Beat It `` Beat It '' is a song written and performed by American singer Michael Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones ( with co-production by Jackson ) . It is the third single from the singer 's sixth solo album , Thriller ( 1982 ) . Following the successful chart performances of the Thriller singles `` The Girl Is Mine '' and `` Billie Jean '' , `` Beat It '' was released on February 14 , 1983 as the album 's third single . The song is also notable for its famous video , which featured Jackson bringing two gangs together through the power of music and dance .   `` Beat It '' received the 1984 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance , as well as two American Music Awards . It was inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame . The single , along with its music video , helped propel Thriller into becoming the best-selling album of all time . The single was certified platinum in the United States in 1989 . Rolling Stone placed `` Beat It '' on the 344th spot of its list of `` The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time '' . The song was also ranked number 81 on Rolling Stones `` 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time '' .   In the decades since its release , `` Beat It '' has been covered , parodied , and sampled by numerous artists including Pierce the Veil , Fall Out Boy , Pomplamoose , Justin Bieber , Alvin and the Chipmunks , Fergie , John 5 , `` Weird Al '' Yankovic and Eminem . The song was also featured in the National Highway Safety Commission 's anti-drunk driving campaign .


Black or White `` Black or White '' is a single by American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson . The song was released by Epic Records on November 11 , 1991 as the first single from Jackson 's eighth studio album , Dangerous . It was written , composed and produced by Michael Jackson and Bill Bottrell .


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


Tom Cruise stars in the 1983 film Cocktail.

Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV ( born July 3 , 1962 ) , known professionally as Tom Cruise , is an American actor and producer . He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and has won three Golden Globe Awards . He started his career at age 19 in the film Endless Love ( 1981 ) . After portraying supporting roles in Taps ( 1981 ) and The Outsiders ( 1983 ) , his first leading role was in the romantic comedy Risky Business , released in August 1983 . Cruise became a full-fledged movie star after starring as Pete `` Maverick '' Mitchell in the action drama Top Gun ( 1986 ) . One of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood , Cruise starred in several more successful films in the 1980s , including the dramas The Color of Money ( 1986 ) , Cocktail ( 1988 ) , Rain Man ( 1988 ) , and Born on the Fourth of July ( 1989 ) .   In the 1990s , he starred in a number of hit films , including the romance Far and Away ( 1992 ) , the drama A Few Good Men ( 1992 ) , the legal thriller The Firm ( 1993 ) , the drama horror film Interview with the Vampire ( 1994 ) , the romantic comedy-drama sports film Jerry Maguire ( 1996 ) , the erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut , and the drama Magnolia ( both 1999 ) . Since 1996 , Cruise has been well known for his role as IMF agent Ethan Hunt in the Mission : Impossible film series , whose most recent film , Mission : Impossible -- Rogue Nation , was released in 2015 .   In the 2000s , Cruise starred in a number of successful films , including the science fiction thrillers Vanilla Sky ( 2001 ) and Minority Report ( 2002 ) , the epic war film The Last Samurai ( 2003 ) , the crime film Collateral ( 2004 ) , the science fiction disaster thriller War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) , and the historical thriller Valkyrie ( 2008 ) .   In the 2010s , he has starred in the action comedy Knight and Day ( 2010 ) , the thriller Jack Reacher ( 2012 ) , the post-apocalyptic science fiction film Oblivion ( 2013 ) , and the military science fiction film Edge of Tomorrow ( 2014 ) . In 2012 , Cruise was Hollywood 's highest-paid actor . 16 of his films grossed over $ 100 million domestically ; 22 have grossed in excess of $ 200 million worldwide .   He has won Golden Globe Awards for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in Drama in 1990 for Born on the Fourth of July ; Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in Comedy/Musical in 1997 for Jerry Maguire ; and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in 2000 for Magnolia . In 2002 , Cruise won the Saturn Award for Best Actor for Vanilla Sky . In 2003 , he won an AFI Movie of the Year Award for The Last Samurai and an Empire Award for Best Actor for Minority Report .   Cruise is an outspoken advocate for the Church of Scientology and its associated social programs , and credits it with helping him overcome dyslexia . In the 2000s , his criticisms of psychiatry and anti-depressant drugs , particularly therapy for 9/11 rescue workers , and efforts to promote Scientology as a religion in Europe , sparked controversies , as did a leaked video interview of him promoting Scientology .


An actor whose voice stars in Gift of the Night Fury has the nickname T.J.

T. J. Miller Todd Joseph `` T. J. '' Miller ( born June 4 , 1981 ) is an American actor , stand-up comedian , producer , and writer . He currently stars as Erlich Bachman in the HBO sitcom Silicon Valley . Miller has also performed in such films as Cloverfield ( 2008 ) , She 's Out of My League ( 2010 ) , Yogi Bear 3D ( 2010 ) , How to Train Your Dragon ( 2010 ) , How to Train Your Dragon 2 ( 2014 ) , Transformers : Age of Extinction ( 2014 ) , Big Hero 6 ( 2014 ) , Deadpool ( 2016 ) , and Office Christmas Party ( 2016 ) . He hosts `` The Gorburger Show '' , which is currently broadcast on Comedy Central .


Gift of the Night Fury Gift of the Night Fury is a 2011 computer-animated short film by DreamWorks Animation and directed by Tom Owens . It was released on November 15 , 2011 , on DVD and Blu-ray , along with another original animated short film Book of Dragons .   Based on How to Train Your Dragon , the short takes place in the middle of preparing for the Viking winter holiday . After all dragons inexplicably fly away , the last one of them unwittingly kidnaps Hiccup . The film stars the voices of Jay Baruchel , Gerard Butler , Craig Ferguson , America Ferrera , Jonah Hill , T.J. Miller , Kristen Wiig , and Christopher Mintz-Plasse .


The Dayton Agreement was reached in 2000.

Dayton Agreement The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina , also known as the Dayton Agreement , Dayton Accords , Paris Protocol or Dayton-Paris Agreement , is the peace agreement reached at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton , Ohio , United States , in November 1995 , and formally signed in Paris on 14 December 1995 . These accords put an end to the - year-long Bosnian War , one of the Yugoslav Wars .


Gemini (astrology) Gemini ( pronunciation : -LSB- ˈdʒɛmɪnaɪ -RSB- or -LSB- ˈdʒɛmɪniː -RSB- or ) is the third astrological sign in the zodiac , originating from the constellation of Gemini . Under the tropical zodiac , the sun transits this sign between May 21 and June 21 . Gemini is represented by The Twins Castor and Pollux . The symbol of the twins is based on the Dioscuri , two mortals that were granted shared godhood after death .


C. S. Forester Cecil Louis Troughton Smith ( 27 August 1899 -- 2 April 1966 ) , known by his pen name Cecil Scott `` C. S. '' Forester , was an English novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare such as the 12-book Horatio Hornblower series , depicting a Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic wars . Two of the Hornblower books , A Ship of the Line and Flying Colours , were jointly awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction in 1938 . His other works include The African Queen ( 1935 ; filmed in 1951 by John Huston ) .


Iceland Iceland ( -LSB- ˈaɪslənd -RSB- -LSB- ˈistlant -RSB- ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean . It has a population of and an area of 103000 km2 , making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe . The capital and largest city is Reykjavík . Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country are home to over two-thirds of the population . Iceland is volcanically and geologically active . The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields , mountains and glaciers , while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands . Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate , despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle . Its high latitude and marine influence still keeps summers chilly , with most of the archipelago having a tundra climate .   According to the ancient manuscript Landnámabók , the settlement of Iceland began in the year 874 AD when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the first permanent settler on the island . In the following centuries , Norwegians , and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians , emigrated to Iceland , bringing with them thralls of Gaelic origin . The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the Althing , one of the world 's oldest functioning legislative assemblies . Following a period of civil strife , Iceland acceded to Norwegian rule in the 13th century . The establishment of the Kalmar Union in 1397 united the kingdoms of Norway , Denmark and Sweden . Iceland thus followed Norway 's integration to that Union and came under Danish rule after Sweden 's secession from that union in 1523 . Although the Danish kingdom introduced Lutheranism forcefully in 1550 , Iceland remained a distant semi-colonial territory in which Danish institutions and infrastructures were conspicuous by their absence . In the wake of the French revolution and the Napoleonic wars , Iceland 's struggle for independence took form and culminated in independence in 1918 and the founding of a republic in 1944 . Until the 20th century , Iceland relied largely on subsistence fishing and agriculture , and was among the poorest in Europe . Industrialisation of the fisheries and Marshall Plan aid following World War II brought prosperity , and Iceland became one of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world . In 1994 , it became a part of the European Economic Area , which further diversified the economy into sectors such as finance , biotechnology , and manufacturing .   Iceland has a market economy with relatively low taxes compared to other OECD countries . It maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens . Iceland ranks high in economic , political and social stability and equality . In 2013 , it was ranked as the 13th most-developed country in the world by the United Nations ' Human Development Index . Iceland runs almost completely on renewable energy . Affected by the ongoing worldwide financial crisis , the nation 's entire banking system systemically failed in October 2008 , leading to a severe depression , substantial political unrest , the Icesave dispute , and the institution of capital controls . Some bankers were jailed . Since then , the economy has made a significant recovery , in large part due to a surge in tourism .   Icelandic culture is founded upon the nation 's Scandinavian heritage . Most Icelanders are descendants of Germanic and Gaelic settlers . Icelandic , a North Germanic language , is descended from Old Norse and is closely related to Faroese and West Norwegian dialects . The country 's cultural heritage includes traditional Icelandic cuisine , Icelandic literature and medieval sagas . Iceland has the smallest population of any NATO member and is the only one with no standing army , its lightly armed coast guard being in charge of defence .


Adherents of Christianity are called Christians.

Christianity ChristianityFrom Ancient Greek Χριστός , Khristós ( Latinized as Christus ) , translating Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ , Māšîăḥ , meaning `` the anointed one '' , with the Latin suffixes - ian and - itas . is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ , who serves as the focal point for the religion . It is the world 's largest religion , with over 2.4 billion followers , or 33 % of the global population , known as Christians . Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the savior of humanity whose coming as the Messiah ( the Christ ) was prophesied in the Old Testament .   Christian theology is summarized in creeds such as the Apostles ' Creed and Nicene Creed . These professions of faith state that Jesus suffered , died , was buried , descended into hell , and rose from the dead , in order to grant eternal life to those who believe in him and trust in him for the remission of their sins . The creeds further maintain that Jesus bodily ascended into heaven , where he reigns with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit , and that he will return to judge the living and the dead and grant eternal life to his followers . His incarnation , earthly ministry , crucifixion and resurrection are often referred to as `` the gospel '' , meaning `` good news '' . `` Good news '' is a translation of the Ancient Greek term εὐαγγέλιον euangélion , from which the terms evangelical and evangelism derive . The term gospel also refers to written accounts of Jesus 's life and teaching , four of which -- Matthew , Mark , Luke and John -- are considered canonical and included in the Christian Bible .   Christianity is an Abrahamic religion that began as a Second Temple Judaic sect in the mid-1st century . Originating in Judea , it quickly spread to Europe , Syria , Mesopotamia , Asia Minor , Transcaucasia , Egypt , Ethiopia and India , and by the end of the 4th century had become the official state church of the Roman Empire . Following the Age of Discovery , Christianity spread to the Americas , Australasia , sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world through missionary work and colonization . Christianity has played a prominent role in the shaping of Western civilization .   Throughout its history , Christianity has weathered schisms and theological disputes that have resulted in many distinct churches and denominations . Worldwide , the three largest branches of Christianity are the Catholic Church , the Eastern Orthodox Church and the various denominations of Protestantism . The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches broke communion with each other in the East -- West Schism of 1054 ; Protestantism came into existence in the Reformation of the 16th century , splitting from the Catholic Church .


Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club ( -LSB- ˈtʃɛlsiː -RSB- ) is an English professional football club based in Fulham , London , that competes in the Premier League , of which they are reigning champions . Founded in 1905 , the club 's home ground since then has been Stamford Bridge .   Chelsea had their first major success in 1955 , when they won the league championship . They then won various cup competitions between 1965 and 1971 . The club 's greatest period of success has come during the last two decades ; winning 18 major trophies since 1997 . Chelsea have won six national league titles , seven FA Cups , five League Cups and four FA Community Shields , one UEFA Champions League , two UEFA Cup Winners ' Cups , one UEFA Europa League and one UEFA Super Cup . Chelsea are the only London club to win the UEFA Champions League , and one of five clubs to have won all three main UEFA club competitions , first English to do so .   Chelsea 's regular kit colours are royal blue shirts and shorts with white socks . The club 's crest has been changed several times in attempts to re-brand the club and modernise its image . The current crest , featuring a ceremonial lion rampant regardant holding a staff , is a modification of the one introduced in the early 1950s . The club have the sixth-highest average all-time attendance in English football . Their average home gate for the 2016 -- 17 season was 41,507 , the sixth highest in the Premier League . Since 2003 , Chelsea have been owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich . In 2016 , they were ranked by Forbes magazine as the seventh most valuable football club in the world , at # 1.15 billion ( $ 1.66 billion ) .


Boeing 737s main competition is the Airbus A320 family.

Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is an American short - to medium-range twinjet narrow-body airliner . Originally developed as a shorter , lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing 's 707 and 727 , the 737 has developed into a family of ten passenger models with capacities from 85 to 215 passengers . The 737 is Boeing 's only narrow-body airliner in production , with the 737 Next Generation ( -700 , -800 , and -900 ER ) variants currently being built . Production has also begun on the re-engined and redesigned 737 MAX , which is set to enter service in 2017 .   Originally envisioned in 1964 , the initial 737-100 made its first flight in April 1967 and entered airline service in February 1968 at Lufthansa . Next , the lengthened 737-200 entered service in April 1968 . In the 1980s Boeing launched the -300 , -400 , and -500 models , subsequently referred to as the Boeing 737 Classic series . The 737 Classics added capacity and incorporated CFM56 turbofan engines along with wing improvements .   In the 1990s , Boeing introduced the 737 Next Generation , with multiple changes including a redesigned , increased span laminar flow wing , upgraded `` glass '' cockpit , and new interior . The 737 Next Generation comprises the four -600 , -700 , -800 , and -900 models , ranging from 102 ft to 138 ft in length . Boeing Business Jet versions of the 737 Next Generation are also produced .   The 737 series is the best-selling jet commercial airliner in history . The 737 has been continuously manufactured by Boeing since 1967 with 9,486 aircraft delivered and 4,478 orders yet to be fulfilled . Assembly of the 737 is performed at the Boeing Renton Factory in Renton , Washington . Many 737s serve markets previously filled by 707 , 727 , 757 , DC-9 , and MD-80 / MD-90 airliners , and the aircraft currently competes primarily with the Airbus A320 family . As of 2006 , there were an average of 1,250 Boeing 737s airborne at any given time , with two departing or landing somewhere every five seconds .


Seth MacFarlane's musical idol was a popular artist.

Seth MacFarlane Seth Woodbury MacFarlane ( -LSB- ˈsɛθ_ˈwʊdbɛri_məkˈfɑrlɪn -RSB- born October 26 , 1973 ) is an American actor , filmmaker , and singer , working primarily in animation and comedy , as well as live-action and other genres . MacFarlane is the creator of the TV series Family Guy ( 1999 -- 2003 , 2005 -- present ) , co-creator of the TV series American Dad ! ( 2005 -- present ) and The Cleveland Show ( 2009 -- 13 ) . He also wrote , directed , and starred in the films Ted ( 2012 ) , its sequel Ted 2 ( 2015 ) , and A Million Ways to Die in the West ( 2014 ) .   MacFarlane is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design , where he studied animation . Recruited to Hollywood , he was an animator and writer for Hanna-Barbera for several television series , including Johnny Bravo , Cow and Chicken , Dexter 's Laboratory , I Am Weasel , and Larry & Steve . As an actor , he has made guest appearances on series , such as Gilmore Girls , The War at Home and FlashForward . In 2008 , he created his own YouTube series titled Seth MacFarlane 's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy . He won several awards for his work on Family Guy , including two Primetime Emmy Awards and an Annie Award . In 2009 , he won the Webby Award for Film & Video Person of the Year . He occasionally speaks at universities and colleges throughout the United States , and he is a supporter of gay rights .   MacFarlane 's first feature-length comedy film , Ted , features his voice acting and performance-capture as the titular anthropomorphic teddy bear and became the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy . As a singer MacFarlane has performed at several venues , including Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall . MacFarlane has released three studio albums , in the same vein of his musical idol Frank Sinatra , beginning with Music Is Better Than Words in 2011 . He wrote the lyrics for the Academy Award-nominated song `` Everybody Needs a Best Friend '' for Ted .   MacFarlane served as executive producer of Cosmos : A Spacetime Odyssey , an update of the 1980s Carl Sagan -- hosted Cosmos series , hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson . MacFarlane was instrumental in providing funding for the series , as well as securing studio support for it from other entertainment executives .


Haiti shares an island with a sovereign state.

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( República Dominicana -LSB- reˈpuβlika ðominiˈkana -RSB- ) is a sovereign state occupying the eastern five-eighths of the island of Hispaniola , in the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region . The western three-eighths of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti , making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands , along with Saint Martin , that are shared by two countries . The Dominican Republic is the second-largest Caribbean nation by area ( after Cuba ) at 48445 km2 , and 3rd by population with approximately 10 million people , of which approximately three million live in the metropolitan area of Santo Domingo , the capital city .   Christopher Columbus landed on the Western part of Hispaniola , in what is now Haiti , on December 6 , 1492 . The island became the first seat of Spanish colonial rule in the New World . The Dominican people declared independence in November 1821 but were forcefully annexed by their more powerful neighbor Haiti in February 1822 . After the 1844 victory in the Dominican War of Independence against Haitian rule the country fell again under Spanish colonial rule until the Dominican War of Restoration of 1865 .   The Dominican Republic experienced mostly internal strife ( Second Republic ) until 1916 . A United States occupation lasted eight years between 1916 and 1924 , and a subsequent calm and prosperous six-year period under Horacio Vásquez Lajara was followed by the dictatorship of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina until 1961 . A civil war in 1965 , the country 's most recent , was ended by another U.S. military occupation and was followed by the authoritarian rule of Joaquín Balaguer from 1966 to 1978 . Since then , the Dominican Republic has moved toward representative democracy and has been led by Leonel Fernández for most of the time since 1996 . Danilo Medina , the Dominican Republic 's current president , succeeded Fernandez in 2012 , winning 51 % of the electoral vote over his opponent , ex-president Hipólito Mejía .   The Dominican Republic has the ninth-largest economy in Latin America and is the largest economy in the Caribbean and Central American region . Though long known for agriculture and mining , the economy is now dominated by services . Over the last two decades , the Dominican Republic have been standing out as one of the fastest-growing economies in the Americas -- with an average real GDP growth rate of 5.4 % between 1992 and 2014 . GDP growth in 2014 and 2015 reached 7.3 and 7.0 % , respectively , the highest in the Western Hemisphere . In the first half of 2016 the Dominican economy grew 7.4 % continuing its trend of rapid economic growth .   Recent growth has been driven by construction , manufacturing and tourism . Private consumption has been strong , as a result of low inflation ( under 1 % on average in 2015 ) , job creation , as well as high level of remittances . The Dominican Republic has a stock market , Bolsa de Valores de la Republica Dominicana ( BVRD ) . and advanced telecommunication system and transportation infrastructure . Nevertheless , unemployment , government corruption , and inconsistent electric service remain major Dominican problems . The country also has `` marked income inequality . '' International migration affects the Dominican Republic greatly , as it receives and sends large flows of migrants . Mass illegal Haitian immigration and the integration of Dominicans of Haitian descent are major issues . A large Dominican diaspora exists , mostly in the United States , contributes to development , sending billions of dollars to Dominican families in remittances .   The Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean . The year-round golf courses are major attractions . A geographically diverse nation , the Dominican Republic is home to both the Caribbean 's tallest mountain peak , Pico Duarte , as the Caribbean 's largest lake and point of lowest elevation , Lake Enriquillo . The island has an average temperature of 26 ° C and great climatic and biological diversity . The country is also the site of the first cathedral , castle , monastery , and fortress built in all of the Americas , located in Santo Domingo 's Colonial Zone , a World Heritage Site . Music and sport are of great importance in the Dominican culture , with Merengue and Bachata as the national dance and music , and baseball as the favorite sport .


Haiti Haiti ( -LSB- ˈheɪti -RSB- Haïti -LSB- a.iti -RSB- Ayiti -LSB- ajiti -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Haiti and formerly called Hayti , is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea . It occupies the western three-eighths of the island , which it shares with the Dominican Republic . Haiti is 27750 km2 in size and has an estimated 10.6 million people , making it the most populous country in the Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ) and the second-most populous country in the Caribbean as a whole .   The region was originally inhabited by the indigenous Taíno people . Spain discovered the island on 5 December 1492 during the first voyage of Christopher Columbus across the Atlantic . When Columbus initially landed in Haiti , he had thought he had found India or Asia . On Christmas Day 1492 , Columbus ' flagship the Santa Maria ran aground north of what is now Limonade . As a consequence , Columbus ordered his men to salvage what they could from the ship , and he created the first European settlement in the Americas , naming it La Navidad after the day the ship was destroyed .   The island was named La Española and claimed by Spain , which ruled until the early 17th century . Competing claims and settlements by the French led to the western portion of the island being ceded to France , which named it Saint-Domingue . The development of sugarcane plantations , worked by slaves brought from Africa , led to the colony being among the most lucrative in the world .   In the midst of the French Revolution ( 1789 -- 1799 ) , slaves and free people of colour revolted in the Haitian Revolution ( 1791 -- 1804 ) , culminating in the abolition of slavery and the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte 's army at the Battle of Vertières . Afterward the sovereign nation of Haiti was established on 1 January 1804 the first independent nation of Latin America and the Caribbean , the second republic in the Americas , the only nation in the western hemisphere to have defeated three European superpowers ( France , Spain , and the UK ) , and the only nation in the world established as a result of a successful slave revolt . The rebellion that began in 1791 was led by a former slave and the first black general of the French Army , Toussaint Louverture , whose military genius and political acumen transformed an entire society of slaves into an independent country . Upon his death in a prison in France , he was succeeded by his lieutenant , Jean-Jacques Dessalines , who declared Haiti 's sovereignty and later became the first Emperor of Haiti , Jacques I . The Haitian Revolution lasted just over a dozen years ; and apart from Alexandre Pétion , the first President of the Republic , all the first leaders of government were former slaves . The Citadelle Laferrière is the largest fortress in the Americas . Henri Christophe former slave and first king of Haiti , Henri I built it to withstand a possible foreign attack .   It is a founding member of the United Nations , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , Association of Caribbean States , and the International Francophonie Organisation . In addition to CARICOM , it is a member of the International Monetary Fund , World Trade Organization , and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States . It has the lowest Human Development Index in the Americas . Most recently , in February 2004 , a coup d'état originating in the north of the country forced the resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide . A provisional government took control with security provided by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti ( MINUSTAH ) .


Christina Aguilera is not in the entertainment industry.

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera ( born December 18 , 1980 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress and television personality . Born in Staten Island , New York and raised in Rochester and Wexford , Pennsylvania , she appeared on the television series Star Search and The Mickey Mouse Club in her early years . After recording `` Reflection '' , the theme for Disney 's 1998 film Mulan , Aguilera signed with RCA Records . She rose to prominence with her 1999 self-titled debut album that spawned the Billboard Hot 100 number one singles ; `` Genie in a Bottle '' , `` What a Girl Wants '' , and `` Come On Over Baby ( All I Want Is You ) '' . The following year , Aguilera released two studio albums ; the Spanish-language album Mi Reflejo and the holiday album My Kind of Christmas . She assumed creative control for her fourth studio album , Stripped ( 2002 ) , which produced `` Dirrty '' , `` Beautiful '' , and `` Fighter '' . Aguilera 's fifth studio album , Back to Basics ( 2006 ) , debuted at number one on the album charts of ten countries and spawned the tracks `` Ai n't No Other Man '' and `` Hurt '' . In 2010 , Aguilera released her sixth studio album Bionic and starred in the film Burlesque . The following year , she debuted as a coach on the reality competition television series The Voice ; she has since appeared on six of its twelve seasons . Her seventh studio album , Lotus , was released in 2012 . Aguilera has also been featured on several successful collaborations during her career , including `` Lady Marmalade '' , `` Moves like Jagger '' , and `` Say Something '' .   Aguilera has been recognized as a pop icon and earned the title `` Pop Princess '' in her early years . Her work has earned her five Grammy Awards , one Latin Grammy Award , and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . She has sold over 17.9 million albums in the United States as of 2014 and 50 million albums worldwide as of 2015 . In 2009 , she ranked at number 58 on Rolling Stones list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time , thereby becoming the youngest and the only artist under 30 to be named . Billboard recognized her as the 20th most successful artist of the 2000s , and Time listed Aguilera among the top 100 Most Influential People in the World of 2013 . Aside from her work in the entertainment industry , Aguilera is involved in charitable activities through human rights , world issues , and her work as a UN ambassador for the World Food Programme .


Grammy Award A Grammy Award ( originally called Gramophone Award ) , or Grammy , is an honor awarded by The Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the mainly English-language music industry . The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent artists , and the presentation of those awards that have a more popular interest . It shares recognition of the music industry as that of the other performance awards such as the Emmy Awards ( television ) , the Tony Awards ( stage performance ) , and the Academy Awards ( motion pictures ) .   The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held on May 4 , 1959 , to honor and respect the musical accomplishments by performers for the year 1958 . Following the 2011 ceremony , The Academy overhauled many Grammy Award categories for 2012 . The 59th Grammy Awards , honoring the best achievements from October 2015 to September 2016 , was held on February 12 , 2017 , at the Staples Center in Los Angeles .


The Wachowskis Lana Wachowski ( formerly Laurence `` Larry '' Wachowski , born June 21 , 1965 ) and Lilly Wachowski ( formerly Andrew Paul `` Andy '' Wachowski , born December 29 , 1967 ) are American film directors , screenwriters , and producers . They are siblings , and are both trans women . Collectively known as The Wachowskis and formerly as The Wachowski Brothers , the pair made their directing debut in 1996 with Bound , and reached fame with their second film The Matrix ( 1999 ) , a major box office success for which they won the Saturn Award for Best Director . They wrote and directed its two sequels : The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions ( both in 2003 ) , and were deeply involved in the writing and production of other works in the franchise .   Following the commercial success of The Matrix series , they wrote and produced the 2006 film V for Vendetta ( an adaptation of the comic of the same name by Alan Moore ) , and in 2008 released the film Speed Racer , which was a live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime series of the same name . Their next film , Cloud Atlas , based on the novel of the same name by David Mitchell and co-written and co-directed by Tom Tykwer , was released in 2012 . Their film Jupiter Ascending and the Netflix series Sense8 both debuted in 2015 .   The siblings have worked as a writing and directing unit throughout their professional film careers from Bound through the first season of Sense8 . Following her gender transition , Lilly Wachowski took a break from active writing and directing ; Lana worked on the second season of Sense8 without her .


John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon , ( born John Winston Lennon ; 9 October 19408 December 1980 ) was an English guitarist , singer , and songwriter who co-founded the Beatles , the most commercially successful and musically influential band in the history of popular music . He and fellow member Paul McCartney formed a much-celebrated songwriting partnership .   Born and raised in Liverpool , Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze as a teenager ; his first band , the Quarrymen , first became the Silver Beatles , and finally , evolved into the Beatles in 1960 . When the group disbanded in 1970 , Lennon embarked on a sporadic solo career that produced albums including John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine , and songs such as `` Give Peace a Chance '' , `` Working Class Hero '' , and `` Imagine '' . After his marriage to Yoko Ono in 1969 , he added `` Ono '' as one of his middle names . Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to raise his infant son Sean , but re-emerged with Ono in 1980 with the new album Double Fantasy . He was murdered three weeks after its release .   Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music , writing , drawings , on film and in interviews . Controversial through his political and peace activism , he moved to Manhattan in 1971 , where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon 's administration to deport him , while some of his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement and the larger counterculture .   By 2012 , Lennon 's solo album sales in the United States exceeded 14 million and , as writer , co-writer , or performer , he is responsible for 25 number-one singles on the US Hot 100 chart . In 2002 , a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted him eighth and , in 2008 , Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth-greatest singer of all time . He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 , and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice , in 1988 as a member of the Beatles and in 1994 as a solo artist .


Alan Rickman Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman ( 21 February 1946 -- 14 January 2016 ) was an English actor and director known for playing a variety of roles on stage and on screen . Rickman trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London , and was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company , performing in modern and classical theatre productions . His first big television part came in 1982 , but his big break was as the Vicomte de Valmont in the stage production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses in 1985 , for which he was nominated for a Tony Award . Rickman gained wider notice for his film performances as Hans Gruber in Die Hard and Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film series .   Rickman 's other film roles included the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood : Prince of Thieves , for which he received the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role , Jamie in Truly , Madly , Deeply , Colonel Brandon in Ang Lee 's Sense and Sensibility , the title character in Rasputin : Dark Servant of Destiny , which won him a Golden Globe , an Emmy and a Screen Actors Guild Award , Harry in Love Actually , P. L. O'Hara in An Awfully Big Adventure , Dr. Alfred Blalock in the Emmy-winning HBO film Something the Lord Made , Alexander Dane in Galaxy Quest , and Judge Turpin in the film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim 's musical of Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street .   Rickman died of cancer on 14 January 2016 at the age of 69 . His final film roles are as Lieutenant General Frank Benson in the thriller Eye in the Sky , and the voice of Absolem , the caterpillar in Alice Through the Looking Glass .


Bane (comics) Bane is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics , commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman . The character first appeared in Batman : Vengeance of Bane # 1 ( January 1993 ) and was created by Chuck Dixon , Doug Moench , and Graham Nolan .   With a mix of brute strength and exceptional intelligence , the character is often credited as being the only villain to have `` broken the bat '' . IGN 's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Bane as # 34 . Bane was portrayed by Robert Swenson in the 1997 film Batman & Robin , Tom Hardy in the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises , and was voiced by Doug Benson in the 2017 film The Lego Batman Movie .


Chandni translated into English means Sunlight.

Chandni Chandni ( Translation : Moonlight ) is a 1989 Indian Hindi language romantic drama film , starring Sridevi as the eponymous lead alongside Rishi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna and Waheeda Rehman . It was directed by Yash Chopra and the screenplay was written by Kamna Chandra , Arun Kaul , Sagar Sarhadi and Umesh Kalbagh .   Chandni was a great success in 1989 and is considered one of the most successful films of all time . The profits of this romantic musical brought an end to Chopra 's lean phase . The platinum success of its music was also instrumental in bringing music back into Hindi films .   For the cast , the film reaffirmed Sridevi 's position as the top female star of the 1980s . It prolonged Rishi Kapoor 's fading career and showed that he was still profitable as a leading hero . Chandni provided a boost for Vinod Khanna 's career and reunited Kapoor and Khanna , who were last seen together in the popular Amar Akbar Anthony ( 1977 ) . Sridevi 's white costumes became popular as the ` Chandni Look ' and the songs of the film are still a rage . Though this was not the first time Yash Chopra shot a film in Switzerland , the extensive scenes shot there made it a popular tourist destination for Indians .   Chandni won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film of 1989 and is regarded as one of the Yash Chopra 's best films.द


Colm Feore was in the cast of the science fiction film The Chronicles of Riddick.

Colm Feore Colm Feore ( born August 22 , 1958 ) is an American-Canadian stage , film and television actor best known for his roles as First Gentleman Henry Taylor on the television series , 24 and as Lord Marshal Zhylaw in The Chronicles of Riddick .


The Chronicles of Riddick The Chronicles of Riddick is a 2004 American science fiction adventure film which follows the adventures of Richard B. Riddick as he attempts to elude capture after the events depicted in the 2000 film Pitch Black . It is written and directed by Pitch Black director David Twohy , with Vin Diesel reprising his role as Riddick and now also acting as producer . It is the first and only film in the franchise , to date , to be given a PG-13 rating .   After escaping the dark planet , Richard B. Riddick has been in hiding for five years , evading most of the bounty hunters and mercenaries . Riddick is reunited with Imam , the man he rescued . Imam believes Riddick is a Furyan , a race of warriors long thought extinct , and wants to know about his homeworld and if anyone other than himself is left . Recaptured by Toombs , Riddick is taken to Crematoria , a harsh subterranean prison moon , where Jack , a girl Riddick rescued , was reported to have been sent .   Despite not doing especially well in theatres , the film has been successful on DVD and has gained a cult following .


Siberia Siberia ( s ) is an extensive geographical region , and by the broadest definition is also known as North Asia . Siberia has historically been a part of Russia since the 17th century .   The territory of Siberia extends eastwards from the Ural Mountains to the watershed between the Pacific and Arctic drainage basins . It stretches southwards from the Arctic Ocean to the hills of north-central Kazakhstan and to the national borders of Mongolia and China . With an area of 13.1 e6km2 , Siberia accounts for 77 % of Russia 's land area , but it is home to just 40 million people -- 27 % of the country 's population . This is equivalent to an average population density of about 3 PD/sqkm ( approximately equal to that of Australia ) , making Siberia one of the most sparsely populated regions on Earth . If it were a country by itself , it would still be the largest country in area , but in population it would be the world 's 35th largest and Asia 's 14th largest .


Ural Mountains The Ural Mountains ( -LSB- Ура́льские го́ры , r = Uralskiye gory , p = ʊˈralʲskʲɪjə ˈgorɨ -RSB- Урал тауҙары , Ural tauźarı ) , or simply the Urals , are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through western Russia , from the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the Ural River and northwestern Kazakhstan .  The mountain range forms part of the conventional boundary between the continents of Europe and Asia . Vaygach Island and the islands of Novaya Zemlya form a further continuation of the chain to the north into the Arctic Ocean .   The mountains lie within the Ural geographical region and significantly overlap with the Ural Federal District and with the Ural economic region . They have rich resources , including metal ores , coal , precious and semi-precious stones . Since the 18th century the mountains have contributed significantly to the mineral sector of the Russian economy .


Asia Asia is Earth 's largest and most populous continent , located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres and sharing the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe and shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Africa . Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 km2 , about 30 % of Earth 's total land area and 8.7 % of the Earth 's total surface area . The continent , which has long been home to the majority of the human population , was the site of many of the first civilizations . Asia is notable for not only its overall large size and population , but also dense and large settlements as well as vast barely populated regions within the continent of 4.4 billion people .   In general terms , Asia is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean , on the south by the Indian Ocean and on the north by the Arctic Ocean . The western boundary with Europe is a historical and cultural construct , as there is no clear physical and geographical separation between them . The most commonly accepted boundaries place Asia to the east of the Suez Canal , the Ural River , and the Ural Mountains , and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas .   China and India alternated in being the largest economies in the world from 1 to 1800 CE . China was a major economic power and attracted many to the east , and for many the legendary wealth and prosperity of the ancient culture of India personified Asia , attracting European commerce , exploration and colonialism . The accidental discovery of America by Columbus in search for India demonstrates this deep fascination . The Silk Road became the main East-West trading route in the Asian hitherland while the Straits of Malacca stood as a major sea route . Asia has exhibited economic dynamism ( particularly East Asia ) as well as robust population growth during the 20th century , but overall population growth has since fallen . Asia was the birthplace of most of the world 's mainstream religions including Christianity , Islam , Judaism , Hinduism , Buddhism , Confucianism , Taoism ( or Daoism ) , Jainism , Sikhism , Zoroastranism , as well as many other religions .   Given its size and diversity , the concept of Asia -- a name dating back to classical antiquity -- may actually have more to do with human geography than physical geography . Asia varies greatly across and within its regions with regard to ethnic groups , cultures , environments , economics , historical ties and government systems . It also has a mix of many different climates ranging from the equatorial south via the hot desert in the Middle East , temperate areas in the east and the continental centre to vast subarctic and polar areas in Siberia .


Steve Buscemi has appeared in only one film by the Coen Brothers.

Steve Buscemi Steven Vincent Buscemi ( -LSB- buːˈsɛmi -RSB- born December 13 , 1957 ) is an American actor and film director . Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films , including Parting Glances , New York Stories , Mystery Train , Reservoir Dogs , Desperado , Con Air , Armageddon , The Grey Zone , Ghost World , Big Fish , and The Sopranos . He is also known for his appearances in many films by the Coen brothers : Miller 's Crossing , Barton Fink , The Hudsucker Proxy , Fargo , and The Big Lebowski . Buscemi provides the voice of Randall Boggs in the Monsters , Inc. franchise .   From 2010 to 2014 , he portrayed Enoch `` Nucky '' Thompson in the critically acclaimed series Boardwalk Empire , which earned him two Screen Actors Guild Awards , a Golden Globe , and two nominations for an Emmy Award . He made his directorial debut in 1996 , with Trees Lounge , in which he also starred . Other works include Animal Factory ( 2000 ) , Lonesome Jim ( 2005 ) and Interview ( 2007 ) . He has also directed numerous episodes of TV shows , including Homicide : Life on the Street , The Sopranos , Oz , 30 Rock , and Nurse Jackie . He currently hosts the Emmy Award-winning AOL On comedy talk-show Park Bench .


Warren Ellis wrote the Extremis story arc which Iron Man 3 is based on.

Iron Man 3 Iron Man 3 ( stylized onscreen as Iron Man Three ) is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2008 's Iron Man and 2010 's Iron Man 2 , and the seventh film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Shane Black directed a screenplay he co-wrote with Drew Pearce , which uses concepts from the `` Extremis '' story arc by Warren Ellis . The film stars Robert Downey Jr. , Gwyneth Paltrow , Don Cheadle , Guy Pearce , Rebecca Hall , Stephanie Szostak , James Badge Dale , Jon Favreau , and Ben Kingsley . In Iron Man 3 , Tony Stark deals with posttraumatic stress disorder caused by the events of The Avengers , while investigating the reemergence of the Ten Rings , led by the mysterious Mandarin and comes into a conflict with an old enemy : Aldrich Killian .   After the release of Iron Man 2 in May 2010 , Favreau , who served as director , decided not to return , and in February 2011 Black was hired to write and direct the film . Black and Pearce opted to make the script more character-centric and focused on thriller elements . Throughout April and May 2012 , the film 's supporting cast was filled out , with Kingsley , Pearce , and Hall brought in to portray key roles . Filming began on May 23 , and lasted through December 17 , 2012 , primarily at EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington , North Carolina . Additional shooting took place at various locations around North Carolina , as well as Florida , China , and Los Angeles . The visual effects were handled by 17 companies , including Scanline VFX , Digital Domain , and Weta Digital . The film was converted to 3D in post-production .   Iron Man 3 premiered at Le Grand Rex in Paris on April 14 , 2013 . It began its release on April 25 , 2013 , internationally , and debuted in the United States one week later on May 3 . The film received generally positive reviews and was commercially successful , grossing over $ 1.2 billion worldwide , the second highest-grossing film of 2013 overall , and the second-highest-grossing film at the domestic box office released in 2013 . It became the sixteenth film to gross over $ 1 billion and the 5th-highest-grossing film of all time , with its opening weekend ranking as the 6th-highest-grossing opening of all time . The film also received a nomination for Academy Award in the category of Best Visual Effects , and received another nomination for BAFTA Award in the same category .


Italy Italy ( Italia -LSB- iˈtaːlja -RSB- ) , officially the Italian Republic ( -LSB- Repubblica italiana , links = no -RSB- ) , is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe.The Italian peninsula is geographically located in Southern Europe , while North Italy can be placed partly or totally in Central Europe . Due to cultural , political and historical reasons , Italy is a Western European country . Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea , Italy shares open land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , San Marino and Vatican City . Italy covers an area of 301338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal and Mediterranean climate . Due to its shape , it is often referred to in Italy as lo Stivale ( the Boot ) . With 61 million inhabitants , it is the fourth most populous EU member state .   Since classical times , ancient Phoenicians , Carthaginians and Greeks established settlements in the south of Italy , with Etruscans and Celts inhabiting the centre and north of Italy respectively and various different ancient Italian tribes and Italic peoples dispersed throughout the Italian Peninsula and insular Italy . The Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom , which eventually became a republic that conquered and assimilated other nearby civilisations . Rome ultimately emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean basin , conquering much of the ancient world and becoming the leading cultural , political and religious centre of Western civilisation . The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the global distribution of civilian law , republican governments , Christianity and the Latin script .   During the Middle Ages , Italy suffered sociopolitical collapse amid calamitous barbarian invasions , but by the 11th century numerous rival city-states and maritime republics rose to great prosperity through shipping , commerce and banking , laying down the groundwork for modern capitalism . These independent statelets , acting as Europe 's main trading hubs with Asia and the Near East , often enjoyed a greater degree of democracy and wealth in comparison to the larger feudal monarchies that were consolidating throughout Europe at the time , though much of central Italy remained under the control of the theocratic Papal States , while Southern Italy remained largely feudal until the 19th century , partially as a result of a succession of Byzantine , Arab , Norman , Spanish and Bourbon conquests of the region .   The Renaissance began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe , bringing a renewed interest in humanism , science , exploration and art . Italian culture flourished at this time , producing famous scholars , artists and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci , Galileo , Michelangelo and Machiavelli . Italian explorers such as Marco Polo , Christopher Columbus , Amerigo Vespucci and Giovanni da Verrazzano discovered new routes to the Far East and the New World , helping to usher in the European Age of Discovery . Nevertheless , Italy 's commercial and political power significantly waned with the opening of the Atlantic trade route and the route to the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope , which bypassed the Mediterranean . Furthermore , the Italian city-states constantly engaged one another in bloody warfare , culminating in the Italian Wars of the 15th and 16th centuries that left them exhausted , with no one emerging as a dominant power . The weakened sovereigns soon fell victim to conquest by European powers such as France , Spain and Austria .   By the mid-19th century , a rising movement in support of Italian nationalism and independence from foreign control led to a period of revolutionary political upheaval known as the Risorgimento , which sought the formation of a unified nation-state . After various unsuccessful attempts , the Italian Wars of Independence and the Expedition of the Thousand resulted in the eventual unification of the country in 1861 , now a great power after centuries of foreign domination and political division . From the late 19th century to the early 20th century , the new Kingdom of Italy rapidly industrialised , although mainly in the north , and acquired a colonial empire , while the south remained largely impoverished and excluded from industrialisation , fuelling a large and influential diaspora . Despite being one of the main victors in World War I , Italy entered a period of economic crisis and social turmoil , leading the way to the rise of a fascist dictatorship in 1922 . The subsequent participation in World War II on the Axis side ended in military defeat , economic destruction and an Italian civil war . Following the liberation of Italy and the rise of the resistance , the country abolished the monarchy , reinstated democracy , enjoyed a prolonged economic boom and , despite periods of sociopolitical turmoil ( e.g. Anni di piombo , Mani pulite , the Second Mafia War , the Maxi Trial and subsequent assassinations of anti-mafia officials ) , became a major developed country .   Today , Italy has the third largest economy in the Eurozone and the eighth largest in the world . It has a very high level of human development and is ranked sixth in the world for life expectancy . The country plays a prominent role in regional and global economic , military , cultural and diplomatic affairs , and it is both a regional power and a great power . Italy is a founding and leading member of the European Union and the member of numerous international institutions , including the UN , NATO , the OECD , the OSCE , the WTO , the G7/G8 , G20 , the Union for the Mediterranean , the Council of Europe , Uniting for Consensus and many more . As a reflection of its cultural wealth , Italy is home to 51 World Heritage Sites , the most in the world , and is the fifth most visited country .


Islam Islam ( -LSB- ˈɪslɑːm -RSB- There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English , differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress , whether the s is -LSB- slinkz -RSB- or -LSB- slinks -RSB- , and whether the a is pronounced -LSB- slinkɑː -RSB- , -LSB- slinkæ -RSB- or ( when the stress is on the first syllable ) -LSB- slinkə -RSB- ( Merriam Webster ) . The most common are -LSB- ˈɪzləm , _ ˈɪsləm , _ ɪzˈlɑːm , _ ɪsˈlɑːm -RSB- ( Oxford English Dictionary , Random House ) and -LSB- ˈɪzlɑːm , _ ˈɪslɑːm -RSB- ( American Heritage Dictionary ) . الإسلام , -LSB- alʔisˈlaːm -RSB- ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion which professes that there is only one and incomparable God ( Allah ) and that Muhammad is the last messenger of God . It is the world 's second-largest religion and the fastest-growing major religion in the world , with over 1.8 billion followers or 24.1 % of the global population , known as Muslims . Islam teaches that God who is merciful , all-powerful , and unique has guided mankind through prophets , revealed scriptures and natural signs . The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran , viewed by Muslims as the verbatim word of God , and the teachings and normative example ( called the sunnah , composed of accounts called hadith ) of Muhammad ( 570 -- 8 June 632 CE ) .   Muslims believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed many times before through prophets including Adam , Abraham , Moses , and Jesus . As for the Quran , Muslims consider it to be the unaltered and final revelation of God . Like other Abrahamic religions , Islam also teaches a final judgment with the righteous rewarded paradise and unrighteous are punished in hell . Religious concepts and practices include the five pillars of Islam , which are obligatory acts of worship , and following Islamic law , which touches on virtually every aspect of life and society , from banking and welfare to women and the environment . The cities of Mecca , Medina and Jerusalem are home to the three holiest sites in Islam .   Islam originated in the early 7th century in Mecca , and by the 8th century the Islamic empire extended from Iberia in the west to the Indus River in the east . The Islamic Golden Age refers to the period traditionally dated from the 8th century to the 13th century when much of the historically Islamic world was experiencing a scientific , economic and cultural flourishing . The expansion of the Muslim world involved various caliphates and empires , traders and conversion to Islam by missionary activities .   Most Muslims are of one of two denominations : Sunni ( 75 -- 90 % ) or Shia ( 10 -- 20 % ) . About 13 % of Muslims live in Indonesia , the largest Muslim-majority country , 31 % in South Asia , the largest population of Muslims in the world , 23 % in the Middle East-North Africa , where it is the dominant religion , and 15 % in Sub-Saharan Africa . Sizable Muslim communities are also found in the Americas , Caucasus , China , Europe , Mainland Southeast Asia , Philippines and Russia . Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world .


Nicolas Cage Nicolas Kim Coppola ( born January 7 , 1964 ) , known professionally as Nicolas Cage , is an American actor and producer . He has performed in leading roles in a variety of films , ranging from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action films . In the early years of his career , Cage starred in films such as Valley Girl ( 1983 ) , Racing with the Moon ( 1984 ) , Birdy ( 1984 ) , Peggy Sue Got Married ( 1986 ) , Raising Arizona ( 1987 ) , Moonstruck ( 1987 ) , Vampire 's Kiss ( 1989 ) , Wild at Heart ( 1990 ) , Fire Birds ( 1990 ) , Honeymoon in Vegas ( 1992 ) , and Red Rock West ( 1993 ) .   Cage received an Academy Award , a Golden Globe , and Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance as an alcoholic Hollywood writer in Leaving Las Vegas ( 1995 ) before coming to the attention of wider audiences with mainstream films , such as The Rock ( 1996 ) , Face/Off ( 1997 ) , Con Air ( 1997 ) and City of Angels ( 1998 ) . He earned his second Academy Award nomination for his performance as Charlie and Donald Kaufman in Adaptation ( 2002 ) . In 2002 , he directed the film Sonny , for which he was nominated for Grand Special Prize at Deauville Film Festival . Cage owns the production company Saturn Films and has produced films such as Shadow of the Vampire ( 2000 ) and The Life of David Gale ( 2003 ) .   He has also appeared in National Treasure ( 2004 ) , Lord of War ( 2005 ) , Bad Lieutenant : Port of Call New Orleans ( 2009 ) , and Kick-Ass ( 2010 ) . Films such as Ghost Rider ( 2007 ) and Knowing ( 2009 ) were box office successes . Cage has been strongly criticized in recent years for his choice of roles , some of which have been universally panned . However , he recently starred in The Croods and Joe , both of which were warmly received by critics .


Karl Malone's teammate was John Stockton.

Karl Malone Karl Anthony Malone ( born July 24 , 1963 ) is an American retired professional basketball player . Nicknamed `` The Mailman '' , Malone played the power forward position and spent his first 18 seasons ( 1985 -- 2003 ) in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) with the Utah Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate John Stockton . Malone also played one season for the Los Angeles Lakers . Malone was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player , a 14-time NBA All-Star , and an 11-time member of the All-NBA first team . He scored the second most career points in NBA history ( 36,928 ) ( second behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ) , and holds the records for most free throws attempted and made , in addition to co-holding the record for the most first team All-NBA elections in history ( tied with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James ) . He is considered one of the best power forwards in NBA history .   Malone played college basketball at Louisiana Tech University . In his three seasons with Louisiana Tech , he helped the Bulldogs basketball team to its first-ever NCAA tournament in 1984 and to first place in the Southland Conference in 1985 . The Utah Jazz drafted Malone in 1985 with the 13th overall pick in the first round . Malone appeared in the playoffs every season in his career , including the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 with the Jazz . He played his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers , with whom he played his third Finals in 2004 . However , Malone has the most career postseason losses of any NBA player ever , with 95 . Malone also competed with the United States national team in the Summer Olympic Games of 1992 and 1996 ; in both years he won gold medals . After retiring from the NBA , Malone joined the staff of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team in 2007 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 ( twice -- for his individual career , and as a member of the 1992 United States men 's Olympic basketball team ) .


Leslie Uggams appeared in a superhero film.

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 .


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


Craig Middlebrooks is an iPhone on an NBC sitcom.

Craig Middlebrooks Craig Middlebrooks is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation . Portrayed by Billy Eichner , Craig began making recurring appearances during the sixth season before being promoted to a main character midway through season seven , which would become the show 's final season .


The 19th G7 summit only included Russia.

19th G7 summit The 19th G7 Summit was held in Tokyo , Japan , on July 7 -- 9 , 1993 . The venue for the summit meetings was the State Guesthouse in Tokyo , Japan .   The Group of Seven ( G7 ) was an unofficial forum which brought together the heads of the richest industrialized countries : France , Germany , Italy , Japan , the United Kingdom , the United States , Canada ( since 1976 ) and the President of the European Commission ( starting officially in 1981 ) . The summits were not meant to be linked formally with wider international institutions ; and in fact , a mild rebellion against the stiff formality of other international meetings was a part of the genesis of cooperation between France 's President Giscard d'Estaing and West Germany 's Chancellor Helmut Schmidt as they conceived the first Group of Six ( G6 ) summit in 1975 .


Demi Lovato Demetria Devonne Lovato ( -LSB- ˈdɛmi_loʊ-ˈvɑːtoʊ -RSB- or ; born August 20 , 1992 ) is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . After making her debut as a child actress in Barney & Friends , Lovato rose to prominence in 2008 when she starred in the Disney Channel television film Camp Rock and released her debut single `` This Is Me '' which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 . The success of the film and its soundtrack resulted in a recording contract with Hollywood Records . Her debut album , Do n't Forget ( 2008 ) , debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 . The following year , Lovato was cast as the titular character of the television series Sonny with a Chance and she released her sophomore album , Here We Go Again , which became her first one to top the Billboard 200 chart .   After the release of additional television films and their soundtracks in 2010 , including Camp Rock 2 : The Final Jam , Lovato 's personal issues put her career on a hiatus and led to the discontinuation of Sonny with a Chance after a second season . She entered a treatment center in November 2010 to seek help for addictions , an eating disorder , and self-harm . While there , she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder . Work on her third studio album , Unbroken ( 2011 ) , began after she successfully completed treatment . The album addresses several of her difficulties . Its lead single , `` Skyscraper '' , became Lovato 's second top 10 entry in the US , while its second single , `` Give Your Heart a Break '' , was certified triple platinum in the country . Lovato was a judge and mentor on the American version of The X Factor in 2012 and 2013 . Her third album , Demi ( 2013 ) , opened with first-week sales of 110,000 copies . The lead single from her eponymous album , `` Heart Attack '' , became her third top 10 in the US and the album spawned three more singles . While promoting the project , Lovato released a book titled Staying Strong : 365 Days a Year ( 2013 ) . She also returned to acting as a recurring character in Glee , and released a memoir in 2014 . Lovato 's fifth album , Confident ( 2015 ) , reached number two on the Billboard 200 . Its lead single `` Cool for the Summer '' was eventually certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America . All five of Lovato 's albums have received a gold certification in the US .   Musically , Lovato is considered a pop , pop rock , and R&B artist . Lovato has received a considerable number of accolades , including an MTV Video Music Award , 13 Teen Choice Awards , five People 's Choice Awards , an ALMA Award , a Latin American Music Award and a Grammy Award nomination . In 2013 , Maxim ranked her 26th on its Hot 100 list and Billboard ranked her second on its Social 50 Artists of the Year list . Outside the entertainment industry , Lovato has been involved with several social and environmental causes since the launch of her career . In May 2013 , she was cited for her dedication as a mentor to teens and young adults with mental health challenges at a National Children 's Mental Health Awareness Day hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in Washington , D.C. . She has also become an advocate for the LGBT community , and women 's rights . In 2014 , she was announced as the Grand Marshal for LA Pride week , and that same year she became the face for Human Rights Campaign 's Americans for Marriage Equality Campaign . In April 2016 , Lovato was honored with the GLAAD Vanguard Award for making a significant difference in promoting equal rights for LGBT people .


The 1st was the day Trevor Berbick was named.

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


Elizabeth II has met with religious leaders.

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II ( Elizabeth Alexandra Mary ; born 21 April 1926 ) has been Queen of the United Kingdom , Canada , Australia , and New Zealand since 6 February 1952 . She is Head of the Commonwealth and Queen of 12 countries that have become independent since her accession : Jamaica , Barbados , the Bahamas , Grenada , Papua New Guinea , Solomon Islands , Tuvalu , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Belize , Antigua and Barbuda , and Saint Kitts and Nevis .   Elizabeth was born in London as the elder child of the Duke and Duchess of York , later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth , and she was educated privately at home . Her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936 , from which time she was the heir presumptive . She began to undertake public duties during the Second World War , serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service . In 1947 , she married Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , a former prince of Greece and Denmark , with whom she has four children : Charles , Prince of Wales ; Anne , Princess Royal ; Prince Andrew , Duke of York ; and Prince Edward , Earl of Wessex .   Elizabeth 's many historic visits and meetings include a state visit to the Republic of Ireland and visits to or from five popes . She has seen major constitutional changes , such as devolution in the United Kingdom , Canadian patriation , and the decolonisation of Africa . She has reigned through various wars and conflicts involving many of her realms . She is the world 's oldest reigning monarch as well as Britain 's longest-lived . In 2015 , she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother , Queen Victoria , to become the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regnant and female head of state in world history . In October 2016 , she became the longest currently reigning monarch and head of state following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand .   Times of personal significance have included the births and marriages of her children , her coronation in 1953 , and the celebration of milestones such as her Silver , Golden , and Diamond Jubilees in 1977 , 2002 , and 2012 , respectively . In 2017 she became the first British monarch to commemorate a Sapphire Jubilee . Moments of sadness for her include the death of her father in 1952 at age 56 ; the assassination of Prince Philip 's uncle Lord Mountbatten in 1979 ; the breakdown of her children 's marriages in 1992 ( her annus horribilis ) ; the death in 1997 of her son 's former wife , Diana , Princess of Wales ; and the deaths of her mother and sister in 2002 . Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and press criticism of the royal family ; however , support for the monarchy remains high , as does her personal popularity .


Pope The pope ( papa from πάππας pappas , a child 's word for `` father '' ) , also known as the pontiff , is the Bishop of Rome , and therefore ex officio the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . The primacy of the Roman bishop is largely derived from his role as the traditional successor to Saint Peter , to whom Jesus is supposed to have given the keys of Heaven and the powers of `` binding and loosing '' , naming him as the `` rock '' upon which the church would be built . The current pope is Francis , who was elected on 13 March 2013 , succeeding Benedict XVI .   The office of the pope is the Papacy . His ecclesiastical jurisdiction , the Diocese of Rome , is often called `` the Holy See '' or `` the Apostolic See '' , the latter name being based upon the belief that the Bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter the Apostle . The pope is considered one of the world 's most powerful people because of his diplomatic and cultural influence . He is also head of state of Vatican City , a sovereign city-state entirely enclaved within the Italian capital city of Rome .   The papacy is one of the most enduring institutions in the world and has had a prominent part in world history . The popes in ancient times helped in the spread of Christianity and the resolution of various doctrinal disputes . In the Middle Ages , they played a role of secular importance in Western Europe , often acting as arbitrators between Christian monarchs . Currently , in addition to the expansion of the Christian faith and doctrine , the popes are involved in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue , charitable work , and the defense of human rights .   Popes , who originally had no temporal powers , in some periods of history accrued wide powers similar to those of temporal rulers . In recent centuries , popes were gradually forced to give up temporal power , and papal authority is now once again almost exclusively restricted to matters of religion . Over the centuries , papal claims of spiritual authority have been ever more firmly expressed , culminating in 1870 with the proclamation of the dogma of papal infallibility for rare occasions when the pope speaks ex cathedra -- literally `` from the chair ( of Saint Peter ) '' -- to issue a formal definition of faith or morals .


Babe Ruth George Herman `` Babe '' Ruth Jr. ( February 6 , 1895 -- August 16 , 1948 ) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) spanned 22 seasons , from 1914 through 1935 . Nicknamed `` The Bambino '' and `` The Sultan of Swat '' , he began his MLB career as a stellar left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox , but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees . Ruth established many MLB batting ( and some pitching ) records , including career home runs ( 714 ) , runs batted in ( RBIs ) ( 2,213 ) , bases on balls ( 2,062 ) , slugging percentage ( .6897 ) , and on-base plus slugging ( OPS ) ( 1.164 ) ; the latter two still stand today . Ruth is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time . In , Ruth was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its `` first five '' inaugural members .   At age seven , Ruth was sent to St. Mary 's Industrial School for Boys , a reformatory where he learned life lessons and baseball skills from Brother Matthias Boutlier of the Christian Brothers , the school 's disciplinarian and a capable baseball player . In 1914 , Ruth was signed to play minor-league baseball for the Baltimore Orioles but was soon sold to the Red Sox . By 1916 , he had built a reputation as an outstanding pitcher who sometimes hit long home runs , a feat unusual for any player in the pre-1920 dead-ball era . Although Ruth twice won 23 games in a season as a pitcher and was a member of three World Series championship teams with Boston , he wanted to play every day and was allowed to convert to an outfielder . With regular playing time , he broke the MLB single-season home run record in 1919 .   After that season , Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Ruth to the Yankees amid controversy . The trade fueled Boston 's subsequent 86 year championship drought and popularized the `` Curse of the Bambino '' superstition . In his 15 years with New York , Ruth helped the Yankees win seven American League ( AL ) championships and four World Series championships . His big swing led to escalating home run totals that not only drew fans to the ballpark and boosted the sport 's popularity but also helped usher in the live-ball era of baseball , in which it evolved from a low-scoring game of strategy to a sport where the home run was a major factor . As part of the Yankees ' vaunted `` Murderer 's Row '' lineup of 1927 , Ruth hit 60 home runs , extending his MLB single-season record . He retired in 1935 after a short stint with the Boston Braves . During his career , Ruth led the AL in home runs during a season twelve times .   Ruth 's legendary power and charismatic personality made him a larger-than-life figure in the Roaring Twenties . During his career , he was the target of intense press and public attention for his baseball exploits and off-field penchants for drinking and womanizing . His often reckless lifestyle was tempered by his willingness to do good by visiting children at hospitals and orphanages . After his retirement as a player , he was denied a managerial job in baseball , most likely due to poor behavior during parts of his playing career . In his final years , Ruth made many public appearances , especially in support of American efforts in World War II . In 1946 , he became ill with cancer , and died two years later .


Home run In baseball , a home run ( abbreviated HR ) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home  safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process . In modern baseball , the feat is typically achieved by hitting the ball over the outfield fence between the foul poles ( or making contact with either foul pole ) without first touching the ground , resulting in an automatic home run . There is also the `` inside-the-park '' home run , increasingly rare in modern baseball , where the batter reaches home safely while the baseball is in play on the field . When a home run is scored , the batter is also credited with a hit and a run scored , and an RBI for each runner that scores , including himself . Likewise , the pitcher is recorded as having given up a hit , and a run for each runner that scores including the batter .   Home runs are among the most popular aspects of baseball and , as a result , prolific home run hitters are usually the most popular among fans and consequently the highest paid by teams -- hence the old saying , variously attributed to slugger Ralph Kiner , or to a teammate talking about Kiner , `` Home run hitters drive Cadillacs , and singles hitters drive Fords . ''


Outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball , farthest from the batter . These defenders are the left fielder , the center fielder , and the right fielder . An outfielder 's duty is to try to catch long fly balls before they hit the ground or to quickly catch or retrieve and return to the infield any other balls entering the outfield . Outfielders normally play behind the six other members of the defense who play in or near the infield .   By convention , each of the nine defensive positions in baseball is numbered . The outfield positions are 7 ( left field ) , 8 ( center field ) and 9 ( right field ) . These numbers are shorthand designations useful in baseball scorekeeping and are not necessarily the same as the squad numbers worn on player uniforms .   Outfielders named to the MLB All-Century Team are Hank Aaron , Ty Cobb , Joe DiMaggio , Mickey Mantle , Willie Mays , Stan Musial , Pete Rose , Babe Ruth , Ted Williams and Ken Griffey Jr. . .


Pitcher In baseball , the pitcher is the player who throws the baseball from the pitcher 's mound toward the catcher to begin each play , with the goal of retiring a batter , who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk . In the numbering system used to record defensive plays , the pitcher is assigned the number 1 . The pitcher is often considered the most important defensive player , and as such is situated at the right end of the defensive spectrum . There are many different types of pitchers , such as the starting pitcher , relief pitcher , middle reliever , lefty specialist , setup man , and closer .   Traditionally , the pitcher also bats . Starting in 1973 with the American League and spreading to further leagues throughout the 1980s and 1990s , the hitting duties of the pitcher have generally been given over to the position of designated hitter , a cause of some controversy . The National League in Major League Baseball and the Japanese Central League are among the remaining leagues that have not adopted the designated hitter position .


Curse of the Bambino The Curse of the Bambino was a superstition evolving from the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series in the 86-year period from 1918 to 2004 . While some fans took the curse seriously , most used the expression in a tongue-in-cheek manner .  This misfortune began after the Red Sox sold star player Babe Ruth , sometimes called The Bambino , to the New York Yankees in the off-season of 1919 -- 1920 . Before that point , the Red Sox had been one of the most successful professional baseball franchises , winning the first World Series and amassing five World Series titles . After the sale , they went without a title for decades , even while the Red Sox won four American League championships from 1946 to 1986 , as the previously lackluster Yankees became one of the most successful franchises in North American professional sports . The curse became a focal point of the Yankees -- Red Sox rivalry over the years .   Talk of the curse as an ongoing phenomenon ended in 2004 , when the Red Sox came back from a 0 -- 3 best-of-seven deficit to beat the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series ( ALCS ) and then went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals to win the 2004 World Series . The curse had been such a part of Boston culture that when a `` reverse curve '' road sign on Longfellow Bridge over the city 's busy Storrow Drive was graffitied to read `` Reverse The Curse '' , officials left it in place until after the Red Sox won the 2004 Series . After the Red Sox won the last game of the World Series that year , the road sign was edited to read `` Curse Reversed '' in celebration .


World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) in North America , contested since 1903 between the American League ( AL ) champion team and the National League ( NL ) champion team . The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff , and the winning team is awarded the Commissioner 's Trophy . As the series is played in October ( and occasionally November ) , during the fall season in North America , it is often referred to as the Fall Classic .   Prior to 1969 , the team with the best regular season win-loss record in each league automatically advanced to the World Series ; since then each league has conducted a championship series ( ALCS and NLCS ) preceding the World Series to determine which teams will advance . As of 2016 , the World Series has been contested 112 times , with the AL winning 64 and the NL winning 48 .   The 2016 World Series took place between the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs . Seven games were played , with the Cubs victorious after game seven , played in Cleveland . The final score was 8 -- 7 ; the game went into extra innings after a tied score of 6 -- 6 . This was the third World Series won by the Cubs , as well as their first title since 1908 , a period of 108 years . With the Cubs ' record long title drought finally ended , the Indians ' championship dry spell of 68 years and counting -- the Indians last won the Series in 1948 -- is currently the longest-running Series title absence .   In the American League , the New York Yankees have played in 40 World Series and won 27 , the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics have played in 14 and won 9 , and the Boston Red Sox have played in 12 and won 8 , including the first World Series . In the National League , the St. Louis Cardinals have appeared in 19 and won 11 , the New York/San Francisco Giants have played in 20 and won 8 , the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have appeared in 18 and won 6 , and the Cincinnati Reds have appeared in 9 and won 5 .   As of 2016 , no team has won consecutive World Series championships since the New York Yankees in , , and -- the longest such drought in Major League Baseball history .


History of the Boston Braves The Atlanta Braves , a current Major League Baseball franchise , originated in Boston , Massachusetts . This article details the history of the Boston Braves , from 1871 to 1952 , after which they moved to Milwaukee to become the Milwaukee Braves . The Boston Franchise played at South End Grounds from 1871 to 1914 and at Braves Field from 1915 to 1952 . Braves Field is now Nickerson Field of Boston University . The franchise , from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta , is the oldest continuous professional baseball franchise .


Harry Frazee Harry Herbert Frazee ( June 29 , 1880 -- June 4 , 1929 ) was an American theatrical agent , producer and director , and owner of the Major League Baseball Boston Red Sox from 1916 to 1923 . He is well known for selling Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees , and starting the Curse of the Bambino .


Jet Li Li Lianjie ( born 26 April 1963 ) , better known by his stage name Jet Li , is a Chinese film actor , film producer , martial artist , and retired Wushu champion who was born in Beijing . He is a naturalized Singaporean citizen .   After three years of training with Wu Bin , Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team . After retiring from Wushu at age 19 , he went on to win great acclaim in China as an actor making his debut with the film Shaolin Temple ( 1982 ) . He went on to star in many critically acclaimed martial arts epic films , most notably as the lead in director Zhang Yimou 's 2002 Hero , Fist of Legend which is the best acclaimed Li movie by Rotten Tomatoes , and the Once Upon a Time in China series , in which he portrayed folk hero Wong Fei-hung .   Li 's first role in a non-Chinese film was as a villain in Lethal Weapon 4 ( 1998 ) , and his first leading role in a Hollywood film was as Han Sing in Romeo Must Die ( 2000 ) . He has gone on to star in many action films , including in French cinema with Luc Besson Kiss of the Dragon and Unleashed . He co-starred in The One ( 2001 ) , The Forbidden Kingdom ( 2008 ) with Jackie Chan , all three of The Expendables films with Sylvester Stallone , and as the title character villain in The Mummy : Tomb of the Dragon Emperor ( 2008 ) .


Matt Damon received awards for his portrayal of Scott Thorson in Behind the Candelabra.

Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon ( -LSB- ˈdeɪmən -RSB- born October 8 , 1970 ) is an American actor , film producer , and screenwriter . He is ranked among Forbes magazine 's most bankable stars and is one of the highest-grossing actors of all time . Damon has received various accolades , including an Academy Award from five nominations , two Golden Globe Awards from eight nominations , and has been nominated for two British Academy Film Awards and six Emmy Awards .   Born and raised in Cambridge , Massachusetts , Damon began his acting career by appearing in high school theater productions and he made his professional acting debut in the film Mystic Pizza ( 1988 ) . He came to prominence in 1997 when he wrote and starred in Good Will Hunting alongside Ben Affleck , which won them the Academy and Golden Globe awards for Best Screenplay , and earned Damon a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor . He continued to garner praise from critics for his roles as the eponymous character in Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , the antihero in The Talented Mr. Ripley ( 1999 ) , a fallen angel in Dogma ( 1999 ) , an energy analyst in Syriana ( 2005 ) , and a corrupt Irish-American police officer in The Departed ( 2006 ) .   Damon is also known for his starring roles as Jason Bourne in the Bourne franchise ( 2002 -- 16 ) and as a con man in the Ocean 's Trilogy ( 2001 -- 07 ) . For his supporting role as the rugby player Francois Pienaar in Invictus ( 2009 ) and his leading role as an astronaut stranded on Mars in The Martian ( 2015 ) , Damon received Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor , respectively . The latter also won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor . Damon has received Emmy Award nominations for his portrayal of Scott Thorson in the biopic Behind the Candelabra ( 2013 ) and for producing the reality series Project Greenlight . He also received an Oscar nomination for producing Manchester by the Sea ( 2016 ) .   In addition to acting in films , Damon has performed voice-over work in both animated and documentary films and has established two production companies with Affleck . He has been involved in charitable work , including the ONE Campaign , H2O Africa Foundation , Feeding America , and Water.org . Damon is married to Luciana Bozán Barroso , and they have three daughters together .


Lincoln Motor Company was founded by Henry M. Leland.

Henry M. Leland Henry Martyn Leland ( February 16 , 1843 -- March 26 , 1932 ) was an American machinist , inventor , engineer and automotive entrepreneur . He founded the two premier American luxury automotive marques , Cadillac and Lincoln .


Lincoln Motor Company The Lincoln Motor Company ( also known simply as Lincoln ) is a division of the U.S.-based Ford Motor Company that sells luxury vehicles under the Lincoln brand . Founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland , Lincoln has been a subsidiary of Ford since 1922 . While currently sold primarily in North America , Ford introduced the Lincoln brand to China in 2014 . Lincoln vehicles are also officially sold in the Middle East and South Korea .   The current Lincoln model range in North America consists of two sedans ( Continental and MKZ ) , three crossover utility vehicles ( MKC , MKT , and MKX ) , and a sport utility vehicle ( Navigator/Navigator L ) . Lincoln also sells two vehicles specifically for limousine/livery use , both based on the MKT .