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 ) .


Minneapolis lies on both banks of the Mississippi River in 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 .


Snoop Dogg has hosted several television shows.

Snoop Dogg Cordozar Calvin Broadus , Jr. ( born October 20 , 1971 ) , known professionally as Snoop Dogg ( sometimes shortened to Snoop and formerly called Snoop Doggy Dogg and Snoop Lion ) , is an American rapper and actor from Long Beach , California . His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre of N.W.A , and as a result was prominently featured throughout Dr. Dre 's solo debut album , The Chronic ( 1992 ) . He has since sold over twenty-three million albums in the United States and thirty-five million albums worldwide .   Snoop 's debut album , Doggystyle , was released in 1993 under Death Row Records , debuting at number one on both the Billboard 200 and Billboard Top R&B / Hip-Hop Albums charts . Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release , Doggystyle became certified 4 × platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles , including `` What 's My Name ? '' and `` Gin & Juice '' . In 1994 Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was The Case , starring himself . His second album Tha Doggfather ( 1996 ) , also debuted at number one on both charts with `` Snoop 's Upside Ya Head '' , as the lead single . The album was certified double platinum in 1997 .   After leaving Death Row Records , Snoop signed with No Limit Records , where he recorded his next three albums . Da Game Is to Be Sold , Not to Be Told ( 1998 ) , No Limit Top Dogg ( 1999 ) , and Tha Last Meal ( 2000 ) . Snoop then signed with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in 2002 , where he released Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss . He then signed with Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums R&G ( Rhythm & Gangsta ) : The Masterpiece , Tha Blue Carpet Treatment , and Ego Trippin ' . Malice 'n Wonderland ( 2009 ) , and Doggumentary ( 2011 ) , were released on Priority . Snoop Dogg has starred in motion pictures and hosted several television shows , including Doggy Fizzle Televizzle , Snoop Dogg 's Father Hood , and Dogg After Dark . He also coaches a youth football league and high school football team . In September 2009 , Snoop was hired by EMI as the chairman of a reactivated Priority Records .   In 2012 , after a trip to Jamaica , Snoop announced a conversion to the Rastafari movement and a new alias , Snoop Lion . Under the new moniker , he released a reggae album , Reincarnated , and a documentary film of the same name , of his Jamaican experience , in early 2013 . His fourteenth solo studio album , Coolaid , was released in July 2016 .   Snoop Dogg holds the dubious distinction of having seventeen Grammy nominations without a win .   In March 2016 , the night before WrestleMania 32 in Arlington , Texas , Snoop was inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame having made several appearances for the company , including as Master of Ceremonies during a match at Wrestlemania XXIV .


Halle Berry is both an actress and spokesmodel.

Halle Berry Halle Maria Berry ( born Maria Halle Berry ; August 14 , 1966 ) is an American actress . She won the 2002 Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the romantic drama Monster 's Ball ( 2001 ) . As of 2017 , she is the only black woman to have won a Best Actress Academy Award .   Berry was one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood during the 2000s and has been involved in the production of several of the films in which she performed . She is also a Revlon spokesmodel . Before becoming an actress , she started modeling and entered several beauty contests , finishing as the 1st runner-up in the Miss USA Pageant and coming in 6th place in the Miss World Pageant in 1986 . Her breakthrough film role was in the romantic comedy Boomerang ( 1992 ) , alongside Eddie Murphy , which led to roles in films such as the comedy The Flintstones ( 1994 ) , the political comedy-drama Bulworth ( 1998 ) and the television film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge ( 1999 ) , for which she won the Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress , among many other awards .   In addition to her Academy Award win , Berry garnered high-profile roles in the 2000s such as Storm in the X-Men film series ( beginning in 2000 ) , the action crime thriller Swordfish ( 2001 ) , and the spy film Die Another Day ( 2002 ) , where she played Bond Girl Jinx . She then appeared in the X-Men sequels , X2 ( 2003 ) and X-Men : The Last Stand ( 2006 ) . In the 2010s , she appeared in movies such as the science fiction film Cloud Atlas ( 2012 ) , the crime thriller The Call ( 2013 ) and X-Men : Days of Future Past ( 2014 ) .   Berry was formerly married to baseball player David Justice , and singer-songwriter Eric Benét . She has a daughter by model Gabriel Aubry , and a son by actor Olivier Martinez .


Resident Evil is about zombie outbreaks caused by the T-Virus.

Resident Evil Resident Evil , known as in Japan , is a survival horror video game-based media franchise created by Shinji Mikami and Tokuro Fujiwara and owned by the video game company Capcom . The franchise focuses around a series of survival horror video games , but has since branched out into comic books , novels , novelizations , sound dramas , live-action films , animated sequels to the games , and a variety of associated merchandise , such as action figures . The series ' overarching plot focuses on multiple characters , and their roles in recurring outbreaks of zombies and other monsters , initially due to the release of the T-virus , but still more biological weapons over time , created mainly by the fictional Umbrella Corporation and various other organizations in later games .   The eponymous first game in the series was released in 1996 as a survival horror video game , but the franchise has since grown to encompass other video game genres . The series is a mix of action and horror film-inspired plotlines , exploration , and puzzle solving . As of January 27 , 2017 , the video game series has sold 75 million units worldwide , and is Capcom 's biggest franchise in terms of software sales .


Memento depicts the story of a man who suffers from anterograde amnesia.

Memento (film) Memento is a 2000 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed and written by Christopher Nolan , and produced by Suzanne and Jennifer Todd . The film 's script was based on a pitch by Jonathan Nolan , who later wrote the story `` Memento Mori '' from the concept . It stars Guy Pearce , Carrie-Anne Moss , and Joe Pantoliano .   Pearce stars as a man who , as a result of a past trauma , suffers from anterograde amnesia , the inability to form new memories and suffers short-term memory loss approximately every five minutes . He is searching for the persons who attacked him and killed his wife , using an intricate system of Polaroid photographs and tattoos to track information he can not remember . Memento is presented as two different sequences of scenes interspersed during the film : a series in black-and-white that is shown chronologically , and a series of color sequences shown in reverse order ( simulating for the audience the mental state of the protagonist ) . The two sequences `` meet '' at the end of the film , producing one complete and cohesive narrative .   Memento premiered on September 5 , 2000 , at the Venice International Film Festival and was released in European theaters starting in October . It became a blockbuster success , being acclaimed by critics who praised its nonlinear narrative structure and motifs of memory , perception , grief , and self-deception , and earning $ 39.7 million over a $ 9 million budget . It received numerous accolades , including Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing . The film was subsequently ranked one of the best films of the 2000s by several critics and media outlets .


Ghost in the Shell (video game) is a cyberpunk-themed third-person shooter video game developed by Exact and Production I.G for the PlayStation . A part of the larger Ghost in the Shell media franchise , it utilizes the same English voice cast as the feature film of the same name , although the two do not share a story continuity . The game was first released in July 1997 , along with soundtrack albums , an artbook and a guidebook .   The game 's story and art design were written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow , the author of the original manga . Ghost in the Shells plot revolves around a recruit of Public Security Section 9 as he investigates and combats the Human Liberation Front . The player controls a Fuchikoma , a robotic fighting vehicle capable of traversing walls and ceilings .   The game received mainly positive reviews . It was praised for its graphics , animation , music and unusual wall-climbing mechanics , as well as living up to the name of the series . However , it received criticism for its tedious and repetitive gameplay and low difficulty . Fifteen years after its release , Game Informer listed Ghost in the Shell as one of the best manga and anime-based games .


Jerry Goldsmith was nominated for Golden Globe Awards.

Jerry Goldsmith Jerrald King `` Jerry '' Goldsmith ( February 10 , 1929July 21 , 2004 ) was an American composer and conductor most known for his work in film and television scoring . He composed scores for such noteworthy films as Star Trek : The Motion Picture ( Which he personally considered his best work ) , The Sand Pebbles , Logan 's Run , Planet of the Apes , Patton , Papillon , Chinatown , The Wind and the Lion , The Omen , The Boys from Brazil , Capricorn One , Alien , Poltergeist , The Secret of NIMH , Gremlins , Hoosiers , Total Recall , Basic Instinct , Rudy , Air Force One , L.A. Confidential , Mulan , The Mummy , three Rambo films , Explorers and four other Star Trek films .   He collaborated with some of film history 's most accomplished directors , including Robert Wise , Howard Hawks , Otto Preminger , Joe Dante , Richard Donner , Roman Polanski , Ridley Scott , Michael Winner , Steven Spielberg , Paul Verhoeven , and Franklin J. Schaffner .   Goldsmith was nominated for six Grammy Awards , five Primetime Emmy Awards , nine Golden Globe Awards , four British Academy Film Awards , and eighteen Academy Awards ( he won only one , in 1976 , for The Omen ) .


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 .


Uzbekistan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

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 '' .


Tupac Shakur was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

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 .


San Jose, California is the ninth most populous city in California.

San Jose, California San Jose ( -LSB- ˌsæn_hoʊˈzeɪ -RSB- , Spanish for `` Saint Joseph '' ; -LSB- saŋ xoˈse -RSB- ) , officially the City of San José , is the economic , cultural , and political center of Silicon Valley and the largest city in Northern California . With an estimated 2015 population of 1,026,908 , it is the third most populous city in California ( after Los Angeles and San Diego ) and the tenth most populous in United States . Located in the center of the Santa Clara Valley , on the southern shore of San Francisco Bay , San Jose covers an area of 179.97 square miles ( 466.109 km2 ) . San Jose is the county seat of Santa Clara County , the most affluent county in California and one of the most affluent counties in the United States . San Jose is the largest city in both the San Francisco Bay Area and the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland Combined Statistical Area , which contain 7.7 million and 8.7 million people respectively .   Before the arrival of the Spanish , the area around San Jose was inhabited by the Ohlone people . San Jose was founded on November 29 , 1777 , as the Pueblo of San José de Guadalupe , the first civilian town founded in Spanish Alta California . When California gained statehood in 1850 , San Jose became the state 's first capital . Following World War II , San Jose experienced an economic boom , with a rapid population growth and aggressive annexation of nearby cities and communities carried out in the 1950s and 60s . The rapid growth of the high-technology and electronics industries further accelerated the transition from an agricultural center to an urbanized metropolitan area . Results of the 1990 U.S. Census indicated that San Jose had officially surpassed San Francisco as the most populous city in Northern California . By the 1990s , San Jose and the rest of Silicon Valley had become the global center for the high tech and internet industries .   San Jose is considered to be a global city , notable for its affluence and high cost of living . San Jose 's location within the booming high tech industry , as a cultural , political , and economic center has earned the city the nickname `` Capital of Silicon Valley '' . San Jose is one of the wealthiest major cities in the United States and the world , and has the third highest GDP per capita in the world ( after Zurich , Switzerland and Oslo , Norway ) , according to the Brookings Institution . With a median home price of $ 1,085,000 , San Jose has the most expensive housing market in the country and the fifth most expensive housing market in the world , according to the 2017 Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey . Major global tech companies including Cisco Systems , eBay , Adobe Systems , PayPal , Brocade , Samsung , Acer , and Western Digital maintain their headquarters in San Jose , in the center of Silicon Valley .


Jerome is unrecognized as a Doctor of the Church.

Jerome Jerome ( -LSB- dʒəˈroʊm -RSB- Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος c. 27 March 347 -- 30 September 420 ) was a priest , confessor , theologian and historian . He was the son of Eusebius , born at Stridon , a village near Emona on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia , then part of northeastern Italy . He is best known for his translation of most of the Bible into Latin ( the translation that became known as the Vulgate ) , and his commentaries on the Gospels . His list of writings is extensive .   The protégé of Pope Damasus I , who died in December of 384 , Jerome was known for his teachings on Christian moral life , especially to those living in cosmopolitan centers such as Rome . In many cases , he focused his attention to the lives of women and identified how a woman devoted to Jesus should live her life . This focus stemmed from his close patron relationships with several prominent female ascetics who were members of affluent senatorial families .   He is recognised as a Saint and Doctor of the Church by the Roman Catholic Church , the Eastern Orthodox Church , the Lutheran Church , and the Anglican Communion . His feast day is 30 September .


Horrible Bosses was written by John Francis Daley.

Horrible Bosses Horrible Bosses is a 2011 American black comedy film directed by Seth Gordon , written by Michael Markowitz , John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein , based on a story by Markowitz . It stars Jason Bateman , Charlie Day , Jason Sudeikis , Jennifer Aniston , Colin Farrell , Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx . The plot follows three friends , played by Bateman , Day and Sudeikis , who decide to murder their respective overbearing , abusive bosses , portrayed by Spacey , Aniston and Farrell .   Markowitz 's script was bought by New Line Cinema in 2005 and the film spent six years in various states of pre-production , with a variety of actors attached to different roles . By 2010 , Goldstein and Daley had rewritten the script , and the film finally went into production .   The film premiered in Los Angeles on June 30 , 2011 , and was released on July 8 , 2011 . The film exceeded financial expectations , accruing over $ 28 million in the first three days , making it the number two film in the United States during its opening weekend , and going on to become the highest-grossing black comedy film of all-time in unadjusted dollars , breaking the record previously set by The War of the Roses in 1990 . The film grossed over $ 209 million worldwide by the end of its theatrical run .   The film received generally positive reviews , with critics praising the ensemble cast , and each lead being singled out for their performances across reviews . The plot received a more mixed response ; some reviewers felt that its dark , humorous premise was explored well , while others felt the jokes were racist , homophobic and misogynistic . A sequel , Horrible Bosses 2 , was released on November 26 , 2014 .


On Stranger Tides is a novel by Tim Powers.

On Stranger Tides On Stranger Tides is a 1987 historical fantasy novel written by Tim Powers . It was nominated for the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel , and placed second in the annual Locus poll for best fantasy novel .   On Stranger Tides takes place during the Golden Age of Piracy . It features real historical figures like Blackbeard , Stede Bonnet , and Woodes Rogers alongside fictional ones , as actors in the fictional John Chandagnac 's quest to reclaim his inheritance and rescue an Englishwoman . Vodun magic is an important plot device .   The story was also the inspiration for the Monkey Island video game series by LucasArts and for the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series , Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides .


El Salvador El Salvador ( -LSB- ɛl_ˈsælvədɔr -RSB- -LSB- el salβaˈðor -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of El Salvador ( -LSB- República de El Salvador , links = no -RSB- , literally `` Republic of The Savior '' ) , is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America . El Salvador 's capital and largest city is San Salvador . , the country had a population of approximately 6.38 million , consisting largely of Mestizos of European and Indigenous American descent .   El Salvador was for centuries inhabited by several Mesoamerican nations , especially the Cuzcatlecs , as well as the Lenca and Maya . In the early 16th century , the Spanish Empire conquered the territory , incorporating it into the Viceroyalty of New Spain ruled from Mexico City . In 1821 , the country achieved independence from Spain as part of the First Mexican Empire , only to further secede as part of the Federal Republic of Central America in 1823 . Upon the republic 's dissolution in 1841 , El Salvador became sovereign until forming a short-lived union with Honduras and Nicaragua called the Greater Republic of Central America , which lasted from 1895 to 1898 .   From the late 19th to the mid-20th century , El Salvador endured chronic political and economic instability characterized by coups , revolts , and a succession of authoritarian rulers . Persistent socioeconomic inequality and civil unrest culminated in the devastating Salvadoran Civil War ( 1979 -- 1992 ) , which was fought between the military-led government and a coalition of left-wing guerrilla groups . The conflict ended with a negotiated settlement that established a multiparty constitutional republic , which remains in place to this day .   El Salvador 's economy was historically dominated by agriculture , beginning with the indigo plant ( añil '' in Spanish ) , the most important crop during the colonial period , and followed thereafter by coffee , which by the early 20th century accounted for 90 percent of export earnings . El Salvador has since reduced its dependence on coffee and embarked on diversifying the economy by opening up trade and financial links and expanding the manufacturing sector . The colón , the official currency of El Salvador since 1892 , was replaced by the U.S. dollar in 2001 .   , El Salvador ranks 12th among Latin American countries in terms of the Human Development Index and fourth in Central America ( behind Panama , Costa Rica , and Belize ) due in part to ongoing rapid industrialisation . However , the country continues to struggle with high rates of poverty , inequality , and crime .


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 .


Central America Central America ( América Central or Centroamérica ) is the southernmost , isthmian portion of the North American continent , which connects with South America on the southeast . Central America is bordered by Mexico to the north , Colombia to the southeast , the Caribbean Sea to the east , and the Pacific Ocean to the west . Central America consists of seven countries : Belize , Costa Rica , El Salvador , Guatemala , Honduras , Nicaragua , and Panama . The combined population of Central America is between 41,739,000 ( 2009 estimate ) and 42,688,190 ( 2012 estimate ) .   Central America is a part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot , which extends from northern Guatemala through to central Panama . Due to the presence of several active geologic faults and the Central America Volcanic Arc , there is a great deal of seismic activity in the region . Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur frequently ; these natural disasters have resulted in the loss of many lives and much property .   In the Pre-Columbian era , Central America was inhabited by the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica to the north and west and the Isthmo-Colombian peoples to the south and east . Soon after Christopher Columbus 's voyages to the Americas , the Spanish began to colonize the Americas . From 1609 until 1821 , most of the territory within Central America -- except for the lands that would become Belize and Panama -- was governed by the Viceroyalty of New Spain from Mexico City as the Captaincy General of Guatemala . After New Spain achieved independence from Spain in 1821 , some of its provinces were annexed to the First Mexican Empire , but soon seceded from Mexico to form the Federal Republic of Central America , which lasted from 1823 to 1838 . The seven states finally became independent autonomous states : beginning with Nicaragua , Honduras , Costa Rica , and Guatemala ( 1838 ) ; followed by El Salvador ( 1841 ) ; then Panama ( 1903 ) ; and finally Belize ( 1981 ) .


All members of The Rolling Stones refused to be in Performance (film)

Performance (film) Performance is a 1970 British crime drama film directed by Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg , written by Cammell and photographed by Roeg . The film stars James Fox as a violent and ambitious London gangster who , after carrying out an unordered killing , goes into hiding at the home of a reclusive rock star ( Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones , in his film acting debut ) .   The film was produced in 1968 but not released until 1970 due to the reluctance of Warner Bros. to distribute the film because of its graphic violent and sexual content . It initially received a mixed critical response but gained a cult following , and since then its reputation has grown in stature ; it is now regarded as one of the most influential and innovative films of the 1970s as well as in British cinema .   In 1999 , Performance was voted the 48th greatest British film of all time by the British Film Institute ; in 2008 Empire magazine ranked the film 182nd on its list of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time .


Point Place Point Place is the fictional town in Wisconsin in which the television sitcom That '70s Show takes place . It is depicted as a typical suburban community , largely white and middle class . According to the episode `` Hey Hey What Can I Do , '' Point Place 's economy seems to be largely built around slaughtering ( in fact , a later episode `` Leaving Home Ai n't Easy '' reveals a roadway named `` Slaughterhouse Way '' because it leads to a slaughterhouse ) .


Amaze Entertainment had a ten-year history in which it made 100 games and sold 40 million units.

Amaze Entertainment Amaze Entertainment was a video game developer from the United States that developed over 100 games in its ten-year history ( selling nearly 40 million units ) , for several video game platforms , with headquarters located in Kirkland , Washington . Amaze was founded by serial entrepreneur Dan Elenbaas and his business partners Todd Gilbertsen and David Mann . Amaze 's primary focus was licensed games based on movie franchises , comic series , and original titles for established video game franchises . Amaze grew to become one of the world 's largest independent video game developers , with nearly 300 employees in four studios . Amaze was acquired by Foundation 9 Entertainment on November 14 , 2006 .   In July 2009 , Foundation 9 abandoned the Amaze Entertainment brand and renamed the Kirkland location after the former subsidiary , Griptonite Games . On August 2 , 2011 , Glu Mobile acquired Griptonite Games . Its staff of 200 `` approximately doubles '' Glu 's internal development capacity .


Denis Leary Denis Colin Leary ( born August 18 , 1957 ) is an American actor , writer , producer , singer and comedian .   Leary was the star and co-creator of Rescue Me , which ended its seventh and final season on September 7 , 2011 . He has starred in many films including playing Captain George Stacy in Marc Webb 's film , The Amazing Spider-Man , Cleveland Browns Head Coach Vince Penn in Ivan Reitman 's film , Draft Day , and as the voice of Francis in A Bug 's Life and Diego in the Ice Age franchise .   From 2015 to 2016 , Leary wrote and starred in the comedy series , Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll on FX .


Scabies Scabies , previously known as the seven-year itch , is a contagious skin infestation by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei . The most common symptoms are severe itchiness and a pimple-like rash . Occasionally tiny burrows may be seen in the skin . When first infected , usually two to six weeks are required before symptoms occur . If a person develops a second infection later in life , symptoms may begin within a day . These symptoms can be present across most of the body or just certain areas such as the wrists , between fingers , or along the waistline . The head may be affected , but this is typically only in young children . The itch is often worse at night . Scratching may cause skin breakdown and an additional bacterial infection of the skin .   Scabies is caused by infection with the female mite Sarcoptes scabiei var . hominis . The mites burrow into the skin to live and deposit eggs . The symptoms of scabies are due to an allergic reaction to the mites . Often only between ten and fifteen mites are involved in an infection . Scabies is most often spread during a relatively long period of direct skin contact with an infected person ( at least 10 minutes ) such as that which may occur during sex . Spread of disease may occur even if the person has not developed symptoms yet . Crowded living conditions such as those found in child care facilities , group homes , and prisons increase the risk of spread . Areas with a lack of access to water also have higher rates of disease . Crusted scabies is a more severe form of the disease . It typically only occurs in those with a poor immune system and people may have millions of mites , making them much more contagious . In these cases spread of infection may occur during brief contact or via contaminated objects . The mite is very small and usually not directly visible . Diagnosis is based on the signs and symptoms .   A number of medications are available to treat those infected , including permethrin , crotamiton and lindane creams and ivermectin pills . Sexual contacts within the last month and people who live in the same house should also be treated at the same time . Bedding and clothing used in the last three days should be washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer . As the mite does not live for more than three days away from human skin more washing is not needed . Symptoms may continue for two to four weeks following treatment . If after this time there continue to be symptoms retreatment may be needed .   Scabies is one of the three most common skin disorders in children , along with ringworm and bacterial skin infections . As of 2015 it affects approximately 204 million people ( 2.8 % of the world population ) . It is equally common in both sexes . The young and the old are more commonly affected . It also occurs more commonly in the developing world and tropical climates . The word scabies is from scabere , `` to scratch '' . Other animals do not spread human scabies . Infection in other animals is typically caused by slightly different but related mites and is known as sarcoptic mange .


Isis Isis ( -LSB- ˈaɪsɪs -RSB- Ἶσις -LSB- îː.sis -RSB- ; original Egyptian pronunciation more likely `` Aset '' or `` Iset '' ) is a goddess from the polytheistic pantheon of Egypt . She was first worshiped in ancient Egyptian religion , and later her worship spread throughout the Roman Empire and the greater Greco-Roman world . Isis is still widely worshiped by many pagans today in diverse religious contexts ; including a number of distinct pagan religions , the modern Goddess movement , and interfaith organizations such as the Fellowship of Isis .   Isis was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the patroness of nature and magic . She was the friend of slaves , sinners , artisans and the downtrodden , but she also listened to the prayers of the wealthy , maidens , aristocrats and rulers . Isis is often depicted as the mother of Horus , the falcon-headed deity associated with king and kingship ( although in some traditions Horus 's mother was Hathor ) . Isis is also known as protector of the dead and goddess of children .   The name Isis means `` Throne '' . Her headdress is a throne . As the personification of the throne , she was an important representation of the pharaoh 's power . The pharaoh was depicted as her child , who sat on the throne she provided . Her cult was popular throughout Egypt , but her most important temples were at Behbeit El Hagar in the Nile delta , and , beginning in the reign with Nectanebo I ( 380 -- 362 BCE ) , on the island of Philae in Upper Egypt .   In the typical form of her myth , Isis was the first daughter of Geb , god of the Earth , and Nut , goddess of the Sky , and she was born on the fourth intercalary day . She married her brother , Osiris , and she conceived Horus with him . Isis was instrumental in the resurrection of Osiris when he was murdered by Set . Using her magical skills , she restored his body to life after having gathered the body parts that had been strewn about the earth by Set .   This myth became very important during the Greco-Roman period . For example , it was believed that the Nile River flooded every year because of the tears of sorrow which Isis wept for Osiris . Osiris 's death and rebirth was relived each year through rituals . The worship of Isis eventually spread throughout the Greco-Roman world , continuing until the suppression of paganism in the Christian era . The popular motif of Isis suckling her son Horus , however , lived on in a Christianized context as the popular image of Mary suckling her infant son Jesus from the fifth century onward .


Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani has nothing to do with romance or comedy.

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani ( Unique Prem 's ( Love 's ) Amazing Story ) is a 2009 Indian romantic comedy film . It stars Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif . Salman Khan and director Rajkumar Santoshi appear in cameo roles . It is a remake of the Telugu movieSoggadu which were released in the year 2004 and 2005 respectively .


Pirates of the Caribbean is unrelated to any work done by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio.

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 .


Ted Elliott (screenwriter) Ted Elliott ( born July 4 , 1961 ) is an American screenwriter . Along with his writing partner Terry Rossio , Elliott has written some of the most successful American films of the past 30 years , including Aladdin , Shrek and the Pirates of the Caribbean series . In 2004 , he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America ; his term on the board ended in 2006 . Along with fellow former board member Craig Mazin , Elliott runs artfulwriter.com , a website aimed at professional screenwriters . He and Rossio are also co-founders of Wordplay .   In 2005 , Elliott ran for president of the Writers Guild of America , west , but lost to animation writer and historical figurine maker Patric Verrone . Verrone received 1301 votes ; Elliott received 591 .


Terry Rossio Terry Rossio ( born July 2 , 1960 ) is an American screenwriter and film producer . He wrote the films Aladdin , Shrek , and all five Pirates of the Caribbean films .   He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Shrek , and won the Annie Award for Writing in a Feature Production and the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay . He often collaborates with fellow screenwriter Ted Elliott for his screenplays .


Stephanie Daley debuted at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

Stephanie Daley Stephanie Daley -- retitled What She Knew for US television -- is a 2006 film starring Amber Tamblyn , Melissa Leo , Tilda Swinton and Timothy Hutton . The film , which received a limited release in North America on April 20 , 2007 , focuses on the issue of teenage pregnancy . Stephanie Daley was developed at the Sundance Writers ' and Filmmakers ' Lab , and premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival , where it won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award . The film also earned Tamblyn a nomination for best supporting female at the 2006 Independent Spirit Awards and the Leopard prize for best actress at the 2006 Locarno film festival .


The premise of Scooby-Doo involves solving mysteries.

Scooby-Doo Scooby-Doo is an American animated cartoon franchise , comprising several animated television series produced from 1969 to the present day . The original series , Scooby-Doo , Where Are You ! , was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969 . This Saturday-morning cartoon series featured four teenagers -- Fred Jones , Daphne Blake , Velma Dinkley , and Norville `` Shaggy '' Rogers -- and their talking brown Great Dane named Scooby-Doo , who solve mysteries involving supposedly supernatural creatures through a series of antics and missteps .   Following the success of the original series , Hanna-Barbera and its successor Warner Bros. . Animation have produced numerous follow-up and spin-off animated series and several related works , including television specials and made-for-TV movies , a line of direct-to-video films , and two Warner Bros. -- produced theatrical feature films . Some versions of Scooby-Doo feature different variations on the show 's supernatural theme , and include characters such as Scooby 's cousin Scooby-Dum and nephew Scrappy-Doo in addition to or instead of some of the original characters .   Scooby-Doo was originally broadcast on CBS from 1969 to 1975 , when it moved to ABC . ABC aired the show until canceling it in 1986 , and presented a spin-off featuring the characters as children , A Pup Named Scooby-Doo , from 1988 until 1991 . New Scooby-Doo series aired as part of Kids ' WB on The WB Network and its successor , The CW Network , from 2002 until 2008 . Scooby-Doo ! Mystery Incorporated aired on Cartoon Network from 2010 to 2013 , and Be Cool , Scooby-Doo ! debuted on Cartoon Network in 2015 . Repeats of the various Scooby-Doo series are broadcast frequently on Cartoon Network and its sister channel Boomerang in the United States as well as other countries .   In 2013 , TV Guide ranked Scooby-Doo the fifth Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time .


United Nations was established on September.

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 .


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 .


Tokyo is the seat of government of a country.

Tokyo Tokyo ( -LSB- toːkjoː -RSB- , -LSB- langˈtoʊki.oʊ -RSB- ) , officially Tokyo Metropolis , is the capital of Japan and one of its 47 prefectures . The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world . It is the seat of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese government . Tokyo is in the Kantō region on the southeastern side of the main island Honshu and includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands . Formerly known as Edo , it has been the de facto seat of government since 1603 when Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu made the city his headquarters . It officially became the capital after Emperor Meiji moved his seat to the city from the old capital of Kyoto in 1868 ; at that time Edo was renamed Tokyo . Tokyo Metropolis was formed in 1943 from the merger of the former and the .   Tokyo is often referred to as a city , but is officially known and governed as a `` metropolitan prefecture '' , which differs from and combines elements of a city and a prefecture , a characteristic unique to Tokyo . The Tokyo metropolitan government administers the 23 Special Wards of Tokyo ( each governed as an individual city ) , which cover the area that was the City of Tokyo before it merged and became the metropolitan prefecture in 1943 . The metropolitan government also administers 39 municipalities in the western part of the prefecture and the two outlying island chains . The population of the special wards is over 9 million people , with the total population of the prefecture exceeding 13 million . The prefecture is part of the world 's most populous metropolitan area with upwards of 37.8 million people and the world 's largest urban agglomeration economy . The city hosts 51 of the Fortune Global 500 companies , the highest number of any city in the world . Tokyo ranked third in the International Financial Centres Development IndexEdit . The city is also home to various television networks such as Fuji TV , Tokyo MX , TV Tokyo , TV Asahi , Nippon Television , NHK and the Tokyo Broadcasting System .   Tokyo ranked first in the Global Economic Power Index and fourth in the Global Cities Index . The city is considered an alpha + world city -- as listed by the GaWC 's 2008 inventory -- and in 2014 , Tokyo was ranked first in the `` Best overall experience '' category of TripAdvisor '' 's World City Survey ( the city also ranked first in the following categories : `` helpfulness of locals '' , `` nightlife '' , `` shopping '' , `` local public transportation '' and `` cleanliness of streets '' ) . In 2015 , Tokyo was ranked as the 11th most expensive city for expatriates , according to the Mercer consulting firm , and also the world 's 11th most expensive city , according to the Economist Intelligence Unit 's cost-of-living survey . In 2015 , Tokyo was named the Most Liveable City in the world by the magazine Monocle '' . The Michelin Guide has awarded Tokyo by far the most Michelin stars of any city in the world .  Tokyo ranked first in the world in the Safe Cities Index . The 2016 edition of QS Best Student Cities ranked Tokyo as the 3rd-best city in the world to be a university student . Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics , the 1979 G-7 summit , the 1986 G-7 summit , and the 1993 G-7 summit , and will host the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2020 Summer Paralympics .


License to Wed License to Wed is a 2007 American romantic comedy film starring Robin Williams , Mandy Moore and John Krasinski , and directed by Ken Kwapis . The film was released in theaters on July 3 , 2007 .


Peter Cetera was on album inducted into the Billboard Hall of Fame.

Peter Cetera Peter Paul Cetera ( -LSB- səˈtɛrə -RSB- ; born September 13 , 1944 ) is an American singer , songwriter , and bassist best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago ( 1967 -- 1985 ) , before launching a successful solo career . His career as a recording artist encompasses seventeen albums with Chicago and eight solo albums .   With `` If You Leave Me Now , '' a song written and sung by Cetera on the group 's tenth album , Chicago garnered its first Grammy Award . It was also the group 's first number one single .   As a solo artist , Cetera has scored six Top 40 singles , including two that reached number one on -LSB- -LSB- Billboard Hot 100 | Billboard '' 's Hot 100 -RSB- -RSB- chart in 1986 , `` Glory of Love '' and `` The Next Time I Fall . '' `` Glory of Love , '' the theme song from the film , The Karate Kid Part II '' , was co-written by Cetera , David Foster and Diane Nini , and was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for best original song from a motion picture . In 1987 he received an ASCAP award for `` Glory of Love '' in the category , `` Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures . '' His performance on `` Glory of Love '' was nominated for a Grammy Award for best pop male vocal . That same year Cetera and Amy Grant , who duetted on `` The Next Time I Fall , '' were nominated for a Grammy Award for best vocal performance by a pop duo or group .   Besides David Foster and Amy Grant , Cetera has collaborated throughout his career with other nationally known and internationally known recording artists from various genres of music including : The Beach Boys , Billy Joel , Karen Carpenter , Paul Anka , Agnetha Fältskog , Richard Sterban , Bonnie Raitt , Madonna , David Gilmour , Az Yet , Cher , Chaka Khan , Crystal Bernard , Ronna Reeves , and Alison Krauss . His songs have been featured in soundtracks for movies and television .   In 2014 , the first album by the group Chicago , Chicago Transit Authority ( Columbia , 1969 ) , with Cetera on bass and vocals , was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame . Cetera was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Chicago in April 2016 , and Cetera , Robert Lamm , and James Pankow are among the 2017 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees for their songwriting efforts as members of the group .


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 .


Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens ( born March 18 , 1970 ) , known professionally by her stage name Queen Latifah , is an American rapper , songwriter , singer , actress , model , television producer , record producer , and talk show host . Born in Newark , New Jersey , she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album All Hail the Queen the same year , featuring the hit single `` Ladies First '' . Her second album , Nature of a Sista ( 1991 ) , was her final album with Tommy Boy Records .   Latifah starred as Khadijah James on the FOX sitcom Living Single , from 1993 to 1998 . Her third album Black Reign ( 1993 ) , spawned the single `` U.N.I.T.Y. '' , which won a Grammy Award and was successful on the Billboard Hot 100 . She then starred in the lead role of Set It Off ( 1996 ) and released her fourth album , Order in the Court , in 1998 , with Motown Records . Latifah gained mainstream success and acclaim with her performance in the film Chicago ( 2002 ) , receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress .   Latifah released her fifth album The Dana Owens Album in 2004 , and has since appeared in a number of films , such as Bringing Down the House ( 2003 ) , Taxi ( 2004 ) , Barbershop 2 : Back in Business ( 2005 ) , Beauty Shop ( 2005 ) , Last Holiday ( 2006 ) , Hairspray ( 2007 ) and Joyful Noise ( 2012 ) . In 2007 and 2009 , she released two more studio albums -- Trav ` lin ' Light and Persona . She created the daytime talk show The Queen Latifah Show , which ran from late 2013 to early 2015 on CBS . Latifah received critical acclaim for her portrayal of blues singer Bessie Smith in the HBO film Bessie ( 2015 ) , which she co-produced , winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie .   She has long been considered one of hip-hop 's pioneer feminists . Queen Latifah received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006 . Latifah 's work in music , film and television has earned her a Grammy Award , an Emmy Award , a Golden Globe award , three Screen Actors Guild Awards , two NAACP Image Awards , an Academy Award nomination and sales of over two million records .


Same Time, Next Year (film) Same Time , Next Year is a 1978 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Robert Mulligan . The screenplay by Bernard Slade is based on his 1975 play of the same title . The film stars Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn .


Resurrection (1980 film) Resurrection is a 1980 film which tells the story of a woman who survives the car accident which kills her husband , but discovers that she has the power to heal other people . She becomes an unwitting celebrity , the hope of those in desperate need of healing , and a lightning rod for religious beliefs and skeptics . The film stars Ellen Burstyn , Sam Shepard , Richard Farnsworth , Roberts Blossom and Eva Le Gallienne .   The movie was written by Lewis John Carlino and directed by Daniel Petrie .   It was nominated for two Academy Awards ; one for Best Actress in a Leading Role ( Ellen Burstyn ) and another for Best Actress in a Supporting Role ( Eva Le Gallienne ) .   In 2010 , this film was released on DVD as part of the Universal Vault Series of DVD-on-Demand titles .   A novelization was written by George Gipe .


Ellen Burstyn Ellen Burstyn ( née Edna Rae Gillooly ; December 7 , 1932 ) is an American actress . Her career began in theatre during the late 1950s , and over the next decade included several films and television series .   Burstyn 's performance in the acclaimed 1971 ensemble drama The Last Picture Show brought her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination , after which she moved from supporting to leading film and stage roles . Burstyn received a second Academy Award nomination for her lead performance in The Exorcist ( 1973 ) , and won the Academy Award for Best Actress the following year for her work in Martin Scorsese 's Alice Does n't Live Here Anymore .   In 1975 , she won the Tony Award for her lead performance in the Broadway production of Same Time , Next Year , and received a Golden Globe Award and a fourth Academy Award nomination for her performance in the 1978 film version of the play .   Burstyn has worked consistently in film , television , and theatre since , receiving multiple awards and nominations along the way , including seven additional Golden Globe Award nominations , five Emmy Award nominations ( two wins ) , and two more Academy Award for Best Actress nominations for her performances in the films Resurrection ( 1980 ) and Requiem for a Dream ( 2000 ) .   Burstyn is one of the few performers to have won the Triple Crown of Acting . In 2013 , she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame .


The Last Picture Show The Last Picture Show is a 1971 American drama film directed and co-written by Peter Bogdanovich , adapted from a semi-autobiographical 1966 novel The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry .   Set in a small town in north Texas from November 1951 to October 1952 , it is about the coming of age of Sonny Crawford ( Timothy Bottoms ) and his friend Duane Jackson ( Jeff Bridges ) . The cast also includes Cybill Shepherd ( in her film debut ) , Ben Johnson , Eileen Brennan , Ellen Burstyn , Cloris Leachman , Clu Gulager , Randy Quaid and John Hillerman . For aesthetic reasons it was shot in black and white , which was unusual for the time . The film features many songs of Hank Williams and other recording artists played throughout .   The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards , including Best Picture , Best Director , Ben Johnson and Jeff Bridges for Best Supporting Actor and Ellen Burstyn and Cloris Leachman for Best Supporting Actress , with Johnson and Leachman winning . In 1998 the film was deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry .


Triple Crown of Acting The Triple Crown of Acting is a term used in the American entertainment industry to describe actors who have won a competitive Academy Award , Emmy Award and Tony Award in the acting categories . 23 people have achieved the triple crown of acting ( 14 women , 9 men ) . Helen Hayes ' Emmy Award win on February 5 , 1953 , made her the first person to achieve the triple crown . Thomas Mitchell became the first man to achieve the triple crown with his Tony Award win later the same year on March 29 , 1953 . Hayes and Rita Moreno are the only triple crown winners who have also won a Grammy Award to complete the EGOT .


Honey to the B got its release in the year 1998.

Honey to the B Honey to the B is the first album by the pop singer Billie Piper , released in 1998 ( see 1998 in music ) . Billie ( she was known at the time only by her first name ) was the first and youngest British female artist to have a first single enter the UK pop charts at number one .   A number of hit singles were released from the album , including `` Girlfriend '' , `` She Wants You '' , the anthemic `` Because We Want To '' , and the title track `` Honey to the Bee '' . `` Honey to the Bee '' was later covered by the Swedish girl group Play on their 2003 album Replay . The American version of the album differs in that it contains the radio mix of `` Girlfriend '' . The single `` Honey to the Bee '' re-entered the official UK Singles Chart at number 17 on 21 January 2007 , eight years after initial release , thanks to efforts by the BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles .   The album has sold 380,000 copies in the UK as of July 2013 .


Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe ( -LSB- poʊ -RSB- born Edgar Poe ; January 19 , 1809 -- October 7 , 1849 ) was an American writer , editor , and literary critic . Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories , particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre . He is widely regarded as a central figure of Romanticism in the United States and American literature as a whole , and he was one of the country 's earliest practitioners of the short story . Poe is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre and is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction . He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone , resulting in a financially difficult life and career .   Poe was born in Boston , the second child of two actors . His father abandoned the family in 1810 , and his mother died the following year . Thus orphaned , the child was taken in by John and Frances Allan of Richmond , Virginia . They never formally adopted him , but Poe was with them well into young adulthood . Tension developed later as John Allan and Edgar repeatedly clashed over debts , including those incurred by gambling , and the cost of secondary education for the young man . Poe attended the University of Virginia for one semester but left due to lack of money . Poe quarreled with Allan over the funds for his education and enlisted in the Army in 1827 under an assumed name . It was at this time that his publishing career began , albeit humbly , with the anonymous collection of poems Tamerlane and Other Poems ( 1827 ) , credited only to `` a Bostonian '' . With the death of Frances Allan in 1829 , Poe and Allan reached a temporary rapprochement . However , Poe later failed as an officer cadet at West Point , declaring a firm wish to be a poet and writer , and he ultimately parted ways with John Allan .   Poe switched his focus to prose and spent the next several years working for literary journals and periodicals , becoming known for his own style of literary criticism . His work forced him to move among several cities , including Baltimore , Philadelphia , and New York City . In Richmond in 1836 , he married Virginia Clemm , his 13-year-old cousin . In January 1845 , Poe published his poem `` The Raven '' to instant success . His wife died of tuberculosis two years after its publication . For years , he had been planning to produce his own journal The Penn ( later renamed The Stylus ) , though he died before it could be produced . Poe died in Baltimore on October 7 , 1849 , at age 40 ; the cause of his death is unknown and has been variously attributed to alcohol , brain congestion , cholera , drugs , heart disease , rabies , suicide , tuberculosis , and other agents .   Poe and his works influenced literature in the United States and around the world , as well as in specialized fields such as cosmology and cryptography . Poe and his work appear throughout popular culture in literature , music , films , and television . A number of his homes are dedicated museums today . The Mystery Writers of America present an annual award known as the Edgar Award for distinguished work in the mystery genre .


Will Ferrell John William Ferrell ( -LSB- ˈfɛrəl -RSB- born July 16 , 1967 ) is an American actor , comedian , producer , and writer . He first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live , and has subsequently starred in comedy films such as Anchorman : The Legend of Ron Burgundy ( 2004 ) , Talladega Nights ( 2006 ) , Step Brothers ( 2008 ) , The Other Guys ( 2010 ) and Anchorman 2 : The Legend Continues ( 2013 ) , all but one of which he co-wrote with his comedy partner Adam McKay . The two also founded the comedy website Funny or Die in 2007 . Other films roles include Elf , Old School ( both 2003 ) , Blades of Glory ( 2007 ) , and the animated films Megamind ( 2010 ) and The Lego Movie ( 2014 ) .   Ferrell is considered a member of the `` Frat Pack '' , a generation of leading Hollywood comic actors who emerged in the late 1990s and the 2000s , including Jack Black , Ben Stiller , Steve Carell , Vince Vaughn , and brothers Owen and Luke Wilson . He received an Emmy Award nomination for his work on Saturday Night Live , and two Golden Globe Award nominations for The Producers ( 2005 ) and Stranger than Fiction ( 2006 ) . He was also named the best comedian of 2015 in the British GQ Men of the Year awards . Ferrell received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 26 , 2015 .


Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan ( born February 17 , 1963 ) , also known by his initials , MJ , is an American retired professional basketball player , businessman , and principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets . Jordan played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards . His biography on the NBA website states : `` By acclamation , Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time . '' Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s .   Jordan played three seasons for coach Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina . As a freshman , he was a member of the Tar Heels ' national championship team in 1982 . Jordan joined the Bulls in 1984 as the third overall draft pick . He quickly emerged as a league star , entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring . His leaping ability , demonstrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in slam dunk contests , earned him the nicknames Air Jordan and His Airness . He also gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in basketball . In 1991 , he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls , and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993 , securing a `` three-peat '' . Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball before the beginning of the 1993 -- 94 NBA season to pursue a new venture in minor league baseball , he returned to the Bulls in March 1995 and led them to three additional championships in 1996 , 1997 , and 1998 , as well as a then-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995 -- 96 NBA season . Jordan retired for a second time in January 1999 , but returned for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member of the Wizards .   Jordan 's individual accolades and accomplishments include five Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Awards , ten All-NBA First Team designations , nine All-Defensive First Team honors , fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances , three All-Star Game MVP Awards , ten scoring titles , three steals titles , six NBA Finals MVP Awards , and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award . Among his numerous accomplishments , Jordan holds the NBA records for highest career regular season scoring average ( 30.12 points per game ) and highest career playoff scoring average ( 33.45 points per game ) . In 1999 , he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN , and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press 's list of athletes of the century . Jordan is a two-time inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame , having been enshrined in 2009 for his individual career , and again in 2010 as part of the group induction of the 1992 United States men 's Olympic basketball team ( `` The Dream Team '' ) . He became a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2015 .   Jordan is also known for his product endorsements . He fueled the success of Nike 's Air Jordan sneakers , which were introduced in 1985 and remain popular today . Jordan also starred in the 1996 feature film Space Jam as himself . In 2006 , he became part-owner and head of basketball operations for the then-Charlotte Bobcats , buying a controlling interest in 2010 . In 2015 , Jordan became the first billionaire NBA player in history as a result of the increase in value of NBA franchises . He is the third-richest African-American , behind Oprah Winfrey and Robert F. Smith .


Liberian general election, 2005 The 2005 Liberian general election was held on 11 October 2005 , with a runoff election for the presidency held on 8 November of that year . The presidency , as well as all seats in the House of Representatives and Senate were up for election . The election marked the end of the political transition following Liberia 's second civil war and had been stipulated in the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2003 . Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , former World Bank employee and Liberian finance minister , won the presidential contest and became the first democratically elected female African head of state in January 2006 .   The election was the first held since the 1997 general election and the election of Charles Taylor and the National Patriotic Party .


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 .


Christian Bale worked with David O. Russell.

American Hustle American Hustle is a 2013 American black comedy-crime film directed by David O. Russell . It was written by Eric Warren Singer and Russell , inspired by the FBI ABSCAM operation of the late 1970s and early 1980s . It stars Christian Bale and Amy Adams as two con artists who are forced by an FBI agent ( Bradley Cooper ) to set up an elaborate sting operation on corrupt politicians , including the mayor of Camden , New Jersey ( Jeremy Renner ) . Jennifer Lawrence plays the unpredictable wife of Bale 's character . Principal photography on the film began on March 8 , 2013 , in Boston and Worcester , Massachusetts , and New York City .   American Hustle had its nationwide release in the United States on December 13 , 2013 . It opened to wide acclaim from critics , who praised its writing and ensemble cast . The film received ten nominations at the 86th Academy Awards , including Best Picture , Best Director , Best Original Screenplay , Best Actor ( Bale ) , Best Actress ( Adams ) , Best Supporting Actor ( Cooper ) , and Best Supporting Actress ( Lawrence ) , but did not win in any category . It received three BAFTA Awards , three Golden Globe Awards including Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy , and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture .


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 ) .


Kid Rock only released one single, "Bawitdaba".

Kid Rock Robert James Ritchie ( born January 17 , 1971 ) , known professionally as Kid Rock , is an American singer , rapper , songwriter , musician , record producer , and actor . His 1998 album Devil Without a Cause sold 14 million copies worldwide . He is a five-time Grammy Award nominee and has sold 25 million albums in the U.S. according to Nielsen SoundScan . The RIAA certified him selling 23.5 million albums . He has sold over 35 million records worldwide and he was Soundscan 's number-one selling male solo musician of the 2000s , selling 17.6 million albums ; he was 17th overall for the decade .   Rock performed rap and hip hop with five releases between 1990 and 1997 , including a reissue and an EP . After signing a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 1998 , he gained commercial success in the rap rock genre behind the singles `` Bawitdaba '' , `` Cowboy '' and `` Only God Knows Why '' ( the latter foreshadowing his move into country rock ) . After the success of Devil Without a Cause in 2000 , he released The History of Rock , a compilation of remixed and remastered versions of songs from previous albums as well as the hit rock single , `` American Bad Ass '' .   Rock 's follow-up records became more rock - , country - , and blues-oriented , starting with 2001 's Cocky . His collaboration with Sheryl Crow on the song `` Picture '' was his first country hit and biggest pop hit in the US to date charting at No. 4 on the Hot 100 . After 2003 's Kid Rock and 2006 's Live Trucker sales declined from the previous releases , he then released Rock n Roll Jesus in 2007 . The album featured the song `` All Summer Long '' , which charted at No. 1 in eight countries across Europe and Australia . In 2010 , he released Born Free , which featured an eponymous song that became the political campaign theme of Mitt Romney , the Republican nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election .   Rock released Rebel Soul on November 19 , 2012 behind the rock hit `` Let 's Ride '' . The album was certified gold in April 2013 . Kid Rock released First Kiss on February 24 , 2015 behind the hit title track .


In & Out (film) In & Out is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Oz and starring Kevin Kline , Tom Selleck , Joan Cusack , Matt Dillon , Debbie Reynolds , and Wilford Brimley . It is an original story by screenwriter Paul Rudnick . Joan Cusack was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance .   The film was inspired by Tom Hanks 's tearful speech when he accepted his 1994 Oscar ( for his role in Philadelphia ) , in which he mentioned his high-school drama coach Rawley Farnsworth , and his former classmate John Gilkerson , `` two of the finest gay Americans , two wonderful men that I had the good fortune to be associated with . '' The film became one of mainstream Hollywood 's few attempts at a comedic `` gay movie '' of its era , and was widely noted at the time for a 12-second kiss between Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck .


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 .


Funny or Die Funny or Die is a comedy video website and film/TV production company founded by Will Ferrell , Adam McKay and Chris Henchy . The website Funny Or Die contains exclusive material from a regular staff of in-house writers , producers , and directors , and occasionally from a number of famous contributors like Judd Apatow , James Franco , and Norm Macdonald . The production company makes TV shows like truTV 's Billy on the Street , Comedy Central 's @midnight , and Zach Galifianakis 's popular Emmy-winning web series Between Two Ferns .   Many videos on the site feature well-known actors ( examples include Steve Carell , Charlie Sheen , Ryan Gosling , Patrick Stewart , Daniel Radcliffe , Sophia Bush , Mila Kunis , AnnaSophia Robb , Hilary Duff , Adam West , James Van Der Beek , Jim Carrey , Ariel Winter , and Selena Gomez ) . Michael Kvamme , an aspiring young comedian , came up with a concept for a new kind of comedy site ; and the site was developed by Randy Adams .   Funny Or Die launched on April 12 , 2007 with the site 's first video , `` The Landlord '' . `` The Landlord '' has received over 84 million views and features Ferrell confronted by a swearing , beer-drinking two-year-old landlord . In June 2007 , they received venture capital funding from Sequoia Capital , and in June 2008 , they announced a partnership with HBO . On August 3 , 2016 , Funny or Die shut-down one of its California offices , reducing its headcount by 30 % to 95 employees , with the announcement coming just two month after the new CEO , Mike Farah , took office


Gong Yoo is best known by his stage name.

Gong Yoo Gong Ji-chul ( ; born July 10 , 1979 ) , better known by his stage name Gong Yoo , is a South Korean actor . He is best known for his roles in television dramas The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince ( 2007 ) and Guardian : The Lonely and Great God ( 2016-2017 ) , and the films Silenced ( 2011 ) , The Age of Shadows ( 2016 ) , and Train to Busan ( 2016 ) .


All the Pretty Horses is a western film.

All the Pretty Horses (film) All the Pretty Horses is a 2000 American romance western film produced and directed by Billy Bob Thornton , and based on Cormac McCarthy 's novel of the same name . Starring Matt Damon and Penélope Cruz , the film was released on Christmas Day 2000 to mostly negative reviews . It grossed $ 18 million worldwide , against a $ 57 million budget .


Furia is written by anyone except Alexander Aja.

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 .


Kim Basinger Kimila Ann Basinger ( -LSB- ˈbeɪsɪŋər -RSB- ; born December 8 , 1953 ) is an American actress , singer and former fashion model . Following a successful modeling career in New York during the 1970s , Basinger moved to Los Angeles where she began her acting career on television in 1976 . She starred in several made-for-TV films , including a remake of From Here to Eternity ( 1979 ) , before making her feature debut in the 1981 drama Hard Country . She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Lynn Bracken in the 1997 film L.A. Confidential .   Basinger came to prominence playing Bond girl Domino Petachi in the 1983 film Never Say Never Again , opposite Sean Connery , and went on to receive a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Memo Paris in The Natural ( 1984 ) . She starred as Elizabeth in the controversial erotic romantic drama 9 1/2 Weeks ( 1986 ) with Mickey Rourke , and as Vicki Vale in Tim Burton 's blockbuster Batman ( 1989 ) , which remains the highest-grossing film of her career . For her role in L.A. Confidential , she also won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and the SAG Award for Best Supporting Actress . Her other films include I Dreamed of Africa ( 2000 ) , 8 Mile ( 2002 ) , The Door in the Floor ( 2004 ) , Cellular ( 2004 ) , The Nice Guys ( 2016 ) , and Fifty Shades Darker ( 2017 ) .