Linda McCartney Linda Louise , Lady McCartney ( née Eastman ; formerly See ; September 24 , 1941 -- April 17 , 1998 ) was an American musician , photographer , animal rights activist , entrepreneur and publisher who was married to Paul McCartney of the Beatles . Prior to marrying Paul , she was a professional photographer of celebrities and contemporary musicians , with her work published in music industry magazines . Her photos were also published in the book Linda McCartney 's Sixties : Portrait of an Era , in 1992 .   Linda married McCartney in 1969 at St John 's Wood Church in London . Her daughter , Heather Louise , from her first marriage to Melville See , was adopted by her new husband . Together , the McCartneys had three other children .   In 1971 , after they married and following the break-up of the Beatles the previous year , Paul and Linda McCartney recorded the album Ram . Shortly afterwards , they formed the band Wings . She continued to be part of her husband 's touring band following Wings ' break-up in 1981 up until The New World Tour in 1993 .   She was an animal rights activist and wrote and published several vegetarian cookbooks , and founded the Linda McCartney Foods company with her husband .   In 1995 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and died from the disease in 1998 at the age of 56 .


Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( -LSB- ˈaɪnstaɪn -RSB- -LSB- ˈalbɛɐ̯t ˈaɪnʃtaɪn -RSB- ; 14 March 1879 -- 18 April 1955 ) was a German-born theoretical physicist . He developed the theory of relativity , one of the two pillars of modern physics ( alongside quantum mechanics ) . Einstein 's work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science . Einstein is best known by the general public for his mass -- energy equivalence formula ( which has been dubbed `` the world 's most famous equation '' ) . He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics `` for his services to theoretical physics , and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect '' , a pivotal step in the evolution of quantum theory .   Near the beginning of his career , Einstein thought that Newtonian mechanics was no longer enough to reconcile the laws of classical mechanics with the laws of the electromagnetic field . This led him to develop his special theory of relativity during his time at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern ( 1902 -- 1909 ) , Switzerland . He realized , however , that the principle of relativity could also be extended to gravitational fields , and with his subsequent theory of gravitation in 1916 , he published a paper on general relativity . He continued to deal with problems of statistical mechanics and quantum theory , which led to his explanations of particle theory and the motion of molecules . He also investigated the thermal properties of light which laid the foundation of the photon theory of light . In 1917 , Einstein applied the general theory of relativity to model the large-scale structure of the universe .   Between 1895 and 1914 he lived in Switzerland ( except for one year in Prague , 1911 -- 12 ) , where he received his academic diploma from the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zürich ( later the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule , ETH ) in 1900 . He later taught there at the same institute as a professor of theoretical physics between 1912 and 1914 before he left for Berlin . In 1901 , after being stateless for more than five years , Einstein acquired Swiss citizenship , which he kept for the rest of his life . In 1905 , Einstein was awarded a PhD by the University of Zürich . The same year , his annus mirabilis ( miracle year ) , he published four groundbreaking papers , which were to bring him to the notice of the academic world , at the age of 26 .   He was visiting the United States when Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and , being Jewish , did not go back to Germany , where he had been a professor at the Berlin Academy of Sciences . He settled in the United States , becoming an American citizen in 1940 . On the eve of World War II , he endorsed a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt alerting him to the potential development of `` extremely powerful bombs of a new type '' and recommending that the U.S. begin similar research . This eventually led to what would become the Manhattan Project . Einstein supported defending the Allied forces , but generally denounced the idea of using the newly discovered nuclear fission as a weapon . Later , with the British philosopher Bertrand Russell , Einstein signed the Russell -- Einstein Manifesto , which highlighted the danger of nuclear weapons . Einstein was affiliated with the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton , New Jersey , until his death in 1955 .   Einstein published more than 300 scientific papers along with over 150 non-scientific works . Einstein 's intellectual achievements and originality have made the word `` Einstein '' synonymous with `` genius '' .


Sweden Sweden ( Konungariket Sverige ) , is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe . It borders Norway to the west and Finland to the east , and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund . At 450295 km2 , Sweden is the third-largest country in the European Union by area , with a total population of 10.0 million . Sweden consequently has a low population density of 22 PD/km2 , with the highest concentration in the southern half of the country . Approximately 85 % of the population lives in urban areas .   Germanic peoples have inhabited Sweden since prehistoric times , emerging into history as the Geats/G ötar and Swedes/Svear and constituting the sea peoples known as the Norsemen . Southern Sweden is predominantly agricultural , while the north is heavily forested . Sweden is part of the geographical area of Fennoscandia . The climate is in general very mild for its northerly latitude due to significant maritime influence , that in spite of this still retains warm continental summers . Today , Sweden is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy , with a monarch as head of state . The capital city is Stockholm , which is also the most populous city in the country . Legislative power is vested in the 349-member unicameral Riksdag . Executive power is exercised by the government chaired by the prime minister . Sweden is a unitary state , currently divided into 21 counties and 290 municipalities .   Sweden emerged as an independent and unified country during the Middle Ages . In the 17th century , it expanded its territories to form the Swedish Empire , which became one of the great powers of Europe until the early 18th century . Swedish territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were gradually lost during the 18th and 19th centuries , ending with the annexation of present-day Finland by Russia in 1809 . The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814 , when Norway was militarily forced into personal union . Since then , Sweden has been at peace , maintaining an official policy of neutrality in foreign affairs . The union with Norway was peacefully dissolved in 1905 , leading to Sweden 's current borders . Though Sweden was formally neutral through both world wars , Sweden engaged in humanitarian efforts , such as taking in refugees from German-occupied Europe .   After the end of the Cold War , Sweden joined the European Union on 1 January 1995 , but declined NATO membership , as well as Eurozone membership following a referendum . It is also a member of the United Nations , the Nordic Council , Council of Europe , the World Trade Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) . Sweden maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens . It has the world 's eighth-highest per capita income and ranks highly in numerous metrics of national performance , including quality of life , health , education , protection of civil liberties , economic competitiveness , equality , prosperity and human development .


Evolution (Sabrina Carpenter album) Evolution is the second studio album by American singer Sabrina Carpenter , released on October 14 , 2016 , by Hollywood Records . Carpenter began recording the album in 2015 after releasing her first studio album , Eyes Wide Open .


The West Wing contains the Situation Room.

West Wing The West Wing of the White House , also known as the Executive Office Building , houses the offices of the President of the United States . The West Wing contains the Oval Office , the Cabinet Room , the Situation Room , and the Roosevelt Room .   The West Wing 's three floors contain offices for the White House Chief of Staff , the Counselor to the President , the Senior Advisor to the President , the White House Press Secretary , and their support staffs . The Vice-President has an office in the building , but his primary office is next door in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building .   The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room -- where the Press Secretary makes announcements and gives daily briefings to reporters -- is located in the West Colonnade of the White House , between the West Wing and the Executive Residence .


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


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 ) .


Tropic Thunder was written by Justin Theroux along with others.

Tropic Thunder Tropic Thunder is a 2008 satirical action comedy film co-written , produced , and directed by Ben Stiller . Stiller , Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black star as a group of prima donna actors who are making a fictional Vietnam War film . When their frustrated director drops them in the middle of a jungle , they are forced to rely on their acting skills to survive the real action and danger . It was written by Stiller , Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen . The film was an international co-production between Germany , the United Kingdom , and the United States . DreamWorks Pictures and Red Hour Films produced it .   Stiller 's idea for the film originated while playing a minor role in Empire of the Sun , and he later enlisted Theroux and Cohen to help complete the script . After the film was green-lit in 2006 , filming took place in 2007 on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i over thirteen weeks and was later deemed the largest film production in the island 's history . The film had an extensive marketing promotion , including faux websites for the three main characters and their fictional films , airing a fictional television special , and selling the energy drink advertised in the film , `` Booty Sweat '' , directed by Dr. Hemlock .   The film received generally positive reviews , with critics praising the film 's characters , story , faux trailers , and the performances of Stiller , Downey , and Tom Cruise , though the depiction of the mentally handicapped proved controversial . The film 's soundtrack and score debuted on August 5 , 2008 , before the film 's theatrical release . Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks released the film in the US on August 13 , 2008 . In its North American opening weekend , the film earned $ 26 million and retained the number one position for the first three weekends of release . Downey received Academy Award , BAFTA Award , and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his performance , with both him and Cruise receiving nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture . The film grossed more than $ 188 million worldwide before its release on home video on November 18 , 2008 .


Johnny Gruelle Johnny Gruelle ( December 24 , 1880 -- January 9 , 1938 ) was an American artist , political cartoonist , children 's book author and illustrator , and songwriter . He is known as the creator of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy .


Raggedy Ann Raggedy Ann is a character created by American writer Johnny Gruelle ( 1880 -- 1938 ) in a series of books he wrote and illustrated for young children . Raggedy Ann is a rag doll with red yarn for hair and has a triangle nose . Johnny Gruelle received US Patent D47789 for his Raggedy Ann doll on September 7 , 1915 . The character was created in 1915 as a doll , and was introduced to the public in the 1918 book Raggedy Ann Stories . When a doll was marketed with the book , the concept had great success . A sequel , Raggedy Andy Stories ( 1920 ) , introduced the character of her brother , Raggedy Andy .


Mike Portnoy Michael Stephen `` Mike '' Portnoy ( born April 20 , 1967 ) is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer , backing vocalist , and a co-founder of the progressive metal/rock band Dream Theater . Known for his technical skill as a drummer , Portnoy has won 30 awards from the Modern Drummer magazine . He co-produced six Dream Theater albums with guitarist John Petrucci , starting from Metropolis Pt . 2 : Scenes from a Memory through Black Clouds and Silver Linings . From A Change of Seasons onwards , Portnoy had been writing a significant amount of Dream Theater 's lyrics . He is the second youngest person ( after Neil Peart ) to be inducted into the Modern Drummer 's Hall of Fame , at 37 years of age .   Besides his work with Dream Theater , Portnoy is known for his many side projects and tribute bands . He is a founding member of Liquid Tension Experiment , an instrumental progressive rock band featuring fellow Dream Theater members John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess along with bassist Tony Levin . He is also a founding member of Transatlantic , a progressive rock `` super-group '' featuring former Spock 's Beard keyboardist/vocalist Neal Morse , Flower Kings guitarist Roine Stolt and Marillion bassist Pete Trewavas . Portnoy has also recorded and/or toured/performed live with Neal Morse , OSI , Hail ! , Stone Sour , Fates Warning , Overkill , G3 and played on Avenged Sevenfold 's album Nightmare in place of their late drummer , The Rev. Over the years , Portnoy has also created tribute bands to The Beatles , Led Zeppelin , Rush , and The Who , which has allowed him to perform the music of his four favorite drummers .   In September 2010 , Portnoy announced his departure from Dream Theater after 25 years . He was replaced by Mike Mangini . Since leaving Dream Theater , Portnoy has formed several new bands . The first , Adrenaline Mob , a traditional heavy metal/hard rock band with singer Russell Allen ( of Symphony X ) and guitarist Mike Orlando . On June 4 , 2013 , however , Portnoy announced his departure from Adrenaline Mob , citing scheduling conflicts . He is also a founding member of Flying Colors , a progressive pop band also featuring Steve Morse , Neal Morse , Dave LaRue , and Casey McPherson ; and The Winery Dogs , a power trio also featuring bassist Billy Sheehan ( Mr. Big ) and guitarist Richie Kotzen ( formerly of Mr. Big and Poison ) .


Amelia Earhart disappeared during a flight across the Pacific Ocean.

Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( -LSB- ˈɛərhɑrt -RSB- July 24 , 1897 -- disappeared July 2 , 1937 ) was an American aviation pioneer and author . Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean . She received the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross for this accomplishment . She set many other records , wrote best-selling books about her flying experiences and was instrumental in the formation of The Ninety-Nines , an organization for female pilots . In 1935 , Earhart became a visiting faculty member at Purdue University as an advisor to aeronautical engineering and a career counselor to women students . She was also a member of the National Woman 's Party and an early supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment .   During an attempt to make a circumnavigational flight of the globe in 1937 in a Purdue-funded Lockheed Model 10 Electra , Earhart disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean near Howland Island . Fascination with her life , career and disappearance continues to this day .


Pierce Brosnan appeared in the recreation of The Thomas Crown Affair.

Pierce Brosnan Pierce Brendan Brosnan , OBE ( born 16 May 1953 ) is an Irish actor , film producer , and activist who after leaving comprehensive school at age 16 , began training in commercial illustration . He then went on to train at the Drama Centre in London for three years . Following a stage acting career he rose to popularity in the television series Remington Steele ( 1982 -- 87 ) , which blended the genres of romantic comedy , drama , and detective procedural . After the conclusion of Remington Steele , Brosnan appeared in films such as the Cold War spy film The Fourth Protocol ( 1987 ) and the comedy Mrs. Doubtfire ( 1993 ) .   In 1994 , Brosnan became the fifth actor to portray secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series , starring in four films from 1995 to 2002 ( GoldenEye , Tomorrow Never Dies , The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day ) . He lent his likeness for Bond in the video games James Bond 007 : Nightfire and James Bond 007 : Everything or Nothing , providing his voice for the latter . During this period , he also took the lead in other films including the epic disaster adventure film Dante 's Peak ( 1997 ) and the remake of the heist film The Thomas Crown Affair ( 1999 ) . Since leaving the role of Bond , he has starred in such films as the musical/romantic comedy Mamma Mia ! ( 2008 ) , the Roman Polanski-directed political thriller The Ghost Writer ( 2010 ) and the action spy thriller The November Man ( 2014 ) .   In 1996 , along with Beau St. Clair , Brosnan formed Irish DreamTime , a Los Angeles-based production company . In later years , he has become known for his charitable work and environmental activism . He was married to Australian actress Cassandra Harris from 1980 until her death in 1991 . He married American journalist and author Keely Shaye Smith in 2001 , and became an American citizen in 2004 , holding dual citizenship in the United States and Ireland . He has earned two Golden Globe Award nominations , first for the television miniseries Nancy Astor ( 1982 ) and next for the dark comedy film The Matador ( 2005 ) .


Sharon Tate starred in a film directed by her husband, Roman.

Sharon Tate Sharon Marie Tate Polanski ( January 24 , 1943 -- August 9 , 1969 ) was an American actress and model . During the 1960s , she played small television roles before appearing in films and was regularly featured in fashion magazines as a model and cover girl . After receiving positive reviews for her comedic and dramatic acting performances , Tate was hailed as one of Hollywood 's most promising newcomers .   She made her film debut in 1966 with the occult-themed Eye of the Devil . Her most remembered performance was as Jennifer North in the 1967 cult classic film , Valley of the Dolls , earning her a Golden Globe Award nomination . Tate 's last completed film , 12 +1 was released posthumously in 1969 , with the actress receiving top billing .   In January 20 , 1968 , Tate married Roman Polanski , her director and co-star in 1967 's The Fearless Vampire Killers . On August 9 , 1969 , Tate , along with four others , was murdered by members of the Manson Family in the home she shared with Polanski . At the time of her death , she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant with the couple 's son .   A decade after Tate 's murder , the actress ' mother , Doris Tate , in response to the growing cult status of the killers and the possibility of them being granted parole , organized a public campaign that resulted in amendments to the California criminal law . Tate 's mother went on to say that the law would `` help transform Sharon 's legacy from murder victim to a symbol of victims ' rights '' . A book by Tate 's sister , Debra Tate , titled Sharon Tate : Recollection , was released in 2014 .


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


The first novel in A Song of Ice and Fire is called A Game of Thrones.

A Game of Thrones A Game of Thrones is the first novel in A Song of Ice and Fire , a series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin . It was first published on August 1 , 1996 . The novel won the 1997 Locus Award and was nominated for both the 1997 Nebula Award and the 1997 World Fantasy Award . The novella Blood of the Dragon , comprising the Daenerys Targaryen chapters from the novel , won the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Novella . In January 2011 the novel became a New York Times bestseller and reached # 1 on the list in July 2011 .   In the novel , recounting events from various points of view , Martin introduces the plot-lines of the noble houses of Westeros , the Wall , and the Targaryens . The novel has inspired several spin-off works , including several games . It is also the basis for the first season of Game of Thrones , an HBO television series that premiered in April 2011 . A March 2013 paperback TV tie-in re-edition was also titled Game of Thrones , excluding the indefinite article `` A '' .


Logic (musician) Sir Robert Bryson Hall II ( born January 22 , 1990 ) , known by his stage name Logic , is an American rapper , singer , songwriter , and record producer . Raised in Gaithersburg , Maryland , Logic expressed an interest in music as a teenager , and ventured into a musical career in early 2009 , releasing a mixtape titled Young , Broke & Infamous in 2010 . He would then sign with Visionary Music Group , before releasing two more mixtapes over two years .   His fourth mixtape , Young Sinatra : Welcome to Forever ( 2013 ) , was released to critical acclaim , and allowed Logic to secure a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings . He later released his debut studio album Under Pressure in October 2014 , which debuted at number four on the U.S. Billboard 200 , eventually becoming certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) and having sold more than 171,000 copies .   Logic 's second studio album The Incredible True Story was released in November 2015 , receiving mostly positive reviews from critics . Also certified gold in the US , it was later confirmed to have sold over 185,000 copies in the country . Logic soon released Bobby Tarantino in 2016 . It is his fifth mixtape and the first since Young Sinatra : Welcome to Forever . Logic released his third studio album Everybody in 2017 .


Michael Keaton will play the role of a Marvel Comics supervillain.

Michael Keaton Michael John Douglas ( born September 5 , 1951 ) , known professionally as Michael Keaton , is an American actor , producer and director . He first rose to fame for his comedic film roles in Night Shift ( 1982 ) , Mr. Mom ( 1983 ) , Johnny Dangerously ( 1984 ) and Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , and he earned further acclaim for his dramatic portrayal of the title character in Tim Burton 's Batman ( 1989 ) and Batman Returns ( 1992 ) .   Since then , he has appeared in a variety of films ranging from dramas and romantic comedies to thriller and action films ; such as Clean and Sober ( 1988 ) , The Dream Team ( 1989 ) , Pacific Heights ( 1990 ) , Much Ado About Nothing ( 1993 ) , My Life ( 1993 ) , The Paper ( 1994 ) , Multiplicity ( 1996 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Herbie : Fully Loaded ( 2005 ) , The Other Guys ( 2010 ) , Need for Speed ( 2014 ) , RoboCop ( 2014 ) , Spotlight ( 2015 ) and The Founder ( 2016 ) , and he has also provided voices for characters in animated films such as Cars ( 2006 ) , Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) and Minions ( 2015 ) . In 2017 , Keaton will play the role of Marvel Comics supervillain the Vulture in Spider-Man : Homecoming .   Keaton 's lead performance in Birdman or ( The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance ) ( 2014 ) earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy , the Critics ' Choice Award for Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy , and nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award , British Academy Film Award , and Academy Award for Best Actor . He previously received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance in Live from Baghdad ( 2002 ) and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for The Company ( 2007 ) . Keaton was awarded a Career Achievement Award from both the Hollywood Film Festival and Zurich Film Festivals .   On January 18 , 2016 , he was named Officer of Order of Arts and Letters in France . He is also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University . </span>


Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles ( born 17 January 1984 ) , known professionally as Calvin Harris , is a Scottish record producer , DJ , singer and songwriter . His debut studio album I Created Disco was released in June 2007 , and was the precursor to his UK top 10 singles `` Acceptable in the 80s '' and `` The Girls '' . In 2009 , Harris released his second studio album Ready for the Weekend , which debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and was later certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry within two months of its release . Its lead single `` I 'm Not Alone '' became his first number-one single on the UK Singles Chart .   Harris rose to international prominence with the release of his third studio album 18 Months in October 2012 . Topping the UK charts , the album became his first to chart on the US Billboard 200 chart ( where it reached number 19 ) . All eight of the album 's singles , which were `` Bounce '' , `` Feel So Close '' , `` Let 's Go '' , `` We 'll Be Coming Back '' , `` Sweet Nothing '' , `` Drinking from the Bottle '' , `` I Need Your Love '' and `` Thinking About You '' reached the top 10 in the UK . Harris released his fourth studio album Motion in November 2014 . It debuted at number two in the UK and at number five in the US , and became Harris 's second consecutive number one album on the US Dance/Electronic Albums chart . The album 's first three singles `` Under Control '' , `` Summer '' and `` Blame '' all topped the UK chart .   Harris has collaborated with numerous other recording artists . His collaboration with Rihanna `` We Found Love '' became an international success , giving Harris his first US number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart . The two later collaborated on the singles `` Where Have You Been '' ( 2012 ) and `` This Is What You Came For '' ( 2016 ) . Harris currently holds the record for the most top 10 songs from one studio album on the UK Singles Chart with nine top 10 entries , surpassing Michael Jackson . In October 2014 , he became the first artist to place three songs simultaneously on the top 10 of Billboard 's Dance/Electronic Songs chart . He also became the first British solo artist to reach more than one billion streams on Spotify . Harris has received ten Brit Award nominations -- three for Best British Male , and four Grammy nominations , winning a Grammy for Best Music Video in 2013 . He received the British Academy 's Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year in 2013 and at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards was named Top Dance/Electronic Artist . Additionally , Harris topped Forbes ' list of the world 's highest-paid DJs for three consecutive years from 2013 to 2015 . One of the most successful musicians in contemporary British popular culture , Harris appeared on Debrett 's 2017 list of the most influential people in the United Kingdom . Harris runs his own record label , Fly Eye Records .


Rashida Jones was a cast member in Angie Tribeca.

Rashida Jones Rashida Leah Jones ( born February 25 , 1976 ) is an American actress , comic book author , producer , singer , and screenwriter . She is known for playing Ann Perkins on NBC 's comedy Parks and Recreation , Louisa Fenn on Fox 's Boston Public and Karen Filippelli on The Office , as well as a small role in the TV show Freaks & Geeks . She has had film roles in I Love You , Man ( 2009 ) ; Our Idiot Brother ( 2011 ) ; The Social Network ( 2010 ) ; The Muppets ( 2011 ) and Celeste and Jesse Forever ( 2012 ) , for the last of which she also wrote the screenplay . She now plays the lead role in the TBS comedy series Angie Tribeca , and recently co-wrote the screenplay for Toy Story 4 .


Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla ( Никола Тесла 10 July 1856 -- 7 January 1943 ) was a Serbian-American inventor , electrical engineer , mechanical engineer , physicist , and futurist who is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current ( AC ) electricity supply system .   Born and raised in the Austrian Empire , Tesla received an advanced education in engineering and physics in the 1870s and gained practical experience in the early 1880s working in telephony and at Continental Edison in the new electric power industry . He emigrated to the United States in 1884 , where he would become a naturalized citizen . He worked for a short time at the Edison Machine Works in New York City before he struck out on his own . With the help of partners to finance and market his ideas , Tesla set up laboratories and companies in New York to develop a range of electrical and mechanical devices . His alternating current ( AC ) induction motor and related polyphase AC patents , licensed by Westinghouse Electric in 1888 , earned him a considerable amount of money and became the cornerstone of the polyphase system which that company would eventually market .   Attempting to develop inventions he could patent and market , Tesla conducted a range of experiments with mechanical oscillators/generators , electrical discharge tubes , and early X-ray imaging . He also built a wireless-controlled boat , one of the first ever exhibited . Tesla became well known as an inventor and would demonstrate his achievements to celebrities and wealthy patrons at his lab , and was noted for his showmanship at public lectures .   Throughout the 1890s , Tesla would pursue his ideas for wireless lighting and worldwide wireless electric power distribution in his high-voltage , high-frequency power experiments in New York and Colorado Springs . In 1893 , he made pronouncements on the possibility of wireless communication with his devices . Tesla tried to put these ideas to practical use in his unfinished Wardenclyffe Tower project , an intercontinental wireless communication and power transmitter , but ran out of funding before he could complete it .   After Wardenclyffe , Tesla went on to try and develop a series of inventions in the 1910s and 1920s with varying degrees of success . Having spent most of his money , he lived in a series of New York hotels , leaving behind unpaid bills . The nature of his earlier work and the pronouncements he made to the press later in life earned him the reputation of an archetypal `` mad scientist '' in American popular culture . Tesla died in New York City in January 1943 . His work fell into relative obscurity following his death , but in 1960 , the General Conference on Weights and Measures named the SI unit of magnetic flux density the tesla in his honor . There has been a resurgence in popular interest in Tesla since the 1990s .


Chinese people can be associated with China through ancestry.

Chinese people Chinese people are the various individuals or groups of people associated with China , either through ancestry , ethnicity , nationality , citizenship , or other affiliation .


Lisa Lopes Lisa Nicole Lopes ( May 27 , 1971 -- April 25 , 2002 ) , better known by her stage name Left Eye , was an American hip hop singer , rapper , actress , songwriter and producer . She rose to fame in the early 1990s as one-third of the girl group TLC , alongside Tionne `` T-Boz '' Watkins and Rozonda `` Chilli '' Thomas . Besides rapping and singing background vocals on TLC recordings , Lopes was one of the creative forces behind the group . She received more cowriting credits than the other members . She also designed the outfits and stage for the group and brought concepts to the group image , album titles , artworks and music videos . Through her work with TLC , Lopes won four Grammy Awards .   During her short solo career , Lopes scored two US top-ten singles with `` Not Tonight '' and `` U Know What 's Up '' , as well as one UK number-one single with `` Never Be the Same Again '' . She also produced the girl group Blaque , who scored a platinum album and two US top-ten hits . Lopes remains the only member of TLC to have released a solo album .   On April 25 , 2002 , Lopes was killed in a car accident while on a retreat with her sister and others . She swerved off the road to avoid hitting another vehicle and was thrown from her vehicle and died instantly . The last days of her life were made into a documentary called The Last Days of Left Eye , which aired on VH1 in May 2007 .


Never Be the Same Again `` Never Be the Same Again '' is a song by British singer-songwriter Melanie C , featuring American rapper Lisa `` Left Eye '' Lopes of American girl group TLC . It was released on 20 March 2000 as the third single from her first solo album , Northern Star ( 1999 ) . The song was co-written by Melanie C , producer Rhett Lawrence , Paul F. Cruz and Lopes .   `` Never Be the Same Again '' entered at the top of the UK Singles Chart , beating Moloko 's `` The Time Is Now '' to the summit and knocking fellow Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell 's single `` Bag It Up '' down to number four . `` Never Be the Same Again '' was Melanie C 's first solo single to reach number one . It sold 144,000 copies in its first week and was Britain 's eighteenth best-selling song of 2000 . The song was successful in other markets , topped the charts in seven countries , and sold more than 2,5 million copies worldwide , and received positive acclaim . By March 2016 , the song had sold more than 431,400 copies . The music video was directed by Francis Lawrence . It shows Melanie C waking up in a futuristic home and practicing tai chi with Lopes .


Natalie Portman was a winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Natalie Portman Natalie Portman ( born Neta-Lee Hershlag , נטע-לי הרשלג June 9 , 1981 ) is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship . Her first role was in the 1994 action thriller Léon : The Professional , opposite Jean Reno . She was later cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy ( released in 1999 , 2002 and 2005 ) .   Born in Jerusalem to an Israeli father and American mother , Portman grew up in the eastern United States from the age of three . She studied dancing and acting in New York , and starred in Star Wars : Episode I -- The Phantom Menace while still at high school on Long Island . In 1999 , Portman enrolled at Harvard University to study psychology , alongside her work as an actress ; she completed a bachelor 's degree in 2003 . During her studies she starred in a second Star Wars film and opened in New York City 's The Public Theater production of Anton Chekhov 's The Seagull in 2001 .   Portman won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award for starring in the 2004 drama Closer , appeared in Star Wars : Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith the following year , and won a Constellation Award for Best Female Performance and the Saturn Award for Best Actress for her starring role in the political thriller V for Vendetta ( 2006 ) . She played leading roles in the historical dramas Goya 's Ghosts ( 2006 ) and The Other Boleyn Girl ( 2008 ) , and also appeared in Thor ( 2011 ) and its 2013 sequel . In 2010 , Portman starred in the psychological thriller film Black Swan . Her performance received widespread critical acclaim and she earned her first Academy Award for Best Actress , her second Golden Globe Award , the SAG Award , the BAFTA Award and the BFCA Award in 2011 . In 2016 , she portrayed First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the biographical drama Jackie . She was nominated for an Academy Award , a BAFTA Award , a Golden Globe Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award and won the BFCA for Best Actress .   In May 2008 , Portman served as the youngest member of the 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival jury . The same year she directed a segment of the collective film New York , I Love You . Her first feature film as a director , A Tale of Love and Darkness , was released in 2015 .


Dangerous Liaisons Dangerous Liaisons is a 1988 American historical drama film based upon Christopher Hampton 's play Les liaisons dangereuses , which in turn was a theatrical adaptation of the 18th-century French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos .   The film was directed by Stephen Frears . The performances of Glenn Close , John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer , the cinematography of Philippe Rousselot , the costume design by James Acheson , and the screenplay by Christopher Hampton , garnered critical acclaim . Swoosie Kurtz , Mildred Natwick and Peter Capaldi appeared in supporting roles , as did the young , and then-relatively unknown , actors Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman .   The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards , including Best Picture ; it won those for Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Costume Design , and Best Art Direction .


On The Great British Sewing Bee, sewers are contestants that compete to be named "Britain's best home sewer".

The Great British Sewing Bee The Great British Sewing Bee is a BBC Two reality game show between 2 April 2013 and 4 July 2016 , in which amateur sewers compete to be named `` Britain 's best home sewer '' . A spin-off of the format of The Great British Bake Off , the programme is presented by Claudia Winkleman .


Clint Eastwood has never one an  Academy Award.

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. '' ' ( born May 31 , 1930 ) is an American actor , filmmaker , musician , and political figure . After achieving success in the Western TV series Rawhide , he rose to international fame with his role as the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone 's Dollars trilogy of spaghetti Westerns during the 1960s , and as antihero cop Harry Callahan in the five Dirty Harry films throughout the 1970s and 1980s . These roles , among others , have made Eastwood an enduring cultural icon of masculinity .   For his work in the Western film Unforgiven ( 1992 ) and the sports drama Million Dollar Baby ( 2004 ) , Eastwood won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture , as well as receiving nominations for Best Actor . Eastwood 's greatest commercial successes have been the adventure comedy Every Which Way But Loose ( 1978 ) and its sequel , the action comedy Any Which Way You Can ( 1980 ) , after adjustment for inflation . Other popular films include the Western Hang 'Em High ( 1968 ) , the psychological thriller Play Misty for Me ( 1971 ) , the crime film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot ( 1974 ) , the Western The Outlaw Josey Wales ( 1976 ) , the prison film Escape from Alcatraz ( 1979 ) , the action film Firefox ( 1982 ) , the suspense thriller Tightrope ( 1984 ) , the Western Pale Rider ( 1985 ) , the war films Where Eagles Dare ( 1968 ) , Heartbreak Ridge ( 1986 ) , the action thriller In the Line of Fire ( 1993 ) , the romantic drama The Bridges of Madison County ( 1995 ) , and the drama Gran Torino ( 2008 ) .   In addition to directing many of his own star vehicles , Eastwood has also directed films in which he did not appear , such as the mystery drama Mystic River ( 2003 ) and the war film Letters from Iwo Jima ( 2006 ) , for which he received Academy Award nominations , and the drama Changeling ( 2008 ) . The war drama biopic American Sniper '' ( 2014 ) set box office records for the largest January release ever and was also the largest opening ever for an Eastwood film .   Eastwood received considerable critical praise in France for several films , including some that were not well received in the United States . Eastwood has been awarded two of France 's highest honors : in 1994 he became a recipient of the Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres , and in 2007 he was awarded the Legion of Honour medal . In 2000 , Eastwood was awarded the Italian Venice Film Festival Golden Lion for lifetime achievement .   Since 1967 , Eastwood has run his own production company , Malpaso , which has produced all but four of his American films . Starting in 1986 , Eastwood served for two years as Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea , California , a non-partisan office .


Mao Zedong Mao Zedong or Mao Tse-tung ( -LSB- ˈmaʊ_dzəˈdʊŋ , _ zə - , _ - dɒŋ -RSB- December 26 , 1893September 9 , 1976 ) , also known as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese communist revolutionary and founding father of the People 's Republic of China , which he governed as the Chairman of the Communist Party of China from its establishment in 1949 , until his death in 1976 . His Marxist -- Leninist theories , military strategies , and political policies are collectively known as Maoism or Marxism-Leninism-Maoism .   Born the son of a wealthy farmer in Shaoshan , Hunan , Mao adopted a Chinese nationalist and anti-imperialist outlook in early life , particularly influenced by the events of the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 and May Fourth Movement of 1919 . Mao adopted Marxism -- Leninism while working at Peking University and became a founding member of the Communist Party of China ( CPC ) , leading the Autumn Harvest Uprising in 1927 . During the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang ( KMT ) and the CPC , Mao helped to found the Chinese Workers ' and Peasants ' Red Army , led the Jiangxi Soviet 's radical land policies and ultimately became head of the CPC during the Long March . Although the CPC temporarily allied with the KMT under the United Front during the Second Sino-Japanese War ( 1937 -- 45 ) , after Japan 's defeat China 's civil war resumed and in 1949 Mao 's forces defeated the Nationalists who withdrew to Taiwan .   On 1 October 1949 , Mao proclaimed the foundation of the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) , a one-party state controlled by the CPC . In the following years Mao solidified his control through a campaign of classicide against landlords , and a mass purge of perceived enemies of the state he termed as `` counter-revolutionaries '' alleged to have caused between 2,000,000 to 6,000,000 deaths . ( Mao himself admitting 800,000 deaths in the classicide and 712,000 in the suppression of Counterrevolutionaries ) In 1957 , he launched the Great Leap Forward campaign that aimed to rapidly transform China 's economy from an agrarian economy to an industrial one . The campaign contributed to a widespread famine , whose death toll is estimated at between 15,000,000 and 55,000,000 . In 1966 , he initiated the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution , a program to remove `` counter-revolutionary '' elements of Chinese society that lasted 10 years and which was marked by violent class struggle that killed 400,000 to 10,000,000 people , widespread destruction of cultural artifacts and unprecedented elevation of Mao 's personality cult . In 1972 , Mao welcomed American President Richard Nixon in Beijing , signalling a policy of opening China , which was furthered under the rule of Deng Xiaoping ( 1978 -- 1992 ) . Mao suffered a series of heart attacks in 1976 , and died in September , aged 82 . He was succeeded as Paramount leader by Hua Guofeng ( 1976 -- 1978 ) , who was quickly sidelined and replaced by Deng .   A controversial figure , Mao is regarded as one of the most important individuals in modern world history , and is also known as a theorist , military strategist , poet and visionary . Supporters credit him with driving imperialism out of China , modernising China and building it into a world power , promoting the status of women , improving education and health care , and increasing life expectancy as China 's population grew from around 550 million to over 900 million under his leadership . In contrast , critics consider him a dictator comparable to Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin who damaged traditional Chinese culture , as well as considering him a perpetrator of human rights abuses , and they estimate that Mao was responsible for 40 to 70 million deaths through starvation , prison labour and executions , which would rank his tenure as the top incidence of excess mortality in human history .


Gerald Ford was president of the United States.

Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford , Jr. ( born Leslie Lynch King , Jr. ; July 14 , 1913 -- December 26 , 2006 ) was an American politician who served as the 38th President of the United States from 1974 to 1977 , following the resignation of Richard Nixon . Prior to this he served eight months as the 40th Vice President of the United States , following the resignation of Spiro Agnew . He was the first person appointed to the vice presidency under the terms of the 25th Amendment , and consequently the only person to have served as both Vice President and President of the United States without being elected to executive office . Before his appointment to the vice presidency , Ford served 25 years as U.S. Representative from Michigan 's 5th congressional district , the final nine of them as the House Minority Leader .   As President , Ford signed the Helsinki Accords , marking a move toward détente in the Cold War . With the conquest of South Vietnam by North Vietnam nine months into his presidency , U.S. involvement in Vietnam essentially ended . Domestically , Ford presided over the worst economy in the four decades since the Great Depression , with growing inflation and a recession during his tenure . One of his most controversial acts was to grant a presidential pardon to President Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal . During Ford 's presidency , foreign policy was characterized in procedural terms by the increased role Congress began to play , and by the corresponding curb on the powers of the President . In the Republican presidential primary campaign of 1976 , Ford defeated former California Governor Ronald Reagan for the Republican nomination . He narrowly lost the presidential election to the Democratic challenger , former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter , making him the first President who succeeded to office as a result of a mid-term vacancy since Chester A. Arthur not to be elected in his own right .   Following his years as President , Ford remained active in the Republican Party . After experiencing health problems , he died at home on December 26 , 2006 . Ford lived longer than any other U.S. president -- 93 years and 165 days -- while his 895-day presidency was the shortest of all presidents who did not die in office .


Anni-Frid Lyngstad Anni-Frid Synni , Princess Reuss of Plauen ( Anni-Frid Synni , Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen born Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad , -LSB- ² ɑnːɪˌfriːd ˈlʏŋstɑ -RSB- ; -LSB- ² anːɪˌfriːd ˈlʏŋstɑːd -RSB- , 15 November 1945 ) , widely known as Frida Lyngstad or by just the mononym Frida ( -LSB- ² friːdɑ -RSB- ; -LSB- ² friːda -RSB- ) , is a Swedish pop and jazz singer . Born in Norway to a Norwegian mother and a German father , she grew up in Sweden and reached international stardom as a member of the pop group ABBA , which has sold over 380 million albums and singles worldwide , making them one of the best-selling music artists in history . After the break-up of ABBA , she continued an international solo singing career with mixed success , releasing the albums Something 's Going On ( 1982 ) and Shine ( 1984 ) ; the latter being her last international album to date . In 1996 , Frida recorded a final album in Swedish ( Djupa andetag ) before ` retiring ' from music .   In April 1964 , aged 18 she married Ragnar Fredriksson . Immediately after their divorce in 1970 , Lyngstad courted eventual ABBA band member Benny Andersson , co-habiting until they officially married in 1978 . The couple separated in 1980 and divorced in 1981 . In 1992 , Lyngstad married Heinrich Ruzzo , Prince Reuss of Plauen , who was a prince of the former sovereign House of Reuss ; since then she holds the titles of Princess Reuss and Countess of Plauen with the style of Her Serene Highness . The prince died of lymphoma in October 1999 . Lyngstad currently lives in Zermatt , Switzerland , sharing a home with her British boyfriend , Henry Smith , 5th Viscount Hambleden , since 2008 .


Elvis & Nixon Elvis & Nixon is a 2016 American comedy-drama film directed by Liza Johnson and written by Joey Sagal , Hanala Sagal , and Cary Elwes . The film stars Kevin Spacey as President Richard Nixon and Michael Shannon as singer Elvis Presley , and focuses on the December 21 , 1970 meeting between the two men at the White House . The film also stars Alex Pettyfer , Johnny Knoxville , Colin Hanks , and Evan Peters . The film was released on April 22 , 2016 by Amazon Studios and Bleecker Street .


In the 1990s, Tony Blair participated in the Northern Ireland peace process.

Tony Blair Anthony Charles Lynton Blair ( born 6 May 1953 ) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007 . He remains the most recent Labour Party leader to have won a general election .   From 1983 to 2007 , Blair was the Member of Parliament ( MP ) for Sedgefield . He was elected Labour Party leader in July 1994 , following the sudden death of his predecessor , John Smith , who together with his predecessor , Neil Kinnock , had started to move the party closer to the political centre , in the hope of winning power . Under Blair 's leadership , the party used the phrase `` New Labour '' , to distance it from previous Labour policies and the traditional conception of socialism . Blair declared support for a new conception that he referred to as `` social-ism '' , involving politics that recognised individuals as socially interdependent , and advocated social justice , cohesion , the equal worth of each citizen , and equal opportunity , also referred to as the Third Way . Critics of Blair denounced him for having the Labour Party abandon genuine socialism and accepting capitalism . Supporters , including the party 's public opinion pollster Philip Gould , stated that after four consecutive general election defeats , from 1979 to 1992 , the Labour Party had to demonstrate that it had made a decisive break from its left-wing past , in order to win an election again .   In May 1997 , the Labour Party won a landslide general election victory , the largest in its history , allowing Blair , at 43 years old , to become the youngest Prime Minister since 1812 . In September 1997 , Blair attained early personal popularity , receiving a 93 % public approval rating , after his public response to the death of Princess Diana . The Labour Party went on to win two more elections under his leadership : in 2001 , in which it won another landslide victory , and in 2005 , with a reduced majority . In the first years of the New Labour government , Blair 's government introduced the National Minimum Wage Act , Human Rights Act , and Freedom of Information Act . Blair 's government also devolved power , establishing the Scottish Parliament , the National Assembly for Wales , and the Northern Ireland Assembly . In Northern Ireland , Blair was involved in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement .   Blair strongly supported the foreign policy of the Bush administration , and ensured that the British Armed Forces participated in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and , more controversially , the 2003 invasion of Iraq . Blair has faced strong criticism for his role in the invasion of Iraq , including calls for having him tried for war crimes and waging a war of aggression . In 2016 , the Iraq Inquiry strongly criticised his actions and described the invasion of Iraq as unjustified and unnecessary . Blair also intervened militarily in Kosovo and Sierra Leone .   Blair was succeeded as the leader of the Labour Party and as Prime Minister by Gordon Brown in June 2007 . On the day that Blair resigned as Prime Minister , he was appointed the official Special Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East , an office which he held until May 2015 . He now runs a consultancy business and has set up various foundations in his own name , including the Tony Blair Faith Foundation .


In Despicable Me 3, Steve Carell plays a single role.

Despicable Me 3 Despicable Me 3 is an upcoming American 3D computer-animated comedy film that is being produced by Illumination Entertainment and released by Universal Pictures . It will be the third installment in the Despicable Me film series , and the sequel to Despicable Me 2 ( 2013 ) . Directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda , and co-directed by Eric Guillon , the film is written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio . It stars the voices of Steve Carell in a dual role , Kristen Wiig , and Trey Parker . It will premiere on June 14 , 2017 , at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival , and is scheduled to be released in the United States on June 30 , 2017 by Universal Pictures .


Zooey Deschanel Zooey Claire Deschanel ( -LSB- ˈzoʊi_ˌdeɪʃəˈnɛl -RSB- born January 17 , 1980 ) is an American actress and singer-songwriter . She made her film debut in Mumford ( 1999 ) , followed by her supporting role in Cameron Crowe 's semi-autobiographical picture Almost Famous ( 2000 ) . Deschanel soon became known for her deadpan comedy roles in films such as The Good Girl ( 2002 ) , The New Guy ( 2002 ) , Elf ( 2003 ) , The Hitchhiker 's Guide to the Galaxy ( 2005 ) , Failure to Launch ( 2006 ) , Yes Man ( 2008 ) , and ( 500 ) Days of Summer ( 2009 ) . She also did dramatic turns in the films Manic ( 2001 ) , All the Real Girls ( 2003 ) , Winter Passing ( 2005 ) and Bridge to Terabithia ( 2007 ) . Since 2011 , she has played Jessica Day on the Fox sitcom New Girl , for which she has received an Emmy Award nomination and three Golden Globe Award nominations .   For a few years starting in 2001 , Deschanel performed in the jazz cabaret act If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies with fellow actress Samantha Shelton . Besides singing , she plays keyboards , percussion , banjo , and ukulele . In 2006 , Deschanel teamed up with M. Ward to release a debut album , Volume One , under the name She & Him in March 2008 . They released a follow-up album , Volume Two , in March 2010 , with their Christmas album A Very She & Him Christmas being released in 2011 , Volume 3 in 2013 , and Classics in 2014 . She also received Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media nomination for her song `` So Long '' , which featured in the Winnie the Pooh soundtrack .   Deschanel is also a co-founder of the female-focused website HelloGiggles , which was acquired by Time , Inc. in 2015 .


Absolute Beginners featured Patsy Kensit in a mainstream role.

Absolute Beginners (film) Absolute Beginners is a 1986 British rock musical film adapted from Colin MacInnes ' book of the same name about life in late 1950s London . The film was directed by Julien Temple , featured David Bowie and Sade , and Patsy Kensit in one of her first mainstream roles . The film was screened out of competition at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival .   Upon release , Absolute Beginners received immense coverage in the British media . At the time , the British film industry was perceived as being on the point of collapse ( with the recent failure of the film Revolution ) . However , the film was panned by critics and became a box office bomb . Some of the criticisms included stylistic anachronisms , such as the mini-skirt and decidedly 1980s music from the likes of The Style Council and Sade , the bowdlerisation of Kensit 's character ( Crepe Suzette had been depicted as a promiscuous `` negrophile '' in the book ) , and the casting of Bowie , who made it a condition of his musical contribution . Although the film was not a success , Bowie 's theme song was very popular in the UK and reached number two in the charts .   The commercial failure of Absolute Beginners and another film released about the same time , The Mission , led to the collapse of Goldcrest , a major British film studio .


Led Zeppelin II Led Zeppelin II is the eponymous second studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin , released on 22 October 1969 in the United States and on 31 October 1969 in the United Kingdom by Atlantic Records . Recording sessions for the album took place at several locations in both the United Kingdom and North America from January to August 1969 . The album 's production was credited to the band 's lead guitarist and songwriter Jimmy Page , and it also served as Led Zeppelin 's first album to utilise the recording techniques of the engineer Eddie Kramer . Incorporating several elements of blues and folk music , Led Zeppelin II exhibited the band 's evolving musical style of blues-derived material and their guitar riff-based sound . It has been described as the band 's heaviest album .   Led Zeppelin II was a commercial success , and was the band 's first album to reach number one on charts in the UK and the US . In 1970 , the album 's cover designer David Juniper was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package . On 15 November 1999 , the album was certified 12 × Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) for sales passing 12 million copies . Since its release , various writers and music critics have regularly cited Led Zeppelin II as one of the greatest and most influential rock albums of all time .


Impeachment is only a formal statement of allegations.

Impeachment Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body formally levels charges against a high official of government . Impeachment does not necessarily mean removal from office ; it is only a formal statement of charges , akin to an indictment in criminal law , and is thus only the first step towards removal . Once an individual is impeached , he or she must then face the possibility of conviction via legislative vote , which then entails the removal of the individual from office .   Because impeachment and conviction of officials involve an overturning of the normal constitutional procedures by which individuals achieve high office ( election , ratification , or appointment ) and because it generally requires a supermajority , they are usually reserved for those deemed to have committed serious abuses of their office . In the United States , for example , impeachment at the federal level is limited to those who may have committed `` high crimes and misdemeanors '' . Several federal officials , including two US presidents ( Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton , who were both acquitted ) and several judges , have been impeached over the course of US history . US President Richard Nixon resigned during the Watergate scandal before impeachment proceedings could begin .   The federal procedure in the United States involves a vote for impeachment in the House of Representatives on a document known as the article of impeachment . Each separate grounds will be a separate article . House members who support the impeachment then appoint managers who will act like prosecutors in the preparation for the Senate hearing . The hearing for removal is conducted in the Senate and in the case of the impeachment of a president , the Chief Justice of the United States presides over the proceedings ( otherwise the vice-president presides ) , which are conducted as a trial with witnesses being heard under oath or affirmation . The defendant has the right to legal counsel , the right to cross-examine all witnesses , and the opportunity to testify in his or her defense . The senators must also take an oath or affirmation that they will perform their duties honestly and with due diligence . The hearing can not be conducted without a 50 % plus one quorum . After the hearing , the deliberations are held in private . Removal requires a two-thirds majority of the Senate .   Impeachment has its origins in English law but fell out of use in the 18th century . It exists under constitutional law in many nations around the world , including Brazil , the Republic of Ireland , Philippines , Russia , South Korea and the United States .


Rod Laver won eight Pro Slam titles over 7 years.

Rod Laver Rodney George `` Rod '' Laver ( born 9 August 1938 ) is an Australian former tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest in tennis history . He was the No. 1 ranked professional from 1964 to 1970 , spanning four years before and three years after the start of the Open Era . He also was the No. 1 amateur in 1961 -- 62 according to Lance Tingay .   Laver 's 200 singles titles are the most in tennis history , and he holds the all-time male singles records of 22 titles in a single season ( 1962 ) and seven consecutive years ( 1964 -- 70 ) winning at least 10 titles per season . He excelled on all of the court surfaces of his time : grass , clay , hard , carpet , and wood/parquet .   Despite being banned from playing the Grand Slam tournaments for the five years prior to the Open Era , he still won 11 singles titles . He is the only player to twice achieve the calendar-year Grand Slam , in 1962 ( pre-open era ) and 1969 ( open era ) , and remains the only man to do so during the Open Era . He also won eight Pro Slam titles , including the calendar year Pro `` Grand Slam '' in 1967 , and contributed to five Davis Cup titles for Australia during an age when Davis Cup was deemed as significant as the Grand Slams .


Saddam Hussein was the president of Iraq.

Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic : صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي ; 28 April 1937 -- 30 December 2006 ) was the fifth President of Iraq , serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003 . A leading member of the revolutionary Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party , and later , the Baghdad-based Ba'ath Party and its regional organization the Iraqi Ba'ath Party -- which espoused Ba'athism , a mix of Arab nationalism and socialism -- Saddam played a key role in the 1968 coup ( later referred to as the 17 July Revolution ) that brought the party to power in Iraq .   As vice president under the ailing General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr , and at a time when many groups were considered capable of overthrowing the government , Saddam created security forces through which he tightly controlled conflict between the government and the armed forces . In the early 1970s , Saddam nationalized oil and other industries . The state-owned banks were put under his control , leaving the system eventually insolvent mostly due to the Iran -- Iraq War , the Gulf War , and UN sanctions . Through the 1970s , Saddam cemented his authority over the apparatuses of government as oil money helped Iraq 's economy to grow at a rapid pace . Positions of power in the country were mostly filled with Sunni Arabs , a minority that made up only a fifth of the population .   Saddam formally rose to power in 1979 , although he had been the de facto head of Iraq for several years prior . He suppressed several movements , particularly Shi'a and Kurdish movements , seeking to overthrow the government or gain independence , and maintained power during the Iran -- Iraq War and the Gulf War . Whereas some in the Arab world lauded Saddam for his opposition to the United States and for attacking Israel -- he was widely condemned for the brutality of his dictatorship . The total number of Iraqis killed by the security services of Saddam 's government in various purges and genocides is conservatively estimated at 250,000 .   In 2003 , a coalition led by the U.S. invaded Iraq to depose Saddam , in which U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair accused him of possessing weapons of mass destruction and having ties to al-Qaeda . Saddam 's Ba'ath party was disbanded and elections were held . Following his capture on 13 December 2003 , the trial of Saddam took place under the Iraqi Interim Government . On 5 November 2006 , Saddam was convicted of charges of crimes against humanity related to the 1982 killing of 148 Iraqi Shi'ites , and was sentenced to death by hanging . His execution was carried out on 30 December 2006 .


Taylor Kitsch only worked on the 2012 film Savages.

Taylor Kitsch Taylor Kitsch ( born April 8 , 1981 ) is a Canadian actor and model . He is best known for his work in films such as X-Men Origins : Wolverine ( 2009 ) , Battleship ( 2012 ) , John Carter ( 2012 ) , Savages ( 2012 ) , and Lone Survivor ( 2013 ) .   Kitsch is also known for his work in television , he portrayed Tim Riggins in the NBC series Friday Night Lights ( 2006 -- 2011 ) , starred in the second season of the HBO series True Detective as Paul Woodrugh , and appeared in the television film The Normal Heart ( 2014 ) as Bruce Niles .


Land Rover Land Rover is a car brand that specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles , owned by British multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover , which has been owned by India 's Tata Motors since 2008 . The Land Rover is regarded as a British icon , and was granted a Royal Warrant by King George VI in 1951 .   The Land Rover name was originally used by the Rover Company for the Land Rover Series , launched in 1948 . It developed into a brand encompassing a range of four-wheel-drive models , including the Defender , Discovery , Freelander , Range Rover , Range Rover Sport , and Range Rover Evoque . Land Rovers are currently assembled in the company 's Halewood and Solihull plants , with research and development taking place at the Gaydon and Whitley engineering centres . Land Rover sold 194,000 vehicles worldwide in 2009 .   In September 2013 , Jaguar Land Rover announced plans to open a # 100 million ( US$ 160 million ) research and development centre in the University of Warwick , Coventry to create a next generation of vehicle technologies . The carmaker said around 1,000 academics and engineers would work there and that construction would start in 2014 .


Kate & Leopold partially takes place in New York in 1876.

Kate & Leopold Kate & Leopold is a 2001 romantic-comedy fantasy that tells a story of a duke who travels through time from New York in 1876 to the present and falls in love with a woman in modern New York . The film is directed by James Mangold and stars Meg Ryan , Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber .


Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury , ( born 16 October 1925 ) is a British-American-Irish actress who has appeared in theatre , television and film , as well as a producer , voice actress , singer , and songwriter . Her career has spanned seven decades , much of it in the United States , and her work has attracted international attention .   Lansbury was born to an upper-middle-class family in central London , the daughter of actress Moyna Macgill and politician Edgar Lansbury . To escape the Blitz , in 1940 she moved to the United States with her mother and two younger brothers , and studied acting in New York City . Proceeding to Hollywood in 1942 , she signed to MGM and obtained her first film roles , in Gaslight ( 1944 ) and The Picture of Dorian Gray ( 1945 ) , earning her two Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe Award . She appeared in eleven further MGM films , mostly in minor roles , and after her contract ended in 1952 she began supplementing her cinematic work with theatrical appearances . Although largely seen as a B-list star during this period , her appearance in the film The Manchurian Candidate ( 1962 ) received widespread acclaim and is cited as being one of her finest performances . Moving into musical theatre , Lansbury finally gained stardom for playing the leading role in the Broadway musical Mame ( 1966 ) , which earned her a range of awards and established her as a gay icon .   Amid difficulties in her personal life , Lansbury moved from California to County Cork , Ireland , in 1970 , and continued with a variety of theatrical and cinematic appearances throughout that decade . These included leading roles in the stage musicals Gypsy , Sweeney Todd , and The King and I , as well as in the hit Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks ( 1971 ) . Moving into television , she achieved worldwide fame as fictional writer and sleuth Jessica Fletcher in the American whodunit series Murder , She Wrote , which ran for twelve seasons from 1984 until 1996 , becoming one of the longest-running and most popular detective drama series in television history . Through Corymore Productions , a company that she co-owned with her husband Peter Shaw , Lansbury assumed ownership of the series and was its executive producer for the final four seasons . She also moved into voice work , thereby contributing to animated films such as Disney 's Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) . Since then , she has toured in a variety of international theatrical productions and continued to make occasional film appearances .   In 2014 , Lansbury was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in a ceremony at Windsor Castle for `` services to drama , charitable work , and philanthropy . '' Lansbury has received an Honorary Oscar and has won five Tony Awards , six Golden Globes , an Olivier Award , and one Grammy Award . She has also been nominated for numerous other industry awards , including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress on three occasions , and various Primetime Emmy Awards on eighteen occasions . She has been the subject of three biographies .


Saratoga failed to be produced and so no actors were included.

Saratoga (film) Saratoga is a 1937 American romantic comedy film written by Anita Loos and directed by Jack Conway . The film stars Clark Gable and Jean Harlow in their sixth and final film collaboration , and features Lionel Barrymore , Frank Morgan , Walter Pidgeon , Hattie McDaniel , and Margaret Hamilton .   Jean Harlow died before filming was finished , and it was completed using stand-ins . Saratoga was MGM 's biggest moneymaker of 1937 .


Captain America: The Winter Soldier premiered on March 13, 2014.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Captain America : The Winter Soldier is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2011 's Captain America : The First Avenger and the ninth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film was directed by Anthony and Joe Russo , with a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely , who had also written The First Avenger . It stars Chris Evans as Captain America , leading an ensemble cast that includes Scarlett Johansson , Sebastian Stan , Anthony Mackie , Cobie Smulders , Frank Grillo , Emily VanCamp , Hayley Atwell , Robert Redford , and Samuel L. Jackson . In Captain America : The Winter Soldier , Captain America , Black Widow , and Falcon join forces to uncover a conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. while facing a mysterious assassin known as the Winter Soldier .   A major influence in The Winter Soldier was conspiracy fiction from the 1970s such as Three Days of the Condor , with the script also drawing from the Winter Soldier story arc written by Ed Brubaker . The script was written in 2011 , with the Russo brothers entering negotiations to direct in June 2012 and casting beginning the following month . Principal photography commenced in April 2013 in Los Angeles , California before moving to Washington , D.C. and Cleveland , Ohio . While the directors aimed for more realism , with focus on practical effects and intense stunt work , 2,500 visual effects shots were done by six different companies .   Captain America : The Winter Soldier premiered in Los Angeles on March 13 , 2014 . It was released internationally on March 26 , 2014 , and in North America on April 4 , 2014 , in 2D , 3D , and IMAX 3D . The film became a critical and commercial success , grossing over $ 714 million worldwide . It also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects . A sequel titled Captain America : Civil War also directed by the Russo brothers was released on May 6 , 2016 .


Jim Parsons stars in The Big Bang Theory.

Jim Parsons James Joseph Parsons ( born March 24 , 1973 ) is an American actor . He is known for playing Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory . He has received several awards for his performance , including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy .   In 2011 , Parsons made his Broadway debut portraying Tommy Boatwright in the play The Normal Heart , for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination . He reprised the role in the film adaptation of the play , and received his seventh Emmy nomination , this time in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie .


The Hobbit received narrow critical acclaim.

The Hobbit The Hobbit , or There and Back Again is a children 's fantasy novel by English author J. R. R. Tolkien . It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim , being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction . The book remains popular and is recognized as a classic in children 's literature .   The Hobbit is set in a time `` between the Dawn of Færie and the Dominion of Men '' , and follows the quest of home-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by Smaug the dragon . Bilbo 's journey takes him from light-hearted , rural surroundings into more sinister territory .   The story is told in the form of an episodic quest , and most chapters introduce a specific creature or type of creature of Tolkien 's geography . Bilbo gains a new level of maturity , competence , and wisdom by accepting the disreputable , romantic , fey , and adventurous sides of his nature and applying his wits and common sense .  The story reaches its climax in the Battle of the Five Armies , where many of the characters and creatures from earlier chapters re-emerge to engage in conflict .   Personal growth and forms of heroism are central themes of the story , along with motifs of warfare . These themes have led critics to view Tolkien 's own experiences during World War I as instrumental in shaping the story . The author 's scholarly knowledge of Germanic philology and interest in fairy tales are often noted as influences .   The publisher was encouraged by the book 's critical and financial success and , therefore , requested a sequel . As Tolkien 's work progressed on the successor The Lord of the Rings , he made retrospective accommodations for it in The Hobbit . These few but significant changes were integrated into the second edition . Further editions followed with minor emendations , including those reflecting Tolkien 's changing concept of the world into which Bilbo stumbled .   The work has never been out of print . Its ongoing legacy encompasses many adaptations for stage , screen , radio , board games , and video games . Several of these adaptations have received critical recognition on their own merits .


Taal (film) Taal ( English : Rhythm ) is a 1999 Bollywood musical romantic drama film co written , edited , produced and directed by Subhash Ghai . Taal was an official selection for the 2005 Ebertfest : Roger Ebert 's Film Festival . Taal was screened retrospectively , during the 2014 International Film Festival of India in the Celebrating Dance in Indian cinema section .   The film stars Anil Kapoor , Akshaye Khanna , Aishwarya Rai , Amrish Puri and Alok Nath . It was also dubbed in Tamil as Thaalam . It was very successful in India and overseas , becoming the first Indian film to reach the top 20 on Variety 's box office list . Anil Kapoor , A. R. Rahman , Alka Yagnik and Anand Bakshi each won a Filmfare Award for their work in the film .


Egypt is a member of the Organisation of Islamic Noncooperation.

Egypt Egypt ( -LSB- ˈiːdʒɪpt -RSB- ; مِصر , مَصر , Kimi ) , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt , is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula . Egypt is a Mediterranean country bordered by the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast , the Gulf of Aqaba to the east , the Red Sea to the east and south , Sudan to the south , and Libya to the west . Across the Gulf of Aqaba lies Jordan , and across from the Sinai Peninsula lies Saudi Arabia , although Jordan and Saudi Arabia do not share a land border with Egypt .   Egypt has one of the longest histories of any modern country , emerging as one of the world 's first nation states in the tenth millennium BC . Considered a cradle of civilisation , Ancient Egypt experienced some of the earliest developments of writing , agriculture , urbanisation , organised religion and central government . Iconic monuments such as the Giza Necropolis and its Great Sphinx , as well the ruins of Memphis , Thebes , Karnak , and the Valley of the Kings , reflect this legacy and remain a significant focus of archaeological study and popular interest worldwide . Egypt 's rich cultural heritage is an integral part of its national identity , which has endured , and at times assimilated , various foreign influences , including Greek , Persian , Roman , Arab , Ottoman , and European . One of the earliest centres of Christianity , Egypt was Islamised in the seventh century and remains a predominantly Muslim country , albeit with a significant Christian minority .   With over 92 million inhabitants , Egypt is the most populous country in North Africa and the Arab world , the third-most populous in Africa ( after Nigeria and Ethiopia ) , and the fifteenth-most populous in the world . The great majority of its people live near the banks of the Nile River , an area of about 40000 km2 , where the only arable land is found . The large regions of the Sahara desert , which constitute most of Egypt 's territory , are sparsely inhabited . About half of Egypt 's residents live in urban areas , with most spread across the densely populated centres of greater Cairo , Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta .   Modern Egypt is considered to be a regional and middle power , with significant cultural , political , and military influence in North Africa , the Middle East and the Muslim world . Egypt 's economy is one of the largest and most diversified in the Middle East , and is projected to become one of the largest in the 21st century . Egypt is a member of the United Nations , Non-Aligned Movement , Arab League , African Union , and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation .


Tanzania's government does not plan to discontinue English as a language of instruction.

Tanzania Tanzania -LSB- ˌtænzəˈniːə -RSB- , officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania ) , is a country in Eastern Africa within the African Great Lakes region . Parts of the country are in Southern Africa . It is bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north ; Rwanda , Burundi , and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west ; Zambia , Malawi , and Mozambique to the south ; and by the Indian Ocean to the east . Mount Kilimanjaro , Africa 's highest mountain , is in northeastern Tanzania .   Tanzania 's population of 51.82 million ( 2014 ) is diverse , composed of several ethnic , linguistic , and religious groups . Tanzania is a presidential constitutional republic , and since 1996 , its official capital city has been Dodoma , where the President 's Office , the National Assembly , and some government ministries are located . Dar es Salaam , the former capital , retains most government offices and is the country 's largest city , principal port , and leading commercial centre . Tanzania is a one party dominant state with the socialist-progressive Chama Cha Mapinduzi ( CCM ) party in power . From its formation until 1992 , it was the only legally permitted party in the country . This changed on 1 July 1992 , when amendments to the Constitution and a number of laws permitting and regulating the formation and operations of more than one political party were enacted by the National Assembly . Elections for president and all National Assembly seats were last held in October 2015 . The CCM holds approximately 75 % of the seats in the assembly .   Prehistoric population migrations include Southern Cushitic speakers , who are ancestral to the Iraqw , Gorowa , and Burunge and who moved south from Ethiopia into Tanzania . Based on linguistic evidence , there may also have been two movements into Tanzania of Eastern Cushitic people at about 4,000 and 2,000 years ago , originating from north of Lake Turkana . Archaeological evidence supports the conclusion that Southern Nilotes , including the Datoog , moved south from the present-day South Sudan-Ethiopia border region into central northern Tanzania between 2,900 and 2,400 years ago . These movements took place at about the same time as the settlement of the iron-making Mashariki Bantu from West Africa in the Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika areas . They brought with them the west African planting tradition and the primary staple of yams . They subsequently migrated out of these regions across the rest of Tanzania , between 2,300 and 1,700 years ago . European colonialism began in mainland Tanzania during the late 19th century when Germany formed German East Africa , which gave way to British rule following World War I . The mainland was governed as Tanganyika , with the Zanzibar Archipelago remaining a separate colonial jurisdiction . Following their respective independence in 1961 and 1963 , the two entities merged in April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania .   Tanzania is mountainous and densely forested in the northeast , where Mount Kilimanjaro is located . Three of Africa 's Great Lakes are partly within Tanzania . To the north and west lie Lake Victoria , Africa 's largest lake , and Lake Tanganyika , the continent 's deepest lake , known for its unique species of fish . The eastern shore is hot and humid , with the Zanzibar Archipelago just offshore . The Kalambo water falls in the southwestern region of Rukwa are the second highest uninterrupted fall in Africa and are located near the southeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika on the border with Zambia . The Menai Bay Conservation Area is Zanzibar 's largest marine protected area .   Over 100 different languages are spoken in Tanzania , making it the most linguistically diverse country in East Africa . Among the languages spoken in Tanzania are all four of Africa 's language families : Bantu , Cushitic , Nilotic , and Khoisan . Swahili and English are Tanzania 's official languages . A highly multilingual country , Swahili is used in parliamentary debate , in the lower courts , and as a medium of instruction in primary school ; and English is used in foreign trade , in diplomacy , in higher courts , and as a medium of instruction in secondary and higher education , although the Tanzanian government plans to discontinue English as a language of instruction altogether . In connection with his Ujamaa social policies , President Nyerere encouraged the use of Swahili ; as a means of unifying the country 's many ethnic groups . Approximately 10 % of Tanzanians speak Swahili as a first language , and up to 90 % speak it as a second language . Most Tanzanians thus speak both Swahili and a local language ; many educated Tanzanians are trilingual ; also speaking English . The widespread use and promotion of Swahili is contributing to the decline of smaller languages in the country . Young children increasingly speak Swahili as a first language , mostly in urban areas .   Tanzania-Malawi relations have been tense because of a dispute over the countries ' Lake Nyasa ( Lake Malawi ) border . An unsuccessful mediation regarding this issue happened in March 2014 . The two countries agreed in 2013 to ask the International Court of Justice ( ICJ ) to resolve the dispute should mediation be unsuccessful . Malawi , but not Tanzania , has accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ .


Jemaine Clement has played an instrument.

Jemaine Clement Jemaine Clement ( born 10 January 1974 ) is a New Zealand comedian , actor , voice actor , singer , writer , director , and multi-instrumentalist , known as one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords along with Bret McKenzie .


Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin ( -LSB- ˈstɑːlɪn -RSB- 18 December 1878 -- 5 March 1953 ) was a Soviet revolutionary , politician and political theorist . He governed the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953 . In this capacity , he served as the Premier of the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1953 and as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1952 . Ideologically a Marxist and a Leninist , he helped to formalise these ideas as Marxism-Leninism while his own policies and theories became known as Stalinism .   Stalin was born to a poor Georgian family in Gori , Russian Empire . After an education at Tiflis Spiritual Seminary , he joined the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party . Affiliated with Vladimir Lenin 's Bolshevik faction , he raised funds via underground activities such as the 1907 Tiflis bank robbery . After the Bolsheviks seized power in 1917 and established a one-party state , Stalin sat on the Politburo during the Russian Civil War . In 1922 Stalin became General Secretary and established the Soviet Union . Despite Lenin 's objection , power consolidated around Stalin and opposition removed following Lenin 's death in 1924 . During Stalin 's tenure the concept of `` Socialism in One Country '' became a central tenet of Soviet society , and a cult of personality developed around Stalin . Lenin 's New Economic Policy was replaced with a centralised command economy , industrialisation and collectivisation . These rapidly transformed the country from an agrarian society into an industrial power , but disrupted food production and contributed to the famine of 1933 -- 34 . Between 1934 and 1939 , Stalin organised the `` Great Purge '' , in which millions of so-called `` enemies of the working class '' , including senior political and military figures , were interned in Gulag-run prisons , exiled or executed , often without due process .   In August 1939 Stalin entered a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany , resulting in their invasion of Poland in September of that year . Germany ended the pact by invading the Soviet Union in 1941 . Despite initial setbacks , the Soviet Red Army halted the German incursion and captured Berlin in May 1945 , ending World War II in Europe . The Soviet Union annexed the Baltic states and backed the establishment of pro-Soviet Marxist governments both throughout Eastern Europe and in China , North Korea , and North Vietnam . The Soviet Union and United States emerged as the two world superpowers , and a period of tensions began between the Soviet-backed Eastern Bloc and U.S.-backed Western Bloc known as the Cold War . Stalin led the Soviet Union through its post-war reconstruction phase , during which it became the second country to develop a nuclear weapon , as well as launching the Great Plan for the Transformation of Nature in response to another major famine and the Great Construction Projects of Communism . Stalin died in 1953 and was succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev , who denounced Stalin and initiated a de-Stalinisation process .   Stalin is widely considered one of the most significant and influential figures of the 20th century . Stalinism influenced various Marxist-Leninist groups and governments across the world , for whom Stalin was a champion of socialism and the working class . After the fall of the Soviet Union , Stalin has been praised by supporters for his role in defeating Nazi Germany and establishing the Soviet Union as a major world power . Critics emphasise his role in causing millions of deaths and numerous political , religious and ethnic repressions .


Ronald Reagan was in office as president for eight years.

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( -LSB- ˈrɒnəld_ˈwɪlsən_ˈreɪɡən -RSB- ) ( February 6 , 1911 -- June 5 , 2004 ) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 . Before his presidency , he was the 33rd Governor of California , from 1967 to 1975 , after a career as a Hollywood actor and union leader .   Raised in a poor family in small towns of northern Illinois , Reagan graduated from Eureka College in 1932 and worked as a sports announcer on several regional radio stations . After moving to Hollywood in 1937 , he became an actor and starred in a few major productions . Reagan was twice elected President of the Screen Actors Guild , the labor union for actors , where he worked to root out Communist influence . In the 1950s , he moved into television and was a motivational speaker at General Electric factories . Having been a lifelong Democrat , his views changed . He became a conservative and in 1962 switched to the Republican Party . In 1964 , Reagan 's speech , `` A Time for Choosing '' , in support of Barry Goldwater 's foundering presidential campaign , earned him national attention as a new conservative spokesman . Building a network of supporters , he was elected Governor of California in 1966 . As governor , Reagan raised taxes , turned a state budget deficit to a surplus , challenged the protesters at the University of California , ordered National Guard troops in during a period of protest movements in 1969 , and was re-elected in 1970 . He twice ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the U.S. presidency in 1968 and 1976 ; four years later , he easily won the nomination outright , becoming the oldest elected U.S. president up to that time , defeating incumbent Jimmy Carter in 1980 .   Entering the presidency in 1981 , Reagan implemented sweeping new political and economic initiatives . His supply-side economic policies , dubbed `` Reaganomics '' , advocated tax rate reduction to spur economic growth , control of the money supply to curb inflation , economic deregulation , and reduction in government spending . In his first term he survived an assassination attempt , spurred the War on Drugs , and fought public sector labor . Over his two terms , the economy saw a reduction of inflation from 12.5 % to 4.4 % , and an average annual growth of real GDP of 3.4 ; while Reagan did enact cuts in domestic discretionary spending , tax cuts and increased military spending contributed to increased federal outlays overall , even after adjustment for inflation . During his re-election bid , Reagan campaigned on the notion that it was `` Morning in America '' , winning a landslide in 1984 with the largest electoral college victory in American history . Foreign affairs dominated his second term , including ending of the Cold War , the bombing of Libya , and the Iran -- Contra affair . Publicly describing the Soviet Union as an `` evil empire '' , and during his famous speech at the Brandenburg Gate , President Reagan challenged Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to `` tear down this wall ! '' . He transitioned Cold War policy from détente to rollback , by escalating an arms race with the USSR while engaging in talks with Gorbachev , which culminated in the INF Treaty , shrinking both countries ' nuclear arsenals . Reagan 's presidency came during the decline of the Soviet Union and just ten months after the end of his term , the Berlin Wall fell , and on December 26 , 1991 , nearly three years after he left office , the Soviet Union collapsed .   Leaving office in 1989 , Reagan held an approval rating of sixty-eight percent , matching those of Franklin D. Roosevelt , and later Bill Clinton , as the highest ratings for departing presidents in the modern era . He was the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve two full terms , after a succession of five prior presidents failed to do so . While having planned an active post-presidency , in 1994 Reagan disclosed his diagnosis with Alzheimer 's disease earlier that year , appearing publicly for the last time at the funeral of Richard Nixon ; he died ten years later in 2004 at the age of 93 ; Reagan had the second-longest life out of all the presidents ; the current longest lifespan of a president is held by Gerald Ford , who died two years after Reagan . An icon among Republicans , he is viewed favorably in historian rankings of U.S. presidents , and his tenure constituted a realignment toward conservative policies in the U.S.


Lauren Graham was only born on March 26, 1967.

Lauren Graham Lauren Helen Graham ( born March 16 , 1967 ) is an American actress and author . She is best recognized for her role as Lorelai Gilmore on the television series Gilmore Girls ( 2000 -- 07 ) , for which she received two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations , one Golden Globe nomination , and five Satellite Award nominations . She is also known for film roles in Sweet November ( 2001 ) , Bad Santa ( 2003 ) , The Pacifier ( 2005 ) , Because I Said So ( 2007 ) , and Evan Almighty ( 2007 ) . From 2010 to 2015 , Graham starred as Sarah Braverman on the NBC television drama Parenthood .   Graham published her debut novel in 2013 , Someday , Someday , Maybe , with Ballantine Books . She reprised her role as Lorelai Gilmore on Netflix 's reunion miniseries in 2016 , Gilmore Girls : A Year in the Life , and published a memoir , Talking as Fast as I Can : from Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls ( and Everything in Between ) .