One example of a staple food are plantains.

Staple food A staple food , or simply a staple , is a food that is eaten routinely and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for a given people , supplying a large fraction of energy needs and generally forming a significant proportion of the intake of other nutrients as well . The staple food of a specific society may be eaten as often as every day or every meal , and most people live on a diet based on just a small number of staples .   Staple foods vary from place to place , but typically they are inexpensive or readily-available foods that supply one or more of the three organic macronutrients needed for survival and health : carbohydrates , proteins , and fats . Typical examples of staples include tubers and roots ; and grains , legumes , and other seeds . Early agricultural civilizations valued the foods that they established as staples because , in addition to providing necessary nutrition , they generally are suitable for storage over long periods of time without decay . Such nonperishable foods are the only possible staples during seasons of shortage , such as dry seasons or cold temperate winters , against which times harvests have been stored . During seasons of plenty , wider choices of foods may be available .   Main staple foods are derived either from vegetals and animal products , including cereals ( such as rice , wheat , maize , millet , or sorghum ) , starchy tubers or root vegetables ( such as potatoes , cassava , yams , or taro ) , meat , fish , eggs , milk , and cheese . Other staple foods include pulses ( dried legumes ) , sago ( derived from the pith of the sago palm tree ) , and fruits ( such as breadfruit and plantains ) . Staple foods may also contain ( depending on the region ) : olive oil , coconut oil and sugar ( e.g. from plantains ) .


Ward Moore Joseph Ward Moore ( August 10 , 1903 -- January 28 , 1978 ) was an American science fiction writer . According to The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction , `` he contributed only infrequently to the field , -LSB- but -RSB- each of his books became something of a classic . ''


Empress Matilda was the king of England's daughter.

Empress Matilda Empress Matilda ( c. 7 February 110210 September 1167 ) , also known as the Empress Maude , was the claimant to the English throne during the civil war known as the Anarchy . The daughter of King Henry I of England , she moved to Germany as a child when she married the future Holy Roman Emperor Henry V . She travelled with her husband into Italy in 1116 , was controversially crowned in St. Peter 's Basilica , and acted as the imperial regent in Italy . Matilda and Henry had no children , and when Henry died in 1125 , the crown was claimed by Lothair II , one of his political enemies .   Meanwhile , Matilda 's younger brother , William Adelin , died in the White Ship disaster of 1120 , leaving England facing a potential succession crisis . On Henry V 's death , Matilda was recalled to Normandy by her father , who arranged for her to marry Geoffrey of Anjou to form an alliance to protect his southern borders . Henry I had no further legitimate children and nominated Matilda as his heir , making his court swear an oath of loyalty to her and her successors , but the decision was not popular in the Anglo-Norman court . Henry died in 1135 but Matilda and Geoffrey faced opposition from the Norman barons and were unable to pursue their claims . The throne was instead taken by Matilda 's cousin Stephen of Blois , who enjoyed the backing of the English Church . Stephen took steps to solidify his new regime , but faced threats both from neighbouring powers and from opponents within his kingdom .   In 1139 Matilda crossed to England to take the kingdom by force , supported by her half-brother , Robert of Gloucester , and her uncle , King David I of Scotland , while Geoffrey focused on conquering Normandy . Matilda 's forces captured Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141 , but the Empress 's attempt to be crowned at Westminster collapsed in the face of bitter opposition from the London crowds . As a result of this retreat , Matilda was never formally declared Queen of England , and was instead titled the Lady of the English . Robert was captured following the Rout of Winchester in 1141 , and Matilda agreed to exchange him for Stephen . Matilda became trapped in Oxford Castle by Stephen 's forces that winter , and was forced to escape across the frozen River Isis at night to avoid capture . The war degenerated into a stalemate , with Matilda controlling much of the south-west of England , and Stephen the south-east and the Midlands . Large parts of the rest of the country were in the hands of local , independent barons .   Matilda returned to Normandy , now in the hands of her husband , in 1148 , leaving her eldest son to continue the campaign in England ; he eventually succeeded to the throne as Henry II in 1154 . She settled her court near Rouen and for the rest of her life concerned herself with the administration of Normandy , acting on Henry 's behalf when necessary . Particularly in the early years of her son 's reign , she provided political advice and attempted to mediate during the Becket controversy . She worked extensively with the Church , founding Cistercian monasteries , and was known for her piety . She was buried under the high altar at Bec Abbey after her death in 1167 .


Henry I of England Henry I ( c. 1068 -- 1 December 1135 ) , also known as Henry Beauclerc , was King of England from 1100 to his death . Henry was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts . On William 's death in 1087 , Henry 's elder brothers Robert Curthose and William Rufus inherited Normandy and England , respectively , but Henry was left landless . Henry purchased the County of Cotentin in western Normandy from Robert , but William and Robert deposed him in 1091 . Henry gradually rebuilt his power base in the Cotentin and allied himself with William against Robert . Henry was present when William died in a hunting accident in 1100 , and he seized the English throne , promising at his coronation to correct many of William 's less popular policies . Henry married Matilda of Scotland but continued to have a large number of mistresses , by whom he had many illegitimate children .   Robert , who invaded in 1101 , disputed Henry 's control of England ; this military campaign ended in a negotiated settlement that confirmed Henry as king . The peace was short-lived , and Henry invaded the Duchy of Normandy in 1105 and 1106 , finally defeating Robert at the Battle of Tinchebray . Henry kept Robert imprisoned for the rest of his life . Henry 's control of Normandy was challenged by Louis VI of France , Baldwin VII of Flanders and Fulk V of Anjou , who promoted the rival claims of Robert 's son , William Clito , and supported a major rebellion in the Duchy between 1116 and 1119 . Following Henry 's victory at the Battle of Brémule , a favourable peace settlement was agreed with Louis in 1120 .   Considered by contemporaries to be a harsh but effective ruler , Henry skilfully manipulated the barons in England and Normandy . In England , he drew on the existing Anglo-Saxon system of justice , local government and taxation , but also strengthened it with additional institutions , including the royal exchequer and itinerant justices . Normandy was also governed through a growing system of justices and an exchequer . Many of the officials who ran Henry 's system were `` new men '' of obscure backgrounds rather than from families of high status , who rose through the ranks as administrators . Henry encouraged ecclesiastical reform , but became embroiled in a serious dispute in 1101 with Archbishop Anselm of Canterbury , which was resolved through a compromise solution in 1105 . He supported the Cluniac order and played a major role in the selection of the senior clergy in England and Normandy .   Henry 's only legitimate son and heir , William Adelin , drowned in the White Ship disaster of 1120 , throwing the royal succession into doubt . Henry took a second wife , Adeliza , in the hope of having another son , but their marriage was childless . In response to this , Henry declared his daughter , Matilda , his heir and married her to Geoffrey of Anjou . The relationship between Henry and the couple became strained , and fighting broke out along the border with Anjou . Henry died on 1 December 1135 after a week of illness . Despite his plans for Matilda , the King was succeeded by his nephew , Stephen of Blois , resulting in a period of civil war known as the Anarchy .


Foxcatcher was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture.

Foxcatcher Foxcatcher is a 2014 American biographical sports true crime drama film produced and directed by Bennett Miller . Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman , the film stars Steve Carell , Channing Tatum , and Mark Ruffalo . The film 's plot is loosely based on the events surrounding multimillionaire E.I. du Pont family heir and wrestling enthusiast John E. du Pont 's 1986 recruitment of 1984 U.S. Olympic gold medalist wrestlers Mark Schultz and his older brother Dave to help coach U.S. wrestlers for participation in national , world , and Olympic competition , and the subsequent murder of Dave by du Pont in January 1996 . Although the film 's action is largely set at du Pont 's now-broken-up 800-acre suburban Philadelphia estate Foxcatcher Farm , the majority of the movie was filmed in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area .   Foxcatcher received critical acclaim for the performances of Carell , Tatum , and Ruffalo , as well as Miller 's direction and the film 's visual style and tone . It was nominated for the Palme d'Or in the main competition section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival , where Miller won the Best Director Award . The film had three Golden Globe Award nominations , including Best Picture . The film was nominated for five Oscars at the 2015 Academy Awards , including a Best Actor nomination for Carell , Best Supporting Actor for Ruffalo and Best Director for Miller . It became the first film to be nominated for Best Director but not Best Picture since 2008 , when Julian Schnabel was nominated for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly , two years before the Academy extended its maximum number of Best Picture nominees to 10 films .


Tyrese Gibson had a role in a film series.

Tyrese Gibson Tyrese Darnell Gibson ( born December 30 , 1978 ) , also known mononymously as Tyrese , is an American Grammy-nominated singer , songwriter , actor , author , television producer , former fashion model and MTV VJ . He is best known for his roles as Joseph `` Jody '' Summers in Baby Boy , Roman Pearce in the Fast and the Furious series and Robert Epps in the Transformers film series . After releasing several albums , he transitioned into films , with lead roles in several major Hollywood releases .


Sleep can be disrupted by circadian rhythm sleep.

Sleep Sleep is a naturally recurring state of mind and body characterized by altered consciousness , relatively inhibited sensory activity , inhibition of nearly all voluntary muscles , and reduced interactions with surroundings . It is distinguished from wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli , but is more easily reversed than the state of being comatose . Sleep occurs in repeating periods , in which the body alternates between two highly distinct modes known as non-REM and REM sleep . Although REM stands for `` rapid eye movement '' , this mode of sleep has many other aspects , including virtual paralysis of the body . A well-known feature of sleep is the dream , an experience typically recounted in narrative form , which resembles waking life while in progress , but which usually can later be distinguished as fantasy .   During sleep , most of the body 's systems are in an anabolic state , helping to restore the immune , nervous , skeletal , and muscular systems ; these are vital processes that maintain mood , memory , and cognitive performance and plays a large role in the function of the endocrine and immune systems . The internal circadian clock promotes sleep daily at night . The diverse purposes and mechanisms of sleep are the subject of substantial ongoing research . The advent of artificial light has substantially altered sleep timing in industrialized countries .   Humans may suffer from various sleep disorders , including dyssomnias , such as insomnia , hypersomnia , narcolepsy , and sleep apnea ; parasomnias , such as sleepwalking and REM behavior disorder ; bruxism ; and circadian rhythm sleep disorders .


The Vampire Diaries was developed by an American born in February.

Julie Plec Julie Plec ( born May 26 , 1972 ) is an American television producer and writer , known for her work on the CW television series The Vampire Diaries which she co-created with Kevin Williamson , and its spin-off The Originals , also the TV series Containment


Kevin Williamson (screenwriter) Kevin Meade Williamson ( born March 14 , 1965 ) is an American screenwriter , filmmaker , and actor , best known as the creator of the TV series Dawson 's Creek ( 1998 -- 2003 ) , The Vampire Diaries ( 2009 -- 2017 ) , The Following ( 2013 -- 2015 ) and Stalker ( 2014 -- 2015 ) .  He is also widely known for developing and writing the screenplay for the slasher film Scream , as well as its sequels Scream 2 and Scream 4 . He also wrote the screenplay for the films I Know What You Did Last Summer , The Faculty , Teaching Mrs. Tingle ( which he also directed ) , and Cursed .


The Vampire Diaries The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec , based on the popular book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith . The series premiered on The CW on September 10 , 2009 and concluded on March 10 , 2017 , airing 171 episodes over eight seasons .   The pilot episode attracted the largest audience for The CW of any series premiere since the network began in 2006 . The first season averaged 3.60 million viewers . It was the most-watched series on the network before being supplanted by Arrow . The show has received numerous award nominations , winning four People 's Choice Award and many Teen Choice Awards .   On April 26 , 2013 , The CW officially announced that the spin-off The Originals , which focuses on the Original family of vampires , had been ordered to series , and the show began airing during the 2013 -- 14 American television season .   On April 6 , 2015 , lead actress Nina Dobrev confirmed via Instagram that she and co-star Michael Trevino ( who plays Tyler Lockwood ) would be leaving the show after its sixth season . Dobrev returned to record a voiceover for the seventh-season finale . Trevino appeared as a guest star in season seven and returned for season 8 . On March 11 , 2016 , The CW renewed the series for an eighth season , but on July 23 , 2016 , announced that the eighth season , which would have 16 episodes , would be the show 's last . The final season began airing on October 21 , 2016 .


Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro , ( -LSB- kɾiʃ ` tjɐnu ʁuˈnaɫdu -RSB- , born 5 February 1985 ) is a Portuguese professional footballer for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Portugal national team . He primarily plays as a forward , but has also been deployed as a winger and serves as captain for Portugal . In 2008 , he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards . Ronaldo then won the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2013 and 2014 . In 2016 , he received his fourth Ballon d'Or , the most for a European player in the history of the award , and the inaugural Best FIFA Men 's Player . In 2015 , Ronaldo scored his 500th senior career goal for club and country . Two years later , he surpassed Jimmy Greaves as the all-time top-scorer in the top five European leagues .   Often ranked the best player in the world and widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time , Ronaldo was named the best Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federation , during its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2015 . He was the first player to win four European Golden Shoe awards . One of the most marketable athletes in sport , in 2016 Forbes named Ronaldo the world 's best paid athlete . ESPN ranked him the world 's most famous athlete in 2016 and 2017 .   Ronaldo began his senior club career playing for Sporting CP , before signing with Manchester United at age 18 in 2003 . After winning his first trophy , the FA Cup , during his first season in England , he helped United win three successive Premier League titles , a UEFA Champions League title , and a FIFA Club World Cup . By age 23 , he had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations . He was the subject of the most expensive association football transfer when he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009 in a transfer worth $ 94 million ( $ 132 million ) . In Spain , he has won two La Liga titles , two Copas del Rey , two Champions League titles , and two Club World Cups . Ronaldo holds the record for most goals scored in a single UEFA Champions League season , having scored 17 goals in the 2013 -- 14 season . In 2014 , Ronaldo became the fastest player to score 200 goals in La Liga , which he achieved in his 178th La Liga game . He is the only player in the history of football to score more than 50 goals in a season on six consecutive occasions . In 2015 , Ronaldo became the all-time top goalscorer in the UEFA Champions League , and he also became Real Madrid 's all-time leading goalscorer . In 2017 , he became the first player to reach 100 goals in European club competitions , as well as in the UEFA Champions League . He is the second highest goalscorer in La Liga history behind Lionel Messi , his perceived career rival .   Ronaldo made his international debut for Portugal in August 2003 , at the age of 18 . He is Portugal 's most capped player of all time with over 130 caps , and has participated in seven major tournaments : four UEFA European Championships ( 2004 , 2008 , 2012 and 2016 ) and three FIFA World Cups ( 2006 , 2010 and 2014 ) . He is the first Portuguese player to reach 50 international goals , making him Portugal 's all-time top goalscorer . He scored his first international goal in Euro 2004 and helped Portugal reach the final . He took over full captaincy in July 2008 , and he led Portugal to the semi-finals at Euro 2012 , finishing the competition as joint-top scorer . In November 2014 , Ronaldo became the all-time top scorer in the UEFA European Championship ( including qualifying ) with 23 goals . At Euro 2016 , he became the most capped player of all-time in the tournament , the first player to score at four consecutive European Championship finals , and also equalled Michel Platini 's all-time record for most goals scored in the competition . Ronaldo lifted the trophy after Portugal defeated France in the final , and he received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer of the tournament .


Stranger Things has at least five seasons.

Stranger Things Stranger Things is an American science fiction-horror web television series created , written , directed and co-executive produced by the Duffer Brothers , as well as co-executive-produced by Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen . The first season stars Winona Ryder , David Harbour , Finn Wolfhard , Millie Bobby Brown , Gaten Matarazzo , Caleb McLaughlin , Natalia Dyer , Charlie Heaton , Cara Buono , and Matthew Modine , with Noah Schnapp and Joe Keery in recurring roles . The second season will see Schnapp and Keery promoted to series regulars , along with the addition of Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery .   Set in the fictional town of Hawkins , Indiana in the 1980s , the first season focuses on the investigation into the disappearance of a young boy by his friends , older brother and traumatized mother and the local police chief , amid supernatural events occurring around the town including the appearance of a psychokinetic girl who helps the missing boy 's friends in their own search . The second season is set a year after the first , and deals with attempts of the characters to return to normal and consequences from that season .   The Duffer Brothers developed the series as a mix of investigative drama alongside supernatural elements with childlike sensibilities , establishing its time frame in the 1980s and creating a homage #Noun to pop culture of that decade . Several themes and directorial aspects were inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Steven Spielberg , John Carpenter , and Stephen King , among others .   The series was released on Netflix on July 15 , 2016 . It received critical acclaim for its characterization , pacing , atmosphere , acting , soundtrack , directing , writing and homages to 1980s genre films . The series has received several industry nominations and awards , including winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2016 . On August 31 , 2016 , Netflix renewed the series for a second season of nine episodes , which is set to be released on October 31 , 2017 .


One of the predators of elephants are lions.

Elephant Elephants are large mammals of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea . Three species are recognised , the African bush elephant ( Loxodonta africana ) , the African forest elephant ( L. cyclotis ) , and the Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus ) . Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa , South Asia , and Southeast Asia . Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea ; other , now extinct , members of the order include deinotheres , gomphotheres , mammoths , and mastodons . Male African elephants are the largest extant terrestrial animals and can reach a height of 4 m and weigh 7000 kg . All elephants have several distinctive features , the most notable of which is a long trunk or proboscis , used for many purposes , particularly breathing , lifting water , and grasping objects . Their incisors grow into tusks , which can serve as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging . Elephants ' large ear flaps help to control their body temperature . Their pillar-like legs can carry their great weight . African elephants have larger ears and concave backs while Asian elephants have smaller ears and convex or level backs .   Elephants are herbivorous and can be found in different habitats including savannahs , forests , deserts , and marshes . They prefer to stay near water . They are considered to be keystone species due to their impact on their environments . Other animals tend to keep their distance from elephants while predators , such as lions , tigers , hyenas , and any wild dogs , usually target only young elephants ( or `` calves '' ) . Females ( `` cows '' ) tend to live in family groups , which can consist of one female with her calves or several related females with offspring . The groups are led by an individual known as the matriarch , often the oldest cow . Elephants have a fission -- fusion society in which multiple family groups come together to socialise . Males ( `` bulls '' ) leave their family groups when they reach puberty and may live alone or with other males . Adult bulls mostly interact with family groups when looking for a mate and enter a state of increased testosterone and aggression known as musth , which helps them gain dominance and reproductive success . Calves are the centre of attention in their family groups and rely on their mothers for as long as three years . Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild . They communicate by touch , sight , smell , and sound ; elephants use infrasound , and seismic communication over long distances . Elephant intelligence has been compared with that of primates and cetaceans . They appear to have self-awareness and show empathy for dying or dead individuals of their kind .   African elephants are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) while the Asian elephant is classed as endangered . One of the biggest threats to elephant populations is the ivory trade , as the animals are poached for their ivory tusks . Other threats to wild elephants include habitat destruction and conflicts with local people . Elephants are used as working animals in Asia . In the past , they were used in war ; today , they are often controversially put on display in zoos , or exploited for entertainment in circuses . Elephants are highly recognisable and have been featured in art , folklore , religion , literature , and popular culture .


Famous in Love Famous in Love is an American drama television series that premiered on Freeform on April 18 , 2017 , and is based on the novel of the same name by Rebecca Serle . The series stars Bella Thorne , Charlie DePew , Georgie Flores , Carter Jenkins , Niki Koss , Keith Powers , Pepi Sonuga , and Perrey Reeves .


Chris Terrio writes screenplays professionally.

Chris Terrio Chris Terrio ( born December 31 , 1976 ) is an American screenwriter and film director . He is best known for writing the screenplay for the 2012 film Argo , for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay . Terrio also won the Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay of 2012 and was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay , a BAFTA and the 2013 Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Adapted Screenplay .   Terrio wrote the screenplay for Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , the follow-up to Zack Snyder 's Man of Steel , based on an earlier draft by David S. Goyer . He has also recently completed a screenplay entitled A Foreigner , based on an article by the journalist David Grann , and Justice League for Warner Bros .


Robert Browning was born in May of 1812.

Robert Browning Robert Browning ( 7 May 1812 -- 12 December 1889 ) was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of the dramatic monologue made him one of the foremost Victorian poets . His poems are known for their irony , characterization , dark humour , social commentary , historical settings , and challenging vocabulary and syntax .   Browning 's early career began promisingly , but was not a success . The long poem Pauline brought him to the attention of Dante Gabriel Rossetti , and was followed by Paracelsus , which was praised by William Wordsworth and Charles Dickens , but in 1840 the difficult Sordello , which was seen as wilfully obscure , brought his poetry into disrepute . His reputation took more than a decade to recover , during which time he moved away from the Shelleyan forms of his early period and developed a more personal style .   In 1846 Browning married the older poet Elizabeth Barrett , who at the time was considerably better known than himself . So started one of history 's most famous literary marriages . They went to live in Italy , a country he called `` my university '' , and which features frequently in his work . By the time of her death in 1861 , he had published the crucial collection Men and Women . The collection Dramatis Personae and the book-length epic poem The Ring and the Book followed , and made him a leading British poet . He continued to write prolifically , but his reputation today rests largely on the poetry he wrote in this middle period .   When Browning died in 1889 , he was regarded as a sage and philosopher-poet who through his writing had made contributions to Victorian social and political discourse -- as in the poem Caliban upon Setebos , which some critics have seen as a comment on the theory of evolution , which had recently been put forward by Darwin and others . Unusually for a poet , societies for the study of his work were founded while he was still alive . Such Browning Societies remained common in Britain and the United States until the early 20th century .   Browning 's admirers have tended to temper their praise with reservations about the length and difficulty of his most ambitious poems , particularly The Ring and the Book . Nevertheless , they have included such eminent writers as Henry James , Oscar Wilde , George Bernard Shaw , G. K. Chesterton , Ezra Pound , Jorge Luis Borges , and Vladimir Nabokov . Among living writers , Stephen King 's The Dark Tower series and A.S. Byatt 's Possession refer directly to Browning 's work .   Today Browning 's critically most esteemed poems include the monologues Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came , Fra Lippo Lippi , Andrea Del Sarto , and My Last Duchess . His most popular poems include Porphyria 's Lover , How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix , the diptych Meeting at Night , the patriotic Home Thoughts from Abroad , and the children 's poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin . His abortive dinner-party recital of How They Brought The Good News was recorded on an Edison wax cylinder , and is believed to be the oldest surviving recording made in the United Kingdom of a notable person .


Czech Republic is a sovereign nation in Central Europe.

Nation state A nation state is a type of state that joins the political entity of a state to the cultural entity of a nation , from which it aims to derive its political legitimacy to rule and potentially its status as a sovereign state .  A state is specifically a political and geopolitical entity , whilst a nation is a cultural and ethnic one . The term `` nation state '' implies that the two coincide , in that a state has chosen to adopt and endorse a specific cultural group as associated with it .   The concept of a nation state can be compared and contrasted with that of the multinational state , city state , empire , confederation , and other state formations with which it may overlap . The key distinction is the identification of a people with a polity in the `` nation state '' .


Czech Republic The Czech Republic ( -LSB- ˈtʃɛkiə -RSB- , ; Česko , -LSB- ˈt͡ʃɛsko -RSB- ) , is a nation state in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west , Austria to the south , Slovakia to the east and Poland to the northeast . The Czech Republic covers an area of 78866 km2 with a mostly temperate continental climate and oceanic climate . It is a unitary parliamentary republic , has 10.5 million inhabitants and the capital and largest city is Prague , with over 1.2 million residents . The Czech Republic includes the historical territories of Bohemia , Moravia , and Czech Silesia .   The Czech state was formed in the late 9th century as the Duchy of Bohemia under the Great Moravian Empire . After the fall of the Empire in 907 , the centre of power transferred from Moravia to Bohemia under the Přemyslid dynasty . In 1002 , the duchy was formally recognized as part of the Holy Roman Empire , becoming the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198 and reaching its greatest territorial extent in the 14th century . Besides Bohemia itself , the king of Bohemia ruled the lands of the Bohemian Crown , he had a vote in the election of the Holy Roman Emperor , and Prague was the imperial seat in periods between the 14th and 17th century . In the Hussite wars of the 15th century driven by the Protestant Bohemian Reformation , the kingdom faced economic embargoes and defeated five consecutive crusades proclaimed by the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church .   Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526 , the whole Crown of Bohemia was gradually integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy alongside the Archduchy of Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary . The Protestant Bohemian Revolt ( 1618 -- 20 ) against the Catholic Habsburgs led to the Thirty Years ' War . After the Battle of the White Mountain , the Habsburgs consolidated their rule , eradicated Protestantism and reimposed Roman Catholicism , and also adopted a policy of gradual Germanization . With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 , the Bohemian Kingdom became part of the Austrian Empire and the Czech language experienced a revival as a consequence of widespread romantic nationalism . In the 19th century , the Czech lands became the industrial powerhouse of the monarchy and were subsequently the core of the Republic of Czechoslovakia , which was formed in 1918 following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I.   The Czech part of Czechoslovakia was occupied by Germany in World War II , and was liberated in 1945 by the armies of the Soviet Union and the United States . The Czech country lost the majority of its German-speaking inhabitants after they were expelled following the war . The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia won the 1946 elections . Following the 1948 coup d'état , Czechoslovakia became a one-party communist state under Soviet influence . In 1968 , increasing dissatisfaction with the regime culminated in a reform movement known as the Prague Spring , which ended in a Soviet-led invasion .   The first separate Czech republic was created on 1 January 1969 , under the name Czech Socialistic Republic within federalization of Czechoslovakia , however the federalization was implemented only incompletely . Czechoslovakia remained occupied until the 1989 Velvet Revolution , when the communist regime collapsed and a democracy and federalization was deepened . On 6 March 1990 , the Czech Socialistic Republic was renamed to the Czech Republic . On 1 January 1993 , Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved , with its constituent states becoming the independent states of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic .   The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union ( EU ) in 2004 ; it is a member of the United Nations , the OECD , the OSCE , and the Council of Europe . It is a developed country with an advanced , high income economy and high living standards . The UNDP ranks the country 14th in inequality-adjusted human development . In 2017 , Czech citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 168 countries and territories , ranking the Czech passport 9th in the world ( after 25 other countries ) . The Czech Republic also ranks as the 6th most peaceful country , while achieving strong performance in democratic governance . It has the lowest unemployment rate of EU members .


Alpha House's inspiration is Senator Dick Durbin.

Alpha House Alpha House is an American political satire web television series produced by Amazon Studios . The show stars John Goodman , Clark Johnson , Matt Malloy and Mark Consuelos as four Republican U.S. Senators who share a house in Washington , D.C. . It was created by Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau . The show premiered on Amazon.com on April 19 , 2013 .   The series is inspired by several actual Democratic legislators who share a row house in D.C. : Senator Dick Durbin ( D-IL ) , Senator Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) , and Representative George Miller ( D-CA ) . The series has a number of cameos from celebrities such as Bill Murray ( as Senator Vernon Smits ) and politicians such as Schumer as himself .  Amazon Studios offered the first three episodes of Alpha House for free , with each subsequent episode released weekly thereafter for Amazon Prime members on Amazon Video .   On February 11 , 2014 , the series was renewed for a second season . Production for the second season began filming in July 2014 , and the entire second season became available on Amazon.com on October 24 , 2014 . The series was canceled after the second season .


The Nile fails to drain through South Sudan.

Nile The Nile ( النيل , Egyptian Arabic en-Nīl , Standard Arabic an-Nīl ; ⲫⲓⲁⲣⲱ , P ( h ) iaro ; Ancient Egyptian : Ḥ ` pī and Iteru ; Biblical Hebrew : יאור , Ye'or ) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa . It is generally regarded as the longest river in the world , however other conflicting sources cite a 2007 study that gave the title to the Amazon River in South America . The Nile , which is 6,853 km ( 4,258 miles ) long , is an `` international '' river as its drainage basin covers eleven countries , namely , Tanzania , Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi , Congo-Kinshasa , Kenya , Ethiopia , Eritrea , South Sudan , Sudan and Egypt . In particular , the Nile is the primary water source of Egypt and Sudan .   The Nile has two major tributaries , the White Nile and Blue Nile . The White Nile is considered to be the headwaters and primary stream of the Nile itself . The Blue Nile , however , is the source of most of the water and silt . The White Nile is longer and rises in the Great Lakes region of central Africa , with the most distant source still undetermined but located in either Rwanda or Burundi . It flows north through Tanzania , Lake Victoria , Uganda and South Sudan . The Blue Nile ( ዓባይ , ʿĀbay ) begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia and flows into Sudan from the southeast . The two rivers meet just north of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum .   The northern section of the river flows north almost entirely through the Sudanese desert to Egypt , then ends in a large delta and flows into the Mediterranean Sea . Egyptian civilization and Sudanese kingdoms have depended on the river since ancient times . Most of the population and cities of Egypt lie along those parts of the Nile valley north of Aswan , and nearly all the cultural and historical sites of Ancient Egypt are found along riverbanks .   In the ancient Egyptian language , the Nile is called Ḥ ` pī or Iteru ( Hapy ) , meaning `` river '' . In Coptic , the words piaro ( Sahidic ) or phiaro ( Bohairic ) meaning `` the river '' ( lit . p ( h ) . iar-o `` the.canal-great '' ) come from the same ancient name .   The English name Nile and the Arabic names en-Nîl and an-Nîl both derive from the Latin Nilus and the Ancient Greek Νεῖλος . Beyond that , however , the etymology is disputed . One possible etymology derives it from a Semitic Nahal , meaning `` river '' . The standard English names `` White Nile '' and `` Blue Nile '' , to refer to the river 's source , derive from Arabic names formerly applied only to the Sudanese stretches which meet at Khartoum .


Argo (2012 film) Argo is a 2012 American historical drama film directed by Ben Affleck . The screenplay by Chris Terrio is adapted from U.S. Central Intelligence Agency operative Tony Mendez 's book The Master of Disguise and Joshuah Bearman 's 2007 Wired article `` The Great Escape : How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran . '' The latter deals with the `` Canadian Caper , '' in which Mendez led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran , Iran , under the guise of filming a science fiction film during the 1979 -- 1981 Iran hostage crisis .   The film stars Affleck as Mendez with Bryan Cranston , Alan Arkin and John Goodman in supporting roles , and was released in the United States on October 12 , 2012 . The film was produced by Grant Heslov , Affleck and George Clooney .   Upon release , Argo received widespread acclaim , with praise directed towards the acting ( particularly Arkin ) , Affleck 's direction , Terrio 's screenplay , the editing and Desplat 's score . The film received seven nominations at the 85th Academy Awards and won three , for Best Picture , Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing . The film also earned five Golden Globe Award nominations , winning Best Motion Picture -- Drama and Best Director , while being nominated for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture for Alan Arkin . It won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 19th Screen Actors Guild Awards , with Arkin being nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role . It also won Best Film , Best Editing and Best Director at the 66th British Academy Film Awards and 37th Hochi Film Award for Best International Picture .   Despite its praise , Argo has also been criticized for some specific inaccuracies : in particular for minimizing the role of the Canadian embassy in the rescue , for falsely showing that the Americans were turned away by the British and New Zealand embassies , and for exaggerating the danger that the group faced during events preceding their escape from the country .


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the last novel of the Harry Potter Series.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final novel of the Harry Potter series , written by British author J. K. Rowling . The book was released on 21 July 2007 by Bloomsbury Publishing in the United Kingdom , in the United States by Scholastic , and in Canada by Raincoast Books , ending the series that began in 1997 with the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone . The novel chronicles the events directly following Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ( 2005 ) , and the final confrontation between the wizards Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort , as well as revealing the previously concealed back story of several main characters . The title of the book refers to three mythical objects featured in the story , collectively known as the `` Deathly Hallows '' -- an unbeatable wand , a stone to bring the dead to life , and a cloak of invisibility .   Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in January 2007 . Before its release , Bloomsbury reportedly spent # 10 million to keep the book 's contents safe before its release date . American publisher Arthur Levine refused any copies of the novel to be released in advance for press review , although two reviews were submitted early . Shortly before release , photos of all 759 pages of the U.S. edition were leaked and transcribed , leading Scholastic to look for the source that had leaked it .   Released globally in 93 countries , Deathly Hallows broke sales records as the fastest-selling book ever , a record it still held in 2012 . It sold 15 million copies in the first 24 hours following its release , including more than 11 million in the U.S. and UK alone . The previous record , 9 million in its first day , had been held by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . The novel has also been translated into over 120 languages . The title proved difficult to translate and was often rendered closer to `` Harry Potter and the Relics of Death '' in other languages .   Major themes in the novel are death and living in a corrupted society , and critics have compared them to Christian allegories . Generally well-received , the book won the 2008 Colorado Blue Spruce Book Award , and the American Library Association named it a `` Best Book for Young Adults '' . A two-part film adaptation began showing in November 2010 when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1 was released ; Part 2 was released on 15 July 2011 .


Destiny was released exclusively for the Wii.

Destiny (video game) Destiny is an online-only multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Activision . It was released worldwide on September 9 , 2014 , for the PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , Xbox 360 , and Xbox One consoles . Destiny marked Bungie 's first new console franchise since the Halo series , and it is the first game in a ten-year agreement between Bungie and Activision . Set in a `` mythic science fiction '' world , the game features a multiplayer `` shared-world '' environment with elements of role-playing games . Activities in Destiny are divided among player versus environment ( PvE ) and player versus player ( PvP ) game types . In addition to normal story missions , PvE features three-player `` strikes '' and six-player raids . A free roam patrol mode is also available for each planet and features public events . PvP features objective-based modes , as well as traditional deathmatch game modes .   Players take on the role of a Guardian , protectors of Earth 's last safe city as they wield a power called Light to protect the City from different alien races . Guardians are tasked with reviving a celestial being called the Traveler , while journeying to different planets to investigate and destroy the alien threats before humanity is completely wiped out . Bungie released four expansion packs , furthering the story , and adding new content , missions , and new PvP modes . Year One of Destiny featured two small expansions , The Dark Below in December 2014 and House of Wolves in May 2015 . A third , larger expansion , The Taken King , was released in September 2015 and marked the beginning of Year Two , changing much of the core gameplay . In December 2015 , Destiny shifted to an event-based model , featuring more limited-time events . A new , large expansion called Rise of Iron was released in September 2016 , beginning Year Three . Rise of Iron was only released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One ; PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 clients subsequently stopped receiving updates . A full sequel , Destiny 2 , is scheduled for September 2017 .   Upon its release , Destiny received mixed to positive reviews with criticism centered mostly around the game 's storyline and post-campaign content . The game was praised for maintaining lineage from the Halo franchise , particularly in regards to its competitive experiences . On day one of its release , it sold over US$ 500 million at retail , making it the biggest new franchise launch of all time . It was GamesRadar 's 2014 Game of the Year and it received the BAFTA Award for Best Game at the 2014 British Academy Video Games Awards .


Warren Buffett developed an interest in a topic.

Warren Buffett Warren Edward Buffett ( -LSB- ˈbʌfᵻt -RSB- born August 30 , 1930 ) is an American business magnate , investor , and philanthropist . He is considered by some to be one of the most successful investors in the world , and as of March 2017 is the second wealthiest person in the United States , and the fourth wealthiest in the world , with a total net worth of $ 73.3 billion .   Born in Omaha , Buffett developed an interest in business and investing in his youth , eventually entering the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1947 before transferring and graduating from University of Nebraska -- Lincoln . After graduating at 19 , Buffett enrolled at Columbia Business School of Columbia University , learning and eventually creating his investment philosophy around a concept pioneered by Benjamin Graham -- value investing . He attended New York Institute of Finance to specialize his economics background and soon after began various business partnerships , including one with Graham . After meeting Charlie Munger , Buffett created the Buffett Partnership . His firm would eventually acquire a textile manufacturing firm called Berkshire Hathaway and assume its name to create a diversified holding company .   Buffett has been the chairman and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway since 1970 , and his business exploits have had him referred to as the `` Wizard '' , `` Oracle '' or `` Sage '' of Omaha by global media outlets . He is noted for his adherence to value investing and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth .   Buffett is a notable philanthropist , having pledged to give away 99 percent of his fortune to philanthropic causes , primarily via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation . In 2009 , with Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg , Warren founded The Giving Pledge , whereby billionaires pledge to give away at least half of their fortunes .   He is also active in contributing to political causes , having endorsed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the 2016 U.S. presidential election ; he has publicly opposed the policies , actions , and statements of the current U.S. president , Donald Trump .


The Incredibles wasn't Brad Bird's film.

The Incredibles The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated superhero film written and directed by Brad Bird , produced by Pixar Animation Studios , and released by Walt Disney Pictures . The film follows a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers and live a quiet suburban life . Mr. Incredible 's desire to help people draws the entire family into a battle with his longtime enemy -- Syndrome , who was once his fan and now plots to wipe out every single superhuman being on Earth with his killer robot .   Bird , who was Pixar 's first outside director , developed the film as an extension of 1960s comic books and spy films from his boyhood and personal family life . He pitched the film to Pixar after the box office disappointment of his first feature , The Iron Giant ( 1999 ) , and carried over much of its staff to develop The Incredibles . The animation team was tasked with animating an all-human cast , which required creating new technology to animate detailed human anatomy , clothing and realistic skin and hair . Michael Giacchino composed the film 's orchestral score .   The film premiered on October 27 , 2004 , at the BFI London Film Festival and had its general release in the United States on November 5 , 2004 . The film performed well at the box office , grossing $ 633 million worldwide during its original theatrical run . The Incredibles was met with high critical acclaim , garnering high marks from professional critics , and provoking commentary on its themes . The film received the 2004 Annie Award for Best Animated Feature , along with two Academy Awards . It became the first entirely animated film to win the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation .   A sequel , The Incredibles 2 , is scheduled for release on June 15 , 2018 .


United States presidential election, 1984 The United States presidential election of 1984 was the 50th quadrennial presidential election . It was held on Tuesday , November 6 , 1984 . The contest was between the incumbent President Ronald Reagan from California , the Republican candidate , and former Vice President Walter Mondale from Minnesota , the Democratic candidate .   Reagan carried 49 of the 50 states , becoming one of only two candidates to do so ( the other was Richard Nixon in the 1972 presidential election ) . Reagan touted a strong economic recovery from 1970s stagflation and the 1981 -- 82 recession , as well as the widespread perception that his presidency had overseen a revival of national confidence and prestige .   Although Mondale received 40.6 % of the popular vote , electoral votes are awarded on a winner-take-all basis in each state , resulting in a lopsided electoral vote count . Mondale 's only electoral votes came from the District of Columbia , which had never given its electoral votes to a Republican candidate , and his home state of Minnesota , which he won by a mere 3,761 votes .   Reagan 's 525 electoral votes ( out of 538 ) is the highest total received by a presidential candidate . His showing ranks fifth by percentage of electoral votes received ( 97.58 % ) out of total available electoral votes , just shy of the 523 out of 531 ( 98.49 % ) received by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936 . Mondale 's 13 electoral votes is also the second-fewest received by a second-place candidate , second only to Alf Landon 's 8 in 1936 . In the national popular vote , Reagan received 58.8 % to Mondale 's 40.6 % and the percentage of his margin of victory ranks 7th of all presidential elections . No candidate since then has managed to equal or surpass Reagan 's 1984 electoral result . Also , no post-1984 Republican candidate has managed to match Reagan 's electoral performance in the Northeastern United States and in the West Coast states . At 73 , Reagan was the oldest president and oldest presidential candidate to win a presidential election .   As of 2017 , this is the last time Massachusetts , New York , Oregon , Hawaii , Rhode Island and Washington voted for the Republican candidate .


A Time for Choosing `` A Time for Choosing '' , also known as `` The Speech '' , was a speech presented during the 1964 U.S. presidential election campaign by future president Ronald Reagan on behalf of Republican candidate Barry Goldwater . The speech launched Reagan into national prominence .


Evil empire The phrase evil empire was first applied to the Soviet Union in 1983 by U.S. President Ronald Reagan , who took an aggressive , hard-line stance that favored matching and exceeding the Soviet Union 's strategic and global military capabilities , in calling for a rollback strategy that would , in his words , `` write the final pages of the history of the Soviet Union . '' The characterization demeaned the Soviet Union and angered Soviet leaders . According to G. Thomas Goodnight , the `` Evil Empire '' speech along with the `` Zero Option '' and `` Star Wars '' speeches represented the rhetorical side of the United States ' escalation of the Cold War . In the former , Reagan depicted nuclear warfare as an extension of the `` age old struggle between good and evil '' , while arguing that an increased nuclear inventory as well as progress in science and technology were necessary to prevent global conflict . Through these speeches , the Reagan administration used rhetoric to reshape public knowledge about and attitudes toward nuclear warfare .


Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( -LSB- ˈrɒnəld_ˈwɪlsən_ˈreɪɡən -RSB- ) ( February 6 , 1911 -- June 5 , 2004 ) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 . Before his presidency , he was the 33rd Governor of California , from 1967 to 1975 , after a career as a Hollywood actor and union leader .   Raised in a poor family in small towns of northern Illinois , Reagan graduated from Eureka College in 1932 and worked as a sports announcer on several regional radio stations . After moving to Hollywood in 1937 , he became an actor and starred in a few major productions . Reagan was twice elected President of the Screen Actors Guild , the labor union for actors , where he worked to root out Communist influence . In the 1950s , he moved into television and was a motivational speaker at General Electric factories . Having been a lifelong Democrat , his views changed . He became a conservative and in 1962 switched to the Republican Party . In 1964 , Reagan 's speech , `` A Time for Choosing '' , in support of Barry Goldwater 's foundering presidential campaign , earned him national attention as a new conservative spokesman . Building a network of supporters , he was elected Governor of California in 1966 . As governor , Reagan raised taxes , turned a state budget deficit to a surplus , challenged the protesters at the University of California , ordered National Guard troops in during a period of protest movements in 1969 , and was re-elected in 1970 . He twice ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the U.S. presidency in 1968 and 1976 ; four years later , he easily won the nomination outright , becoming the oldest elected U.S. president up to that time , defeating incumbent Jimmy Carter in 1980 .   Entering the presidency in 1981 , Reagan implemented sweeping new political and economic initiatives . His supply-side economic policies , dubbed `` Reaganomics '' , advocated tax rate reduction to spur economic growth , control of the money supply to curb inflation , economic deregulation , and reduction in government spending . In his first term he survived an assassination attempt , spurred the War on Drugs , and fought public sector labor . Over his two terms , the economy saw a reduction of inflation from 12.5 % to 4.4 % , and an average annual growth of real GDP of 3.4 ; while Reagan did enact cuts in domestic discretionary spending , tax cuts and increased military spending contributed to increased federal outlays overall , even after adjustment for inflation . During his re-election bid , Reagan campaigned on the notion that it was `` Morning in America '' , winning a landslide in 1984 with the largest electoral college victory in American history . Foreign affairs dominated his second term , including ending of the Cold War , the bombing of Libya , and the Iran -- Contra affair . Publicly describing the Soviet Union as an `` evil empire '' , and during his famous speech at the Brandenburg Gate , President Reagan challenged Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to `` tear down this wall ! '' . He transitioned Cold War policy from détente to rollback , by escalating an arms race with the USSR while engaging in talks with Gorbachev , which culminated in the INF Treaty , shrinking both countries ' nuclear arsenals . Reagan 's presidency came during the decline of the Soviet Union and just ten months after the end of his term , the Berlin Wall fell , and on December 26 , 1991 , nearly three years after he left office , the Soviet Union collapsed .   Leaving office in 1989 , Reagan held an approval rating of sixty-eight percent , matching those of Franklin D. Roosevelt , and later Bill Clinton , as the highest ratings for departing presidents in the modern era . He was the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve two full terms , after a succession of five prior presidents failed to do so . While having planned an active post-presidency , in 1994 Reagan disclosed his diagnosis with Alzheimer 's disease earlier that year , appearing publicly for the last time at the funeral of Richard Nixon ; he died ten years later in 2004 at the age of 93 ; Reagan had the second-longest life out of all the presidents ; the current longest lifespan of a president is held by Gerald Ford , who died two years after Reagan . An icon among Republicans , he is viewed favorably in historian rankings of U.S. presidents , and his tenure constituted a realignment toward conservative policies in the U.S.


Reaganomics Reaganomics ( -LSB- reɪgəˈnɒmɪks -RSB- a portmanteau of -LSB- Ronald -RSB- Reagan and economics attributed to Paul Harvey ) refers to the economic policies promoted by U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the 1980s . These policies are commonly associated with supply-side economics , referred to as trickle-down economics or voodoo economics by political opponents , and free-market economics by political advocates .   The four pillars of Reagan 's economic policy were to reduce the growth of government spending , reduce the federal income tax and capital gains tax , reduce government regulation , and tighten the money supply in order to reduce inflation .


Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty ( INF Treaty ) is the abbreviated name of the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles , a 1987 agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union ( and later its successor states , in particular the Russian Federation ) . Signed in Washington , D.C. by President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on 8 December 1987 , the treaty was ratified by the United States Senate on 27 May 1988 and came into force on 1 June 1988 .   The INF Treaty eliminated all nuclear and conventional missiles , as well as their launchers , with ranges of 500 -- 1,000 km ( short-range ) and 1,000 -- 5,500 km ( intermediate-range ) . The treaty did not cover sea-launched missiles . By May 1991 , 2,692 missiles were eliminated , followed by 10 years of on-site verification inspections .


Alfred Hitchcock framed shots to show a feeling.

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock ( 13 August 1899 -- 29 April 1980 ) was an English film director and producer , at times referred to as `` The Master of Suspense '' . He pioneered many elements of the suspense and psychological thriller genres . He had a successful career in British cinema with both silent films and early talkies and became renowned as England 's best director . Hitchcock moved to Hollywood in 1939 , and became a U.S. citizen in 1955 .   Hitchcock became a highly visible public figure through interviews , movie trailers , cameo appearances in his own films , and the ten years in which he hosted the television programme Alfred Hitchcock Presents ( 1955 -- 1965 ) . He also fashioned for himself a recognisable directorial style . Hitchcock 's stylistic trademarks include the use of camera movement that mimics a person 's gaze , forcing viewers to engage in a form of voyeurism . In addition , he framed shots to maximise anxiety , fear , or empathy , and used innovative forms of film editing . His work often features fugitives on the run alongside `` icy blonde '' female characters . In 1978 , film critic John Russell Taylor described Hitchcock as `` the most universally recognizable person in the world '' , and `` a straightforward middle-class Englishman who just happened to be an artistic genius '' .   Prior to 1980 , there had long been talk of Hitchcock being knighted for his contribution to film . Critic Roger Ebert wrote : `` Other British directors like Sir Carol Reed and Sir Charlie Chaplin were knighted years ago , while Hitchcock , universally considered by film students to be one of the greatest filmmakers of all time , was passed over '' . Hitchcock later received his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in the 1980 New Year Honours .   Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career spanning six decades and is often regarded as one of the most influential directors in cinematic history . Following a 2007 critics ' poll by Britain 's Daily Telegraph in which he was ranked Britain 's greatest filmmaker , one scholar wrote : `` Hitchcock did more than any director to shape modern cinema , which would be utterly different without him . His flair was for narrative , cruelly withholding crucial information ( from his characters and from the audience ) and engaging the emotions of the audience like no one else . '' Hitchcock 's first thriller , The Lodger : A Story of the London Fog ( 1926 ) , helped shape the thriller genre in film . His 1929 film , Blackmail , is often cited as the first British sound feature film , while Rear Window ( 1954 ) , Vertigo ( 1958 ) , North by Northwest ( 1959 ) , and Psycho ( 1960 ) are regularly ranked among the greatest films of all time .


Nick Kroll Nicholas `` Nick '' Kroll ( born June 5 , 1978 ) is an American actor , comedian , writer , and producer . He is best known for his role as Rodney Ruxin in the FX/FXX comedy series The League , and for creating and starring in the Comedy Central series Kroll Show . He has had supporting roles in films such as I Love You , Man , Date Night , Get Him to the Greek , Dinner for Shmucks , and A Good Old Fashioned Orgy and more prominent roles in films such as Adult Beginners , Joshy , My Blind Brother , Sausage Party , and Loving .


Michael Shannon Michael Corbett Shannon ( born August 7 , 1974 ) is an American actor and musician . He made his film debut opposite Bill Murray in Groundhog Day ( 1993 ) and received widespread attention for his performance in 8 Mile ( 2002 ) , where he portrayed the boyfriend of Eminem 's character 's mother ( Kim Basinger ) . Shannon is known for his on-screen versatility , performing in both comedies and dramas . Notable projects include Pearl Harbor ( 2001 ) , Bad Boys II ( 2003 ) , Bug ( 2006 ) , Before the Devil Knows You 're Dead ( 2007 ) , The Iceman ( 2012 ) , Man of Steel ( 2013 ) and Elvis & Nixon ( 2016 ) . He is a frequent collaborator with Jeff Nichols , appearing in all of his films : Shotgun Stories ( 2007 ) , Take Shelter ( 2011 ) , Mud ( 2012 ) , Midnight Special and Loving ( both 2016 ) . He is also known for his role as Nelson Van Alden/George Mueller in the HBO period drama series Boardwalk Empire ( 2010 -- 2014 ) .   Shannon has been twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor , first for Revolutionary Road ( 2008 ) and again for Nocturnal Animals ( 2016 ) . 99 Homes ( 2014 ) further earned him nominations for a Screen Actors Guild Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture .


Loving (2016 film) Loving is a 2016 American historical drama film which tells the story of Richard and Mildred Loving , the plaintiffs in the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia , which invalidated state laws prohibiting interracial marriage . The film was produced by Big Beach and Raindog Films , and distributed by Focus Features . The film takes inspiration from The Loving Story ( 2011 ) by Nancy Buirski , a documentary which follows the Lovings and their landmark case .   The film was directed by Jeff Nichols , who also wrote the screenplay . Joel Edgerton stars as Richard Loving , with Ruth Negga co-starring as Mildred Loving . Marton Csokas , Nick Kroll , and Michael Shannon are all featured in supporting roles . Principal photography began in Richmond , Virginia on September 16 , 2015 and ended on November 19 . The locations used for Loving were mainly based in Richmond , also in King and Queen County , Caroline County , Central Point , and Bowling Green .   Loving began a limited release in the United States on November 4 , 2016 , before a wide release on November 11 , 2016 . The film received positive reviews , and was named one of the best films of 2016 by several media outlets . The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival , and was nominated for numerous awards , including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for Edgerton and Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Negga .


Floyd Mayweather Jr. Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. ( born Floyd Joy Sinclair ; February 24 , 1977 ) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2015 , and currently works as a boxing promoter . Widely considered to be one of the greatest boxers of all time , undefeated as a professional , and a five-division world champion , Mayweather won fifteen world titles and the lineal championship in four different weight classes ( twice at welterweight ) . As an amateur , he won a bronze medal in the featherweight division at the 1996 Olympics . Mayweather is a two-time winner of The Ring magazine 's Fighter of the Year award ( 1998 and 2007 ) , a three-time winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America ( BWAA ) Fighter of the Year award ( 2007 , 2013 , and 2015 ) , and a six-time winner of the Best Fighter ESPY Award ( 2007 -- 2010 , 2012 -- 2014 ) .   In 2016 , Mayweather was ranked by ESPN as the greatest boxer , pound for pound , of the last 25 years . In the same year , he peaked as BoxRec 's number one fighter of all time , pound for pound , as well as the greatest welterweight of all time . Many sporting news and boxing websites ranked Mayweather as the best boxer in the world , pound for pound , twice in a span of ten years ; including The Ring , Sports Illustrated , ESPN , BoxRec , Fox Sports , and Yahoo! Sports . He is also regarded as the best defensive boxer in the sport , as well as being the most accurate puncher since the existence of CompuBox , having the highest plus -- minus ratio in recorded boxing history . He finished his career with a record of 26 wins without a loss or draw in world title fights ( 10 by KO ) ; 23 wins ( 9 KOs ) in lineal title fights ; 24 wins ( 7 KOs ) against former or current world titlists ; 12 wins ( 3 KOs ) against former or current lineal champions ; and 2 wins ( 1 KO ) against International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees .   In addition to his accomplishments in the ring , Mayweather is well known for being one of the most lucrative pay-per-view ( PPV ) attractions of all time , in any sport . He topped the Forbes and Sports Illustrated lists of the 50 highest-paid athletes of 2012 and 2013 respectively , and the Forbes list again in both 2014 and 2015 , listing him as the highest paid athlete in the world . In 2007 , he founded Mayweather Promotions , his own boxing promotional firm after defecting from Bob Arum 's Top Rank . Mayweather has generated approximately 19.5 million in PPV buys and $ 1.3 billion in revenue throughout his career , surpassing the likes of former top PPV attractions including Mike Tyson , Evander Holyfield , Lennox Lewis , Oscar De La Hoya , and Manny Pacquiao .


Breaking Bad received 16 season renewals.

Breaking Bad Breaking Bad is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan . The show originally aired on the AMC network for five seasons , from January 20 , 2008 , to September 29 , 2013 . It tells the story of Walter White ( Bryan Cranston ) , a struggling high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer . Together with his former student Jesse Pinkman ( Aaron Paul ) , White turns to a life of crime , producing and selling crystallized methamphetamine to secure his family 's financial future before he dies , while navigating the dangers of the criminal world . The title is from a Southern colloquialism meaning to `` raise hell '' . Breaking Bad is set and was filmed in Albuquerque , New Mexico .   Walter 's family consists of his wife Skyler ( Anna Gunn ) and children , Walter , Jr. ( RJ Mitte ) and Holly ( Elanor Anne Wenrich ) . The show also features Skyler 's sister Marie Schrader ( Betsy Brandt ) , and her husband Hank ( Dean Norris ) , a Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) agent . Walter hires lawyer Saul Goodman ( Bob Odenkirk ) , who connects him with private investigator and fixer Mike Ehrmantraut ( Jonathan Banks ) and in turn Mike 's employer , drug kingpin Gus Fring ( Giancarlo Esposito ) . The final season introduces the characters Todd Alquist ( Jesse Plemons ) and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle ( Laura Fraser ) .   Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time .   By the time the series finale aired , the series was among the most-watched cable shows on American television . The show received numerous awards , including sixteen Primetime Emmy Awards , eight Satellite Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two Peabody Awards , two Critics ' Choice Awards , and four Television Critics Association Awards . For his leading performance , Cranston won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times , while Aaron Paul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times ; Anna Gunn won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series twice . In 2013 , Breaking Bad entered the Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed show of all time .


Buddhism is largely based on the teachings of Jesus.

Buddhism Buddhism ( -LSB- pronˈbʊdɪzəm -RSB- or -LSB- ˈbuːdɪzəm -RSB- ) is an Indian religion and dharma that encompasses a variety of traditions , beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to the Buddha . Buddhism originated in Ancient India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE , from where it spread through much of Asia , whereafter it declined in India during the middle ages . Two major extant branches of Buddhism are generally recognized by scholars : Theravada ( Pali : `` The School of the Elders '' ) and Mahayana ( Sanskrit : `` The Great Vehicle '' ) . Buddhism is the world 's fourth-largest religion , with over 500 million followers or 7 % of the global population , known as Buddhists .   Buddhist schools vary on the exact nature of the path to liberation , the importance and canonicity of various teachings and scriptures , and especially their respective practices . Practices of Buddhism include taking refuge in the Buddha , the Dharma and the Sangha , study of scriptures , observance of moral precepts , renunciation of craving and attachment , the practice of meditation ( including calm and insight ) , the cultivation of wisdom , loving-kindness and compassion , the Mahayana practice of bodhicitta and the Vajrayana practices of generation stage and completion stage .   In Theravada the ultimate goal is the cessation of the kleshas and the attainment of the sublime state of Nirvana , achieved by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path ( also known as the Middle Way ) , thus escaping what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth . Theravada has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia .   Mahayana , which includes the traditions of Pure Land , Zen , Nichiren Buddhism , Shingon and Tiantai ( Tendai ) , is found throughout East Asia . Rather than Nirvana , Mahayana instead aspires to Buddhahood via the bodhisattva path , a state wherein one remains in the cycle of rebirth to help other beings reach awakening .   Vajrayana , a body of teachings attributed to Indian siddhas , may be viewed as a third branch or merely a part of Mahayana . Tibetan Buddhism , which preserves the Vajrayana teachings of eighth century India , is practiced in regions surrounding the Himalayas , Mongolia and Kalmykia . Tibetan Buddhism aspires to Buddhahood or rainbow body .


Usain Bolt has won a title for the 200 m race.

Usain Bolt Usain St Leo Bolt , OJ , CD ( -LSB- ˈjuːseɪn -RSB- born 21 August 1986 ) is a Jamaican sprinter . He is the first person to hold both the 100 metres and 200 metres world records since fully automatic time became mandatory . He also holds the world record as a part of the 4 × 100 metres relay . He is the reigning world and Olympic champion in these three events . Due to his unprecedented dominance and achievements in sprint competition , he is widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time .   An eight-time Olympic gold medalist , Bolt won the 100 m , 200 m and 4 × 100 m relay at three consecutive Olympic Games , although he subsequently lost one of the gold medals ( as well as the world record set therein ) nine years after the fact due to teammate Nesta Carter 's disqualification for doping offences . He gained worldwide popularity for his double sprint victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in world record times . Bolt is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles at three consecutive olympics ( 2008 , 2012 and 2016 ) , a feat referred to as the `` triple double . ''   An eleven-time World Champion , he won consecutive World Championship 100 m , 200 m and 4 × 100 metres relay gold medals from 2009 to 2015 , with the exception of a 100 m false start in 2011 . He is the most successful athlete of the World Championships and was the first athlete to win three titles in both the 100 m and 200 m at the competition .   Bolt improved upon his first 100 m world record of 9.69 with 9.58 seconds in 2009 -- the biggest improvement since the start of electronic timing . He has twice broken the 200 metres world record , setting 19.30 in 2008 and 19.19 in 2009 . He has helped Jamaica to three 4 × 100 metres relay world records , with the current record being 36.84 seconds set in 2012 . Bolt 's most successful event is the 200 m , with three Olympic and four World titles . The 2008 Olympics was his international debut over 100 m ; he had earlier won numerous 200 m medals ( including 2007 World Championship silver ) and holds the world under-20 and world under-18 records for the event .   His achievements as a sprinter have earned him the media nickname `` Lightning Bolt '' , and his awards include the IAAF World Athlete of the Year , Track & Field Athlete of the Year , and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year ( four times ) . Bolt has stated that he intends to retire from athletics after the 2017 World Championships .


Demi Lovato Demetria Devonne Lovato ( -LSB- ˈdɛmi_loʊ-ˈvɑːtoʊ -RSB- or ; born August 20 , 1992 ) is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . After making her debut as a child actress in Barney & Friends , Lovato rose to prominence in 2008 when she starred in the Disney Channel television film Camp Rock and released her debut single `` This Is Me '' which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 . The success of the film and its soundtrack resulted in a recording contract with Hollywood Records . Her debut album , Do n't Forget ( 2008 ) , debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 . The following year , Lovato was cast as the titular character of the television series Sonny with a Chance and she released her sophomore album , Here We Go Again , which became her first one to top the Billboard 200 chart .   After the release of additional television films and their soundtracks in 2010 , including Camp Rock 2 : The Final Jam , Lovato 's personal issues put her career on a hiatus and led to the discontinuation of Sonny with a Chance after a second season . She entered a treatment center in November 2010 to seek help for addictions , an eating disorder , and self-harm . While there , she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder . Work on her third studio album , Unbroken ( 2011 ) , began after she successfully completed treatment . The album addresses several of her difficulties . Its lead single , `` Skyscraper '' , became Lovato 's second top 10 entry in the US , while its second single , `` Give Your Heart a Break '' , was certified triple platinum in the country . Lovato was a judge and mentor on the American version of The X Factor in 2012 and 2013 . Her third album , Demi ( 2013 ) , opened with first-week sales of 110,000 copies . The lead single from her eponymous album , `` Heart Attack '' , became her third top 10 in the US and the album spawned three more singles . While promoting the project , Lovato released a book titled Staying Strong : 365 Days a Year ( 2013 ) . She also returned to acting as a recurring character in Glee , and released a memoir in 2014 . Lovato 's fifth album , Confident ( 2015 ) , reached number two on the Billboard 200 . Its lead single `` Cool for the Summer '' was eventually certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America . All five of Lovato 's albums have received a gold certification in the US .   Musically , Lovato is considered a pop , pop rock , and R&B artist . Lovato has received a considerable number of accolades , including an MTV Video Music Award , 13 Teen Choice Awards , five People 's Choice Awards , an ALMA Award , a Latin American Music Award and a Grammy Award nomination . In 2013 , Maxim ranked her 26th on its Hot 100 list and Billboard ranked her second on its Social 50 Artists of the Year list . Outside the entertainment industry , Lovato has been involved with several social and environmental causes since the launch of her career . In May 2013 , she was cited for her dedication as a mentor to teens and young adults with mental health challenges at a National Children 's Mental Health Awareness Day hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in Washington , D.C. . She has also become an advocate for the LGBT community , and women 's rights . In 2014 , she was announced as the Grand Marshal for LA Pride week , and that same year she became the face for Human Rights Campaign 's Americans for Marriage Equality Campaign . In April 2016 , Lovato was honored with the GLAAD Vanguard Award for making a significant difference in promoting equal rights for LGBT people .


Unbroken (Demi Lovato album) Unbroken is the third studio album by American singer Demi Lovato . It was released on September 20 , 2011 , by Hollywood Records . Lovato described the album as `` more mature '' and `` a little more R&B / pop '' than her previous material , citing Rihanna as the major influence . While some of the album 's lyrical content was heavily influenced by Lovato 's personal struggles , it also deals with lighter subjects , such as love , self empowerment , and having fun .   The album received generally mixed to mostly positive reviews from music critics , with some who commended its ballad tracks and praised Lovato 's vocals , but others who dismissed it as `` immature '' and criticized its amount of `` party songs '' . Commercially , the album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 , with sales exceeding 97,000 copies in its first week of release . It was eventually certified gold . Unbroken performed well internationally worldwide , and peaked in the top 40 in many countries including , Australia , Canada , Italy , Mexico , New Zealand , Spain and Switzerland . It was certified Platinum in Brazil , and Gold in Chile and the Philippines .   The lead single `` Skyscraper '' was released on July 12 , 2011 . The song was a commercial success and peaked number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 , making it Lovato 's second highest-charting single to date , behind `` This Is Me '' and her most successful until `` Heart Attack '' cracked the Top 10 . It also reached the top twenty in Canada , New Zealand and Scotland and sold over 1,000,000 copies in the United States , where it was certified platinum . The song was well received from music critics , who generally cited as a highlight on the album . `` Give Your Heart a Break '' was released as the second and final single from the album on January 23 , 2012 .


Volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net . Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team 's court under organized rules . It has been a part of the official program of the Summer Olympic Games since 1964 .   The complete rules are extensive . But simply , play proceeds as follows : a player on one of the teams begins a ` rally ' by serving the ball ( tossing or releasing it and then hitting it with a hand or arm ) , from behind the back boundary line of the court , over the net , and into the receiving team 's court . The receiving team must not let the ball be grounded within their court . The team may touch the ball up to 3 times but individual players may not touch the ball twice consecutively . Typically , the first two touches are used to set up for an attack , an attempt to direct the ball back over the net in such a way that the serving team is unable to prevent it from being grounded in their court .   The rally continues , with each team allowed as many as three consecutive touches , until either ( 1 ) : a team makes a kill , grounding the ball on the opponent 's court and winning the rally ; or ( 2 ) : a team commits a fault and loses the rally . The team that wins the rally is awarded a point , and serves the ball to start the next rally . A few of the most common faults include :  causing the ball to touch the ground or floor outside the opponents ' court or without first passing over the net ;  catching and throwing the ball ;  double hit : two consecutive contacts with the ball made by the same player ;  four consecutive contacts with the ball made by the same team ;  net foul : touching the net during play ;  foot fault : the foot crosses over the boundary line when serving .  The ball is usually played with the hands or arms , but players can legally strike or push ( short contact ) the ball with any part of the body .   A number of consistent techniques have evolved in volleyball , including spiking and blocking ( because these plays are made above the top of the net , the vertical jump is an athletic skill emphasized in the sport ) as well as passing , setting , and specialized player positions and offensive and defensive structures .


Hotell Hotell is a 2013 Swedish drama film written and directed by Lisa Langseth . It was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival .   The film received four nominations at the 49th Guldbagge Awards : Best Script , Lisa Langseth , Best Supporting Actress , Anna Bjelkerud and Mira Eklund and Best Supporting Actor , David Dencik . Bjelkerud received a Guldbagge Award for Best Supporting Actress .


Leonardo da Vinci spent part of his early life in the service of Ludovico il Moro.

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( -LSB- leoˈnardo di ˌsɛr ˈpjɛːro da ( v ) ˈvintʃi -RSB- ; 15 April 14522 May 1519 ) , more commonly Leonardo da Vinci or simply Leonardo , was an Italian polymath whose areas of interest included invention , painting , sculpting , architecture , science , music , mathematics , engineering , literature , anatomy , geology , astronomy , botany , writing , history , and cartography . He has been variously called the father of palaeontology , ichnology , and architecture , and is widely considered one of the greatest painters of all time . Sometimes credited with the inventions of the parachute , helicopter and tank , he epitomised the Renaissance humanist ideal .   Many historians and scholars regard Leonardo as the prime exemplar of the `` Universal Genius '' or `` Renaissance Man '' , an individual of `` unquenchable curiosity '' and `` feverishly inventive imagination '' . According to art historian Helen Gardner , the scope and depth of his interests were without precedent in recorded history , and `` his mind and personality seem to us superhuman , while the man himself mysterious and remote '' . Marco Rosci notes that while there is much speculation regarding his life and personality , his view of the world was logical rather than mysterious , and that the empirical methods he employed were unorthodox for his time .   Born out of wedlock to a notary , Piero da Vinci , and a peasant woman , Caterina , in Vinci in the region of Florence , Leonardo was educated in the studio of the renowned Florentine painter Andrea del Verrocchio . Much of his earlier working life was spent in the service of Ludovico il Moro in Milan . He later worked in Rome , Bologna and Venice , and he spent his last years in France at the home awarded to him by Francis I of France .   Leonardo was , and is , renowned primarily as a painter . Among his works , the Mona Lisa is the most famous and most parodied portrait and The Last Supper the most reproduced religious painting of all time . Leonardo 's drawing of the Vitruvian Man is also regarded as a cultural icon , being reproduced on items as varied as the euro coin , textbooks , and T-shirts . Perhaps fifteen of his paintings have survived.There are 15 significant artworks which are ascribed , either in whole or in large part , to Leonardo by most art historians . This number is made up principally of paintings on panel but includes a mural , a large drawing on paper and two works which are in the early stages of preparation . There are a number of other works that have also been variously attributed to Leonardo . Nevertheless , these few works , together with his notebooks , which contain drawings , scientific diagrams , and his thoughts on the nature of painting , compose a contribution to later generations of artists rivalled only by that of his contemporary , Michelangelo .   Leonardo is revered for his technological ingenuity . He conceptualised flying machines , a type of armoured fighting vehicle , concentrated solar power , an adding machine , and the double hull . Relatively few of his designs were constructed or even feasible during his lifetime , as the modern scientific approaches to metallurgy and engineering were only in their infancy during the Renaissance . Some of his smaller inventions , however , such as an automated bobbin winder and a machine for testing the tensile strength of wire , entered the world of manufacturing unheralded . A number of Leonardo 's most practical inventions are nowadays displayed as working models at the Museum of Vinci . He made substantial discoveries in anatomy , civil engineering , geology , optics , and hydrodynamics , but he did not publish his findings and they had no direct influence on later science .   Today , Leonardo is widely considered one of the most diversely talented individuals ever to have lived .


The 2013 NBA draft was held in Pennsylvania.

2013 NBA draft The 2013 NBA draft was held on June 27 , 2013 , at Barclays Center in Brooklyn , New York . National Basketball Association ( NBA ) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players , including international players . The lottery took place on May 21 , 2013 . This was the first draft for New Orleans under their new Pelicans name after playing as the New Orleans Hornets previously . It would also be the last draft for the Charlotte Bobcats under their old name , as they went back to playing under their old Hornets moniker that they last used in 2002 once the 2013 -- 14 NBA season was over .   Highlights of the draft included the first Canadian number one selection ( Anthony Bennett ) , who is now widely considered to be one of the biggest draft busts in league history due to his lack of output within his first few seasons . The selection of Anthony Bennett very much surprised Bill Simmons , who was an analyst at the draft , as he yelled `` whoa '' on national television immediately after David Stern announced the selection . The draft also included the first Canadian pair of lottery picks ( Bennett and Kelly Olynyk ) , the first Iranian draft choice ( Arsalan Kazemi ) , the first New Zealander first round pick ( Steven Adams ) and the last first round draft selections announced by then-NBA commissioner David Stern , the very last of which included a visit by Hakeem Olajuwon , Stern 's first pick he ever announced back in 1984 . He was replaced by current commissioner Adam Silver beginning with the 2014 NBA draft .


Matt Kuchar Matthew Gregory Kuchar ( born June 21 , 1978 ) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and formerly the Nationwide Tour . He has won seven times on the PGA Tour , with these wins spanning over 12 years . He is renowned as one of the most consistent players on the tour , having earned over $ 30 million in prize money and recorded over 80 top-10 finishes .   Kuchar briefly enjoyed success in the early 2000s before suffering a slump where he struggled to maintain his playing status on the PGA Tour . He rejuvenated himself and built a new , one-plane swing from 2008 onward leading to improved results . Kuchar was the PGA Tour 's leading money winner in 2010 .   Kuchar won The Players Championship in 2012 , the flagship event of the PGA Tour , his biggest tournament victory to date . As a result , he moved to a career high number five in the world rankings and has spent over 40 weeks ranked inside its top-10 . In February 2013 , Kuchar won his first World Golf Championship event , defeating Hunter Mahan in the final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship .   At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro , Kuchar won the first Olympic bronze medal awarded for golf since the 1904 Summer Olympics .   With Sergio García winning the 2017 Masters Tournament and Steve Stricker playing part-time on the PGA Tour Champions , Kuchar is the highest-earning active full-time PGA Tour player without a major championship win , with career earnings of over $ 38 million .


Neil Patrick Harris Neil Patrick Harris ( born June 15 , 1973 ) is an American actor , comedian , magician , singer , and composer , known primarily for his comedy roles on television and his dramatic and musical stage roles . On television , he is known for playing the title character on Doogie Howser , M.D. ( 1989 -- 1993 ) , Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother ( 2005 -- 2014 , for which he was nominated for four Emmy Awards ) , and Count Olaf on A Series of Unfortunate Events ( 2017 onward ) .   Harris is also known for his role as the title character in Joss Whedon 's musical Dr. Horrible 's Sing-Along Blog ( 2008 ) and a fictional version of himself in the Harold & Kumar film series ( 2004 -- 2011 ) . His other films include Starship Troopers ( 1997 ) , Beastly ( 2011 ) , The Smurfs ( 2011 ) , The Smurfs 2 ( 2013 ) , A Million Ways to Die in the West ( 2014 ) , and Gone Girl ( 2014 ) . In 2014 , he starred in the title role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway , for which he won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical .   Harris has hosted the Tony Awards in 2009 , 2011 , 2012 , and 2013 , for which he won several special class Emmy Awards . He also hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009 and 2013 , and hosted the 87th Academy Awards in 2015 , thus making him the first openly gay man to host the Academy Awards .   Harris was named one of Time magazine 's 100 Most Influential People in 2010 . He is married to David Burtka . In 2010 , they got twins through surrogacy .


Hedwig and the Angry Inch (musical) Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a rock musical about a fictional rock and roll band fronted by a transgender East German singer , Hedwig Robinson . The book is by John Cameron Mitchell , and the music and lyrics are by Stephen Trask . The story draws on Mitchell 's life as the son of a U.S. Army Major General who once commanded the U.S. sector of occupied West Berlin . The character of Hedwig was inspired by a German divorced U.S. Army wife who was a Mitchell family babysitter and moonlighted as a prostitute at her Junction City , Kansas , trailer park home . The music is steeped in the androgynous 1970s glam rock style of David Bowie ( who co-produced the Los Angeles production of the show ) , as well as the work of John Lennon and early punk performers Lou Reed and Iggy Pop .   The musical opened Off-Broadway in 1998 , and won the Obie Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical . The production ran for two years , and was remounted with various casts by the original creative team in other US cities . In 2000 , the musical had a London West End production , and it has been produced throughout the world in hundreds of stage productions .   In 2014 , the show saw its first Broadway incarnation , opening that April at the Belasco Theatre and winning the year 's Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical . The production closed on September 13 , 2015 . A national tour of the show began at San Francisco 's Golden Gate Theatre on October 2 , 2016 .


Vienna is in Central Europe, south of Germany.

Vienna Vienna ( -LSB- viˈɛnə -RSB- Wien , -LSB- viːn -RSB- ) is the capital and largest city of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria . Vienna is Austria 's primary city , with a population of about 1.8 million ( 2.6 million within the metropolitan area , nearly one third of Austria 's population ) , and its cultural , economic , and political centre . It is the 7th-largest city by population within city limits in the European Union . Until the beginning of the 20th century , it was the largest German-speaking city in the world , and before the splitting of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I , the city had 2 million inhabitants . Today , it has the second largest number of German speakers after Berlin . Vienna is host to many major international organizations , including the United Nations and OPEC . The city is located in the eastern part of Austria and is close to the borders of the Czech Republic , Slovakia , and Hungary . These regions work together in a European Centrope border region . Along with nearby Bratislava , Vienna forms a metropolitan region with 3 million inhabitants . In 2001 , the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site .   Apart from being regarded as the City of Music because of its musical legacy , Vienna is also said to be `` The City of Dreams '' because it was home to the world 's first psycho-analyst -- Sigmund Freud . The city 's roots lie in early Celtic and Roman settlements that transformed into a Medieval and Baroque city , and then the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire . It is well known for having played an essential role as a leading European music centre , from the great age of Viennese Classicism through the early part of the 20th century . The historic centre of Vienna is rich in architectural ensembles , including Baroque castles and gardens , and the late-19th-century Ringstraße lined with grand buildings , monuments and parks .   Vienna is known for its high quality of life . In a 2005 study of 127 world cities , the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked the city first ( in a tie with Vancouver , Canada and San Francisco , USA ) for the world 's most liveable cities . Between 2011 and 2015 , Vienna was ranked second , behind Melbourne , Australia .  For eight consecutive years ( 2009 -- 2016 ) , the human-resource-consulting firm Mercer ranked Vienna first in its annual `` Quality of Living '' survey of hundreds of cities around the world , a title the city still held in 2016 . Monocle 's 2015 `` Quality of Life Survey '' ranked Vienna second on a list of the top 25 cities in the world `` to make a base within . ''   The UN-Habitat has classified Vienna as being the most prosperous city in the world in 2012/2013 .  The city was ranked 1st globally for its culture of innovation in 2007 and 2008 , and sixth globally ( out of 256 cities ) in the 2014 Innovation Cities Index , which analyzed 162 indicators in covering three areas : culture , infrastructure , and markets . Vienna regularly hosts urban planning conferences and is often used as a case study by urban planners .   Between 2005 and 2010 , Vienna was the world 's number-one destination for international congresses and conventions . It attracts over 6.8 million tourists a year .