George Washington contributed to the establishment of a country.

Founding Fathers of the United States The Founding Fathers of the United States are those individuals of the Thirteen Colonies in North America who led the American Revolution against the authority of the British Crown in word and deed and contributed to the establishment of the United States of America .   Historian Richard B. Morris in 1973 identified the following seven figures as the key Founding Fathers : John Adams , Benjamin Franklin , Alexander Hamilton , John Jay , Thomas Jefferson , James Madison , and George Washington . Adams , Jefferson , and Franklin were members of the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence . Hamilton , Madison , and Jay were authors of the The Federalist Papers , advocating ratification of the Constitution . Jay , Adams and Franklin negotiated the Treaty of Paris ( 1783 ) that would end the American Revolutionary War . Washington was Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and was President of the Constitutional Convention . Washington , Jay and Franklin are considered the Founding Fathers of U.S. Intelligence by the CIA . All held additional important roles in the early government of the United States , with Washington , Adams , Jefferson , and Madison serving as President . Four of these seven - Washington , Jay , Hamilton and Madison - did not sign the Declaration of Independence .   The term Founding Fathers is sometimes used to refer to the Signers of the embossed version of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 . It is not to be confused with the term Framers ; the Framers are defined by the National Archives as those 55 individuals who were appointed to be delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention and took part in drafting the proposed Constitution of the United States . Of the 55 Framers , only 39 were signers of the Constitution . Two further groupings of Founding Founders include : 1 ) those who signed the Continental Association , a trade ban and one of the colonists ' first collective volleys protesting British control and the Intolerable Acts in 1774 or 2 ) those who signed the Articles of Confederation , the first U.S. constitutional document .   The phrase `` Founding Fathers '' is a twentieth-century appellation , first coined by Warren G. Harding in 1916 . In the 19th century , they were referred to as simply , the `` Fathers '' . Some historians have begun to eschew the limiting Great Man theory associated with the term `` Founding Fathers '' and apply it to a broader group of people , that includes not only Morris ' `` Seven '' or the Signers or the Framers but also all those , no matter their race or gender , who , whether as politicians , jurists , statesmen , soldiers , diplomats , or ordinary citizens , took part in winning U.S. independence and creating the United States of America .


George Washington George Washington ( -LSB- ˈdʒɔɹdʒ_ˈwɒʃɪŋtən -RSB- -- , 1799 ) was an American politician and soldier who served as the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797 and was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States . He served as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War , and later presided over the 1787 convention that drafted the United States Constitution . He is popularly considered the driving force behind the nation 's establishment and came to be known as the `` father of the country , '' both during his lifetime and to this day .   Washington was widely admired for his strong leadership qualities and was unanimously elected president by the Electoral College in the first two national elections . He oversaw the creation of a strong , well-financed national government that maintained neutrality in the French Revolutionary Wars , suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion , and won acceptance among Americans of all types . Washington 's incumbency established many precedents still in use today , such as the cabinet system , the inaugural address , and the title Mr. President . His retirement from office after two terms established a tradition that lasted until 1940 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term . The 22nd Amendment ( 1951 ) now limits the president to two elected terms .   He was born into the provincial gentry of Colonial Virginia to a family of wealthy planters who owned tobacco plantations and slaves , which he inherited . In his youth , he became a senior officer in the colonial militia during the first stages of the French and Indian War . In 1775 , the Second Continental Congress commissioned him as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolution . In that command , Washington forced the British out of Boston in 1776 but was defeated and nearly captured later that year when he lost New York City .   After crossing the Delaware River in the middle of winter , he defeated the British in two battles ( Trenton and Princeton ) , retook New Jersey , and restored momentum to the Patriot cause . His strategy enabled Continental forces to capture two major British armies at Saratoga in 1777 and Yorktown in 1781 . Historians laud Washington for the selection and supervision of his generals ; preservation and command of the army ; coordination with the Congress , state governors , and their militia ; and attention to supplies , logistics , and training . In battle , however , Washington was repeatedly outmaneuvered by British generals with larger armies .   After victory had been finalized in 1783 , Washington resigned as commander-in-chief rather than seize power , proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to American republicanism . Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention in 1787 , which devised a new form of federal government for the United States . Following his election as president in 1789 , he worked to unify rival factions in the fledgling nation . He supported Alexander Hamilton 's programs to satisfy all debts , federal and state , established a permanent seat of government , implemented an effective tax system , and created a national bank . In avoiding war with Great Britain , he guaranteed a decade of peace and profitable trade by securing the Jay Treaty in 1795 , despite intense opposition from the Jeffersonians . He remained non-partisan , never joining the Federalist Party , although he largely supported its policies . Washington 's Farewell Address was an influential primer on civic virtue , warning against partisanship , sectionalism , and involvement in foreign wars . He retired from the presidency in 1797 , returning to his home and plantation at Mount Vernon .   Upon his death , Washington was eulogized as `` first in war , first in peace , and first in the hearts of his countrymen '' by Representative Henry Lee III of Virginia . He was revered in life and in death ; scholarly and public polling consistently ranks him among the top three presidents in American history . He has been depicted and remembered in monuments , public works , currency , and other dedications to the present day .


Father of the Nation Father of the Nation is an honorific title given to a man considered the driving force behind the establishment of his country , state , or nation . Pater Patriae ( plural Patres Patriae ) , also seen as Parens Patriae , was a Roman honorific meaning `` Father of the Fatherland '' , bestowed by the Senate on heroes , and later on emperors . In monarchies , the monarch was often considered the `` father/mother of the nation '' or as a patriarch to guide his family . This concept is expressed in the Divine Right espoused in some monarchies , while in others it is codified into constitutional law as in Spain , where the monarch is considered the personification and embodiment , the symbol of the unity and permanence of the nation . In Thailand , the monarch is given the same recognition , and demonstrated loyalty is enforced with severe criminal statutes .   Many dictators bestow titles upon themselves , which rarely survive the end of their regime . Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo 's titles included `` father of the nation '' , `` older brother '' , and `` Guide of the People '' . Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire 's included `` Father of the nation '' , `` the Guide '' , `` the Messiah '' , `` the Helmsman '' , `` the Leopard '' , `` the Sun-President '' , and `` the Cock who Jumps on Anything That Moves '' .  In postcolonial Africa , `` father of the nation '' was a title used by many leaders both to refer to their role in the independence movement as a source of legitimacy , and to use paternalist symbolism as a source of continued popularity . On Joseph Stalin 's seventieth birthday in 1949 , he was bestowed with the title `` Father of Nations '' for his establishment of `` people 's democracies '' in countries occupied by the USSR after World War II .   The title `` Father of the Nation '' is sometimes politically contested . The 1972 Constitution of Bangladesh declared Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to be `` father of the nation '' . The BNP government removed this in 2004 , to the protests of the oppostition Awami League , led by Rahman 's daughter Sheikh Hasina . A motion in the Parliament of Slovakia to proclaim controversial pre-war leader Andrej Hlinka `` father of the nation '' nearly passed in September 2007 .


In the Heart of the Sea was released in cinemas in 2015.

In the Heart of the Sea (film) In the Heart of the Sea is a 2015 adventure-drama film based on Nathaniel Philbrick 's non-fiction book of the same name , about the sinking of the American whaling ship Essex in 1820 , an event that inspired the novel Moby-Dick . An international co-production between the United States and Spain , it was directed and produced by Ron Howard and written by Charles Leavitt . The film stars Chris Hemsworth , Benjamin Walker , Cillian Murphy , Tom Holland , Ben Whishaw and Brendan Gleeson .   It premiered in New York City on December 7 , 2015 and was released in cinemas in the United States on December 11 , 2015 by Warner Bros. . Pictures . In the Heart of the Sea received mixed reviews from critics , and grossed $ 93 million against a $ 100 million budget , making it a box office bomb .


Russia Russia ( -LSB- ˈrʌʃə -RSB- -LSB- Россия , Rossiya , rɐˈsʲijə -RSB- ) , also officially the Russian Federation ( -LSB- Российская Федерация , r = Rossiyskaya Federatsiya , p = rɐˈsʲijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjə -RSB- ) , is a country in Eurasia . At 17075200 km2 , Russia is the largest country in the world by surface area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , and the ninth most populous , with over 144 million people at the end of March 2016 . The European western part of the country is much more populated and urbanised than the eastern ; about 77 % of the population live in European Russia . Russia 's capital Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world ; other major urban centers include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan .   Extending across the entirety of Northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe , Russia spans eleven time zones and incorporates a wide range of environments and landforms . From northwest to southeast , Russia shares land borders with Norway , Finland , Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania and Poland ( both with Kaliningrad Oblast ) , Belarus , Ukraine , Georgia , Azerbaijan , Kazakhstan , China , Mongolia , and North Korea . It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait .   The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ' ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states ; most of the Rus ' lands were overrun by the Mongol invasion and became tributaries of the nomadic Golden Horde in the 13th century . The Grand Duchy of Moscow gradually reunified the surrounding Russian principalities , achieved independence from the Golden Horde , and came to dominate the cultural and political legacy of Kievan Rus ' . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east .   Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state . The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the Allied victory in World War II , and emerged as a recognized superpower and rival to the United States during the Cold War . The Soviet era saw some of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century , including the world 's first human-made satellite and the launching of the first humans in space . By the end of 1990 , the Soviet Union had the world 's second largest economy , largest standing military in the world and the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 , fifteen independent republics emerged from the USSR : Russia , Ukraine , Belarus , Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan , Armenia , Azerbaijan , Estonia , Georgia , Kyrgyzstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Moldova , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan ; the Russian SFSR reconstituted itself as the Russian Federation and is recognized as the continuing legal personality and sole successor state of the Soviet Union . It is governed as a federal semi-presidential republic .   The Russian economy ranks as the twelfth largest by nominal GDP and sixth largest by purchasing power parity in 2015 . Russia 's extensive mineral and energy resources are the largest such reserves in the world , making it one of the leading producers of oil and natural gas globally . The country is one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Russia is a great power as well as a regional power and has been characterised as a potential superpower . It is permanent member of the United Nations Security Council , as well as a member of the G20 , the Council of Europe , the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) , the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( SCO ) , the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) , as well as being the leading member of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) , the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) and one of the five members of the Eurasian Economic Union ( EEU ) , along with Armenia , Belarus , Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan .


Room (2015 film) Room is a 2015 independent drama film directed by Lenny Abrahamson and written by Emma Donoghue , based on her novel of the same name . It stars Brie Larson as a woman who has been held captive for seven years , and whose 5-year-old son ( Jacob Tremblay ) was born in captivity . Their escape allows the boy to experience the outside world for the first time . The film also stars Joan Allen , Sean Bridgers , and William H. Macy .   A co-production of Canada and Ireland , Room was shot in Toronto , with the eponymous Room set built at Pinewood Toronto Studios . The crew designed each part of the Room set to be removable to fit the crew . Larson researched trauma and nutrition for her part , while numerous children were considered for the role of Jack .   Room premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on 4 September 2015 and had a limited release in the United States on 16 October 2015 , to acclaim from critics . Larson won multiple awards for her performance , including the Academy Award for Best Actress , the BAFTA Award , Golden Globe Award , and the Screen Actors Guild Award . Room also received three other Academy Award nominations , including Best Picture and Best Director .


Mel B Melanie Janine Brown ( born 29 May 1975 ) , better known as Mel B or Melanie B , is an English singer , songwriter , presenter , television personality , dancer , actress , author , and model . Brown rose to fame as a member of the girl group the Spice Girls , in which she became known as Scary Spice . Brown is also known for supporting girl power and earlier global tours , which grossed an estimated $ 500 -- 800 million between 1996 and 2000 .   Brown began her solo career when she released `` I Want You Back '' with Missy Elliott on Virgin Records . The single charted at number one on the UK Singles Chart , followed by the release of her debut album , Hot ( 2000 ) . The album also saw the release of two top 10 singles `` Tell Me '' and `` Feels So Good '' . L.A. State of Mind was Brown 's second studio album , released in 2005 on the independent label Amber Café , which saw the release of one single , `` Today '' in June that year . In mid-2012 , Brown announced a return to her solo recording career with the release of her third studio album by signing with EMI Music Australia . The scope of the deal with EMI office includes concessions for global partnering with EMI . The first single from the album , `` For Once in My Life '' was released in September 2013 , becoming Brown 's first record to be released after eight years .   Since 2000 , Brown has concentrated on a variety of non-singing projects . She became the presenter of shows such as This Is My Moment , Top of the Pops , Party in the Park and The All Star Animal Awards . In September 2007 , she became a contestant on the fifth season of the American dance competition , Dancing with the Stars ; in which she placed runner-up overall partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy . Brown returned to television work becoming a judge for the Australian version of The X Factor from 2011 to 2012 , replacing Kyle Sandilands and having previously been a celebrity mentor on the show in 2010 . In June 2012 , she was a guest judge during the Manchester auditions for the ninth series of The X Factor UK , as one of the temporary replacements for Kelly Rowland ; before the role eventually went to Nicole Scherzinger . She later joined The X Factor UK for its eleventh series in 2014 .   During this time she became the female co-host for Dancing with the Stars Australia , in which she hosted the twelfth season alongside Daniel MacPherson . However , Brown resigned from the show and did not return for the thirteenth season in 2013 . In February that year , she officially signed on to become one of the four judges for the variety talent show America 's Got Talent , replacing Sharon Osbourne from the eighth season onwards . On 1 February 2014 , she was revealed to be a coach on The Voice Kids in Australia , which aired in mid-2014 .


Hot (Mel B album) Hot is the debut album by British pop singer Melanie B , released on 9 October 2000 by Virgin . The album was not as successful as her albums with the Spice Girls or that of other members solo albums released around this time . It peaked at number twenty-eight in United Kingdom and sold over 60,000 copies , receiving a silver certification . The album had four singles : `` I Want You Back '' , featuring Missy Elliott , `` Tell Me '' , `` Feels So Good '' and `` Lullaby '' . The first three singles reached top 5 in United Kingdom . The single `` Word Up '' , previously released on the soundtrack of the film Austin Powers : The Spy Who Shagged Me , was included on the Japanese version . The album received mixed to negative reviews from critics .


Ballet Shoes was produced by the former Granada Television.

Ballet Shoes (film) Ballet Shoes is a 2007 British television film , adapted by Heidi Thomas from Noel Streatfeild 's 1936 novel Ballet Shoes . It was produced by Granada Productions ( formerly Granada Television ) and premiered on BBC One on 26 December 2007 . It is directed by Sandra Goldbacher .   A previous adaptation of Ballet Shoes was produced in serial  format by the BBC in 1975 and directed by Timothy Combe . `` Ballet Shoes '' co-stars former Harry Potter stars Emma Watson as Pauline Fossil , Gemma Jones as Dr. Jakes , and the late Richard Griffiths as Gum .


Dog The domestic dog ( Canis lupus familiaris or Canis familiaris ) is a member of genus Canis ( canines ) that forms part of the wolf-like canids , and is the most widely abundant carnivore . The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa , with modern wolves not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated . The dog was the first domesticated species and has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors , sensory capabilities , and physical attributes .   Their long association with humans has led dogs to be uniquely attuned to human behavior and they are able to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canid species . Dogs vary widely in shape , size and colours . Dogs perform many roles for people , such as hunting , herding , pulling loads , protection , assisting police and military , companionship and , more recently , aiding handicapped individuals . This influence on human society has given them the sobriquet `` man 's best friend '' .


The television series 100 Greatest of All Time was first aired by the Tennis Channel.

100 Greatest of All Time 100 Greatest of All Time was a television series of five one-hour episodes , produced and first aired by Tennis Channel in March 2012 . It presented a list of the `` 100 greatest tennis players of all time '' , both men and women . The series was hosted by Jack Nicklaus , Jerry Rice , Wayne Gretzky , Lisa Leslie and Carl Lewis . Many retired tennis luminaries provided commentary , including Rod Laver , Billie Jean King , Chris Evert , Björn Borg , John McEnroe , Martina Navratilova , Pete Sampras , and Andre Agassi .


Mexico is classified as an upper-middle bat country by the World Bank.

Mexico Mexico ( México , -LSB- ˈme.xi.ko -RSB- , modern Nahuatl ) , officially the United Mexican States ( -LSB- Estados Unidos Mexicanos , links = no -RSB- , ) , is a federal republic in the southern portion of North America . It is bordered to the north by the United States ; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean ; to the southeast by Guatemala , Belize , and the Caribbean Sea ; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico . Covering almost two million square kilometers ( over 760,000 sq mi ) , Mexico is the sixth largest country in the Americas by total area and the 13th largest independent nation in the world . With an estimated population of over 120 million , it is the eleventh most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world while being the second most populous country in Latin America . Mexico is a federation comprising 31 states and a federal district that is also its capital and most populous city . Other metropolises include Guadalajara , Monterrey , Puebla , Toluca , Tijuana and León .   Pre-Columbian Mexico was home to many advanced Mesoamerican civilizations , such as the Olmec , Toltec , Teotihuacan , Zapotec , Maya and Aztec before first contact with Europeans . In 1521 , the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the territory from its base in Mexico-Tenochtitlan , which was administered as the viceroyalty of New Spain . Three centuries later , this territory became Mexico following recognition in 1821 after the colony 's Mexican War of Independence . The tumultuous post-independence period was characterized by economic instability and many political changes . The Mexican -- American War ( 1846 -- 48 ) led to the territorial cession of the extensive northern territories to the United States . The Pastry War , the Franco-Mexican War , a civil war , two empires and a domestic dictatorship occurred through the 19th century . The dictatorship was overthrown in the Mexican Revolution of 1910 , which culminated with the promulgation of the 1917 Constitution and the emergence of the country 's current political system .   Mexico has the fifteenth largest nominal GDP and the eleventh largest by purchasing power parity . The Mexican economy is strongly linked to those of its North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) partners , especially the United States . Mexico was the first Latin American member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , joining in 1994 . It is classified as an upper-middle income country by the World Bank and a newly industrialized country by several analysts . By 2050 , Mexico could become the world 's fifth or seventh largest economy . The country is considered both a regional power and middle power , and is often identified as an emerging global power . Due to its rich culture and history , Mexico ranks first in the Americas and seventh in the world by number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Mexico is a megadiverse country , ranking fourth in the world by biodiversity . In 2016 it was the eighth most visited country in the world , with 35 million international arrivals . Mexico is a member of the United Nations , the World Trade Organization , the G8 +5 , the G20 , the Uniting for Consensus and the Pacific Alliance .


Sons of Anarchy Sons of Anarchy is an American crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter , which aired from 2008 to 2014 . It follows the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming , a fictional town in California 's Central Valley . The show stars Charlie Hunnam as Jackson `` Jax '' Teller , initially the vice president , who begins questioning the club and himself . Brotherhood , loyalty and redemption are constant themes .   Sons of Anarchy premiered on September 3 , 2008 , on cable network FX . The series 's third season attracted an average of 4.9 million weekly viewers , making it FX 's highest rated series and surpassing its other hits The Shield , Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me . The season four and five premieres were the two highest-rated telecasts in FX 's history .   The sixth season aired from September 10 , 2013 , through December 10 , 2013 . The seventh and final season of the series premiered on September 9 , 2014 . The series finale premiered on December 9 , 2014 .   The series explores vigilantism , government corruption and racism , and depicts an outlaw motorcycle club as an analogy for human transformation . Real life Oakland Hell 's Angel David Labrava served as a technical adviser , and also played one of the main characters , Happy Lowman , the club 's assassin .   In November 2013 , Sutter indicated he was in talks with FX to make a Sons of Anarchy prequel set in the 1960s . In February 2015 , he said he would not work on the prequel , likely to be titled `` The First 9 '' , before 2017 . In November 2016 FX announced the development of a spin off series Mayans MC , centered around Latino culture , which will likely include past SOA characters in cameo roles .


Emmanuel Adebayor plays as a striker in American football.

Emmanuel Adebayor Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor ( -LSB- ɛmanɥɛl adəbɛjɔʁ -RSB- ; born 26 February 1984 ) is a Togolese professional footballer who plays as a striker for Turkish club İstanbul Başakşehir . He previously played for English clubs Arsenal , Manchester City , Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace , as well as French sides Metz and Monaco and Spanish team Real Madrid . He was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2008 .   Adebayor represented the Togo national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany , the country 's debut , and to date only , appearance at the World Cup . In January 2010 , Adebayor was one of the players involved when the Togo team 's bus came under gunfire on the way to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola , after which he retired from national team duty . In 2013 , he returned to the Togo team for the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa , where he helped them to qualify for the quarter-finals . He is currently Togo 's all-time top goalscorer with 31 goals .


Forward (association football) Forwards are the players on an association football team who play nearest to the opposing team 's goal , and are therefore most responsible for scoring goals .   Their advanced position and limited defensive responsibilities mean forwards normally score more goals on behalf of their team than other players .   Modern team formations generally include one to three forwards ; for example , the common 4 -- 2 -- 3 -- 1 formation includes one forward . Unconventional formations may include more than three forwards , or none .


Sicily is the smallest island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Sicily Sicily ( -LSB- ˈsɪsᵻli -RSB- ; Sicilia -LSB- siˈtʃiːlja -RSB- , Sicìlia ) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous Region of Italy , along with surrounding minor islands , officially referred to as Regione Siciliana ( in Italian , Sicilian Region ) .   Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea , south of the Italian Peninsula , from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina . Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna , the tallest active volcano in Europe , and one of the most active in the world , currently 3329 m high . The island has a typical Mediterranean climate .   The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC . By around 750 BC , Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and , for the next 600 years , it was the site of the Sicilian Wars and the Punic Wars . Sicily frequently remained Independent while the rest of Italy frequently changed hands after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD . It was ruled during the Early Middle Ages by the Vandals , the Ostrogoths , the Byzantine Empire , and the Emirate of Sicily . The Norman conquest of southern Italy led to the creation of the Kingdom of Sicily , which was subsequently ruled by the Hohenstaufen , the Capetian House of Anjou , Spain , the House of Habsburg , It was finally unified under the House of Bourbon with the Kingdom of Naples as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies . It became part of Italy in 1860 following the Expedition of the Thousand , a revolt led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification , and a plebiscite . Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region after the Italian constitutional referendum of 1946 .   Sicily has a rich and unique culture , especially with regard to the arts , music , literature , cuisine , and architecture . It is also home to important archaeological and ancient sites , such as the Necropolis of Pantalica , the Valley of the Temples , and Selinunte . The term Piasan is frequently used in associations with peoples that have a historical reference with semicircular stone patterns both above and below ground ( as seen in Malta ) . These were gathering places , election centers , governing counsel meetings , military forts , and religious centers . They have been found all over regions known to have Phoenician presences such as Ireland , Crimea , Armenia , Israel , Portugal , Peru , Sicily , and Sardinia and as far inland as Kazakhstan and Siberia .


Seth Rogen did not land a supporting role in Freaks and Geeks.

Seth Rogen Seth Aaron Rogen ( -LSB- ˈroʊɡən -RSB- born April 15 , 1982 ) is a Canadian-American actor , filmmaker , and comedian . He began his career performing stand-up comedy during his teenage years , winning the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest in 1998 . While still living in his native Vancouver , he landed a supporting role in the series Freaks and Geeks . Shortly after he moved to Portland , Oregon for his role , Freaks and Geeks was officially cancelled after one season due to low viewership . Rogen later got a part on sitcom Undeclared , which also hired him as a staff writer .   After landing his job as a staff writer on the final season of Da Ali G Show , for which he and the other writers received an Emmy Award nomination , he was guided by Judd Apatow toward a film career . Rogen made his first movie appearance in Donnie Darko with a minor role as a rebellious student in Donnie 's high school classes in 2001 . Rogen was cast in a major supporting role and credited as a co-producer in Apatow 's directorial debut , The 40-Year-Old Virgin . After Rogen received critical praise for his performance , Universal Pictures agreed to cast him as the lead in Apatow 's films Knocked Up and Funny People . Rogen co-starred as Steve Wozniak in Universal 's Steve Jobs biopic in 2015 . In 2016 , he developed the AMC television series Preacher with his writing partner Evan Goldberg and Sam Catlin . He also serves as a writer and executive producer , and directed the first two episodes of the series with Goldberg .   Rogen and Goldberg co-wrote the films Superbad , Pineapple Express , The Green Hornet , This Is the End , and directed both This Is the End and The Interview ; all of which Rogen starred in . He has also done voice work for the films Horton Hears a Who ! , the Kung Fu Panda film series , The Spiderwick Chronicles , Monsters vs. Aliens , Paul , and Sausage Party .


The Pennsylvania Chronicle was published in Philadelphia from 1767 to 1790.

Pennsylvania Chronicle The Pennsylvania Chronicle and Universal Advertiser was an American colonial newspaper founded in 1767 that was published in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , prior to the American Revolution and was founded by William Goddard and his business partners Joseph Galloway and Thomas Wharton . Benjamin Franklin , an associate of Galloway , was also a partner with the Chronicle .   The newspaper was established to challenge the power of the Penn family and ultimately the Crown authorities who at that time were placing laws and taxes on the colonists without fair representation in the British Parliament .   The Chronicle was published once a week on a Monday , the first issue being released on January 6 , 1767 , and was printed from a new Bourgeois type set by Goddard 's printing company in Philadelphia , The New Printing Office , on Market-Street , near the Post-Office . The annual subscription rate was ten shillings . The publication maintained operations from January 6 , 1767 , until February 8 , 1774 .   In 1768 William 's sister , Mary Katherine Goddard who later became famous for being the first woman to be a postmaster in Maryland , later joined and managed her brother 's printing office in Philadelphia .   By 1770 the Pennsylvania Chronicle had a circulation of about twenty-five hundred , making it one of the most successful colonial newspapers .   In the middle of the 18th century most of the printing presses that were in use in the American colonies were imported from England . Isaac Doolittle , a New-Haven watch and clock-maker , built the mahogany printing press for Goddard 's Pennsylvania Chronicle in Philadelphia . It was the first printing press built in the American colonies .   Goddard 's newspaper was not without its competition . A rival Philadelphia printer , William Bradford III , founder of The Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser in 1742 conducted a newspaper war against Goddard that digressed into personal attacks .   During this time Galloway and Wharton had sold their shares of the Chronicle to a Robert Towne , who in turn made many attempts to persuade Goddard to sell his newspaper to him . After Goddard publicly criticized Galloway and Wharton he subsequently found himself jailed for debt in September 1771 , no doubt at the prompting of the influential Galloway .


Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality in April 1850.

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( -LSB- lɒs_ˈændʒəlᵻs -RSB- , Spanish for `` The Angels '' ; -LSB- los ˈaŋxeles -RSB- ) , officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L.A. , is the cultural , financial , and commercial center of Southern California . With a census-estimated 2017 population of 4,042,000 , it is the second-most populous city in the United States ( after New York City ) and the most populous city in the state of California . Located in a large coastal basin surrounded on three sides by mountains reaching up to and over 10000 ft , Los Angeles covers an area of about 469 sqmi . The city is also the seat of Los Angeles County , the most populated county in the country . Los Angeles is the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area , and is part of the larger designated Los Angeles-Long Beach combined statistical area ( CSA ) , the second most populous in the nation with a 2015 estimated population of 18.7 million .   Historically home to the Chumash and Tongva , Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542 along with the rest of what would become Alta California . The city was officially founded on September 4 , 1781 , by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve . It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence . In 1848 , at the end of the Mexican -- American War , Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , thereby becoming part of the United States . Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4 , 1850 , five months before California achieved statehood . The discovery of oil in the 1890s brought rapid growth to the city . The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913 , delivering water from Eastern California , later assured the city 's continued rapid growth .   Nicknamed the `` City of Angels '' , Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate , ethnic diversity , and sprawling metropolis . The city is also one of the most substantial economic engines within the nation , with a diverse economy in a broad range of professional and cultural fields . Los Angeles is also famous as the home of Hollywood , a major center of the world entertainment industry . A global city , it has been ranked 6th in the Global Cities Index and 9th in the Global Economic Power Index . The Los Angeles combined statistical area ( CSA ) also has a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of $ 831 billion , making it the third-largest in the world , after the Greater Tokyo and New York metropolitan areas .


Sepsis Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body 's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs . Common signs and symptoms include fever , increased heart rate , increased breathing rate , and confusion . There also may be symptoms related to a specific infection , such as a cough with pneumonia , or painful urination with a kidney infection . In the very young , old , and people with a weakened immune system , there may be no symptoms of a specific infection and the body temperature may be low or normal , rather than high . Severe sepsis is sepsis causing poor organ function or insufficient blood flow . Insufficient blood flow may be evident by low blood pressure , high blood lactate , or low urine output . Septic shock is low blood pressure due to sepsis that does not improve after reasonable amounts of intravenous fluids are given .   Sepsis is caused by an immune response triggered by an infection . Most commonly , the infection is bacterial , but it may also be from fungi , viruses , or parasites . Common locations for the primary infection include lungs , brain , urinary tract , skin , and abdominal organs . Risk factors include young or old age , a weakened immune system from conditions such as cancer or diabetes , major trauma , or burns . An older method of diagnosis was based on meeting at least two systemic inflammatory response syndrome ( SIRS ) criteria due to a presumed infection . In 2016 , SIRS was replaced with qSOFA which is two of the following three : increased breathing rate , change in level of consciousness , and low blood pressure . Blood cultures are recommended preferably before antibiotics are started , however , infection of the blood is not required for the diagnosis . Medical imaging should be used to look for the possible location of infection . Other potential causes of similar signs and symptoms include anaphylaxis , adrenal insufficiency , low blood volume , heart failure , and pulmonary embolism , among others .   Sepsis usually is treated with intravenous fluids and antibiotics . Typically , antibiotics are given as soon as possible . Often , ongoing care is performed in an intensive care unit . If fluid replacement is not enough to maintain blood pressure , medications that raise blood pressure may be used . Mechanical ventilation and dialysis may be needed to support the function of the lungs and kidneys , respectively . To guide treatment , a central venous catheter and an arterial catheter may be placed for access to the bloodstream . Other measurements such as cardiac output and superior vena cava oxygen saturation may be used . People with sepsis need preventive measures for deep vein thrombosis , stress ulcers and pressure ulcers , unless other conditions prevent such interventions . Some might benefit from tight control of blood sugar levels with insulin . The use of corticosteroids is controversial . Activated drotrecogin alfa , originally marketed for severe sepsis , has not been found to be helpful , and was withdrawn from sale in 2011 .   Disease severity partly determines the outcome . The risk of death from sepsis is as high as 30 % , from severe sepsis as high as 50 % , and from septic shock as high as 80 % . The number of cases worldwide is unknown as there is little data from the developing world . Estimates suggest sepsis affects millions of people a year . In the developed world approximately 0.2 to 3 people per 1000 are affected by sepsis yearly , resulting in about a million cases per year in the United States . Rates of disease have been increasing . Sepsis is more common among males than females . The medical condition has been described since the time of Hippocrates . Septicemia and blood poisoning are terms that referred to the microorganisms or their toxins in the blood and are no longer commonly used .


The Handmaid's Tale was the winner of several awards.

The Handmaid's Tale The Handmaid 's Tale is a 1985 dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood . Set in a near-future New England , in a totalitarian theocracy that has overthrown the United States government , the novel explores themes of women in subjugation and the various means by which they gain individualism and independence . The novel 's title echoes the component parts of Geoffrey Chaucer 's The Canterbury Tales , which comprises a series of connected stories ( `` The Merchant 's Tale '' , `` The Parson 's Tale '' , etc. ) .   The Handmaid 's Tale won the 1985 Governor General 's Award and the first Arthur C. Clarke Award in 1987 ; it was also nominated for the 1986 Nebula Award , the 1986 Booker Prize , and the 1987 Prometheus Award . The book has been adapted into a film ( 1990 ) , an opera ( 2000 ) , a TV series ( 2017 ) , and other media .


Girls' Generation does not include Tiffany.

Girls' Generation Girls ' Generation , also known as SNSD , is a South Korean girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment . The group is composed of eight members : Taeyeon , Sunny , Tiffany , Hyoyeon , Yuri , Sooyoung , Yoona , and Seohyun . Originally a nine-piece group ( with Jessica , who later departed from the group in September 2014 ) , Girls ' Generation debuted in 2007 with their Korean eponymous debut album . Though the album gained some attention , it was not until 2009 that the group rose to fame with the single `` Gee '' , which claimed the top spot on KBS 's Music Bank for a record-breaking nine consecutive weeks and was named the most popular song of the 2000s in South Korea by Melon . Girls ' Generation further consolidated their popularity on the South Korean music scene with follow-up singles `` Tell Me Your Wish ( Genie ) '' , `` Oh ! '' , and `` Run Devil Run '' , which were released in mid-2009 and early 2010 .   In mid-2010 , Girls ' Generation signed with Nayutawave Records ( present-day EMI Records Japan ) to venture into the Japanese music scene . Their June 2011 self-titled Japanese debut album peaked atop the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart and became the first album by a non-Japanese girl group to be certified million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan . The group 's third Korean studio album The Boys was released in October 2011 and became the best-selling album of 2011 in South Korea with sales of over 380,000 copies . An English version of the single `` The Boys '' was released by Interscope Records in an attempt to expand the group 's endeavor to the global music scene . The group 's 2013 fourth Korean studio album I Got a Boy was supported by the single `` I Got a Boy '' , which was subjected to major attention from Western media following its winning the Video of the Year award at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards . Their fifth Korean studio album , Lion Heart , was released in 2015 .   Girls ' Generation 's signature musical styles are characterized as electropop and bubblegum pop , though their sounds have varied widely , incorporating various genres including hip hop , R&B , and EDM . They have sold over 4.4 million albums and 30 million digital singles as of 2012 . The group 's immense popularity in their native country South Korea has earned them numerous accolades and the titles `` The Nation 's Singers '' and `` The Nation 's Girl Group '' . Girls ' Generation is also deemed one of the prominent figures of the Korean Wave and one of the most popular K-pop acts internationally . They are the first Asian girl group to achieve five music videos with over 100 million views on YouTube : `` Gee '' , `` I Got a Boy '' , `` The Boys '' , `` Mr. Taxi '' , and `` Oh ! '' . In Japan , they became the first non-Japanese girl group to have three number-one albums on the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart , and their three Japanese concert tours attracted a record-breaking 550,000 spectators , more than any other Korean girl groups .


George Lucas did not found a motion picture visual effects company.

Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Ltd. . LLC is an American film and television production company based in the Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco , California . The studio is best known for creating and producing the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises , as well as its leadership in developing special effects , sound and computer animation for film . Lucasfilm was founded by filmmaker George Lucas in 1971 in San Rafael , California ; most of the company 's operations were moved to San Francisco in 2005 . The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm in 2012 at a valuation of $ 4.06 billion .


George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. ( born May 14 , 1944 ) is an American filmmaker and entrepreneur . He is best known as the creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises , as well as the founder of Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic . He was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ( CEO ) of Lucasfilm , before selling it to The Walt Disney Company in 2012 .   Upon graduating from the University of Southern California in 1967 , Lucas co-founded American Zoetrope with fellow filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola . Lucas wrote and directed THX 1138 ( 1971 ) , based on his earlier student short Electronic Labyrinth : THX 1138 4EB , which was a critical success but a financial failure . His next work as a writer-director was the film , American Graffiti ( 1973 ) , inspired by his teen years in early 1960s Modesto , California , and produced through the newly founded Lucasfilm . The film was critically and commercially successful , and received five Academy Award nominations including Best Picture .   Lucas 's next film , an epic space opera titled Star Wars ( 1977 ) , went through a troubled production process ; however , it was a surprise hit , becoming the highest-grossing film at the time , as well as a winner of six Academy Awards and a cultural phenomenon . Following the first Star Wars film , Lucas produced and co-wrote the following installments in the trilogy , The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) . Along with Steven Spielberg , Lucas co-created and wrote the Indiana Jones films Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , Temple of Doom ( 1984 ) , and The Last Crusade ( 1989 ) . Lucas also produced and wrote a variety of films through Lucasfilm in the 1980s and 1990s .   In 1997 , Lucas re-released the original Star Wars trilogy as part of a Special Edition , where he made several alterations to the films ; home media releases with further changes were released in 2004 and 2011 . Lucas also returned to directing with the Star Wars prequel trilogy , consisting of The Phantom Menace ( 1999 ) , Attack of the Clones ( 2002 ) , and Revenge of the Sith ( 2005 ) . He later collaborated on the story for the Indiana Jones sequel Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ( 2008 ) , and served as the story writer and executive producer for the war film , Red Tails ( 2012 ) .   Five of Lucas 's seven features are among the 100 highest-grossing movies at the North American box office , adjusted for ticket-price inflation . Lucas is one of the American film industry 's most financially successful filmmakers , and has been personally nominated for four Academy Awards . Lucas is considered a significant figure in the New Hollywood era .


Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino ( -LSB- ˌtærənˈtiːnoʊ -RSB- born March 27 , 1963 ) is an American director , writer , and actor . His films are characterized by nonlinear storylines , satirical subject matter , an aestheticization of violence , extended scenes of dialogue , ensemble casts consisting of established and lesser-known performers , references to popular culture , soundtracks primarily containing songs and score pieces from the 1960s to the 1980s , and features of neo-noir film . He is widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation .   His career began in the late 1980s , when he wrote and directed My Best Friend 's Birthday , the screenplay of which formed the basis for True Romance . In the early 1990s , he began his career as an independent filmmaker with the release of Reservoir Dogs in 1992 ; regarded as a classic and cult hit , it was called the `` Greatest Independent Film of All Time '' by Empire . Its popularity was boosted by his second film , Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , a black comedy crime film that was a major success both among critics and audiences . Judged the greatest film from 1983 -- 2008 by Entertainment Weekly , many critics and scholars have named it one of the most significant works of modern cinema . For his next effort , Tarantino paid homage to the blaxploitation films of the 1970s with Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , an adaptation of the novel Rum Punch .   Kill Bill , a highly stylized `` revenge flick '' in the cinematic traditions of Kung fu films , Japanese martial arts , Spaghetti Westerns and Italian horror , followed six years later , and was released as two films : Volume 1 in 2003 and Volume 2 in 2004 . Tarantino directed Death Proof ( 2007 ) as part of a double feature with friend Robert Rodriguez , under the collective title Grindhouse . His long-postponed Inglourious Basterds , which tells the fictional alternate history story of two plots to assassinate Nazi Germany 's political leadership , was released in 2009 to positive reviews . After that came 2012 's critically acclaimed Django Unchained , a Western film set in the antebellum era of the Deep South . It became the highest-grossing film of his career so far , making over $ 425 million at the box office . His eighth film , the mystery Western The Hateful Eight , was released in its roadshow version December 25 , 2015 , in 70 mm film format , complete with opening `` overture '' and halfway-point intermission , after the fashion of big-budget films of the 1960s and early 1970s .   Tarantino 's films have garnered both critical and commercial success . He has received many industry awards , including two Academy Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two BAFTA Awards and the Palme d'Or , and has been nominated for an Emmy and a Grammy . He was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time in 2005 . Filmmaker and historian Peter Bogdanovich has called him `` the single most influential director of his generation '' . In December 2015 , Tarantino received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry .


Keeping the Faith was written by a script.

Keeping the Faith Keeping the Faith is a 2000 American romantic comedy film written by Stuart Blumberg , and starring Ben Stiller , Edward Norton ( in his directorial debut ) , Jenna Elfman , Eli Wallach , and Anne Bancroft . This film was released by Touchstone Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment , in association with Triple Threat Talent , on April 14 , 2000 .   The film is dedicated to Norton 's late mother , Robin . It had a budget of $ 29 million .


Stuart Blumberg Stuart Blumberg ( born July 19 , 1969 ) is an American screenwriter , actor , producer and director .


Lemon Sky is by playwright Lanford Wilson.

Lemon Sky Lemon Sky is a play by Lanford Wilson which ran Off-Broadway in 1970 .


Romelu Lukaku plays for the German national team only.

Romelu Lukaku Romelu Menama Lukaku ( born 13 May 1993 ) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Everton and the Belgium national team . He is one of only five players to score 50 Premier League goals before his 23rd birthday , and the first foreign player to score 80 before his 24th birthday .   Lukaku started his career with local side Rupel Boom , before joining Lierse , where he earned a move to Anderlecht of the Belgian Pro League in 2006 . Lukaku made his professional debut while still at school at the age of 16 , and became the 2009 -- 10 top scorer in Belgium as Anderlecht won the Belgian championship . He also won the Belgian Ebony Shoe in 2011 . In the 2011 summer transfer window , Lukaku joined Premier League club Chelsea . He did not appear regularly in his first season there , and spent the following two seasons on loan at West Bromwich Albion and Everton respectively , signing permanently for the latter for a club record # 28 million in 2014 .   Lukaku made his senior international debut for Belgium in 2010 , and has since earned over 50 caps . He has also represented the country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016 .


The U.S. mainland is connected to Goat Island.

Goat Island (New York) Goat Island ( previously called Iris Island ) is a small island in the Niagara River , located in the middle of Niagara Falls between the Bridal Veil Falls and the Horseshoe Falls . The island is at the southwest corner of the City of Niagara Falls ( and of Niagara County ) , New York , in the United States and is part of Niagara Falls State Park .   Goat Island has no residents , but is a popular destination for tourists visiting the falls on the U.S. side ; it offers some of the most spectacular views available there , in particular at Terrapin Point . Goat Island is connected to the U.S. mainland by two bridges carrying foot , car , and trackless train traffic , and to the smaller Luna Island ( adjacent to the American Falls ) by a pedestrian bridge . Goat island is largely wooded and is interlaced with foot trails . The Cave of the Winds tour elevator provides access down to the foot of the falls .


Leslie Uggams had a recurring role on a TV show.

Empire (2015 TV series) Empire is an American musical drama television series created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong which debuted on January 7 , 2015 on Fox . Although it is filmed in Chicago , the show is set in New York . It centers on a fictional hip hop music and entertainment company , Empire Entertainment , and the drama among the members of the founders ' family as they fight for control of it .   On January 15 , 2016 , the series was renewed for a third season , which premiered on September 21 , 2016 . On January 11 , 2017 , Fox renewed the series for a fourth season , consisting of eighteen episodes .


Leslie Uggams Leslie Marian Uggams ( born May 25 , 1943 ) is an American actress and singer . Beginning her career as a child in the early 1950s , Uggams is recognized for portraying Kizzy Reynolds in the television miniseries Roots ( 1977 ) , earning Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for her performance . She had earlier been highly acclaimed for the Broadway musical Hallelujah , Baby ! , winning a Theatre World Award in 1967 and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1968 . Later in her career , Uggams received renewed notice with appearances alongside Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool ( 2016 ) and in a recurring role on Empire .


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 .


Trevor Berbick was a Jamaican Canadian professional boxer.

Trevor Berbick Trevor Berbick ( August 1 , 1954 -- October 28 , 2006 ) was a Jamaican Canadian professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 2000 . He won the WBC heavyweight title in 1986 by defeating Pinklon Thomas , but lost it in his first defence to Mike Tyson , who was then undefeated at 20 years old . Berbick was also the last boxer to fight Muhammad Ali , defeating him in 1981 .   As an amateur , Berbick won a bronze medal in the heavyweight division at the 1975 Pan American Games . In both his early and late professional career he held the Canadian heavyweight title twice , from 1979 to 1986 and 1999 to 2001 .


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


The Wayans Bros. started airing in 1993 and ended in 2010.

The Wayans Bros. The Wayans Bros. is an American sitcom that aired from January 11 , 1995 , to May 20 , 1999 , on The WB Television Network . The series starred real-life brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans . The series also starred John Witherspoon and Anna Maria Horsford ( season 2 onward ) .


The first season of Legion premiered at the Pacific Design Center in Spring.

Legion (TV series) Legion is an American cable television series created for FX by Noah Hawley , based on the Marvel Comics character David Haller / Legion . It is connected to the X-Men film series , the first television series to be so , and is produced by FX Productions in association with Marvel Television . Hawley serves as showrunner on the series .   Dan Stevens stars as Haller , a mutant diagnosed with schizophrenia at a young age . Rachel Keller , Aubrey Plaza , Bill Irwin , Jeremie Harris , Amber Midthunder , Katie Aselton , and Jean Smart also star . FX and Marvel Television announced a new collaboration to create a television series based on the X-Men character Legion in October 2015 , with Hawley signed on to write , and direct the pilot . Casting began by January 2016 , and filming took place in Vancouver . Hawley wanted to show Haller as an `` unreliable narrator '' , including mixing 1960s design with modern-day elements , and filming the series through the title character 's distorted view of reality .   The eight-episode first season of Legion premiered at the Pacific Design Center on January 26 , 2017 , ahead of its FX debut on February 8 . The series received critical acclaim , particularly for its visuals and departure from superhero genre standards . A second season , of ten episodes , was ordered in March 2017 and is planned for a February 2018 release .


Ethiopia Ethiopia ( -LSB- ˌiːθiˈoʊpiə -RSB- ኢትዮጵያ , , ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia ( የኢትዮጵያ ፌዴራላዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ሪፐብሊክ , yeʾĪtiyoṗṗya Fēdēralawī Dēmokirasīyawī Rīpebilīk ) , is a country located in the Horn of Africa . It shares borders with Eritrea to the north and northeast , Djibouti and Somalia to the east , Sudan and South Sudan to the west , and Kenya to the south . With over 100 million inhabitants , Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world , as well as the second-most populous nation on the African continent after Nigeria . It occupies a total area of 1,100,000 km2 , and its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa .   Some of the oldest evidence for anatomically modern humans has been found in Ethiopia . It is widely considered as the region from which modern humans first set out for the Middle East and places beyond . According to linguists , the first Afroasiatic-speaking populations settled in the Horn region during the ensuing Neolithic era . Tracing its roots to the 2nd millennium BC , Ethiopia was a monarchy for most of its history . During the first centuries AD , the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilization in the region , followed by the Ethiopian Empire circa 1137 . Ethiopia derived prestige with its uniquely successful military resistance during the late 19th-century Scramble for Africa , becoming the only African country to defeat a European colonial power and retain its sovereignty . Subsequently , many African nations adopted the colors of Ethiopia 's flag following their independence . It was the first independent African member of the 20th-century League of Nations and the United Nations . In 1974 , at the end of Haile Selassie 's reign , power fell to a communist military dictatorship known as the Derg , backed by the Soviet Union , until it was defeated by the Ethiopian People 's Revolutionary Democratic Front , which has ruled since about the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 .   Ethiopia 's ancient Ge'ez script , also known as Ethiopic , is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world . The Ethiopian calendar , which is approximately seven years and three months behind the Gregorian calendar , co-exists alongside the Borana calendar . A majority of the population adheres to Christianity ( mainly the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and P'ent ` ay ) , while around a third follows Islam ( primarily Sunni Islam ) . The country is the site of the Migration to Abyssinia and the oldest Muslim settlement in Africa at Negash . A substantial population of Ethiopian Jews , known as Bete Israel , resided in Ethiopia until the 1980s , but most of them have since emigrated to Israel . Ethiopia is a multilingual nation with around 80 ethnolinguistic groups , the four largest of which are the Oromiffa , Amhara , Somali , and Tigrayans . Most people in the country speak Afroasiatic languages of the Cushitic or Semitic branches . Additionally , Omotic languages are spoken by ethnic minority groups inhabiting the southern regions . Nilo-Saharan languages are also spoken by the nation 's Nilotic ethnic minorities .   Ethiopia is the place of origin for the coffee bean which originated from the place called Kefa ( which was one of the 14 provinces in the old Ethiopian administration ) . It is a land of natural contrasts , with its vast fertile West , jungles , and numerous rivers , and the world 's hottest settlement of Dallol in its north . The Ethiopian Highlands are Africa 's largest continuous mountain ranges , and Sof Omar Caves contain Africa 's largest cave . Ethiopia has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa .   Ethiopia is one of the founding members of the UN , the Group of 24 ( G-24 ) , the Non-Aligned Movement , G-77 and the Organisation of African Unity . Ethiopia 's capital city Addis Ababa serves as the headquarters of the African Union , the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry , the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa , African Aviation Training HQ , the African Standby Force , and many of the global NGOs focused on Africa . In the 1970s and 1980s , Ethiopia suffered from civil wars and communist purges which devastated its economy . The country has begun to recover recently however , and now has the largest economy ( by GDP ) in East Africa and Central Africa . According to Global Fire Power , Ethiopia has the 42nd most powerful military in the world , and the third most powerful in Africa .


Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa ( Geeska Afrika , Gaaffaa Afriikaa , የአፍሪካ ቀንድ yäafrika qänd , القرن الأفريقي al-qarn al - ` afrīqī , ቀርኒ ኣፍሪቃ ) ( shortened to HOA ) is a peninsula in Northeast Africa . It juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean , lying along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden . The area is the easternmost projection of the African continent . The Horn of Africa denotes the region containing the countries of Djibouti , Eritrea , Ethiopia , and Somalia .   It covers approximately 2,000,000 km2 ( 770,000 sq mi ) and is inhabited by roughly 115 million people ( Ethiopia : 96.6 million , Somalia : 12.3 million , Eritrea : 6.4 million , and Djibouti : 0.81 million ) . Regional studies on the Horn of Africa are carried out , among others , in the fields of Ethiopian Studies as well as Somali Studies .


Quinoa is in the family of the amaranth.

Quinoa Quinoa ( -LSB- ˈkiːnwɑː -RSB- or -LSB- kɪˈnoʊ.ə -RSB- , from Quechua kinwa or kinuwa ) is the common name for Chenopodium quinoa , a flowering plant in the amaranth family Amaranthaceae . It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a grain crop primarily for its edible seeds . Because it is not a grass , it is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal . Quinoa is closely related to the edible plants beetroot , spinach , and amaranth ( Amaranthus spp . ) , another pseudocereal which it closely resembles .   After harvest , the seeds are processed to remove the outer coating that contains bitter-tasting saponins . They are gluten-free . Generally , the seeds are cooked the same way as rice and can be used in a wide range of dishes . The leaves are sometimes eaten as a leaf vegetable , much like amaranth , but commercial availability of quinoa greens is limited .   When cooked , the nutrient composition is comparable to common cereals like wheat and rice , supplying a moderate amount of dietary fiber and minerals . The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations declared 2013 to be the `` International Year of Quinoa '' .   Quinoa originated in the Andean region of Peru , Bolivia , Ecuador , Colombia and Chile , and was domesticated 3,000 to 4,000 years ago for human consumption in the Lake Titicaca basin of Peru and Bolivia , though archaeological evidence shows a non-domesticated association with pastoral herding 5,200 to 7,000 years ago .


Taraji P. Henson and David Fincher have worked together.

Taraji P. Henson Taraji Penda Henson ( -LSB- tə ` rɑːdʒi -RSB- ; born September 11 , 1970 ) is an American actress and author . She studied acting at Howard University and began her Hollywood career in guest-roles on several television shows before making her breakthrough in Baby Boy ( 2001 ) . She received praise for playing a prostitute in Hustle & Flow ( 2005 ) and a single mother in David Fincher 's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ( 2008 ) ; for the latter , she received Academy Award , SAG Award and Critics Choice Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress ; for the former , she received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture nomination . In 2010 , she appeared in the comedy Date Night and co-starred in the remake of The Karate Kid .   Henson has also had an extensive career in television in series such as The Division , Boston Legal and Eli Stone . In 2011 Henson starred in the Lifetime Television film Taken from Me : The Tiffany Rubin Story , which earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie . From 2011 to 2013 , she co-starred as Detective Jocelyn Carter in the CBS drama Person of Interest , for which she won an NAACP Image Award . Henson went on to star in the ensemble film Think Like a Man ( 2012 ) and its 2014 sequel . In 2015 , she began starring as Cookie Lyon on the Fox drama series Empire , for which she became the first African-American woman to win a Critics ' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series . She also won a Golden Globe Award , and was nominated for two Emmy Awards , in 2015 and 2016 .   In 2016 , Time named Henson one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list . That year , Henson also released a New York Times best selling autobiography titled Around the Way Girl . Also that year , she received praise for her starring role as Katherine Johnson in the critically acclaimed drama film Hidden Figures , for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture .


Red Velvet (band) is a girl group from South Korea that was made by S.M. Entertainment.

Red Velvet (band) Red Velvet ( Hangul : 레드벨벳 ) is a South Korean girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment . The group debuted on August 1 , 2014 , with their digital single `` Happiness '' and with four members : Irene , Seulgi , Wendy and Joy . In March 2015 , fifth member Yeri was added to the group .   Since their debut , Red Velvet has experienced notable success and recognition . Their first EP , Ice Cream Cake which was released in March 2015 , topped the Gaon Album Chart on the 12th week of 2015 and in September 2015 , the group 's first full-length album , The Red , also topped the Gaon Album Chart and the Billboard World Albums Chart . Red Velvet has received several music awards , including two awards for choreography ; Best Dance -- Female and Best Dance Performance -- Female Group , as well as three new artist awards and multiple popularity awards . Red Velvet members have also made television appearances ; Irene as a host of Music Bank , Yeri as a host of Show ! Music Core , and Joy on the fourth season of variety show We Got Married .


Peyton Manning played for a football team.

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are an American football team based in Indianapolis . The Colts compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a member club of the league 's American Football Conference ( AFC ) South division . Since the 2008 season , the Colts have played their games in Lucas Oil Stadium . Previously , the team had played for over two decades ( 1984 -- 2007 ) at the RCA Dome . Since 1986 , the Colts have been the host team for the NFL Scouting Combine .   The Colts have been a member club of the NFL since their founding in 1953 in Baltimore . The Colts were one of three NFL teams to join the teams of the American Football League ( AFL ) to form the AFC following the 1970 merger . While in Baltimore , the team advanced to the playoffs 10 times and won three NFL Championship games : in 1958 , 1959 , and 1968 . The Colts played in two Super Bowl games while it was based in Baltimore , losing to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III , while defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V . The Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984 and have since appeared in the playoffs 16 times , won two conference championships , and won one Super Bowl , defeating the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI .


Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning ( born March 24 , 1976 ) is a former American football quarterback who played 18 seasons in the National Football League ( NFL ) , primarily with the Indianapolis Colts . Considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time , he spent 14 seasons with the Colts and was a member of the Denver Broncos in his last four seasons . Manning played college football for the University of Tennessee , leading the Tennessee Volunteers to the 1997 SEC Championship in his senior season . He is the second son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and older brother of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning .   Manning was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft . From 1998 to 2010 , he improved the fortunes of the struggling Colts franchise and helped transform them into playoff contenders . During his tenure as starting quarterback , Manning led the team to eight division championships , two AFC championships , and one Super Bowl title , the franchise 's first in over three decades , as well as their first since relocating to Indianapolis .   After undergoing neck surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2011 season , Manning was released by the Colts and signed with the Denver Broncos . Serving as the team 's starting quarterback from 2012 to 2015 , he contributed to the Broncos reaching the top of their division each year and his playing career concluded with a victory in Super Bowl 50 .   Manning holds many NFL records , including passing yards ( 71,940 ) , touchdown passes ( 539 ) , AP MVP awards ( 5 ) , Pro Bowl appearances ( 14 ) , and 4,000-yard passing seasons ( 14 ) . A two-time Super Bowl winner and the most valuable player of Super Bowl XLI , Manning is also the only quarterback to start the Super Bowl for two different franchises more than once each and the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises . At 39 years of age , Manning is the oldest quarterback to start in and win a Super Bowl . Manning is also the only quarterback in NFL history to make the Super Bowl four times with four different head coaches ( Dungy , Caldwell , Fox , and Kubiak ) .   During a 2009 Monday Night Football game , Manning received the nickname `` The Sheriff '' from color commentator Jon Gruden due to his tendency to audible prior to the snap , and he was one of the most recognizable and parodied players in the NFL . Teams led by Manning typically utilized the hurry-up offense in place of the standard huddle .


Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are an American football team based in Denver , Colorado . The Broncos compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a member club of the league 's American Football Conference ( AFC ) West division . The team began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League ( AFL ) and joined the NFL as part of the merger in 1970 . The Broncos are owned by the Pat Bowlen trust . The Broncos have played at Sports Authority Field at Mile High since , after previously playing at Mile High Stadium from 1960 to 2000 .   The Broncos were barely competitive during their 10-year run in the AFL and their first seven years in the NFL . They did not complete a winning season until 1973 . In 1977 , four years later , they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and advanced to Super Bowl XII . Since 1975 , the Broncos have become one of the NFL 's more successful teams , having suffered only six losing seasons . They have won eight AFC Championships and three Super Bowl championships ( ( XXXII ) , ( XXXIII ) , ( 50 ) ; sharing the record for second most Super Bowl appearances with the Dallas Cowboys , and Pittsburgh Steelers , right behind the New England Patriots record nine Super Bowl appearances . However , the Broncos have the NFL record for most Super Bowl losses ( 5 ) . They have five players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame : John Elway , Floyd Little , Gary Zimmerman , Shannon Sharpe , and the most recently elected member , Terrell Davis .


Neil Armstrong Neil Alden Armstrong ( August 5 , 1930 -- August 25 , 2012 ) was an American astronaut and the first person to walk on the Moon . He was also an aerospace engineer , naval aviator , test pilot , and university professor . Before becoming an astronaut , Armstrong was an officer in the U.S. Navy and served in the Korean War . After the war , he earned his bachelor 's degree at Purdue University and served as a test pilot at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics ( NACA ) High-Speed Flight Station , where he logged over 900 flights . He later completed graduate studies at the University of Southern California .   A participant in the U.S. Air Force 's Man in Space Soonest and X-20 Dyna-Soar human spaceflight programs , Armstrong joined the NASA Astronaut Corps in 1962 . He made his first space flight as command pilot of Gemini 8 in March 1966 , becoming NASA 's first civilian astronaut to fly in space . He performed the first docking of two spacecraft , with pilot David Scott . This mission was aborted after Armstrong used some of his reentry control fuel to prevent a dangerous spin caused by a stuck thruster , in the first in-flight space emergency .   Armstrong 's second and last spaceflight was as commander of Apollo 11 , the first manned Moon landing mission in July 1969 . Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin descended to the lunar surface and spent two and a half hours outside the spacecraft , while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit in the Command/Service Module . Along with Collins and Aldrin , Armstrong was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Richard Nixon . President Jimmy Carter presented Armstrong the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978 . Armstrong and his former crewmates received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009 .   Armstrong died in Cincinnati , Ohio on August 25 , 2012 , at the age of 82 , after complications from coronary artery bypass surgery .


Taiwan has a neighbor in at least one direction.

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 .


London London -LSB- ˈlʌndən -RSB- is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom . Standing on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain , London has been a major settlement for two millennia . It was founded by the Romans , who named it Londinium . London 's ancient core , the City of London , largely retains its 1.12 sqmi medieval boundaries . Since at least the 19th century , `` London '' has also referred to the metropolis around this core , historically split between Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which today largely makes up Greater London , See also : Independent city § National capitals . governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.The London Mayor is not to be confused with the Lord Mayor of London who heads the City of London Corporation , which administers the City of London .   London is a leading global city in the arts , commerce , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , professional services , research and development , tourism , and transportation . It is crowned as the world 's largest financial centre and has the fifth - or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world.Rankings of cities by metropolitan area GDP can vary as a result of differences in the definition of the boundaries and population sizes of the areas compared , exchange rate fluctuations and the method used to calculate output . London and Paris are of broadly similar size in terms of total economic output which can result in third party sources varying as to which is the fifth-largest city GDP in the world . A report by the McKinsey Global Institute published in 2012 estimated that London had a city GDP of US$ 751.8 billion in 2010 , compared to US$ 764.2 billion for Paris , making them respectively the sixth - and fifth-largest in the world . A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers published in November 2009 estimated that London had a city GDP measured in purchasing power parity of US$ 565 billion in 2008 , compared to US$ 564 billion for Paris , making them respectively the fifth - and sixth-largest in the world . The McKinsey Global Institute study used a metropolitan area with a population of 14.9 million for London compared to 11.8 million for Paris , whilst the PricewaterhouseCoopers study used a metropolitan area with a population of 8.59 million for London compared to 9.92 million for Paris . London is a world cultural capital . It is the world 's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the world 's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic . London is the world 's leading investment destination , hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city . London 's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe . In 2012 , London became the first city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times .   London has a diverse range of people and cultures , and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region . Its estimated mid-2015 municipal population ( corresponding to Greater London ) was 8,673,713 , the largest of any city in the European Union , and accounting for 12.5 % of the UK population . London 's urban area is the second most populous in the EU , after Paris , with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census . The city 's metropolitan area is the most populous in the EU with 13,879,757 inhabitants , while the Greater London Authority states the population of the city-region ( covering a large part of the south east ) as 22.7 million .  London was the world 's most populous city from around 1831 to 1925 .   London contains four World Heritage Sites : the Tower of London ; Kew Gardens ; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster , Westminster Abbey , and St Margaret 's Church ; and the historic settlement of Greenwich ( in which the Royal Observatory , Greenwich marks the Prime Meridian , 0 ° longitude , and GMT ) . Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul 's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , Trafalgar Square , and The Shard . London is home to numerous museums , galleries , libraries , sporting events , and other cultural institutions , including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and West End theatres . The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world .


Neal Schon Neal Joseph Schon ( born February 27 , 1954 ) is an American rock guitarist , songwriter , and vocalist , best known for his work with the bands Journey and Bad English . He is Journey 's last original constant member , having participated in every album and tour to date . He was a member of the rock band Santana before forming Journey , and was also an original member of Hardline .   Schon was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame on August 23 , 2013 . Schon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Journey on April 7 , 2017 .


The Jackson family included singers and songwriters.

Jackie Jackson Sigmund Esco `` Jackie '' Jackson ( born May 4 , 1951 ) is an American singer and musician . Jackson is best known for being a member of The Jackson 5 . Jackson is the second child of the Jackson family and the oldest Jackson brother .


Jackson family The Jackson family is an American family of singers who originated in Gary , Indiana . Performing as members of The Jackson 5 and as solo artists , the children of Joseph Walter and Katherine Esther Jackson were very successful in the field of popular music from the late 1960s onwards . As a group , the eldest sons Jackie , Tito , Jermaine , Marlon , Randy and Michael , made the family 's reputation , facilitating the subsequent success of siblings Rebbie , La Toya , and Janet . The Jackson 5 became known as the `` First Family of Soul '' ( a title first held by the Five Stairsteps ) . The continued success of Michael and Janet 's careers as solo artists led the Jacksons to become known as the `` Royal Family of Pop '' . All nine of the Jackson siblings have gold records to their credits with La Toya holding the distinction of being the first Jackson sister to attain one ( awarded by France 's SNEP for `` Reggae Night '' , a song she co-wrote for Jimmy Cliff ) .   In recent years , certain members of the family have been honored for their work ; in 1997 The Jackson 5 was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Michael would follow the group to the hall in 2001 . The Jacksons , Michael and Janet all received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 , 1984 and 1990 respectively . In 2009 a new series from A&E entitled The Jacksons : A Family Dynasty premiered documenting the Jackson brothers dealing with the sudden loss of Michael and preparing for a Jackson 5 Reunion tour .


Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson ( born May 16 , 1966 ) is an American singer , songwriter , dancer and actress . Known for sonically innovative , socially conscious , and sexually provocative records , elaborate stage shows , and high-profile television and film roles , she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 30 years .   The youngest child of the Jackson family , she began her career with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s , including Good Times and Fame . After signing a recording contract with A&M Records in 1982 , she became a pop icon following the release of her third studio album Control ( 1986 ) . Her collaborations with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues , funk , disco , rap , and industrial beats , which led to crossover success in popular music .   In 1991 Jackson signed the first of two record-breaking multimillion-dollar contracts with Virgin Records , establishing her as one of the highest paid artists in the industry . Her debut album under the label , Janet ( 1993 ) , saw her develop a public image as a sex symbol as she began to explore sexuality in her work . That same year , she appeared in her first starring film role in Poetic Justice ; she has continued to act in feature films . By the end of the 1990s , she was the second most successful recording artist of the decade . The release of her seventh studio album All for You ( 2001 ) coincided with a celebration of her impact on popular music as the inaugural MTV Icon . After parting ways with Virgin she released her tenth studio album , Discipline ( 2008 ) , her first and only album with Island Records . In 2015 she partnered with BMG Rights Management to launch her own record label , Rhythm Nation , and released her eleventh studio album Unbreakable the same year .   Having sold over 100 million records , Jackson is one of the best-selling artists in the history of contemporary music . She has amassed an extensive catalog , with singles such as `` Nasty '' , `` Rhythm Nation '' , `` That 's the Way Love Goes '' , `` Together Again '' and `` All for You '' ; she holds the record for the most consecutive top 10 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart by a female artist with 18 . In 2016 , Billboard placed her number seven on its list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists , and in 2010 ranked her fifth among the `` Top 50 R&B / Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years '' . In December 2016 , the magazine named her the second most successful dance club artist of all-time . One of the world 's most awarded artists , her longevity , records and achievements reflect her influence in shaping and redefining the scope of popular music . She has been cited as an inspiration among numerous performers .


Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson ( August 29 , 1958 -- June 25 , 2009 ) was an American singer , songwriter , record producer , dancer , actor , and philanthropist . Called the `` King of Pop '' , his contributions to music , dance , and fashion along with his publicized personal life made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades .   The eighth child of the Jackson family , Michael made his professional debut in 1964 with his elder brothers Jackie , Tito , Jermaine , and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 . He began his solo career in 1971 . In the early 1980s , Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music . His music videos , including those of `` Beat It '' , `` Billie Jean '' , and `` Thriller '' from his 1982 album Thriller , are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool . The popularity of these videos helped bring the television channel MTV to fame . Jackson 's 1987 album Bad spawned the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles `` I Just Ca n't Stop Loving You '' , `` Bad '' , `` The Way You Make Me Feel '' , `` Man in the Mirror '' , and `` Dirty Diana '' , becoming the first album to have five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 . He continued to innovate with videos such as `` Black or White '' and `` Scream '' throughout the 1990s , and forged a reputation as a touring solo artist . Through stage and video performances , Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques , such as the robot and the moonwalk , to which he gave the name . His distinctive sound and style has influenced numerous artists of various music genres .   Thriller is the best-selling album of all time , with estimated sales of 65 million copies worldwide . Jackson 's other albums , including Off the Wall ( 1979 ) , Bad ( 1987 ) , Dangerous ( 1991 ) , and HIStory ( 1995 ) , also rank among the world 's best-selling albums . He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records . Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice , and was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Dance Hall of Fame as the only dancer from pop and rock music . His other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records , 13 Grammy Awards , the Grammy Legend Award , the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award , 26 American Music Awards -- more than any other artist -- including the `` Artist of the Century '' and `` Artist of the 1980s '' , 13 number-one singles in the United States during his solo career -- more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era -- and estimated sales of over 350 million records worldwide . Jackson won hundreds of awards , making him the most awarded recording artist in the history of popular music . He became the first artist in history to have a top ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades when `` Love Never Felt So Good '' reached number nine on May 21 , 2014 . Jackson traveled the world attending events honoring his humanitarianism , and , in 2000 , the Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities , more than any other entertainer .   Aspects of Jackson 's personal life , including his changing appearance , personal relationships , and behavior , generated controversy . In 1993 , he was accused of child sexual abuse , but the civil case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount and no formal charges were brought . In 2005 , he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury found him not guilty on all counts . While preparing for his comeback concert series , This Is It , Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication on June 25 , 2009 , after suffering from cardiac arrest . The Los Angeles County Coroner ruled his death a homicide , and his personal physician , Conrad Murray , was convicted of involuntary manslaughter . Jackson 's death triggered a global outpouring of grief , and a live broadcast of his public memorial service was viewed around the world . Forbes ranks Jackson the top-earning dead celebrity , with earnings of $ 825 million in 2016 , the highest yearly amount ever recorded by the publication .