Liverpool is where The Beatles were formed.

The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 . With members John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr , they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential act of the rock era . Rooted in skiffle , beat and 1950s rock and roll , the Beatles later experimented with several musical styles , ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock , often incorporating classical elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways . In 1963 their enormous popularity first emerged as `` Beatlemania '' , and as the group 's music grew in sophistication in subsequent years , led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney , they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the counterculture of the 1960s .   The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960 , with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player . The core of Lennon , McCartney and Harrison went through a succession of drummers , including Pete Best , before asking Starr to join them in 1962 . Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act , and producer George Martin guided and developed their recordings , greatly expanding their popularity in the United Kingdom after their first hit , `` Love Me Do '' , in late 1962 . They acquired the nickname `` the Fab Four '' as Beatlemania grew in Britain the next year , and by early 1964 became international stars , leading the `` British Invasion '' of the United States pop market . From 1965 onwards , the Beatles produced increasingly innovative recordings , including the albums Rubber Soul ( 1965 ) , Revolver ( 1966 ) , Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band ( 1967 ) , The Beatles ( commonly known as the White Album , 1968 ) and Abbey Road ( 1969 ) . After their break-up in 1970 , they each enjoyed successful musical careers of varying lengths . McCartney and Starr , the surviving members , remain musically active . Lennon was shot and killed in December 1980 , and Harrison died of lung cancer in November 2001 .   The Beatles are the best-selling band in history , with estimated sales of over 600 million records worldwide . They have had more number-one albums on the British charts and sold more singles in the UK than any other act . According to the RIAA , the Beatles are also the best-selling music artists in the United States , with 178 million certified units . In 2008 , the group topped Billboard magazine 's list of the all-time most successful `` Hot 100 '' artists ; , they hold the record for most number-one hits on the Hot 100 chart with twenty . They have received ten Grammy Awards , an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards . The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 , and all four were inducted individually from 1994 to 2015 . They were also collectively included in Time magazine 's compilation of the twentieth century 's 100 most influential people .


Dawn of the Dead (1978 film) has been remade.

Dawn of the Dead (1978 film) Dawn of the Dead ( also known internationally as Zombi ) is a 1978 American independent zombie horror film directed by George A. Romero .  It was written by Romero in collaboration with the Italian filmmaker Dario Argento , and produced by Claudio Argento , Richard P. Rubinstein and Alfredo Cuomo . It was the second film made in Romero 's Living Dead series , but contains no characters or settings from Night of the Living Dead , and shows in a larger scale the apocalyptic effects on society . In the film , a phenomenon of unidentified origin has caused the reanimation of the dead , who prey on human flesh , which subsequently causes mass hysteria . The cast features David Emge , Ken Foree , Scott Reiniger , and Gaylen Ross as survivors of the outbreak who barricade themselves inside a suburban shopping mall .   Dawn of the Dead was filmed over approximately four months , from late 1977 to early 1978 , in the Pennsylvania cities of Pittsburgh and Monroeville . Its primary filming location was the Monroeville Mall . The film was made on a budget estimated at $ 1.5 million and was a significant box office success for its time , grossing approximately $ 55 million worldwide . Since opening in theaters in 1978 , and despite heavy gore content , reviews for the film have been positive .   In addition to four official sequels , the film has spawned numerous parodies and pop culture references . A remake of the movie premiered in the United States on March 19 , 2004 . It was labeled a `` re-imagining '' of the original film 's concept . In 2008 , Dawn of the Dead was chosen by Empire magazine as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time , along with Night of the Living Dead .


Fight Club was directed by David Fincher.

Fight Club Fight Club is a 1999 American film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk . The film was directed by David Fincher , and stars Brad Pitt , Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter . Norton plays the unnamed protagonist , referred to as the narrator , who is discontented with his white-collar job . He forms a `` fight club '' with soap maker Tyler Durden , played by Pitt , and they are joined by men who also want to fight recreationally . The narrator becomes embroiled in a relationship with Durden and a dissolute woman , Marla Singer , played by Bonham Carter .   Palahniuk 's novel was optioned by 20th Century Fox producer Laura Ziskin , who hired Jim Uhls to write the film adaptation . Fincher was one of four directors the producers considered , and was selected because of his enthusiasm for the film . Fincher developed the script with Uhls and sought screenwriting advice from the cast and others in the film industry . The director and the cast compared the film to Rebel Without a Cause ( 1955 ) and The Graduate ( 1967 ) . They said its theme was the conflict between a generation of young people and the value system of advertising . The director copied the homoerotic overtones from Palahniuk 's novel to make audiences uncomfortable and keep them from anticipating the twist ending .   Studio executives did not like the film and restructured Fincher 's intended marketing campaign to try to reduce anticipated losses . Fight Club failed to meet the studio 's expectations at the box office and initially received polarizing reactions from critics , becoming one of the most controversial and talked-about films of the year . Critics praised the acting , directing , themes and messages but debated the explicit violence and moral ambiguity . Over time , however , reception towards the film has become largely positive with critics and audiences , finding critical and commercial success with its DVD release , which established Fight Club as a cult film . It is now regarded by many as one of the greatest films of the 1990s .


Kong: Skull Island stars an American actor.

Samuel L. Jackson Samuel Leroy Jackson ( born December 21 , 1948 ) is an American actor and film producer . He achieved prominence and critical acclaim in the early 1990s with films such as Jungle Fever ( 1991 ) , Patriot Games ( 1992 ) , Amos & Andrew ( 1993 ) , True Romance ( 1993 ) , Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) and his collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino including Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Django Unchained ( 2012 ) , and The Hateful Eight ( 2015 ) . He is a highly prolific actor , having appeared in over 100 films , including Die Hard with a Vengeance ( 1995 ) , Unbreakable ( 2000 ) , Shaft ( 2000 ) , The 51st State ( 2001 ) , Black Snake Moan ( 2006 ) , Snakes on a Plane ( 2006 ) , and the Star Wars prequel trilogy ( 1999 -- 2005 ) , as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe .   With Jackson 's permission , his likeness was used for the Ultimate version of the Marvel Comics character Nick Fury . He later cameoed as the character in a post-credits scene from Iron Man ( 2008 ) , and went on to sign a nine-film commitment to reprise this role in future films , including major roles in Iron Man 2 ( 2010 ) , Marvel 's The Avengers ( 2012 ) , Captain America : The Winter Soldier ( 2014 ) and Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) and minor roles in Thor ( 2011 ) and Captain America : The First Avenger ( 2011 ) . He has also portrayed the character in the second and final episodes of the first season of the TV show Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. .   He has provided his voice to several animated films , television series and video games , including the roles of Lucius Best / Frozone in Pixar Animation Studios ' film The Incredibles ( 2004 ) , Mace Windu in Star Wars : The Clone Wars ( 2008 ) , Afro Samurai in the anime television series Afro Samurai ( 2007 ) , and Frank Tenpenny in the video game Grand Theft Auto : San Andreas ( 2004 ) .   Jackson has achieved critical and commercial acclaim , surpassing Frank Welker as the actor with the highest-grossing film total of all time in October 2011 , and he has received numerous accolades and awards . He is married to LaTanya Richardson , with whom he has a daughter , Zoe . Samuel L. Jackson is ranked as the highest all-time box office star with over $ 4.9053 billion total box office gross , an average of $ 69.1 million per film .


Kong: Skull Island Kong : Skull Island is a 2017 American action-adventure monster film directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and written by Dan Gilroy , Max Borenstein and Derek Connolly , from a story by John Gatins . The film is a reboot of the King Kong franchise and serves as the second film in Legendary 's MonsterVerse . It stars an ensemble cast consisting of Tom Hiddleston , Samuel L. Jackson , John Goodman , Brie Larson , Jing Tian , Toby Kebbell , John Ortiz , Corey Hawkins , Jason Mitchell , Shea Whigham , Thomas Mann , Terry Notary and John C. Reilly . The film follows a team of scientists and Vietnam War soldiers who travel to an uncharted island in the Pacific and encounter terrifying creatures and the mighty Kong .   Principal photography took place from October 2015 to March 2016 in Hawaii and various locations around Vietnam . Kong : Skull Island premiered on February 28 , 2017 , in London and was released in the United States on March 10 , 2017 , in 2D , 3D , IMAX 3D and in Dolby Cinemas . The film was a critical and commercial success , grossing $ 565 million worldwide against its $ 185 million budget and making it the fifth highest-grossing film of 2017 .


Resident Evil has multiple characters facing zombie outbreaks.

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


Aluminium Aluminium or aluminum ( see below ) is a chemical element in the boron group with symbol Al and atomic number 13 . It is a silvery-white , soft , nonmagnetic , ductile metal . By mass , aluminium makes up about 8 % of the Earth 's crust ; it is the third most abundant element after oxygen and silicon and the most abundant metal in the crust , though it is less common in the mantle below . Aluminium metal is so chemically reactive that native specimens are rare and limited to extreme reducing environments . Instead , it is found combined in over 270 different minerals . The chief ore of aluminium is bauxite .   Aluminium is remarkable for the metal 's low density and its ability to resist corrosion through the phenomenon of passivation . Aluminium and its alloys are vital to the aerospace industry and important in transportation and structures , such as building facades and window frames . The oxides and sulfates are the most useful compounds of aluminium .   Despite its prevalence in the environment , no known form of life uses aluminium salts metabolically , but aluminium is well tolerated by plants and animals . Because of these salts ' abundance , the potential for a biological role for them is of continuing interest , and studies continue .


Taylor Schilling plays the protagonist in a show.

Piper Chapman Piper Elizabeth Chapman is a fictional character ( played by Taylor Schilling ) and the protagonist of the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black . She is based on Piper Kerman , author of the non-fiction book Orange Is the New Black : My Year in a Women 's Prison , upon which the series is based . Schilling was nominated for awards in both comedy and drama categories for this role .


Taylor Schilling Taylor Schilling ( born July 27 , 1984 ) is an American actress . She is known for her role as Piper Chapman on the Netflix original comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black ( 2013 -- present ) , for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress -- Television Series Musical or Comedy and Best Actress -- Television Series Drama . She made her film debut in the 2007 drama Dark Matter . Schilling also starred in the short-lived NBC medical drama Mercy ( 2009 -- 10 ) . Her other films include Atlas Shrugged : Part I ( 2011 ) , the romantic drama The Lucky One ( 2012 ) and the comedy The Overnight ( 2015 ) .


Ava DuVernay is not the director of A Wrinkle in Time.

A Wrinkle in Time (2018 film) A Wrinkle in Time is an upcoming American fantasy adventure film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Jennifer Lee . It is based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Madeleine L'Engle . The film stars Storm Reid , Reese Witherspoon , Mindy Kaling , Levi Miller , Deric McCabe , Chris Pine , Gugu Mbatha-Raw , Michael Peña , Zach Galifianakis , and Oprah Winfrey . Principal photography on the film began on November 2 , 2016 in Los Angeles , California .   The film is scheduled to be released on March 9 , 2018 in IMAX .


Ava DuVernay Ava Marie DuVernay ( -LSB- ˈeɪvə_ˌdjuːvərˈneɪ -RSB- born August 24 , 1972 ) is an American director , screenwriter , film marketer , and film distributor . At the 2012 Sundance Film Festival , DuVernay won the Best Director Prize for her second feature film Middle of Nowhere , becoming the first African-American woman to win the award . For her work in Selma ( 2014 ) , DuVernay was the first black female director to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award . With Selma , she was also the first black female director to have her film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture , though she was not nominated for Best Director . In 2017 , she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for her film 13th ( 2016 ) .   DuVernay 's next film , A Wrinkle in Time , reportedly has a budget exceeding $ 100 million , making DuVernay the first black woman to direct a live-action film with a budget of that size .


The Wizard of Oz (1939 film) The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , and the best-known and most commercially successful adaptation based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum . The film stars Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale . The co-stars are Ray Bolger , Jack Haley , Bert Lahr , Frank Morgan , Billie Burke , and Margaret Hamilton , with Charley Grapewin , Pat Walshe and Clara Blandick , Terry the dog ( billed as Toto ) , and the Singer Midgets as the Munchkins .   Notable for its use of Technicolor , fantasy storytelling , musical score , and unusual characters , over the years it has become an icon of American popular culture . It was nominated for six Academy Awards , including Best Picture , but lost to Gone with the Wind . It did win in two other categories , including Best Original Song for `` Over the Rainbow '' and Best Original Score by Herbert Stothart . However , the film was a box office disappointment on its initial release , earning only $ 3,017,000 on a $ 2,777,000 budget , despite receiving largely positive reviews . It was MGM 's most expensive production to date and did not completely recoup the studio 's investment nor turn a profit until theatrical re-releases starting in 1949 .   The 1956 broadcast television premiere of the film on the CBS network reintroduced the film to the wider public and eventually made the presentation an annual tradition , making it one of the best known films in movie history . The film was named the most-viewed motion picture on television syndication by the Library of Congress , which also included the film in its National Film Registry in its inaugural year in 1989 . Designation on the registry calls for efforts to preserve it for being `` culturally , historically , and aesthetically significant '' . It is also one of the few films on UNESCO 's Memory of the World Register .   The Wizard of Oz is often ranked on best-movie lists in critics ' and public polls . It is the source of many quotes referenced in contemporary popular culture . It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming ( who left production to take over direction on the troubled Gone with the Wind production ) . Noel Langley , Florence Ryerson , and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay , but uncredited contributions were made by others . The songs were written by Edgar `` Yip '' Harburg ( lyrics ) and Harold Arlen ( music ) . The musical score and the incidental music were composed by Stothart .


Anni-Frid Lyngstad was born on November 15, 1945.

Anni-Frid Lyngstad Anni-Frid Synni , Princess Reuss of Plauen ( Anni-Frid Synni , Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen born Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad , -LSB- ² ɑnːɪˌfriːd ˈlʏŋstɑ -RSB- ; -LSB- ² anːɪˌfriːd ˈlʏŋstɑːd -RSB- , 15 November 1945 ) , widely known as Frida Lyngstad or by just the mononym Frida ( -LSB- ² friːdɑ -RSB- ; -LSB- ² friːda -RSB- ) , is a Swedish pop and jazz singer . Born in Norway to a Norwegian mother and a German father , she grew up in Sweden and reached international stardom as a member of the pop group ABBA , which has sold over 380 million albums and singles worldwide , making them one of the best-selling music artists in history . After the break-up of ABBA , she continued an international solo singing career with mixed success , releasing the albums Something 's Going On ( 1982 ) and Shine ( 1984 ) ; the latter being her last international album to date . In 1996 , Frida recorded a final album in Swedish ( Djupa andetag ) before ` retiring ' from music .   In April 1964 , aged 18 she married Ragnar Fredriksson . Immediately after their divorce in 1970 , Lyngstad courted eventual ABBA band member Benny Andersson , co-habiting until they officially married in 1978 . The couple separated in 1980 and divorced in 1981 . In 1992 , Lyngstad married Heinrich Ruzzo , Prince Reuss of Plauen , who was a prince of the former sovereign House of Reuss ; since then she holds the titles of Princess Reuss and Countess of Plauen with the style of Her Serene Highness . The prince died of lymphoma in October 1999 . Lyngstad currently lives in Zermatt , Switzerland , sharing a home with her British boyfriend , Henry Smith , 5th Viscount Hambleden , since 2008 .


Anna Paquin passed up roles in every Jane Campion film.

Anna Paquin Anna Helene Paquin ( -LSB- ˈpækwɪn -RSB- born 24 July 1982 ) is a Canadian-born New Zealand actress . Born in Manitoba and brought up in Wellington , New Zealand , Paquin studied at Hutt Intermediate School and the Wellington Girls ' College in New Zealand before moving to Los Angeles during her youth where she studied at Windward School and went on to complete a year at Columbia University before leaving post-secondary to focus on her acting career . As a child , she beat 5000 candidates for the role of Flora McGrath in Jane Campion 's romantic drama film The Piano ( 1993 ) , despite having had little to no acting experience prior to getting the role . For her performance , she received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the age of 11 , making her the second-youngest Academy Award winner in Oscar history .   Paquin went on to become a successful child actress , receiving multiple Young Artist Award nominations for her roles in Fly Away Home ( 1996 ) , The Member of the Wedding ( 1997 ) , and A Walk on the Moon ( 1999 ) , and was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for appearing in Cameron Crowe 's comedy-drama film Almost Famous ( 2000 ) . She played mutant superheroine Rogue in multiple films of the X-Men franchise and was nominated for a Saturn Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance in the first instalment .   Paquin is also known for playing the lead role of Sookie Stackhouse in the HBO vampire drama television series True Blood ( 2008 -- 2014 ) . For her performance in the series , Paquin won the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series -- Drama in 2009 and was nominated for an additional Golden Globe Award in 2010 , as well as three Saturn Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2010 . Among other accolades , Paquin has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award , a Golden Globe Award , and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her work on the 2007 television film Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and a Golden Globe Award for her work on the 2009 television film The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler . Paquin has been married since 2010 to actor Stephen Moyer , with whom she has two children .


Futurama Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series follows the adventures of a late-20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy , Philip J. Fry , who , after being unwittingly cryogenically frozen for one thousand years , finds employment at Planet Express , an interplanetary delivery company in the retro-futuristic 31st century . The series was envisioned by Groening in the mid-1990s while working on The Simpsons ; he later brought David X. Cohen aboard to develop storylines and characters to pitch the show to Fox .   In the United States , the series aired on Fox from March 28 , 1999 , to August 10 , 2003 , before ceasing production . Futurama also aired in reruns on Cartoon Network 's Adult Swim from 2003 to 2007 , until the network 's contract expired . It was revived in 2007 as four direct-to-video films ; the last of which was released in early 2009 . Comedy Central entered into an agreement with 20th Century Fox Television to syndicate the existing episodes and air the films as 16 new , half-hour episodes , constituting a fifth season .   In June 2009 , producing studio 20th Century Fox announced that Comedy Central had picked up the show for 26 new half-hour episodes , which began airing in 2010 and 2011 . The show was renewed for a seventh season , with the first half airing in June 2012 and the second set for mid-2013 . It was later revealed that the seventh season would be the final season , as Comedy Central announced that they would not be commissioning any further episodes . The series finale aired on September 4 , 2013 . While Groening has said he will try to get it picked up by another network , David X. Cohen stated that the episode `` Meanwhile '' would be the last episode of season 7 and also the series finale .   Throughout its run , Futurama has received critical acclaim . The show has been nominated for 17 Annie Awards and 12 Emmy Awards , winning seven of the former and six of the latter . It has also been nominated four times for a Writers Guild of America Award , winning two for the episodes `` Godfellas '' and `` The Prisoner of Benda '' , been nominated for a Nebula Award and has received Environmental Media Awards for episodes `` The Problem with Popplers '' and `` The Futurama Holiday Spectacular '' . Futurama-related merchandise has also been released , including a tie-in comic book series and video game , calendars , clothes and figurines . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked Futurama as one of the top 60 Greatest TV Cartoons of All Time .


Reuters transmits news in at least one language.

Reuters Reuters -LSB- ˈrɔɪtərz -RSB- is an international news agency headquartered in London , England . It is a division of Thomson Reuters .   Until 2008 , the Reuters news agency formed part of an independent company , Reuters Group plc , which was also a provider of financial market data . Since the acquisition of Reuters Group by the Thomson Corporation in 2008 , the Reuters news agency has been a part of Thomson Reuters , making up the media division . Reuters transmits news in English , French , Arabic , Spanish , German , Italian , Portuguese , Russian , Japanese , Korean , Urdu , and Chinese . It was established in 1851 .


Sriti Jha Sriti Jha ( born February 26 , 1986 ) is an Indian television actress , who appears in the Indian soap opera . She made her debut with the role of Malini Sharma in the Disney India 's teen drama Dhoom Machaao Dhoom . Jha rose to prominence with the serial Jyoti on NDTV Imagine as Sudha Sharma . She is a currently playing the lead role of Pragya in Zee TV 's show Kumkum Bhagya .


Solange Knowles Solange Piaget Knowles ( -LSB- soʊˈlɑːnʒ -RSB- born June 24 , 1986 ) is an American singer , songwriter , dancer , model and actress . Expressing an interest in music from an early age , Knowles had several temporary stints in Destiny 's Child , before signing with her father Mathew Knowles 's Music World Entertainment label . At age 16 , Knowles released her first studio album Solo Star ( 2002 ) . Between 2005 and 2007 , Knowles had several minor acting roles , including the direct-to-video Bring It On : All or Nothing ( 2006 ) and continued writing music for her older sister Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and for ex-Destiny 's Child group members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams .   In 2007 , Knowles began to record music again . Her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams ( 2008 ) deviated from the pop-oriented music of her debut to the Motown Sound of the 1960s and 1970s . It peaked at number nine on US Billboard 200 and received positive reviews from critics . She followed this up with the 1980s pop and R&B -- inspired extended play True ( 2012 ) on Columbia Records and her imprint Saint Records . Her third studio album , A Seat at the Table ( 2016 ) became her first number-one album in the United States . The album 's first single , `` Cranes in the Sky '' won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance . In December 2016 , Billboard magazine ranked her as the 100th most successful dance artist of all-time .   Knowles is heavily influenced by Motown girl groups and says that her first passion is songwriting . She is frequently compared by the media to her sister , Beyoncé , but Solange insists they have different aspirations and are musically different . Her other ventures include an endorsement deal with Rimmel London and a line of hip-hop-oriented merchandise for young children . On November 16 , 2014 , Knowles married music video director Alan Ferguson in New Orleans , Louisiana .


Nepal is the 93rd largest country in the world by area.

Nepal fi     Nepal ( -LSB- Nepālhelp = no -RSB- -RCB- -RCB- -LSB- neˈpal -RSB- ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal , is a landlocked central Himalayan country in South Asia . Nepal is divided into 7 provinces and 75 districts and 744 local units including 4 metropolises , 13 sub-metropolises , 246 municipal councils and 481 villages . It has a population of 26.4 million and is the 93rd largest country by area . Bordering China in the north and India in the south , east , and west , it is the largest sovereign Himalayan state . Nepal does not border Bangladesh , which is located within only 27 km ( 17 mi ) of its southeastern tip . Neither does it border Bhutan due to the Indian state of Sikkim being located in between . Nepal has a diverse geography , including fertile plains , subalpine forested hills , and eight of the world 's ten tallest mountains , including Mount Everest , the highest point on Earth . Kathmandu is the nation 's capital and largest city . It is a multiethnic nation with Nepali as the official language .   The territory of Nepal has a recorded history since the Neolithic age . The name `` Nepal '' is first recorded in texts from the Vedic Age , the era which founded Hinduism , the predominant religion of the country . In the middle of the first millennium BCE , Gautama Buddha , the founder of Buddhism , was born in southern Nepal . Parts of northern Nepal were intertwined with the culture of Tibet . The Kathmandu Valley in central Nepal became known as Nepal proper because of its complex urban civilisation . It was the seat of the prosperous Newar confederacy known as Nepal Mandala . The Himalayan branch of the ancient Silk Road was dominated by the valley 's traders . The cosmopolitan region developed distinct traditional art and architecture . By the 18th century , the Gorkha Kingdom achieved the unification of Nepal . The Shah dynasty established the Kingdom of Nepal and later formed an alliance with the British Empire , under its Rana dynasty of premiers . The country was never colonised but served as a buffer state between Imperial China and Colonial India . In the 20th century , Nepal ended its isolation and forged strong ties with regional powers . Parliamentary democracy was introduced in 1951 , but was twice suspended by Nepalese monarchs in 1960 and 2005 . The Nepalese Civil War resulted in the proclamation of a republic in 2008 , ending the reign of the world 's last Hindu monarchy .   Modern Nepal is a federal secular parliamentary republic . It has seven states . Nepal is a developing nation , ranking 144th on the Human Development Index ( HDI ) in 2016 . The country struggles with the transition from a monarchy to a republic . It also suffers from high levels of hunger and poverty . Despite these challenges , Nepal is making steady progress , with the government declaring its commitment to elevate the nation from least developed country status by 2022 . Nepal also has a vast potential to generate hydropower for export .   Nepal 's foreign relations expanded after the Anglo-Nepal Treaty of 1923 , which was recognised by the League of Nations . After a Soviet veto in 1949 , Nepal was admitted to the United Nations in 1955 . Friendship treaties were signed with the Dominion of India in 1950 and the People 's Republic of China in 1960 . Nepal hosts the permanent secretariat of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ( SAARC ) , of which it is a founding member . Nepal is also a member of the Non Aligned Movement and the Bay of Bengal Initiative . The military of Nepal is the fifth largest in South Asia and is notable for its Gurkha history , particularly during the world wars , and has been a significant contributor to United Nations peacekeeping operations .


Greece shares land borders with Bulgaria to the Northeast.

Greece Greece ( Ελλάδα , -LSB- eˈlaða -RSB- ) , officially the Hellenic Republic ( Greek : Ελληνική Δημοκρατία , -LSB- eliniˈci ðimokraˈti.a -RSB- ) , historically also known as Hellas ( Ἑλλάς , -LSB- heˈlas -RSB- , modern pronunciation Ellás ) , is a country in southeastern Europe , with a population of approximately 11 million as of 2015 . Athens is the nation 's capital and largest city , followed by Thessaloniki .   Greece is strategically located at the crossroads of Europe , Asia , and Africa . Situated on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula , it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest , the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north , and Turkey to the northeast . Greece consists of nine geographic regions : Macedonia , Central Greece , the Peloponnese , Thessaly , Epirus , the Aegean Islands ( including the Dodecanese and Cyclades ) , Thrace , Crete , and the Ionian Islands . The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland , the Ionian Sea to the west , the Cretan Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin and the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13676 km in length , featuring a vast number of islands , of which 227 are inhabited . Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous , with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2918 m.   Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization , being the birthplace of democracy , Western philosophy , the Olympic Games , Western literature , historiography , political science , major scientific and mathematical principles , and Western drama . From the eighth century BC , the Greeks were organised into various independent city-states , known as polis , which spanned the entire Mediterranean region and the Black Sea . Philip of Macedon united most of the Greek mainland in the fourth century BC , with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the ancient world , spreading Greek culture and science from the eastern Mediterranean to the Indus River . Greece was annexed by Rome in the second century BC , becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its successor , the Byzantine Empire , wherein the Greek language and culture were dominant . The Greek Orthodox Church also shaped modern Greek identity and transmitted Greek traditions to the wider Orthodox World . Falling under Ottoman dominion in the mid-15th century , the modern nation state of Greece emerged in 1830 following a war of independence . Greece 's rich historical legacy is reflected by its 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites , among the most in Europe and the world .   Greece is a democratic and developed country with an advanced high-income economy , a high quality of life , and a very high standard of living . A founding member of the United Nations , Greece was the tenth member to join the European Communities ( precursor to the European Union ) and has been part of the Eurozone since 2001 . It is also a member of numerous other international institutions , including the Council of Europe , the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) , the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) , the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie ( OIF ) . Greece 's unique cultural heritage , large tourism industry , prominent shipping sector and geostrategic importance classify it as a middle power . It is the largest economy in the Balkans , where it is an important regional investor .


George Best George Best ( 22 May 1946 -- 25 November 2005 ) was a Northern Irish professional footballer who played as a winger for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team . In 1968 , he won the European Cup with Manchester United , and was named the European Footballer of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year . The Irish Football Association described him as the `` greatest player to ever pull on the green shirt of Northern Ireland '' .   Born and brought up in Belfast , Best began his club career in England with Manchester United , with the scout who had spotted his talent at the age of 15 sending a telegram to manager Matt Busby which read : `` I think I 've found you a genius . '' After making his debut for United aged 17 , he scored 179 goals from 470 appearances over 11 years , and was the club 's top goalscorer in the league for five consecutive seasons .   One of the greatest dribblers of all time , his playing style combined pace , skill , balance , feints , two-footedness , goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders . Best unexpectedly quit United in 1974 at age 27 , but returned to football for a number of clubs around the world in short spells , until retiring in 1984 , age 37 . In international football , he was capped 37 times and scored nine goals between 1964 and 1977 , although a combination of the team 's performance and his lack of fitness in 1982 meant that he never played in the finals of a European Championship or World Cup .   Best was one of the first celebrity footballers , earning the nickname `` El Beatle '' in 1966 , but his subsequent extravagant lifestyle led to various problems , most notably alcoholism , which he suffered from for the rest of his life . These issues affected him on and off the field , at times causing controversy . He said of his career : `` I spent a lot of money on booze , birds -LSB- women -RSB- and fast cars -- the rest I just squandered '' . After football , he spent some time as a football analyst , but his financial and health problems continued into his retirement . He died in 2005 , age 59 , due to complications from the immunosuppressive drugs he needed to take after a liver transplant in 2002 . Best was married twice , to two former models , Angie Best and then Alex Best . His son Calum Best was born in 1981 from his first marriage .   Before he died , Best was voted 8th in the World Soccer 100 greatest football players of the 20th century election in 1999 and was voted 16th in the IFFHS World Player of the Century election in 1999 . He was on the six man short list for the BBC 's Sports Personality of the Century in 1999 . Best was one of the inaugural 22 inductees into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 . In 2004 , he was voted 19th in the public UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll and was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world 's greatest living players . Former Brazilian footballer Pelé stated , `` George Best was the greatest player in the world '' . Best was once quoted as saying , `` Pelé called me the greatest footballer in the world . That is the ultimate salute to my life . '' On what would have been his 60th birthday , Belfast City Airport was renamed the George Best Belfast City Airport . According to the BBC , Best was remembered by mourners at his public funeral held in Belfast as `` the beautiful boy '' -LSB- with a -RSB- `` beautiful game '' .   Mark Garnett and Richard Weight have explored the enduring appeal of George Best .  The British like their heroes to be tragic ones : possessed of enough glamour and talent for stardom to be lived vicariously through them ; yet flawed and vulnerable enough for the public not to be threatened by their success .


Lily Collins has worked with Taylor Lautner.

Abduction (2011 film) Abduction is a 2011 American action thriller film directed by John Singleton and stars Taylor Lautner , Lily Collins , Sigourney Weaver , Maria Bello , Jason Isaacs , Michael Nyqvist , and Alfred Molina .   The film was released by Lionsgate Films on September 23 , 2011 . Despite negative reception , the film was nominated for a Golden Reel Award for Dialogue and ADR in a Feature Film .


Lily Collins Lily Jane Collins ( born 18 March 1989 ) is a British-American actress and model . The daughter of English musician Phil Collins and an American mother , Jill Tavelman , she was born in Surrey and moved to Los Angeles as a child . Her first screen role was at the age of two in the BBC series Growing Pains . She went on to study broadcast journalism at the University of Southern California and as a teenager , wrote for Seventeen magazine , Teen Vogue , and The Los Angeles Times . She was named International Model of the Year by Spain 's Glamour magazine after being selected by Chanel to wear one of their gowns at the Hotel de Crillon in 2007 . In 2008 , she was named Newest Red Carpet Correspondent and One to Watch in 2008 .   Collins appeared as a guest star on the teen drama television series 90210 in 2009 , followed by her feature film debut in the semi-biographical sports film The Blind Side . She had leading roles in the sci-fi action-horror film Priest ( 2011 ) and the psychological action-thriller film Abduction , and was nominated for the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress -- Sci-Fi/Fantasy for her role as Snow White in the fantasy film Mirror Mirror . She received wider recognition after taking on the role of Clary Fray in the fantasy film adaptation of Cassandra Clare 's The New York Times best-selling novel , The Mortal Instruments : City of Bones , for which she was nominated for the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress -- Action and an MTV Movie Award .   Collins is also known for her roles in independent films , such as the romantic comedy-drama Stuck in Love ( 2012 ) , the romantic comedy The English Teacher ( 2013 ) , and the romantic comedy-drama Love , Rosie ( 2014 ) . She won the New Hollywood Film Award and received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical or Comedy her role as Marla Mabrey in Rules Do n't Apply ( 2016 ) . In 2017 , her debut novel , Unfiltered : No Shame , No Regrets , Just Me , was released to critical praise . In May 2017 , Lily Collins and Marti Noxon were honoured at Project Heal for their movie To the Bone .


The Olympic Games has nearly 600 events.

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics ( Jeux olympiques ) are leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions . The Olympic Games are considered the world 's foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating . The Olympic Games are held every four years , with the Summer and Winter Games alternating by occurring every four years but two years apart .   Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games , which were held in Olympia , Greece , from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD . Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) in 1894 , leading to the first modern Games in Athens in 1896 . The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement , with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority .   The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has resulted in several changes to the Olympic Games . Some of these adjustments include the creation of the Winter Olympic Games for ice and winter sports , the Paralympic Games for athletes with a disability , and the Youth Olympic Games for teenage athletes . The IOC has had to adapt to a variety of economic , political , and technological advancements . As a result , the Olympics has shifted away from pure amateurism , as envisioned by Coubertin , to allowing participation of professional athletes . The growing importance of mass media created the issue of corporate sponsorship and commercialisation of the Games . World wars led to the cancellation of the 1916 , 1940 , and 1944 Games . Large boycotts during the Cold War limited participation in the 1980 and 1984 Games .   The Olympic Movement consists of international sports federations ( IFs ) , National Olympic Committees ( NOCs ) , and organising committees for each specific Olympic Games . As the decision-making body , the IOC is responsible for choosing the host city for each Games , and organises and funds the Games according to the Olympic Charter . The IOC also determines the Olympic programme , consisting of the sports to be contested at the Games . There are several Olympic rituals and symbols , such as the Olympic flag and torch , as well as the opening and closing ceremonies . Over 13,000 athletes compete at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in 33 different sports and nearly 400 events . The first , second , and third-place finishers in each event receive Olympic medals : gold , silver , and bronze , respectively .   The Games have grown so much that nearly every nation is now represented . This growth has created numerous challenges and controversies , including boycotts , doping , bribery , and a terrorist attack in 1972 . Every two years the Olympics and its media exposure provide unknown athletes with the chance to attain national and sometimes international fame . The Games also constitute an opportunity for the host city and country to showcase themselves to the world .


Led Zeppelin released their first album in 1969.

Led Zeppelin (album) Led Zeppelin is the eponymous debut studio album by English rock band Led Zeppelin , released on 12 January 1969 in the United States and on 31 March 1969 in the United Kingdom by Atlantic Records . Featuring integral contributions from each of the group 's four members , the album was recorded in October 1968 at Olympic Studios in London and established their fusion style of both blues and rock music . It also attracted a large and devoted following to the band ; Zeppelin 's take on the emerging hard rock sound endeared them to parts of the counterculture on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean .   Although the album was not critically well-received when first released , it was commercially successful , and critics have since come to view it in a more favourable light . In 2003 , Led Zeppelin was ranked at # 29 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time , and keeping that position after the list was updated in 2012 . In 2004 , the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame .


Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968 . The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page , singer Robert Plant , bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones , and drummer John Bonham . The band 's heavy , guitar-driven sound , rooted in blues and psychedelia on their early albums , has earned them recognition as one of the progenitors of heavy metal , though their unique style drew from a wide variety of influences , including folk music .   After changing their name from the New Yardbirds , Led Zeppelin signed a deal with Atlantic Records that afforded them considerable artistic freedom . Although the group was initially unpopular with critics , they achieved significant commercial success with albums such as Led Zeppelin ( 1969 ) , Led Zeppelin II ( 1969 ) , Led Zeppelin III ( 1970 ) , Led Zeppelin IV ( 1971 ) , Houses of the Holy ( 1973 ) , and Physical Graffiti ( 1975 ) . Their fourth album , which features the track `` Stairway to Heaven '' , is among the most popular and influential works in rock music , and it helped to secure the group 's popularity .   Page wrote most of Led Zeppelin 's music , particularly early in their career , while Plant generally supplied the lyrics . Jones ' keyboard-based compositions later became central to the group 's catalogue , which featured increasing experimentation . The latter half of their career saw a series of record-breaking tours that earned the group a reputation for excess and debauchery . Although they remained commercially and critically successful , their output and touring schedule were limited during the late 1970s , and the group disbanded following Bonham 's death from alcohol-related asphyxia in 1980 . In the decades that followed , the surviving members sporadically collaborated and participated in one-off Led Zeppelin reunions . The most successful of these was the 2007 Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in London , with Jason Bonham taking his late father 's place behind the drums .   Led Zeppelin are widely considered one of the most successful , innovative , and influential rock groups in history . They are one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording ; various sources estimate the group 's record sales at 200 to 300 million units worldwide . With RIAA-certified sales of 111.5 million units , they are the second-best-selling band in the US . Each of their nine studio albums placed in the top 10 of the Billboard album chart and six reached the number-one spot . They achieved eight consecutive UK number-one albums . Rolling Stone magazine described them as `` the heaviest band of all time '' , `` the biggest band of the Seventies '' , and `` unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history '' . They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 ; the museum 's biography of the band states that they were `` as influential '' during the 1970s as the Beatles were during the 1960s .


Michelle Williams made her feature film debut in the 1994 film Lassie.

Michelle Williams (actress) Michelle Ingrid Williams ( born September 9 , 1980 ) is an American actress . She began her career with television guest appearances , and made her feature film debut in Lassie ( 1994 ) , which earned her a Youth in Film nomination . She gained wider recognition for her role as Jen Lindley on the The WB series Dawson 's Creek from 1998 to 2003 .   Williams received critical acclaim for the role of Alma , wife of Ennis Del Mar , in Brokeback Mountain ( 2005 ) , for which she won a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and was nominated for the SAG Award , BAFTA Award , Golden Globe , and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress . She followed this with films such as Martin Scorsese 's Shutter Island ( 2010 ) . Her work in Blue Valentine ( 2010 ) garnered her nominations for the Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award for Best Actress . She won a Golden Globe and an Independent Spirit Award for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn ( 2011 ) , which also garnered her BAFTA , SAG , and Academy Award nominations . In 2016 , she received wide acclaim for her performance in the drama Manchester by the Sea , earning her nominations from the BAFTA , SAG , and Academy Award ceremonies .   On Broadway , Williams appeared in a revival of the musical Cabaret in 2014 and a revival of the play Blackbird in 2016 . She received a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play nomination for the latter .


The World Bank Group's activities are focused on countries.

World Bank Group The World Bank Group ( WBG ) is a family of five international organizations that make leveraged loans to developing countries . It is the largest and most famous development bank in the world and is an observer at the United Nations Development Group . The bank is based in Washington , D.C. and provided around $ 61 billion in loans and assistance to `` developing '' and transition countries in the 2014 fiscal year . The bank 's stated mission is to achieve the twin goals of ending extreme poverty and building shared prosperity . Total lending as of 2015 for the last 10 years through Development Policy Financing was approximately $ 117 billion . Its five organizations are the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ( IBRD ) , the International Development Association ( IDA ) , the International Finance Corporation ( IFC ) , the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency ( MIGA ) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes ( ICSID ) .   The World Bank 's ( the IBRD and IDA 's ) activities are focused on developing countries , in fields such as human development ( e.g. education , health ) , agriculture and rural development ( e.g. irrigation and rural services ) , environmental protection ( e.g. pollution reduction , establishing and enforcing regulations ) , infrastructure ( e.g. roads , urban regeneration , and electricity ) , large industrial construction projects , and governance ( e.g. anti-corruption , legal institutions development ) . The IBRD and IDA provide loans at preferential rates to member countries , as well as grants to the poorest countries . Loans or grants for specific projects are often linked to wider policy changes in the sector or the country 's economy as a whole . For example , a loan to improve coastal environmental management may be linked to development of new environmental institutions at national and local levels and the implementation of new regulations to limit pollution , or not , such as in the World Bank financed constructions of paper mills along the Rio Uruguay in 2006 .   The World Bank has received various criticisms over the years and was tarnished by a scandal with the bank 's then President Paul Wolfowitz and his aide , Shaha Riza , in 2007 .


Kyoto is a city located in the central part of the island of Honshu , Japan . It has a population close to 1.5 million . Formerly the Imperial capital of Japan for more than one thousand years , it is now the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture located in the Kansai region , as well as a major part of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area . Kyoto is also known as the thousand-year capital .


Edo , also romanized as Jedo , Yedo or Yeddo , is the former name of Tokyo . It was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate , which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868 . During this period , it grew to become one of the largest cities in the world and home to an urban culture centered on the notion of a `` floating world '' .


Special wards of Tokyo The are 23 municipalities that together make up the core and the most populous part of Tokyo , Japan . Together , they occupy the land that was originally Tokyo City before it was abolished in 1943 to become part of the newly created Tokyo Metropolis . The special wards ' structure was established under the Japanese Local Autonomy Act and is unique to Tokyo . Nevertheless , analogues exist in historic and contemporary Chinese and Korean administration .   In Japanese , they are commonly known as the . Confusingly , all wards refer to themselves as a city in English , but the Japanese designation of remains unchanged . Moreover , in everyday English , Tokyo as a whole is also referred to as a city . Thus , the closest English equivalents for the special wards would be the London boroughs , and this can help to understand their structures and functions .   This is merely a grouping of special wards ; there is no associated single government body of wards separate from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government . Functionally , this eliminated the City of Tokyo as a layer of administration , streamlining the government . Recently , movements to reorganize other cities within their prefectures in a similar fashion have gained currency , that of Osaka , Nagoya ( Chukyo ) , Yokohama ( Kanagawa ) remain active . If reorganized , those prefectures would also contain special wards and the aforementioned cities would be dissolved . In that sense , the term special does not refer something akin to a capital district , rather to a former government entity having undergone a process of streamlining .


1964 Summer Olympics The 1964 Summer Olympics , officially known as the , was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo , Japan , from October 10 to 24 , 1964 . Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics , but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan 's invasion of China , before ultimately being canceled because of World War II .   The 1964 Summer Games were the first Olympics held in Asia , and the first time South Africa was barred from taking part due to its apartheid system in sports . ( South Africa was , however , allowed to compete at the 1964 Summer Paralympics , also held in Tokyo , where it made its Paralympic Games debut . ) Tokyo was chosen as the host city during the 55th IOC Session in West Germany , on May 26 , 1959 .   These games were also the first to be telecast internationally without the need for tapes to be flown overseas , as they had been for the 1960 Olympics four years earlier . The games were telecast to the United States using Syncom 3 , the first geostationary communication satellite , and from there to Europe using Relay 1 . These were also the first Olympic Games to have color telecasts , albeit partially . Certain events like the sumo wrestling and judo matches , sports huge in Japan , were tried out using Toshiba 's new color transmission system , but only for the domestic market . History surrounding the 1964 Olympics was chronicled in the 1965 documentary film Tokyo Olympiad , directed by Kon Ichikawa .   The games were scheduled for mid-October to avoid the city 's midsummer heat and humidity and the September typhoon season . The previous Olympics in Rome in 1960 started in late August and experienced hot weather . The following games in 1968 in Mexico City also began in October .   The 1964 Olympics were also the last to use a traditional cinder track for the track events . A smooth synthetic all-weather track was used for the first time at the 1968 Olympics and at every Games thereafter .   The 2020 Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo .


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


The Nashville Songwriters Association International provides songwriting education.

Nashville Songwriters Association International The Nashville Songwriters Association International is a 501 ( c ) not-for-profit trade organization that works to help songwriters in three ways : through legislative advocacy , through education and advice about the actual craft of songwriting , and through teaching about the music industry , and how to best position a song for success within it . They own the Bluebird Cafe .   HISTORY OF NSAI   As songwriters know , sometimes the best ideas appear during lunch , and that was the case more than 40 years ago with songwriters Eddie Miller , Buddy Mize and Bill Brock . In 1967 , over lunch at Ireland 's Restaurant in Nashville , the three came up with an idea to build a community : a songwriters association .   That kernel of an idea , planted and nurtured four decades ago , took root and has since grown into the 4,500 + member Nashville Songwriters Association International ( NSAI ) , which today promotes awareness of songwriters ' cultural contributions ( through events such as Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival ) , champions the legal rights of professional songwriters and helps develop the abilities of aspiring songwriters .   But such growth and prosperity did n't occur overnight . Back in the late ` 60s , Nashville 's songwriting community consisted of only a few dozen writers who received little credit for their achievements and whose royalty compensation was small , largely because of an antiquated copyright law . Additionally , outside of the performing rights societies ASCAP , BMI and SESAC , songwriter recognition was virtually non-existent .   Then , one November day in 1967 , Miller ( a 1975 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and founding member of the Academy of Country Music in California ) encouraged fellow songwriters Mize and Brock to begin an association for writers in Nashville . Mize and Brock loved the idea , and all three set out to make it happen .   Within a month , Eddie , Buddy and Bill were conducting the group 's first organizational meeting at the Old Professional 's Club on Music Row . The meeting attracted some 40 songwriters , including Liz & Casey Anderson ( `` The Fugitive '' ) , Felice & Boudleaux Bryant ( `` Wake Up Little Susie '' ) , Kris Kristofferson ( `` Me And Bobby McGee '' ) and Marijohn Wilkin ( `` One Day At A Time '' ) . Those 40 -- more than half the songwriters in town at that time -- became the founding membership of NSAI and began spending countless hours around Marijohn 's kitchen table brainstorming , discussing and refining ideas .   Within a year , the Nashville Songwriters Association was chartered by the state of Tennessee as a not-for-profit trade association , and from that moment , NSAI would go on to make a difference for all songwriters by helping to revise antiquated copyright laws and to establish new intellectual property protection in the digital age , by establishing a network of over 90 songwriter workshops to provide local instruction at home and abroad , and by conducting more than a half dozen educational conferences and awards shows each year .   And though based in Nashville , NSAI represents all musical genres and includes songwriters from across the United States and overseas . NSAI provides a haven for both proven and undiscovered writers -- to get a cup of coffee , to make a phone call or just to receive a word of advice or consolation . To quote NSAI 's motto : `` IT ALL BEGINS WITH A SONG '' -- and , sometimes , it all begins over lunch .   About   The Nashville Songwriters Association International ( NSAI ) is the world 's largest not-for-profit songwriters trade association . Established in 1967 , the membership of more than 5,000 active and pro members spans the United States and six other countries . NSAI is dedicated to protecting the rights of and serving aspiring and professional songwriters in all genres of music .   Mission Statement   The Nashville Songwriters Association International ( NSAI ) consists of a body of creative minds , including songwriters from all genres of music , professional and amateur , who are committed to protecting the rights and future of the profession of songwriting , and to educate , elevate , and celebrate the songwriter and to act as a unifying force within the music community and the community at large .   The association was founded in the 1970s , with former singer-songwriter Lorene Mann as a co-founder .   Songwriters Caucus -- NSAI established Songwriters Caucuses in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate . In Congress , a `` caucus '' is a group of like-minded lawmakers who share a philosophical pre-disposition to support an issue .   When NSAI has an issue before Congress , we now have caucus members who will help us by co-sponsoring legislation , allowing songwriters to testify , and using the power of their offices and the media to represent the songwriter view .   FEDERAL COURT CASES   Eldred vs. Ashcroft -- NSAI filed an `` amicus brief '' with the United States Supreme Court in a case that determined how long you and your heirs will own your copyrights . NSAI was the only songwriter organization to meet with the Justice Department attorneys , arguing the case on behalf of copyright owners . NSAI songwriter and Constitutional scholar Peter McCann researched the diaries of founding father James Madison . Madison authored Section 1 , Article 8 of the United States Constitution that says : `` Congress may grant , for a ` limited time ' , to authors and composers ... '' At issue was the definition of `` limited time . '' McCann found that Madison intended for his own diaries to be published after his death by his family , FOR PROFIT ! This compelling argument influlenced the Supreme Court 's decision in favor of copyright owners and their heirs .


The Wizard of Oz is an American fantasy film.

The Wizard of Oz (1939 film) The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , and the best-known and most commercially successful adaptation based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum . The film stars Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale . The co-stars are Ray Bolger , Jack Haley , Bert Lahr , Frank Morgan , Billie Burke , and Margaret Hamilton , with Charley Grapewin , Pat Walshe and Clara Blandick , Terry the dog ( billed as Toto ) , and the Singer Midgets as the Munchkins .   Notable for its use of Technicolor , fantasy storytelling , musical score , and unusual characters , over the years it has become an icon of American popular culture . It was nominated for six Academy Awards , including Best Picture , but lost to Gone with the Wind . It did win in two other categories , including Best Original Song for `` Over the Rainbow '' and Best Original Score by Herbert Stothart . However , the film was a box office disappointment on its initial release , earning only $ 3,017,000 on a $ 2,777,000 budget , despite receiving largely positive reviews . It was MGM 's most expensive production to date and did not completely recoup the studio 's investment nor turn a profit until theatrical re-releases starting in 1949 .   The 1956 broadcast television premiere of the film on the CBS network reintroduced the film to the wider public and eventually made the presentation an annual tradition , making it one of the best known films in movie history . The film was named the most-viewed motion picture on television syndication by the Library of Congress , which also included the film in its National Film Registry in its inaugural year in 1989 . Designation on the registry calls for efforts to preserve it for being `` culturally , historically , and aesthetically significant '' . It is also one of the few films on UNESCO 's Memory of the World Register .   The Wizard of Oz is often ranked on best-movie lists in critics ' and public polls . It is the source of many quotes referenced in contemporary popular culture . It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming ( who left production to take over direction on the troubled Gone with the Wind production ) . Noel Langley , Florence Ryerson , and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay , but uncredited contributions were made by others . The songs were written by Edgar `` Yip '' Harburg ( lyrics ) and Harold Arlen ( music ) . The musical score and the incidental music were composed by Stothart .


Good Will Hunting's director was Gus Van Sant.

Good Will Hunting Good Will Hunting is a 1997 American drama film , directed by Gus Van Sant , and starring Robin Williams , Matt Damon , Ben Affleck , Minnie Driver and Stellan Skarsgård . Written by Affleck and Damon ( and with Damon in the title role ) , the film follows 20-year-old South Boston laborer Will Hunting , an unrecognized genius who , as part of a deferred prosecution agreement after assaulting a police officer , becomes a client of a therapist and studies advanced mathematics with a renowned professor . Through his therapy sessions , Will re-evaluates his relationships with his best friend , his girlfriend and himself , facing the significant task of confronting his past and thinking about his future .   The film received positive reviews and was a financial success . It grossed over US$ 225 million during its theatrical run with only a modest $ 10 million budget . It was nominated for nine Academy Awards , including the Academy Award for Best Picture , and won two : Best Supporting Actor for Williams and Best Original Screenplay for Affleck and Damon .   After Williams ' death in 2014 , it was ranked at number 53 in The Hollywood Reporters `` 100 Favorite Films '' list .


Anthony Meindl has coached and worked with American actress Carmen Electra.

Carmen Electra Tara Leigh Patrick ( born April 20 , 1972 ) , better known by her stage name Carmen Electra , is an American glamour model , actress , television personality , singer , and dancer . She began her career as a singer after moving to Minneapolis , Minnesota , where she met Prince , who produced her debut record . She later relocated to Los Angeles , California , to pursue a career as an actress , gaining notoriety for her role as Lani McKenzie on the television series Baywatch .   She made her film debut in the horror comedy American Vampire ( 1998 ) , and has had roles in roles in multiple parody films , including Scary Movie , Date Movie , Epic Movie , Meet the Spartans , and Disaster Movie . Electra has also appeared as a model in Playboy magazine , and worked as a dancer with the Pussycat Dolls .


Anthony Meindl Anthony Paul Meindl ( born January 14 , 1968 ) is an American screenwriter , stage and film actor , and founder and artistic director at the MetaTheatre Company and Anthony Meindl 's Actor Workshop in Los Angeles . The workshop has since expanded to locations in New York City , London , Sydney , Melbourne , and Vancouver .   In the 1990s , Meindl played a character who was a genie named `` Hard Hat Harry '' in a number of video cassettes and DVDs aimed at introducing children to trucks , cars , construction vehicles , and others ( usually using the name `` Anthony Paul '' ) .   He worked and lived in New York in the early 1990s and moved to Los Angeles in 1997 . He has been in many commercials for products and companies including Diet Coke , Philips Electronics , Bank of America , Nissan , Michelob Lite , Sears , Acura , Del Taco , Mervyns , and Behr Paint .   He has also appeared in non-Broadway stage productions of Titus Andronicus , Merrily We Roll Along , and the LA Weekly Award-nominated Cabaret .   He is openly gay . His film credits are almost exclusively gay-related , including the 1997 gay-themed drama David Searching , the 1998 gay-themed drama Minor Details , and the 2000 gay-themed comedy/drama Get Your Stuff . His latest film role was in the 2005 mystery comedy Death of a Saleswoman . He also appeared in a 1998 episode of Will & Grace .   He has coached and worked with Shailene Woodley , Ashley Greene , Agnes Bruckner , Nick Robinson , Chace Crawford , Cory Monteith , Dania Ramirez , Sasha Alexander , Chris Owen , Stevie Lynn Jones , Dree Hemingway , Michael Lomenda , JC Chasez , China Chow , Brock Kelly , Judith Hill , Samantha Mumba , Rocco DiSpirito , Olivia Holt , Ian Harding , Alexandra Daddario , Edy Ganem , Trevor Donovan , Daniel Cudmore , Charlie Bewley , Ashton Holmes , Larissa Oleynik , Lorenza Izzo , Carmen Electra , Allison Miller , Jenna Dewan-Tatum , Lucy Fry , Josh Zuckerman , Sadie Calvano , Taryn Southern , Ryan Rottman , Chaz Bono , Jill Wagner , Joe Slaughter , Mark Hapka , Matt Dallas , Brad Rowe , and Quddus Phillippe .   Meindl 's first feature screenplay , The Wonder Girls , was the Grand Prize Winning Feature Screenplay in the Slamdance Film Festival Screenplay Competition in 2007 .  He was nominated as Best Director for the LA Weekly Awards two years in a row for Best Comedy ( Swimming In The Shallows ) and Best Drama ( Dogs Barking ) . The casts for both shows ( members of MetaTheatre Company , his acting studio ) were also nominated as Best Ensemble in a Comedy and Best Ensemble in a Drama .   His first short , `` Ready ? OK ! '' , played in over a dozen International Film Festivals , winning numerous `` Best of '' Awards and premiered on MTV 's LOGO Network in 2009 as part of their `` Click List : Best In Short Film Series . '' It won the 2008 Planet Out Scion Viewer 's Choice Short Film Awards .   Meindl 's first feature film , Birds of A Feather ( 2011 ) won him Best Director awards at the 2012 Downtown LA Film Festival and the 2013 Golden Door Film Festival and the Spirit of the Festival Award at the 2012 Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival . The film features Academy Award winner , Olympia Dukakis , Bruce Vilanch and Trevor Donovan .   He is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post , The Daily Love , and Backstage .


Champion (1949 film) Champion is a 1949 American film noir drama sport film based on a short story by Ring Lardner . It recounts the struggles of boxer `` Midge '' Kelly fighting his own demons while working to achieve success in the boxing ring . The drama was directed by Mark Robson , with cinematography by Franz Planer . The drama features Kirk Douglas , Marilyn Maxwell , and Arthur Kennedy .   The film won an Academy Award for Editing and gained five other nominations as well , including a Best Actor for Douglas .   Several clips from the film were used in Douglas ' 1999 film Diamonds to illustrate his character 's career as a boxer .


David Thewlis finished college on March 20th, 1963.

David Thewlis David Thewlis ( born David Wheeler ; born 20 March 1963 ) is an English actor , director , screenwriter , author . His most commercially successful role to date has been that of Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter film series . Other notable performances include the films Naked ( for which he won the Best Actor award at Cannes Film Festival ) , Dragonheart , Kingdom of Heaven , The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas , The Theory of Everything , Black Beauty , and Macbeth ( in which he played King Duncan ) . He will play Ares in Wonder Woman . He has also done voice work in the films James and the Giant Peach ( 1996 ) , The Miracle Maker ( 2000 ) , and Anomalisa ( 2015 ) , and is additionally known for the role of Cyrus Crabb in the TV mini series Dinotopia .


Davis Guggenheim Philip Davis Guggenheim ( born November 3 , 1963 ) is an American film and television director and producer . His credits include NYPD Blue , ER , 24 , Alias , The Shield , Deadwood , and the documentaries An Inconvenient Truth , The Road We 've Traveled , Waiting for ` Superman ' and He Named Me Malala . Since 2006 , Guggenheim is the only filmmaker to release three different documentaries that were ranked within the top 100 highest-grossing documentaries of all time ( An Inconvenient Truth , It Might Get Loud , and Waiting for ′ Superman ′ ) .


Transformers coordinated releases with other media.

Transformers (film) Transformers is a 2007 American science fiction action film based on the toy line of the same name created by Hasbro . The film , which combines computer animation with live-action filming , was directed by Michael Bay , with Steven Spielberg serving as executive producer . It was produced by Don Murphy and Tom DeSanto , and is the first installment in the live-action Transformers film series . The film stars Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky , a teenager who gets caught up in a war between the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons , two factions of alien robots who can disguise themselves by transforming into everyday machinery , primarily vehicles . The Autobots intend to use the AllSpark , the object that created their robotic race , to rebuild their home planet Cybertron and end the war , while the Decepticons have the intention of using it to build an army by giving life to the machines of Earth . Tyrese Gibson , Josh Duhamel , Anthony Anderson , Megan Fox , Rachael Taylor , John Turturro , and Jon Voight also star , while voice actors Peter Cullen and Hugo Weaving voice Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively .   Murphy and DeSanto developed the project in 2003 , and DeSanto wrote a treatment . Steven Spielberg came on board the following year , hiring Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman to write the screenplay . The U.S. Armed Forces and General Motors ( GM ) loaned vehicles and aircraft during filming , which saved money for the production and added realism to the battle scenes . Hasbro 's promotional campaign for the film included deals with various companies ; advertising included a viral marketing campaign , coordinated releases of prequel comic books , toys , and books , as well as product placement deals with companies such as GM , Burger King , and eBay .   Transformers received mixed to positive reviews from critics and fans , and is the 87th highest-grossing film of all-time and was the fifth highest-grossing film of 2007 , grossing $ 709 million worldwide , with an estimated 46 million tickets sold in the US . The film won four awards from the Visual Effects Society and was nominated for three Academy Awards , for Best Sound Editing , Best Sound Mixing , and Best Visual Effects . LaBeouf 's performance was praised by Empire , and Cullen 's reprisal of Optimus Prime from the 1980s television series was well received by fans . It was soon followed by four sequels : Revenge of the Fallen ( 2009 ) , Dark of the Moon ( 2011 ) , and Age of Extinction ( 2014 ) , the later two of which grossed $ 1 billion . A fifth installment , titled The Last Knight , is scheduled for release on June 23 , 2017 .


The Carolina Panthers is based in South Carolina.

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte , North Carolina . The Panthers compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) , as a member club of the league 's National Football Conference ( NFC ) South division . The club is worth approximately US$ 1.56 billion , according to Forbes , and is controlled by founder Jerry Richardson and his family , who have a 48 percent stake ; the remainder of the team is held by a group of 14 limited partners . The team president is Danny Morrison , and the head coach is Ron Rivera .   The Panthers were announced as the league 's 29th franchise in 1993 , and began play in 1995 . The Panthers played well in their first two years , finishing in 1995 ( an all-time best for an NFL expansion team 's first season ) and 12 -- 4 the following year , winning the NFC West before ultimately losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game . They did not have another winning season until 2003 , when they won the NFC Championship Game and reached Super Bowl XXXVIII , losing 32 -- 29 to the New England Patriots . After recording playoff appearances in 2005 and 2008 , the team failed to record another playoff appearance until 2013 , the first of three consecutive NFC South titles . After losing in the divisional round to the San Francisco 49ers in 2013 and the Seattle Seahawks in 2014 , the Panthers finally returned to the Super Bowl in 2016 , but lost to the Denver Broncos . The Panthers have reached the playoffs seven times , advancing to four NFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls . They have won six division titles , one in the NFC West and five in the NFC South .   The Carolina Panthers are legally registered as Panther Football , LLC . The team is headquartered in Bank of America Stadium in uptown Charlotte ; also the team 's home field . They are one of the few NFL teams to own the stadium they play in , which is legally registered as Panthers Stadium , LLC . The Panthers are supported throughout the Carolinas ; although the team has played its home games in Charlotte since 1996 , it played home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson , South Carolina during its first season . The team hosts its annual training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg , South Carolina .


Charlotte center city Charlotte Center City ( sometimes called Uptown ) is the central area of Charlotte , North Carolina within the bounds of I-277 . The area is split into four neighborhoods ( Wards ) by the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets .   Several Fortune 500 companies have their headquarters here , including Bank of America , Duke Energy , and the East Coast operations of Wells Fargo . Athletic and event facilities located in Center City include Bank of America Stadium -- home of the NFL 's Carolina Panthers , Spectrum Center -- home of the NBA 's Charlotte Hornets , BB&T Ballpark -- home of the International League 's Charlotte Knights , and the NASCAR Hall of Fame . Museums , theaters , hotels , high-density residential developments , restaurants , and bars are heavily concentrated in the Center City , with over 214 restaurants and 50 nightspots .   Charlotte 's Center City ( including South End ) employs 113,800 people , hosts more than 18 million visitors a year , and 25,970 people call the area home .


Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards originally given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City . In September 2014 , the Awards were jointly presented and administered with the American Theatre Wing . As the Tony Awards cover Broadway productions , the Obie Awards cover Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway productions .


Felicity Huffman Felicity Kendall Huffman ( born December 9 , 1962 ) is an American film , stage , and television actress .   Huffman began her acting career in theatre and in the 1990s also had many supporting roles in film and television . She starred as executive producer Dana Whitaker in the critically acclaimed ABC comedy-drama Sports Night from 1998 to 2000 , which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination . She is best known for her role as Lynette Scavo in the long-running ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives ( 2004 -- 2012 ) , for which she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the debut season of the series and three Screen Actors Guild Awards overall .   Huffman drew critical praise for her performance as a transgender woman in the independent film Transamerica ( 2005 ) . The role earned her a Golden Globe Award , Independent Spirit Award , National Board of Review , and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress . Huffman has also starred in such films as Reversal of Fortune ( 1990 ) , The Spanish Prisoner ( 1997 ) , Magnolia ( 1999 ) , Path to War ( 2002 ) , Georgia Rule ( 2007 ) , Phoebe in Wonderland ( 2008 ) , Rudderless ( 2014 ) and Cake ( 2014 ) . Since 2015 , she has started in a third ABC series , the anthology crime drama American Crime , for which she has received critical acclaim including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie nomination . Additionally , she has been nominated on three more occasions for a Golden Globe Award , and has also won an Obie .


John Heard played a role in a movie directed by Paul Schrader.

John Heard (actor) John Matthew Heard , Jr. ( born March 7 , 1945 ) is an American film and television actor . He is probably best known for his lead roles in several films , including Chilly Scenes of Winter , Heart Beat , Cutter 's Way , Cat People , and C.H.U.D. , as well as supporting roles in After Hours , Big , Beaches , Awakenings , Rambling Rose , The Pelican Brief , My Fellow Americans , Snake Eyes , and Animal Factory . He also played Peter McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2 : Lost in New York , as well as appearing in Sharknado . Heard won an Emmy Award for guest starring on The Sopranos .


Cat People (1982 film) Cat People is a 1982 American erotic horror film directed by Paul Schrader and starring Nastassja Kinski and Malcolm McDowell . Jerry Bruckheimer served as executive producer . Alan Ormsby wrote the screenplay , basing it loosely on the story by DeWitt Bodeen , the screenwriter for the acclaimed original Cat People ( 1942 ) . Giorgio Moroder composed the film 's score , including the theme song which features lyrics and vocals by David Bowie .


The Martian was made under the direction of Ridley Scott.

The Martian (film) The Martian is a 2015 American science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott , based on Andy Weir 's 2011 novel The Martian . Matt Damon stars as an astronaut who is mistakenly presumed dead and left behind on Mars . The film depicts his struggle to survive and others ' efforts to rescue him . The film 's ensemble cast also features Jessica Chastain , Kristen Wiig , Jeff Daniels , Michael Peña , Kate Mara , Sean Bean , Sebastian Stan , Donald Glover , Aksel Hennie and Chiwetel Ejiofor .   Producer Simon Kinberg began developing the film after 20th Century Fox optioned the novel in March 2013 , which Drew Goddard adapted into a screenplay and was initially attached to direct , but the film did not move forward . Scott replaced Goddard , and with Damon in place as the main character , production was approved . Filming began in November 2014 and lasted approximately seventy days . Twenty sets were built on a sound stage in Budapest , Hungary , one of the largest in the world . Wadi Rum in Jordan was also used as a backdrop for filming .   The film premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11 , 2015 , followed by the United States ' theatrical release on October 2 , 2015 , by 20th Century Fox . The film was released in 2D , 3D , IMAX 3D and 4DX . It received critical acclaim and has grossed over $ 630 million worldwide , becoming Scott 's highest-grossing film to date , as well as the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2015 . It received several accolades , including the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy , seven Academy Award nominations , including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Goddard , and the 2016 long form Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation . Damon won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy and was nominated for several awards including the Academy Award for Best Actor , the BAFTA for Best Actor , and the Critic 's Choice Award for Best Actor .


New England is not the site of the Salem witch trials.

New England New England is a geographical region comprising six states of the northeast United States : Connecticut , Maine , Massachusetts , New Hampshire , Rhode Island , and Vermont . It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and south , and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north , respectively . The Atlantic Ocean is to the east and southeast , and Long Island Sound is to the south . Boston , the capital of Massachusetts , is New England 's largest city . The largest metropolitan area is Greater Boston , which also includes Worcester ( the second-largest city in both Massachusetts and New England ) , Manchester ( the largest city in New Hampshire ) , and Providence ( the capital and largest city of Rhode Island ) , with nearly a third of the entire region 's population .   In 1620 , Puritan Separatist Pilgrims from England first settled in the region , forming the Plymouth Colony , the second successful English settlement in the Americas , following the Jamestown Settlement in Virginia founded in 1607 . Ten years later , more Puritans settled north of Plymouth Colony in Boston , thus forming Massachusetts Bay Colony . Over the next 126 years , people in the region fought in four French and Indian Wars , until the British and their Iroquois allies defeated the French and their Algonquin allies in North America . In 1692 , the town of Salem , Massachusetts and surrounding areas experienced one of the most infamous cases of mass hysteria in the history of the Western Hemisphere , the Salem witch trials . In the late 18th century , political leaders from the New England Colonies known as the Sons of Liberty initiated resistance to Britain 's efforts to impose new taxes without the consent of the colonists . The Boston Tea Party was a protest to which Britain responded with a series of punitive laws stripping Massachusetts of self-government , which were termed the `` Intolerable Acts '' by the colonists . The confrontation led to the first battles of the American Revolutionary War in 1775 , and the expulsion of the British authorities from the region in spring 1776 .   The region played a prominent role in the movement to abolish slavery in the United States , and was the first region of the U.S. transformed by the Industrial Revolution , centered on the Blackstone and Merrimack river valleys .   The physical geography of New England is diverse for such a small area ; southeastern New England is covered by a narrow coastal plain , while the western and northern regions are dominated by the rolling hills and worn-down peaks of the northern end of the Appalachian Mountains . With the Atlantic fall line lying so close to the coast , numerous industrial cities were able to take advantage of water power along the numerous rivers , such as the Connecticut River , which bisects the region from north to south .   Each state is principally subdivided into small incorporated municipalities known as towns , many of which are governed by town meetings . The only unincorporated areas in the region exist in the sparsely populated northern regions of Maine , New Hampshire , and Vermont . The region is one of the U.S. Census Bureau 's nine regional divisions and the only multi-state region with clear , consistent boundaries . It maintains a strong sense of cultural identity , although the terms of this identity are often contrasted , combining Puritanism with liberalism , agrarian life with industry , and isolation with immigration .


Lydia Hearst Lydia Marie Hearst-Shaw Hardwick ( born September 19 , 1984 ) , commonly known as Lydia Hearst , is an American fashion model , actress , lifestyle blogger , and heiress to the publishing fortune established by her maternal great-grandfather , William Randolph Hearst .


Andy Kaufman sometimes appeared as rude lounge singer Tony Clifton.

Andy Kaufman Andrew G. Kaufman ( January 17 , 1949 -- May 16 , 1984 ) was an American entertainer , actor , writer , performance artist and professional wrestler . While often referred to as a comedian , Kaufman described himself instead as a `` song and dance man . '' He disdained telling jokes and engaging in comedy as it was traditionally understood , once saying in a rare introspective interview , `` I am not a comic , I have never told a joke . ... The comedian 's promise is that he will go out there and make you laugh with him . ... My only promise is that I will try to entertain you as best I can . ''   After working in small comedy clubs in the early 1970s , Kaufman first came to the attention of a wider audience in 1975 , when he was invited to perform portions of his act on the first season of Saturday Night Live . His Foreign Man character was the basis of his role as Latka Gravas on the hit television show Taxi , on which he appeared from 1978 until 1983 . During this time , he continued to tour comedy clubs and theaters in a series of unique performance art / comedy shows , sometimes appearing as himself and sometimes as obnoxiously rude lounge singer Tony Clifton . He was also a frequent guest on sketch comedy and late-night talk shows , particularly Late Night with David Letterman . In 1982 , Kaufman brought his professional wrestling villain act to Letterman 's show with a staged encounter with Jerry `` The King '' Lawler of the Continental Wrestling Association ( although the fact that the altercation was planned in advance was not publicly disclosed for over a decade ) .   Kaufman died of lung cancer at age 35 in 1984 . However , because pranks and elaborate ruses were major elements of his career , persistent rumors have circulated insisting that Kaufman faked his own death as a grand hoax . His body of work maintains a cult following and he continues to be respected for his original material , unique performance style , and unflinching commitment to character .


Sarah Palin was born on February 11th, 1964.

Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin ( -LSB- ˈpeɪlᵻn -RSB- née Heath ; born February 11 , 1964 ) is an American politician , commentator , and author who served as the ninth Governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009 . As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2008 election alongside presidential nominee , Arizona Senator John McCain , she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major political party and the first Republican woman selected as a vice presidential candidate . Also , her book Going Rogue has sold more than two million copies .   She was elected to the Wasilla city council in 1992 and became mayor of Wasilla in 1996 . In 2003 , after an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor , she was appointed chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission , responsible for overseeing the state 's oil and gas fields for safety and efficiency . She was the youngest person and the first woman to be elected Governor of Alaska .   Since her resignation as Governor , she has endorsed and campaigned for the Tea Party movement as well as several candidates in multiple election cycles , prominently including Donald Trump for President in 2016 . From 2010 to 2015 , she provided political commentary for Fox News . On April 3 , 2014 , Palin premiered her TV show , Amazing America with Sarah Palin , on the Sportsman Channel , which ran until February 12 , 2015 . On July 27 , 2014 , Palin launched the online news network called the Sarah Palin Channel , which was closed on July 4 , 2015 .


Margot Kidder performed on the children's television series R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour.

Margot Kidder Margaret Ruth `` Margot '' Kidder ( born October 17 , 1948 ) is a Canadian American actress and activist . She rose to fame in 1978 for her role as Lois Lane in the Superman film series , opposite Christopher Reeve . Kidder began her career in the 1960s appearing in low-budget Canadian films and television series , before landing a lead role in Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx ( 1970 ) .   She then appeared playing Siamese twins in Brian De Palma 's cult thriller Sisters ( 1973 ) ; in the slasher film Black Christmas ( 1974 ) ; and the drama The Great Waldo Pepper ( 1975 ) , opposite Robert Redford . Her performance as Kathy Lutz in the blockbuster horror film The Amityville Horror ( 1979 ) gained her further mainstream exposure .   After a highly publicized manic episode and nervous breakdown in 1996 , Kidder 's career began to slow . By the 2000s , however , she had maintained steady work in independent films as well as television , with guest-starring roles on Smallville , Brothers & Sisters , and The L Word . In 2015 , she won an Emmy Award for her performance on the children 's television series R.L. Stine 's The Haunting Hour . She has also acted in theatrical productions , most notably appearing on Broadway in a 2002 production of The Vagina Monologues .   In 2005 , Kidder became a naturalized U.S. citizen . She is an outspoken political , environmental , and anti-war activist . She has also advocated the use of orthomolecular medicine , which she credits as having helped treat her bipolar disorder .


Chicago White Sox play at a baseball field in the city's South Side.

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago , Illinois . The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) Central division . The White Sox play their home games at Guaranteed Rate Field , located on the city 's South Side . They are one of two major league clubs in Chicago ; the other is the Chicago Cubs , who are a member of the National League ( NL ) Central division . The team is currently owned by Jerry Reinsdorf .   One of the American League 's eight charter franchises , the Chicago team was established as a major league baseball club in . The club was originally called the Chicago White Stockings , but this was soon shortened to Chicago White Sox . The team played home games at South Side Park before , in , moving to Comiskey Park for the next eight decades .   The White Sox won the 1906 World Series with a defense-oriented team dubbed `` the Hitless Wonders '' , and the 1917 World Series led by Eddie Cicotte , Eddie Collins , and Shoeless Joe Jackson . The 1919 World Series was marred by the Black Sox Scandal , in which several members of the White Sox were accused of conspiring with gamblers to fix games . In response , Major League Baseball 's new Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned the players from Major League Baseball for life . In 1959 , led by Early Wynn , Nellie Fox , Luis Aparicio and manager Al Lopez , the White Sox won the American League pennant . They won the AL pennant in 2005 , and went on to win the World Series .