to be selected to the MLB All-Star Game . Including their time in Montreal , the Nationals are one of two franchises , and the only one in the National League , never to have won a league pennant and played in a World Series , along with the Seattle Mariners of the American League .", "Lady Gaga. Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( -LSB- ˈstɛfəniː_dʒɜrməˈnɒtə -RSB- ; born March 28 , 1986 ) , known professionally as Lady Gaga , is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . At the beginning of her career , Gaga became known for her unconventionality and provocative work . A popular contemporary recording artist , she is noted for constantly experimenting with new musical ideas and images . Gaga initially played roles in high school plays , and studied at CAP21 through NYU 's Tisch School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue a musical career . After leaving a rock band , participating in a performance art circuit , and being dropped from a contract with Def Jam Recordings , Gaga worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing . From there , Akon noticed her vocal abilities and helped her sign a joint deal with Interscope Records and his own KonLive Distribution in 2007 . Gaga rose to prominence with the release of her successful debut album The Fame ( 2008 ) and its international chart-topping singles `` Just Dance '' and `` Poker Face '' . A follow-up EP , The Fame Monster ( 2009 ) , was met with a similar reception and the singles `` Bad Romance '' , `` Telephone '' , and `` Alejandro '' were also successful . Gaga 's second full-length album Born This Way ( 2011 ) topped the charts in more than 20 countries , including the US , where it sold over one million copies in its first week . The album produced the number-one single `` Born This Way '' . Gaga 's third album Artpop , released in 2013 , topped the US charts and included the successful single `` Applause '' . In 2014 , Gaga released a collaborative jazz album with Tony Bennett titled Cheek to Cheek , her third consecutive number one in the US . For her work in the television series American Horror Story : Hotel , Gaga won a Golden Globe Award in 2016 . With her fifth studio album Joanne ( 2016 ) , she became the first woman to have four US number one albums in the 2010s . In February 2017 , Gaga headlined the Super Bowl LI halftime show , which had over 150 million audience across various platforms worldwide , making it the most viewed musical event in history . With global album and single sales of 27 million and 146 million respectively , as of January 2016 , she is one of the best-selling musicians of all time . Her achievements include twelve Guinness World Records , three Brit Awards , and six Grammy Awards . She has also received awards from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Council of Fashion Designers of America . Gaga regularly appears on Billboards Artists of the Year lists and Forbess power and earnings rankings . She was ranked at number four on VH1 's Greatest Women in Music , finished second on Times 2011 readers ' poll of the most influential people of the past ten years , and was named Billboards Woman of the Year ( 2015 ) . She is known for her philanthropic work and social activism , including LGBT rights and her own non-profit organization , the Born This Way Foundation , which focuses on promoting youth empowerment and combating bullying .", "National Hockey League. The National Hockey League ( NHL ; Ligue nationale de hockey -- LNH ) is a professional ice hockey league currently comprising 30 teams -- 23 in the United States and 7 in Canada -- with a 31st team in Las Vegas scheduled to begin play in the 2017 -- 18 season . Headquartered in New York City , the NHL is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world , and one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . The Stanley Cup , the oldest professional sports trophy in North America , is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season . The National Hockey League was organized on November 26 , 1917 , in Montreal , Quebec after the suspension of operations of its predecessor organization , the National Hockey Association ( NHA ) , which had been founded in 1909 in Renfrew , Ontario . The NHL immediately took the NHA 's place as one of the leagues that contested for the Stanley Cup in an annual interleague competition before a series of league mergers and folds left the NHL as the only league left competing for the Stanley Cup in 1926 . At its inception , the NHL had four teams -- all in Canada , thus the adjective `` National '' in the league 's name . The league expanded to the United States in 1924 , when the Boston Bruins joined , and has since consisted of American and Canadian teams . After a labour-management dispute that led to the cancellation of the entire 2004 -- 05 season , the league resumed play under a new collective agreement that included a salary cap . In 2009 , the NHL enjoyed record highs in terms of sponsorships , attendance , and television audiences . The league draws many highly skilled players from all over the world and currently has players from approximately 20 countries . Canadians have historically constituted the majority of the players in the league , with an increasing percentage of American and European players in recent seasons .", "Baseball. Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players each , who take turns batting and fielding . The batting team attempts to score runs by hitting a ball that is thrown by the pitcher with a bat swung by the batter , then running counter-clockwise around a series of four bases : first , second , third , and home plate . A run is scored when a player advances around the bases and returns to home plate . Players on the batting team take turns hitting against the pitcher of the fielding team , which tries to prevent runs by getting hitters out in any of several ways . A player on the batting team who reaches a base safely can later attempt to advance to subsequent bases during teammates ' turns batting , such as on a hit or by other means . The teams switch between batting and fielding whenever the fielding team records three outs . One turn batting for both teams , beginning with the visiting team , constitutes an inning . A game is composed of nine innings , and the team with the greater number of runs at the end of the game wins . Baseball has no game clock , although almost all games end in the ninth inning . Baseball evolved from older bat-and-ball games already being played in England by the mid-18th century . This game was brought by immigrants to North America , where the modern version developed . By the late 19th century , baseball was widely recognized as the national sport of the United States . Baseball is currently popular in North America and parts of Central and South America , the Caribbean , and East Asia , particularly Japan . In the United States and Canada , professional Major League Baseball ( MLB ) teams are divided into the National League ( NL ) and American League ( AL ) , each with three divisions : East , West , and Central . The major league champion is determined by playoffs that culminate in the World Series . The top level of play is similarly split in Japan between the Central and Pacific Leagues and in Cuba between the West League and East League .", "89th Academy Awards. The 89th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2016 , and took place on February 26 , 2017 , at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles , California , at 5:30 p.m. PST . During the ceremony , AMPAS presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony , televised in the United States by ABC , was produced by Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd and directed by Glenn Weiss . Comedian Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony for the first time . In related events , the Academy held its 8th Annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 12 , 2016 . On February 11 , 2017 , in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Scientific and Technical Awards were presented by hosts John Cho and Leslie Mann . Moonlight won three awards , including Best Picture , and La La Land won the most awards of the ceremony with six after receiving a record-tying 14 nominations . In an event unprecedented in the history of the Oscars , La La Land was incorrectly announced as the Best Picture ; after a few minutes the error was corrected and Moonlight was declared the winner . Moonlight became the first film with an all-black cast and the first LGBT-themed film to win Best Picture . Hacksaw Ridge and Manchester by the Sea won two awards each . Winners with one award include Arrival , Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , Fences , The Jungle Book , O.J. : Made in America , Piper , The Salesman , Sing , Suicide Squad , The White Helmets , and Zootopia ." ]

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[ "Wonder Woman (2017 film). Wonder Woman is a 2017 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name . Distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures , it is the fourth installment in the DC Extended Universe . The film is directed by Patty Jenkins with a screenplay by Allan Heinberg ; story provided by Heinberg , Zack Snyder and Jason Fuchs . Gal Gadot stars as the titular character with Chris Pine , Robin Wright , Danny Huston , David Thewlis , Connie Nielsen and Elena Anaya in supporting roles . Wonder Woman is the first live action theatrical film based on the character , following her first live action theatrical appearance in 2016 's Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice . In the film , American pilot Steve Trevor crashes on the island of Themyscira and tells Diana Prince about World War I , Diana leaves her home to try to stop the war and becomes Wonder Woman . Development for the film was on-going since 1996 , with Jenkins signing on to direct in 2015 . Principal photography began on November 21 , 2015 with filming taking place in the United Kingdom , France , and Italy before wrapping up on May 19 , 2016 . Additional filming also took place in November 2016 . Wonder Woman is the first summer tent pole superhero film directed by a woman , and Jenkins is the first woman to direct a superhero film with a female protagonist . Wonder Woman premiered in Shanghai on May 15 , 2017 and is scheduled to be released in the United States on June 2 , 2017 in 2D , 3D , and IMAX 3D . It received largely positive reviews from critics , with many praising Gadot 's performance .", "Chris Pine. Christopher Whitelaw Pine ( born August 26 , 1980 ) is an American actor . He is known for his role as James T. Kirk in Star Trek ( 2009 ) , Star Trek Into Darkness ( 2013 ) , and Star Trek Beyond ( 2016 ) . He also appeared in the films The Princess Diaries 2 : Royal Engagement ( 2004 ) , Just My Luck ( 2006 ) , Smokin ' Aces ( 2007 ) , Bottle Shock ( 2008 ) , Unstoppable ( 2010 ) , This Means War ( 2012 ) , Rise of the Guardians ( 2012 ) , Horrible Bosses 2 ( 2014 ) , Jack Ryan : Shadow Recruit ( 2014 ) , Into the Woods ( 2014 ) , Z for Zachariah ( 2015 ) , The Finest Hours ( 2016 ) , Hell or High Water ( 2016 ) , and Wonder Woman ( 2017 ) .", "Steve Trevor. Steven Rockwell Trevor is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Created by William Moulton Marston , he is a trusted friend and partner who introduces Diana ( Wonder Woman ) to `` Man 's World '' , and has served as Wonder Woman 's United Nations liaison . The character has been adapted for other media several times . He has been voiced by actors such as Tahmoh Penikett , Nathan Fillion , and George Newbern , among others in various Wonder Woman and Justice League productions . In live action depictions , Lyle Waggoner portrayed the character in the 1970s Wonder Woman series , and Chris Pine is set to take on the role in the 2017 theatrical Wonder Woman film , which is set in the DC Extended Universe .", "Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . The character is a founding member of the Justice League , demigoddess , warrior princess , and Ambassador-at-Large of the Amazonian people . In her homeland , she is Princess Diana of Themyscira , and outside of her homeland , she is known by her civilian identity Diana Prince . Wonder Woman was created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston , and artist Harry G. Peter . Marston and his wife Elizabeth 's cohabitant , Olive Byrne , is credited as being his inspiration for the character 's appearance . Marston drew a great deal of inspiration from early feminists , and especially from birth control pioneer Margaret Sanger . The character first appeared in All Star Comics # 8 in October 1941 and first cover-dated on Sensation Comics # 1 , January 1942 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986 . Wonder Woman 's origin story relates that she was sculpted from clay by her mother Queen Hippolyta and given life by Aphrodite , along with superhuman powers as gifts by the Greek Gods . However , in recent years artists updated her profile : she has been depicted as the daughter of Zeus , and jointly raised by her mother Hippolyta and her aunts Antiope and Menalippe ; artists George Perez gave her a muscular look and emphasized her Amazonian heritage ; artist Jim Lee redesigned Diana 's costume to include pants ; she inherits Ares 's divine abilities , becoming the personified `` God of War '' ; and writer Greg Rucka clarified her sexual orientation as bisexual , giving her a backstory that includes positive relationships with women . Her Amazonian training helped to develop a wide range of extraordinary skills in strategy , hunting , and combat . She possesses an arsenal of advanced technology , including the Lasso of Truth , a pair of indestructible bracelets , a tiara which serves as a projectile , and , in older stories , a range of devices based on Amazon technology . Wonder Woman was created during World War II ; the character was initially depicted fighting Axis military forces as well as an assortment of colorful supervillains , although over time her stories came to place greater emphasis on characters , deities , and monsters from Greek mythology . Many stories depicted Wonder Woman rescuing herself from bondage , which defeated the `` damsels in distress '' trope that was common in comics during the 1940s . In the decades since her debut , Wonder Woman has gained a formidable cast of enemies bent on eliminating the Amazon , including classic villains such as Ares , Cheetah , Doctor Poison , Circe , Doctor Psycho , and Giganta , along with more recent adversaries such as Veronica Cale . Wonder Woman has also regularly appeared in comic books featuring the superhero teams Justice Society ( from 1941 ) and Justice League ( from 1960 ) . Notable depictions of the character in other media include Gloria Steinem placing the character on the cover of Ms. magazine in 1971 ; the 1975 -- 1979 Wonder Woman TV series starring Lynda Carter ; as well as animated series such as the Super Friends and Justice League . Since Carter 's television series , studios struggled to introduce a new live-action Wonder Woman to audiences , although the character continued to feature in a variety of toys and merchandise , as well as animated adaptations of DC properties , including a direct-to-DVD animated feature . Attempts to return Wonder Woman to television have included a television pilot for NBC in 2011 , closely followed by another stalled production for The CW . Gal Gadot portrays Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe , starting with the 2016 film Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , marking the character 's feature film debut after over 70 years of history . Gadot will also star in the character 's first solo live-action film Wonder Woman , set to be released on June 2 , 2017 . On October 21 , 2016 , the United Nations sparked controversy by naming Wonder Woman a UN Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls in a ceremony attended by Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Cristina Gallach and by actors Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot . Critics regard the character as not being a worthy role model for women , deeming the scantily clad `` large breasted , white woman of impossible proportions '' as being overtly sexualized and not culturally sensitive . Two months later she was dropped from her role as a UN Ambassador following a petition .", "Wonder Woman (2009 film). Wonder Woman is a 2009 direct-to-DVD animated superhero film focusing on the superheroine of the same name . The plot of the film is loosely based on George Pérez 's reboot of the character , specifically the `` Gods and Mortals '' arc that started the character 's second volume in 1987 . It is the fourth in the line of DC Universe Animated Original Movies released by Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. . Animation . The film is directed by Lauren Montgomery , who directed the second act of Superman : Doomsday and did storyboard work for Justice League : The New Frontier , written by Gail Simone and Michael Jelenic . As with all previous releases in this line of films , it is produced by acclaimed DC Comics animation veteran Bruce Timm . On August 11 , 2015 , Warner Home Video re-released the film on a combo pack , which includes a DVD and Blu-Ray copy , a digital copy , and with the graphic novel it was based on .", "Gal Gadot. Gal Gadot-Varsano ( גל גדות , -LSB- ˈɡal ɡaˈdot -RSB- ; born 30 April 1985 ) is an Israeli actress and model . Gadot is primarily known for her role as Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe , starting with Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice ( 2016 ) , continuing as the lead in Wonder Woman ( 2017 ) , and thereafter in the first part of the Justice League films . In 2013 she was ranked as the second highest earning actress/models in Israel , behind Bar Refaeli , but ahead of Esti Ginzburg and Shlomit Malka , with the majority of her income coming from acting . She is the face of Gucci 's Bamboo perfume .", "Man of Steel (film). Man of Steel is a 2013 superhero film featuring the DC Comics character Superman . It is a British-American venture produced by Legendary Pictures , DC Entertainment , Syncopy Inc. , and Cruel and Unusual Films , and distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures . It is the first installment in the DC Extended Universe . The film is directed by Zack Snyder , written by David S. Goyer , and stars Henry Cavill , Amy Adams , Michael Shannon , Kevin Costner , Diane Lane , Laurence Fishburne , Antje Traue , Ayelet Zurer , Christopher Meloni , and Russell Crowe . Man of Steel is a reboot of the Superman film series that retells the character 's origin story . In the film , Clark Kent learns that he is a superpowered alien from the planet Krypton and assumes the role of mankind 's protector as Superman , but finds himself having to prevent General Zod from destroying humanity . Development began in 2008 , when Warner Bros. took pitches from comic book writers , screenwriters and directors , opting to reboot the franchise . In 2009 , a court ruling resulted in Jerry Siegel 's family recapturing the rights to Superman 's origins and Siegel 's copyright . The decision stated that Warner Bros. did not owe the families additional royalties from previous films , but if they did not begin production on a Superman film by 2011 , then the Shuster and Siegel estates would be able to sue for lost revenue on an unproduced film . Producer Christopher Nolan pitched Goyer 's idea after story discussion on The Dark Knight Rises , and Snyder was hired as the film 's director in October 2010 . Principal photography began in August 2011 in West Chicago , Illinois , before moving to Vancouver and Plano , Illinois . Man of Steel was released in theaters on June 14 , 2013 , in conventional 2D , 3D , and IMAX formats . Despite receiving mixed reviews , the film became a box office success , grossing over $ 668 million worldwide . Critics praised the film 's visuals , action sequences , and Hans Zimmer 's musical score but criticized its pacing and lack of character development . A follow-up , Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice was released on March 25 , 2016 while a standalone Superman sequel is in active development .", "Chris Pratt. Christopher Michael Pratt ( born June 21 , 1979 ) is an American actor . Pratt came to prominence with his television roles , including Bright Abbott in The WB drama series Everwood and Andy Dwyer in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation . His early film career began with supporting roles in such mainstream films as Wanted , Jennifer 's Body , Moneyball , The Five-Year Engagement , Zero Dark Thirty , Delivery Man and Her . Pratt achieved leading man status after starring in two commercially successful films in 2014 : computer-animated adventure comedy The Lego Movie and Marvel Studios superhero film Guardians of the Galaxy ( in which he portrayed Star-Lord ) . In 2015 , he starred in Jurassic World , the fourth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise and his most financially successful film to date , earning $ 1.6 billion at the box office . Later that year , Time named Pratt one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list . Pratt continued his leading man status with The Magnificent Seven and Passengers . He reprised his role as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2 , and will play the character again in Avengers : Infinity War and an untitled fourth Avengers film .", "Wonder Woman (TV series). Wonder Woman , known from seasons 2-3 as The New Adventures of Wonder Woman , is an American television series based on the DC Comics comic book superhero of the same name . The show stars Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and Lyle Waggoner as Steve Trevor Sr. & Jr. . It originally aired for three seasons from 1975 to 1979 . The show 's first season aired on ABC and is set in the 1940s during World War II . The second and third seasons aired on CBS and are set in the 1970s , with the title changed to The New Adventures of Wonder Woman , and a complete change of cast other than Carter and Waggoner . Waggoner 's character was changed to Steve Trevor Jr. , the son of his original character .", "Patty Jenkins. Patricia Lea `` Patty '' Jenkins ( born July 23 , 1971 ) is an American film director and screenwriter . She is known for directing Monster ( 2003 ) and Wonder Woman ( 2017 ) .", "Wonder Woman (disambiguation). Wonder Woman is an All Star/DC comic book superhero .", "Justice League (film). Justice League is an upcoming American superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name , distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures . It is intended to be the fifth installment in the DC Extended Universe . The film is directed by Zack Snyder , with a screenplay by Chris Terrio , from a story by Snyder and Terrio , and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck , Henry Cavill , Gal Gadot , Jason Momoa , Ezra Miller , Ray Fisher , Amy Adams , Willem Dafoe , Jesse Eisenberg , Jeremy Irons , Diane Lane , Connie Nielsen , Ciarán Hinds and J. K. Simmons . In Justice League , Batman and Wonder Woman assemble a team consisting of Flash , Aquaman and Cyborg to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons . The film was announced in October 2014 with Snyder on board to direct and Terrio attached to write the script . Principal photography commenced on April 11 , 2016 and ended on October 14 , 2016 . Snyder left the film on May 22 , 2017 , following the suicide of his daughter ; Joss Whedon was brought on to finish reshoots and the post-production process . Justice League is scheduled to be released on November 17 , 2017 , in 2D , 3D and IMAX 3D .", "Wonder Woman (soundtrack). Wonder Woman is the soundtrack to the film of the same name . The music is written , arranged and composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams . It will be released on June 2 , 2017 by WaterTower Music . On November 3 , 2016 , Rupert Gregson-Williams was hired to write and compose the film 's music . He is joined by Tom Howe , Paul Mounsey , and Andrew Kawczynski who provide additional music . The soundtrack will be released on the same day as the film on CD , digital , and vinyl . Australian singer Sia sang a song for the film , titled `` To Be Human '' , featuring English musician Labrinth . Written by Florence Welch and Rick Nowels , the track will also feature on the soundtrack .", "Wonder Woman (1974 film). Wonder Woman is a 1974 television film loosely based on the DC Comics character of the same name , directed by Vincent McEveety and starring Cathy Lee Crosby . The film was a pilot for an intended television series , being considered by ABC . Ratings were described as `` respectable but not exactly wondrous , '' and ABC did not pick up the pilot . Instead , Warner Brothers and ABC developed a different Wonder Woman television concept that fit within the character of the time , turning away from the 1968 -- 72 era that had influenced the pilot . That was fit within the restoration of the character created by William Moulton Marston , which premiered as a TV movie in 1975 and starred Lynda Carter . Crosby would later claim that she was offered the chance to reprise the role in that series .", "Zachary Levi. Zachary Levi Pugh ( -LSB- ˈzækəri_ˈliːvaɪ_ˈpjuː -RSB- born September 29 , 1980 ) is an American actor , director , and singer . He is best known for playing Chuck Bartowski in the series Chuck . He also appeared in the films Alvin and the Chipmunks : The Squeakquel , Tangled , and Thor : The Dark World . Levi starred in the lead role of Georg Nowack in the 2016 Broadway revival of She Loves Me opposite Laura Benanti . The production began previews at Studio 54 on February 19 , 2016 and opened on March 17 for a limited engagement through June 12 . The run was later extended through July 10 , where it then closed . Levi was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance . In 2010 , Levi voiced Flynn Rider in the animated film Tangled , in which he performed the duet `` I See the Light '' with Mandy Moore ; the song won a Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media . He later reprised the role in the short film Tangled Ever After , and returned to voice Flynn Rider again in a Disney Channel television series based on the film in 2017 .", "Emily Carey. Emily Carey ( born 30 April 2003 ) is a British actress , known predominately for her role of Grace Beauchamp in BBC One 's Casualty . Carey also plays the young Diana Prince ( young Wonder Woman ) in the forthcoming Warner Brothers movie , ( portrayed by Gal Gadot as an adult ) . Wonder Woman . Other notable work includes Mary Conan Doyle in the series Houdini and Doyle on FOX/ITV , and West End Theatre roles in Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal , Drury Lane , and the Olivier Award-nominated The Sound of Music at Regents Park Open Air Theatre . Carey is listed in a Huffington Post article as one of the top five child stars of 2016 .", "Carla Gugino. Carla Gugino ( -LSB- gʊˈdʒiːnoʊ -RSB- -LSB- ɡuˈdʒiːno -RSB- ; born August 29 , 1971 ) is an American actress . She is known for her roles as Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids trilogy , Sally Jupiter in Watchmen ( 2009 ) , Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch ( 2011 ) , and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco and Threshold . Her feature film work includes starring roles in Son in Law ( 1993 ) , Sin City ( 2005 ) , Night at the Museum ( 2006 ) , Mr. Popper 's Penguins ( 2011 ) and San Andreas ( 2015 ) , The Space Between Us ( 2017 ) as well as Kelor in the DC Extended Universe . Gugino has had lead roles in the TV series Political Animals ( 2012 ) , Wayward Pines ( 2015 ) , and Roadies ( 2016 ) . She is a frequent collaborator with filmmaker Zack Snyder .", "Watchmen (film). Watchmen is a 2009 American superhero film directed by Zack Snyder , based on the 1986 -- 87 DC Comics limited series of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons . It stars an ensemble cast of Malin Åkerman , Billy Crudup , Matthew Goode , Carla Gugino , Jackie Earle Haley , Jeffrey Dean Morgan , and Patrick Wilson . A dark satirical and dystopian take on the superhero genre , the film is set in an alternate history in the year 1985 at the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union , as a group of mostly retired American superheroes investigates the murder of one of their own before uncovering an elaborate and deadly conspiracy , while their moral limitations are challenged by the complex nature of the circumstances . From October 1987 until October 2005 , a live-action film adaptation of the Watchmen series became stranded in development hell ; producer Lawrence Gordon began developing the project at 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. , the parent company of Watchmen publisher DC Comics , with producer Joel Silver and director Terry Gilliam , with the latter eventually deeming the complex comic `` un-filmable '' . During the 2000s , Gordon and Lloyd Levin collaborated with Universal Studios and Paramount Pictures to produce a script by David Hayter ; Darren Aronofsky and Paul Greengrass were also attached to the project before it was cancelled over budget disputes ; and in October 2005 , the project returned to Warner Bros. , where Snyder was hired to direct ; Paramount remained as its international distributor whereas Warner Bros. would distribute the film in the United States . However , Fox sued Warner Bros. for copyright violation arising from Gordon 's failure to pay a buy-out in 1991 , which enabled him to develop the film at the other studios . Fox and Warner Bros. settled this before the film 's release , with Fox receiving a portion of the gross . Principal photography began in Vancouver , September 2007 . As with his previous film 300 , Snyder closely modelled his storyboards on the comic , but chose not to shoot all of Watchmen using green screens and opted for real sets instead . Following its world premiere at Odeon Leicester Square on February 23 , 2009 , the film was released in both conventional and IMAX theaters on March 6 , 2009 , and grossed $ 55 million on its opening weekend and over $ 185 million at the worldwide box office . The film 's reception has been very polarized , with many critics voicing strong negative views and vice versa . A DVD based on elements of the Watchmen universe was released , including an animated adaptation of the comic Tales of the Black Freighter within the story starring Gerard Butler , and the fictional biography Under the Hood , detailing the older generation of superheroes from the film 's back-story . A director 's cut with 24 minutes of additional footage was released in July 2009 . The `` Ultimate Cut '' edition incorporated the animated comic Tales of the Black Freighter into the narrative as it was in the original graphic novel , lengthening the runtime to 3 hours and 35 minutes , and was released on November 3 , 2009 .", "Star Trek Into Darkness. Star Trek Into Darkness is a 2013 American science fiction action film directed by J. J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci , Alex Kurtzman , and Damon Lindelof . It is the twelfth installment in the Star Trek film franchise and the sequel to the 2009 film Star Trek , as the second in a rebooted film series . The film features Chris Pine reprising his role as Captain James T. Kirk , with Zachary Quinto , Simon Pegg , Karl Urban , Zoe Saldana , John Cho , Anton Yelchin , Bruce Greenwood , and Leonard Nimoy reprising their roles from the previous film . Benedict Cumberbatch , Alice Eve and Peter Weller are also credited in the film 's principal cast . It was the last time Nimoy would portray the character of Spock before his death in 2015 . Set in the 23rd century , Kirk and the crew of USS Enterprise are sent to the Klingon homeworld seeking former Starfleet member-turned terrorist John Harrison . After the release of Star Trek , Abrams , Burk , Lindelof , Kurtzman , and Orci agreed to produce its sequel . Filming began in January 2012 . Into Darknesss visual effects were primarily created by Industrial Light & Magic . The film was converted to 3D during its post-production stage . Star Trek Into Darkness premiered at Event Cinemas in Sydney , Australia , on April 23 , 2013 , and was released on May 9 in Australia , New Zealand , the United Kingdom , Europe , and Peru , with other countries following . The film was released on May 17 in the United States and Canada , opening at IMAX cinemas a day earlier . Into Darkness was a financial success and received positive reviews from critics . Its gross earnings of over $ 467 million worldwide have made it the highest-grossing entry in the Star Trek franchise . At the 86th Academy Awards , the film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects . It was followed by Star Trek Beyond in 2016 .", "Jesse Eisenberg. Jesse Adam Eisenberg ( born October 5 , 1983 ) is an American actor , author and playwright . Born and raised in New York City , Eisenberg began acting in plays at an early age , and made his television debut with the short-lived comedy-drama series Get Real ( 1999 -- 2000 ) . Following his first leading role in the comedy-drama film Roger Dodger ( 2002 ) , he appeared in the drama film The Emperor 's Club ( 2002 ) , the psychological thriller film The Village ( 2004 ) , the comedy-drama film The Squid and the Whale ( 2005 ) and the drama film The Education of Charlie Banks ( 2007 ) . In 2006 , Eisenberg was the recipient of the Vail Film Festival Rising Star Award for his role in The Living Wake . In 2009 , he starred in the comedy-drama film Adventureland with Kristen Stewart and the horror comedy Zombieland with Emma Stone , Abigail Breslin , and Woody Harrelson . He then played Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in the 2010 film The Social Network , for which he received nominations for various awards , including the BAFTA , Golden Globe , and Academy Award . He also starred in Holy Rollers ( 2010 ) , which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival . Since , he has gone on to voice the main character , Blu , a male Spix 's macaw , in the animated films Rio ( 2011 ) and Rio 2 ( 2014 ) ; starred in the 2011 action-comedy film 30 Minutes or Less ; starred in two films by Woody Allen , To Rome with Love ( 2012 ) and Café Society . He played a magician in the heist film Now You See Me ( 2013 ) and its 2016 sequel ; re-teamed with Kristen Stewart for the action-comedy film American Ultra ( 2015 ) ; and portrayed supervillain Lex Luthor opposite Ben Affleck , Henry Cavill , and Gal Gadot in Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , which was released in March 2016 . Eisenberg has contributed pieces to The New Yorker and McSweeney 's websites . He has written and starred in three plays for the New York stage : Asuncion , The Revisionist , and The Spoils . Eisenberg 's first book , Bream Gives Me Hiccups : and Other Stories , a short story collection , was released in September 2015 .", "Thor (film). Thor is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures . It is the fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by Kenneth Branagh , written by Ashley Edward Miller & Zack Stentz and Don Payne , and stars Chris Hemsworth , Natalie Portman , Tom Hiddleston , Stellan Skarsgård , Colm Feore , Ray Stevenson , Idris Elba , Kat Dennings , Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins . The film sees Thor , the crown prince of Asgard , banished to Earth and stripped of his powers after he reignites a dormant war . As his brother , Loki , plots to take the throne for himself , Thor must prove himself worthy and reclaim his hammer Mjolnir . Sam Raimi first developed the concept of a film adaptation of Thor in 1991 , but soon abandoned the project , leaving it in `` development hell '' for several years . During this time , the rights were picked up by various film studios until Marvel Studios signed Mark Protosevich to develop the project in 2006 , and planned to finance it and release it through Paramount Pictures . Matthew Vaughn was originally assigned to direct the film for a tentative 2010 release . However , after Vaughn was released from his holding deal in 2008 , Branagh was approached and the film 's release was rescheduled into 2011 . The main characters were cast in 2009 , and principal photography took place in California and New Mexico from January to May 2010 . The film was converted to 3D in post-production . Thor premiered on April 17 , 2011 , in Sydney , Australia and was released on May 6 , 2011 , in the United States . The film was a financial success and received positive reviews from film critics . The DVD and Blu-ray sets were released on September 13 , 2011 . A sequel , Thor : The Dark World , was released on November 8 , 2013 . A third film , Thor : Ragnarok is set to be released on November 3 , 2017 .", "Wonder Woman (2011 TV pilot). Wonder Woman is a never-aired television pilot produced by Warner Bros. . Television and DC Entertainment for NBC , based on the DC Comics character of the same name . David E. Kelley wrote the pilot , which was directed by Jeffrey Reiner . Adrianne Palicki starred as the main character . The Wonder Woman pilot was expected to debut in 2011 , but NBC opted not to buy the series .", "Thor: Ragnarok. Thor : Ragnarok is an upcoming American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is intended to be the sequel to 2011 's Thor and 2013 's Thor : The Dark World and the seventeenth film installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film is directed by Taika Waititi with a screenplay by Eric Pearson , and stars Chris Hemsworth , Tom Hiddleston , Cate Blanchett , Idris Elba , Jeff Goldblum , Tessa Thompson , Karl Urban , Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins . In Thor : Ragnarok , Thor must defeat the Hulk in a gladiatorial duel in time to save Asgard from Hela and the coming Ragnarök . A third Thor film was confirmed in January 2014 , with the title and involvement of Hemsworth and Hiddleston announced that October . Waititi joined the film as director the next October , after Alan Taylor chose not to return from the second film , and Ruffalo joined the cast , crossing over the character Hulk from other MCU films . With the Hulk 's inclusion , elements from the 2006 comic storyline `` Planet Hulk '' were adapted for Ragnarok . The rest of the cast was confirmed the next May , with Pearson revealed to be involved with the film at the start of filming in July 2016 . Principal photography took place from July to October , 2016 , in Queensland and Sydney , Australia , with the film having exclusive use of Village Roadshow Studios in Oxenford . Thor : Ragnarok is scheduled to be released on November 3 , 2017 , in IMAX .", "Star Trek Beyond. Star Trek Beyond is a 2016 American science fiction adventure film directed by Justin Lin from a screenplay by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung and based on the series Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry . It is the thirteenth film in the Star Trek film franchise and the third installment in the reboot series , following Star Trek ( 2009 ) and Star Trek Into Darkness ( 2013 ) . Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto reprise their respective roles as Captain James T. Kirk and Commander Spock , with Pegg , Karl Urban , Zoe Saldana , John Cho , and Anton Yelchin reprising their roles from the previous films . Idris Elba , Joe Taslim , Lydia Wilson , and Sofia Boutella also appear . Principal photography began in Vancouver on June 25 , 2015 . The film premiered in Sydney on July 7 , 2016 , and was released in the United States on July 22 , 2016 by Paramount Pictures . The film is dedicated to the memory of Yelchin , who died a month prior to the film 's release , as well as to fellow Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy , who died during pre-production . The film grossed $ 343.5 million at the box office and received positive reviews from critics , with many praising its performances , action scenes , musical score , visual effects , and its tributes to Yelchin and Nimoy . At the 89th Academy Awards , the film was nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling , but lost to Suicide Squad .", "Suicide Squad (film). Suicide Squad is a 2016 American superhero film based on the DC Comics antihero team of the same name . It is the third installment in the DC Extended Universe series . The film was written and directed by David Ayer and stars an ensemble cast consisting of Will Smith , Jared Leto , Margot Robbie , Joel Kinnaman , Viola Davis , Jai Courtney , Jay Hernandez , Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje , Ike Barinholtz , Scott Eastwood , and Cara Delevingne . In the film , a secret government agency led by Amanda Waller recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions and save the world from a powerful threat , in exchange for reduced sentences . By February 2009 , a Suicide Squad film was in development at Warner Bros. . Ayer signed on to write and direct in September 2014 , and by October , the casting process had begun . Principal photography began on April 13 , 2015 in Toronto , Ontario with additional filming in Chicago , Illinois , and ended in August that year . Suicide Squad premiered in New York City on August 1 , 2016 , and was released in the United States on August 5 , 2016 , in 2D , 3D and IMAX 3D . Following a strong debut that set new box office records , the film grossed over $ 745 million worldwide , making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 2016 . It received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics , who criticized its plot , directing and characters , although Robbie 's performance received praise . The film won an Oscar for Makeup and Hairstyling , among other awards .", "Hell or High Water (film). Hell or High Water is a 2016 American neo-Western crime thriller film directed by David Mackenzie and written by Taylor Sheridan . The script was on the 2012 Black List . The film follows two brothers who carry out a series of bank robberies to save their family ranch , and stars Jeff Bridges , Chris Pine , and Ben Foster . The film premiered at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on May 16 , 2016 , and was theatrically released in the United States on August 12 , 2016 . It received critical acclaim and grossed $ 37 million . The American Film Institute selected it as one of its ten Movies of the Year , and it has been nominated for numerous awards , including Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture , Best Supporting Actor for Bridges and Best Screenplay . It received four Oscar nominations at the 89th Academy Awards : Best Picture , Best Supporting Actor ( Bridges ) , Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing .", "Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation , informally known as Parks and Rec , is an American political comedy television sitcom starring Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope , a perky , mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks Department of Pawnee , a fictional town in Indiana . Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur , the series aired on NBC from April 9 , 2009 to February 24 , 2015 , for 125 episodes , over seven seasons . It was written by the same writers and uses the same filming style as The Office , with the same implication of a documentary crew filming everyone . The ensemble and supporting cast feature Rashida Jones as Ann Perkins , Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford , Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson , Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate , Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz , Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer , Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt , Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger , Jim O'Heir as Garry `` Jerry '' Gergich , Retta as Donna Meagle , and Billy Eichner as Craig Middlebrooks . The writers researched local California politics for the show , and consulted with urban planners and elected officials . Poehler 's character , Leslie Knope , underwent major changes after the first season , in response to audience feedback that she seemed unintelligent and `` ditzy '' . The writing staff incorporated current events into the episodes , such as a government shutdown in Pawnee inspired by the real-life global financial crisis of 2007 -- 2008 . Several guest stars , such as Jason Mantzoukas , Kathryn Hahn , Sam Elliott , Bill Murray , Louis C.K. , Paul Rudd , and Jon Hamm , have been featured in the show , and their characters often appear in multiple episodes . Parks and Recreation was part of NBC 's `` Comedy Night Done Right '' programming during its Thursday night prime-time block . The series received mixed reviews during its first season , but , after a re-approach to its tone and format , the second and subsequent seasons were widely acclaimed . Throughout its run , Parks and Recreation received several awards and nominations , including two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series , six Emmy nominations , a Golden Globe win for Poehler 's performance , and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Musical or Comedy . In TIMEs 2012 year-end lists issue , Parks and Recreation was named the number one television series of that year . In 2013 , after receiving four consecutive nominations in the category , Parks and Recreation won the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy .", "Harrison Ford. Harrison Ford ( born July 13 , 1942 ) is an American actor and film producer . He gained worldwide fame for his starring roles as Han Solo in the Star Wars film series and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series . Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in the neo-noir dystopian science fiction film Blade Runner ( 1982 ) ; John Book in the thriller Witness ( 1985 ) , for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor ; and Jack Ryan in the action films Patriot Games ( 1992 ) and Clear and Present Danger ( 1994 ) . His career has spanned six decades and includes roles in several Hollywood blockbusters ; including the epic war film Apocalypse Now ( 1979 ) ; the legal drama Presumed Innocent ( 1990 ) ; the action film The Fugitive ( 1993 ) ; the political action thriller Air Force One ( 1997 ) ; and the psychological thriller What Lies Beneath ( 2000 ) . Six of his films have been inducted into the National Film Registry : American Graffiti ( 1973 ) , The Conversation ( 1974 ) , Star Wars ( 1977 ) , The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) , Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) and Blade Runner . In 1997 , Ford was ranked No. 1 in Empires `` The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time '' list . As of 2016 , the U.S. domestic box-office grosses of Ford 's films total over US$ 4.7 billion , with worldwide grosses surpassing $ 6 billion , making Ford the highest-grossing U.S. domestic box-office star . Ford is married to actress Calista Flockhart .", "The Finest Hours (2016 film). The Finest Hours is a 2016 American historical drama-thriller film directed by Craig Gillespie and produced by Walt Disney Pictures . The screenplay , written by Eric Johnson , Scott Silver , and Paul Tamasy , is based on The Finest Hours : The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard 's Most Daring Sea Rescue by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman . The film stars Chris Pine , Casey Affleck , Ben Foster , Holliday Grainger , John Ortiz , and Eric Bana , and chronicles the historic 1952 United States Coast Guard rescue of the crew of the SS Pendleton , after the ship split apart during a nor'easter off the New England coast . The Finest Hours was released in the Disney Digital 3-D , RealD 3D , and IMAX 3D formats on January 29 , 2016 . The film received generally mixed to positive reviews but was a major box office failure , grossing only $ 52.1 million on an $ 80 million budget .", "Iron Man 3. Iron Man 3 ( stylized onscreen as Iron Man Three ) is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2008 's Iron Man and 2010 's Iron Man 2 , and the seventh film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Shane Black directed a screenplay he co-wrote with Drew Pearce , which uses concepts from the `` Extremis '' story arc by Warren Ellis . The film stars Robert Downey Jr. , Gwyneth Paltrow , Don Cheadle , Guy Pearce , Rebecca Hall , Stephanie Szostak , James Badge Dale , Jon Favreau , and Ben Kingsley . In Iron Man 3 , Tony Stark deals with posttraumatic stress disorder caused by the events of The Avengers , while investigating the reemergence of the Ten Rings , led by the mysterious Mandarin and comes into a conflict with an old enemy : Aldrich Killian . After the release of Iron Man 2 in May 2010 , Favreau , who served as director , decided not to return , and in February 2011 Black was hired to write and direct the film . Black and Pearce opted to make the script more character-centric and focused on thriller elements . Throughout April and May 2012 , the film 's supporting cast was filled out , with Kingsley , Pearce , and Hall brought in to portray key roles . Filming began on May 23 , and lasted through December 17 , 2012 , primarily at EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington , North Carolina . Additional shooting took place at various locations around North Carolina , as well as Florida , China , and Los Angeles . The visual effects were handled by 17 companies , including Scanline VFX , Digital Domain , and Weta Digital . The film was converted to 3D in post-production . Iron Man 3 premiered at Le Grand Rex in Paris on April 14 , 2013 . It began its release on April 25 , 2013 , internationally , and debuted in the United States one week later on May 3 . The film received generally positive reviews and was commercially successful , grossing over $ 1.2 billion worldwide , the second highest-grossing film of 2013 overall , and the second-highest-grossing film at the domestic box office released in 2013 . It became the sixteenth film to gross over $ 1 billion and the 5th-highest-grossing film of all time , with its opening weekend ranking as the 6th-highest-grossing opening of all time . The film also received a nomination for Academy Award in the category of Best Visual Effects , and received another nomination for BAFTA Award in the same category .", "Thor: The Dark World. Thor : The Dark World is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2011 's Thor and the eighth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by Alan Taylor , with a screenplay by Christopher Yost and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely . It stars Chris Hemsworth , Natalie Portman , Tom Hiddleston , Anthony Hopkins , Stellan Skarsgård , Idris Elba , Christopher Eccleston , Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje , Kat Dennings , Ray Stevenson , Zachary Levi , Tadanobu Asano , Jaimie Alexander , and Rene Russo . In Thor : The Dark World , Thor teams up with Loki to save the Nine Realms from the Dark Elves led by the vengeful Malekith , who intends to plunge the universe into darkness . Development of Thor : The Dark World began in April 2011 , when producer Kevin Feige announced plans for a sequel to follow the crossover film The Avengers . In July 2011 , Kenneth Branagh , the director of Thor , withdrew from the project . Brian Kirk and Patty Jenkins were considered to direct the film before Taylor was hired in January 2012 . The supporting cast filled out in August 2012 , with the hiring of Eccleston , Dennings , and Akinnuoye-Agbaje . Principal photography began in September 2012 in Surrey , England with filming continuing in Iceland and London , before wrapping up in December 2012 . Thor : The Dark World was converted to 3D in post-production . Thor : The Dark World premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on October 22 , 2013 . It was released internationally on October 30 , 2013 , and on November 8 , 2013 , in the United States . The film received mixed reviews , but was a commercial success , grossing over $ 644 million worldwide . A third film , Thor : Ragnarok , is set for release on November 3 , 2017 .", "Guardians of the Galaxy (film). Guardians of the Galaxy ( retroactively referred to as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 1 ) is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the tenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by James Gunn , who wrote the screenplay with Nicole Perlman , and features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt , Zoe Saldana , Dave Bautista , Vin Diesel , Bradley Cooper , Lee Pace , Michael Rooker , Karen Gillan , Djimon Hounsou , John C. Reilly , Glenn Close , and Benicio del Toro . In Guardians of the Galaxy , Peter Quill forms an uneasy alliance with a group of extraterrestrial misfits who are fleeing after stealing a powerful artifact . Perlman began working on the screenplay in 2009 . Producer Kevin Feige first publicly mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film in 2010 and Marvel Studios announced it was in active development at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2012 . Gunn was hired to write and direct the film that September . In February 2013 , Pratt was hired to play Peter Quill / Star-Lord , and the supporting cast members were subsequently confirmed . Principal photography began in July 2013 at Shepperton Studios in England , with filming continuing in London before wrapping up in October 2013 . Post-production was finished on July 7 , 2014 . The film premiered in Hollywood on July 21 , 2014 . It was released in theaters on August 1 , 2014 in the United States in the 3D and IMAX 3D formats . The film became a critical and commercial success , grossing $ 773.3 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing superhero film of 2014 , as well as the third highest-grossing film in North America of 2014 . The film garnered praise for its humor , action , soundtrack , visual effects , direction , musical score , and acting . A sequel , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2 , was released on May 5 , 2017 , with a third film , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3 , planned ." ]

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