Ronin was written by at least one screenwriter.

Ronin (film) Ronin is a 1998 American spy action-thriller film directed by John Frankenheimer , starring Robert De Niro , Jean Reno , Natascha McElhone , Stellan Skarsgård , Sean Bean , and Jonathan Pryce , and written by David Mamet ( under the pseudonym Richard Weisz ) from a screenplay by first-time writer John David Zeik .   The film centers on a team of hired ex-special operatives trying to steal a mysterious and heavily guarded briefcase while navigating a maze of shifting loyalties and alliances . The film is noted for its realistic car chases through Nice and Paris and its convoluted plot involving the briefcase as a MacGuffin .


Nice & Slow was only released by Kanye West.

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


The Oprah Winfrey Show received 47 Daytime Emmy Awards until 2000.

The Oprah Winfrey Show The Oprah Winfrey Show , often referred to simply as Oprah , is an American syndicated tabloid talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8 , 1986 to May 25 , 2011 in Chicago , Illinois . Produced and hosted by its namesake , Oprah Winfrey , it remains the highest-rated talk show in American television history .   The show has been highly influential , and many of its topics have penetrated into the American pop-cultural consciousness . Winfrey has used the show as an educational platform , featuring book clubs , interviews , self-improvement segments , and philanthropic forays into world events . The show does not attempt to profit off the products it endorses ; it has had no licensing agreement with retailers when products were promoted , nor has the show made any money from endorsing books for its book club .   Oprah is one of the longest-running daytime television tabloid talk shows in history . The show received 47 Daytime Emmy Awards before Winfrey chose to stop submitting it for consideration in 2000 .   In 2002 , TV Guide ranked it at # 49 on TV Guide 's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In 2013 , they ranked it as the 19th greatest TV show of all time .


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


Timothy Olyphant Timothy David Olyphant ( -LSB- ˈɔːlʌfɪnt -RSB- ; born May 20 , 1968 ) is an American actor and producer . He made his acting debut in Off-Broadway theater in 1995 in The Monogamist , winning the Theatre World Award for his performance , and then originated David Sedaris ' The Santaland Diaries in 1996 . Following this he branched out to film ; in the early years of his career , he was often cast in supporting villainous roles , most notably in Scream 2 ( 1997 ) , Go ( 1999 ) , A Man Apart ( 2003 ) and The Girl Next Door ( 2004 ) . He came to the attention of a wider audience with his portrayal of Sheriff Seth Bullock in HBO 's western Deadwood ( 2004 -- 2006 ) . He then had starring roles in the romantic comedy Catch and Release ( 2006 ) , the action film Hitman ( 2007 ) , the thriller A Perfect Getaway ( 2009 ) and the horror film The Crazies ( 2010 ) . He was a villain in Live Free or Die Hard ( 2007 ) and was a recurring guest star in season two of the FX legal thriller Damages ( 2009 ) .   The best-known performance of Olyphant 's career to date has been as Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in FX 's modern-day Kentucky western Justified ( 2010 -- 2015 ) . He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2011 . He later had guest appearances in numerous television sitcoms including The Office ( 2010 ) , The Mindy Project ( 2013 ) and The Grinder ( 2015 -- 2016 ) , for which he won a Critics Choice Award . Olyphant currently stars with Drew Barrymore in the Netflix comedy Santa Clarita Diet ( 2017 ) , and is also an executive producer on the show .


John Hartford can play the fiddle as an instrument.

John Hartford John Cowan Hartford ( December 30 , 1937 -- June 4 , 2001 ) was an American folk , country and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo , as well as for his witty lyrics , unique vocal style , and extensive knowledge of Mississippi River lore . His most successful song is `` Gentle on My Mind '' which won three Grammy Awards and was listed in `` BMI 's Top 100 Songs of the Century '' . Hartford performed with a variety of ensembles throughout his career , and is perhaps best known for his solo performances where he would interchange the guitar , banjo , and fiddle from song to song . He also invented his own shuffle tap dance move , and clogged on an amplified piece of plywood while he played and sang .


This Is Us has Chrissy Metz as a piece of the cast.

This Is Us (TV series) This Is Us is an American television series created by Dan Fogelman that premiered on NBC on September 20 , 2016 . The ensemble cast stars Milo Ventimiglia , Mandy Moore , Sterling K. Brown , Chrissy Metz , Justin Hartley , Susan Kelechi Watson , Chris Sullivan , and Ron Cephas Jones . It is about the family lives and connections of several people who all share the same birthday and the ways in which they are similar and different .   The series has received positive reviews since its premiere , receiving nominations for Best Television Series -- Drama at the 74th Golden Globe Awards and Best Drama Series at the 7th Critics ' Choice Awards , as well as being chosen as a Top Television Program by the American Film Institute . The cast has received accolades , with Mandy Moore and Chrissy Metz receiving Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress , and Sterling K. Brown receiving a SAG nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series . It was also nominated and won the MTV Movie & TV Awards for Best Tearjerker Moment in 2017 .   On September 27 , 2016 , NBC picked up the series for a full season of 18 episodes . In January 2017 , NBC renewed the series through its third season , for a total of 36 additional episodes , 18 per season .


Martina Hingis Martina Hingis ( born 30 September 1980 ) is a Czechoslovak-born Swiss professional tennis player who spent a total of 209 weeks as the singles world No. 1 . She has won five Grand Slam singles titles , twelve Grand Slam women 's doubles titles , winning a calendar-year doubles Grand Slam in 1998 , and five Grand Slam mixed doubles titles ; for a combined total of twenty-two major titles . In addition , she has won the season-ending WTA Championships two times in singles and three times in doubles and is an Olympic medalist .   Hingis set a series of `` youngest-ever '' records during the 1990s , including youngest-ever Grand Slam champion and youngest-ever world No. 1 . Before ligament injuries in both ankles forced her to withdraw temporarily from professional tennis in 2002 , at the age of 22 , she had won 40 singles titles and 36 doubles titles and , according to Forbes , had been the highest-paid female athlete in the world for five consecutive years , 1997 to 2001 . After several surgeries and long recuperations , Hingis returned to the WTA tour in 2006 , climbing to world No. 6 and winning three singles titles , and also receiving the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year . She retired in November 2007 , following months of injuries and a positive test for a metabolite of cocaine during the 2007 Wimbledon Championships , which led to a two-year suspension from the sport .   In July 2013 , Hingis came out of retirement to play the North American hard-court season , partnering Daniela Hantuchová . After achieving moderate success in 2014 playing with Sabine Lisicki and Flavia Pennetta , she partnered with Sania Mirza in March 2015 ; together they won three consecutive Grand Slam titles . During her comeback , Hingis also won all four Grand Slam mixed doubles tournaments alongside Leander Paes and a silver medal partnering Timea Bacsinszky at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro .   Widely considered an all-time tennis great , Hingis was ranked by Tennis magazine in 2005 as the 8th-greatest female player of the preceding 40 years . She was named one of the `` 30 Legends of Women 's Tennis : Past , Present and Future '' by TIME in June 2011 . In 2013 , Hingis was elected into the International Tennis Hall of Fame , and was appointed two years later the organization 's first ever Global Ambassador .


Keith Urban's birth country is New Zealand.

Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban ( born 26 October 1967 ) is a New Zealand-born Australian country musician . In 1991 , he released a self-titled debut album and charted four singles in Australia before moving to the United States the following year . He found work as a session guitarist before starting a band known as The Ranch , which recorded one studio album on Capitol Nashville and charted two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart .   Still signed to Capitol , Urban made his solo American debut in 1999 with a second eponymous album . Certified platinum in the US , it produced his first number one on Hot Country Songs with `` But for the Grace of God '' . `` Somebody Like You '' , the first single from his second Capitol album , Golden Road ( 2002 ) , was named by Billboard as the biggest country hit of the 2000s decade . The album 's fourth single , `` You 'll Think of Me '' , earned him his first Grammy . 2004 's Be Here , his third American album , produced three more number 1 singles and became his highest-selling album , earning 4 × Platinum certification . Love , Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing was released in 2006 , containing `` Once in a Lifetime '' as well as his second Grammy song , `` Stupid Boy '' . A greatest hits package entitled Greatest Hits : 18 Kids followed in late 2007 . Defying Gravity and Get Closer were released on 31 March 2009 and 16 November 2010 , respectively . In September 2013 , he released a brand new album titled Fuse , which produced four more number ones on the Country Airplay chart , two of which are duets -- one with Miranda Lambert and the other with Eric Church . A new single , entitled `` John Cougar , John Deere , John 3:16 '' , was released in June 2015 as the lead-off single to his eighth American studio album Ripcord . The album later produced the Country Airplay number one hits '' Break on Me '' , `` Wasted Time '' and `` Blue Ai n't Your Color '' , with the latter also becoming Urban 's longest reigning number one on the Hot Country Songs chart spending twelve weeks at number one .   Urban has released a total of nine studio albums ( one of which was released only in the United Kingdom ) , as well as one album with The Ranch . He has charted 37 singles on the US Hot Country Songs , 18 of which went to number one , counting a duet with Brad Paisley and the 2008 single `` You Look Good in My Shirt '' , which he previously recorded on Golden Road . Those also include his third Grammy Award-winning single `` Sweet Thing '' from his album Defying Gravity .   Urban is also known for his roles as a coach on the Australian version of the singing competition The Voice and as a judge on American Idol . Since 2006 , he has been married to actress Nicole Kidman . In October 2013 , Urban introduced his own signature line of guitars and accessories .


Alex Kurtzman reviewed The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ( also released as The Amazing Spider-Man 2 : Rise of Electro in some markets ) is a 2014 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man . The film was directed by Marc Webb and was produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach . It is the fifth theatrical Spider-Man film produced by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Entertainment , and is the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man ( 2012 ) ; it is also the final film in the Amazing Spider-Man franchise . The studio hired James Vanderbilt to write the screenplay and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to rewrite it . The film stars Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker / Spider-Man , Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy , Dane DeHaan as Green Goblin / Harry Osborn , Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz as Peter 's parents , and Sally Field as Aunt May , with the addition of a new cast including Paul Giamatti as Rhino / Aleksei Sytsevich and Jamie Foxx as Electro / Max Dillon .   Development of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 began after the success of The Amazing Spider-Man . DeHaan , Giamatti , Jones , and Cooper were cast between December 2012 and February 2013 . Filming took place in New York City from February to June 2013 . The film was released in 2D , 3D , and IMAX 3D on May 2 , 2014 , in the United States with two international premieres being held between March 31 & April 10 , 2014 . The film received mixed reviews , and although it grossed $ 709 million worldwide and became the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2014 , it was the lowest-grossing film in the series . However , the film was declared a `` hit '' in the overseas markets with high openings and a wide cinematic release . The film subsequently won awards for its music composition and acting , notably one Nickelodeon Kids ' Choice Award and two ASCAP Awards .   The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was originally envisioned as the beginning of a shared fictional universe , which would have continued with two sequels and several spin-off films . Due to its performing below expectations , all subsequent installments were cancelled and a new iteration of the character , portrayed by Tom Holland , appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , beginning with the 2016 film Captain America : Civil War .


Jean Grey was featured in several video games.

Jean Grey Jean Grey-Summers ( born Jean Elaine Grey ) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl , Phoenix , and Dark Phoenix . Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby , the character first appeared in The X-Men # 1 ( September 1963 ) .   Jean Grey is a member of a subspecies of humans known as mutants , who are born with superhuman abilities . She was born with telepathic and telekinetic powers . Her powers first manifested when she saw her childhood friend being hit by a car . She is a caring , nurturing figure , but she also has to deal with being an Omega-level mutant and the physical manifestation of the cosmic Phoenix Force . Jean Grey experienced a transformation into the Phoenix in the X-Men storyline `` The Dark Phoenix Saga '' . She has faced death numerous times in the history of the series . Her first death was under her guise as Marvel Girl , when she died and was `` reborn '' as Phoenix in `` The Dark Phoenix Saga '' . This transformation led to her second death , which was suicide , though not her last .   She is an important figure in the lives of other Marvel Universe characters , mostly the X-Men , including her husband Cyclops , her mentor and father figure Charles Xavier , her unrequited love interest Wolverine , her best friend and sister-like figure Storm , and her genetic children Rachel Summers , X-Man , Cable , and Stryfe .   The character was present for much of the X-Men 's history , and she was featured in all three X-Men animated series and several video games . She is a playable character in X-Men Legends ( 2004 ) , X-Men Legends II : Rise of Apocalypse ( 2005 ) , Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 ( 2009 ) , Marvel vs Capcom 3 : Fate of Two Worlds ( 2011 ) , Marvel Heroes ( 2013 ) , and Lego Marvel Super Heroes ( 2013 ) , and appeared as a non-playable in the first Marvel : Ultimate Alliance .   Famke Janssen portrayed the character in five installments of the X-Men films . Sophie Turner portrays a younger version in the 2016 film X-Men : Apocalypse .   In 2006 , IGN rated Jean Grey 6th on their list of top 25 X-Men from the past forty years , and in 2011 , IGN ranked her 13th in the `` Top 100 Comic Book Heroes '' . Her Dark Phoenix persona was ranked 9th in IGN 's `` Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time '' list , the highest rank for a female character .


Red's screenplay was written solo by Jon Nolan.

Red (2010 film) Red is a 2010 American action comedy film inspired by the limited comic book series of the same name created by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner and published by the DC Comics imprint Homage . The film stars Bruce Willis , Morgan Freeman , John Malkovich , Mary-Louise Parker , Helen Mirren and Karl Urban , with German film director Robert Schwentke directing a screenplay by Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber . In the film version , the title is derived from the designation of former CIA Agent Frank Moses ( Bruce Willis ) , meaning `` Retired , Extremely Dangerous '' .   The film was released on October 15 , 2010 . The film grossed $ 199 million worldwide . In 2011 , the film received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Musical or Comedy Film . A sequel , Red 2 , was released on July 19 , 2013 . Another sequel , Red 3 , is in development .


Ronaldo Maczinski had a career in Portuguese football.

Ronaldo Maczinski Ronaldo Maczinski ( born 11 September 1980 ) , known as Ronaldo , is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a forward ; he had a lengthy career in Portuguese football .


John Connally was married to President John F. Kennedy.

John Connally John Bowden Connally , Jr. ( February 27 , 1917June 15 , 1993 ) , was an American politician . As a Democrat he served as Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy , as the 39th Governor of Texas , and as Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard Nixon . While Governor of Texas , he was seriously wounded when President Kennedy was assassinated . As Treasury Secretary , Connally is best remembered for removing the U.S. dollar from the gold standard in 1971 , an event known as the Nixon shock .   In 1973 he switched parties to become a Republican , and ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for President in 1980 .


Cat on a Hot Tin Roof features several recurring motifs, such as superficiality.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a play by Tennessee Williams . One of Williams 's best-known works and his personal favorite , the play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1955 . Set in the `` plantation home in the Mississippi Delta '' of Big Daddy Pollitt , a wealthy cotton tycoon , the play examines the relationships among members of Big Daddy 's family , primarily between his son Brick and Maggie the `` Cat '' , Brick 's wife .   Cat on a Hot Tin Roof features several recurring motifs , such as social mores , greed , superficiality , mendacity , decay , sexual desire , repression , and death . Dialogue throughout is often rendered phonetically to represent accents of the Southern United States . The original production starred Barbara Bel Geddes , Burl Ives , and Ben Gazzara . The play was adapted as a motion picture of the same name in 1958 , starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman as Maggie and Brick , with Burl Ives and Madeleine Sherwood recreating their stage roles . Williams made substantial excisions and alterations to the play for a revival in 1974 . This has been the version used for most subsequent revivals , which have been numerous .


Lucas starred an actress born on January 14.

Lucas (film) Lucas  is a 1986 American teen tragicomedy film directed by David Seltzer and starring Corey Haim , Kerri Green , Charlie Sheen and Courtney Thorne-Smith . The film was Winona Ryder 's screen debut .


Kerri Green Kerri Lee Green ( born January 14 , 1967 ) is an American actress , writer , and director .


Gemini (2002 Tamil film) Gemini is a 2002 Indian Tamil-language action film written and directed by Saran and produced by AVM Productions . The film features Vikram in the title role of a small-time criminal and aspiring don who , after falling in love , decides to refrain from crime ; Kiran Rathod plays his love interest . Murali stars as Singaperumal , a police officer who inspires and guides Gemini in his attempts to reform . The cast includes Kalabhavan Mani as the principal antagonist while Vinu Chakravarthy , Manorama and Thennavan portray significant roles . Based on gang wars in Chennai , the film delves into the lives of outlaws and the roles the police and society play in their rehabilitation and acceptance .   In early 2001 , rival gangsters `` Vellai '' Ravi and Chera reformed themselves with the patronage of a police officer . Saran was inspired by this incident and scripted a story based on it . The film was initially entitled Erumugam with Ajith Kumar intended to play the lead role , but the project was shelved after a week 's shoot when Ajith lost interest and left . Saran reworked the script , retitled the production Gemini and cast the new leads . The revived project was announced in August 2001 . Production began shortly afterwards in December the same year and was completed by March 2002 . The film was shot mainly at the AVM Studios in Chennai , while two song sequences were filmed in Switzerland . The film had cinematography by A. Venkatesh and editing by Suresh Urs while the soundtrack was scored by Bharathwaj .   The film 's soundtrack was well received , with the song `` O Podu '' becoming a sensation in Tamil Nadu . Gemini was released two days ahead of the Tamil New Year on 12 April 2002 and received mixed reviews from critics , with praise directed towards the performances of Vikram and Mani but criticism towards Saran 's script . Made at an estimated cost of , the film earned at the box office and became the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year . The film 's success , largely attributed to the popularity of `` O Podu '' , resurrected the Tamil film industry , which was experiencing difficulties after a series of box office failures . The film won three Filmfare Awards , three ITFA Awards and four Cinema Express Awards . Later that same year , Saran remade the film in Telugu as Gemeni .


Miley Cyrus's fifth studio album, released in 2015, is called Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz.

Miley Cyrus Miley Ray Cyrus ( born Destiny Hope Cyrus ; November 23 , 1992 ) is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . After playing minor roles in the television series Doc and the film Big Fish in her childhood , she became a teen idol starring as the character Miley Stewart in the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana in 2006 . Her father Billy Ray Cyrus also starred in the show . She subsequently signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records , and her debut studio album Meet Miley Cyrus ( 2007 ) was certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) having shipped over three million units . She released her second album Breakout and launched her film career as a voice actress in the animated film Bolt in 2008 .   Cyrus starred in the feature film Hannah Montana : The Movie , and began cultivating a more mature image with her EP The Time of Our Lives in 2009 . In 2010 , she released her third album Ca n't Be Tamed , which stands as the lowest-selling record of her career , and starred in the coming-of-age film The Last Song . Cyrus focused on her acting career with several television and film appearances in 2011 and 2012 . Her sexually explicit behavior generated widespread controversy while promoting her fourth album Bangerz ( 2013 ) , her first under her recording contract with RCA Records . Cyrus ' independently-released fifth studio album Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz ( 2015 ) deviated from her traditional pop style for more psychedelic experimentation . In 2016 , she was a coach for the eleventh season of the singing competition series The Voice .   With Bangerz , Cyrus achieved her third number-one album on the U.S. Billboard 200 , and fifth overall including Hannah Montana soundtrack albums . She has logged eight top 10 entries on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with : `` See You Again '' , `` 7 Things '' , `` The Climb '' , `` Party in the U.S.A. '' , `` Ca n't Be Tamed '' , `` We Ca n't Stop '' , `` Malibu '' and the chart-topping `` Wrecking Ball '' . Cyrus has earned numerous awards and nominations , as Billboard ranked her as the fourth best-selling female artist of 2009 . She was ranked number thirteen on Forbes Celebrity 100 in 2010 , and in 2013 was declared `` Artist of the Year '' by MTV . She has been included on the Time 100 list of most influential people in 2008 and 2014 .


Venus orbits a star every 224.7 Earth days.

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun , orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days . It has the longest rotation period ( 243 days ) of any planet in the Solar System and rotates in the opposite direction to most other planets . It has no natural satellites . It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty . It is the second-brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon , reaching an apparent magnitude of − 4.6 , bright enough to cast shadows at night and , though rare , occasionally be visible in broad daylight . Because Venus orbits within Earth 's orbit it is an inferior planet and never appears to venture far from the Sun ; its maximum angular distance from the Sun ( elongation ) is 47.8 ° .   Venus is a terrestrial planet and is sometimes called Earth 's `` sister planet '' because of their similar size , mass , proximity to the Sun , and bulk composition . It is radically different from Earth in other respects . It has the densest atmosphere of the four terrestrial planets , consisting of more than 96 % carbon dioxide . The atmospheric pressure at the planet 's surface is 92 times that of Earth , or roughly the pressure found 900 m underwater on Earth . Venus is by far the hottest planet in the Solar System , with a mean surface temperature of 735 K , even though Mercury is closer to the Sun . Venus is shrouded by an opaque layer of highly reflective clouds of sulfuric acid , preventing its surface from being seen from space in visible light . It may have had water oceans in the past , but these would have vaporized as the temperature rose due to a runaway greenhouse effect . The water has probably photodissociated , and the free hydrogen has been swept into interplanetary space by the solar wind because of the lack of a planetary magnetic field . Venus 's surface is a dry desertscape interspersed with slab-like rocks and is periodically resurfaced by volcanism .   As one of the brightest objects in the sky , Venus has been a major fixture in human culture for as long as records have existed . It has been made sacred to gods of many cultures , and has been a prime inspiration for writers and poets as the `` morning star '' and `` evening star '' . Venus was the first planet to have its motions plotted across the sky , as early as the second millennium BC .   As the closest planet to Earth , Venus has been a prime target for early interplanetary exploration . It was the first planet beyond Earth visited by a spacecraft ( Mariner 2 in 1962 ) , and the first to be successfully landed on ( by Venera 7 in 1970 ) . Venus 's thick clouds render observation of its surface impossible in visible light , and the first detailed maps did not emerge until the arrival of the Magellan orbiter in 1991 . Plans have been proposed for rovers or more complex missions , but they are hindered by Venus 's hostile surface conditions .


Yung Rich Nation Yung Rich Nation is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Migos . It was released on July 31 , 2015 , by Quality Control Music , 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records . The album features guest appearances from Chris Brown and Young Thug , while the production was handled by Zaytoven , Honorable C.N.O.T.E. and Murda Beatz , among others .


Haim Saban is an Israeli-American television producer.

Haim Saban Haim Saban ( -LSB- səˈbɑːn -RSB- חיים סבן born October 15 , 1944 ) is an Israeli-American media proprietor , investor , philanthropist , musician , record , film & television producer . A businessman with interests in financial services , entertainment , and media , and an estimated net worth of $ 3 billion , he is ranked by Forbes as the 232nd richest person in America . Saban is the founder of Saban Entertainment , producer and distributor of children 's television programs in the US such as Power Rangers . He headed up consortiums which purchased the broadcasters ProSiebenSat .1 Media and Univision Communications . He is a major donor to the US Democratic Party and active in pro-Israel political efforts in the US . In March 2017 , Saban was honored with the 2,605 th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his achievements in television .


Jackie Robinson was bestowed with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the President of the United States.

Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is -- along with the  comparable Congressional Gold Medal -- the highest civilian award of the United States . It recognizes those people who have made `` an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States , world peace , cultural or other significant public or private endeavors '' . The award is not limited to U.S. citizens and , while it is a civilian award , it can also be awarded to military personnel and worn on the uniform .   It was established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy , superseding the Medal of Freedom that was established by President Harry S. Truman in 1945 to honor civilian service during World War II .


Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson ( January 31 , 1919 -- October 24 , 1972 ) was an American professional baseball second baseman who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) in the modern era . Robinson broke the baseball color line when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him at first base on April 15 , 1947 . The Dodgers , by signing Robinson , heralded the end of racial segregation in professional baseball that had relegated black players to the Negro leagues since the 1880s . Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 .   Robinson had an exceptional 10-year baseball career . He was the recipient of the inaugural MLB Rookie of the Year Award in 1947 , was an All-Star for six consecutive seasons from 1949 through 1954 , and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949 -- the first black player so honored . Robinson played in six World Series and contributed to the Dodgers ' 1955 World Series championship .   In 1997 , MLB `` universally '' retired his uniform number , 42 , across all major league teams ; he was the first pro athlete in any sport to be so honored . MLB also adopted a new annual tradition , `` Jackie Robinson Day '' , for the first time on April 15 , 2004 , on which every player on every team wears No. 42 .   Robinson 's character , his use of nonviolence , and his unquestionable talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation which then marked many other aspects of American life . He influenced the culture of and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement . Robinson also was the first black television analyst in MLB , and the first black vice president of a major American corporation , Chock full o'Nuts . In the 1960s , he helped establish the Freedom National Bank , an African-American-owned financial institution based in Harlem , New York . After his death in 1972 , in recognition of his achievements on and off the field , Robinson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom .


Marble Hill is a neighborhood in Boston.

Manhattan Manhattan ( -LSB- mænˈhætən -RSB- , -LSB- mənˈhætən -RSB- ) is the most densely populated borough of New York City , its economic and administrative center , and the city 's historical birthplace . The borough is coextensive with New York County , founded on November 1 , 1683 , as one of the original counties of the U.S. state of New York . The borough consists mostly of Manhattan Island , bounded by the Hudson , East , and Harlem rivers ; several small adjacent islands ; and Marble Hill , a small neighborhood on the U.S. mainland physically connected to the Bronx and separated from the rest of Manhattan by the Harlem River .   Manhattan is sometimes described as a financial and cultural capital and hosts the United Nations Headquarters . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and Manhattan is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization : the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Many multinational media conglomerates are based in the borough . It is historically documented to have been purchased by Dutch colonists from Native Americans in 1626 for 60 guilders which equals US$ today . Manhattan real estate has since become among the most expensive in the world , with the value of Manhattan Island , including real estate , estimated to exceed US$ 3 trillion in 2013 ; residential property sale prices in Manhattan typically exceeded US 1,400 $ / ft2 as of 2017 , and Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan commands the highest retail rents in the world , at US 3,000 $ / ft2 in 2017 .   New York County is the United States ' second-smallest county by land area ( larger only than Kalawao County , Hawaii ) , and is also the most densely populated U.S. county . It is also one of the most densely populated areas in the world , with a census-estimated 2015 population of 1,644,518 living in a land area of 22.83 sqmi , or 72,033 residents per square mile ( 27,812 / km2 ) , higher than the density of any individual U.S. city . On business days , the influx of commuters increases that number to over 3.9 million , or more than 170,000 people per square mile ( 65,600 / km2 ) . Manhattan has the third-largest population of New York City 's five boroughs , after Brooklyn and Queens , and is the smallest borough in terms of land area .   Many districts and landmarks in Manhattan have become well known , as New York City received a record of nearly 60 million tourists in 2015 , and Manhattan hosts three of the world 's 10 most-visited tourist attractions in 2013 : Times Square , Central Park , and Grand Central Terminal . The borough hosts many world-renowned bridges , such as the Brooklyn Bridge ; skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building , one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world ; and parks , such as Central Park . There are many historically significant places in Manhattan : Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere , and the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village is considered the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement . The City of New York was founded at the southern tip of Manhattan , and the borough houses New York City Hall , the seat of the city 's government . Numerous colleges and universities are located in Manhattan , including Columbia University , New York University , Weill Cornell Medical College , and Rockefeller University , which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world .


Marble Hill, Manhattan Marble Hill is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan . It is the only Manhattan neighborhood on the mainland of North America . Marble Hill was occupied as a Dutch colonial settlement in 1646 , and gained its current name in 1891 because of marble deposits underneath the neighborhood .   Politically a part of Manhattan and New York County , Marble Hill became an island in the Harlem River when it was separated from the island of Manhattan by the construction of the Harlem Ship Canal in 1895 . In 1914 , the Harlem River was filled in on the north side of Marble Hill , connecting it to the North American mainland and the Bronx . Because of this change in geography , Marble Hill is often associated with the Bronx and is part of two of the latter 's Community Board Districts .


Community boards of New York City The community boards of the New York City government are the appointed advisory groups of the community districts of the five boroughs . There are currently 59 community districts , including twelve in Manhattan , twelve in the Bronx , eighteen in Brooklyn , fourteen in Queens , and three in Staten Island :   Community boards of Manhattan  Community boards of the Bronx  Community boards of Brooklyn  Community boards of Queens  Community boards of Staten Island   They advise on land use and zoning , participate in the city budget process , and address service delivery in their district . Regarding land use they are only advisory and mostly serve as mobilizing institutions for communities opposed to specific projects . The City Charter also allows boards to submit their own plans for the development , growth , and improvement of their communities .   Community boards are each composed of up to 50 volunteer members appointed by the local borough president , half from nominations by City Council members representing the community district ( i.e. , whose council districts cover part of the community district ) . Each community board is led by a district manager , with an office and staff , whose primary purpose is to coordinate the delivery of services to the community . Non-board members may also join or work on board committees . Each borough also has a borough board , composed of the borough president , council members from the borough , and the chairperson of each community board in the borough .


The Bronx The Bronx ( -LSB- ˈbrɒŋks -RSB- ) is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City , within the U.S. state of New York . It is geographically south of Westchester County ; north and east of the island and borough of Manhattan to the south and west across the Harlem River ; and north of the borough of Queens , across the East River . Of the five boroughs , the Bronx is the only one that has the majority of its area on the U.S. mainland and , with a land area of 42 sqmi and a population of 1,455,444 in 2015 , has the fourth-largest land area , the fourth-highest population , and the third-highest population density . Since 1914 , the Bronx has had the same boundaries as Bronx County , a county of New York and the third most densely populated county in the United States .   The Bronx is divided by the Bronx River into a hillier section in the west , closer to Manhattan , and a flatter eastern section , closer to Long Island . East and west street addresses are divided by Jerome Avenue -- the continuation of Manhattan 's Fifth Avenue . The West Bronx was annexed to New York City in 1874 , and the areas east of the Bronx River in 1895 . Bronx County was separated from New York County in 1914 . About a quarter of the Bronx 's area is open space , including Woodlawn Cemetery , Van Cortlandt Park , Pelham Bay Park , the New York Botanical Garden , and the Bronx Zoo in the borough 's north and center . These open spaces are situated primarily on land deliberately reserved in the late 19th century as urban development progressed north and east from Manhattan .   The name `` Bronx '' originated with Jonas Bronck , who established the first settlement in the area as part of the New Netherland colony in 1639 . The native Lenape were displaced after 1643 by settlers . In the 19th and 20th centuries , the Bronx received many immigrant groups as it was transformed into an urban community , first from various European countries ( particularly Ireland , Germany , and Italy ) and later from the Caribbean region ( particularly Puerto Rico , Jamaica , and the Dominican Republic ) , as well as African American migrants from the southern United States . This cultural mix has made the Bronx a wellspring of both Latin music and hip hop .   The Bronx contains one of the five poorest Congressional Districts in the United States , the 15th , but its wide diversity also includes affluent , upper-income and middle-income neighborhoods such as Riverdale , Fieldston , Spuyten Duyvil , Schuylerville , Pelham Bay , Pelham Gardens , Morris Park , and Country Club . The Bronx , particularly the South Bronx , saw a sharp decline in population , livable housing , and the quality of life in the late 1960s and the 1970s , culminating in a wave of arson . Since then the communities have shown significant redevelopment starting in the late 1980s before picking up pace from the 1990s until today .


Harlem River The Harlem River is an 8 mi tidal strait flowing between the Hudson River and the East River and separating the island of Manhattan from the Bronx on the New York mainland .   The northern stretch , also called the Spuyten Duyvil ( `` spewing devil '' ) Creek , has been significantly altered for navigation purposes . Originally it curved round the north of Marble Hill , but in 1895 the Harlem River Ship Canal was dug between Manhattan and Marble Hill , and in 1914 the original course was filled in .


Naomi Scott played Mohini "Mo" Banjaree in Lemonade Mouth.

Naomi Scott Naomi Grace Scott ( born 6 May 1993 ) is an English actress and singer . She is known for starring as Kimberly Hart , the Pink Ranger , in the 2017 Power Rangers movie and co-starring as Maddy Shannon in the science-fiction drama series Terra Nova . Scott also starred as Mohini `` Mo '' Banjaree in the Disney Channel original movie Lemonade Mouth , and as Megan in TV series Life Bites .


The Simpsons series will be renewed for a 31st season.

The Simpsons The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series is a satirical depiction of working-class life epitomized by the Simpson family , which consists of Homer , Marge , Bart , Lisa , and Maggie . The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture , society , television , and the human condition .   The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a solicitation for a series of animated shorts with producer James L. Brooks . Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family , substituting Bart for his own name . The shorts became a part of The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19 , 1987 . After a three-season run , the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and became an early hit for Fox , becoming the network 's first series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season ( 1989 -- 90 ) .   Since its debut on December 17 , 1989 , episodes of The Simpsons have been broadcast . Its 28th season began on September 25 , 2016 . It is the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American animated program , and , in 2009 , it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest-running American scripted primetime television series . The Simpsons Movie , a feature-length film , was released in theaters worldwide on July 27 , 2007 , and grossed over $ 527 million . On November 4 , 2016 , the series was renewed for a twenty-ninth and thirtieth season of 22 episodes each , extending the show to 2019 .   The Simpsons received widespread critical acclaim throughout its first nine seasons , which are generally considered its `` Golden Age '' . Time named it the 20th century 's best television series , and Erik Adams of The A.V. Club named it `` television 's crowning achievement regardless of format '' . On January 14 , 2000 , the Simpson family was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . It has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series , including 31 Primetime Emmy Awards , 30 Annie Awards , and a Peabody Award . Homer 's exclamatory catchphrase `` D'oh ! '' has been adopted into the English language , while The Simpsons has influenced many adult-oriented animated sitcoms . Despite this , the show has also been criticized for what many perceive as a decline in quality over the years .


Sean Connery did not win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1988.

BAFTA Fellowship The BAFTA Fellowship , or the Academy Fellowship , is a lifetime achievement award presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) since 1971 `` in recognition of outstanding achievement in the art forms of the moving image '' , and is the highest honour the Academy can bestow . Fellowship recipients have been mainly film directors , but some have also been awarded to actors , film and television producers , cinematographers , film editors , screenwriters and ( since 2007 ) to contributors to the video game industry . People from the United Kingdom dominate the list , but it includes over a dozen U.S. citizens and several from other countries in Europe , though none of the latter have been recognized since 1996 . Shigeru Miyamoto , in 2010 , became the first citizen of an Asian country to receive the award .   The inaugural recipient of the award was filmmaker and producer Alfred Hitchcock . The award has been made posthumously to comedy pair Morecambe and Wise in 1999 , and to Stanley Kubrick , who died that same year and was made a fellow in 2000 . The most recent recipient was British actress Joanna Lumley .


Sean Connery Sir Thomas Sean Connery KB ( -LSB- ˈʃɔːn_ˈkɒnəri -RSB- born 25 August 1930 ) is a retired Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award , two BAFTA Awards ( one of them being a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award ) and three Golden Globes ( including the Cecil B. DeMille Award and a Henrietta Award ) . He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in July 2000 after receiving Kennedy Center Honors in the US in 1999 .   Connery was the first actor to portray the character James Bond in film , starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983 . In 1988 , Connery won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Untouchables . His film career also includes such films as Marnie , The Name of the Rose , The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , The Hunt for Red October , Finding Forrester , Highlander , Murder on the Orient Express , Dragonheart , and The Rock .   Connery has been polled as `` The Greatest Living Scot '' and `` Scotland 's Greatest Living National Treasure '' . In 1989 , he was proclaimed `` Sexiest Man Alive '' by People magazine , and in 1999 , at age 69 , he was voted `` Sexiest Man of the Century '' .


The lion is an animal on the endangered list.

Lion The lion ( Panthera leo ) is one of the big cats in the genus Panthera and a member of the family Felidae . The commonly used term African lion collectively denotes the several subspecies in Africa . With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight , it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger , barring hybrids like the liger . Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in India ( where an endangered remnant population resides in and around Gir Forest National Park ) . In ancient historic times , their range was in most of Africa , including North Africa , and across Eurasia from Greece and southeastern Europe to India . In the late Pleistocene , about 10,000 years ago , the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans : Panthera leo spelaea lived in northern and western Europe and Panthera leo atrox lived in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru . The lion is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) , having seen a major population decline in its African range of 30 -- 50 % over two decades during the second half of the twentieth century . Lion populations are untenable outside designated reserves and national parks . Although the cause of the decline is not fully understood , habitat loss and conflicts with humans are the greatest causes of concern . Within Africa , the West African lion population is particularly endangered .   In the wilderness , males seldom live longer than 10 to 14 years , as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity . In captivity they can live more than 20 years . They typically inhabit savanna and grassland , although they may take to bush and forest . Lions are unusually social compared to other cats . A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males . Groups of female lions typically hunt together , preying mostly on large ungulates . Lions are apex and keystone predators , although they are also expert scavengers obtaining over 50 percent of their food by scavenging as opportunity allows . While lions do not typically hunt humans , some have . Sleeping mainly during the day , lions are active primarily at night ( nocturnal ) , although sometimes at twilight ( crepuscular ) .   Highly distinctive , the male lion is easily recognised by its mane , and its face is one of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture . Depictions have existed from the Upper Paleolithic period , with carvings and paintings from the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves in France dated to 17,000 years ago , through virtually all ancient and medieval cultures where they once occurred . It has been extensively depicted in sculptures , in paintings , on national flags , and in contemporary films and literature . Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire , and have been a key species sought for exhibition in zoos over the world since the late eighteenth century . Zoos are cooperating worldwide in breeding programs for the endangered Asiatic subspecies .


Fargo (TV series) Fargo is an American black comedy -- crime drama anthology television series created and primarily written by Noah Hawley . The show is inspired by the 1996 film of the same name written and directed by the Coen brothers , who serve as executive producers on the series alongside Hawley . It premiered on April 15 , 2014 , on FX . The series follows an anthology format , with each season set in a different era with a different story , cast , and set of characters ; however , each season shares a common chronology with the original film .   The first season , set in 2006 and starring Billy Bob Thornton , Allison Tolman , Colin Hanks , and Martin Freeman , was met with critical acclaim . It won the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Miniseries , Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Casting , and received fifteen additional nominations including Outstanding Writing , another Outstanding Directing nomination , and acting nominations for all four leads . It also won the Golden Globe Awards for Best Miniseries or Television Film and Best Actor -- Miniseries or Television Film for Thornton .   The second season , set in 1979 and starring Kirsten Dunst , Patrick Wilson , Jesse Plemons , Jean Smart , and Ted Danson , was met with even greater acclaim . It received three Golden Globe nominations , along with several Emmy nominations including Outstanding Miniseries and acting nominations for Dunst , Plemons , Smart , and Bokeem Woodbine .   The third season , set in 2010 and starring Ewan McGregor , Carrie Coon , Mary Elizabeth Winstead , Goran Bogdan and David Thewlis premiered on April 19 , 2017 .


Lady Gaga is known for her unconventionality.

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( -LSB- ˈstɛfəniː_dʒɜrməˈnɒtə -RSB- ; born March 28 , 1986 ) , known professionally as Lady Gaga , is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . At the beginning of her career , Gaga became known for her unconventionality and provocative work . A popular contemporary recording artist , she is noted for constantly experimenting with new musical ideas and images .   Gaga initially played roles in high school plays , and studied at CAP21 through NYU 's Tisch School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue a musical career . After leaving a rock band , participating in a performance art circuit , and being dropped from a contract with Def Jam Recordings , Gaga worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing . From there , Akon noticed her vocal abilities and helped her sign a joint deal with Interscope Records and his own KonLive Distribution in 2007 . Gaga rose to prominence with the release of her successful debut album The Fame ( 2008 ) and its international chart-topping singles `` Just Dance '' and `` Poker Face '' . A follow-up EP , The Fame Monster ( 2009 ) , was met with a similar reception and the singles `` Bad Romance '' , `` Telephone '' , and `` Alejandro '' were also successful .   Gaga 's second full-length album Born This Way ( 2011 ) topped the charts in more than 20 countries , including the US , where it sold over one million copies in its first week . The album produced the number-one single `` Born This Way '' . Gaga 's third album Artpop , released in 2013 , topped the US charts and included the successful single `` Applause '' . In 2014 , Gaga released a collaborative jazz album with Tony Bennett titled Cheek to Cheek , her third consecutive number one in the US . For her work in the television series American Horror Story : Hotel , Gaga won a Golden Globe Award in 2016 . With her fifth studio album Joanne ( 2016 ) , she became the first woman to have four US number one albums in the 2010s . In February 2017 , Gaga headlined the Super Bowl LI halftime show , which had over 150 million audience across various platforms worldwide , making it the most viewed musical event in history .   With global album and single sales of 27 million and 146 million respectively , as of January 2016 , she is one of the best-selling musicians of all time . Her achievements include twelve Guinness World Records , three Brit Awards , and six Grammy Awards . She has also received awards from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Council of Fashion Designers of America . Gaga regularly appears on Billboards Artists of the Year lists and Forbess power and earnings rankings . She was ranked at number four on VH1 's Greatest Women in Music , finished second on Times 2011 readers ' poll of the most influential people of the past ten years , and was named Billboards Woman of the Year ( 2015 ) . She is known for her philanthropic work and social activism , including LGBT rights and her own non-profit organization , the Born This Way Foundation , which focuses on promoting youth empowerment and combating bullying .


Tim Allen Timothy Allen Dick ( born June 13 , 1953 ) , known professionally as Tim Allen , is an American actor , comedian and author .   He is known for his role as Tim `` The Toolman '' Taylor in the ABC television show Home Improvement ( 1991 -- 1999 ) as well as for his starring roles in several films , including the role of Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story franchise . From 2011 to 2017 , he starred as Mike Baxter in the TV series Last Man Standing . Since 2007 , he is the owner of the company Boxing Cat Films .


Home Improvement (TV series) Home Improvement is an American television sitcom starring Tim Allen that aired on ABC from September 17 , 1991 , to May 25 , 1999 , with a total of 204 half-hour episodes spanning over eight seasons . The series was created by Matt Williams , Carmen Finestra , and David McFadzean . In the 1990s , it was one of the most watched sitcoms in the American market , winning many awards . The series launched Tim Allen 's acting career and was the start of the television career of Pamela Anderson , who was part of the recurring cast for the first two seasons .


Last Man Standing (U.S. TV series) Last Man Standing is an American television sitcom starring Tim Allen . The series aired on ABC from October 11 , 2011 to March 31 , 2017 with 130 episodes .


Furia is modeled from a science fiction short story.

Furia (film) Furia is a 1999 French romantic drama film directed by Alexandre Aja , who co-wrote screenplay with Grégory Levasseur , adapted from the science fiction short story `` Graffiti '' by Julio Cortázar . It stars Stanislas Merhar and Marion Cotillard .


Thomas Pynchon wrote the novel Gravity's Rainbow in 2000.

Thomas Pynchon Thomas Ruggles Pynchon , Jr. ( -LSB- ˈpɪnˌtʃɒn -RSB- , commonly -LSB- ˈpɪntʃən -RSB- born May 8 , 1937 ) is an American novelist . A MacArthur Fellow , he is noted for his dense and complex novels . His fiction and non-fiction writings encompass a vast array of subject matter , genres and themes , including history , music , science , and mathematics . For Gravity 's Rainbow , Pynchon won the 1974 U.S. National Book Award for Fiction .   Hailing from Long Island , Pynchon served two years in the United States Navy and earned an English degree from Cornell University . After publishing several short stories in the late 1950s and early 1960s , he began composing the novels for which he is best known : V. ( 1963 ) , The Crying of Lot 49 ( 1966 ) , Gravity 's Rainbow ( 1973 ) , and Mason & Dixon ( 1997 ) . Pynchon is also notoriously reclusive ; very few photographs of him have ever been published , and rumors about his location and identity have circulated since the 1960s .   Pynchon 's most recent novel , Bleeding Edge , was published on September 17 , 2013 .


When Natalie Woods was a child, she worked in film.

Natalie Wood Natalie Wood ( born Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko ; July 20 , 1938 -- November 28 or 29 , 1981 ) was an American film and television actress . She was known for her screen roles in Miracle on 34th Street , Splendor in the Grass , Rebel Without a Cause , The Searchers , and West Side Story . She first worked in films as a child , then became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult , receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old .   Wood began acting in movies at the age of four and , at age eight , was given a co-starring role with Maureen O'Hara in the classic Christmas film Miracle on 34th Street . As a teenager , her performance in Rebel Without a Cause ( 1955 ) earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress . She starred in the musical films West Side Story ( 1961 ) and Gypsy ( 1962 ) , and received Academy Award for Best Actress nominations for her performances in Splendor in the Grass ( 1961 ) and Love with the Proper Stranger ( 1963 ) . Her career continued with films such as Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice ( 1969 ) .   After this , she took a break from acting and had two children with different husbands , appearing in only three theatrical films during the 1970s . She was married to actor Robert Wagner twice , and to producer Richard Gregson . She had one daughter with Gregson , actress Natasha Gregson Wagner . Wood gave birth to Courtney Wagner during her second marriage to Wagner . Her younger sister Lana Wood is also an actress .   Wood starred in several television productions , including a remake of the film From Here to Eternity ( 1979 ) for which she won a Golden Globe Award . During her career , her films represented a `` coming of age '' for both her and Hollywood films in general .


Stephen Hawking suffers from ALS disease.

Stephen Hawking Stephen William Hawking , ( born 8 January 1942 ) is an English theoretical physicist , cosmologist , author and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within the University of Cambridge . His scientific works include a collaboration with Roger Penrose on gravitational singularity theorems in the framework of general relativity and the theoretical prediction that black holes emit radiation , often called Hawking radiation . Hawking was the first to set out a theory of cosmology explained by a union of the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics . He is a vigorous supporter of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics .   Hawking is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts , a lifetime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences , and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom , the highest civilian award in the US . In 2002 , Hawking was ranked number 25 in the BBC 's poll of the 100 Greatest Britons . He was the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge between 1979 and 2009 and has achieved commercial success with works of popular science in which he discusses his own theories and cosmology in general ; his book A Brief History of Time appeared on the British Sunday Times best-seller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks .   Hawking has a rare early-onset , slow-progressing form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS ) that has gradually paralysed him over the decades . He now communicates using a single cheek muscle attached to a speech-generating device .


STS-96 STS-96 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station ( ISS ) flown by Space Shuttle Discovery , and the first shuttle flight to dock with the International Space Station . The shuttle carried the Spacehab module in the payload , filled with cargo for station outfitting . STS-96 launched from Kennedy Space Center , Florida , on 27 May 1999 at 06:49:42 AM EDT .


Caitlyn Jenner did not change her name and gender.

Caitlyn Jenner Caitlyn Marie Jenner ( born October 28 , 1949 ) , formerly known as Bruce Jenner , is an American television personality and retired Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete . Jenner was a college football player for the Graceland Yellowjackets before incurring a knee injury that required surgery . Coach L. D. Weldon , who had coached Olympic decathlete Jack Parker , convinced Jenner to try the decathlon . After intense training , Jenner won the 1976 Olympics decathlon event at the Montreal Olympic Games , gaining fame as `` an all-American hero '' . Jenner set a third successive world record while winning the Olympics . The winner of the Olympic decathlon is traditionally given the unofficial title of `` world 's greatest athlete '' . With that stature , Jenner subsequently established a career in television , film , writing , auto racing , business and as a Playgirl cover model .   Jenner has six children from marriages to wives Chrystie Crownover , Linda Thompson , and Kris Jenner . Since 2007 , Jenner has appeared on the reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians with Kris , their daughters Kendall and Kylie Jenner , and step-children Kourtney , Kim , Khloé , and Rob Kardashian . Previously identifying publicly as male , Jenner revealed her identity as a trans woman in April 2015 , publicly announcing her name change from Bruce to Caitlyn in a July 2015 Vanity Fair cover story . Her name and gender change became official on September 25 , 2015 . She has been called the most famous openly transgender woman in the world . From 2015 to 2016 , Jenner starred in the reality television series I Am Cait , which focused on her gender transition .


Prussian Academy of Sciences was established in October.

Prussian Academy of Sciences The Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences ( Königlich-Preußische Akademie der Wissenschaften ) was an academy established in Berlin , Germany on 11 July 1700 , four years after the Akademie der Künste , or `` Arts Academy , '' to which `` Berlin Academy '' may also refer . In the 18th century , it was a French-language institution , and its most active members were Huguenots who had fled religious persecution in France .


Jack Paar Jack Harold Paar ( May 1 , 1918 -- January 27 , 2004 ) was an American author , radio and television comedian and talk show host , best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962 . Time magazine 's obituary of him noted that : `` His fans would remember him as the fellow who split talk show history into two eras : Before Paar and Below Paar . ''


Haim Saban is an elderly Israeli-American film producer.

Haim Saban Haim Saban ( -LSB- səˈbɑːn -RSB- חיים סבן born October 15 , 1944 ) is an Israeli-American media proprietor , investor , philanthropist , musician , record , film & television producer . A businessman with interests in financial services , entertainment , and media , and an estimated net worth of $ 3 billion , he is ranked by Forbes as the 232nd richest person in America . Saban is the founder of Saban Entertainment , producer and distributor of children 's television programs in the US such as Power Rangers . He headed up consortiums which purchased the broadcasters ProSiebenSat .1 Media and Univision Communications . He is a major donor to the US Democratic Party and active in pro-Israel political efforts in the US . In March 2017 , Saban was honored with the 2,605 th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his achievements in television .


Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman ( January 26 , 1925 -- September 26 , 2008 ) was an American actor , IndyCar driver , entrepreneur , and philanthropist . He won and was nominated for numerous awards , winning an Academy Award for his performance in the 1986 film The Color of Money , a BAFTA Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award , a Cannes Film Festival Award , an Emmy Award , and many others . Newman 's other films include The Hustler ( 1961 ) , Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ( 1969 ) as Butch Cassidy , The Sting ( 1973 ) , and The Verdict ( 1982 ) . However , he is perhaps best remembered for his role as the title character in Cool Hand Luke ( 1967 ) .   Despite being colorblind , Newman won several national championships as a driver in Sports Car Club of America road racing , and his race teams won several championships in open wheel IndyCar racing . He was a co-founder of Newman 's Own , a food company from which he donated all post-tax profits and royalties to charity . As of January 2017 , these donations have totaled over US$ 485 million . He was also a co-founder of Safe Water Network , a nonprofit that develops sustainable drinking water solutions for those in need . In 1988 , Newman founded the SeriousFun Children 's Network , a global family of summer camps and programs for children with serious illness which has served 290,076 children since its inception .


International Relations includes philosophy.

International relations International relations ( IR ) or international affairs , depending on academic institution , is either a field of political science , an interdisciplinary academic field similar to global studies , or an entirely independent academic discipline in which students take a variety of internationally focused courses in social science and humanities disciplines . In both cases , the field studies relationships between political entities ( polities ) such as states , sovereign states , empires , inter-governmental organizations ( IGOs ) , international non-governmental organizations ( INs ) , non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) , and multinational corporations ( MNCs ) , and the wider world-systems produced by this interaction . International relations is an academic and a public policy field , and so can be positive and normative , because it analyzes and formulates the foreign policy of a given State .   As political activity , international relations dates from the time of the Greek historian Thucydides ( c. 460 -- 395 BC ) , and , in the early 20th century , became a discrete academic field ( No. 5901 in the 4-digit UNESCO Nomenclature ) within political science . In practice International Relations and International Affairs forms a separate academic program or field from Political Science , and the courses taught therein are highly interdisciplinary .   For example , international relations draws from the fields of : technology and engineering , economics , communication studies , history , international law , demography , philosophy , geography , social work , sociology , anthropology , criminology , psychology , gender studies , cultural studies , culturology , and diplomacy . The scope of international relations comprehends globalization , diplomatic relations , state sovereignty , international security , ecological sustainability , nuclear proliferation , nationalism , economic development , global finance , as well as terrorism and organized crime , human security , foreign interventionism , and human rights , as well , as , more recently , comparative religion .


Michelle Rodriguez portrayed Anna Lucia Cortez in the second season of Lost.

Michelle Rodriguez Mayte Michelle Rodriguez ( -LSB- rɑːˈdriːgɛz -RSB- born July 12 , 1978 ) is an American actress and screenwriter . Her breakout role was as a troubled boxer in the independent film Girlfight ( 2000 ) , which was met with critical acclaim and earned her several awards , including the Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award for Best Debut Performance . The following year , she starred as Letty in the blockbuster film The Fast and the Furious ( 2001 ) , a role she has reprised in four additional films in the Fast and Furious franchise to date . During her career , Rodriguez has played in a number of successful action films , including Resident Evil , S.W.A.T. , and Avatar .   Rodriguez also branched into television , playing Ana Lucia Cortez in the second season of the television series Lost . She has also had numerous voice work appearances in video games such as Call of Duty and Halo , and lent her voice for the 3D animated film Turbo and the television series IGPX . With her films grossing over $ 5 billion ( U.S. ) collectively , a 2013 Entertainment Weekly article described Rodriguez as `` arguably the most iconic actress in the action genre , as well as one of the most visible Latinas in Hollywood '' .


Lewis Hamilton won on 10 occasions in the 2016 season.

Lewis Hamilton Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton , MBE ( born 7 January 1985 ) is a British Formula One racing driver from England , currently racing for the Mercedes AMG Petronas team . A three-time Formula One World Champion , he is regarded by fellow and former drivers as one of the greatest Formula One drivers in the history of the sport . He won his first title with McLaren in 2008 before moving to Mercedes , where he won back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015 .   In December 1995 , at the age of ten , he approached McLaren team principal Ron Dennis at the Autosport Awards ceremony and told him , `` I want to race for you one day ... I want to race for McLaren . '' Less than three years later McLaren and Mercedes-Benz signed him to their Young Driver Support Programme . After winning the British Formula Renault , Formula Three Euroseries , and GP2 championships on his way up the racing career ladder , he drove for McLaren in 2007 , making his Formula One debut 12 years after his initial encounter with Dennis . Hamilton 's contract for the McLaren driver development program made him the youngest ever driver to secure a contract which later resulted in a Formula One drive .   Coming from a mixed background , with a black father and white mother , Hamilton is the first black driver to race in Formula One . Hamilton commented on this , saying `` The way I see it , my colour is an advantage in that it 's something people talk about '' , `` Being the first black man does n't matter much to me personally , but for the sport itself it probably means quite a lot . ''   In his first season in Formula One , Hamilton set numerous records while finishing second in the 2007 Formula One Championship , just one point behind Kimi Räikkönen . He won the World Championship the following season in dramatic fashion , becoming the then-youngest Formula One World Champion in history before Sebastian Vettel broke the record two years later . Following his second world title in 2014 , he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year . In 2015 , he became the first British driver in history to win consecutive F1 titles , and the second British driver to win three titles after Jackie Stewart . He also became the first English driver to reach that milestone . He is the first driver in the history of F1 to have made the podium after starting 20th place or lower at least 3 times . He is the only driver in the history of the sport to have won at least one race in each season he has competed to date , with McLaren from 2007 until 2012 , and with Mercedes since 2013 . He has more race victories than any other British driver in the history of Formula One . His Grand Prix victories is the second highest of all-time having surpassed Alain Prost 's total of 51 at the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix , behind only Michael Schumacher at 91 . Hamilton also holds the record for most wins in the season without winning the World Championship , after winning 10 times in the 2016 season where he finished runner-up to teammate Nico Rosberg .


Fences stars Viola Davis as a character.

Fences (film) Fences is a 2016 American period drama film directed by and starring Denzel Washington and written by August Wilson , based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name ( Wilson died in 2005 , but completed a screenplay before his death ) . In addition to Washington , the film also stars Viola Davis , Stephen Henderson , Jovan Adepo , Russell Hornsby , Mykelti Williamson and Saniyya Sidney .   Principal photography on the film began on April 25 , 2016 , in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , in the Hill District , and wrapped in mid-June 2016 . Fences was released in the United States on December 16 , 2016 , by Paramount Pictures , received positive reviews and grossed $ 64 million . The film was chosen by the American Film Institute as one of the top ten films of 2016 , and has been nominated for numerous awards , including four Oscar nominations at the 89th Academy Awards : Best Picture , Best Actor ( Washington ) , Best Supporting Actress ( Davis ) , and Best Adapted Screenplay , with Davis winning for her performance . It also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for Washington and a Best Supporting Actress win for Davis .


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


Charlie Chaplin started performing when he was middle-aged.

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer `` Charlie '' Chaplin , ( 16 April 1889 -- 25 December 1977 ) was an English comic actor , filmmaker , and composer who rose to fame during the era of silent film . Chaplin became a worldwide icon through his screen persona `` the Tramp '' and is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the film industry . His career spanned more than 75 years , from childhood in the Victorian era until a year before his death in 1977 , and encompassed both adulation and controversy .   Chaplin 's childhood in London was one of poverty and hardship . As his father was absent and his mother struggled financially , he was sent to a workhouse twice before the age of nine . When he was 14 , his mother was committed to a mental asylum . Chaplin began performing at an early age , touring music halls and later working as a stage actor and comedian . At 19 , he was signed to the prestigious Fred Karno company , which took him to America . Chaplin was scouted for the film industry and began appearing in 1914 for Keystone Studios . He soon developed the Tramp persona and formed a large fan base . Chaplin directed his own films from an early stage and continued to hone his craft as he moved to the Essanay , Mutual , and First National corporations . By 1918 , he was one of the best-known figures in the world .   In 1919 , Chaplin co-founded the distribution company United Artists , which gave him complete control over his films . His first feature-length was The Kid ( 1921 ) , followed by A Woman of Paris ( 1923 ) , The Gold Rush ( 1925 ) , and The Circus ( 1928 ) . He refused to move to sound films in the 1930s , instead producing City Lights ( 1931 ) and Modern Times ( 1936 ) without dialogue . Chaplin became increasingly political , and his next film , The Great Dictator ( 1940 ) , satirised Adolf Hitler . The 1940s were a decade marked with controversy for Chaplin , and his popularity declined rapidly . He was accused of communist sympathies , while his involvement in a paternity suit and marriages to much younger women caused scandal . An FBI investigation was opened , and Chaplin was forced to leave the United States and settle in Switzerland . He abandoned the Tramp in his later films , which include Monsieur Verdoux ( 1947 ) , Limelight ( 1952 ) , A King in New York ( 1957 ) , and A Countess from Hong Kong ( 1967 ) .   Chaplin wrote , directed , produced , edited , starred in , and composed the music for most of his films . He was a perfectionist , and his financial independence enabled him to spend years on the development and production of a picture . His films are characterised by slapstick combined with pathos , typified in the Tramp 's struggles against adversity . Many contain social and political themes , as well as autobiographical elements . In 1972 , as part of a renewed appreciation for his work , Chaplin received an Honorary Academy Award for `` the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century '' . He continues to be held in high regard , with The Gold Rush , City Lights , Modern Times , and The Great Dictator often ranked on industry lists of the greatest films of all time .


There is an album called Collision Course.

Collision Course (album) Collision Course is a collaborative EP from American rapper Jay-Z and nu metal band Linkin Park , released on November 30 , 2004 by Roc-A-Fella , Machine Shop , Warner Bros. and Def Jam records . Before the album , Jay-Z had released collaborations with The Roots and R. Kelly , and Linkin Park had collaborated with various artists on their remix album Reanimation . The album was inspired by The Grey Album by Danger Mouse , which was a mash-up album between Jay-Z and The Beatles . MTV had originally planned on mashing up only one or two songs , but the project was eventually expanded to a six song EP . The album was mostly produced by Mike Shinoda and Jay-Z , and was recorded between July 16 and July 19 .   Upon release , Collision Course reached # 1 on the Billboard 200 . As of June 2014 , it has sold 2 million copies in the United States alone . The album spawned one single , Numb/Encore which eventually won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2006 Grammy Awards .


Never Go Back is the 13th book in a series.

Never Go Back (novel) Never Go Back is the eighteenth book in the Jack Reacher series written by Lee Child .  It was published on 3 September 2013 in the United States .  The book continues the storyline covered in the novels 61 Hours , Worth Dying For and A Wanted Man . The novel , like a majority of the Jack Reacher novels , is narrated in third-person point of view .


Joaquin Phoenix did not earn a Best Actor nomination for portraying musician Johnny Cash in the biopic Walk the Line.

Joaquin Phoenix Joaquín Rafael Phoenix ( -LSB- ˌhwɑːˈkiːn -RSB- born Joaquín Rafael Bottom ; October 28 , 1974 ) , known formerly as Leaf Phoenix , is a Puerto Rican -- born American actor , producer , music video director , musician and activist . For his work as an artist , Phoenix has received a Grammy Award , a Golden Globe Award and three Academy Award nominations .   Phoenix started acting in television shows with his brother River Phoenix and sister Summer Phoenix . His first major film release was in the comedy-drama film Parenthood ( 1989 ) . During his period as a child actor he was credited as Leaf Phoenix , his self-given name . He later went back to his birth name , Joaquín , and received positive reviews for his supporting work in a wide range of films , most notably in the film adaptation of the novel To Die For ( 1995 ) and the period film Quills ( 2000 ) . He received international attention for his portrayal of Commodus in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator , which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . He has subsequently earned Best Actor nominations for portraying musician Johnny Cash in the biopic Walk the Line ( 2005 ) and for his role as Freddie Quell , a sex-obsessed alcoholic World War II veteran in the drama film The Master ( 2012 ) , the latter winning him the Volpi Cup for Best Actor . To this date , he and River Phoenix hold the distinction of being the first and only brothers to be nominated for acting Academy Awards .   Some of his other notable films include the satire film Buffalo Soldiers ( 2001 ) , the science fiction thriller Signs ( 2002 ) , the animated film Brother Bear ( 2003 ) , the historical drama film Hotel Rwanda ( 2004 ) , the psychological thriller The Village ( 2004 ) , the documentary Earthlings ( 2005 ) , the romantic drama Two Lovers ( 2008 ) , the drama The Immigrant ( 2013 ) , the romantic science fiction drama Her ( 2013 ) , the crime comedy-drama film Inherent Vice ( 2014 ) , and the thriller You Were Never Really Here ( 2017 ) , for which he won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor .   Aside from his acting career , he has also ventured into directing music videos , as well as producing films and television shows . He has recorded an album , the soundtrack to Walk The Line , for which he won the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media . Phoenix is a social activist , lending his support to a number of charities and humanitarian organizations . He is also widely known for his animal rights advocacy . He has been a vegan since the age of three , and campaigns for PETA and In Defense of Animals .


Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman , AC ( born June 20 , 1967 ) is an Australian actress and film producer . Kidman 's breakthrough roles were in the 1989 feature film thriller Dead Calm and television thriller miniseries Bangkok Hilton . Appearing in several films in the early 1990s , she came to worldwide recognition for her performances in the stock-car racing film Days of Thunder ( 1990 ) , the romance-drama Far and Away ( 1992 ) , and the superhero film Batman Forever ( 1995 ) . Other successful films followed in the late 1990s . Her performance in the musical Moulin Rouge ! ( 2001 ) earned her a second Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Comedy or Musical and her first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress . Kidman 's performance as Virginia Woolf in the drama film The Hours ( 2002 ) received critical acclaim and earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress , the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role , the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama and the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival .   Kidman 's other notable films include the crime comedy-drama To Die For ( 1995 ) , for which she won her first Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Comedy or Musical , the erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut ( 1999 ) , the horror-thriller The Others ( 2001 ) , the epic war drama film Cold Mountain ( 2003 ) , the drama Dogville ( 2003 ) , the political thriller The Interpreter ( 2005 ) , and the epic historical romantic drama Australia ( 2008 ) . Her performances in the drama Birth ( 2004 ) and the thriller The Paperboy ( 2012 ) earned her Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress and Supporting Actress respectively . Her performance in the 2010 drama Rabbit Hole ( 2010 ) , which she also produced , earned Kidman further accolades , including a third nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress . In 2012 , she earned her first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her role in the biopic Hemingway & Gellhorn ( 2012 ) . Kidman 's performance in Lion ( 2016 ) earned her a fourth Academy Award nomination , her first for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress . In 2017 , Kidman returned to television , starring in the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies .   Kidman has been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF since 1994 and for UNIFEM since 2006 . In 2006 , Kidman was made a Companion in the Order of Australia , and was the highest-paid actress in the motion picture industry for that year . As a result of being born to Australian parents in Hawaii , Kidman has dual citizenship in Australia and the United States . Kidman founded and owns the production company Blossom Films .


The first Harry Potter book came out in the 90s

Harry Potter Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling . The novels chronicle the life of a young wizard , Harry Potter , and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley , all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . The main story arc concerns Harry 's struggle against Lord Voldemort , a dark wizard who intends to become immortal , overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic , and subjugate all wizards and Muggles , a reference term that means non-magical people .   Since the release of the first novel , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , on 26 June 1997 , the books have found immense popularity , critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide . The series has now been translated into multiple languages including French , Irish , Spanish , German and Swedish to name a few . They have attracted a wide adult audience as well as younger readers , and are often considered cornerstones of modern young adult literature . The series has also had its share of criticism , including concern about the increasingly dark tone as the series progressed , as well as the often gruesome and graphic violence it depicts . , the books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide , making them the best-selling book series in history , and have been translated into seventy-three languages . The last four books consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history , with the final instalment selling roughly eleven million copies in the United States within twenty-four hours of its release .   The series was originally published in English by two major publishers , Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom and Scholastic Press in the United States . A play , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , based on a story co-written by Rowling , premiered in London on 30 July 2016 at the Palace Theatre , and its script was published by Little , Brown as the eighth book in the series . The original seven books were adapted into an eight-part film series by Warner Bros. . Pictures , which has become the second highest-grossing film series of all time . In 2016 , the total value of the Harry Potter franchise was estimated at $ 25 billion , making Harry Potter one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time .   A series of many genres , including fantasy , drama , coming of age , friendship , and the British school story ( which includes elements of mystery , thriller , adventure , horror and romance ) , the world of Harry Potter explores numerous themes and includes many cultural meanings and references . According to Rowling , the main theme is death . Other major themes in the series include prejudice , corruption , and madness .   The success of the books and films has ensured that the Harry Potter franchise continues to expand , with numerous derivative works , a travelling exhibition that premiered in Chicago in 2009 , a studio tour in London that opened in 2012 , a digital platform on which J.K. Rowling updates the series with new information and insight , and a pentalogy of spin-off films premiering in November 2016 , among many other developments . Most recently , themed attractions , collectively known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , have been built at several Universal Parks & Resorts amusement parks around the world .


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


Charles II of England was never king of Scotland.

Charles II of England Charles II ( 29 May 1630 -- 6 February 1685 ) was king of England , Scotland and Ireland . He was king of Scotland from 1649 until his deposition in 1651 , and king of England , Scotland and Ireland from the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 until his death .   Charles II 's father , Charles I , was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649 , at the climax of the English Civil War . Although the Parliament of Scotland proclaimed Charles II king on 5 February 1649 , England entered the period known as the English Interregnum or the English Commonwealth , and the country was a de facto republic , led by Oliver Cromwell . Cromwell defeated Charles II at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651 , and Charles fled to mainland Europe . Cromwell became virtual dictator of England , Scotland and Ireland , and Charles spent the next nine years in exile in France , the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Netherlands . A political crisis that followed the death of Cromwell in 1658 resulted in the restoration of the monarchy , and Charles was invited to return to Britain . On 29 May 1660 , his 30th birthday , he was received in London to public acclaim . After 1660 , all legal documents were dated as if he had succeeded his father as king in 1649 .   Charles 's English parliament enacted laws known as the Clarendon Code , designed to shore up the position of the re-established Church of England . Charles acquiesced to the Clarendon Code even though he favoured a policy of religious tolerance . The major foreign policy issue of his early reign was the Second Anglo-Dutch War . In 1670 , he entered into the secret treaty of Dover , an alliance with his first cousin King Louis XIV of France . Louis agreed to aid him in the Third Anglo-Dutch War and pay him a pension , and Charles secretly promised to convert to Catholicism at an unspecified future date . Charles attempted to introduce religious freedom for Catholics and Protestant dissenters with his 1672 Royal Declaration of Indulgence , but the English Parliament forced him to withdraw it . In 1679 , Titus Oates 's revelations of a supposed `` Popish Plot '' sparked the Exclusion Crisis when it was revealed that Charles 's brother and heir ( James , Duke of York ) was a Catholic . The crisis saw the birth of the pro-exclusion Whig and anti-exclusion Tory parties . Charles sided with the Tories , and , following the discovery of the Rye House Plot to murder Charles and James in 1683 , some Whig leaders were executed or forced into exile . Charles dissolved the English Parliament in 1681 , and ruled alone until his death on 6 February 1685 . He was received into the Roman Catholic Church on his deathbed .   Charles was popularly known as the Merry Monarch , in reference to both the liveliness and hedonism of his court and the general relief at the return to normality after over a decade of rule by Cromwell and the Puritans . Charles 's wife , Catherine of Braganza , bore no live children , but Charles acknowledged at least twelve illegitimate children by various mistresses . He was succeeded by his brother James .


Budapest's buildings are strictly secular.

Matthias Church Matthias Church ( Mátyás-templom ) is a Roman Catholic church located in Budapest , Hungary , in front of the Fisherman 's Bastion at the heart of Buda 's Castle District . According to church tradition , it was originally built in Romanesque style in 1015 , although no archaeological remains exist . The current building was constructed in the florid late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was extensively restored in the late 19th century . It was the second largest church of medieval Buda and the seventh largest church of the medieval Hungarian Kingdom .