7 Things is a statue of an American singer-songwriter.

7 Things `` 7 Things '' is a song by American singer-songwriter and actress Miley Cyrus . The song was co-written by Cyrus , Antonina Armato and Tim James , and produced by John Fields . It was released on June 17 , 2008 by Hollywood Records as the lead single from the first studio album released by Cyrus with no ties to her character Hannah Montana from the Disney Channel comedy series of the same name . Also registered as `` Seven Things I Hate About You '' , Cyrus developed the song during the Best of Both Worlds Tour while feeling numerous emotions for an ex-boyfriend , mainly anger . The song 's release brought allegations that it was about Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers , which Cyrus neither confirmed nor denied . Musically , `` 7 Things '' bears aspects of both country and pop rock , while the lyrics in the song 's refrain list seven traits Cyrus hates about an ex-boyfriend .   `` 7 Things '' received mixed to positive reviews from music critics and enjoyed worldwide commercial success , becoming a top ten hit on charts in Australia , Japan , Norway , and the United States . The single was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association ( ARIA ) , while its appearance on the Japan Hot 100 made `` 7 Things '' Cyrus ' first song to chart in an Asian country . The song 's accompanying music video was directed by Brett Ratner and features Cyrus performing the song with a back-up band as many teenage girls lipsync along . The girls clutch a variety of props , such as love letters and snow globes , inspired by personal items Cyrus ' ex had given her . The video was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award at both the 2008 and 2009 award shows . Cyrus promoted the song through several venues including her world tours , the Wonder World Tour and the Gypsy Heart Tour .


Dopamine sends signals to other neurons.

Dopamine Dopamine ( DA , contracted from 3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine ) is an organic chemical of the catecholamine and phenethylamine families that plays several important roles in the brain and body . It is an amine synthesized by removing a carboxyl group from a molecule of its precursor chemical L-DOPA , which is synthesized in the brain and kidneys . Dopamine is also synthesized in plants and most animals .   In the brain , dopamine functions as a neurotransmitter -- a chemical released by neurons ( nerve cells ) to send signals to other nerve cells . The brain includes several distinct dopamine pathways , one of which plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior . Most types of rewards increase the level of dopamine in the brain , and many addictive drugs increase dopamine neuronal activity . Other brain dopamine pathways are involved in motor control and in controlling the release of various hormones . These pathways and cell groups form a dopamine system which is neuromodulatory .   Outside the central nervous system , dopamine functions primarily as a local chemical messenger . In blood vessels , it inhibits norepinephrine release and acts as a vasodilator ( at normal concentrations ) ; in the kidneys , it increases sodium excretion and urine output ; in the pancreas , it reduces insulin production ; in the digestive system , it reduces gastrointestinal motility and protects intestinal mucosa ; and in the immune system , it reduces the activity of lymphocytes . With the exception of the blood vessels , dopamine in each of these peripheral systems is synthesized locally and exerts its effects near the cells that release it .   Several important diseases of the nervous system are associated with dysfunctions of the dopamine system , and some of the key medications used to treat them work by altering the effects of dopamine . Parkinson 's disease , a degenerative condition causing tremor and motor impairment , is caused by a loss of dopamine-secreting neurons in an area of the midbrain called the substantia nigra . Its metabolic precursor L-DOPA can be manufactured , and in its pure form marketed as Levodopa is the most widely used treatment for the condition . There is evidence that schizophrenia involves altered levels of dopamine activity , and most antipsychotic drugs used to treat this are dopamine antagonists which reduce dopamine activity . Similar dopamine antagonist drugs are also some of the most effective anti-nausea agents . Restless legs syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) are associated with decreased dopamine activity . Dopaminergic stimulants can be addictive in high doses , but some are used at lower doses to treat ADHD . Dopamine itself is available as a manufactured medication for intravenous injection : although it can not reach the brain from the bloodstream , its peripheral effects make it useful in the treatment of heart failure or shock , especially in newborn babies .


Stephen Hawking has a form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

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


Jessica Chastain has won a Golden Globe award.

Jessica Chastain Jessica Michelle Chastain ( born March 24 , 1977 ) is an American actress and film producer . Born in Carmichael , California , and raised in Sacramento , Chastain developed an interest in acting from a young age . In 1998 , she made her professional stage debut as Shakespeare 's Juliet . After studying acting at the Juilliard School , she was signed to a talent holding deal with the television producer John Wells . She was a recurring guest star in several television shows , including Law & Order : Trial by Jury . She also took on roles in the stage productions of Anton Chekhov 's play The Cherry Orchard in 2004 and Oscar Wilde 's tragedy Salome in 2006 .   Chastain made her film debut in the drama Jolene ( 2008 ) , and gained wide recognition in 2011 for starring roles in half a dozen films , including the dramas Take Shelter and The Tree of Life . Her performance as an aspiring socialite in The Help earned her an Academy Award nomination . In 2012 , she won a Golden Globe Award and received a second Oscar nomination for playing a CIA agent in the thriller Zero Dark Thirty . Chastain made her Broadway debut in a revival of The Heiress in the same year . Her highest-grossing releases came with the science fiction films Interstellar ( 2014 ) and The Martian ( 2015 ) , as she continued to draw praise for her performances in the dramas The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby ( 2013 ) , A Most Violent Year ( 2014 ) , and Miss Sloane ( 2016 ) .   Chastain 's accolades include two Academy Award and British Academy Film Award nominations . She is known to prepare extensively for her roles . Chastain is the founder of the production company Freckle Films , which was created to promote diversity in film . She is vocal about social issues such as gender and racial equality , and mental health . Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 .


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


Mother Teresa was born on September 4 2016.

Canonization Canonization is the act by which the Catholic Church or the Anglican Communion declare that a person who has died was a saint , upon which declaration the person is included in the `` canon '' , or list , of recognized saints . Originally , persons were recognized as saints without any formal process . Later , different processes were developed , such as those used today in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church .


Mother Teresa Mother Teresa , known in the Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta ( born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu ; -LSB- aˈɲɛzə ˈɡɔndʒɛ bɔjaˈdʒiu -RSB- ; 26 August 1910 -- 5 September 1997 ) , was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary . She was born in Skopje ( now the capital of the Republic of Macedonia ) , then part of the Kosovo Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire . After living in Macedonia for eighteen years she moved to Ireland and then to India , where she lived for most of her life .   In 1950 Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity , a Roman Catholic religious congregation which had over 4,500 sisters and was active in 133 countries in 2012 . The congregation manages homes for people dying of HIV/AIDS , leprosy and tuberculosis ; soup kitchens ; dispensaries and mobile clinics ; children 's - and family-counselling programmes ; orphanages , and schools . Members , who take vows of chastity , poverty , and obedience , also profess a fourth vow : to give `` wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor '' .   Teresa received a number of honours , including the 1962 Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize and 1979 Nobel Peace Prize . She was canonised ( recognised by the church as a saint ) on 4 September 2016 , and the anniversary of her death ( 5 September ) is her feast day .   A controversial figure during her life and after her death , Teresa was admired by many for her charitable work . She was praised and criticised for her opposition to abortion , and criticised for poor conditions in her houses for the dying . Her authorised biography was written by Navin Chawla and published in 1992 , and she has been the subject of films and other books .


Criticism of Mother Teresa This article explores some of the criticism of Mother Teresa ( 1910 -- 97 ) , who was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun and missionary . She founded the congregation of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta in 1950 . For more than 45 years she worked with the poor , sick , orphaned , and dying , while guiding the expansion of her congregation , at first in India and then in other countries . After her death , she was beatified and later canonised as a Catholic saint in an unusually speedy process by the Roman Catholic Church .   She received mixed reactions from prominent people , governments and organizations . She and the practices of her order were subject to numerous controversies . These include opposition and objections to the quality of medical care , encouragement of baptism of the dying , and being an image of colonialism and racism . She received much media coverage , similar to a celebrity , and it has been suggested that the church used her image to promote Catholicism and to distract from some of the ecclesiastical scandals around the world .


Southport Southport ( -LSB- ˈsaʊθpɔrt -RSB- ) is a large seaside town in Merseyside , England . At the 2001 census , it had a population of 90,336 , making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England .   Southport lies on the Irish Sea coast and is fringed to the north by the Ribble estuary . The town is 16.7 mi north of Liverpool and 14.8 mi southwest of Preston .   Historically part of Lancashire , the town was founded in 1792 when William Sutton , an innkeeper from Churchtown , built a bathing house at what now is the south end of Lord Street . At that time , the area , known as South Hawes , was sparsely populated and dominated by sand dunes . At the turn of the 19th century , the area became popular with tourists due to the easy access from the nearby Leeds and Liverpool Canal . The rapid growth of Southport largely coincided with the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian era . Town attractions include Southport Pier with its Southport Pier Tramway , the second longest seaside pleasure pier in the British Isles and Lord Street , an elegant tree-lined shopping street , once home of Napoleon III of France .   Extensive sand dunes stretch for several miles between Birkdale and Woodvale to the south of the town . The Ainsdale sand dunes have been designated as a national nature reserve and a Ramsar site . Local fauna include the Natterjack toad and the Sand lizard . The town contains examples of Victorian architecture and town planning , on Lord Street and elsewhere . A particular feature of the town is the extensive tree planting . This was one of the conditions required by the Hesketh family when they made land available for development in the 19th century . Hesketh Park at the northern end of the town is named after them , having been built on land donated by Rev. Charles Hesketh .   Southport today is still one of the most popular seaside resorts in the UK . It hosts various events , including an annual air show on and over the beach , and the largest independent flower show in the UK , in Victoria Park . The town is at the centre of England 's Golf Coast and has hosted the Open Championship at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club .


Malcolm Young Malcolm Mitchell Young ( born 6 January 1953 ) is an Australian retired musician and songwriter , best known as a co-founder , rhythm guitarist , backing vocalist and songwriter for the hard rock band AC/DC . Except for a brief absence in 1988 , he was with the band from its November 1973 beginning until retiring permanently in 2014 , due to health reasons . Young and the other members of AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 .   Though his younger brother Angus is the more visible of the brothers , Malcolm has been described as the driving force and the leader of the band . He also added that despite his retirement from the band , AC/DC was determined to continue making music with his blessing . As the rhythm guitarist , he was responsible for the broad sweep of the band 's sound , developing many of their guitar riffs and co-writing the band 's material with Angus . He is married to Linda Young and has two children , Cara and Ross .   Young took a leave of absence from AC/DC in April 2014 , to receive treatment for dementia . In September 2014 , the band 's management announced that he would be retiring permanently .


Programmer A programmer , computer programmer , developer , dev , coder , or software engineer is a person who creates computer software . The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software . One who practices or professes a formal approach to programming may also be known as a programmer analyst .   A programmer 's primary computer language ( Assembly , COBOL , C , C++ , C# , Java , Lisp , Python , etc. ) is often prefixed to these titles , and those who work in a web environment often prefix their titles with web .   A range of occupations , including : software developer , web developer , mobile applications developer , embedded firmware developer , software engineer , computer scientist , or software analyst , while they do involve programming , also require a range of other skills . The use of the simple term programmer for these positions is sometimes considered an insulting or derogatory oversimplification .


Iran is a sovereign state that is not a superpower.

Iran Iran ( ɪ , also ɪ ) , formerly known as Persia , is a sovereign state in Western Asia . It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia , the de facto Republic of Artsakh and Azerbaijan ; to the north by the Caspian Sea ; to the northeast by Turkmenistan ; to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan ; to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman ; and to the west by Turkey and Iraq . Comprising a land area of 1648195 km2 , it is the second-largest country in the Middle East and the 18th-largest in the world . Officially with 79.93 million inhabitants ( Nov 2016 ) , Iran is the world 's 18th-most-populous country . It is the only country with both a Caspian Sea and an Indian Ocean coastline . The country 's central location in Eurasia and Western Asia , and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz , make it of great geostrategic importance . Iran has diverse landscapes and geographical conditions . Tehran is the country 's capital and largest city , as well as its leading economic and cultural center .   Iran is home to one of the world 's oldest civilizations , beginning with the formation of the Elamite kingdoms in the 4th millennium BC . The area was first unified and dominated by the Iranian Medes in the 7th century BC . Iran reached its greatest extent during the Achaemenid Empire ( First Persian Empire ) founded by Cyrus the Great in 6th century BC , the largest empire the world had yet seen , stretching from Eastern Europe to the Indus Valley . Persia fell to Alexander the Great in 4th century BC , but reemerged shortly after as the Parthian Empire . Under the Sassanians , Persia became a leading world power for the next four centuries .   In 7th century AD , Arabs conquered Persia and largely displaced the indigenous faiths of Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism with the new religion of Islam . Iranians became major contributors to the Islamic Golden Age that followed , producing many influential scientists , scholars , artists and thinkers . After two centuries , a period of various Iranian dynasties began , although these dynasties were later conquered by Turks and then the Mongols . An Iranian national identity was always reasserted however , developing a distinct cultural entity . The rise of the Safavids in 15th century led to the establishment of Twelver Shia Islam as the official religion , marking a turning point in Muslim history . In the 18th century , Iran arguably possessed briefly the most powerful military at the time under Nader Shah . Conflicts with the Russian Empire in 19th century led to significant territorial losses . Popular unrest culminated in the Persian Constitutional Revolution , which established a constitutional monarchy and the country 's first legislative body , the Majles . Following a coup d'état instigated by the UK and the US in 1953 , Iran gradually became closely aligned with the West and grew increasingly autocratic . Growing dissent against foreign influence and political repression led to the 1979 Revolution and the establishment of an Islamic republic , a political system which combines elements of a parliamentary democracy with a theocracy governed by Islamic jurists under the concept of a `` Supreme Leadership '' . According to international observers , the current Iranian government is oppressive , with human rights abuses commonplace .   A multicultural country comprising numerous ethnic and linguistic groups , most inhabitants of Iran are Shia Muslims and Persian is the official language . The largest ethnic groups in Iran are the Persians , Azeris , Kurds and Lurs .   Iran is a founding member of the UN , ECO , NAM , OIC , and OPEC . Iran is a major regional and middle power , and its large reserves of fossil fuels -- which include the largest natural gas supply in the world and the fourth-largest proven oil reserves -- exert considerable influence in international energy security and the world economy . Iran 's rich cultural legacy is reflected in part by its 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites , the third-largest number in Asia and 11th-largest in the world .


Middle power In international relations , a middle power is a sovereign state that is not a superpower nor a great power , but still has large or moderate influence and international recognition . The concept of the `` middle power '' dates back to the origins of the European state system . In the late 16th century , Italian political thinker Giovanni Botero divided the world into three types of states -- grandissime ( empires ) , mezano ( middle powers ) and piccoli ( small powers ) . According to Botero , a mezano or middle power '' ... has sufficient strength and authority to stand on its own without the need of help from others . ''


Paul Pogba did not make it to the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final.

Paul Pogba Paul Labile Pogba ( born 15 March 1993 ) is a French professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Manchester United and the France national team . He operates primarily as a central midfielder and is comfortable playing both in attack and defence .   After beginning his career with Manchester United in 2011 , Pogba joined Italian side Juventus in 2012 , and helped the club to four consecutive Serie A titles , as well as two Coppa Italia and two Supercoppa Italiana titles . During his time with the club , he established himself as one of the most promising young players in the world , and received the Golden Boy award in 2013 , followed by the Bravo Award in 2014 and was named by The Guardian as one of the ten most promising young players in Europe . In 2016 , Pogba was named to the 2015 UEFA Team of the Year as well as the 2015 FIFA FIFPro World XI , after helping Juventus to the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final . Despite leaving Manchester United on a free transfer , Pogba returned to the club in 2016 for a world record transfer fee of $ 105 million ( # 89.3 million ) .   Internationally , at under-20 level , he captained his nation to victory at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup and took home the Best Player award for his performances during the tournament . He made his debut for the senior French national team on 22 March 2013 in a 3 -- 1 win against Georgia , and scored his first World Cup goal on 30 June 2014 against Nigeria ; he was awarded the Best Young Player Award for his performances at the 2014 FIFA World Cup , after reaching the quarter-final . He later represented his nation at UEFA Euro 2016 on home soil , where he scored one goal as his team reached the final .


Austria refused to sign the Austrian State Treaty.

Austria Austria ( listen ) , is a federal republic and a landlocked country of over 8.7 million people in Central Europe . It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north , Hungary and Slovakia to the east , Slovenia and Italy to the south , and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west . The territory of Austria covers 83879 km2 . The terrain is highly mountainous , lying within the Alps ; only 32 % of the country is below 500 m , and its highest point is 3798 m . The majority of the population speaks local Bavarian dialects of German as their native language , and Austrian German in its standard form is the country 's official language . Other local official languages are Hungarian , Burgenland Croatian , and Slovene .   The origins of modern-day Austria date back to the time of the Habsburg dynasty , when the vast majority of the country was a part of the Holy Roman Empire . From the time of the Reformation , many northern German princes , resenting the authority of the Emperor , used Protestantism as a flag of rebellion . The Thirty Years War , the influence of the Kingdom of Sweden and Kingdom of France , the rise of the Kingdom of Prussia , and the Napoleonic invasions all weakened the power of the Emperor in the north of Germany , but in the south , and in non-German areas of the Empire , the Emperor and Catholicism maintained control . During the 17th and 18th centuries , Austria retained its position as one of the great powers of Europe and , in response to the coronation of Napoleon as the Emperor of the French , the Austrian Empire was officially proclaimed in 1804 . Following Napoleon 's defeat , Prussia emerged as Austria 's chief competitor for rule of a greater Germany . Austria 's defeat by Prussia at the Battle of Königgrätz , during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 , cleared the way for Prussia to assert control over the rest of Germany . In 1867 , the empire was reformed into Austria-Hungary . After the defeat of France in the 1870-1 Franco-Prussian War , Austria was excluded from the new German Empire , although in the following decades , its politics , and its foreign policy , increasingly converged with those of the Prussian-led Empire . During the 1914 July Crisis that followed the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28 , Austria-Hungary , emboldened by a pledge of German support , on July 28 declared war on Serbia because that country had not fully complied with an Austrian ultimatum . Austria was thus the first to go to war in the July Crisis , which would ultimately escalate into World War I.   After the collapse of the Habsburg ( Austro-Hungarian ) Empire in 1918 at the end of World War I , Austria adopted and used the name the Republic of German-Austria ( Deutschösterreich ) , later changed to Österreich , in an attempt at union with Germany , but this was forbidden under the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye ( 1919 ) . The First Austrian Republic was established in 1919 . In 1938 Nazi Germany annexed Austria in the Anschluss . This lasted until the end of World War II in 1945 , after which Germany was occupied by the Allies and Austria 's former democratic constitution was restored . In 1955 , the Austrian State Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state , ending the occupation . In the same year , the Austrian Parliament created the Declaration of Neutrality which declared that the Second Austrian Republic would become permanently neutral .   Today , Austria is a parliamentary representative democracy comprising nine federal states . The capital and largest city , with a population exceeding 1.7 million , is Vienna . Other major urban areas of Austria include Graz , Linz , Salzburg and Innsbruck . Austria is one of the richest countries in the world , with a nominal per capita GDP of $ 43,724 . The country has developed a high standard of living and in 2014 was ranked 21st in the world for its Human Development Index . Austria has been a member of the United Nations since 1955 , joined the European Union in 1995 , and is a founder of the OECD . Austria also signed the Schengen Agreement in 1995 , and adopted the euro currency in 1999 .


Austrian State Treaty The Austrian State Treaty ( German : ) or Austrian Independence Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state . It was signed on 15 May 1955 in Vienna , at the Schloss Belvedere among the Allied occupying powers ( France , the United Kingdom , the United States , and the Soviet Union ) and the Austrian government . It officially came into force on 27 July 1955 .   Its full title is `` Treaty for the re-establishment of an independent and democratic Austria , signed in Vienna on the 15 May 1955 '' ( Staatsvertrag betreffend die Wiederherstellung eines unabhängigen und demokratischen Österreich , unterzeichnet in Wien am 15 . Mai ) .


Heikegani is native to a sovereign island nation in West Asia.

Japan Japan ( 日本 Nippon -LSB- ɲip̚poɴ -RSB- or Nihon -LSB- ɲihoɴ -RSB- formally or Nihon-koku , meaning `` State of Japan '' ) is a sovereign island nation in East Asia . Located in the Pacific Ocean , it lies off the eastern coast of the Asian mainland , and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the southwest .   The kanji that make up Japan 's name mean `` sun origin '' . 日 can be read as ni and means sun , while 本 can be read as hon , or pon and means origin . Japan is often referred to by the famous epithet `` Land of the Rising Sun '' in reference to its Japanese name .   Japan is a stratovolcanic archipelago consisting of about 6,852 islands . The four largest are Honshu , Hokkaido , Kyushu and Shikoku , which make up about ninety-seven percent of Japan 's land area and often are referred to as home islands . The country is divided into 47 prefectures in eight regions ; Hokkaido being the northernmost prefecture and Okinawa being the southernmost one . The population of 127 million is the world 's tenth largest . Japanese people make up 98.5 % of Japan 's total population . Approximately 9.1 million people live in the city of Tokyo , the capital of Japan .   Archaeological research indicates that Japan was inhabited as early as the Upper Paleolithic period . The first written mention of Japan is in Chinese history texts from the 1st century AD . Influence from other regions , mainly China , followed by periods of isolation , particularly from Western Europe , has characterized Japan 's history . From the 12th century until 1868 , Japan was ruled by successive feudal military shoguns who ruled in the name of the Emperor .   Japan entered into a long period of isolation in the early 17th century , which was ended in 1853 when a United States fleet pressured Japan to open to the West . After nearly two decades of internal conflict and insurrection , the Imperial Court regained its political power in 1868 through the help of several clans from Chōshū and Satsuma , and the Empire of Japan was established . In the late 19th and early 20th centuries , victories in the First Sino-Japanese War , the Russo-Japanese War and World War I allowed Japan to expand its empire during a period of increasing militarism .   The Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937 expanded into part of World War II in 1941 , which came to an end in 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Japanese surrender . Since adopting its revised constitution on May 3 , 1947 during the occupation by the SCAP , Japan has maintained a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy with an Emperor and an elected legislature called the National Diet .   Japan is a member of the UN , the OECD , the G7 , the G8 , and the G20 and is considered a great power . The country has the world 's third-largest economy by nominal GDP and the world 's fourth-largest economy by purchasing power parity . It is also the world 's fourth-largest exporter and fourth-largest importer . The country benefits from a highly skilled workforce and is among the most highly educated countries in the world , with one of the highest percentages of its citizens holding a tertiary education degree .   Although Japan has officially renounced its right to declare war , it maintains a modern military with the world 's eighth-largest military budget , used for self-defense and peacekeeping roles . Japan is a developed country with a very high standard of living and Human Development Index . Its population enjoys the highest life expectancy and the third lowest infant mortality rate in the world .


Heikegani is a species of crab native to Japan , with a shell that bears a pattern resembling a human face which many believed to be the face of an angry samurai hence the nickname Samurai Crab . It is locally believed that these crabs are reincarnations of the spirits of the Heike warriors defeated at the Battle of Dan-no-ura as told in The Tale of the Heike .


Hate group A hate group is a social group that advocates and practices hatred , hostility , or violence towards members of a race , ethnicity , nation , religion , gender , gender identity , sexual orientation or any other designated sector of society . According to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) , a hate group 's `` primary purpose is to promote animosity , hostility , and malice against persons belonging to a race , religion , disability , sexual orientation , or ethnicity/national origin which differs from that of the members of the organization . '' Scholars find it difficult to define the term hate group and `` whether a particular group is to be classified as a hate group is sometimes in the eye of the beholder . ''   In the US , two private organizations that monitor intolerance and hate groups are the Anti-Defamation League ( ADL ) and the Southern Poverty Law Center ( SPLC ) . They maintain lists of what they deem to be hate groups , supremacist groups and anti-Semitic , anti-government or extremist groups that have committed hate crimes . The SPLC 's definition of a `` hate group '' includes any group with beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people -- particularly when the characteristics being maligned are immutable . However , at least for the SPLC , inclusion of a group in the list `` does not imply a group advocates or engages in violence or other criminal activity . '' According to the SPLC , from 2000 to 2008 , hate group activity saw a 50 percent increase in the US , with a total of 926 active groups . Recently the term alt-right , short for `` alternative right , '' has come into usage . This broad term includes a range of people who reject mainstream conservatism in favor of forms of conservatism that embrace implicit or explicit racism or white supremacy . The alt-right is described as `` a weird mix of old-school neo-Nazis , conspiracy theorists , anti-globalists , and young right-wing internet trolls -- all united in the belief that white male identity is under attack by multicultural , `` politically correct '' forces . ''   The FBI does not publish a list of hate groups , and '' -LSB- I -RSB- nvestigations are conducted only when a threat or advocacy of force is made ; when the group has the apparent ability to carry out the proclaimed act ; and when the act would constitute a potential violation of federal law . The FBI maintains statistics on hate crimes .


Cher was in a movie that released in 2010.

Cher Cher ( -LSB- ˈʃɛər -RSB- born Cherilyn Sarkisian , May 20 , 1946 ) is an American singer and actress . Sometimes referred to as the Goddess of Pop , she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industry . She is known for her distinctive contralto singing voice and for having worked in numerous areas of entertainment , as well as adopting a variety of styles and appearances during her five-decade-long career .   Cher gained popularity in 1965 as one-half of the folk rock husband-wife duo Sonny & Cher after their song `` I Got You Babe '' reached number one on the American and British charts . By the end of 1967 , they had sold 40 million records worldwide and had become , according to Time magazine , rock 's `` it '' couple . She began her solo career simultaneously , releasing in 1966 her first million-seller song , `` Bang Bang ( My Baby Shot Me Down ) '' . She became a television personality in the 1970s with her shows The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour , watched by over 30 million viewers weekly during its three-year run , and Cher . She emerged as a fashion trendsetter by wearing elaborate outfits on her television shows . While working on television , she established herself as a solo artist with the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping singles `` Gypsys , Tramps & Thieves '' , `` Half-Breed '' , and `` Dark Lady '' . After her divorce from Sonny Bono in 1975 , Cher launched a comeback in 1979 with the disco-oriented album Take Me Home and earned $ 300,000 a week for her 198082 residency show in Las Vegas .   In 1982 , Cher made her Broadway debut in the play Come Back to the Five and Dime , Jimmy Dean , Jimmy Dean and starred in the film adaptation of the same title . She subsequently earned critical acclaim for her performances in films such as Silkwood ( 1983 ) , Mask ( 1985 ) , and Moonstruck ( 1987 ) , for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress . She then revived her musical career by recording the rock-inflected albums Cher ( 1987 ) , Heart of Stone ( 1989 ) , and Love Hurts ( 1991 ) , all of which yielded several successful singles . She reached a new commercial peak in 1998 with the album Believe , whose title track became the biggest-selling single of all time by a female artist in the UK . It also features the pioneering use of Auto-Tune , also known as the `` Cher effect '' . Her 2002 -- 2005 Living Proof : The Farewell Tour became one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time , earning $ 250 million . In 2008 , she signed a $ 180 million deal to headline the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for three years . After seven years of absence , she returned to film in the 2010 musical Burlesque . Cher 's first studio album in 12 years , Closer to the Truth ( 2013 ) , became her highest-charting solo album in the U.S. to date at number three .   Cher has won a Grammy Award , an Emmy Award , an Academy Award , three Golden Globe Awards , a Cannes Film Festival Award , and a special CFDA Fashion Award , among several other honors . Throughout her career , she has sold 100 million records worldwide , becoming one of the best-selling music artists in the music history . She is the only artist to date to have a number-one single on a Billboard chart in each decade from the 1960s to the 2010s . Outside of her music and acting , she is noted for her political views , philanthropic endeavors and social activism , including LGBT rights and HIV/AIDS prevention .


Buddy Holly's style was unaffected by country music.

Buddy Holly Buddy Holly ( born Charles Hardin Holley ; September 7 , 1936 -- February 3 , 1959 ) was an American musician and singer-songwriter who was a central figure of mid-1950s rock and roll . Holley was born in Lubbock , Texas , to a musical family during the Great Depression ; he learned to play guitar and to sing alongside his siblings . His style was influenced by gospel music , country music , and rhythm and blues acts , and he performed in Lubbock with his friends from high school . He made his first appearance on local television in 1952 , and the following year he formed the group `` Buddy and Bob '' with his friend Bob Montgomery . In 1955 , after opening for Elvis Presley , Holly decided to pursue a career in music . He opened for Presley three times that year ; his band 's style shifted from country and western to entirely rock and roll . In October that year , when he opened for Bill Haley & His Comets , Holly was spotted by Nashville scout Eddie Crandall , who helped him get a contract with Decca Records .   Holly 's recording sessions at Decca were produced by Owen Bradley . Unhappy with Bradley 's control in the studio and with the sound he achieved there , Holly went to producer Norman Petty in Clovis , New Mexico , and recorded a demo of `` That 'll Be the Day '' , among other songs . Petty became the band 's manager and sent the demo to Brunswick Records , which released it as a single credited to `` The Crickets '' , which became the name of Holly 's band . In September 1957 , as the band toured , `` That 'll Be the Day '' topped the US `` Best Sellers in Stores '' chart and the UK Singles Chart . Its success was followed in October by another major hit , `` Peggy Sue '' .   The album Chirping Crickets , released in November 1957 , reached number five on the UK Albums Chart . Holly made his second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1958 and soon after , toured Australia and then the UK . In early 1959 , Holly assembled a new band , consisting of future country music star Waylon Jennings ( bass ) , famed session musician Tommy Allsup ( guitar ) , and Carl Bunch ( drums ) , and embarked on a tour of the midwestern U.S. . After a show in Clear Lake , Iowa , Holly chartered an airplane to travel to his next show , in Moorhead , Minnesota . Soon after takeoff , the plane crashed , killing Holly , Ritchie Valens , The Big Bopper , and pilot Roger Peterson in a tragedy later referred to by Don McLean as `` The Day the Music Died '' .   During his short career , Holly wrote , recorded , and produced his own material . He is often regarded as the artist who defined the traditional rock-and-roll lineup of two guitars , bass , and drums . Holly was a major influence on later popular music artists , including The Beatles , The Rolling Stones , Eric Clapton , and Elton John . He was among the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , in 1986 . Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 13 in its list of `` 100 Greatest Artists '' .


The Dark Knight used IMAX 70 mm film cameras to film some sequences of the Joker.

The Dark Knight (film) The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed , co-produced , and co-written by Christopher Nolan . Featuring the DC Comics character Batman , the film is the second part of Nolan 's The Dark Knight Trilogy and a sequel to 2005 's Batman Begins , starring an ensemble cast including Christian Bale , Michael Caine , Heath Ledger , Gary Oldman , Aaron Eckhart , Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman . In the film , Bruce Wayne/Batman ( Bale ) , James Gordon ( Oldman ) and Harvey Dent ( Eckhart ) form an alliance to dismantle organized crime in Gotham City , but are menaced by a criminal mastermind known as the Joker ( Ledger ) who seeks to undermine Batman 's influence and create chaos .   Nolan 's inspiration for the film was the Joker 's comic book debut in 1940 , the 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke , and the 1996 series The Long Halloween , which retold Two-Face 's origin . The nickname `` the Dark Knight '' was first applied to Batman in Batman # 1 ( 1940 ) , in a story written by Bill Finger . The Dark Knight was filmed primarily in Chicago , as well as in several other locations in the United States , the United Kingdom , and Hong Kong . Nolan used IMAX 70 mm film cameras to film some sequences , including the Joker 's first appearance in the film . The film is dedicated to the memory of Ledger , who died on January 22 , 2008 , some months after the completed filming and six months before the film 's release , from a toxic combination of prescription drugs , leading to intense attention from the press and movie-going public . Warner Bros. initially created a viral marketing campaign for The Dark Knight , developing promotional websites and trailers highlighting screenshots of Ledger as the Joker .   A co-production of the United States and the United Kingdom , The Dark Knight was released on July 16 , 2008 in Australia , on July 18 , 2008 , in North America , and on July 25 , 2008 , in the United Kingdom . Considered by film critics to be one of the best films of the 2000s and one of the best superhero films ever , the film received highly positive reviews and set numerous records during its theatrical run . The Dark Knight appeared on more critics ' top ten lists ( 287 ) than any other film of 2008 with the exception of WALL-E , and more critics ( 77 ) named The Dark Knight the best film of 2008 than any other film released that year . With over $ 1 billion in revenue worldwide , it is the 29th-highest-grossing film of all time , unadjusted for inflation . The film received eight Academy Award nominations ; it won the award for Best Sound Editing and Ledger was posthumously awarded Best Supporting Actor . The Dark Knight Rises , the final film in the trilogy , was released on July 20 , 2012 .


The second album by Elton John shares his name.

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John , ( born Reginald Kenneth Dwight ; 25 March 1947 ) is an English singer , pianist , and composer . He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriting partner since 1967 ; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date . In his five-decade career Elton John has sold more than 300million records , making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world . He has more than fifty Top 40 hits , including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums , 58 Billboard Top 40 singles , 27 Top 10 , four No. 2 and nine No. 1 . For 31 consecutive years ( 1970 -- 2000 ) he had at least one song in the Billboard Hot 100 . His tribute single , re-penned in dedication to the late Princess Diana , `` Candle in the Wind 1997 '' sold over 33million copies worldwide and is the best-selling single in the history of the UK and US singles charts . He has also composed music , produced records , and has occasionally acted in films . John owned Watford Football Club from 1976 to 1987 , and 1997 to 2002 . He is an honorary Life President of the club , and in 2014 had a stand named after him at the club 's home stadium .   Raised in the Pinner area of London , John learned to play piano at an early age , and by 1962 had formed Bluesology . John met his songwriting partner , Bernie Taupin , in 1967 , after they had both answered an advert for songwriters . For two years they wrote songs for other artists , including Lulu , and John also worked as a session musician for artists such as the Hollies and the Scaffold . In 1969 his debut album , Empty Sky , was released . In 1970 a single , `` Your Song '' , from his second album , Elton John , reached the top ten in the UK and the US , his first hit single . After decades of commercial chart success , John has also achieved success in musical theatre , both in the West End and on Broadway , composing the music for The Lion King ( film and musical ) , Aida and Billy Elliot the Musical .   He has received five Grammy Awards , five Brit Awards -- winning two awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music and the first Brits Icon in 2013 for his `` lasting impact on British culture '' , an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , a Tony Award , a Disney Legends award , and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004 . In 2004 , Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of 100 influential musicians of the rock and roll era . In 2013 , Billboard ranked him the most successful male solo artist on the Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists ( third overall behind the Beatles and Madonna ) . He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 , is an inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame , and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters , Composers and Authors . Having been named a Order of the British Empire in 1996 , John was made a Knight Bachelor by Elizabeth II for `` services to music and charitable services '' in 1998 . John has performed at a number of royal events , such as the funeral of Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in 1997 , the Party at the Palace in 2002 and the Queen 's Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace in 2012 .   He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s . In 1992 , he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation and a year later began hosting the annual Academy Award Party , which has since become one of the highest-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry . Since its inception , the foundation has raised over . John , who announced he was bisexual in 1976 and has been openly gay since 1988 , entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish on 21 December 2005 , and after same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales in 2014 , wed Furnish on 21 December 2014 . He continues to be a champion for LGBT social movements worldwide .


Hayley Atwell was born on July 4th, 1776.

Hayley Atwell Hayley Elizabeth Atwell ( born 5 April 1982 ) is a British-American actress , She is known for her work in stage productions such as A View from the Bridge , and onscreen , she is often cast in period pieces , such as the 2007 thriller Cassandra 's Dream , the 2008 drama The Duchess , the 2010 historical drama miniseries The Pillars of the Earth . She is best known for her portrayal of Peggy Carter in various films and television series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , including the ABC action-adventure series Agent Carter .


T-Pain's debut album Rappa Ternt Sanga was released in 2005.

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


Mark Millar has worked on Civil War as a writer.

Mark Millar Mark Millar ( born 24 December 1969 ) is a Scottish comic book writer , known for his work on The Authority , The Ultimates , Marvel Knights Spider-Man , Ultimate Fantastic Four , Civil War , The Secret Service , Wanted , Chrononauts , Superior and Kick-Ass , the latter six of which have been , or will be , adapted into feature films .   For his work Millar has been nominated for four Eisner Awards and two Eagle Awards , and in June 2013 he was recognized by Queen Elizabeth II as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to film and literature .


L.A. Law L.A. Law is an American television legal drama series that ran for eight seasons on NBC , from September 15 , 1986 , to May 19 , 1994 .   Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher , it contained many of Bochco 's trademark features including an ensemble cast , large number of parallel storylines , social drama , and off-the-wall humor . It reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s , and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot-topic issues such as capital punishment , abortion , racism , gay rights , homophobia , sexual harassment , AIDS , and domestic violence . The series often also reflected social tensions between the wealthy senior lawyer protagonists and their less well-paid junior staff .   In addition to its main cast , L.A. Law was also well known for featuring then relatively unknown actors and actresses in guest starring roles , who later went on to greater success in film and television including : Don Cheadle , Jeffrey Tambor , Kathy Bates , David Schwimmer , Jay O. Sanders , James Avery , Gates McFadden , Bryan Cranston , C.C.H. Pounder , Kevin Spacey , Richard Schiff , Carrie-Anne Moss , William H. Macy , Stephen Root , Christian Slater , and Lucy Liu . Several episodes of the show also included celebrities such as Vanna White , Buddy Hackett and Mamie Van Doren appearing as themselves in cameo roles .   The show was popular with audiences and critics , and won 15 Emmy Awards throughout its run , four of which were for Outstanding Drama Series .


Legion (Marvel Comics) Legion ( David Charles Haller ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . He is the mutant son of Professor Charles Xavier and Gabrielle Haller . Legion takes the role of an antihero and has a severe mental illness including a form of dissociative identity disorder in which each of his alternate personas controls one of his many superpowers .   Legion stars in his own TV series of the same name where he is portrayed by Dan Stevens .


Estella Warren Estella Dawn Warren ( born December 23 , 1978 ) is a Canadian actress , fashion model , and former synchronized swimmer . During her swimming career she was a member of the Canadian national team and won three national titles . Since 1994 she has been modeling through publications such as Sports Illustrated as well as working for campaigns for such brands as Perry Ellis and Victoria 's Secret .   She later began a career as an actress , starring in such films as Tim Burton 's 2001 re-adapted film Planet of the Apes as well as television roles in Law & Order , Law & Order : Special Victims Unit and Beauty and the Beast .


The Wild One The Wild One is a 1953 American film directed by László Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer . It is most noted for the character of Johnny Strabler ( Marlon Brando ) , whose persona became a cultural icon of the 1950s . The Wild One is considered to be the original outlaw biker film , and the first to examine American outlaw motorcycle gang violence .   The film 's screenplay was based on Frank Rooney 's short story `` The Cyclists ' Raid '' , published in the January 1951 Harper 's Magazine and anthologized in The Best American Short Stories 1952 . Rooney 's story was inspired by sensationalistic media coverage of an American Motorcyclist Association motorcycle rally that got out of hand on the Fourth of July weekend in 1947 in Hollister , California . The overcrowding , drinking and street stunting were given national attention in the July 21 , 1947 issue of Life Magazine , with a staged photograph of a wild drunken man on a motorcycle . The events , conflated with the newspaper and magazine reports , Rooney 's short story , and the film The Wild One are part of the legend of the Hollister riot .


Last Tango in Paris Last Tango in Paris ( Ultimo tango a Parigi ) is a 1972 Franco-Italian erotic drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci which portrays a recently widowed American who begins an anonymous sexual relationship with a young Parisian woman . It stars Marlon Brando , Maria Schneider , and Jean-Pierre Léaud .   The film 's raw portrayal of sexual violence and emotional turmoil led to international controversy and drew various levels of government censorship in different venues . Upon release in the United States , the most graphic scene was cut and the MPAA gave the film an X rating . After revisions were made to the MPAA ratings code , in 1997 the film was re-classified NC-17 for `` some explicit sexual content '' . Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer released a censored R-rated cut in 1981 .


Marlon Brando Marlon Brando , Jr. ( April 3 , 1924 -- July 1 , 2004 ) was an American actor , film director and political activist . He is credited with bringing realism to film acting . He helped to popularize the Stanislavski system of acting , studying with Stella Adler in the 1940s . Brando is widely known for his Academy Award-winning performances as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront ( 1954 ) and Vito Corleone in The Godfather ( 1972 ) , as well as his performances in A Streetcar Named Desire ( 1951 ) , Viva Zapata ! ( 1952 ) , Julius Caesar ( 1953 ) , The Wild One ( 1953 ) , Guys and Dolls ( 1955 ) , Sayonara ( 1957 ) , Reflections in a Golden Eye ( 1967 ) , Last Tango in Paris ( 1972 ) , and Apocalypse Now ( 1979 ) . Brando was also an activist for many causes , notably the Civil Rights Movement and various Native American movements .   He initially gained acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for reprising the role of Stanley Kowalski in the 1951 film adaptation of Tennessee Williams ' play A Streetcar Named Desire , a role that he had originated successfully on Broadway . He received further praise for his performance as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront , and his portrayal of the rebel motorcycle gang leader Johnny Strabler in The Wild One proved to be a lasting image in popular culture . Brando received Academy Award nominations for playing Emiliano Zapata in Viva Zapata ! ; Mark Antony in Joseph L. Mankiewicz 's 1953 film adaptation of Shakespeare 's Julius Caesar ; and Air Force Major Lloyd Gruver in Sayonara ( 1957 ) , an adaption of James Michener 's 1954 novel . Brando was included in a list of Top Ten Money Making Stars three times in the 1950s , coming in at number 10 in 1954 , number 6 in 1955 , and number 4 in 1958 .   The 1960s proved to be a fallow decade for Brando . He directed and starred in the cult western film One-Eyed Jacks , a critical and commercial flop , after which he delivered a series of box-office failures , beginning with the 1962 film adaptation of the novel Mutiny on the Bounty . After 10 years , during which he did not appear in a successful film , he won his second Academy Award for playing Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola 's The Godfather , a role critics consider among his greatest . The Godfather was then one of the most commercially successful films of all time . With that and his Oscar-nominated performance in Last Tango in Paris , Brando re-established himself in the ranks of top box-office stars , placing sixth and tenth in the Money Making Stars poll in 1972 and 1973 , respectively . Brando took a four-year hiatus before appearing in The Missouri Breaks ( 1976 ) . After this , he was content with being a highly paid character actor in cameo roles , such as in Superman ( 1978 ) and The Formula ( 1980 ) , before taking a nine-year break from motion pictures . According to the Guinness Book of World Records , Brando was paid a record $ 3.7 million ( $ million in inflation-adjusted dollars ) and 11.75 % of the gross profits for 13 days ' work on Superman . He finished out the 1970s with his controversial performance as Colonel Kurtz in another Coppola film , Apocalypse Now , a box-office hit for which he was highly paid and which helped finance his career layoff during the 1980s .   Brando was ranked by the American Film Institute as the fourth-greatest movie star among male movie stars whose screen debuts occurred in or before 1950 . He was one of only three professional actors , along with Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe , named in 1999 by Time magazine as one of its 100 Most Important People of the Century . He died of respiratory failure on July 1 , 2004 , at age 80 .


Sayonara Sayonara is a 1957 Technicolor American film starring Marlon Brando in Technirama . The picture tells the story of an American Air Force flier who was an ace fighter pilot during the Korean War .   Sayonara won four Academy Awards , including acting honors for co-stars Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki .   The film 's screenplay was adapted by Paul Osborn from the novel by James Michener , and was produced by William Goetz and directed by Joshua Logan . Unlike most 1950s romantic dramas , Sayonara deals squarely with racism and prejudice . The supporting cast also features Patricia Owens , James Garner , Martha Scott , Ricardo Montalbán , and Miiko Taka .


Colonel Kurtz Colonel Walter E. Kurtz , portrayed by Marlon Brando , is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Francis Ford Coppola 's film Apocalypse Now ( 1979 ) . Colonel Kurtz is based on the character of a nineteenth-century ivory trader , also called Kurtz , from the novella Heart of Darkness ( 1899 ) by Joseph Conrad .


One-Eyed Jacks One-Eyed Jacks is a 1961 Western film directed by Marlon Brando ; it was the first and only film directed by him . It was originally planned to be directed by Stanley Kubrick from a screenplay by Sam Peckinpah , but studio disputes led to their replacement by Brando and Guy Trosper . Brando portrays the lead character Rio , and Karl Malden plays his partner , `` Dad '' Longworth . The supporting cast features Katy Jurado , Ben Johnson , and Slim Pickens .


Superman (1978 film) Superman ( informally titled Superman : The Movie in some listings and reference sources ) is a 1978 superhero film directed by Richard Donner and based on the DC Comics character of the same name . The film is a British , Swiss , Panamanian and American joint venture , produced by Warner Bros. , Film Export A.G. , Dovemead Limited and International Film Productions . Superman stars Marlon Brando , Gene Hackman , Christopher Reeve , Margot Kidder , Glenn Ford , Phyllis Thaxter , Jackie Cooper , Trevor Howard , Marc McClure , Terence Stamp , Valerie Perrine , and Ned Beatty . The film depicts Superman 's origin , including his infancy as Kal-El of Krypton and his youthful years in the rural town of Smallville . Disguised as reporter Clark Kent , he adopts a mild-mannered disposition in Metropolis and develops a romance with Lois Lane , while battling the villainous Lex Luthor .   Several directors , most notably Guy Hamilton , and screenwriters ( Mario Puzo , David and Leslie Newman , and Robert Benton ) , were associated with the project before Richard Donner was hired to direct . Tom Mankiewicz was drafted in to rewrite the script and was given a `` creative consultant '' credit . It was decided to film both Superman and its sequel Superman II ( 1980 ) simultaneously , with principal photography beginning in March 1977 and ending in October 1978 . Tensions arose between Donner and the producers , and a decision was made to stop filming the sequel , of which 75 percent had already been completed , and finish the first film .   The most expensive film made up to that point with a budget of $ 55 million , Superman was released in December 1978 to critical acclaim and financial success , earning $ 300 million during its original theatrical run . Reviewers particularly praised Reeve 's performance . It was nominated for three Academy Awards , including Best Film Editing , Best Music ( Original Score ) , and Best Sound Mixing , and received a Special Achievement Academy Award for Visual Effects . Groundbreaking in its use of special effects and science fiction/fantasy storytelling , the film 's legacy presaged the mainstream popularity of Hollywood 's superhero film franchises .


Reflections in a Golden Eye (film) Reflections in a Golden Eye is a 1967 American film directed by John Huston based on the 1941 novel of the same name by Carson McCullers . It deals with elements of repressed sexuality , both homosexual and heterosexual , as well as voyeurism and murder . The film starred Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor . The film was unsuccessful at the box office .


The Formula (1980 film) The Formula is a 1980 American mystery film directed by John G. Avildsen and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . It features a preeminent cast including Marlon Brando , George C. Scott , John Gielgud , and Marthe Keller . Craig T. Nelson also makes a brief appearance as a geologist .


On the Waterfront On the Waterfront is a 1954 American crime drama film directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg . It stars Marlon Brando and features Karl Malden , Lee J. Cobb , Rod Steiger , Pat Henning , and , in her film debut , Eva Marie Saint . The soundtrack score was composed by Leonard Bernstein . The film was suggested by `` Crime on the Waterfront '' by Malcolm Johnson , a series of articles published in November-December 1948 in the New York Sun which won the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting , but the screenplay by Budd Schulberg is directly based on his own original story . The film focuses on union violence and corruption amongst longshoremen while detailing widespread corruption , extortion , and racketeering on the waterfronts of Hoboken , New Jersey .   On the Waterfront was a critical and commercial success and received twelve Academy Award nominations , winning eight , including Best Picture , Best Actor for Brando , Best Supporting Actress for Saint , and Best Director for Kazan . In 1997 it was ranked by the American Film Institute as the eighth-greatest American movie of all time and in AFI 's 2007 list it was ranked 19th . It is Bernstein 's only original film score not adapted from a stage production with songs .   In 1989 , On the Waterfront was deemed `` culturally , historically or aesthetically significant '' by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry .


Vito Corleone Vito Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo 's novel The Godfather and in the first two of Francis Ford Coppola 's three Godfather films , in which he was portrayed by Marlon Brando in The Godfather and then , as a young man , by Robert De Niro in The Godfather Part II . He is an orphaned Sicilian immigrant who builds a mafia empire . Upon his death , Michael , his youngest son , succeeds him as the mafia don of the Corleone crime family .   He has two other sons , Santino ( Sonny ) and Frederico ( Fredo ) and one daughter Constanzia ( Connie ) . He informally adopts Sonny 's friend , Tom Hagen , a lawyer and his consigliere .   Vito oversees a business founded on gambling , bootlegging , and union corruption , but he is known as a good , generous man who lives by a strict moral code of loyalty to friends and , above all , family . He is also known as a traditionalist who demands respect commensurate with his status ; even his closest friends refer to him as `` Godfather '' or `` Don Corleone '' rather than `` Vito '' .


The Godfather The Godfather is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Albert S. Ruddy , based on Mario Puzo 's best-selling novel of the same name . It stars Marlon Brando and Al Pacino as the leaders of a fictional New York crime family . The story , spanning 1945 to 1955 , chronicles the family under the patriarch Vito Corleone , focusing on the transformation of Michael Corleone ( Pacino ) from reluctant family outsider to ruthless mafia boss .   Paramount Pictures obtained the rights to the novel for the price of $ 80,000 , before it gained popularity . Studio executives had trouble finding a director ; their first few candidates turned down the position . They and Coppola disagreed over who would play several characters , in particular , Vito and Michael . Filming was done on location and completed earlier than scheduled . The musical score was composed primarily by Nino Rota with additional pieces by Carmine Coppola .   The film was the highest-grossing film of 1972 and was for a time the highest-grossing film ever made . It won the Oscars for Best Picture , Best Actor ( Brando ) and Best Adapted Screenplay ( for Puzo and Coppola ) . Its seven other Oscar nominations included Pacino , James Caan , and Robert Duvall for Best Supporting Actor and Coppola for Best Director . It was followed by sequels The Godfather Part II ( 1974 ) and The Godfather Part III ( 1990 ) .   The Godfather is widely regarded as one of the greatest films in world cinema and one of the most influential , especially in the gangster genre . It was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 1990 , being deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' and is ranked the second-greatest film in American cinema ( behind Citizen Kane ) by the American Film Institute .


A Streetcar Named Desire A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1947 play written by American playwright Tennessee Williams that received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948 . The play opened on Broadway on December 3 , 1947 , and closed on December 17 , 1949 , in the Ethel Barrymore Theatre . The Broadway production was directed by Elia Kazan and starred Jessica Tandy , Marlon Brando , Karl Malden , and Kim Hunter . The London production opened in 1949 with Bonar Colleano , Vivien Leigh , and Renee Asherson and was directed by Laurence Olivier . The drama A Streetcar Named Desire is often regarded as among the finest plays of the 20th century , and is considered by many to be one of Williams ' greatest .


Apocalypse Now Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American epic war film directed , produced and co-written by Francis Ford Coppola . It was co-written by John Milius with narration written by Michael Herr . It stars Marlon Brando , Robert Duvall , Martin Sheen , Frederic Forrest , Albert Hall , Sam Bottoms , Larry Fishburne , and Dennis Hopper . The screenplay , written by Milius , adapts the story of Joseph Conrad 's novella Heart of Darkness changing its setting from late 1800 's Congo to the Vietnam War . It draws from Herr 's Dispatches , and Werner Herzog 's Aguirre , the Wrath of God ( 1972 ) . The film revolves around Captain Benjamin L. Willard ( Sheen ) on a secret mission to assassinate Colonel Kurtz , a renegade who is presumed insane .   The film has been noted for the problems encountered while making it , chronicled in the documentary Hearts of Darkness : A Filmmaker 's Apocalypse ( 1991 ) . These problems included Brando arriving on the set overweight and completely unprepared , expensive sets being destroyed by severe weather , and its lead actor ( Sheen ) having a breakdown , and suffering a near-fatal heart attack , while on location . Problems continued after production as the release was postponed several times while Coppola edited thousands of feet of film .   Apocalypse Now was released to universal acclaim . It was honored with the Palme d'Or at Cannes , nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture , and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture -- Drama . It is considered to be one of the greatest films ever made . The film was ranked No. 14 in the British Film Institute 's Sight and Sound greatest films poll in 2012 . In 2000 , the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically or aesthetically significant '' .


Julius Caesar (1953 film) Julius Caesar is a 1953 epic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film adaptation of the play by Shakespeare , directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz , who also wrote the uncredited screenplay , and produced by John Houseman . The original music score is by Miklós Rózsa . The film stars Marlon Brando as Mark Antony , James Mason as Brutus , John Gielgud as Cassius , Louis Calhern as Julius Caesar , Edmond O'Brien as Casca , Greer Garson as Calpurnia , and Deborah Kerr as Portia .


The Missouri Breaks The Missouri Breaks is a 1976 American western film starring Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson . The film was directed by Arthur Penn , with supporting performances by Randy Quaid , Harry Dean Stanton , Frederic Forrest , John McLiam and Kathleen Lloyd . The score was composed by John Williams .   The title of the movie refers to a forlorn and very rugged area of north central Montana , where over eons the Missouri River has made countless deep cuts or `` breaks '' in the land .


Mutiny on the Bounty (1962 film) Mutiny on the Bounty is a 1962 American Technicolor epic historical drama film starring Marlon Brando , Trevor Howard and Richard Harris , based on the novel Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall .   The film retells the 1789 real-life mutiny aboard HMAV Bounty led by Fletcher Christian against the ship 's captain , William Bligh . It is the second American film to be made from the novel , the first being Mutiny on the Bounty ( 1935 ) . It was directed by Lewis Milestone , who replaced Carol Reed early in the production schedule , and it turned out to be Milestone 's final film .   The screenplay was written by Charles Lederer ( with uncredited input from Eric Ambler , William L. Driscoll , Borden Chase , John Gay and Ben Hecht ) . The score was composed by Bronisław Kaper .   Mutiny on the Bounty was filmed in the Ultra Panavision 70 widescreen process , the first motion picture so credited . It was partly shot on location in the South Pacific . Behind the scenes , Marlon Brando effectively took over directing duties himself and caused it to become far behind schedule and over budget -- resulting in director Carol Reed pulling out of the project and being replaced by Lewis Milestone who is credited as director of the picture . The film was heavily panned , and was considered a box office bomb , having lost over $ 6 million .   A replica of the Bounty was constructed for the film . Fifty years after the release of the film , the vessel sank in Hurricane Sandy with loss of life .


Stanley Kowalski Stanley Kowalski is a fictional character in Tennessee Williams ' play A Streetcar Named Desire .


AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars Part of the AFI 100 Years ... series , AFI 's 100 Years ... 100 Stars is a list of the top 50 greatest screen legends in American film history , which included 25 male and 25 female stars . The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute on June 15 , 1999 , in a CBS special hosted by Shirley Temple , with 50 current actors making the presentations .   The American Film Institute defined an `` American screen legend '' as an actor or a team of actors during the classic film era with a significant screen presence in American feature-length ( 40 min ) films whose screen debut occurred in or before 1950 , or whose screen debut occurred after 1950 but whose death has marked a completed body of work .   The top stars of their respective sexes are Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn . They starred together in the classic British American adventure 1951 film The African Queen , for which Bogart won his only Oscar .   All actors and actresses are from the `` Golden era of Hollywood '' film production . Of the 54 stars listed , only 9 were alive at the time , namely Shirley Temple , Katharine Hepburn , Marlon Brando , Elizabeth Taylor , Gregory Peck , Kirk Douglas , Lauren Bacall , Sophia Loren , and Sidney Poitier . As of 2017 , only Kirk Douglas , Sidney Poitier , and Sophia Loren are still living .


Tom Hanks was an executive producer for the HBO miniseries The Pacific in 2010.

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks ( born July 9 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles , including Splash ( 1984 ) , Big ( 1988 ) , Turner & Hooch ( 1989 ) , A League of Their Own ( 1992 ) , Sleepless in Seattle ( 1993 ) , Philadelphia ( 1993 ) , Forrest Gump ( 1994 ) , Apollo 13 ( 1995 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , You 've Got Mail ( 1998 ) , The Green Mile ( 1999 ) , Cast Away ( 2000 ) , Road to Perdition ( 2002 ) , and The Da Vinci Code ( 2006 ) , as well as for his voice work in the animated films The Polar Express ( 2004 ) and the Toy Story series .   Hanks ' films have grossed more than $ 4.5 billion at U.S. and Canadian box offices and more than $ 9.0 billion worldwide , making him the third-highest-grossing actor in North America . Hanks has been nominated for numerous awards during his career . He won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia , as well as a Golden Globe , an Academy Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award , and a People 's Choice Award for Best Actor for his role in Forrest Gump . In 2004 , he received the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) . In 2014 , he received a Kennedy Center Honor and , in 2016 , he received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama , as well as the French Legion of Honor .   Hanks is also known for his collaborations with film director Steven Spielberg on Saving Private Ryan , Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) , The Terminal ( 2004 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) , as well as the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers , which launched Hanks as a successful director , producer , and screenwriter . In 2010 , Spielberg and Hanks were executive producers on the HBO miniseries The Pacific ( a companion piece to Band of Brothers ) .


The Rolling Stones had Bill Wyman as a keyboardist.

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962 . The original line-up consisted of Brian Jones ( rhythm guitar , harmonica ) , Mick Jagger ( lead vocals ) , Keith Richards ( lead guitar , backing vocals ) , Bill Wyman ( bass ) , Charlie Watts ( drums ) , and Ian Stewart ( piano ) . Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued as a touring member until his death in 1985 . Jones left the band less than a month prior to his death in 1969 , having already been replaced by Mick Taylor , who remained until 1974 . After Taylor left the band , Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and has been on guitar in tandem with Richards ever since . Following Wyman 's departure in 1993 , Darryl Jones joined as their touring bassist . Other touring keyboardists for the band have been Nicky Hopkins ( 1967 -- 82 ) , Billy Preston ( through the mid-1970s ) and Chuck Leavell ( 1982-present ) . The band was first led by Jones , but after teaming as the band 's songwriters , Jagger and Richards assumed leadership while Jones dealt with legal and personal troubles .   The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the US in 1964 , and identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s . Rooted in blues and early rock and roll , the group began a short period of musical experimentation in the mid-1960s that peaked with the psychedelic album Their Satanic Majesties Request ( 1967 ) . Subsequently , the group returned to its `` bluesy '' roots with Beggars Banquet ( 1968 ) which along with its follow-ups Let It Bleed ( 1969 ) , Sticky Fingers ( 1971 ) and Exile on Main St. ( 1972 ) is generally considered to be the band 's best work and is seen as their `` Golden Age '' . During this period , they were first introduced on stage as `` The World 's Greatest Rock and Roll Band '' . Musicologist Robert Palmer attributed the `` remarkable endurance '' of the Rolling Stones to being `` rooted in traditional verities , in rhythm-and-blues and soul music '' , while `` more ephemeral pop fashions have come and gone '' .   The band continued to release commercially successful records in the 1970s and sold many albums , including Some Girls ( 1978 ) and Tattoo You ( 1981 ) , which were their most popular albums worldwide . From 1983 to 1987 , tensions between Jagger and Richards almost caused the band to split . However , they managed to patch up their friendship in 1987 . They separated temporarily to work on solo projects and experienced a comeback with Steel Wheels ( 1989 ) , which was followed by a large stadium and arena tour . Since the 1990s , new recorded material from the group has been less well-received and less frequent . Despite this , the Rolling Stones have continued to be a huge attraction on the live circuit , with stadium tours in the 1990s and 2000s . By 2007 , the band had four of the top five highest-grossing concert tours of all time : Voodoo Lounge Tour ( 1994 -- 95 ) , Bridges to Babylon Tour ( 1997 -- 98 ) , Licks Tour ( 2002 -- 03 ) and A Bigger Bang Tour ( 2005 -- 07 ) .   The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004 . Rolling Stone magazine ranked them fourth on the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' list and their estimated album sales are above 250 million . They have released 30 studio albums , 18 live albums and numerous compilations . Let It Bleed ( 1969 ) was their first of five consecutive No. 1 studio and live albums in the UK . Sticky Fingers ( 1971 ) was the first of eight consecutive No. 1 studio albums in the US . In 2008 , the band ranked 10th on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists chart . In 2012 , the band celebrated its 50th anniversary .


Carol Danvers Carol Danvers is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan , Major Carol Danvers first appeared as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes # 13 ( March 1968 ) and debuted as the first incarnation of Ms. Marvel in Ms. Marvel # 1 ( January 1977 ) after a fusion of alien Kree and human genes gives her superhuman powers , which occurred in Captain Marvel # 18 ( November 1969 ) . Debuting in the Silver Age of comics , the character was featured in a self-titled series in the late 1970s before becoming associated with superhero teams the Avengers and the X-Men . The character has also been known as Binary , Warbird , and Captain Marvel at various points in her history , and has been featured in other Marvel licensed products including video games , animated television series , and merchandise such as trading cards .   Due to her long history in Marvel Comics , Carol Danvers has been highly regarded . She has been labeled `` Marvel 's biggest female hero '' , a `` feminist icon '' , as `` quite possibly Marvel 's mightiest Avenger '' , She was ranked twenty-ninth in Comics Buyer 's Guides `` 100 Sexiest Women in Comics '' list , and was ranked # 11 on IGN 's `` Top 50 Avengers '' . Marvel Studios announced a live-action film featuring the character , titled Captain Marvel and starring Brie Larson , which is scheduled for release in 2019 .


Mystique (comics) Mystique ( Raven Darkhölme ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics , commonly in association with the X-Men . Created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont , she first appeared in the comic book Ms. Marvel # 16 , published in 1978 .   Mystique is a member of a subspecies of humanity known as mutants , who are born with superhuman abilities . Mystique is a shapeshifter who can mimic the appearance and voice of any person with exquisite precision , and her natural appearance includes blue skin and yellow eyes . She is typically portrayed as a foe of the X-Men .   Throughout most of her history , Mystique has been a supervillain , founding her own Brotherhood of Mutants and assassinating several important people involved in mutant affairs . She has commented that she is over 100 years old . Mystique is the mother of the villain Graydon Creed , the X-Men hero Nightcrawler , and adoptive mother of the heroine Rogue . She is forced to abandon Nightcrawler , but raises Rogue for a number of years , and the two women have mixed feelings towards one another .   Mystique appears in six of the X-Men films : she was portrayed by actress Rebecca Romijn in the first three installments , while Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence portrayed a younger version of the character in X-Men : First Class ( in which Romijn has a cameo ) , X-Men : Days of Future Past , and X-Men : Apocalypse . In 2009 , Mystique was ranked as IGN 's 18th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time .


The Avengers (comic book) The Avengers is the name of several comic book titles featuring the team the Avengers and published by Marvel Comics , beginning with the original The Avengers comic book series which debuted in 1963 .


X-Men The X-Men are a fictional team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby , the characters first appeared in The X-Men # 1 ( September 1963 ) . They are among the most recognizable and successful intellectual properties of Marvel Comics , appearing in numerous books , television shows , films , and video games .   The X-Men are mutants , a subspecies of humans who are born with superhuman abilities . The X-Men fight for peace and equality between normal humans and mutants in a world where antimutant bigotry is fierce and widespread . They are led by Charles Xavier , also known as Professor X , a powerful mutant telepath who can control and read minds . Their archenemy is Magneto , a powerful mutant with the ability to generate and control magnetic fields . Professor X and Magneto have opposing views and philosophies regarding the relationship between mutants and humans . While Professor X works towards peace and understanding between mutants and humans , Magneto views humans as a threat and believes in taking an aggressive approach against them , though he has found himself working alongside the X-Men from time to time .   Professor X is the founder of Xavier 's School for Gifted Youngsters at a location commonly called the X-Mansion , which recruits mutants from around the world . Located in Westchester County , New York , the X-Mansion is the home and training site of the X-Men . The founding five members of the X-Men who appear in The X-Men # 1 ( September 1963 ) are Angel ( Archangel ) , Beast , Cyclops , Iceman , and Marvel Girl ( Jean Grey ) ; Professor X and Magneto also made their first appearances in The X-Men # 1 . Since then , dozens of mutants from various countries and diverse backgrounds have held membership as X-Men .


Rogue (comics) Rogue is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics , commonly in association with the X-Men . The character debuted in Avengers Annual # 10 ( November 1981 ) as a villain , but then soon after she joined the X-Men .   Rogue is part of a subspecies of humans called mutants , who are born with superhuman abilities . Rogue has the involuntary ability to absorb and sometimes also remove the memories , physical strength , and superpowers of anyone she touches . Therefore , Rogue considers her powers to be a curse . For most of her life , she limited her physical contact with others , including her on-off love interest , Gambit . However , after many years , Rogue finally gained full control over her mutant ability .   Hailing from the fictional Caldecott County , Mississippi , Rogue is the X-Men 's self-described southern belle . A runaway , she was adopted by Mystique of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and grew up as a villain . After Rogue permanently absorbs Ms. Marvel 's psyche and Kree powers , she reforms and turns to the X-Men , fearing for her sanity . Rogue 's real name and early history were not revealed until nearly 20 years after her introduction . Until the back story provided by Robert Rodi in the ongoing Rogue series , which began in September 2004 , Rogue 's background was only hinted at . Her name was revealed as Anna Marie , although her surname is still unknown . She has sometimes adopted the name Raven , which is the first name of her foster mother Mystique .   Rogue has been one of the most prominent members of the X-Men since the 1980s . She was # 5 on IGN 's Top 25 X-Men list for 2006 , # 4 on their Top Ten X-Babes list for 2006 , # 3 on Marvel 's list of Top 10 Toughest Females for 2009 and was given title of # 1 X-Man on CBR 's Top 50 X-Men of All Time for 2008 . She was ranked tenth in Comics Buyer 's Guide 's `` 100 Sexiest Women in Comics '' list . Rogue has been featured in most of the X-Men animated series , and various video games . In the X-Men film series , she is portrayed by Anna Paquin . Her visual cue is often the white streak that runs through her hair .


Gambit (comics) Gambit ( Remy Etienne LeBeau ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics , commonly in association with the X-Men . The character was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee . Drawn by artist Mike Collins , Gambit makes his first appearances in Uncanny X-Men Annual # 14 ( July 1990 ) and Uncanny X-Men # 266 ( August 1990 ) .   Gambit belongs to a subspecies of humans called mutants , who are born with superhuman abilities . Gambit has the ability to mentally create , control , and manipulate pure kinetic energy to his desire . He is also incredibly knowledgeable and skilled in card-throwing , hand-to-hand combat , and the use of a bō staff . Gambit is known to charge playing cards and other objects with kinetic energy , using them as explosive projectiles .   He was part of a thieves ' guild before becoming a member of the X-Men . Given his history , few X-Men trusted Gambit when he joined the group . There was consistently a source of stress between him and his on-again , off-again love interest Rogue . This was exacerbated when Gambit 's connections to villain Mister Sinister were revealed , although some of his team members accept that Gambit honestly seeks redemption . Often portrayed as a `` ladies ' man , '' Gambit has shown a more vulnerable side of himself over the years , especially when it comes to Rogue . Gambit remains fiercely proud of his Louisiana heritage and speaks in a thick Cajun accent .   Since his debut , Gambit has appeared in several solo series . As of 2013 , there have been three attempts at an ongoing title starring the character . Gambit has also had two miniseries and starred prominently in Gambit & the X-Ternals , the X-Force replacement title during the Age of Apocalypse . Gambit was ranked 65th on IGN 's `` Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time '' stating that `` Gambit is just the sort of tortured soul that X-readers love , and his continued presence in the TV and movie spinoffs cements his status as one of the greats , '' and in 2013 , ComicsAlliance ranked Gambit as # 4 on their list of the `` 50 Sexiest Male Characters in Comics '' . He has been featured in several animated series and video games based on the X-Men . Although he did not appear in the first three X-Men films , Gambit appeared on screen in the 2009 film X-Men Origins : Wolverine , portrayed by Taylor Kitsch . Channing Tatum will portray Gambit in an upcoming solo film .


Mutant (Marvel Comics) In American comic books published by Marvel Comics , a mutant is a being ( usually otherwise human ) who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities . Human mutants are considered to be of the subspecies Homo sapiens superior or simply Homo superior , an evolutionary progeny of Homo sapiens , and are considered the next stage in human evolution , although whether this is true or not is a subject of much debate in the Marvel Universe .   Unlike Marvel 's mutates , which are characters who develop their powers only after exposure to outside stimuli or energies ( such as the Hulk , Spider-Man , The Fantastic Four , and Absorbing Man ) , mutants are those whose mutations are pre-natal , and whose powers typically manifest at puberty .


Brotherhood of Mutants The Brotherhood of Mutants , originally known as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants , is a fictional supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The characters are depicted as being devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans . They are among the chief adversaries of the X-Men .   The group 's roster and ideology have varied from incarnation to incarnation , ranging from world domination to serving as a terrorist group that targets anti-mutant public figures . They are almost always at odds with the more peaceful X-Men , though on rare occasions the two sides have allied against a common threat , most notably Apocalypse .   The Brotherhood was founded by Magneto and its members were his primary allies in his early battles with the X-Men during the 1960s . The original Brotherhood ultimately disbanded , with Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch going on to become members of the Avengers .   In 1981 , the Brotherhood of Mutants was revived under the leadership of Mystique while the group 's most visible incarnation during the early 1990s was led by Toad . With each additional incarnation , the group abandoned its political ideology and regressed to the status of `` hired goons . '' Since the end of the 1990s , several incarnations have sought to return to the political roots .   The Brotherhood of Mutants has also appeared in several animated series featuring the X-Men and has been Magneto 's group in the recent X-Men film series .


Comic Book Resources Comic Book Resources , also known as CBR , is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion .


Rumi Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī , also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī , Mevlânâ / Mawlānā ( مولانا , `` our master '' ) , Mevlevî / Mawlawī ( مولوی , `` my master '' ) , and more popularly simply as Rumi ( 30 September 1207 -- 17 December 1273 ) , was a 13th-century Persian Sunni Muslim poet , jurist , Islamic scholar , theologian , and Sufi mystic . Rumi 's influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions : Iranians , Tajiks , Turks , Greeks , Pashtuns , other Central Asian Muslims , and the Muslims of South Asia have greatly appreciated his spiritual legacy for the past seven centuries . His poems have been widely translated into many of the world 's languages and transposed into various formats . Rumi has been described as the `` most popular poet '' and the `` best selling poet '' in the United States .   Rumi 's works are written mostly in Persian , but occasionally he also used Turkish , Arabic , and Greek , in his verse . His Masnavi ( Mathnawi ) , composed in Konya , is considered one of the greatest poems of the Persian language . His works are widely read today in their original language across Greater Iran and the Persian-speaking world . Translations of his works are very popular , most notably in Turkey , Azerbaijan , the United States , and South Asia . His poetry has influenced Persian literature , but also Turkish , Ottoman Turkish , Azerbaijani , as well as the literature of some other Turkic , Iranian , and Indo-Aryan languages including Chagatai , Urdu , Pashto , and Bengali .


The Prestige The Prestige is a 1995 novel by British writer Christopher Priest .   The novel tells the story of a prolonged feud between two stage magicians in late 1800s England . It is epistolary in structure ; that is , it purports to be a collection of real diaries that were kept by the protagonists and later collated . The title derives from the novel 's fictional practice of stage illusions having three parts : the setup , the performance , and the prestige ( effect ) .   The novel received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for best fiction and the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel .


Epistolary novel An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of documents . The usual form is letters , although diary entries , newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used . Recently , electronic `` documents '' such as recordings and radio , blogs , and e-mails have also come into use . The word epistolary is derived from Latin from the Greek word ἐπιστολή epistolē , meaning a letter ( see epistle ) .   The epistolary form can add greater realism to a story , because it mimics the workings of real life . It is thus able to demonstrate differing points of view without recourse to the device of an omniscient narrator .


Syria includes Syrian Arabs, Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Circassians,  Mandeans, and Turks.

Syria Syria ( -LSB- ˈsɪ.riə -RSB- سوريا ) , officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia , bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west , Turkey to the north , Iraq to the east , Jordan to the south , and Israel to the southwest . Syria 's capital and largest city is Damascus .   A country of fertile plains , high mountains , and deserts , Syria is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups , including Syrian Arabs , Greeks , Armenians , Assyrians , Kurds , Circassians , Mandeans and Turks . Religious groups include Sunnis , Christians , Alawites , Druze , Mandeans , Shiites , Salafis , and Yazidis . Sunni Arabs make up the largest religious group in Syria .   In English , the name `` Syria '' was formerly synonymous with the Levant ( known in Arabic as al-Sham ) , while the modern state encompasses the sites of several ancient kingdoms and empires , including the Eblan civilization of the 3rd millennium BC . Its capital Damascus and largest city Aleppo are among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world . In the Islamic era , Damascus was the seat of the Umayyad Caliphate and a provincial capital of the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt .   The modern Syrian state was established after the end of centuries of Ottoman control in World War I as a French mandate , and represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly Ottoman-ruled Arab Levant . It gained independence as a parliamentary republic on 24 October 1945 when Syria became a founding member of the United Nations , an act which legally ended the former French Mandate -- although French troops did not leave the country until April 1946 . The post-independence period was tumultuous , and a large number of military coups and coup attempts shook the country in the period 1949 -- 71 . In 1958 , Syria entered a brief union with Egypt called the United Arab Republic , which was terminated by the 1961 Syrian coup d'état . The Arab Republic of Syria came into being in late 1961 after December 1 constitutional referendum , and was increasingly unstable until the Ba'athist coup d'état , since which the Ba'ath Party has maintained its power . Syria was under Emergency Law from 1963 to 2011 , effectively suspending most constitutional protections for citizens . Bashar al-Assad has been president since 2000 and was preceded by his father Hafez al-Assad , who was in office from 1970 to 2000 .   Syria is a member of one international organization other than the United Nations , the Non-Aligned Movement ; it has become suspended from the Arab League on November 2011 and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , and self-suspended from the Union for the Mediterranean . Since March 2011 , Syria has been embroiled in an uprising against Assad and the Ba'athist government as part of the Arab Spring , a crackdown that contributed to the Syrian Civil War and to Syria 's becoming one of the most violent countries in the world . Since the start of the war in 2011 , a number of self-proclaimed state entities have since emerged on Syrian territories , including the Syrian Opposition , the Federation of Northern Syria and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant .