Sarah Michelle Gellar Sarah Michelle Prinze ( née Gellar ; born April 14 , 1977 ) is an American actress , producer , and entrepreneur . After being spotted by an agent at the age of four in New York City , she made her acting debut in the made-for-TV movie An Invasion of Privacy ( 1983 ) . Gellar went on to appear in numerous television series and commercials . Her first leading part was in the 1992 miniseries Swans Crossing , for which she was nominated for two Young Artist Awards , and her television breakthrough came in 1993 , when she originated the role of Kendall Hart on the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children , winning the 1995 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series .   Gellar received widespread recognition for her portrayal of Buffy Summers on the WB series Buffy the Vampire Slayer ( 1997 -- 2003 ) , which earned her five Teen Choice Awards , a Saturn Award and a Golden Globe Award nomination . The character was widely popular during the airing of the show and became recognized as one of the 100 greatest female characters in U.S. television . Gellar also gained significant attention for her appearances in the slasher movies I Know What You Did Last Summer ( 1997 ) and Scream 2 ( 1997 ) , and for her portrayal of Kathryn Merteuil in Cruel Intentions ( 1999 ) . She appeared as Daphne Blake in Scooby-Doo ( 2002 ) , her biggest live action commercial success .   In 2004 , Gellar reprised her role as Daphne in the sequel Scooby-Doo 2 : Monsters Unleashed and portrayed Karen Davis in the horror remake The Grudge , both of which grossed more than US$ 180 million worldwide . She subsequently appeared in smaller scale movies such as The Return ( 2006 ) and Southland Tales ( 2007 ) , and provided her voice for TMNT ( 2007 ) . Her later film credits include The Air I Breathe ( 2008 ) , Possession ( 2009 ) and Veronika Decides to Die ( 2009 ) . She headlined the short lived television series Ringer ( 2011 -- 2012 ) and The Crazy Ones ( 2013 -- 2014 ) , which co-starred Robin Williams .   In October 2015 , Gellar co-founded Foodstirs , a food crafting brand and e-commerce startup selling baking kits for children .


Neil Young Neil Percival Young , ( born November 12 , 1945 ) , is a Canadian singer-songwriter , musician , producer , director and screenwriter . Young began performing in a group covering Shadows instrumentals in Canada in 1960 . In 1966 , after a brief stint with the Rick James-fronted Mynah Birds , he moved to Los Angeles , where he formed Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills , Richie Furay and others . Young had released two solo albums by the time he joined Crosby , Stills & Nash in 1969 , in addition to two as a member of Buffalo Springfield . From his early solo albums and those with his backing band Crazy Horse , Young has recorded a steady stream of studio and live albums , sometimes warring with his recording company along the way .   Young 's often distorted electric guitar work , deeply personal lyrics and signature tenor singing voice transcend his long career . Young also plays piano and harmonica on many albums which frequently combine folk , rock , blues and other musical styles . Known to rip up live set lists , Young often plays acoustic versions of songs in one show and electric versions in others . His gritty guitar work , especially with Crazy Horse , earned him the nickname `` Godfather of Grunge '' and led to his 1995 album Mirror Ball with Pearl Jam . More recently Young has been backed by Promise of the Real .   Young directed ( or co-directed ) films using the pseudonym Bernard Shakey , including Journey Through the Past ( 1973 ) , Rust Never Sleeps ( 1979 ) , Human Highway ( 1982 ) , Greendale ( 2003 ) , and CSNY/D éjà Vu ( 2008 ) . He also contributed to the soundtracks of the films Philadelphia ( 1993 ) and Dead Man ( 1995 ) .   Young has received several Grammy and Juno awards . The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted him twice : as a solo artist in 1995 and in 1997 as a member of Buffalo Springfield . In 2000 , Rolling Stone named Young the 34th greatest rock 'n roll artist .   He has lived in California since the 1960s but retains Canadian citizenship . He was awarded the Order of Manitoba on July 14 , 2006 , and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada on December 30 , 2009 .


David Dhawan David Dhawan ( born Rajinder Dhawan on 16 August 1955 ) is an Indian film director who works in Hindi films . He is the father of Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan and director Rohit Dhawan . He is best known for directing several successful films , including the comedies Swarg ( 1990 ) , Shola Aur Shabnam ( 1992 ) , Judwaa ( 1997 ) , Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge ( 2000 ) , Mujhse Shaadi Karogi ( 2004 ) , Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya ? ( 2005 ) , Partner ( 2007 ) , Chashme Baddoor ( 2013 ) and Main Tera Hero ( 2014 ) . The 1993 action thriller Aankhen and the 1999 comedy Biwi No. 1 earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Director nominations .


The United States Congress includes something.

United States Congress The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States consisting of two chambers : the Senate and the House of Representatives . The Congress meets in the Capitol in Washington , D.C. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election , though vacancies in the Senate may be filled by a gubernatorial appointment . Members are usually affiliated to the Republican Party or to the Democratic Party , and only rarely to a third party or as independents . Congress has 535 voting members : 435 Representatives and 100 Senators . The House of Representatives has six non-voting members in addition to its 435 voting members . These members can , however , sit on congressional committees and introduce legislation . These members represent Washington , D.C. , Puerto Rico , American Samoa , Guam , the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands .   The members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms representing the people of a single constituency , known as a `` district '' . Congressional districts are apportioned to states by population using the United States Census results , provided that each state has at least one congressional representative . Each state , regardless of population or size , has two senators . Currently , there are 100 senators representing the 50 states . Each senator is elected at-large in their state for a six-year term , with terms staggered , so every two years approximately one-third of the Senate is up for election .


Jamie Foxx was the winner of a BAFTA Award.

Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop ( born December 13 , 1967 ) , known professionally by his stage name Jamie Foxx , is an American actor , singer , songwriter , record producer and comedian . He won an Academy Award for Best Actor , BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy , for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film Ray . The same year , he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the crime film Collateral .   Other prominent acting roles include Staff Sergeant Sykes in Jarhead ( 2005 ) , Detective Ricardo Tubbs in the 2006 film adaptation of TV series Miami Vice , the title role in the film Django Unchained ( 2012 ) , and the supervillain Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ( 2014 ) . Foxx also starred in the 1990-1994 sketch comedy show In Living Color and his own television show from 1996 to 2001 , the sitcom The Jamie Foxx Show , in which he played Jamie King , Jr. . Foxx also starred in the 2014 film Annie , in which he played Will Stacks .   Foxx is also a Grammy Award-winning musician , producing four albums which have charted in the top ten of the US Billboard 200 : Unpredictable ( 2005 ) , which topped the chart , Intuition ( 2008 ) , Best Night of My Life ( 2010 ) , and Hollywood : A Story of a Dozen Roses ( 2015 ) .


Bob Dylan is in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan ( -LSB- ˈdɪlən -RSB- born Robert Allen Zimmerman ; May 24 , 1941 ) is an American poetic songwriter , singer , painter , writer , and Nobel prize laureate . He has been influential in popular music and culture for more than five decades . Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s , when his songs chronicled social unrest . Early songs such as `` Blowin ' in the Wind '' and `` The Times They Are a-Changin ' '' became anthems for the Civil Rights Movement and anti-war movement . Leaving behind his initial base in the American folk music revival , his six-minute single `` Like a Rolling Stone '' , recorded in 1965 , enlarged the range of popular music .   Dylan 's lyrics incorporate a wide range of political , social , philosophical , and literary influences . They defied existing pop music conventions and appealed to the burgeoning counterculture . Initially inspired by the performances of Little Richard and the songwriting of Woody Guthrie , Robert Johnson , and Hank Williams , Dylan has amplified and personalized musical genres . His recording career , spanning more than 50 years , has explored the traditions in American song -- from folk , blues , and country to gospel , rock and roll , and rockabilly to English , Scottish , and Irish folk music , embracing even jazz and the Great American Songbook . Dylan performs with guitar , keyboards , and harmonica . Backed by a changing lineup of musicians , he has toured steadily since the late 1980s on what has been dubbed the Never Ending Tour . His accomplishments as a recording artist and performer have been central to his career , but his songwriting is considered his greatest contribution .   Since 1994 , Dylan has published seven books of drawings and paintings , and his work has been exhibited in major art galleries . As a musician , Dylan has sold more than 100 million records , making him one of the best-selling artists of all time . He has also received numerous awards including eleven Grammy Awards , a Golden Globe Award , and an Academy Award . Dylan has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , Minnesota Music Hall of Fame , Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame , and Songwriters Hall of Fame . The Pulitzer Prize jury in 2008 awarded him a special citation for `` his profound impact on popular music and American culture , marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power . '' In May 2012 , Dylan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama . In 2016 , he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature `` for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition '' .


Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky ( -LSB- æ ` vrɑːm _ ` noʊm_ˈtʃɒmski -RSB- ; born December 7 , 1928 ) is an American linguist , philosopher , cognitive scientist , historian , social critic , and political activist . Sometimes described as `` the father of modern linguistics '' , Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy and one of the founders of the field of cognitive science . He is Institute Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) , where he has worked since 1955 , and is the author of over 100 books on topics such as linguistics , war , politics , and mass media . Ideologically , he aligns with anarcho-syndicalism and libertarian socialism .   Born to middle-class Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants in Philadelphia , Chomsky developed an early interest in anarchism from alternative bookstores in New York City . At the age of sixteen he began studies at the University of Pennsylvania , taking courses in linguistics , mathematics , and philosophy . From 1951 to 1955 he was appointed to Harvard University 's Society of Fellows , where he developed the theory of transformational grammar for which he was awarded his doctorate in 1955 . That year he began teaching at MIT , in 1957 emerging as a significant figure in the field of linguistics for his landmark work Syntactic Structures , which remodeled the scientific study of language , while from 1958 to 1959 he was a National Science Foundation fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study . He is credited as the creator or co-creator of the universal grammar theory , the generative grammar theory , the Chomsky hierarchy , and the minimalist program . Chomsky also played a pivotal role in the decline of behaviorism , being particularly critical of the work of B. F. Skinner .   An outspoken opponent of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War , which he saw as an act of American imperialism , in 1967 Chomsky attracted widespread public attention for his anti-war essay `` The Responsibility of Intellectuals '' . Associated with the New Left , he was arrested multiple times for his activism and placed on President Richard Nixon 's Enemies List . While expanding his work in linguistics over subsequent decades , he also became involved in the Linguistics Wars . In collaboration with Edward S. Herman , Chomsky later co-wrote an analysis articulating the propaganda model of media criticism , and worked to expose the Indonesian occupation of East Timor . However , his defense of unconditional freedom of speech -- including for Holocaust deniers -- generated significant controversy in the Faurisson affair of the early 1980s . Following his retirement from active teaching , he has continued his vocal political activism , including opposing the War on Terror and supporting the Occupy movement .   One of the most cited scholars in history , Chomsky has influenced a broad array of academic fields . He is widely recognized as a paradigm shifter who helped spark a major revolution in the human sciences , contributing to the development of a new cognitivistic framework for the study of language and the mind . In addition to his continued scholarly research , he remains a leading critic of U.S. foreign policy , neoliberalism and contemporary state capitalism , the Israeli -- Palestinian conflict , and mainstream news media . His ideas have proved highly significant within the anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist movements , but have also drawn criticism , with some accusing Chomsky of anti-Americanism .


Emeritus Emeritus ( -LSB- ᵻˈmɛrᵻtəs -RSB- ) , in its current usage , is an adjective used to designate a retired professor , pastor , bishop , pope , director , president , prime minister , or other person .   In some cases , the term is conferred automatically upon all persons who retire at a given rank , but in others , it remains a mark of distinguished service , awarded to only a few on retirement . It is also used when a person of distinction in a profession retires or hands over the position , enabling their former rank to be retained in their title , e.g. , `` Professor Emeritus '' The term emeritus does not necessarily signify that a person has relinquished all the duties of their former position , and they may continue to exercise some of them .


State Treasurer of Arizona The state treasurer is Arizona state government 's chief banker and investment officer . The Treasurer 's Office manages Arizona 's annual state revenues ; directs the state 's banking services ; and manages Arizona 's investment portfolio . The state treasurer also serves on the management boards of a number of public entities . The state treasurer is one of six statewide elected officials , and serves a term of four years . A person may only serve as state treasurer for two terms .


Doug Ducey Douglas Anthony Ducey -LSB- ˈduːsi -RSB- ( born April 9 , 1964 ) is an American businessman and politician who is the 23rd and current governor of the U.S. State of Arizona . He is a member of the Republican Party , and was sworn in as governor on January 5 , 2015 . Prior to his governorship , he served as the state 's 42nd treasurer . He is also the first man to serve as Arizona Governor in over 17 years .   Prior to serving in elected office , Ducey served as the CEO of Cold Stone Creamery before he and his business partner sold the company in 2007 . On November 4 , 2014 , Ducey won the election to become governor of the State of Arizona , the first open seat for governor in 12 years , succeeding Jan Brewer .   Born in Toledo , Ohio , Ducey moved to Tempe , Arizona in 1982 where he attended Arizona State University . In addition to his involvement with Cold Stone Creamery , he also worked at a local Anheuser-Busch distributor during his time in college , and Procter & Gamble following his graduation with a degree in finance .


List of Governors of Arizona The Governor of Arizona is the head of the executive branch of Arizona 's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state 's military forces . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws , and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Arizona Legislature , to convene the legislature , and to grant pardons , except in cases of treason and impeachment .   Twenty-two people have served as governor over 26 distinct terms . All of the repeat governors were in the state 's earliest years , when George W. P. Hunt and Thomas Edward Campbell alternated as governor for 17 years and , after a two-year gap , Hunt served another term . One governor , Evan Mecham , was successfully impeached , and one , Fife Symington III , resigned upon being convicted of a felony . The longest-serving governor was Hunt , who was elected seven times and served just under fourteen years . The longest single stint was that of Bruce Babbitt , who was elected to two four-year terms after succeeding to the office following the death of his predecessor , Wesley Bolin , serving nearly nine years total . Bolin had the shortest tenure , dying less than five months after succeeding as governor . Four governors were actually born in Arizona : Campbell , Sidney Preston Osborn , Rose Mofford , and Babbitt . Arizona has had four female governors , the most in the United States , and is also the only state where female governors have served in a consecutive order . Because of a string of deaths in office , resignations , and an impeachment , Arizona has not had a governor whose term began and ended because of `` normal '' election circumstances since Jack Williams was in office ( 1967 -- 1975 ) .   The current Governor is Doug Ducey , who was elected on November 4 , 2014 .


Gopalkrishna Gandhi was born on April 22.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi Gopalkrishna Devdas Gandhi ( born April 22 , 1946 ) is a retired IAS officer and diplomat , who was the 22nd Governor of West Bengal serving from 2004 to 2009 . As a former IAS officer and he served as Secretary to the President of India and as High Commissioner to South Africa and Sri Lanka , among other administrative and diplomatic posts .


Performance (film) is the acting manager of Mick Jagger.

Performance (film) Performance is a 1970 British crime drama film directed by Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg , written by Cammell and photographed by Roeg . The film stars James Fox as a violent and ambitious London gangster who , after carrying out an unordered killing , goes into hiding at the home of a reclusive rock star ( Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones , in his film acting debut ) .   The film was produced in 1968 but not released until 1970 due to the reluctance of Warner Bros. to distribute the film because of its graphic violent and sexual content . It initially received a mixed critical response but gained a cult following , and since then its reputation has grown in stature ; it is now regarded as one of the most influential and innovative films of the 1970s as well as in British cinema .   In 1999 , Performance was voted the 48th greatest British film of all time by the British Film Institute ; in 2008 Empire magazine ranked the film 182nd on its list of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time .


Horseshoe Falls Horseshoe Falls , also known as Canadian Falls , is one of three waterfalls which collectively form Niagara Falls on the Niagara River along the Canada-US Border . Approximately 90 % of the Niagara River , after diversions for hydropower generation , flows over Horseshoe Falls . The remaining 10 % flows over American Falls and Bridal Veil falls . It is located between Terrapin Point on Goat Island in the US state of New York , and Table Rock in the Canadian province of Ontario .


Adult World Adult World is a 2013 American comedy film directed by Scott Coffey and written by Andy Cochran . The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2013 and stars Emma Roberts , Evan Peters , and John Cusack . The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on February 14 , 2014 by IFC Films .


Emma Roberts Emma Rose Roberts ( born February 10 , 1991 ) is an American actress and singer . After making her film debut as Kristina Jung in Blow ( 2001 ) , Roberts gained recognition for her lead role as Addie Singer on the Nickelodeon television series Unfabulous ( 2004 -- 07 ) . She released her debut studio album , Unfabulous and More ( 2005 ) , which also served as the series ' soundtrack . Roberts then appeared in a series of film roles , including Nancy Drew ( 2007 ) , Wild Child ( 2008 ) , Hotel for Dogs ( 2009 ) , Valentine 's Day ( 2010 ) , It 's Kind of a Funny Story ( 2010 ) , and The Art of Getting By ( 2011 ) .   Looking for more mature roles , Roberts went on to obtain both supporting and lead roles in Lymelife ( 2009 ) , 4.3.2.1 . ( 2010 ) , Scream 4 ( 2011 ) , Adult World ( 2013 ) , We 're the Millers ( 2013 ) , and Palo Alto ( 2013 ) . She starred in the lead role of Chanel Oberlin on the Fox television series Scream Queens , as well as playing main roles in two seasons of American Horror Story .


Hugh Jackman starred in a Christopher Nolan movie.

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


Hugh Jackman Hugh Michael Jackman ( born 12 October 1968 ) is an Australian actor , singer , and producer . Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in a variety of film genres . He is known for his long-running role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series , as well as for his lead roles in films such as the romantic-comedy fantasy Kate & Leopold ( 2001 ) , the action-horror film Van Helsing ( 2004 ) , the magic-themed drama The Prestige ( 2006 ) , the epic fantasy drama The Fountain ( 2006 ) , the epic historical romantic drama Australia ( 2008 ) , the film version of Les Misérables ( 2012 ) , and the thriller Prisoners ( 2013 ) . His work in Les Misérables earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and his first Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy in 2013 .   In Broadway theatre , Jackman won a Tony Award for his role in The Boy from Oz . A four-time host of the Tony Awards themselves , he won an Emmy Award for one of these appearances . Jackman also hosted the 81st Academy Awards on 22 February 2009 .


Leyton Orient F.C. is a professional football club.

Leyton Orient F.C. Leyton Orient Football Club -LSB- ˌleɪtən_ˈɔəriənt -RSB- is a professional football club in Leyton , London , England . They play in the National League , the fifth tier of the English football league system , following relegation from the Football League in the 2016-17 season . They are known to their fans as the Os , and club 's home colours are all red .   Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football , in 1962 -- 63 . In 1978 , they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the only time in their history , under the management of Jimmy Bloomfield . Between October 1993 and September 1995 , Orient did not win a single away game in the league , leaving them bottom of Division Two in 1994 -- 95 .   Leyton Orient 's home ground Brisbane Road is officially known as the Matchroom Stadium after former club chairman Barry Hearn 's sports promotion company . Hearn became chairman in 1995 after the club was put on sale for # 5 by then-chairman Tony Wood , a period covered by the television documentary Orient : Club for a Fiver , made by production company Open Media for Channel 4 . In 2014 , Hearn sold the club to Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti , who achieved two relegations in three years under 11 managers .   Leyton Orient finished seventh , one place away from the playoff positions , in both the 2010 -- 11 and 2012 -- 13 seasons . In the 2013 -- 14 season , Orient lost the League One Play-Off final at Wembley to Rotherham United and in 2015 were relegated to League Two . On 22 April 2017 , Orient were relegated to the National League , ending their 112 year stay in the Football League .


The Jim Henson Company produced The Dark Crystal.

The Jim Henson Company The Jim Henson Company ( also known at various times as Muppets , LLC. , Henson Associates , Ltd. , and Jim Henson Productions , Inc. ) is an American entertainment company , a leading producer of children 's and family entertainment ( despite some of the company 's works containing mature content ) , and best known as the creators of the renowned Muppets characters . Founded in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson and performing partner and wife Jane Henson , the company is independently owned and operated by the children of its founders .   Henson has produced many successful television series , including The Muppet Show ( later owned by Disney ) , Fraggle Rock , Dinosaurs , Bear in the Big Blue House , and Farscape , and creates the Muppet characters for the long-running PBS television series , Sesame Street . The company has also produced many films , including The Muppet Movie , The Dark Crystal , and Labyrinth . Henson also operates Jim Henson 's Creature Shop , a puppet , animatronics , and visual effects workshop , which has created characters and effects for Henson productions , as well as outside producers .   In 1989 , the company entered merger negotiations with The Walt Disney Company , but the deal fell through following Jim Henson 's unexpected death in 1990 . Following Henson 's death and the calling off of the Disney merger , the company was taken over by Henson 's children , Lisa , Cheryl , Brian , John , and Heather , with Brian at the helm . In 2000 Henson was sold to EM.TV & Merchandising AG , a German media company , but by the end of that year , EM.TV 's stock collapsed , and the company was sold back to the Henson family in 2003 . ( EM.TV had in the interim sold the rights to the Sesame Street Muppets to Sesame Workshop in 2001 . )   In 2004 , Henson sold the rights to the Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House to The Walt Disney Company , but retains the rights to the rest of its characters , program library , and assets . , Brian , Lisa , Cheryl , and Heather Henson run the company ( sibling and fellow co-owner John Henson died in February 2014 ) . Brian Henson serves as chairman , while Lisa Henson serves as CEO .   Since 2000 , The Jim Henson Company has been headquartered at the Jim Henson Company Lot , the historic former Charlie Chaplin Studios , in Hollywood , California .


The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award has been presented to a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award ( MVP ) is an annual Major League Baseball ( MLB ) award , given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League . Since 1931 , it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers ' Association of America ( BBWAA ) . The winners receive the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Memorial Baseball Award , which became the official name of the award in 1944 , in honor of the first MLB commissioner , who served from 1920 until his death on November 25 , 1944 .   MVP voting takes place before the postseason , but the results are not announced until after the World Series . The BBWAA began by polling three writers in each league city in 1938 , reducing that number to two per league city in 1961 . The BBWAA does not offer a clear-cut definition of what `` most valuable '' means , instead leaving the judgment to the individual voters .   First basemen , with 34 winners , have won the most MVPs among infielders , followed by second basemen ( 16 ) , third basemen ( 15 ) , and shortstops ( 15 ) . Of the 24 pitchers who have won the award , 15 are right-handed while 9 are left-handed . Walter Johnson , Carl Hubbell , and Hal Newhouser are the only pitchers who have won multiple times , Newhouser winning consecutively in 1944 and 1945 .   Hank Greenberg , Stan Musial , Alex Rodriguez , and Robin Yount have won at different positions , while Rodriguez is the only player who has won the award with two different teams at two different positions . Barry Bonds has won the most often ( seven times ) and the most consecutively ( 2001 -- 04 ) . Jimmie Foxx was the first player to win multiple times ; 9 players have won three times , and 19 have won twice . Frank Robinson is the only player to win the award in both the American and National Leagues .   The award 's only tie occurred in the National League in 1979 , when Keith Hernandez and Willie Stargell received an equal number of points . There have been 18 unanimous winners , who received all the first-place votes . The New York Yankees have the most winning players with 22 , followed by the St. Louis Cardinals with 17 winners . The award has never been presented to a member of the following four teams : Arizona Diamondbacks , Miami Marlins , New York Mets , and Tampa Bay Rays . The most recent recipients are Mike Trout in the American League and Kris Bryant in the National League .   In recent decades , pitchers have rarely won the award . When Justin Verlander won the AL award in 2011 , he became the first pitcher in either league to be named the MVP since Dennis Eckersley in 1992 . Verlander also became the first starting pitcher to win this award since Roger Clemens had accomplished the feat in 1986 . The National League went even longer without an MVP award to a pitcher -- after Bob Gibson won in 1968 , no pitcher in that league was named MVP until Clayton Kershaw in 2014 .


Deadpool's film development began in Jamaica.

Deadpool (film) Deadpool is a 2016 American superhero film directed by Tim Miller and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick , based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name . It is the eighth installment and a spin-off in the X-Men film series , and stars Ryan Reynolds as the titular character , as well as Morena Baccarin , Ed Skrein , T. J. Miller , Gina Carano , Leslie Uggams , Brianna Hildebrand , and Stefan Kapičić . In the film , antihero Deadpool hunts the man who nearly destroyed his life while also trying to reunite with his lost love .   Development began in February 2004 with New Line Cinema , but moved in March 2005 to 20th Century Fox who bought the film rights . In May 2009 , after Reynolds portrayed the character in X-Men Origins : Wolverine , to the general disappointment of fans , Fox lent the film to writers , and Miller was hired for his directorial debut in April 2011 . Enthusiastic acclaim for leaked CGI test footage by Miller in July 2014 led to Fox greenlighting the film in September . Additional casting began in early 2015 , and principal photography commenced in Vancouver from March to May .   Deadpool premiered in Paris on February 8 , 2016 , and was released on February 12 in the United States in IMAX , DLP , D-Box , and premium large format . Critics praised Reynolds ' performance as well as the film 's style , faithful depiction of the titular character , and action sequences , but criticized its plot as formulaic . It received various awards and nominations , including two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy and Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy , and a Producers Guild of America Award nomination for Best Theatrical Motion Picture . It also won two Critics ' Choice Movie Awards for Best Comedy and Best Actor in a Comedy .   The film was also a significant commercial success , grossing over $ 783million worldwide and breaking numerous box-office records , becoming the ninth highest-grossing film of 2016 , the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time when unadjusted for inflation , and the highest-grossing X-Men film . Shortly after the film 's success , Fox ordered development of a sequel scheduled to be released on June 1 , 2018 .


Rachel Dratch Rachel Susan Dratch ( born February 22 , 1966 ) is an American actress , comedian , producer , and writer . Born and raised in Lexington , Massachusetts , she graduated from Dartmouth College in 1988 and moved to Chicago , Illinois , to study improvisational theatre at The Second City and ImprovOlympic .   Her breakthrough came on the NBC television show Saturday Night Live ( SNL ) , where she was a cast member from 1999 to 2006 . Besides her work on SNL , she has appeared as a guest star in television shows such as The King of Queens and 30 Rock , as well as films such as Click and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry . In 2012 , she published her autobiographical book Girl Walks Into a Bar : Comedy Calamities , Dating Disasters and a Midlife Miracle . She also portrayed the museum guard in Sesame Street 's The Cookie Thief .


30 Rock 30 Rock is an American satirical television sitcom created by Tina Fey that ran on NBC from October 11 , 2006 , to January 31 , 2013 . The series , loosely based on Fey 's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live , takes place behind the scenes of a fictional live sketch comedy show depicted as airing on NBC . The series ' name refers to 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City , the address of the Comcast Building , where the NBC Studios are located and where Saturday Night Live is written , produced , and performed . This series is produced by Broadway Video and Little Stranger , Inc. , in association with NBCUniversal .   30 Rock episodes were produced in a single-camera setup ( with the exception of the two live episodes that were taped in the multiple-camera setup ) , and were filmed in New York . The pilot episode premiered on October 11 , 2006 , and seven seasons followed . The series stars Fey with a supporting cast that includes Alec Baldwin , Tracy Morgan , Jane Krakowski , Jack McBrayer , Scott Adsit , Judah Friedlander , Katrina Bowden , Keith Powell , Lonny Ross , John Lutz , Sue Galloway , Kevin Brown , Grizz Chapman , Maulik Pancholy , and Rachel Dratch .   Tonally , 30 Rock uses surreal humor to parody the complex corporate structure of NBC and its then parent company General Electric . Television critic Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club once remarked that it `` usually adopts the manic pacing of a live-action cartoon . '' The show was influential in its extensive use of smash cuts : sudden , short cuts to unrelated scenes showing something the characters are briefly discussing . 30 Rock also became known for its dedication to making these extremely elaborate , once showing a set that took three days to build for only six seconds of video .   30 Rock received critical acclaim throughout its run , winning several major awards ( including Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2007 , 2008 , and 2009 and nominations for every other year it ran ) , and appearing on many critics ' year-end `` best of '' 2006-2013 lists . On July 14 , 2009 , the series was nominated for 22 Primetime Emmy Awards , the most in a single year for a comedy series . Over the course of the series , it was nominated for 103 Primetime Emmy Awards and won 16 , in addition to numerous other nominations and wins from other awards shows . Despite the high praise , the series struggled in the ratings throughout its run , something of which Fey herself has made light .   In 2009 , Comedy Central and WGN America bought the syndication rights to the show , which began airing on both networks on September 19 , 2011 ; the series also entered into local broadcast syndication on the same day . Today , 30 Rock is regarded as a landmark series . Its series finale in particular has been named as one of the greatest in television history by several publications . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America named 30 Rock the 21st best-written television series of all time .


The Renaissance did not begin in the 14th century.

Renaissance The Renaissance ( -LSB- rᵻˈneɪsəns -RSB- , -LSB- rɛnəˈsɑːns -RSB- ) was a period in European history , from the 14th to the 17th century , regarded as the cultural bridge between the Middle Ages and modern history . It started as a cultural movement in Italy in the Late Medieval period and later spread to the rest of Europe , marking the beginning of the Early Modern Age .   The intellectual basis of the Renaissance was its own invented version of humanism , derived from the rediscovery of classical Greek philosophy , such as that of Protagoras , who said that `` Man is the measure of all things . '' This new thinking became manifest in art , architecture , politics , science and literature . Early examples were the development of perspective in oil painting and the recycled knowledge of how to make concrete . Although the invention of metal movable type sped the dissemination of ideas from the later 15th century , the changes of the Renaissance were not uniformly experienced across Europe .   As a cultural movement , the Renaissance encompassed innovative flowering of Latin and vernacular literatures , beginning with the 14th-century resurgence of learning based on classical sources , which contemporaries credited to Petrarch ; the development of linear perspective and other techniques of rendering a more natural reality in painting ; and gradual but widespread educational reform . In politics , the Renaissance contributed to the development of the customs and conventions of diplomacy , and in science to an increased reliance on observation and inductive reasoning . Although the Renaissance saw revolutions in many intellectual pursuits , as well as social and political upheaval , it is perhaps best known for its artistic developments and the contributions of such polymaths as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo , who inspired the term `` Renaissance man '' .   The Renaissance began in Florence , in the 14th century . Various theories have been proposed to account for its origins and characteristics , focusing on a variety of factors including the social and civic peculiarities of Florence at the time : its political structure ; the patronage of its dominant family , the Medici ; and the migration of Greek scholars and texts to Italy following the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks . Other major centres were northern Italian city-states such as Venice , Genoa , Milan , Bologna , and finally Rome during the Renaissance Papacy .   The Renaissance has a long and complex historiography , and , in line with general scepticism of discrete periodizations , there has been much debate among historians reacting to the 19th-century glorification of the `` Renaissance '' and individual culture heroes as `` Renaissance men '' , questioning the usefulness of Renaissance as a term and as a historical delineation . The art historian Erwin Panofsky observed of this resistance to the concept of `` Renaissance '' :   It is perhaps no accident that the factuality of the Italian Renaissance has been most vigorously questioned by those who are not obliged to take a professional interest in the aesthetic aspects of civilization -- historians of economic and social developments , political and religious situations , and , most particularly , natural science -- but only exceptionally by students of literature and hardly ever by historians of Art .   Some observers have called into question whether the Renaissance was a cultural `` advance '' from the Middle Ages , instead seeing it as a period of pessimism and nostalgia for classical antiquity , while social and economic historians , especially of the longue durée , have instead focused on the continuity between the two eras , which are linked , as Panofsky observed , `` by a thousand ties '' .   The word Renaissance , literally meaning `` Rebirth '' in French , first appeared in English in the 1830s . The word also occurs in Jules Michelet 's 1855 work , Histoire de France . The word Renaissance has also been extended to other historical and cultural movements , such as the Carolingian Renaissance and the Renaissance of the 12th century .


Richard III of England died during the Great War.

Battle of Bosworth Field The Battle of Bosworth Field ( or Battle of Bosworth ) was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses , the civil war between the Houses of Lancaster and York that raged across England in the latter half of the 15th century . Fought on 22 August 1485 , the battle was won by the Lancastrians . Their leader Henry Tudor , Earl of Richmond , by his victory became the first English monarch of the Tudor dynasty . His opponent , Richard III , the last king of the House of York , was killed in the battle . Historians consider Bosworth Field to mark the end of the Plantagenet dynasty , making it a defining moment of English and Welsh history .   Richard 's reign began in 1483 . At the request of his brother Edward IV , Richard was acting as Lord Protector for his son Edward V. Richard had Parliament declare Edward V illegitimate and ineligible for the throne , and took it for himself . Richard lost popularity when the boy and his younger brother disappeared after he incarcerated them in the Tower of London , and his support was further eroded by the popular belief that he was implicated in the death of his wife . Across the English Channel in Brittany , Henry Tudor , a descendant of the greatly diminished House of Lancaster , seized on Richard 's difficulties so that he could challenge his claim to the throne . Henry 's first attempt to invade England was frustrated by a storm in 1483 , but on his second attempt he arrived unopposed on 7 August 1485 on the southwest coast of Wales . Marching inland , Henry gathered support as he made for London . Richard mustered his troops and intercepted Henry 's army south of Market Bosworth in Leicestershire . Thomas , Lord Stanley , and Sir William Stanley brought a force to the battlefield , but held back while they decided which side it would be more advantageous to support .   Richard divided his army , which outnumbered Henry 's , into three groups ( or `` battles '' ) . One was assigned to the Duke of Norfolk and another to the Earl of Northumberland . Henry kept most of his force together and placed it under the command of the experienced Earl of Oxford . Richard 's vanguard , commanded by Norfolk , attacked but struggled against Oxford 's men , and some of Norfolk 's troops fled the field . Northumberland took no action when signalled to assist his king , so Richard gambled everything on a charge across the battlefield to kill Henry and end the fight . Seeing the king 's knights separated from his army , the Stanleys intervened ; Sir William led his men to Henry 's aid , surrounding and killing Richard . After the battle Henry was crowned king below an oak tree in nearby Stoke Golding , now a residential garden .   Henry hired chroniclers to portray his reign favourably ; the Battle of Bosworth was popularised to represent the Tudor dynasty as the start of a new age . From the 15th to the 18th centuries the battle was glamorised as a victory of good over evil . The climax of William Shakespeare 's play Richard III provides a focal point for critics in later film adaptations . The exact site of the battle is disputed because of the lack of conclusive data , and memorials have been erected at different locations . In 1974 the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre was built on a site that has since been challenged by several scholars and historians . In October 2009 a team of researchers , who had performed geological surveys and archaeological digs in the area from 2003 , suggested a location two miles ( 3.2 km ) southwest of Ambion Hill .


Richard III of England Richard III ( 2 October 1452 -- 22 August 1485 ) was King of England from 1483 until his death in 1485 , at the age of 32 , in the Battle of Bosworth Field . He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty . His defeat at Bosworth Field , the last decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses , marked the end of the Middle Ages in England . He is the subject of the historical play Richard III by William Shakespeare .   When his brother King Edward IV died in April 1483 , Richard was named Lord Protector of the realm for Edward 's son and successor , the 12-year-old Edward V . As the young king travelled to London from Ludlow , Richard met and escorted him to lodgings in the Tower of London , where Edward V 's own brother Richard of Shrewsbury joined him shortly afterwards . Arrangements were made for Edward 's coronation on 22 June 1483 ; but , before the young king could be crowned , his father 's marriage to his mother Elizabeth Woodville was declared invalid , making their children illegitimate and ineligible for the throne . On 25 June , an assembly of Lords and commoners endorsed the claims . The following day , Richard III began his reign , and he was crowned on 6 July 1483 . The young princes were not seen in public after August , and accusations circulated that the boys had been murdered on Richard 's orders , giving rise to the legend of the Princes in the Tower .   There were two major rebellions against Richard . The first , in October 1483 , was led by staunch allies of Edward IV and Richard 's former ally , Henry Stafford , 2nd Duke of Buckingham ; but the revolt collapsed . In August 1485 , Henry Tudor and his uncle , Jasper Tudor , led a second rebellion . Henry Tudor landed in southern Wales with a small contingent of French troops and marched through his birthplace , Pembrokeshire , recruiting soldiers . Henry 's force engaged Richard 's army and defeated it at the Battle of Bosworth Field in Leicestershire . Richard was struck down in the conflict , making him the last English king to die in battle on home soil and the first since Harold Godwinson ( who was killed at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 ) . Henry then ascended the throne as Henry VII .   After the battle Richard 's corpse was taken to Leicester and buried without pomp . His original tomb monument is believed to have been removed during the Reformation , and his remains were lost for more than five centuries , believed to have been thrown into the River Soar . In 2012 , an archaeological excavation was commissioned by the Richard III Society on a city council car park on the site once occupied by Greyfriars Priory Church . The University of Leicester identified the skeleton found in the excavation as that of Richard III as a result of radiocarbon dating , comparison with contemporary reports of his appearance , and comparison of his mitochondrial DNA with that of two matrilineal descendants of Richard III 's eldest sister , Anne of York . Richard 's remains were reburied in Leicester Cathedral on 26 March 2015 .


Grand Slam (tennis) The Grand Slam tournaments , also called majors , are the four most-important annual tennis events . They offer the most ranking points , prize money , public and media attention , the greatest strength and size of field , and greater number of `` best of '' sets for men . The Grand Slam itinerary consists of the Australian Open in mid January , the French Open in May and June , Wimbledon in June and July , and the US Open in August and September . Each tournament is played over a period of two weeks . The Australian and United States tournaments are played on hard courts , the French on clay , and Wimbledon on grass . Wimbledon is the oldest , founded in 1877 , followed by the US in 1881 , the French in 1891 , and the Australian in 1905 . However , of these four , only Wimbledon was a major before 1924 -- 25 , the time when all four became designated Grand Slam tournaments . Skipping Grand Slam tournaments -- especially the Australian Open because of the remoteness , the inconvenient dates ( around Christmas and New Year 's Day ) and the low prize money -- was not unusual before 1982 , which was the start of the norm of counting Grand Slam titles .   The term Grand Slam also , and originally , refers to the achievement of winning all four major championships in a single calendar year within one of the five events : men 's and women 's singles ; men 's , women 's , and mixed doubles . In doubles , one team may accomplish a Grand Slam playing together or one player may achieve it with different partners . The term `` Grand Slam '' without qualification refers to winning the four majors in a single calendar year .   Winning the four majors in consecutive tournaments but not in the same year is known as a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam , while winning all four majors at any point during the course of a career is known as a Career Grand Slam . Winning the gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in addition to the four majors in a one calendar year is known as a `` Golden Grand Slam '' or more commonly the `` Golden Slam '' . Also , winning the Year-End Championship ( known as ATP World Tour Finals for men 's singles and doubles disciplines , and WTA Tour Championships for both women 's disciplines ) in the same period is known as a `` Super Slam '' . Together , all four Majors in all three disciplines ( singles , doubles , and mixed doubles ) are called a `` boxed set '' of Grand Slam titles . No male or female player has won all twelve events in one calendar year , although a `` career boxed set '' has been achieved by three female players .


Steffi Graf Stefanie Maria `` Steffi '' Graf ( -LSB- ˈʃtɛfiː ˈgʁa : f -RSB- ; born 14 June 1969 ) is a German former tennis player , who was ranked world No. 1 during her career . Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles . Her 22 singles titles put her second on the list of Major wins by a tennis player ( male or female ) since the introduction of the Open Era in 1968 and is third all-time behind Margaret Court ( 24 ) and Serena Williams ( 23 ) . In 1988 , she became the first and only tennis player ( male or female ) to achieve the Golden Slam by winning all four Grand Slam singles titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year . Furthermore , she is the only tennis player to have won each Grand Slam event at least four times .   Graf was ranked world No. 1 by the Women 's Tennis Association ( WTA ) for a record 377 total weeks -- the longest period for which any player , male or female , has held the number-one ranking since the WTA and the Association of Tennis Professionals began issuing rankings . She won 107 singles titles , which ranks her third on the WTA 's all-time list after Martina Navratilova ( 167 titles ) and Chris Evert ( 157 titles ) . She and Margaret Court are the only players , male or female , to win three grand slams in a calendar year five times ( 1988 , 1989 , 1993 , 1995 and 1996 ) .   Notable features of Graf 's game were her versatility across all playing surfaces , footwork and her powerful forehand drive . Graf won six French Open singles titles ( second to Evert ) , seven Wimbledon singles titles , four Australian Open titles , and five U.S. Open singles titles . She is the only singles player ( male or female ) to have achieved a Grand Slam since hard court was introduced as a surface at the US Open in 1978 . Consequently , Graf 's Grand Slam was achieved on grass , clay , and hard court while the previous five Grand Slams were decided on only grass and clay . Graf reached thirteen consecutive Grand Slam singles finals , from the 1987 French Open through to the 1990 French Open , winning nine of them . She won 5 consecutive Majors ( 1988 Australian Open to 1989 Australian Open ) , and seven Majors out of eight , in two calendar years ( 1988 Australian Open to 1989 US Open , except 1989 French Open ) . She reached a total of 31 Grand Slam singles finals .   Graf is regarded by some to be the greatest female tennis player of all time . Navratilova included Graf on her list of great players . In 1999 Billie Jean King said `` Steffi is definitely the greatest women 's tennis player of all time '' . In December 1999 , Graf was named the greatest female tennis player of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by the Associated Press . Tennis writer Steve Flink , in his book The Greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century , named her as the best female player of the 20th century . In March 2012 , Tennis Channel picked Graf as the greatest female tennis player ever in their list of 100 greatest tennis players of all time .   Graf retired in 1999 while she was ranked World No. 3 . She married former World No. 1 men 's tennis player Andre Agassi in October 2001 . The couple has two children -- Jaden Gil and Jaz Elle . Graf was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004 .


Martina Navratilova Martina Navratilova ( Martina Navrátilová -LSB- ˈmarcɪna ˈnavraːcɪlovaː -RSB- ; born Martina Šubertová -LSB- ˈmarcɪna ˈʃubɛrtovaː -RSB- ; October 18 , 1956 ) is a Czech and American retired tennis player and coach . In 2005 , Tennis magazine selected her as the greatest female tennis player for the years 1965 through 2005 .   Navratilova was World No. 1 for a total of 332 weeks in singles , and a record 237 weeks in doubles , making her the only player in history to have held the top spot in both singles and doubles for over 200 weeks . She was year-end singles No. 1 seven times , including a record five consecutive years , as well as year-end doubles No. 1 five times , including three consecutive years during which she held the ranking for the entire year .   She won 18 Grand Slam singles titles , 31 major women 's doubles titles ( an all-time record ) , and 10 major mixed doubles titles , marking the open-era record for most Grand Slam titles . She reached the Wimbledon singles final 12 times , including nine consecutive years from 1982 through 1990 , and won the women 's singles title at Wimbledon a record nine times ( surpassing Helen Wills Moody 's eight Wimbledon titles ) , including a run of six consecutive titles -- the best performance by any professional player at a major event . She and Billie Jean King each won 20 Wimbledon titles , an all-time record . Navratilova is one of just three women ever to have accomplished a Career Grand Slam in singles , women 's doubles , and mixed doubles ( called the Grand Slam `` boxed set '' ) , a distinction she shares with Margaret Court and Doris Hart .   Navratilova holds the records for most singles titles ( 167 ) and for most doubles titles ( 177 ) in the open era . Her record as No. 1 in singles ( 1982 -- 86 ) is the most dominant in professional tennis . Over five consecutive seasons , she won 428 of 442 singles matches , averaging fewer than 3 losses per year to 87 wins , for a sustained winning percentage of 96.8 % . She holds the best season win-loss record for the open era , 86-1 ( 98.9 % ) in 1983 , and four of the top six open era seasons . She recorded the longest winning streak in the open era ( 74 consecutive matches ) and three of the six longest winning streaks .   She and Serena Williams are the only Open Era players to have won six major singles crowns without the loss of a set . Navratilova , Margaret Court and Maureen Connolly share the record for the most consecutive major singles titles ( six ) . Navratilova reached 11 consecutive major singles finals , second all-time to Steffi Graf 's 13 , and is the only woman ever to reach 19 consecutive major semi-finals . Navratilova also won the season-ending WTA Tour Championships for top ranked players a record eight times and made the finals a record 14 times . She is the only person of either sex to have won eight different tournaments at least seven times . She was ranked in the world 's top 10 in singles for a record 20 consecutive years ( 1975 -- 1994 ) , a span which included 19 years in the top 5 , 15 years in the top 3 , and 7 years as the world No. 1 ranked singles player . Navratilova is regarded by some to be the greatest female tennis player of all time .   In women 's doubles , Navratilova and Pam Shriver won 109 consecutive matches and won all four major titles -- the Grand Slam -- in 1984 . The pair set an all-time record of 79 titles together and tied Louise Brough Clapp 's and Margaret Osborne duPont 's record of 20 major women 's doubles titles as a team . Navratilova also won the WTA Tour Championships doubles title a record 11 times . She is one of only five tennis players all-time to win a multiple slam set in two disciplines , matching Margaret Court , Roy Emerson , Frank Sedgman and Serena Williams . Navratilova took her last major title in 2006 , winning the mixed doubles crown at the 2006 US Open , just short of her 50th birthday -- 32 years after her first Grand Slam title in 1974 .   Originally from Czechoslovakia , she was stripped of her citizenship when , in 1975 at the age of 18 , she asked the United States for political asylum and was granted temporary residency . At the time , Navratilova was told by the Czechoslovak Sports Federation that she was becoming too Americanized and that she should go back to school and make tennis secondary . Navratilova became a US citizen in 1981 , and on January 9 , 2008 , she acquired Czech citizenship . She stated she has not renounced her U.S. citizenship nor does she plan to do so and that acquiring her Czech citizenship was not politically motivated .


Tennis at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles The Women 's Doubles competition was part of the tennis program at the 1988 Summer Olympics .


Thiokol Thiokol ( variously Thiokol Chemical Corporation , Morton-Thiokol Inc. , Cordant Technologies Inc. , Thiokol Propulsion , AIC Group , ATK Thiokol ; finally ATK Launch Systems Group before becoming part of Orbital ATK ) was an American corporation concerned initially with rubber and related chemicals , and later with rocket and missile propulsion systems . Its name is a portmanteau of the Greek words for sulfur ( θειον `` theion '' ) and glue ( κολλα `` kolla '' ) , an allusion to the company 's initial product , Thiokol polymer .   The Thiokol Chemical Company was founded in 1929 . Its initial business was a range of synthetic rubber and polymer sealants , and Thiokol was a major supplier of liquid polymer sealants during World War II . When scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory discovered that Thiokol 's polymers made ideal binders for solid rocket fuels , Thiokol moved into the new field , opening laboratories at Elkton , Maryland , and later production facilities at Elkton and at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville , Alabama . Huntsville produced the XM33 Pollux , TX-18 Falcon , and TX-135 Nike-Zeus systems . It closed in 1996 . In the mid-1950s the company bought extensive lands in Utah for its rocket test range , and in 1986 was found at fault for the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger and the deaths of its astronauts . Thiokol continues to have major operations in the state , at Magna and Promontory ( manufacture of the Space Shuttle 's solid rocket motors ) , and its current headquarters at Brigham City . the company employed over 15,000 people worldwide and records annual sales of around .


Minneapolis Minneapolis ( -LSB- mɪniˈæpəlɪs -RSB- ) is the county seat of Hennepin County , and the larger of the Twin Cities , the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the United States . As of 2015 , Minneapolis is the largest city in the state of Minnesota and 46th-largest in the United States with a population of 410,939 . Minneapolis and Saint Paul anchor the second-largest economic center in the Midwest , after Chicago .   Minneapolis lies on both banks of the Mississippi River , just north of the river 's confluence with the Minnesota River , and adjoins Saint Paul , the state 's capital . The city is abundantly rich in water , with thirteen lakes , wetlands , the Mississippi River , creeks and waterfalls , many connected by parkways in the Chain of Lakes and the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway . It was once the world 's flour milling capital and a hub for timber . The city and surrounding region is the primary business center between Chicago and Seattle , with Minneapolis proper containing America 's fifth-highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies . As an integral link to the global economy , Minneapolis is categorized as a global city . Noted for its strong music and performing arts scenes , Minneapolis is home to both the award-winning Guthrie Theater and the historic First Avenue nightclub . Reflecting the region 's status as an epicenter of folk , funk , and alternative rock music , the city served as the launching pad for several of the 20th century 's most influential musicians , including Bob Dylan and Prince .   The name Minneapolis is attributed to Charles Hoag , the city 's first schoolteacher , who combined mni , a Dakota Sioux word for water , and polis , the Greek word for city .


The Sopranos was cancelled before syndication.

The Sopranos The Sopranos is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase . The story revolves around the fictional character , New Jersey-based Italian American mobster Tony Soprano ( James Gandolfini ) . The series portrays the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the conflicting requirements of his home life and his criminal organization . These are often highlighted during his therapy sessions with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi ( Lorraine Bracco ) . The series features Tony 's family members , mafia colleagues and rivals , in prominent roles and story arcs , most notably his wife Carmela ( Edie Falco ) and protégé Christopher Moltisanti ( Michael Imperioli ) .   After the pilot was ordered in 1997 , the show premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on January 10 , 1999 , and ran its six seasons with 86 episodes to June 10 , 2007 . The series then went through syndication and has been broadcast on A&E in the United States and internationally . The Sopranos was produced by HBO , Chase Films , and Brad Grey Television . It was primarily filmed at Silvercup Studios , New York City , and on location in New Jersey . The executive producers throughout the show 's run were David Chase , Brad Grey , Robin Green , Mitchell Burgess , Ilene S. Landress , Terence Winter , and Matthew Weiner .   The Sopranos is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time . The series also won a multitude of awards , including Peabody Awards for its first two seasons , 21 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards . A staple of 2000s American popular culture , the series has been the subject of critical analysis , controversy , and parody . It has spawned books , a video game , high-charting soundtrack albums , and a large amount of assorted merchandise . Several members of the show 's cast and crew who were previously largely unknown to the public have had successful careers after The Sopranos . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America named The Sopranos the best-written TV series of all time , while TV Guide ranked it the best television series of all time .


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


Kevin Spacey worked as an artistic director for a theater found in London, England.

The Old Vic The Old Vic is a theatre in Lambeth , London , England , located just south-east of Waterloo station on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road . Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre , and renamed in 1833 the Royal Victoria Theatre , in 1871 it was rebuilt and reopened as the Royal Victoria Palace . It was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 and formally named the Royal Victoria Hall , although by this time it was already known as the `` Old Vic '' . In 1898 , a niece of Cons , Lilian Baylis assumed management and began a series of Shakespeare productions in 1914 . The building was damaged in 1940 during air raids and it became a Grade II * listed building in 1951 after it reopened .   It was also the name of a repertory company that was based at the theatre and formed the core of the National Theatre of Great Britain on its formation in 1963 , under Laurence Olivier . The National Theatre remained at the Old Vic until new premises were constructed on the South Bank , opening in 1976 . The Old Vic then became the home of Prospect Theatre Company , at that time a highly successful touring company which staged such acclaimed productions as Derek Jacobi 's Hamlet . However , with the withdrawal of funding for the company by the Arts Council of Great Britain in 1980 for breaching its touring obligations , Prospect disbanded in 1981 . The theatre underwent complete refurbishment in 1985 . In 2003 , Kevin Spacey was appointed as new artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre Company which received considerable media attention . In 2015 , Matthew Warchus succeeded Spacey as artistic director .


Kevin Spacey Kevin Spacey Fowler , KBE ( born July 26 , 1959 ) , better known as Kevin Spacey , is an American actor , film director , producer , screenwriter , and singer . He began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s before obtaining supporting roles in film and television . He gained critical acclaim in the early 1990s that culminated in his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the neo-noir crime thriller The Usual Suspects ( 1995 ) , and an Academy Award for Best Actor for midlife crisis-themed drama American Beauty ( 1999 ) .   His other starring roles have included the comedy-drama film Swimming with Sharks ( 1994 ) , psychological thriller Seven ( 1995 ) , the neo-noir crime film L.A. Confidential ( 1997 ) , the drama Pay It Forward ( 2000 ) , the science fiction-mystery film K-PAX ( 2001 ) , and the role of Lex Luthor in the superhero film Superman Returns ( 2006 ) .   In Broadway theatre , Spacey won a Tony Award for his role in Lost in Yonkers . He was the artistic director of the Old Vic theatre in London from 2004 until stepping down in mid-2015 . Since 2013 , Spacey has played Frank Underwood in the Netflix political drama series House of Cards . For his role as Underwood , he has won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Television Series Drama and two consecutive Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series .


The World Bank Group's activities include infrastructure.

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


Heartbreak Ridge Heartbreak Ridge is a 1986 American Technicolor war film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood , who also starred in the film . The film also co-stars Mario Van Peebles , Marsha Mason , and Everett McGill . The film was released in the United States on December 5 , 1986 . The story involves the actions of a small group of U.S. Marines during the American invasion of Grenada in 1983 . A portion of the film was filmed on the island .   The title comes from the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge in the Korean War . The character played by Eastwood received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the U.S. Army there , even though he is now a U.S. Marine .   The film was the 1000th to be released in Dolby Stereo .


George H. W. Bush did not enter the oil business.

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker Bush ( born June 12 , 1924 ) is an American politician who was the 41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 and the 43rd Vice President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 . A member of the Republican Party , he was previously a congressman , ambassador , and Director of Central Intelligence . He is the oldest living former President and Vice President . Since 2000 , Bush has often been referred to as `` George H. W. Bush '' , `` Bush 41 '' , `` Bush the Elder '' , or `` George Bush Senior '' to distinguish him from his eldest son , George W. Bush , who became the 43rd President of the United States after the 2000 election .   Bush was born in Milton , Massachusetts , to Prescott Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush . Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 , Bush postponed his university studies , enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 18th birthday , and became the youngest aviator in the U.S. Navy at the time . He served until the end of the war , then attended Yale University . Graduating in 1948 , he moved his family to West Texas and entered the oil business , becoming a millionaire by the age of 40 . Bush became involved in politics soon after founding his own oil company , and he won election to the House of Representatives in 1966 . In 1971 , President Richard Nixon appointed Bush as Ambassador to the United Nations , and in 1973 , Bush became the Chairman of the Republican National Committee . The following year , President Gerald Ford appointed Bush as the ambassador to the People 's Republic of China , and later reassigned Bush to the position of Director of Central Intelligence . Bush ran for president in 1980 but was defeated in the Republican primary by Ronald Reagan . Reagan chose Bush as his running mate , and Bush became vice president after the Reagan -- Bush ticket won the 1980 election . During his eight-year tenure as vice president , Bush headed administration task forces on deregulation and fighting the `` War on Drugs '' .   In 1988 , Bush ran a successful campaign to succeed Reagan as President , defeating Democratic opponent Michael Dukakis . Foreign policy drove the Bush presidency : military operations were conducted in Panama and the Persian Gulf ; the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 , and the Soviet Union dissolved two years later . Though the agreement was not ratified until after he left office , Bush also signed the North American Free Trade Agreement , which created a trade bloc consisting of the United States , Canada , and Mexico . Domestically , Bush reneged on a 1988 campaign promise and , after a struggle with Congress , signed an increase in taxes that Congress had passed . In the wake of a weak recovery from an economic recession , along with continuing budget deficits and the diminution of foreign politics as a major issue in a post-Cold War political climate , he lost the 1992 presidential election to Democrat Bill Clinton .   Bush left office in 1993 . His presidential library was dedicated in 1997 , and he has been active -- often alongside Bill Clinton -- in various humanitarian activities . With George W. Bush 's victory in the 2000 presidential election , Bush and his son became the second father-son combination to serve as president , following John Adams and John Quincy Adams . Another member of the Bush family , Bush 's second son Jeb Bush , served as the 43rd Governor of Florida ( 1999 -- 2007 ) and sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 .


Thomas Pynchon published stories in the 20th century.

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 .


The Divergent Series: Allegiant is not based on the novel of the same name.

The Divergent Series: Allegiant The Divergent Series : Allegiant is a 2016 American action adventure film directed by Robert Schwentke with a screenplay by Bill Collage , Adam Cooper , and Noah Oppenheim . It is the first of two cinematic parts based on the novel Allegiant , the final book in the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth , and the third installment in The Divergent Series .   The film stars Shailene Woodley , Theo James , Jeff Daniels , Miles Teller , Ansel Elgort , Zoë Kravitz , Maggie Q , Ray Stevenson , Bill Skarsgard , Octavia Spencer and Naomi Watts , and is the sequel to Insurgent and could be followed by the concluding entry , Ascendant ( Allegiant and Ascendant were originally to be titled Allegiant -- Part 1 and Allegiant -- Part 2 ) .   Allegiant was released on March 18 , 2016 , in theaters and IMAX and received mainly negative reviews . The film was a financial disappointment , grossing $ 179 million worldwide , becoming the lowest-grossing Divergent film . This led to budget cuts on the fourth and the possibility that the final installment in the series , Ascendant , would be released as a TV movie instead of a theatrical one .


Alex Rodriguez took drugs that were forbidden by law.

Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez ( born July 27 , 1975 ) , nicknamed `` A-Rod '' , is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman . He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , and New York Yankees . Rodriguez was one of the sport 's most highly touted prospects and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time . During his 22-year career , Rodriguez has amassed a .297 batting average , 696 home runs , over 2,000 runs batted in ( RBI ) , over 2,000 runs scored , and over 3,000 hits . He is a 14-time All-Star and has won three American League ( AL ) Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Awards , ten Silver Slugger Awards , and two Gold Glove Awards . Rodríguez is the career record holder for grand slams with 25 . However , he has led a highly controversial career due to signing two of the most lucrative sports contracts in history while incurring criticism from the media for his behavior and use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs .   The Mariners selected Rodriguez first overall in the 1993 MLB draft , and he debuted in the major leagues the following year at the age of 18 . In 1996 , he became the Mariners ' starting shortstop and finished second in voting for the AL MVP Award . Rodriguez 's combination of power , speed , and defense made him a cornerstone of the franchise , but he left the team via free agency after the 2000 season to join the Rangers . The 10-year , $ 252 million contract he signed was the richest in baseball history . He played at a high level in his three years with Texas , highlighted by his first AL MVP Award win in 2003 , but the team failed to make the playoffs during his tenure . Prior to the 2004 season , Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees , for whom he converted to a third baseman due to incumbent shortstop Derek Jeter . In his first four seasons with New York , he was twice more named AL MVP . After opting out of his contract following the 2007 season , Rodriguez signed a new 10-year , $ 275 million deal with the Yankees , extending his record for the sport 's most lucrative contract . He became the youngest player ever to hit 500 home runs , reaching the milestone in 2007 . He won his first World Series in 2009 , which was the first year of the new Yankee Stadium . The following year , he became the career leader in home runs by a player of Hispanic descent . In recent years , Rodriguez has been hampered by hip and knee injuries , which have caused him to exclusively become a designated hitter . He played his final game as a Yankee on August 12 , 2016 .   In February 2009 , after previously denying use of performance-enhancing drugs , including during a 2007 interview with Katie Couric on 60 Minutes , Rodriguez admitted to using steroids , saying he used them from 2001 to 2003 when playing for Rangers due to `` an enormous amount of pressure '' to perform . While recovering from a hip injury in 2013 , Rodriguez made headlines by feuding with team management over his rehabilitation and for having allegedly obtained performance-enhancing drugs as part of the Biogenesis baseball scandal . In August 2013 , MLB suspended him 211 games for his involvement in the scandal , but he was allowed to play while appealing the punishment . Had the original suspension been upheld , it would have been the longest non-lifetime suspension in Major League Baseball history . After an arbitration hearing , the suspension was reduced to 162 games , keeping him off the field for the entire 2014 season .


Laurence Olivier starred in an adaptation of Hamlet.

Hamlet (1948 film) Hamlet is a 1948 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet , adapted and directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier . Hamlet was Olivier 's second film as director , and also the second of the three Shakespeare films that he directed ( the 1936 As You Like It had starred Olivier , but had been directed by Paul Czinner ) . Hamlet was the first British film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture . It is also the first sound film of the play in English . A 1935 sound film adaptation , Khoon Ka Khoon , had been made in India and filmed in the Urdu language .   Olivier 's Hamlet is the Shakespeare film that has received the most prestigious accolades , winning the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor and the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival . However , it proved controversial among Shakespearean purists , who felt that Olivier had made too many alterations and excisions to the four-hour play by cutting nearly two hours ' worth of content . Milton Shulman wrote in The Evening Standard `` To some it will be one of the greatest films ever made , to others a deep disappointment . Laurence Olivier leaves no doubt that he is one of our greatest living actors ... his liberties with the text , however , are sure to disturb many . ''


Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier , Baron Olivier , ( -LSB- ˈlɒrəns_kɜr_ɒˈlɪvieɪ -RSB- 22 May 1907 -- 11 July 1989 ) , was an English actor who , along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud , dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century . He also worked in films throughout his career , playing more than fifty cinema roles . Late in his career , he had considerable success in television roles .   His family had no theatrical connections , but Olivier 's father , a clergyman , decided that his son should become an actor . After attending a drama school in London , Olivier learned his craft in a succession of acting jobs during the late 1920s . In 1930 he had his first important West End success in Noël Coward 's Private Lives , and he appeared in his first film . In 1935 he played in a celebrated production of Romeo and Juliet alongside Gielgud and Peggy Ashcroft , and by the end of the decade he was an established star . In the 1940s , together with Richardson and John Burrell , Olivier was the co-director of the Old Vic , building it into a highly respected company . There his most celebrated roles included Shakespeare 's Richard III and Sophocles 's Oedipus . In the 1950s Olivier was an independent actor-manager , but his stage career was in the doldrums until he joined the avant garde English Stage Company in 1957 to play the title role in The Entertainer , a part he later played on film . From 1963 to 1973 he was the founding director of Britain 's National Theatre , running a resident company that fostered many future stars . His own parts there included the title role in Othello ( 1964 ) and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice ( 1970 ) .   Among Olivier 's films are Wuthering Heights ( 1939 ) , Rebecca ( 1940 ) , and a trilogy of Shakespeare films as actor-director : Henry V ( 1944 ) , Hamlet ( 1948 ) , and Richard III ( 1955 ) . His later films included Sleuth ( 1972 ) , Marathon Man ( 1976 ) , and The Boys from Brazil ( 1978 ) . His television appearances included an adaptation of The Moon and Sixpence ( 1960 ) , Long Day 's Journey into Night ( 1973 ) , Love Among the Ruins ( 1975 ) , Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ( 1976 ) , Brideshead Revisited ( 1981 ) and King Lear ( 1983 ) .   Olivier 's honours included a knighthood ( 1947 ) , a life peerage ( 1970 ) and the Order of Merit ( 1981 ) . For his on-screen work he received four Academy Awards , two British Academy Film Awards , five Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards . The National Theatre 's largest auditorium is named in his honour , and he is commemorated in the Laurence Olivier Awards , given annually by the Society of London Theatre . He was married three times , to the actresses Jill Esmond from 1930 to 1940 , Vivien Leigh from 1940 to 1960 , and Joan Plowright from 1961 until his death .


North Korea's largest city is not its capital.

North Korea North Korea , officially the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea ( DPRK ) , is a country in East Asia constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula .  Pyongyang is the nation 's capital and largest city . To the north and northwest the country is bordered by China and by Russia along the Amnok ( known as the Yalu in China ) and Tumen rivers ; it is bordered to the south by South Korea , with the heavily fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone ( DMZ ) separating the two .   In 1910 , Korea was annexed by the Empire of Japan . After the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945 , Korea was divided into two zones along the 38th parallel by the United States and the Soviet Union , with the north occupied by the Soviets and the south by the Americans . Negotiations on reunification failed , and in 1948 , separate governments were formed : the socialist Democratic People 's Republic of Korea in the north , and the capitalist Republic of Korea in the south . An invasion initiated by North Korea led to the Korean War ( 1950 -- 1953 ) . The Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire , but no peace treaty was signed .   North Korea officially describes itself as a self-reliant socialist state and formally holds elections . Critics regard it as a totalitarian dictatorship . Various media outlets have called it Stalinist , particularly noting the elaborate cult of personality around Kim Il-sung and his family . International organizations have assessed that human rights violations in North Korea have no parallel in the contemporary world . The Workers ' Party of Korea ( WPK ) , led by a member of the ruling family , holds power in the state and leads the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland of which all political officers are required to be members .   Juche , an ideology of national self-reliance , was introduced into the constitution as a `` creative application of Marxism -- Leninism '' in 1972 . The means of production are owned by the state through state-run enterprises and collectivized farms . Most services such as healthcare , education , housing and food production are subsidized or state-funded . From 1994 to 1998 , North Korea suffered a famine that resulted in the deaths of between 240,000 and 3.5 million people , and the country continues to struggle with food production . North Korea follows Songun , or `` military-first '' policy . It is the country with the highest number of military and paramilitary personnel , with a total of 9,495,000 active , reserve , and paramilitary personnel . Its active duty army of 1.21 million is the fourth largest in the world , after China , the United States , and India . It possesses nuclear weapons . North Korea is an atheist state with no official religion and where public religion is discouraged .


T-Pain Faheem Rashad Najm ( born September 30 , 1985 ) , better known by his stage name T-Pain , is an American rapper , singer , songwriter and record producer from Tallahassee , Florida . His debut album , Rappa Ternt Sanga , was released in 2005 . In 2007 , T-Pain released his second album Epiphany , which reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart . His third album , Thr33 Ringz , was released in 2008 . T-Pain has also released a string of hit singles , including `` I 'm Sprung '' , `` I 'm 'n Luv ( Wit a Stripper ) '' , `` Buy U a Drank ( Shawty Snappin ' ) '' , `` Bartender '' , `` Ca n't Believe It '' , `` 5 O'Clock '' and more . T-Pain has earned two Grammy Awards , alongside artists Kanye West and Jamie Foxx respectively .   T-Pain is the founder of the record label imprint Nappy Boy Entertainment , established in 2005 . Throughout his career as a singer , T-Pain is best known for using and popularizing the creative use of the Auto-Tune pitch correction effect , used with extreme parameter settings to create distinctive vocal sounds . From 2006 to 2010 , T-Pain was featured on more than 50 chart topping singles , his most successful feature to date was on Flo Rida 's debut single `` Low '' , which has since been certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) .


Rappa Ternt Sanga Rappa Ternt Sanga is the debut studio album by American rapper , singer-songwriter and record producer T-Pain ; it was released on December 6 , 2005 . The title is a dialectal pronunciation of the phrase `` rapper turned singer . ''   One of the leftover tracks from the album was , titled `` You and Me '' ; which is the original version of `` I Ca n't Wait '' by Akon . The remix to `` Studio Love '' was made featuring Lil Wayne . The remix to `` Dance Floor '' was made featuring Pitbull .


Solange Knowles's first studio album is A Seat at the Table.

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


Shonen Jump is abbreviated as SJ and stylized SHONEN JUMP.

Shonen Jump (magazine) Shonen Jump , officially stylized SHONEN JUMP and abbreviated SJ , is a shōnen manga anthology published in North America by Viz Media . It debuted in November 2002 with the first issue having a January 2003 cover date . Based on Shueisha 's popular Japanese magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump , Shonen Jump is retooled for English readers and the American audience , including changing it from a weekly publication to a monthly one . It features serialized chapters from four manga series , and articles on Japanese language and culture , as well as manga , anime , video games , and figurines . Prior to the magazine 's launch , Viz launched an extensive marketing campaign to promote it and help it succeed where previous manga anthologies published in North America had failed . Shueisha purchased an equity interest in Viz to help fund the venture , and Cartoon Network , Suncoast , and Diamond Distributors became promotional partners in the magazine .   In conjunction with the magazine , Viz launched new imprints for releasing media related to the series presented in the magazine , and other shōnen works . This includes two new manga imprints , an anime DVD imprint , a fiction line for releasing light novels , a label for fan and data books , and a label for the release of art books .   Targeted towards young adult males , the first issue required three printings to meet consumer demand , with over 300,000 copies sold . It was awarded the ICv2 `` Comic Product of the Year '' award in December 2002 , and has continued to enjoy high sales with a monthly circulation of 215,000 in 2008 . Approximately half of its circulation comes from subscriptions rather than store sales .   Shonen Jump published its final issue in April 2012 when Viz decided to focus on a weekly digital manga anthology . Weekly Shonen Jump ( initially named Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha ) launched in January 2012 and is still in production .


David Hasselhoff has only acted in Spanish TV series.

Baywatch Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County , California , starring David Hasselhoff . The show was canceled after its first season on NBC , but survived through syndication and later became one of the most watched television shows in the world . The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999 . From 1999 to 2001 , with a setting change and large cast overhaul , it was known as Baywatch Hawaii '' .


David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff ( born July 17 , 1952 ) , nicknamed `` The Hoff '' , is an American actor , singer , producer , and businessman , who set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV .  He first gained recognition on The Young and The Restless , playing Dr. Snapper Foster . His career continued with his leading role as Michael Knight on Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch . Hasselhoff produced Baywatch from the 1990s until 2001 when the series ended with Baywatch Hawaii . On screen , he appeared in films including Click , Dodgeball , The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie , and Hop .   In 2000 , he made his Broadway debut in the musical Jekyll & Hyde . Following his debut , he starred in other musicals including Chicago and The Producers .


Knight Rider (1982 TV series) Knight Rider is an American television series created and produced by Glen A. Larson . The series was originally broadcast on NBC from 1982 to 1986 . The show stars David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight , a high-tech modern crime fighter assisted by KITT , an advanced artificially intelligent , self-aware and nearly indestructible car . This was the last series Larson devised at Universal Television before he moved to 20th Century Fox .


The Young and the Restless The Young and the Restless ( often abbreviated as Y&R ) is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS . The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City , which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name , Genoa City , Wisconsin . First broadcast on March 26 , 1973 , The Young and the Restless was originally broadcast as half-hour episodes , five times a week . The show expanded to one-hour episodes on February 4 , 1980 . In 2006 , the series began airing encore episodes weeknights on SOAPnet until 2013 , when Y&R moved to TVGN ( now Pop ) . Pop still airs the encore episodes on weeknights , starting July 1 , 2013 . The series is also syndicated internationally .   The Young and the Restless originally focused on two core families : the wealthy Brooks family and the working class Foster family . After a series of recasts and departures in the early 1980s , all the original characters except Jill Foster and Katherine Chancellor were written out . Bell replaced them with the new core families , the Abbotts and the Williamses . Over the years , other families such as the Newmans , Winters , and the Baldwin-Fishers were introduced . Despite these changes , one storyline that has endured through almost the show 's entire run is the feud between Jill Abbott and Katherine Chancellor , the longest rivalry on any American soap opera .   Since its debut , The Young and the Restless has won nine Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series . It is also currently the highest-rated daytime drama on American television . As of 2008 , it had appeared at the top of the weekly Nielsen ratings in that category for more than 1,000 weeks since 1988 . As of December 12 , 2013 , according to Nielsen ratings , The Young and the Restless was the leading daytime drama for an unprecedented 1,300 weeks , or 25 years . On January 15 , 2014 , the series was in the middle of its final year of its 2010 contract , and was renewed by CBS through 2017 . Y&R is also a sister show to the Bells ' other soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful , as several actors have crossed over between shows .