Margaret of Valois Margaret of Valois ( Marguerite , 14 May 1553 -- 27 March 1615 ) was a French princess of the Valois dynasty who became queen consort of Navarre and later also of France .   A daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine de ' Medici , Margaret was the sister of kings Francis II , Charles IX and Henry III , and of Elisabeth of Valois Queen of Spain , as well as Claude of Valois . Charles IX arranged for her to marry a distant cousin , King Henry III of Navarre , and she thus became Queen of Navarre in 1572 . In 1589 , after all her brothers had died leaving no sons , Margaret 's husband , the senior-most agnatic heir to France ( the `` Prince du sang '' ) , succeeded to the French throne as Henry IV , the first Bourbon King of France .   A queen of two kingdoms , Margaret was subjected to many political manipulations , including being held prisoner ( albeit at a comfortable castle ) by her own brother , Henry III of France , for many years . However , her life was anything but passive . She was famous for her beauty and sense of style , notorious for a licentious lifestyle , and also proved a competent memoirist . She was indeed one of the most fashionable women of her time , and influenced many of Europe 's royal courts with her clothing . Margaret took many lovers both during her marriage and after its annulment , of whom the best-known are Joseph Boniface de La Môle , Jacques de Harlay , Seigneur de Champvallon and Louis de Bussy d'Amboise . While imprisoned , she took advantage of the time to write her memoirs , which included a succession of stories relating to the disputes of her brothers Charles IX and Henry III with her husband . The memoirs were published posthumously in 1628 .   Her life has inspired a variety of stories over the centuries , beginning with William Shakespeare 's early comedy Love 's Labour 's Lost , which was in fact written within her lifetime , to Alexandre Dumas , père 's 1845 novel La Reine Margot ; to a 1994 movie La Reine Margot .


Nick Nolte starred in at least one movie.

Down and Out in Beverly Hills For the television series based on the film , see Down and Out in Beverly Hills ( TV series )   Down and Out in Beverly Hills is a 1986 American comedy film based on the French play Boudu sauvé des eaux , which had previously been adapted on film in 1932 by Jean Renoir . Down and Out in Beverly Hills was directed by Paul Mazursky , and starred Nick Nolte , Bette Midler and Richard Dreyfuss . The film is about a rich but dysfunctional couple who save the life of a suicidal homeless man . Musician Little Richard also makes an appearance , and contributed the song `` Great Gosh a ` Mighty '' to the soundtrack .   Released by Touchstone Films , a film label of The Walt Disney Studios , Down and Out in Beverly Hills has the distinction of being the first R-rated film ever released by Disney .


Nick Nolte Nicholas King Nolte ( born February 8 , 1941 ) is an American actor and former model . He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Drama , and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1991 film The Prince of Tides . He went on to receive Academy Award nominations for Affliction ( 1998 ) and Warrior ( 2011 ) . His other film appearances include The Deep ( 1977 ) , 48 Hrs . ( 1982 ) , Down and Out in Beverly Hills ( 1986 ) , Another 48 Hrs . ( 1990 ) , Everybody Wins ( 1990 ) , Cape Fear ( 1991 ) , Lorenzo 's Oil ( 1992 ) , The Thin Red Line ( 1998 ) , Hulk ( 2003 ) , The Good Thief ( 2003 ) , Hotel Rwanda ( 2004 ) , Tropic Thunder ( 2008 ) , A Walk in the Woods ( 2015 ) and The Ridiculous 6 ( 2015 ) . He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Television Series Musical or Comedy for his role in the TV series Graves ( 2016 -- present ) .


The Deep (1977 film) The Deep is a 1977 adventure film based on Peter Benchley 's novel of the same name . It was directed by Peter Yates , and stars Robert Shaw , Jacqueline Bisset and Nick Nolte .


Everybody Wins (film) Everybody Wins is a 1990 American mystery-thriller film directed by Karel Reisz , starring Debra Winger and Nick Nolte . The screenplay was written by Arthur Miller , based on his one-act play Some Kind of Love Story ( 1984 ) . It is loosely inspired by an actual 1970s murder case in Canaan , Connecticut which was the subject of the television film A Death in Canaan ( 1978 ) directed by Tony Richardson .


Affliction (film) Affliction is an American drama film produced in 1997 , written and directed by Paul Schrader from the novel by Russell Banks . It stars Nick Nolte , Sissy Spacek , James Coburn and Willem Dafoe .   Affliction tells the story of Wade Whitehouse , a small-town policeman in New Hampshire . Detached from the people around him , including a dominating father and a divorced wife , he becomes obsessed with the solving of a fatal hunting accident , leading to a series of tragic events .


Jared Kushner Jared Corey Kushner ( born January 10 , 1981 ) is an American real estate investor and developer , newspaper owner , and senior advisor to President Donald Trump .   Kushner is the elder son of real-estate developer Charles Kushner and is married to Trump 's daughter Ivanka . He was principal owner of the real-estate holding and development company Kushner Companies and of Observer Media , publisher of the New York Observer . He is the co-founder and part owner of Cadre , an online real-estate investment platform .   On January 9 , 2017 , Kushner was named as a senior White House advisor . He consequently resigned as CEO of Kushner Companies and as publisher of the Observer , but his private financial interests remain a subject of controversy . Kushner helped develop and run Trump 's digital media strategy .


Diana Ross was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient in 2016.

Diana Ross Diane Ernestine Earle Ross ( born March 26 , 1944 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress , and record producer . Born and raised in Detroit , Michigan , Ross rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group The Supremes , which , during the 1960s , became Motown 's most successful act , and is to this day the United States ' most successful vocal group , as well as one of the world 's best-selling girl groups of all time . Ross ' success as lead singer of The Supremes made it possible for future African-American R&B and soul acts to find mainstream success . The group released a record-setting twelve number-one hit singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 , including `` Where Did Our Love Go '' , `` Baby Love '' , `` Come See About Me '' , `` Stop ! In the Name of Love '' , `` You Ca n't Hurry Love '' , `` You Keep Me Hangin ' On '' , `` Love Child '' , and `` Someday We 'll Be Together '' .   Following her departure from The Supremes in 1970 , Ross released her eponymous debut solo album that same year , which contained the Top 20 Pop hit `` Reach Out and Touch ( Somebody 's Hand ) '' and the number-one Pop hit `` Ai n't No Mountain High Enough '' . She later released the album Touch Me in the Morning in 1973 ; its title track reached number 1 , as her second solo hit . That same year , her album `` Lady Sings The Blues '' , which was the original soundtrack of her film based on the life of jazz singer Billie Holiday , went to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 Albums Chart , selling more than 300,000 copies within its first 8 days of release . By 1975 , the Mahogany soundtrack included her third number-one hit , `` Theme from Mahogany ( Do You Know Where You 're Going To ) '' . Her eponymous 1976 album included her fourth number-one hit , `` Love Hangover '' . In 1979 , Ross released the album The Boss . Her 1980 semi-eponymous album Diana reached number 2 on the US Billboard albums chart , and spawned the number-one hit `` Upside Down '' , and the international hit `` I 'm Coming Out '' . After leaving Motown , Ross achieved her sixth and final US number-one Pop hit , with the duet `` Endless Love '' , composed for the Brooke Shields film of the same name , by and performed with former Commodores front man , Lionel Richie . Ross and Richie performed the song on the telecast for the 54th Academy Awards , where the song was nominated in the category of `` Best Song '' .   Ross has also ventured into acting , with a Golden Globe Award and Academy Award-nominated performance for her performance in the film Lady Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) . She also starred in two other films , Mahogany ( 1975 ) and The Wiz ( 1978 ) , later acting in the television films Out of Darkness ( 1994 ) , for which she also was nominated for a Golden Globe Award , and Double Platinum ( 1999 ) . Ross was named the `` Female Entertainer of the Century '' by Billboard magazine . In 1993 , the Guinness Book of World Records declared Ross the most successful female music artist in history , due to her success in the United States and United Kingdom for having more hits than any female artist in the charts , with a career total of 70 hit singles with her work with the Supremes and as a solo artist . Ross has sold more than 100 million records worldwide , when her releases with the Supremes and as a solo artist are tallied . In 1988 , Ross was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as member of the Supremes , alongside Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard . She was the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007 , and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 . She is a 12-time Grammy nominee , never earning a competitive honor , but later became the recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 . In December 2016 , Billboard magazine named her the 50th most successful dance artist of all time .


Soundgarden Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle , Washington , in 1984 by singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell , lead guitarist Kim Thayil , and bassist Hiro Yamamoto . Matt Cameron became the band 's full-time drummer in 1986 , while bassist Ben Shepherd became a permanent replacement for Yamamoto in 1990 . Cornell remained in Soundgarden until his death in May 2017 , putting the band 's future in doubt and leaving Thayil as the only remaining original member of the band .   Soundgarden was one of the seminal bands in the creation of grunge , a style of alternative rock that developed in Seattle , and was one of a number of grunge bands signed to the record label Sub Pop . Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign to a major label ( A&M Records in 1988 ) , though the band did not achieve commercial success until they popularized the genre in the early 1990s with Seattle contemporaries Pearl Jam , Nirvana , and Alice in Chains .   Soundgarden achieved its biggest success with the 1994 album Superunknown , which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and yielded the Grammy Award-winning singles `` Black Hole Sun '' and `` Spoonman '' . In 1997 , the band broke up due to internal strife over its creative direction . After more than a decade of working on projects and other bands , Soundgarden reunited in 2010 and their sixth studio album , King Animal , was released two years later .   As of 2012 , Soundgarden sold more than 10.5 million records in the United States , and an estimated 22.5 million worldwide . VH1 ranked Soundgarden at number 14 in their special 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock .


Glamorous was denied release by Interscope Records.

Glamorous (Fergie song) `` Glamorous '' is a song recorded by American singer and rapper Fergie for her debut studio album , The Dutchess ( 2006 ) . The song features vocals from American rapper Ludacris . It was released as the third single from The Dutchess worldwide except for in the United Kingdom , where it served as the second single . The song was serviced to mainstream radios on January 23 , 2007 and to Rhythmic radios on February 20 , 2007 in the United States , through A&M Records , together with will.i.am Music Group and Interscope Records .   It was written by Fergie , Ludacris , will.i.am , Elvis Williams and Polow da Don ; the latter also produced the song . `` Glamorous '' is an airy R&B song that has a slower feel from the album 's previous hip-hop and dance tinged singles . The lyrics deal with the protagonist staying rooted despite her success and fame . `` Glamorous '' garnered generally mixed to positive reviews from music critics , who commented on its smooth , generic sound and its lyrics , which have been likened to those of Gwen Stefani 's `` Luxurious '' ( 2005 ) and Jennifer Lopez 's `` Jenny from the Block '' ( 2002 ) .   The song achieved commercial success worldwide , peaking inside the top ten in several countries , including Australia and Ireland , it reached the top three on the singles charts . `` Glamorous '' peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Fergie 's second number one hit on the chart as a solo artist . The song also became her third best selling song in the United States , amassing sales of over three million copies as of August 2012 , and earning a double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . The music video for `` Glamorous '' features Fergie in scenes in which she portrays a successful actress and a teenager , acting as flashbacks from her past . `` Glamorous '' was featured in the video game , Grand Theft Auto V , in the radio station Non Stop Pop FM .


Reds (film) Reds is a 1981 American epic drama film co-written , produced and directed by Warren Beatty . The picture centers on the life and career of John Reed , the journalist and writer who chronicled the Russian Revolution in his book Ten Days That Shook the World . Beatty stars in the lead role alongside Diane Keaton as Louise Bryant and Jack Nicholson as Eugene O'Neill .   The supporting cast includes Edward Herrmann , Jerzy Kosinski , Paul Sorvino , Maureen Stapleton , Gene Hackman , Ramon Bieri , Nicolas Coster and M. Emmet Walsh . The film also features , as `` witnesses , '' interviews with the 98-year-old radical educator and peace activist Scott Nearing , author Dorothy Frooks , reporter and author George Seldes , civil liberties advocate Roger Baldwin , and the American writer Henry Miller , among others .   Beatty was awarded the Academy Award for Best Director and the film was nominated for Best Picture , but lost to Chariots of Fire . Beatty , Keaton , Nicholson and Stapleton were nominated for Best Actor , Best Actress , Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress , respectively . Stapleton was the only one of the four to win . Beatty was also nominated , along with co-writer Trevor Griffiths , for Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay , but lost to Chariots of Fire . Beatty became the third person to be nominated for Academy Awards in the categories Best Actor , Director and Original Screenplay for a film nominated for Best Picture .   In June 2008 , the American Film Institute revealed its `` Ten Top Ten '' -- the best ten films in ten `` classic '' American film genres -- after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community . Reds was acknowledged as the ninth best film in the epic genre .


Wynonna Judd Wynonna Ellen Judd ( -LSB- waɪˈnoʊnə -RSB- born Christina Claire Ciminella ; May 30 , 1964 ) is an American country music singer . Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the single name Wynonna . Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother , Naomi , in the country music duo The Judds . The duo released seven albums on Curb Records in addition to charting 26 singles , of which 14 were number-one hits .   After The Judds disbanded in 1991 , Wynonna began a solo career , also on Curb . In her solo career , she has released eight studio albums , a live album , a holiday album and two compilation albums in addition to charting more than 20 singles of her own . Her first three singles -- `` She Is His Only Need '' , `` I Saw the Light , '' and `` No One Else on Earth '' -- all reached number one on the U.S. country singles charts consecutively , as did 1993 's `` Only Love '' and 1996 's , `` To Be Loved by You . '' Three of her albums are certified platinum or higher by the RIAA . Her most recent recording , Sing : Chapter 1 , was released on February 3 , 2009 and she released a new song , `` Something You Ca n't Live Without , '' in March 2013 . Wynonna is most recognized for her musical work , although starting in the 2000s she has also pursued other interests , including writing , acting and philanthropy .


Kaminey Kaminey ( Rascal ) is a 2009 Indian caper thriller film directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and featuring Shahid Kapoor , Priyanka Chopra and Amol Gupte in the lead roles . Set against the backdrop of the Mumbai underworld , Kaminey follows a rivalry between a pair of twins , one with a lisp and the other with a stutter , over the course of a single day .   Bhardwaj co-wrote the screenplay with Sabrina Dhawan , Abhishek Chaubey , and Supratik Sen. Bhardwaj bought the original script for from Kenyan writer Cajetan Boywhom he had mentored at a scriptwriting workshop in Uganda . Kaminey was released on 14 August 2009 and became a box-office success worldwide , grossing over against a budget of . The film 's soundtrack album also became a commercial success , with the song `` Dhan Te Nan '' topping the charts on various platforms .   Kaminey received widespread critical acclaim , with several critics and media publications placing it at number one on their listings of `` Best film of the year '' . Since its release , the film has attained cult status . It received several awards and nominations at ceremonies across India . At the 55th Filmfare Awards , it received ten nominations , including Best Film , Best Director , Best Actor , Best Actress , and Best Supporting Actor ; it won the award for Best Special Effects . At the 57th National Film Awards , Kaminey won two awards -- Best Audiography for Subash Sahoo and Special Jury Award for its editing by A. Sreekar Prasad .


Before We Go Before We Go ( previously titled 1:30 Train ) is a 2014 American independent romantic drama film directed by Chris Evans in his directorial debut , and starring Evans , Alice Eve and Mark Kassen . The film had its world premiere in the special presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival . The film was released on video on demand on July 21 , 2015 , and had a limited release on September 4 , 2015 in the United States by Radius-TWC .


John Williams was not the Boston Pops' principal conductor for 13 years.

John Williams John Towner Williams ( born February 8 , 1932 ) is an American composer , conductor , and pianist . With a career spanning over six decades he has composed some of the most popular and recognizable film scores in cinematic history , to many of the highest-grossing films of all time , including Jaws , the Star Wars series , Superman , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , the Indiana Jones series , Jurassic Park , Schindler 's List , the first two Home Alone movies , and the first three Harry Potter films . Williams has been associated with director Steven Spielberg since 1974 , composing music for all but two of his feature films . Other notable works by Williams include theme music for the Olympic Games , NBC Sunday Night Football , `` The Mission '' theme used by NBC News , the television series Lost in Space and Land of the Giants , and the incidental music for the first season of Gilligan 's Island . Williams has composed numerous classical concerti and other works for orchestral ensembles and solo instruments ; he served as the Boston Pops ' principal conductor from 1980 to 1993 , and is now the orchestra 's laureate conductor . In May 2017 , Williams was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Harvard University .   Williams has won five Academy Awards , four Golden Globe Awards , seven British Academy Film Awards , and 23 Grammy Awards . With 50 Academy Award nominations , Williams is the second most-nominated individual , after Walt Disney . In 2005 , the American Film Institute selected Williams ' score to 1977 's Star Wars as the greatest American film score of all time . The soundtrack to Star Wars was additionally preserved by the Library of Congress into the National Recording Registry , for being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant . '' Williams was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl 's Hall of Fame in 2000 , and was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2016 . Williams composed the score for eight movies in the Top 20 highest-grossing films at the U.S. box office ( adjusted for inflation ) .


Blue Velvet was credited for providing Rossellini with a dramatic outlet beyond her previous work as a fashion model.

Blue Velvet (film) Blue Velvet is a 1986 American neo-noir mystery film , written and directed by David Lynch . Blending psychological horror with film noir , the film stars Kyle MacLachlan , Isabella Rossellini , Dennis Hopper and Laura Dern . The title is taken from Bobby Vinton 's 1963 song of the same name .   The screenplay of Blue Velvet had been passed around multiple times in the late 1970s and early 1980s , with many major studios declining it because of its strong sexual and violent content . After the commercial and critical failure of Lynch 's Dune ( 1984 ) , the director made attempts at developing a more `` personal story '' , somewhat characteristic of the surrealist style displayed in his debut Eraserhead ( 1977 ) . The independent studio De Laurentiis Entertainment Group , owned at the time by Italian film producer Dino De Laurentiis , agreed to finance and produce the film .   Blue Velvet initially received a divided critical response , with many stating that its objectionable content served little artistic purpose . It nevertheless earned Lynch his second Academy Award nomination for Best Director and came to achieve cult status . As an example of a director casting against the norm , it was credited for re-launching Hopper 's career and for providing Rossellini with a dramatic outlet beyond her previous work as a fashion model and a cosmetics spokeswoman .   In the years since , the film has generated significant academic attention with regard to its thematic symbolism , and is now widely regarded as one of Lynch 's major works and one of the greatest films of the 1980s . Publications including Sight & Sound , Time , Entertainment Weekly and BBC Magazine have ranked it among the greatest American films of all time . In 2008 , Blue Velvet was chosen by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest American mystery films ever made .


Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( -LSB- ˈkɑːmələ -RSB- born October 20 , 1964 ) is an American attorney and politician who is the junior United States Senator from California . She is a member of the Democratic Party and served as the 32nd Attorney General of California .   Harris graduated from Howard University and University of California , Hastings College of the Law . She worked as a Deputy District Attorney in Alameda County , California ( 1990 -- 98 ) . She served as Managing Attorney of the Career Criminal Unit in the San Francisco District Attorney 's Office ( 1998-2000 ) and as Chief of the Community and Neighborhood Division in the office of San Francisco City Attorney ( 2000 -- 03 ) . In 2003 , she was elected as California 's first African American female District Attorney of San Francisco , defeating incumbent Terence Hallinan . She was re-elected in 2007 and served from 2004 to 2011 .   Harris was elected California 's Attorney General in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 . Harris was the first woman , the first Jamaican American , the first Asian American , the first Indian American , and the first African American attorney general in California .   On November 8 , 2016 , she defeated Loretta Sanchez in the 2016 U.S. Senate election to replace outgoing Democratic senator Barbara Boxer , becoming the third woman of color , first Indian American , and first biracial woman ( alongside Tammy Duckworth and Catherine Cortez Masto ) elected to serve in the United States Senate .


Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated president John F. Kennedy.

Lee Harvey Oswald Lee Harvey Oswald ( October 18 , 1939 -- November 24 , 1963 ) was an American former U.S. Marine who was arrested for the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy on November 22 , 1963 . According to four federal government investigations and one municipal investigation , These were investigations by : the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( 1963 ) , the Warren Commission ( 1964 ) , the House Select Committee on Assassinations ( 1979 ) , the Secret Service , and the Dallas Police Department . Oswald shot and killed Kennedy as the President traveled by motorcade through Dealey Plaza in the city of Dallas , Texas .   Oswald was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps and defected to the Soviet Union in October 1959 . He lived in the Belarusian city of Minsk until June 1962 , at which time he returned to the United States with Marina , his Russian-born wife , eventually settling in Dallas .   Following Kennedy 's assassination , Oswald was initially arrested for the murder of police officer J. D. Tippit , who was killed on a Dallas street about 45 minutes after Kennedy was shot . Oswald was later charged with the murder of Kennedy . He denied shooting anybody , saying that he was a `` patsy '' . Two days later , while being transferred from the city jail to the county jail , Oswald was fatally shot by Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby in full view of television cameras broadcasting live .   In September 1964 , the Warren Commission concluded that Oswald acted alone in assassinating Kennedy by firing three shots from the Texas School Book Depository . This conclusion was supported by previous investigations carried out by the FBI , the Secret Service , and the Dallas Police Department . Despite forensic , ballistic , and eyewitness evidence supporting the lone gunman theory , public opinion polls taken over the years have shown that most Americans believe that Oswald did not act alone , but conspired with others to kill the president . The assassination has spawned numerous conspiracy theories .


Nina Simone Nina Simone ( -LSB- ˈniːnə_sᵻˈmoʊn -RSB- born Eunice Kathleen Waymon ; February 21 , 1933 -- April 21 , 2003 ) was an American singer , songwriter , pianist , arranger , and activist in the Civil Rights Movement . Simone employed a broad range of musical styles including classical , jazz , blues , folk , R&B , gospel , and pop .   Born in North Carolina , the sixth child of a preacher , Waymon aspired to be a concert pianist . With the help of a few supporters in her hometown of Tryon , North Carolina , she enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in New York .   Waymon then applied for a scholarship to study at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia , where she was denied despite a well-received audition . Waymon became fully convinced this rejection had been entirely due to her race , a statement that has been a matter of controversy . Years later , two days before her death , the Curtis Institute of Music bestowed on her an honorary degree .   To make a living , Eunice Waymon changed her name to `` Nina Simone '' . The change related to her need to disguise herself from family members , having chosen to play `` the devil 's music '' or `` cocktail piano '' at a nightclub in Atlantic City . She was told in the nightclub that she would have to sing to her own accompaniment , and this effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist .   Simone recorded more than 40 albums , mostly between 1958 , when she made her debut with Little Girl Blue , and 1974 . She had a hit in the United States in 1958 with `` I Loves You , Porgy '' .   Simone 's musical style fused gospel and pop with classical music , in particular Johann Sebastian Bach , and accompanied expressive , jazz-like singing in her contralto voice .


Ginger Baker is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time.

Ginger Baker Peter Edward `` Ginger '' Baker ( born 19 August 1939 ) is an English drummer , best known as the founder of the rock band Cream . Baker 's work in the 1960s earned him praise as `` rock 's first superstar drummer '' , although his individual style melded a jazz background with his interest in African rhythms . Baker is an inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Cream and is widely considered one of the most influential drummers of all time , recognised by his induction into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2008 , and his induction into the Classic Drummer Hall of Fame in 2016 . Baker is credited as a pioneer of drumming in genres like jazz fusion , heavy metal and world music .   Baker began playing drums at age 15 around 1954 , and later took lessons from Phil Seamen . In the 1960s , he joined Blues Incorporated , where he met bassist Jack Bruce . The two clashed often , but would be rhythm section partners again in the Graham Bond Organisation and Cream , the latter of which Baker co-founded with Eric Clapton in 1966 . Cream achieved worldwide success but only lasted until 1968 , in part due to Baker 's and Bruce 's volatile relationship . After briefly working with Clapton in Blind Faith and leading Ginger Baker 's Air Force , Baker spent several years in the 1970s living and recording in Africa , often with Fela Kuti , in pursuit of his long-time interest in African music . Among Baker 's other collaborations are his work with Gary Moore , Masters of Reality , Public Image Ltd , Atomic Rooster , Bill Laswell , jazz bassist Charlie Haden , jazz guitarist Bill Frisell , and another personally led effort , Ginger Baker 's Energy .   Baker 's drumming attracted attention for his style , showmanship , and use of two bass drums instead of the conventional one . In his early days , he performed lengthy drum solos , most notably in the Cream song `` Toad '' , one of the earliest recorded examples in rock music .


Rhona Mitra Rhona Natasha Mitra ( born 9 August 1976 ) is an English actress , model , singer , and songwriter .   Mitra began her career as a model . She came to prominence as the Lara Croft model between 1997 and 1998 . After completing her stint as Lara Croft , she concentrated on acting and is known for her roles as Holly Marie Begins on the sixth season of Party of Five ( 1999 -- 2000 ) ; as Tara Wilson on the final season of The Practice ( 2003 -- 2004 ) and the first and second seasons of Boston Legal ( 2004 -- 2005 ) ; as Detective Kit McGraw on the third season of Nip/Tuck ( 2005 ) ; in the lead role of the science fiction/action film Doomsday as Major Eden Sinclair ( 2008 ) ; as Sonja in Underworld : Rise of the Lycans ( 2009 ) ; and as Major Rachel Dalton on the third and fourth seasons of Strike Back ( 2012 -- 2013 ) ; and as Dr. Rachel Scott in the first two seasons of The Last Ship ( 2014 -- 2015 ) .


Matt Sorum Matthew William `` Matt '' Sorum ( born November 19 , 1960 ) is an American drummer and percussionist . He is best known as both a former member of the hard rock band Guns N ' Roses , with whom he recorded three studio albums , and as a member of the supergroup Velvet Revolver . Sorum is currently a member of the touring project , Kings of Chaos , and is a former member of both The Cult and Y Kant Tori Read . Sorum was also a member of Guns N ' Roses side-projects , Slash 's Snakepit and Neurotic Outsiders , and released a solo album , Hollywood Zen , in 2004 .   After performing on synthpop band Y Kant Tori Read 's sole album , Sorum joined The Cult in 1989 to tour in support of their fourth studio album , Sonic Temple ( 1989 ) . During the tour , Sorum was spotted by Guns N ' Roses guitarist Slash and subsequently replaced their drummer Steven Adler in 1990 . Remaining in the band for seven years , Sorum recorded the albums , Use Your Illusion I ( 1991 ) , Use Your Illusion II ( 1991 ) , and `` The Spaghetti Incident ? '' ( 1993 ) , before departing in 1997 following an argument with Axl Rose .   In 2001 , Sorum rejoined The Cult to perform on their reunion album , Beyond Good and Evil ( 2001 ) , and its subsequent tour and subsequently co-founded the hard rock supergroup Velvet Revolver , alongside former Guns N ' Roses bandmates , Slash and Duff McKagan . The band , which also included guitarist Dave Kushner and Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland , released two successful studio albums , Contraband ( 2004 ) and Libertad ( 2007 ) , before entering an extended hiatus following Weiland 's departure .   Sorum has been a permanent member of hard rock cover band Camp Freddy since 2003 , alongside Jane 's Addiction members Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney , and assisted in hosting its radio show and podcast on Indie 103.1 . In 2012 , Sorum founded a touring project , entitled Kings of Chaos , featuring members of Guns N ' Roses , Deep Purple , Def Leppard , Aerosmith , ZZ Top , Cheap Trick and Slipknot .   In 2012 , Sorum was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N ' Roses .


Dwayne Johnson Dwayne Douglas Johnson ( born May 2 , 1972 ) , also known by his ring name , The Rock , is an American actor , producer , and professional wrestler . He holds both American and Canadian citizenships .   Born in California and raised in New Zealand and the U.S. states of Hawaii and Pennsylvania , Johnson was a college football player for the University of Miami , where he won a national championship on the 1991 Miami Hurricanes football team . He later played for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League and was cut two months into the 1995 season . This led him to become a professional wrestler like his grandfather , Peter Maivia , and his father , Rocky Johnson , from whom he also inherited his Canadian citizenship .   Currently signed to WWE on a part-time contract , Johnson gained mainstream fame in the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) from 1996 to 2004 as a major figure in the company 's Attitude Era , and was the first third-generation wrestler in the company 's history . He returned to wrestling part-time for WWE from 2011 to 2013 and continues to make sporadic non-wrestling appearances for the company . Johnson has 17 championship reigns in WWE , including 10 as a world champion , winning the WWF/WWE Championship eight times ( seventh reign was as WWE Undisputed Champion ) and the WCW/World Championship twice . He won the WWF Intercontinental Championship twice and the WWF Tag Team Championship five times . Johnson is the sixth Triple Crown Champion in WWE history and won the 2000 Royal Rumble . He is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time .   Johnson 's autobiography The Rock Says ... , co-written with Joe Layden , was published in 2000 . It debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list , spent 20 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list , and sold 720,000 copies in hardcover alone .   Johnson 's first leading film role was in The Scorpion King in 2002 . For this role , he was paid US$ 5.5 million , a world record for an actor in his first starring role . He has since appeared in various films , and become known for his ability to reinvigorate film franchises . One of his more prominent roles is Luke Hobbs in The Fast and the Furious franchise ; its most recent film , The Fate of the Furious , was released in 2017 and has grossed over $ 1.1 billion worldwide , making it the second highest-grossing film of 2017 and the twelfth highest-grossing film of all time . He hosted and produced The Hero , a reality competition series ; and has since continued to produce TV series and films through his production company Seven Bucks Productions , each of which he also stars in . Forbes listed Johnson No. 25 in the Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities in 2013 . He was the world 's highest-paid actor of 2016 . Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016 .  In 2015 , Muscle & Fitness named Johnson their `` Man of the Century '' .


Pixar Pixar ( -LSB- ˈpɪksɑr -RSB- ) , also referred to as Pixar Animation Studios , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville , California that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company . Pixar began in 1979 as the Graphics Group , part of the Lucasfilm computer division , before its spin-out as a corporation in 1986 , with funding by Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs , who became the majority shareholder . Disney purchased Pixar in 2006 at a valuation of $ 7.4 billion , a transaction that resulted in Jobs becoming Disney 's largest single shareholder at the time . Pixar is best known for CGI-animated feature films created with RenderMan , Pixar 's own implementation of the industry-standard RenderMan image-rendering application programming interface , used to generate high-quality images .   Pixar has produced seventeen feature films , beginning with Toy Story ( 1995 ) , which was the first-ever computer-animated feature film , and its most recent being Finding Dory ( 2016 ) . All 17 of its films have debuted with CinemaScore ratings of at least an `` A − , '' indicating positive receptions with audiences . The studio has also produced several short films . , its feature films have earned approximately $ 10.8 billion at the box office worldwide , with an average worldwide gross of $ 634 million per film . Finding Dory , along with its predecessor Finding Nemo ( 2003 ) , as well as Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) are among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , with the lattermost film being the third all-time highest-grossing animated film with a gross of $ 1.063 billion . Fourteen of Pixar 's films are also among the 50 highest-grossing animated films of all time .   The studio has earned sixteen Academy Awards , seven Golden Globe Awards , and eleven Grammy Awards , among many other awards and acknowledgments . Many of Pixar 's films have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature since its inauguration in 2001 , with eight winning ; this includes Finding Nemo and Toy Story 3 , along with The Incredibles ( 2004 ) , Ratatouille ( 2007 ) , WALL-E ( 2008 ) , Up ( 2009 ) , Brave ( 2012 ) , and Inside Out ( 2015 ) . Monsters , Inc. ( 2001 ) and Cars ( 2006 ) are the only two films that were nominated for the award without winning it , while Cars 2 ( 2011 ) , Monsters University ( 2013 ) , The Good Dinosaur ( 2015 ) , and Finding Dory have not been nominated . Up and Toy Story 3 were also the respective second and third animated films to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture , the first being Walt Disney Animation Studios ' Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) . Luxo Jr. , a character from the studio 's 1986 short film of the same name , is the studio 's mascot .   On September 6 , 2009 , Pixar executives John Lasseter , Brad Bird , Pete Docter , Andrew Stanton , and Lee Unkrich were presented with the Golden Lion award for Lifetime Achievement by the biennial Venice Film Festival . The award was presented by Lucasfilm 's founder George Lucas .


Hubert Humphrey was the Majority Whip for the Democrats.

Hubert Humphrey Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. ( May 27 , 1911January 13 , 1978 ) was an American politician who served as the 38th Vice President of the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson from 1965 to 1969 . Humphrey twice served in the United States Senate , representing Minnesota from 1949 to 1964 and 1971 to 1978 . He was the nominee of the Democratic Party in the 1968 presidential election , losing to the Republican nominee Richard M. Nixon .   Born in Wallace , South Dakota in 1911 , Humphrey attended the University of Minnesota before earning his pharmacist license from the Capitol College of Pharmacy in 1931 . He helped run his father 's pharmacy until 1937 when he returned to academia , graduating with a master 's degree from Louisiana State University in 1940 , where he was a political science instructor . He returned to Minnesota during World War II and became a supervisor for the Works Progress Administration . He was then appointed state director of the Minnesota war service program before becoming the assistant director of the War Manpower Commission . In 1943 , Humphrey became a professor of Political Science at Macalester College and ran a failed campaign for mayor of Minneapolis . Humphrey helped found the Minnesota Democratic -- Farmer -- Labor Party ( DFL ) in 1944 , and in 1945 , became the DFL candidate for mayor of Minneapolis for a second time , winning with 61 % of the vote . Humphrey served as mayor from 1945 to 1948 , he was reelected and became the co-founder of the liberal anti-communist group Americans for Democratic Action in 1947 .   Humphrey was elected to the Senate in 1948 , the year his proposal of ending racial segregation was included in the party platform at the Democratic National Convention , where he gave one of his most notable speeches on the convention floor , suggesting the Democratic Party `` walk into the sunshine of human rights . '' He served three terms in the Senate from 1949 to 1964 and was the Democratic Majority Whip from 1961 to 1964 . During his tenure , Humphrey was the lead author of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , introduced the first initiative to create the Peace Corps , sponsored the clause of the McCarran Act to threaten concentration camps for ` subversives ' , proposed making Communist Party membership a felony and chaired the Select Committee on Disarmament .   Humphrey ran for two failed Presidential campaigns in the 1952 and 1960 Democratic primaries . After Lyndon B. Johnson inherited the presidency after John F. Kennedy 's assassination in November 1963 , he chose Humphrey to be his running mate in 1964 against Republican Barry Goldwater and the Democratic ticket was elected in a landslide in 1964 .   After Johnson made the surprise announcement that he would not seek reelection in March 1968 , Humphrey launched his campaign for the presidency the following month . Humphrey 's main Democratic challengers were anti-Vietnam War Senators Eugene McCarthy and Robert F. Kennedy . Humphrey , who was loyal to the Johnson administration 's policies on the Vietnam War as Vice President , saw opposition from many within his own party and avoided the primaries to focus on receiving the delegates of non-primary states at the Democratic Convention . Humphrey 's delegate strategy succeeded in clinching the nomination , choosing Senator Edmund Muskie as his running mate . With the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and the assassination of Robert Kennedy that year , and heightened opposition to the Vietnam War , the convention saw major protests which later proved costly to Humphrey 's campaign . On November 5 , 1968 , Humphrey lost to former Vice President Richard Nixon in the general election .   Humphrey then returned to teaching in Minnesota before returning to the Senate in 1971 . He became the first Deputy President pro tempore of the United States Senate and served until his death in 1978 . Humphrey died of bladder cancer at his home in Waverly , Minnesota , and is buried at the Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis . He was succeeded by his wife of 41 years Muriel Humphrey as interim Senator for Minnesota .


The Boys from Brazil features Steve Guttenberg.

The Boys from Brazil (film) The Boys from Brazil is a 1978 British-American science fiction thriller film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner . It stars Gregory Peck and Laurence Olivier and features James Mason , Lilli Palmer , Uta Hagen , Denholm Elliott , and Steve Guttenberg in supporting roles . The film is based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Ira Levin , and was nominated for three Academy Awards .


50 First Dates 50 First Dates is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Segal and written by George Wing . The film stars Adam Sandler as a lothario veterinarian and Drew Barrymore as an amnesiac , along with Rob Schneider , Sean Astin , Lusia Strus , Blake Clark , and Dan Aykroyd . Most of the film was shot on location in Oahu , Hawaii on the Windward side and the North Shore . Sandler and Barrymore won an MTV award . The fictitious memory impairment suffered by Barrymore 's character , Goldfield 's Syndrome , is similar to short term memory loss and anterograde amnesia . The 2014 Malayalam film Ormayundo Ee Mukham is inspired by 50 First Dates .


The Last House on the Left is a motion picture.

The Last House on the Left (2009 film) The Last House on the Left is a 2009 American horror film directed by Dennis Iliadis and written by Carl Ellsworth and Adam Alleca . It is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name , and stars Tony Goldwyn , Monica Potter , Garret Dillahunt , Spencer Treat Clark , Martha MacIsaac and Sara Paxton . The film follows the parents ( Goldwyn and Potter ) of Mari Collingwood ( Paxton ) , who attempt to get revenge on a group of strangers , led by a man named Krug ( Dillahunt ) , that have taken shelter at their home during a thunderstorm .   The film rights were picked up by Rogue Pictures in 2006 , with the remake being the first film produced by Wes Craven 's new production studio Midnight Pictures . Craven , who wrote and directed the 1972 original , was interested to see what kind of film could be produced on a large budget , as the limited funds in 1972 forced him to eliminate scenes he had wanted to film to tell a complete story . Alleca 's original script included elements of the supernatural , which prompted the studio to reject it and bring in Ellsworth to perform a rewrite . One of the elements director Iliadis wanted to avoid with this film , given its graphic nature , was turning it into torture porn -- a subgenre of horror popularized by the Saw franchise . For Craven and Iliadis , The Last House on the Left primarily illustrates how even the most normal of families can be driven to evil acts if pushed too far .   The film was released on March 13 , 2009 , and took the top spot away from Watchmen with $ 5.6 million in weekend revenue . The Last House on the Left was met with mixed reviews from critics . Audience opinion ranked the film at a `` B '' level , from a scale of `` A to F '' ; the film would ultimately gross $ 45,286,228 worldwide .


George Foreman also goes by "Big George".

George Foreman George Edward Foreman ( born January 10 , 1949 ) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1969 to 1977 , and from 1987 to 1997 . Nicknamed `` Big George '' , he is a two-time world heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist . Outside the sport he went on to become an ordained minister , author and entrepreneur .   After a troubled childhood , Foreman took up amateur boxing and won a gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1968 Summer Olympics . Having turned professional the next year , he won the world heavyweight title with a second-round knockout of then-undefeated Joe Frazier in 1973 . Two successful title defenses were made before Foreman 's first professional loss to Muhammad Ali in `` The Rumble in the Jungle '' in 1974 . Unable to secure another title opportunity , Foreman retired after a loss to Jimmy Young in 1977 . Following what he referred to as a religious epiphany , Foreman became an ordained Christian minister . Ten years later , he announced a comeback and , in 1994 , at age 45 , he regained a portion of the heavyweight championship by knocking out 27-year-old Michael Moorer to win the unified WBA , IBF , and lineal titles . Foreman remains the oldest heavyweight champion in history , and the second oldest in any weight class after Bernard Hopkins ( at light heavyweight ) . He retired in 1997 at the age of 48 , with a final record of 76 wins 5 losses and 68 knockouts .   Foreman has been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame . The International Boxing Research Organization ( IBRO ) rates Foreman as the eighth greatest heavyweight of all time . In 2002 , he was named one of the 25 greatest fighters of the past 80 years by The Ring magazine . The Ring ranked him as the ninth greatest puncher of all time . He was a ringside analyst for HBO 's boxing coverage for twelve years , leaving in 2004 . Outside of boxing , he is a successful entrepreneur and is known for his promotion of the George Foreman Grill , which has sold over 100 million units worldwide . In 1999 he sold the naming rights to the grill for $ 138 million .


Destiny's criticism centered mostly around the game's storyline and post-game pinata.

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


Before We Go features Johnny Gomes, Pedro Martinez, and Chris Sale.

Before We Go Before We Go ( previously titled 1:30 Train ) is a 2014 American independent romantic drama film directed by Chris Evans in his directorial debut , and starring Evans , Alice Eve and Mark Kassen . The film had its world premiere in the special presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival . The film was released on video on demand on July 21 , 2015 , and had a limited release on September 4 , 2015 in the United States by Radius-TWC .


Eat Pray Love Eat Pray Love is a 2010 American biographical romantic comedy-drama film starring Julia Roberts as Elizabeth Gilbert , based on Gilbert 's best-selling memoir Eat , Pray , Love . Ryan Murphy co-wrote and directed the film , which opened in the United States on August 13 , 2010 .


Aishwarya Rai did not appear in Kandukondain Kandukondain.

Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya Rai ( born 1 November 1973 ) , also known by her married name Aishwarya Rai Bachchan , is an Indian actress , model and the winner of the Miss World 1994 pageant . Through her successful acting career , she has established herself as one of the most popular and influential celebrities in India . Rai has received numerous awards and accolades , including two Filmfare Awards from eleven nominations , and she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2009 . She has often been called `` the most beautiful woman in the world '' .   While in college , Rai did a few modelling jobs . Following appearances in several television commercials , she entered the Miss India pageant , in which she placed second . She was then crowned Miss World 1994 , after which she began receiving offers to act in film . She made her acting debut in Mani Ratnam 's 1997 Tamil film Iruvar and had her first Hindi film release in Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya that same year . Her first commercial success was the Tamil romantic drama Jeans ( 1998 ) , following which she achieved wider success and won two Best Actress awards at Filmfare for her performances in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam ( 1999 ) and Devdas ( 2002 ) .   Rai garnered critical appreciation for portraying a passionate artist in the Tamil romance Kandukondain Kandukondain ( 2000 ) , Tagore 's heroine , Binodini , in the Bengali film Chokher Bali ( 2003 ) , a depressed woman in the drama Raincoat ( 2004 ) , Kiranjit Ahluwalia in the British drama film Provoked ( 2006 ) , as a nurse in the drama Guzaarish ( 2010 ) and as a justise-seeking sister in the biographical drama Sarbjit ( 2015 ) . Rai 's greatest commercial successes have been the romance Mohabbatein ( 2000 ) , the adventure film Dhoom 2 ( 2006 ) , the historical romance Jodhaa Akbar ( 2008 ) , the science fiction film Enthiran ( 2010 ) , and the romantic drama Ae Dil Hai Mushkil ( 2016 ) .   Rai married actor Abhishek Bachchan in 2007 with whom she has one daughter . Her off-screen roles include duties as a brand ambassador for several charity organisations and campaigns . She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS ( UNAIDS ) . In 2003 , she was the first Indian actress to be a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival .


The screenplay for The Bounty was written by Robert Bolt.

The Bounty (1984 film) The Bounty is a 1984 British historical drama film directed by Roger Donaldson , starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins , and produced by Bernard Williams with Dino De Laurentiis as executive producer . It is the fifth film version of the story of the mutiny on the Bounty . The screenplay was by Robert Bolt and it was based on the book Captain Bligh and Mr. Christian ( 1972 ) by Richard Hough . It was made by Dino De Laurentiis Productions and distributed by Orion Pictures Corporation and Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment . The music score was composed by Vangelis and the cinematography was by Arthur Ibbetson .


Harley Quinn Harley Quinn ( Harleen Frances Quinzel ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . The character was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm , and first appeared in Batman : The Animated Series in September 1992 . She later appeared in DC Comics ' Batman comic books , with the character 's first comic book appearance in The Batman Adventures # 12 ( September 1993 ) .   Harley Quinn is the frequent accomplice and lover of the Joker , whom she met while working as a psychiatric intern at Gotham City 's Arkham Asylum , where the Joker was a patient . Her name is a play on the name `` Harlequin '' , a character which originated in the commedia dell ` arte .   The character was originally voiced by Arleen Sorkin in various tie-ins to the DC animated universe . Since then , she has also been voiced by Hynden Walch and Tara Strong in either DC Animated Showcases or in various video games . In the Birds of Prey television series , she was portrayed by actress Mia Sara . The character made her live-action cinematic debut in the 2016 film Suicide Squad , portrayed by Margot Robbie .


Modern liberalism in the United States strongly supports public spending.

Modern liberalism in the United States Modern American liberalism is the dominant version of liberalism in the United States . It is characterized by social liberalism , and combines ideas of civil liberty and equality with support for social justice and a mixed economy . The term `` modern liberalism '' in this article refers only to the United States . In a global context , this philosophy is usually referred to as social liberalism .   The American modern liberal philosophy strongly endorses public spending on programs such as education , health care , and welfare . Important social issues today include addressing inequality , voting rights for minorities , affirmative action , reproductive and other women 's rights , support for LGBT rights , and immigration reform .   Modern liberalism took shape during the twentieth century , with roots in Theodore Roosevelt 's New Nationalism , Woodrow Wilson 's New Freedom , Franklin D. Roosevelt 's New Deal , Harry S. Truman 's Fair Deal , John F. Kennedy 's New Frontier , and Lyndon B. Johnson 's Great Society . American liberals oppose conservatives on most issues , but not all . Modern liberalism is historically related to social liberalism and progressivism , though the current relationship between liberal and progressive viewpoints is debated .   John F. Kennedy defined a liberal as follows :   Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1941 defined a liberal party as one ,   Keynesian economic theory has played an important role in the economic philosophy of modern American liberals . Modern American liberals generally believe that national prosperity requires government management of the macroeconomy , in order to keep unemployment low , inflation in check , and growth high . They also value institutions that defend against economic inequality . In The Conscience of a Liberal Paul Krugman writes : `` I believe in a relatively equal society , supported by institutions that limit extremes of wealth and poverty . I believe in democracy , civil liberties , and the rule of law . That makes me a liberal , and I 'm proud of it . '' Liberals often point to the widespread prosperity enjoyed under a mixed economy in the years since World War II . They believe liberty exists when access to necessities like health care and economic opportunity are available to all , and they champion the protection of the environment .   Modern American liberalism is typically associated with the Democratic Party , as modern American conservatism is typically associated with the Republican Party .


Houston Houston ( -LSB- ˈhjuːstən -RSB- ) is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States . With a census-estimated 2014 population of 2.239 million within an area of 667 sqmi , it is also the largest city in the southern United States and the seat of Harris County . Located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf of Mexico , it is the principal city of the Greater Houston metro area , which is the fifth-most populated MSA in the United States .   Houston was founded on August 28 , 1836 , near the banks of Buffalo Bayou ( now known as Allen 's Landing ) and incorporated as a city on June 5 , 1837 . The city was named after former General Sam Houston , who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto 25 mi east of where the city was established . The burgeoning port and railroad industry , combined with oil discovery in 1901 , has induced continual surges in the city 's population . In the mid-20th century , Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center -- the world 's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions -- and NASA 's Johnson Space Center , where the Mission Control Center is located .   Houston 's economy has a broad industrial base in energy , manufacturing , aeronautics , and transportation . Leading in health care sectors and building oilfield equipment , outside of New York City , Houston has more Fortune 500 headquarters than any other U.S. municipality within its city limits . The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled . Nicknamed the `` Space City '' , Houston is a global city , with strengths in business , international trade , entertainment , culture , media , fashion , science , sports , technology , education , medicine , and research . The city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community . Houston is the most diverse city in Texas and has been described as the most racially and ethnically diverse major metropolis in the U.S. . It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits , which attract more than 7 million visitors a year to the Museum District . Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District and offers year-round resident companies in all major performing arts .


The New York Times was founded in New York City in 1851.

The New York Times The New York Times ( sometimes abbreviated NYT and The Times ) is an American daily newspaper , founded and continuously published in New York City since September 18 , 1851 , by The New York Times Company . The New York Times has won 122 Pulitzer Prizes , more than any other newspaper .   The paper 's print version in 2013 had the second-largest circulation , behind The Wall Street Journal , and the largest circulation among the metropolitan newspapers in the United States . The New York Times is ranked 18th in the world by circulation . Following industry trends , its weekday circulation had fallen in 2009 to fewer than one million .   Nicknamed `` The Gray Lady '' , The New York Times has long been regarded within the industry as a national `` newspaper of record '' . It has been owned by the Ochs-Sulzberger family since 1896 ; Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. , the publisher of the Times and the chairman of the New York Times Company , is the fourth generation of the family to helm the paper . The New York Times international version , formerly the International Herald Tribune , is now called the New York Times International Edition .   The paper 's motto , `` All the News That 's Fit to Print '' , appears in the upper left-hand corner of the front page . Since the mid-1970s , The New York Times has greatly expanded its layout and organization , adding special weekly sections on various topics supplementing the regular news , editorials , sports , and features . Since 2008 , The New York Times has been organized into the following sections : News , Editorials/Opinions-Columns/Op-Ed , New York ( metropolitan ) , Business , Sports of The Times , Arts , Science , Styles , Home , Travel , and other features .   On Sunday , The New York Times is supplemented by the Sunday Review ( formerly the Week in Review ) , The New York Times Book Review , The New York Times Magazine and T : The New York Times Style Magazine ( T is published 13 times a year ) . The New York Times stayed with the broadsheet full page set-up ( as some others have changed into a tabloid lay-out ) and an eight-column format for several years , after most papers switched to six , and was one of the last newspapers to adopt color photography , especially on the front page .


Fabian Cancellara began road cycling after falling in love with an old bike.

Fabian Cancellara Fabian Cancellara ( born 18 March 1981 ) , nicknamed `` Spartacus '' , is a Swiss former professional road bicycle racer who last rode for UCI ProTeam . He was born in Wohlen bei Bern , Switzerland . Cancellara began road cycling after falling in love with an old bike at the age of thirteen . After that , he began to take the sport more seriously and won two consecutive World Junior Time Trial Championships in 1998 and 1999 . At age nineteen he turned professional and signed with the team , where he rode as a stagiaire . He is known for being a quality time trialist , a one-day classics specialist , and a workhorse for his teammates that have general classification aspirations .   After winning a few stages and small races in his starting years , Cancellara earned his first major victory at the 2004 Tour de France where he won the opening prologue time trial and wore race leader yellow jersey for one day . The following season saw fewer victories , but his 2006 season saw a victory in the men 's time trial at the UCI Road World Championships , along with victory at the Paris -- Roubaix . Cancellara repeated as world champion in the time trial the next year , along with winning two stages at the Tour de France .   During the 2008 calendar he won gold at the Summer Olympics in the individual time trial event and the Milan -- San Remo . The next season saw Cancellara again become world time trial champion and lead both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España . In 2010 , he won the Paris -- Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders . Cancellara 's 2011 and 2012 campaigns were both short in number of victories , while the latter was hampered by injuries throughout . After a lackluster two-year period , Cancellara again won the Tour of Flanders and Paris -- Roubaix double in 2013 . In 2014 , Cancellara repeated as winner of the Tour of Flanders .   Since turning professional in 2000 , Cancellara has ridden for four professional teams . He has achieved great success in the classic monuments ; he has won Paris -- Roubaix three times , the Milan -- San Remo once , and the Tour of Flanders three times . Cancellara has won the opening stage of the Tour de France five times and has led the race for 29 days total , which is the most of any rider who has not won the Tour . His success has not been limited to just time trials and classics , as he has won general classification of the Tirreno -- Adriatico , Tour de Suisse , and the Tour of Oman . In 2008 , he won gold in the individual time trial and silver in the men 's road race at the Summer Olympics . In 2016 , he won Olympic gold in the individual time trial for the second time in his career . In addition , Cancellara has been the time trial world champion four times in his career .


Alberta Alberta ( -LSB- ælˈbɜrtə -RSB- ) is a western province of Canada . With an estimated population of 4,067,175 as of 2016 census , it is Canada 's fourth-most populous province and the most populous of Canada 's three prairie provinces . Its area is about 660,000 km2 . Alberta and its neighbour Saskatchewan were districts of the Northwest Territories until they were established as provinces on September 1 , 1905 . The premier has been Rachel Notley since May 2015 .   Alberta is bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east , the Northwest Territories to the north , and the U.S. state of Montana to the south . Alberta is one of three Canadian provinces and territories to border only a single U.S. state and one of only two landlocked provinces . It has a predominantly humid continental climate , with stark contrasts over a year but seasonal temperature average swings are smaller than to areas further east , due to winters being warmed by occasional chinook winds bringing sudden warming .   Alberta 's capital , Edmonton , is near the geographic centre of the province and is the primary supply and service hub for Canada 's crude oil , the Athabasca oil sands and other northern resource industries .   About south of the capital is Calgary , the largest city in Alberta . Calgary and Edmonton centre Alberta 's two census metropolitan areas , both of which have populations exceeding one million , while the province has 16 census agglomerations . Tourist destinations in the province include Banff , Canmore , Drumheller , Jasper and Sylvan Lake .


Anderson Cooper Anderson Hays Cooper ( born June 3 , 1967 ) is an American journalist , television personality , and author . He is the primary anchor of the CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360 ° . The program is normally broadcast live from a New York City studio ; however , Cooper often broadcasts live from CNN 's studios in Washington , D.C. , or on location for breaking news stories . In addition , he is a major correspondent for 60 Minutes .   From September 2011 to May 2013 , he also served as host of his own eponymous syndicated daytime talk show , Anderson Live .


Anne Frank Annelies Marie `` Anne '' Frank ( -LSB- ʔanəliːs maˈʁiː ˈʔanə ˈfʁaŋk -RSB- ; -LSB- ʔɑnəˈlis maˈri ˈʔɑnə ˈfrɑŋk -RSB- ; 12 June 1929 -- February or March 1945 ) was a German-born diarist . One of the most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust , she gained fame posthumously following the publication of The Diary of a Young Girl ( originally Het Achterhuis ; The Secret Annex ) , in which she documents her life in hiding from 1942 to 1944 , during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II . It is one of the world 's most widely known books and has been the basis for several plays and films .   Born in Frankfurt , Germany , she lived most of her life in or near Amsterdam , Netherlands , having moved there with her family at the age of four-and-a-half when the Nazis gained control over Germany . Born a German national , Frank lost her citizenship in 1941 and thus became stateless . By May 1940 , the Franks were trapped in Amsterdam by the German occupation of the Netherlands . As persecutions of the Jewish population increased in July 1942 , the family went into hiding in some concealed rooms behind a bookcase in the building where Anne 's father worked . From then until the family 's arrest by the Gestapo in August 1944 , Anne kept a diary she had received as a birthday present , and wrote in it regularly . Following their arrest , the Franks were transported to concentration camps . In October or November 1944 , Anne and her sister , Margot , were transferred to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp from Auschwitz , where they died ( probably of typhus ) a few months later . They were originally estimated by the Red Cross to have died in March , with Dutch authorities setting 31 March as their official date of death , but research by the Anne Frank House in 2015 suggests they more likely died in February .   Frank 's father , Otto , the only survivor of the family , returned to Amsterdam after the war to find that her diary had been saved by one of the helpers , Miep Gies , and his efforts led to its publication in 1947 . It was translated from its original Dutch version and first published in English in 1952 as The Diary of a Young Girl , and has since been translated into over 60 languages .


Nice & Slow `` Nice & Slow '' is a 1998 single from Usher 's second album My Way . It became his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1998 . The song was written by Usher , Brian and Brandon Casey of the R&B group Jagged Edge , Manuel Seal Jr. and Jermaine Dupri .


Aaliyah has been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocalist.

Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton ( -LSB- ɑ : ˈliːə -RSB- January 16 , 1979 -- August 25 , 2001 ) was an American singer , actress , and model . She was born in Brooklyn , New York , and raised in Detroit , Michigan . At the age of 10 , she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside Gladys Knight . At age 12 , Aaliyah signed with Jive Records and her uncle Barry Hankerson 's Blackground Records . Hankerson introduced her to R. Kelly , who became her mentor , as well as lead songwriter and producer of her debut album , Age Ai n't Nothing but a Number . The album sold three million copies in the United States and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . After facing allegations of an illegal marriage with R. Kelly , Aaliyah ended her contract with Jive and signed with Atlantic Records .   Aaliyah worked with record producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott for her second album , One in a Million , which sold 3 million copies in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide . In 2000 , Aaliyah appeared in her first film , Romeo Must Die . She contributed to the film 's soundtrack , which spawned the single `` Try Again '' . The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 solely on airplay , making Aaliyah the first artist in Billboard history to achieve this goal . `` Try Again '' earned Aaliyah a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocalist . After completing Romeo Must Die , Aaliyah filmed her role in Queen of the Damned . She released her third and final album , Aaliyah , in July 2001 .   On August 25 , 2001 , Aaliyah and eight others were killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas after filming the music video for the single `` Rock the Boat '' . The pilot , Luis Morales III , was unlicensed at the time of the accident and toxicology tests revealed that he had traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system . Aaliyah 's family later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Blackhawk International Airways , which was settled out of court . Aaliyah 's music has continued to achieve commercial success with several posthumous releases . Aaliyah has sold an estimated 24 to 32 million albums worldwide . She has been credited for helping redefine contemporary R&B , pop and hip hop , earning her the nicknames `` Princess of R&B '' and `` Queen of Urban Pop '' . She is listed by Billboard as the tenth most successful female R&B artist of the past 25 years and 27th most successful R&B artist in history .


Vera Farmiga acted in a horror TV series.

Vera Farmiga Vera Ann Farmiga ( -LSB- fɑrˈmiːɡə -RSB- born August 6 , 1973 ) is an American actress , director and producer . She began her career on Broadway in the play Taking Sides ( 1996 ) . She made her television debut in the Fox fantasy series Roar ( 1997 ) , and her film debut in the drama-thriller Return to Paradise ( 1998 ) .   Farmiga 's breakout role came in 2004 , when she portrayed a mother harboring a secret drug habit in the drama film Down to the Bone . She then co-starred in The Manchurian Candidate ( 2004 ) , The Departed ( 2006 ) , The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas ( 2008 ) , and Nothing But the Truth ( 2008 ) . She gained more critical acclaim for her role as Alex Goran in the 2009 comedy-drama Up in the Air , for which she was nominated for the Academy Award , BAFTA Award , Golden Globe Award , and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress .   She then had starring roles in Orphan ( 2009 ) , Source Code ( 2011 ) , and Safe House ( 2012 ) . Farmiga made her directorial debut with the drama film Higher Ground ( 2011 ) , in which she also starred in the lead role . In 2013 , she portrayed paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren in the horror film The Conjuring , and reprised the role in the 2016 sequel The Conjuring 2 .   From 2013 to 2017 , Farmiga starred as Norma Louise Bates in the A&E drama-thriller series Bates Motel , for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination . This role , along with her roles in Joshua , Orphan , and the two Conjuring films , has dubbed her as a contemporary scream queen .


Burundi Burundi ( -LSB- bəˈrʊndi -RSB- or -LSB- bəˈrʌndi -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Burundi ( Republika y' Uburundi , -LSB- buˈɾundi -RSB- République du Burundi , -LSB- buʁundi -RSB- or -LSB- byʁyndi -RSB- ) , is a landlocked country in the African Great Lakes region of East Africa , bordered by Rwanda to the north , Tanzania to the east and south , and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west . It is also considered part of Central Africa . Burundi 's capital is Bujumbura . The southwestern border is adjacent to Lake Tanganyika .   The Twa , Hutu and Tutsi peoples have lived in Burundi for at least 500 years . For more than 200 of those years , Burundi was an independent kingdom , until the beginning of the 20th century , when Germany colonised the region . After the First World War and Germany 's defeat , it ceded the territory to Belgium . Both Germans and Belgians ruled Burundi and Rwanda as a European colony known as Ruanda-Urundi . Despite common misconceptions , Burundi and Rwanda had never been under common rule until the time of European colonisation .   Burundi gained independence in 1962 and initially had a monarchy , but a series of assassinations , coups and a general climate of regional instability culminated in the establishment of a republic and one-party state in 1966 . Bouts of ethnic cleansing and ultimately two civil wars and genocides during the 1970s and again in the 1990s left the country undeveloped and its population as one of the world 's poorest . 2015 witnessed large-scale political strife as President Pierre Nkurunziza opted to run for a third term in office , a coup attempt failed and the country 's parliamentary and presidential elections were broadly criticised by members of the international community .   Burundi 's political system is that of a presidential representative democratic republic based upon a multi-party state . The President of Burundi is the head of state and head of government . There are currently 21 registered parties in Burundi . On 13 March 1992 , Tutsi coup leader Pierre Buyoya established a constitution , which provided for a multi-party political process and reflected multi-party competition . Six years later , on 6 June 1998 , the constitution was changed , broadening National Assembly 's seats and making provisions for two vice-presidents . Because of the Arusha Accord , Burundi enacted a transitional government in 2000 . In October 2016 , Burundi informed the UN of its intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court .   Burundi remains an overwhelmingly rural society , with just 13 % of the population living in urban areas in 2013 . The population density of around 315 people per square kilometre ( 753 per sq mi ) is the second highest in Sub-Saharan Africa . Roughly 85 % of the population are of Hutu ethnic origin , 15 % are Tutsi , and fewer than 1 % are indigenous Twa ( or Pygmies ) . The official languages of Burundi are French and Kirundi , although Swahili can be found spoken along the Tanzanian border .   One of the smallest countries in Africa , Burundi has an equatorial climate . Burundi is a part of the Albertine Rift , the western extension of the East African Rift . The country lies on a rolling plateau in the centre of Africa . The highest peak , Mount Heha at 8810 ft , lies to the southeast of the capital , Bujumbura . The source of the River Nile is in Bururi province , and is linked from Lake Victoria to its headwaters via the Ruvyironza River Another major lake is Lake Tanganyika , located in much of Burundi 's southwestern corner . There are two national parks , Kibira National Park to the northwest ( a small region of rain forest , adjacent to Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda ) , Ruvubu National Park to the northeast ( along the Rurubu River , also known as Ruvubu or Ruvuvu ) . Both were established in 1982 to conserve wildlife populations . Burundi 's lands are mostly agricultural or pasture .   Settlement by rural populations has led to deforestation , soil erosion and habitat loss . Deforestation of the entire country is almost completely due to overpopulation , with a mere 230 mi2 remaining and an ongoing loss of about 9 % per annum . In addition to poverty , Burundians often have to deal with corruption , weak infrastructure , poor access to health and education services , and hunger . Burundi is densely populated and has had substantial emigration as young people seek opportunities elsewhere . The World Happiness Report 2017 ranked Burundi as the world 's second least happy nation with a rank of 154 .


The Hunger Games is the first in video game series.

The Hunger Games (film) The Hunger Games is a 2012 American dystopian science fiction adventure film directed by Gary Ross and based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins . It is the first installment in The Hunger Games film series and was produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik , with a screenplay by Ross , Collins , and Billy Ray . The film stars Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson , Elizabeth Banks , Lenny Kravitz , Stanley Tucci , and Donald Sutherland . The story takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the nation of Panem , where boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 must take part in the Hunger Games , a televised annual event in which the `` tributes '' are required to fight to the death until there is only one survivor . Katniss Everdeen ( Lawrence ) volunteers to take her younger sister 's place . Joined by her district 's male tribute , Peeta Mellark ( Hutcherson ) , Katniss travels to the Capitol to train for the Hunger Games under the guidance of former victor Haymitch Abernathy ( Harrelson ) .   Development of The Hunger Games began in March 2009 when Lions Gate Entertainment entered into a co-production agreement with Color Force , which had acquired the rights a few weeks earlier . Collins collaborated with Ray and Ross to write the screenplay . The screenplay expanded the character of Seneca Crane to allow several developments to be shown directly to the audience and Ross added several scenes between Crane and Coriolanus Snow . The main characters were cast between March and May 2011 . Principal photography began in May 2011 and ended in September 2011 , with filming taking place in North Carolina . The Hunger Games was shot entirely on film as opposed to digital .   The film was released on March 21 , 2012 , in some European countries and in the US on March 23 , 2012 , in both conventional theaters and digital IMAX theaters . Japan received it last , on September 28 . When the film released , it set records for opening day ( $ 67.3 million ) and opening weekend for a non-sequel . At the time of its release , the film 's opening weekend gross ( $ 152.5 million ) was the third-largest of any movie in North America . It is the first film since Avatar to remain in first place at the North American box office for four consecutive weekends . The film was a massive box-office success by grossing over $ 694 million worldwide against its budget of $ 78 million , making it the third-highest-grossing film in the United States and ninth-highest-grossing worldwide of 2012 . It was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on August 18 , 2012 . With 7,434,058 units sold , the DVD was the best-selling DVD of 2012 . A sequel , The Hunger Games : Catching Fire , was released on November 22 , 2013 , in the United States .   The Hunger Games received positive reviews from critics , with praise for its themes and messages , as well as Jennifer Lawrence 's portrayal of Katniss , though there was criticism of the film 's use of shaky cam in the action sequences . Like the novel , the film has been noted for its similarities to other works , such as Robert Sheckley 's short story `` Seventh Victim '' and its Italian film adaptation The 10th Victim , the Japanese novel Battle Royale and its film adaptation , and the Shirley Jackson short story `` The Lottery '' , with some criticizing The Hunger Games for being derivative of such works . Collins stated in an interview that her novel and screenplay drew on sources of inspiration such as the myth of Theseus , Roman gladiatorial games , reality television , and the desensitization of viewers to media coverage of real-life tragedy and war , not to think as just an audience member , `` Because those are real people on the screen , and they 're not going away when the commercials start to roll . '' The song `` Safe & Sound '' won a Grammy Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song . For her performance , Lawrence won the Saturn Award for Best Actress , the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie , the Empire Award for Best Actress and was also nominated for the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress .


The Prestige stars Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Piper Perabo, Andy Serkis, and Rebecca Hall.

The Prestige (film) The Prestige is a 2006 British-American mystery thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan , from a screenplay adapted by Nolan and his brother Jonathan from Christopher Priest 's 1995 World Fantasy Award-winning novel of the same name . Its story follows Robert Angier and Alfred Borden , rival stage magicians in London at the end of the 19th century . Obsessed with creating the best stage illusion , they engage in competitive one-upmanship with tragic results . The film stars Hugh Jackman as Robert Angier , Christian Bale as Alfred Borden , and David Bowie as Nikola Tesla . It also stars Michael Caine , Scarlett Johansson , Piper Perabo , Andy Serkis , and Rebecca Hall . The film reunites Nolan with actors Bale and Caine from Batman Begins and returning cinematographer Wally Pfister , production designer Nathan Crowley , film score composer David Julyan , and editor Lee Smith .   The film was released on October 20 , 2006 , receiving positive reviews and strong box office results , and received Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction . Along with The Illusionist and Scoop , The Prestige was one of three films released in 2006 to explore the world of stage magicians .


Philippines The Philippines ( -LSB- ˈfɪlᵻpiːnz -RSB- Pilipinas -LSB- ˌpɪlɪˈpinɐs -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of the Philippines ( -LSB- Republika ng Pilipinas , links = no -RSB- ) , is a sovereign island country in Southeast Asia situated in the western Pacific Ocean . It consists of about 7,641 islands that are categorized broadly under three main geographical divisions from north to south : Luzon , Visayas , and Mindanao . The capital city of the Philippines is Manila and the most populous city is Quezon City , both part of Metro Manila . Bounded by the South China Sea on the west , the Philippine Sea on the east and the Celebes Sea on the southwest , the Philippines shares maritime borders with Taiwan to the north , Vietnam to the west , Palau to the east and Malaysia and Indonesia to the south .   The Philippines ' location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and close to the equator makes the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons , but also endows it with abundant natural resources and some of the world 's greatest biodiversity . The Philippines has an area of 300000 km2 , and a population of approximately 100 million . It is the eighth-most populated country in Asia and the 12th most populated country in the world . , approximately 10 million additional Filipinos lived overseas , comprising one of the world 's largest diasporas . Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands . In prehistoric times , Negritos were some of the archipelago 's earliest inhabitants . They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples . Exchanges with Chinese , Malay , Indian , and Islamic nations occurred . Then , various competing maritime states were established under the rule of Datus , Rajahs , Sultans or Lakans .   The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in Homonhon , Eastern Samar in 1521 marked the beginning of Hispanic colonization . In 1543 , Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the archipelago Las Islas Filipinas in honor of Philip II of Spain . With the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi from Mexico City , in 1565 , the first Hispanic settlement in the archipelago was established . The Philippines became part of the Spanish Empire for more than 300 years . This resulted in Roman Catholicism becoming the dominant religion . During this time , Manila became the western hub of the trans-Pacific trade connecting Asia with Acapulco in the Americas using Manila galleons .   As the 19th century gave way to the 20th , there followed in quick succession the Philippine Revolution , which spawned the short-lived First Philippine Republic , followed by the bloody Philippine -- American War of conquest by US military force . Aside from the period of Japanese occupation , the United States retained sovereignty over the islands until after World War II , when the Philippines was recognized as an independent nation . Since then , the Philippines has often had a tumultuous experience with democracy , which included the overthrow of a dictatorship by a non-violent revolution .   It is a founding member of the United Nations , World Trade Organization , Association of Southeast Asian Nations , the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum , and the East Asia Summit . It also hosts the headquarters of the Asian Development Bank . The Philippines is considered to be an emerging market and a newly industrialized country , which has an economy transitioning from being one based on agriculture to one based more on services and manufacturing . It is one of the only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia , the other being East Timor .


Taiwan Taiwan ( -LSB- taɪˈwɑːn -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of China ( ROC ) , is a state in East Asia . Its neighbours include China ( officially the People 's Republic of China , PRC ) to the west , Japan to the northeast , and the Philippines to the south .  Taiwan is the most populous state that is not a member of the United Nations , and also possesses the largest economy of any state outside of the UN .   The island of Taiwan , also known as Formosa , was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before the 17th century , when Dutch and Spanish colonies opened the island to Han Chinese immigration . After a brief rule by the Kingdom of Tungning , the island was annexed by the Qing dynasty , the last dynasty of China . The Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan in 1895 after the Sino-Japanese War . While Taiwan was under Japanese rule , the Republic of China ( ROC ) was established on the mainland in 1912 after the fall of the Qing dynasty . Following the Japanese surrender to the Allies in 1945 , the ROC took control of Taiwan . However , the resumption of the Chinese Civil War led to the ROC 's loss of the mainland to the Communists , and the flight of the ROC government to Taiwan in 1949 . Although the ROC continued to claim to be the legitimate government of China , its effective jurisdiction since 1949 has been limited to Taiwan and its surrounding islands , with the main island making up 99 % of its de facto territory . As a founding member of the United Nations , the ROC continued to represent China at the United Nations until 1971 , when the PRC assumed China 's seat , causing the ROC to lose its UN membership .   In the early 1960s , Taiwan entered a period of rapid economic growth and industrialization , creating a stable industrial economy . In the 1980s and early 1990s , it changed from a one-party military dictatorship dominated by the Kuomintang to a multi-party democracy with a semi-presidential system . Taiwan is the 22nd-largest economy in the world , and its high-tech industry plays a key role in the global economy . It is ranked highly in terms of freedom of the press , healthcare , public education , economic freedom , and human development . The country benefits from a highly skilled workforce and is among the most highly educated countries in the world with one of the highest percentages of its citizens holding a tertiary education degree .   The PRC has consistently claimed sovereignty over Taiwan and asserted the ROC is no longer in legitimate existence . Under its One-China Policy the PRC refused diplomatic relations with any country that recognizes the ROC . Today only a few smaller nations recognize the ROC as the sole legal representative of China , but many other states maintain unofficial ties through representative offices and institutions that function as de facto embassies and consulates . Although Taiwan is fully self-governing , most international organizations in which the PRC participates either refuse to grant membership to Taiwan or allow it to participate only as a non-state actor . Internally , the major division in politics is between the aspirations of eventual Chinese unification or Taiwanese independence , though both sides have moderated their positions to broaden their appeal . The PRC has threatened the use of military force in response to any formal declaration of independence by Taiwan or if PRC leaders decide that peaceful unification is no longer possible .


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


Atomic Blonde is based on a graphic novel.

Atomic Blonde Atomic Blonde is a 2017 American action spy thriller film directed by David Leitch and written by Kurt Johnstad . It is based on Antony Johnston and Sam Hart 's 2012 graphic novel The Coldest City , which revolves around a spy who has to find a list of double agents who are being smuggled into the West . The film stars Charlize Theron , James McAvoy , John Goodman , Til Schweiger , Eddie Marsan , Sofia Boutella , and Toby Jones . This will be Leitch 's first solo credit as director , after co-directing John Wick with Chad Stahelski .   The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 12 , 2017 . It will be released theatrically on July 28 , 2017 , by Focus Features .


Punisher The Punisher ( Francis `` Frank '' Castle ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru , with publisher Stan Lee green-lighting the name . The Punisher made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man # 129 ( cover-dated Feb. 1974 ) .   The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder , kidnapping , extortion , coercion , threats of violence , and torture in his war on crime . Driven by the deaths of his wife and two children , who were killed by the mob for witnessing a killing in New York City 's Central Park , the Punisher wages a one-man war on the mob and all criminals in general by using all manner of conventional war weaponry . His family 's killers were the first to be slain . A war veteran and a United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper , Frank Castle ( born Francis Castiglione ) is a master of martial arts , stealth tactics , guerrilla warfare , and a wide variety of weapons .   The Punisher 's brutal nature and willingness to kill made him a novel character in mainstream American comic books in 1974 . By the late 1980s , he was part of a wave of psychologically troubled antiheroes and at the height of his popularity , was featured in four monthly publications , including The Punisher , The Punisher War Journal , The Punisher War Zone , and The Punisher Armory . Despite his violent actions and dark nature , the Punisher has enjoyed some mainstream success on television , making guest appearances on Spider-Man : The Animated Series , and The Super Hero Squad Show , where the depiction of his violent behavior was toned down for family viewers . In feature films , Dolph Lundgren portrayed the Punisher in 1989 , as did Thomas Jane in 2004 , and Ray Stevenson in 2008 . Jon Bernthal portrays the character in the second season of Marvel 's Daredevil as a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Bernthal is set to reprise the role in The Punisher , his own self-titled series .


French language French ( le français -LSB- lə fʁɑ̃sɛ -RSB- or la langue française -LSB- la lɑ̃ɡ fʁɑ̃sɛz -RSB- ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family . It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire , as did all Romance languages . French has evolved from Gallo-Romance , the spoken Latin in Gaul , and more specifically in Northern Gaul . Its closest relatives are the other langues d'oïl -- languages historically spoken in northern France and in southern Belgium , which French ( Francien ) has largely supplanted . French was also influenced by native Celtic languages of Northern Roman Gaul like Gallia Belgica and by the ( Germanic ) Frankish language of the post-Roman Frankish invaders . Today , owing to France 's past overseas expansion , there are numerous French-based creole languages , most notably Haitian Creole . A French-speaking person or nation may be referred to as `` Francophone '' in both English and French .   French is an official language in 29 countries , most of which are members of la francophonie , the community of French-speaking countries . It is spoken as a first language ( in descending order of the highest number ) in France , the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick , the region of Wallonia in Belgium , western Switzerland , Monaco , certain other regions of Canada and the United States , and by various communities elsewhere . In 2015 , approximately 40 % of the francophone population ( including L2 and partial speakers ) lived in Europe , 35 % in sub-Saharan Africa , 15 % in North Africa and the Middle East , 8 % in the Americas , and 1 % in Asia and Oceania .   French is the fourth-most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union . Of Europeans who speak other languages natively , approximately one-fifth are able to speak French as a second language . As a result of French and Belgian colonialism from the 17th and 18th century onward , French was introduced to new territories in the Americas , Africa and Asia . Most second-language speakers reside in Francophone Africa , in particular Gabon , Algeria , Mauritius , Senegal and Ivory Coast . In 2015 , French was estimated to have 77 to 110 million native speakers , and 190 million secondary speakers . Approximately 274 million people are able to speak the language . According to a demographic projection led by the Université Laval and the Réseau Démographie de l'Agence universitaire de la francophonie , total French speakers will number approximately 500 million people in 2025 and 650 million people by 2050 . The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie estimates 700 million by 2050 , 80 % of whom will be in Africa .   French has a long history as an international language of literature , and scientific some standards and is a second language of many international organisations including the United Nations , the European Union , NATO , the WTO , the International Olympic Committee , and the ICRC . In 2011 , Bloomberg Businessweek ranked French the third most useful language for business , after English and Standard Mandarin Chinese .