Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie `` Cyndi '' Lauper ( born June 22 , 1953 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress and LGBTQ activist . Her career has spanned over 30 years . Her debut solo album She 's So Unusual ( 1983 ) was the first debut female album to chart four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100 -- `` Girls Just Want to Have Fun '' , `` Time After Time '' , `` She Bop '' , and `` All Through the Night '' -- and earned Lauper the Best New Artist award at the 27th Grammy Awards in 1985 . Her success continued with the soundtrack for the motion picture The Goonies and her second record True Colors ( 1986 ) . This album included the number one single `` True Colors '' and `` Change of Heart '' , which peaked at number 3 .   Since 1989 , Lauper has released nine studio albums and participated in many other projects . In 2010 , Memphis Blues , became Billboard 's most successful blues album of the year , remaining at # 1 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart for 13 consecutive weeks . In 2013 , Lauper won the Tony Award for Best Original Score for composing the Broadway musical Kinky Boots , making her the first woman to win the category by herself . The musical was awarded five other Tonys including Tony Award for Best New Musical . In 2014 , Lauper was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for the cast recording . In 2016 , the West End production won Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards   Lauper has established herself as a pop culture icon selling over 50 million records and 20 million singles . She has won awards at the Grammys , Emmys , Tonys , the New York 's Outer Critics Circle , MTV Video Music Awards ( VMAs ) , Billboard Awards , and American Music Awards ( AMAs ) . An inductee into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame , Lauper is one of the few singers to win three of the four major American entertainment awards ( EGOT ) . Lauper won the inaugural Best Female Video prize at the 1984 VMAs for Girls Just Want To Have Fun . This music video is recognized by MTV , VH1 and Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the greatest ever music videos of the era . She is featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum 's Women Who Rock exhibit . Her debut album is included in Rolling Stone '' 's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time , while Time After Time is included in Vh1 's list of the 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 years . VH1 has ranked Lauper No. 58 of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll '' .   Lauper has been celebrated for her humanitarian work , particularly as an advocate for LGBT rights in the United States . Her charitable efforts were acknowledged in 2013 when the singer was invited as a special guest to attend US President Barack Obama 's second-term inaugural .


Niall Horan Niall James Horan ( born 13 September 1993 ) is an Irish singer and songwriter , best known as a member of the boy band One Direction . In 2010 , Horan auditioned as a solo artist for the seventh series of the British televised singing competition The X Factor . He failed to progress to the `` Boys '' category at the `` judges ' houses '' , but after guest judge Nicole Scherzinger suggested that Niall join One Direction , with Harry Styles , Zayn Malik , Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson , the group became a reality . The five-piece band made it to the final and finished in third place . Even though they did not win , One Direction was signed by Simon Cowell to his record label Syco .   In his career as a member of One Direction , Horan co-wrote many songs , beginning with `` Taken '' , `` Everything About You '' , `` Same Mistakes '' , `` Back for You '' and `` Summer Love '' from their debut albums Up All Night and Take Me Home . In the latter , he also played guitar . He continued to co-write , including the songs `` Do n't Forget Where You Belong '' , `` Why Do n't We Go There '' and `` Story of My Life '' for the album Midnight Memories ; `` Night Changes '' , `` Fool 's Gold '' and `` Change Your Ticket '' for the album Four ; and `` Wolves '' , `` A.M. '' , `` Temporary Fix '' and `` Never Enough '' for the band 's fifth album Made in the A.M. . He released his first single as a solo artist , `` This Town '' , in 2016 .


Trevor Baxter Trevor Baxter ( born 18 November 1932 ) is a British actor and playwright . He was educated at Dulwich College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art .   His credits include : Adam Adamant Lives ! , Z-Cars , Maelstrom , Thriller , Spy Trap , The New Avengers , Jack the Ripper , The Barchester Chronicles and Doctors . He is known for his appearance in the Doctor Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang ( 1977 ) as Professor George Litefoot . He reprised his role of Professor Litefoot in an episode of audio series , Doctor Who : The Companion Chronicles : The Mahogany Murderers . The following year he was Professor Litefoot again for a continuing series of Jago & Litefoot .   Trevor Baxter has appeared on stage with the RSC and in the West End , toured Shakespeare in South America with Sir Ralph Richardson , and also appeared in the USA in David Mamet 's A Life in the Theatre at Shakespeare Santa Cruz in 1986 . He has appeared in many films including Nutcracker ( 1983 ) , Parting Shots ( 1999 ) , Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow ( 2004 ) and Van Wilder : The Rise of Taj ( 2006 ) .   He has also written a number of plays including Lies , The Undertaking , and Office Games . His play Ripping Them Off was given its first performance at the Warehouse Theatre Croydon on 5 October 1990 , directed by Ted Craig and designed by Michael Pavelka . The cast consisted of : Ian Targett ( Graham ) , Angus Mackay ( Revd . Parkinson ) , Caroline Blakiston ( Grace ) , Annette Badland ( Hilda ) , Frank Ellis ( Julian ) , Ewart James Walters ( Max ) , Anthony Woodruff ( Pauken ) , Ian Burford ( Inspector Sands ) , Richard Clifford ( Jeff ) and C.P. Grogan ( Susanna ) .   In 2003 he adapted Oscar Wilde 's novella The Picture of Dorian Gray for the stage , followed in March 2005 by a touring version of Wilde 's short story , Lord Arthur Savile 's Crime , revived in January 2010 at the Theatre Royal Windsor , starring Lee Mead in the title role .   In 2013 Baxter continued to record Doctor Who audiobooks for Big Finish Productions as Professor Litefoot , having now completed twelve series .


Memorial Day is not officially recognized by any government.

Memorial Day Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country 's armed forces . The holiday , which is currently observed every year on the last Monday of May , was held on May 30 from 1868-1971 . It marks the start of the unofficial summer vacation season , while Labor Day marks its end .   Many people visit cemeteries and memorials , particularly to honor those who have died in military service . Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries .   Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day ; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving , while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans .


Federal holidays in the United States In the United States , a federal holiday is an authorized holiday which has been recognized by the US government . Every year on a US federal holiday , non-essential federal government offices are closed , and every federal employee is paid for the holiday . Private-sector employees required to work on a legal holiday may receive holiday pay in addition to their ordinary wages .   Federal holidays are designated by the United States Congress in Title V of the United States Code . Congress has authority to create holidays only for federal institutions ( including federally owned properties ) and employees , and for the District of Columbia . However , as a general rule other institutions , including banks , post offices , and schools , may be closed on those days . In various parts of the country , state and city holidays may be observed in addition to the federal holidays .


Katie Holmes Kate Noelle Holmes ( born December 18 , 1978 ) is an American actress who first achieved fame for her role as Joey Potter on The WB television teen drama Dawson 's Creek from 1998 to 2003 . She appeared in 1998 's Disturbing Behavior , a thriller , which won her an MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance . In 2000 Holmes featured in Wonder Boys which got positive attention from many leading critics .   Holmes had a starring role in 2003 's Pieces of April , a gritty comedy about a dysfunctional family on Thanksgiving . In the 2005 film Batman Begins , the highest-grossing film of her career to date , she played Rachel Dawes , Gotham City 's assistant district attorney and Bruce Wayne 's childhood sweetheart . She also appeared in art house films such as The Ice Storm , horror films such as Do n't Be Afraid of the Dark and thrillers including Abandon . She has also played on Broadway in a production of Arthur Miller 's All My Sons and had numerous guest roles on television programs such as How I Met Your Mother . In 2011 , she starred as Jacqueline Kennedy in the The Kennedys miniseries , a role she later reprised in the 2017 miniseries The Kennedys : After Camelot .   Her marriage to actor Tom Cruise from 2006 to 2012 led to a great deal of media attention , with the pair being called a supercouple and given the nickname `` TomKat '' .


Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon `` Tim '' Rice ( born 10 November 1944 ) is an English author and Academy Award , Golden Globe Award , Tony Award , and Grammy Award-winning lyricist . He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber , with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , Jesus Christ Superstar , and Evita ; with Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA , with whom he wrote Chess ; for additional songs for the 2011 West End revival of The Wizard of Oz ; and for his work for Walt Disney Studios with Alan Menken ( Aladdin , Beauty and the Beast , King David ) , Elton John ( The Lion King , Aida , The Road to El Dorado ) and Ennio Morricone .   One of the most celebrated lyricists in British popular culture , Rice was knighted by Elizabeth II for services to music in 1994 . He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , is an inductee into the Songwriter 's Hall of Fame , is a Disney Legend recipient , and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters , Composers and Authors . The 2016 Sunday Times Rich List values Rice at # 150m ; the 15th richest music millionaire in the UK .


Vedanta is a term that refers to a specific Hindu tradition.

Vedanta Vedanta ( IAST , , Sanskrit : वेदांत ) or Uttara Mīmāṃsā is one of the six orthodox ( āstika ) schools of Hindu philosophy . Vedanta literally means `` end of the Vedas '' , reflecting ideas that emerged from the speculations and philosophies contained in the Upanishads . It does not stand for one comprehensive or unifying doctrine . Rather it is an umbrella term for many sub-traditions , ranging from dualism to non-dualism , all of which developed on the basis of a common textual connection called the Prasthanatrayi . The Prasthanatrayi is a collective term for the Principal Upanishads , the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita .   All Vedanta schools , in their deliberations , concern themselves with the following three categories but differ in their views regarding the concept and the relations between them : Brahman -- the ultimate metaphysical reality , Ātman / Jivātman -- the individual soul or self , and Prakriti -- the empirical world , ever-changing physical universe , body and matter .   Some of the better known sub-traditions of Vedanta include Advaita ( non-dualism ) , Vishishtadvaita ( qualified non-dualism ) , and Dvaita ( dualism ) . Most other Vedantic sub-traditions are subsumed under the term Bhedabheda ( difference and non-difference ) . Over time , Vedanta adopted ideas from other orthodox ( āstika ) schools like Yoga and Nyaya , and , through this syncretism , became the most prominent school of Hinduism . Many extant forms of Vaishnavism , Shaivism and Shaktism have been significantly shaped and influenced by the doctrines of different schools of Vedanta . The Vedanta school has had a historic and central influence on Hinduism .


Jeff Bezos Jeff Bezos ( -LSB- ˈbeɪzoʊs -RSB- born Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen ; January 12 , 1964 ) is an American technology and retail entrepreneur , investor , and philanthropist who is best known as the founder , chairman , and chief executive officer of Amazon.com , which is the world 's largest online shopping retailer . The company began as an Internet merchant of books and expanded to a wide variety of products and services , most recently video streaming and audio streaming . Amazon.com is currently the world 's largest Internet sales company on the World Wide Web , as well as being the world 's largest provider of cloud infrastructure services , through its Amazon Web Services arm .   Bezos 's other diversified business interests include aerospace and newspapers . He is the founder and manufacturer of Blue Origin ( founded in 2000 ) with test flights to space which started in 2015 , and plans for commercial suborbital human spaceflight beginning in 2018 . In 2013 , Bezos purchased The Washington Post newspaper . A number of other business investments are managed through Bezos Expeditions .   With an estimated net worth of US$ 82 billion as of May 2017 , Bezos is currently the third-richest person in the world , just behind Bill Gates and Amancio Ortega in first and second places , and just ahead of Warren Buffett in fourth place . His rise to this position occurred after Amazon registered a 67 % jump in share price .


Formula One car performance is heavily dependent on electric sensors.

Formula One Formula One ( also Formula 1 or F1 and officially the FIA Formula One World Championship ) is the highest class of single-seat auto racing that is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile ( FIA ) . The FIA Formula One World Championship has been the premier form of racing since the inaugural season in 1950 , although other Formula One races were regularly held until 1983 . The `` formula '' , designated in the name , refers to a set of rules , to which all participants ' cars must conform . The F1 season consists of a series of races , known as Grands Prix ( from French , meaning grand prizes ) , held worldwide on purpose-built F1 circuits and public roads .   The results of each race are evaluated using a points system to determine two annual World Championships , one for drivers , one for constructors . The racing drivers are required to be holders of valid Super Licences , the highest class of racing licence issued by the FIA . The races are required to be held on tracks graded 1 ( formerly A ) , the highest grade a track can receive by the FIA . Most events are held in rural locations on purpose-built tracks , but there are several events in city centres throughout the world , with the Monaco Grand Prix being the most famous example .   Formula One cars are the fastest road course racing cars in the world , owing to very high cornering speeds achieved through the generation of large amounts of aerodynamic downforce . Formula One cars race at speeds of up to approximately 375 km/h with engines currently limited in performance to a maximum of 15,000 rpm . The cars are capable of lateral acceleration in excess of six g in corners . The performance of the cars is very dependent on electronicsalthough traction control and other driving aids have been banned since 2008and on aerodynamics , suspension , and tyres . The formula has radically evolved and changed through the history of the sport .   While Europe is the sport 's traditional base , and hosts about half of each year 's races , the sport 's scope has expanded significantly and an increasing number of Grands Prix are held on other continents . F1 had a total global television audience of 425 million people during the course of the 2014 season . Grand Prix racing began in 1906 and became the most popular type internationally in the second half of the twentieth century . The Formula One Group is the legal holder of the commercial rights .   With the cost of designing and building mid-tier cars being of the order of $ 120 million , Formula One 's economic effect and creation of jobs are significant , and its financial and political battles are widely reported . Its high profile and popularity have created a major merchandising environment , which has resulted in great investments from sponsors and budgets in the hundreds of millions for the constructors . Since 2000 the sport 's spiralling expenditures and the distribution of prize money favouring established top teams have forced complaints from smaller teams and led several teams to bankruptcy .   On 8 September 2016 it was announced that Liberty Media Corp. had agreed to buy Delta Topco , the company that controls Formula One , from private equity firm CVC Capital Partners for $ 4.4 billion in cash , stock and convertible debt . On 23 January 2017 it was confirmed that Liberty Media had completed its $ 8 billion acquisition of Delta Topco .


The Fall (Gorillaz album) features Mick Jones.

The Fall (Gorillaz album) The Fall is the fourth studio album from British virtual band Gorillaz . The album was officially announced on 20 December 2010 and soon after released on 25 December 2010 as a `` free '' download on the Gorillaz website , exclusively to fans in the band 's Sub-Division fan club . The album features fewer guest artists than previous Gorillaz albums ; collaborators include Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of The Clash and Bobby Womack . The `` Phoner to Arizona '' music video , a compilation of footage and images taken from the tour and the phase was posted on YouTube on 22 December . The album was physically released on 18 April 2011 .


Slovenia Slovenia ( -LSB- sloʊˈviːniə , _ slə - , _ - njə -RSB- ; Slovenija -LSB- slɔˈʋéːnija -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Slovenia ( Slovene : , abbr. : RS ) , is a nation state in southern Central Europe , located at the crossroads of main European cultural and trade routes . It is bordered by Italy to the west , Austria to the north , Hungary to the northeast , Croatia to the south and southeast , and the Adriatic Sea to the southwest . It covers 20,273 km2 and has a population of 2.06 million . It is a parliamentary republic and a member of the United Nations , European Union , and NATO . The capital and largest city is Ljubljana .   The territory is mostly mountainous with a mainly continental climate , with the exception of the Slovene Littoral that has a sub-Mediterranean climate and the north-western area that has an Alpine climate . Additionally , the Dinaric Alps and the Pannonian Plain meet on the territory of Slovenia . The country , marked by a significant biological diversity , is one of the most water-rich in Europe , with a dense river network , a rich aquifer system , and significant karst underground watercourses . Over half of the territory is covered by forest . The human settlement of Slovenia is dispersed and uneven .   Slovenia has historically been the crossroads of South Slavic , Germanic , Romance , and Hungarian languages and culture . Although the population is not homogeneous , the majority is Slovene . South Slavic language Slovene is the official language throughout the country . Slovenia is a largely secularized country , but its culture and identity have been significantly influenced by Catholicism as well as Lutheranism . The economy of Slovenia is small , open , and export-oriented and has been strongly influenced by international conditions . It has been severely hurt by the Eurozone crisis , started in the late 2000s . The main economic field is services , followed by industry and construction .   Historically , the current territory of Slovenia was part of many different state formations , including the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire , followed by the Habsburg Monarchy . In October 1918 , the Slovenes exercised self-determination for the first time by co-founding the State of Slovenes , Croats and Serbs . In December 1918 , they merged with the Kingdom of Serbia into the Kingdom of Serbs , Croats and Slovenes ( renamed Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929 ) . During World War II , Slovenia was occupied and annexed by Germany , Italy , and Hungary , with a tiny area transferred to the Independent State of Croatia , a Nazi puppet state . Afterward , it was a founding member of the Federal People 's Republic of Yugoslavia , later renamed the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , a communist state which was the only country in the Eastern Bloc which was never part of the Warsaw Pact . In June 1991 , after the introduction of multi-party representative democracy , Slovenia split from Yugoslavia and became an independent country . In 2004 , it entered NATO and the European Union ; in 2007 became the first formerly communist country to join the Eurozone ; and in 2010 joined the OECD , a global association of high-income developed countries .


Mark Burg Mark Burg ( born December 9 , 1959 ) is an American film producer , manager and actor , perhaps best known for his work on the Saw film series and on the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men .


The Hundred-Foot Journey (film) stars an English actor.

Helen Mirren Dame Helen Lydia Mirren ( née Mironoff ; born 26 July 1945 ) is an English actor . Mirren began her acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967 , and is one of the few performers who have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting , having won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2007 , after two previous nominations , for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen . She received an Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2013 for her West End performance in The Audience , in which she also portrayed Elizabeth II , and in 2015 she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her Broadway performance in the play . The Audience was written by Peter Morgan , who also wrote The Queen . Mirren won three consecutive BAFTA Awards for Best Actress between 1992 and 1994 and her first of several Emmy Awards in 1996 for her performance as police detective Jane Tennison on the British television series Prime Suspect , which ran for seven seasons between 1991 and 2006 .   Some of her other notable film roles include Marcella in the 1984 film Cal , for which she won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress , 2010 ( 1984 ) , The Cook , the Thief , His Wife & Her Lover ( 1989 ) , The Madness of King George ( 1994 ) , Teaching Mrs. Tingle ( 1999 ) , Gosford Park ( 2001 ) , Calendar Girls ( 2003 ) , The Last Station ( 2009 ) , Hitchcock ( 2012 ) , and The Hundred-Foot Journey ( 2014 ) . She played Victoria Winslow in the action-comedy films Red and Red 2 .   In 2003 , she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( DBE ) for Services to the Performing Arts . In 2013 , Mirren was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , and in 2014 , BAFTA announced that Mirren would be the recipient of the Academy Fellowship .


The Hundred-Foot Journey (film) The Hundred-Foot Journey is a 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Lasse Hallström from a screenplay written by Steven Knight , adapted from Richard Morais ' 2010 novel of the same name . The film stars Helen Mirren , Om Puri , Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon and tells the story of a feud between two adjacent restaurants in a French town : one operated by a recently relocated Indian family and the other , a lofty Michelin-starred restaurant .   Produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey for DreamWorks Pictures through their respective production companies , Amblin Entertainment and Harpo Films , in association with Participant Media and Image Nation , it was released by Touchstone Pictures on August 8 , 2014 , receiving generally positive reviews and earning nearly $ 90 million at the worldwide box office .


Pornhub is the smallest pornography site.

Pornhub Pornhub is a pornographic video sharing website and the largest pornography site on the Internet . Pornhub was launched in Montreal , providing professional and amateur photography since 2007 . Pornhub also has offices and servers in San Francisco , Houston , New Orleans and London . In March 2010 , Pornhub was bought by Manwin ( now known as MindGeek ) , which owns numerous other pornographic websites .


Sienna Miller Sienna Rose Diana Miller ( born 28 December 1981 ) is a British-American actress , model , and fashion designer .   In 2008 , she was nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star Award , while for her role as Tippi Hedren in the 2012 TV film The Girl , she was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . Her film roles include the crime thriller Layer Cake ( 2004 ) , the comedy Alfie ( 2004 ) , the biopic Factory Girl ( 2006 ) , the drama The Edge of Love ( 2008 ) and the military science fiction action film G.I. Joe : The Rise of Cobra ( 2009 ) . In 2014 , she starred in two biographical dramas , Foxcatcher ( 2014 ) , playing Nancy Schultz , and American Sniper ( 2014 ) , portraying Taya Renae Kyle .


Jennifer Lawrence's films including The Hunger Games franchise have grossed over $5.5 billion worldwide.

Jennifer Lawrence Jennifer Shrader Lawrence ( born August 15 , 1990 ) is an American actress . Since 2015 , Lawrence has been the highest-paid actress in the world , and her films have grossed over $ 5.5 billion worldwide . She appeared in Time 100 most influential people in the world in 2013 and Forbes Celebrity 100 the following year and in 2016 .   During her childhood , Lawrence performed in church plays and school musicals . When she was 14 , a talent scout spotted her in New York . She then moved to Los Angeles and began her acting career by playing guest roles in television shows . Her first major role came as a main cast member on the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show ( 2007 -- 2009 ) . Lawrence made her film debut with a supporting role in Garden Party ( 2008 ) , and had her breakthrough playing a poverty-stricken teenager in the independent drama Winter 's Bone ( 2010 ) . She achieved wider recognition for playing the mutant Mystique in X-Men : First Class ( 2011 ) , a role she reprised in later installments of the series .   Lawrence 's fame continued to grow with her starring role as Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games film series ( 2012 -- 2015 ) , which established her as the highest-grossing action heroine of all time . She went on to earn various accolades from her collaborations with director David O. Russell . Her performance as a depressed widow in the romance film Silver Linings Playbook ( 2012 ) received an Academy Award for Best Actress , making her the second youngest Best Actress Oscar winner . Lawrence subsequently won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for playing a troubled wife in the black comedy American Hustle ( 2013 ) . She also received Golden Globe Awards for her roles in both of these films and for playing the eponymous inventor in the biopic Joy ( 2015 ) .   Lawrence is known in the media for being a vocal advocate of feminism and gender equality , and is the founder of the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation through which she supports various charitable organizations .


Bob Arum worked for the US Attorney's Office.

Bob Arum Robert Arum ( born December 8 , 1931 ) is an American lawyer , boxing promoter and businessman . He is the founder and CEO of Top Rank , a professional boxing promotion company based in Las Vegas . He also worked for the US Attorney 's Office for the southern district of New York in the tax division during his legal career before moving into boxing promotion .


Wallander was adapted from the Kurt Wallander novels.

Wallander (UK TV series) Wallander is a British television series adapted from the Swedish novelist Henning Mankell 's Kurt Wallander novels and starring Kenneth Branagh as the eponymous police inspector . It is the first time the Wallander novels have been adapted into an English-language production . Yellow Bird , a production company formed by Mankell , began negotiations with British companies to produce the adaptations in 2006 . In 2007 , Branagh met with Mankell to discuss playing the role . Contracts were signed and work began on the films , adapted from Sidetracked , Firewall and One Step Behind , in January 2008 . Emmy-award-winning director Philip Martin was hired as lead director . Martin worked with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle to establish a visual style for the series .   The first three-episode series , produced by Yellow Bird , Left Bank Pictures and TKBC for BBC Scotland , was broadcast on BBC One from November to December 2008 . The second series was filmed from July to October 2009 and was broadcast in January 2010 . The third series was filmed in the summer of 2011 in Ystad , Scania , Sweden , and Riga , Latvia , and aired in July 2012 . The fourth and final series was shot from October 2014 to January 2015 and premiered on German TV , dubbed into German , in December 2015 . The final series aired in the original English on BBC One in May 2016 . Critics have written positively of the series , which has won a Broadcasting Press Guild Award ( Best Actor for Branagh ) and six British Academy Television Awards , including Best Drama Series .


John Wick: Chapter 2 premiered on January 30th, 2017.

John Wick: Chapter 2 John Wick : Chapter 2 is a 2017 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad . The second installment of the John Wick series , the plot follows hitman John Wick , who goes on the run after a bounty is placed on his head . It stars Keanu Reeves , Common , Laurence Fishburne , Riccardo Scamarcio , Ruby Rose , John Leguizamo and Ian McShane , and marks the first collaboration between Reeves and Fishburne since appearing together in The Matrix trilogy .   Principal photography began on October 26 , 2015 , in New York City . The film premiered in Los Angeles on January 30 , 2017 , and was theatrically released in the United States on February 10 , 2017 . It received positive reviews from critics and grossed $ 166 million worldwide , over four times its $ 40 million budget and nearly twice the $ 88 million gross of the original film .


Facebook Facebook is an American for-profit corporation and an online social media and social networking service based in Menlo Park , California . The Facebook website was launched on February 4 , 2004 , by Mark Zuckerberg , along with fellow Harvard College students and roommates , Eduardo Saverin , Andrew McCollum , Dustin Moskovitz , and Chris Hughes .   The founders had initially limited the website 's membership to Harvard students ; however , later they expanded it to higher education institutions in the Boston area , the Ivy League schools , and Stanford University . Facebook gradually added support for students at various other universities , and eventually to high school students as well . Since 2006 , anyone age 13 and older has been allowed to become a registered user of Facebook , though variations exist in the minimum age requirement , depending on applicable local laws . The Facebook name comes from the face book directories often given to United States university students .   Facebook may be accessed by a large range of desktops , laptops , tablet computers , and smartphones over the Internet and mobile networks . After registering to use the site , users can create a user profile indicating their name , occupation , schools attended and so on . Users can add other users as `` friends '' , exchange messages , post status updates and digital photos , share digital videos and links , use various software applications ( `` apps '' ) , and receive notifications when others update their profiles or make posts . Additionally , users may join common-interest user groups organized by workplace , school , hobbies or other topics , and categorize their friends into lists such as `` People From Work '' or `` Close Friends '' . In groups , editors can pin posts to top . Additionally , users can complain about or block unpleasant people . Because of the large volume of data that users submit to the service , Facebook has come under scrutiny for its privacy policies . Facebook makes most of its revenue from advertisements which appear onscreen .   Facebook , Inc. held its initial public offering ( IPO ) in February 2012 , and began selling stock to the public three months later , reaching an original peak market capitalization of $ 104 billion . On July 13 , 2015 , Facebook became the fastest company in the Standard & Poor 's 500 Index to reach a market cap of $ 250 billion . Facebook has more than 1.94 billion monthly active users as of March 31 , 2017 . As of April 2016 , Facebook was the most popular social networking site in the world , based on the number of active user accounts . Facebook classifies users from the ages of 13 to 18 as minors and therefore sets their profiles to share content with friends only .


The Democratic Republic of the Congo is located in Central Africa.

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo ( -LSB- ˈkɒŋɡəʊ -RSB- -LSB- kɔ̃ɡo -RSB- ; République démocratique du Congo ) , also known as DR Congo , DRC , DROC , Congo-Kinshasa or simply the Congo , is a country located in Central Africa . The DRC borders the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north ; Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi and Tanzania to the east ; Zambia and Angola to the south ; the Republic of the Congo to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest . It is the second-largest country in Africa by area and eleventh largest in the world . With a population of over 80 million , the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the most populated officially Francophone country , the fourth most-populated nation in Africa and the eighteenth most populated country in the world .   The territory of the DR Congo was first settled by humans around 90,000 years ago . Bantu peoples began migrating into the region in the 5th century and again in the 10th century . In the West of the region the Kingdom of Kongo ruled from the 14th to 19th centuries , while in the centre and East of the region the kingdoms of Luba and Lunda ruled from the 16th and 17th centuries to the 19th century . In the 1870s , before the onset of the Scramble for Africa , European exploration of the Congo was carried out , first led by Sir Henry Morton Stanley under the sponsorship of King Leopold II of Belgium . Leopold formally acquired rights to the Congo territory at the Conference of Berlin in 1885 and made the land his private property . He named it the Congo Free State . During the Free State the colonial military unit , the Force Publique , forced the local population into producing rubber , and from 1885 to 1908 millions of Congolese died as a consequence of disease and exploitation . In 1908 Belgium , despite initial reluctance , formally annexed the Free State from Leopold , which became the Belgian Congo .   The Belgian Congo achieved independence on 30 June 1960 under the name Republic of the Congo ( Léopoldville ) . Congolese nationalist Patrice Lumumba was elected the first Prime Minister , while Joseph Kasa-Vubu became the first President . Conflict arose over the administration of the territory which became known as the Congo Crisis . The provinces of Katanga , under Moïse Tshombe , and South Kasai attempted to secede from the Congo . On 5 September 1960 , Kasa-Vubu dismissed Lumumba from office , encouraged by the United States and Belgium after Lumumba turned to the Soviet Union for assistance in the crisis . On 14 September , with U.S. and Belgian support , Lumumba was arrested by forces loyal to Army Chief of Staff Joseph-Désiré Mobutu , who had gained de facto control over the country through a coup d'état the same day , and on 17 January 1961 Lumumba was handed over to Katangan authorities and executed by Belgian-led Katangese troops .   In 1965 Joseph-Désiré Mobutu , who later renamed himself Mobutu Sese Seko , officially came into power through a second coup . In 1971 he renamed the country Zaire . The country was run as a one-party state with his Popular Movement of the Revolution as the sole legal party . Mobutu 's government received considerable support from the United States for its anti-communist stance during the Cold War . By the early 1990s Mobutu 's government began to weaken . Disenfranchisement of the eastern Congolese Tutsi population led to a 1996 invasion led by Tutsi-ruled Rwanda , which began the First Congo War . On 17 May 1997 Laurent-Désiré Kabila , a leader of Tutsi forces from the province of South Kivu , became President , bringing about the end of Mobutu 's 32-year rule . Tensions between President Kabila and the Rwandan and Tutsi presence in the country led to the Second Congo War from 1998 to 2003 . Ultimately , nine African countries and around twenty armed groups became involved in the war , which resulted in the deaths of 5.4 million people . The two wars together devastated the country . President Laurent-Désiré Kabila was assassinated by one of his bodyguards on 16 January 2001 and was succeeded eight days later as President by his son Joseph Kabila .   The Democratic Republic of Congo is extremely rich in natural resources but has had political instability , a lack of infrastructure , issues with corruption and centuries of both commercial and colonial extraction and exploitation with little holistic development . Besides the capital Kinshasa , the two next largest cities Lubumbashi and Mbuji-Mayi are both mining communities . DR Congo 's largest export is raw minerals , with China accepting over 50 % of DRC 's exports in 2012 . , according to the Human Development Index ( HDI ) , DR Congo 's level of human development ranks 176 out of 187 countries .


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


United Kingdom is where Heather Watson is from.

Heather Watson Heather Miriam Watson ( born 19 May 1992 ) is a British tennis player and a Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Champion . She is a former British No. 1 and current British No. 2 behind Johanna Konta .   She holds the Mixed Doubles title at the 2016 Wimbledon Championships with Henri Kontinen .   On 14 October 2012 , Watson won her first WTA singles title with a win over Chang Kai-chen of Taiwan in the final of the Japan Open , becoming the first British female to win a WTA singles title since Sara Gomer in 1988 .   In her junior career , Watson won the US Open and gold at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games . She had been as high as No. 3 in the world on the ITF Junior Circuit .


Emily Blunt Emily Olivia Leah Blunt ( born 23 February 1983 ) is a British film and stage actress . Blunt made her professional debut in a 2001 London production of the play The Royal Family . Two years later , she appeared on screen for the first time in the 2003 television film Boudica ( Warrior Queen ) . Her performance in the 2004 drama film My Summer of Love garnered her the Evening Standard British Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer .   For her performance in the TV film Gideon 's Daughter ( 2006 ) she received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress . The same year , she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress -- Motion Picture and a nomination for a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Devil Wears Prada .   In 2009 , Blunt received the BAFTA Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year . She received more acclaim for portraying Queen Victoria in The Young Victoria ( 2009 ) , receiving a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama . 2009 also saw Blunt appear in the crime caper comedy Wild Target with Bill Nighy and Rupert Grint . She found commercial success for roles in the romantic science-fiction thriller The Adjustment Bureau ( 2011 ) , the science-fiction action thriller Looper ( 2012 ) , and the science-fiction military film Edge of Tomorrow ( 2014 ) .   Blunt received her fourth and fifth Golden Globe Award nominations for her roles in the romantic comedy-drama Salmon Fishing in the Yemen ( 2012 ) and the musical fantasy Into the Woods ( 2014 ) in the Best Actress -- Motion Picture Comedy or Musical category . In 2016 , Blunt starred in the fantasy-action film The Huntsman : Winter 's War and The Girl on the Train , the latter based on the international best-selling novel of the same name , and a performance that earned her nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role .


Transformers: Age of Extinction was not a film.

Transformers: Age of Extinction Transformers : Age of Extinction is a 2014 American science fiction action film based on the Transformers franchise . It is the fourth installment of the live-action Transformers film series and a stand-alone sequel to 2011 's Transformers : Dark of the Moon , taking place five years after its events . Like its predecessors , it was directed by Michael Bay and written by Ehren Kruger , with Steven Spielberg and Bay as executive producers . It stars Mark Wahlberg , with Peter Cullen reprising his role as the voice of Optimus Prime , as the lead roles . It is the first film in the series to not feature the original human characters from the first three films , but features a new cast of human characters and many new Transformers including : the Dinobots , Lockdown , Stinger , Junkheap , Hound , Crosshairs and Drift . Returning Transformers include : Optimus Prime , Bumblebee , Ratchet , Leadfoot , Brains and Megatron ( now known as Galvatron ) . The film was released on June 27 , 2014 , in IMAX and 3D .   Transformers : Age of Extinction was panned by critics , many of whom considered it poorly directed , badly acted , and terribly written . According to Rotten Tomatoes , it is the worst reviewed film in the series , holding an 18 % approval rating . It also received seven nominations at the 35th Golden Raspberry Awards , including Worst Picture and Worst Prequel , Remake , Rip-off or Sequel , with Bay and Kelsey Grammer winning the awards for Worst Director and Worst Supporting Actor respectively . The film grossed over $ 1.104 billion worldwide , making it the highest-grossing film of 2014 , the second highest-grossing film in the Transformers series , the 19th film to gross over $ 1 billion , and the 16th highest-grossing film of all time . It was the only film to gross over $ 1 billion in 2014 .   A sequel , Transformers : The Last Knight , is set to be released on June 21 , 2017 , with Cullen , Tucci , and Wahlberg returning , and Bay directing .


Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) is an American mixed martial arts-focused company , based in Las Vegas , Nevada , owned and operated by parent company William Morris Endeavor . It is the largest MMA promotion in the world and features the top-ranked fighters of the sport . Based in the United States , the UFC produces events worldwide that showcase ten weight divisions and abide by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts . As of 2017 , the UFC has held over 300 events . Dana White serves as the president of the UFC . He has held that position since 2001 ; under White 's leadership the UFC has grown into a globally popular multibillion-dollar enterprise .   The first event was held on November 12 , 1993 at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver , Colorado . The purpose of the early Ultimate Fighting Championship competitions was to identify the most effective martial art in a fight , with minimal rules , between competitors of different fighting disciplines , including boxing , Brazilian jiu-jitsu , Sambo , wrestling , Muay Thai , karate , judo , and other styles . In subsequent competitions , fighters began adopting effective techniques from more than one discipline , which indirectly helped create an entirely separate style of fighting known as present-day mixed martial arts . In 2016 , it was sold to William Morris Endeavor ( WME-IMG ) for $ 4 billion .   With a TV deal and expansion in Europe , Australia , the Middle East , Asia , and new markets within the United States , the UFC has gained in popularity , along with greater mainstream media coverage . As of 2017 , viewers can access live UFC fights and fight replays on their subscription network UFC Fight Pass at a cost of $ 7.99 -- $ 9.99 USD per month via devices like Apple TV , iPhone , Android , Xbox , Roku , and Google Chromecast as well as on pay-per-view in the U.S. , Brazil , Australia , Canada , New Zealand , and Italy . On network TV , UFC content is available on Fox , Fox Sports 1 , and Fox Sports 2 in the U.S. , on ESPN in the Caribbean , on BT Sport in the United Kingdom and Ireland , as well as in 150 countries and 22 different languages worldwide .   MMA journalists and fans have criticized the UFC for putting on too many shows and thus diluting the quality of their product .


Conor McGregor Conor Anthony McGregor ( Irish : Conchúr Antóin Mac Gréagóir ; born 14 July 1988 ) is an Irish professional mixed martial artist who is currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) . He is the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion , and former UFC Featherweight Champion . During his career , McGregor has competed as a featherweight , lightweight , and welterweight .   In 2008 , McGregor started his mixed martial arts ( MMA ) career and , in 2012 , he won both the Cage Warriors Featherweight and Lightweight Championships , holding both titles concurrently before vacating them to sign with the UFC . In 2015 , at UFC 194 , McGregor defeated José Aldo for the UFC Featherweight Championship via knockout thirteen seconds into the first round . This was the fastest victory in UFC title fight history . Upon defeating Eddie Alvarez for the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 205 , McGregor became the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight divisions simultaneously .   He is known for being the biggest pay-per-view draw in MMA history , as well as his extravagant lifestyle and trash talking .


The Crazies (2010 film) The Crazies is a 2010 American science fiction horror film directed by Breck Eisner , with a screenplay by Scott Kosar and Ray Wright . The film is a remake of the 1973 film of the same name by George A. Romero , who is an executive producer of the remake .   The Crazies stars Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell . The film takes place in the fictional town of Ogden Marsh , Pierce County , Iowa , `` friendliest place on Earth , '' whose town water supply is accidentally infected with the `` Trixie '' virus . After an incubation period of 48 hours , this virus gradually transforms the mental state of the infected into that of cold , calculating , depraved , bloodthirsty killers , who then prey on family and neighbors alike . The film was released on February 26 , 2010 to positive reviews from critics , and was a modest box office success .


Mithun Chakraborty won three or more National Film Awards.

Mithun Chakraborty Gourang Chakraborty ( born 16 June 1950 ) , better known by his stage name Mithun Chakraborty ; informally referred to as Mithun Da , is an Indian film actor , singer , producer , writer , social worker , entrepreneur and a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament . He is the recipient of three National Film Awards . He made his acting debut with the art house drama Mrigayaa ( 1976 ) , for which he won his first National Film Award for Best Actor .   He began his career as a junior actor and went on to establish himself as one of the biggest stars in Bollywood . He is recognized as one of the best `` dancing-heroes '' in Bollywood with his `` Disco and Desi '' fusion-style dancing that is popular among the masses .   Chakraborty is best remembered for his role as Jimmy in the movie Disco Dancer which was a superhit in India and also in many other countries in the world , especially Russia . In Russia , Chakraborty and Raj Kapoor are the most popular Indian actors .   Besides ` Disco Dancer ' , Chakraborty is best remembered for his performance in films like Suraksha , Saahas , Wardat , Pyar Jhukta Nahi , Dance Dance and Agneepath .  In 1991 , he won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor award for his role as Krishnan Iyer Nariyal paniwala for the movie Agneepath .   He later won two more National Film Awards for his performances in Tahader Katha ( 1992 ) and Swami Vivekananda ( 1998 ) . Chakraborty has appeared in more than 350 films including Bengali , Odia , Bhojpuri , Telugu and Punjabi pictures .   Chakraborty owns the Monarch Group , which has interests in the hospitality sector and educational sector . He has also started the production house Paparatzy Productions In 1992 , he along with Dilip Kumar and Sunil Dutt , set up a trust to help needy actors called Cine & T.V Artistes Association ( CINTAA ) . He was also the Chairperson of Film Studios Setting & Allied Mazdoor Union which take care the welfare of cine workers and resolve their demands and problems . The Television show Dance India Dance where Chakraborty is the Grandmaster has already entered in Limca Book of Records and Guinness World Records Chakraborty played a crucial role of mediator between Pranab Mukherjee and Mamata Banerjee , winning the Congressman the support of the Trinamool chief in the 2012 presidential election .   A comic book named Jimmy Zhingchak has been made based on Chakraborty .


Swami Vivekananda (1998 film) Swami Vivekananda is a 1998 Indian biographical film directed by G. V. Iyer and produced by T. Subbarami Reddy . It took Iyer 11 years to finish the research work required for the film and to write the screenplay .   The film starred Sarvadaman D. Banerjee as Swami Vivekananda , the 19th-century Hindu monk , and Mithun Chakraborty as Ramakrishna , his guru . Even though the film was completed and was considered for 1995 national awards , the film got released on 12 June 1998 . The film was premiered on India 's public service broadcaster Doordarshan on 15 August 1998 , the country 's Independence Day .   The film received mixed , mainly negative , reviews from critics . Mithun Chakraborty 's acting in this film was widely appreciated and he won his third National Film Award .


Tia Mowry Tia Dashon Mowry-Hardrict ( -LSB- ` tiːə _ 'm ɔːri -RSB- born July 6 , 1978 ) is an American actress and model . She first gained fame for her teen role as Tia Landry on the ABC/WB sitcom Sister , Sister ( opposite her identical twin sister Tamera Mowry ) . From 2006 until 2012 , she portrayed medical student Melanie Barnett on The CW/BET comedy-drama series The Game . She is also notable for starring in the television movie Twitches and its sequel Twitches Too . Mowry has portrayed Sasha in Bratz and Sashabella in Bratzillaz . From September 2013 to 2015 , Mowry starred in Nickelodeon 's Nick at Nite and TV Land comedy sitcom Instant Mom .   Tia Mowry and her sister Tamera were in a singing group in the early 1990s called Voices . The group debuted their first single `` Yeah , Yeah , Yeah ! '' in 1992 .


Tamera Mowry Tamera Darvette Mowry-Housley ( -LSB- tə 'm ɛrə _ 'm ɔːri -RSB- born July 6 , 1978 ) is an American actress and model . She first gained fame for her teen role as Tamera Campbell on the ABC/WB sitcom Sister , Sister ( opposite her identical twin sister Tia Mowry ) . She has also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Twitches and its sequel , Twitches Too , and she played Dr. Kayla Thornton on the medical drama Strong Medicine . A reality TV show following her and her twin sister 's lives , Tia & Tamera , began airing on the Style Network in 2011 , ending in 2013 after three seasons .   Currently , she is one of the hosts of The Real talk show along with former fellow Disney Channel star Adrienne Bailon , Jeannie Mai , and Loni Love , which premiered on July 15 , 2013 .   She and her identical twin sister Tia Mowry were in a singing group in the early 1990s called Voices . The group debuted their first single , `` Yeah , Yeah , Yeah ! '' in 1992 and charted No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 .


Ruth Negga Ruth Negga ( -LSB- ˈneɪgə -RSB- born 7 January 1982 ) is an Ethiopian born Irish actress , who has appeared in the films Capital Letters ( 2004 ) ( also released as Trafficked in some countries ) , Isolation ( 2005 ) , Breakfast on Pluto ( 2005 ) and Warcraft ( 2016 ) . She has also played roles in television , such as in the BBC 's mini-series Criminal Justice , RTÉ 's Love/Hate , E4 's Misfits , and ABC 's Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. . In 2016 , she began a starring role as Tulip O'Hare in AMC 's Preacher .   For her portrayal of Mildred Loving in Loving ( 2016 ) , Negga was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress , Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama , Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead and Critics ' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress , as well as the BAFTA Rising Star Award .


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


A&E (TV channel) A&E ( previously Arts & Entertainment Network ) is an American cable and satellite television channel that serves as the flagship television property of A&E Networks , a joint venture between the Hearst Corporation and Disney -- ABC Television Group subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company ( both of which maintain a 50 % ownership interest ) .   The channel originally focused programming on biographies , documentaries , and drama series ( especially crime dramas and mysteries ) but has later expanded to include reality television programming . As of July 2015 , the A&E network is available to approximately 95,968,000 pay television households ( 82.4 % of households with television ) in the United States .   The channel is headquartered in New York City and operates offices in Atlanta , Georgia ; Chicago , Illinois ; Detroit , Michigan ; London , United Kingdom ; Los Angeles , California and Stamford , Connecticut . The U.S. version of the channel is shown in Canada while international versions exist for Australia , Latin America , and Europe .


HBO Home Box Office ( HBO ) is an American premium cable and satellite television network that is owned by Time Warner through its respective flagship company Home Box Office , Inc. . Programming featured on the network consists primarily of theatrically released motion pictures and original television series , along with made-for-cable movies and documentaries , boxing matches , and occasional stand-up comedy and concert specials .   HBO is the oldest and longest continuously operating pay television service ( basic or premium ) in the United States , having been in operation since November 8 , 1972 . In 2014 , HBO had an adjusted operating income of US$ 1.79 billion , compared to the US$ 1.68 billion it accrued in 2013 . HBO has 49 million subscribers in the United States and 130 million worldwide as of 2016 . The network provides seven 24-hour multiplex channels , including HBO Comedy , HBO Latino , HBO Signature , and HBO Family . It launched the streaming service HBO Now in April 2015 and has over 2 million subscribers in the United States as of February 2017 .


Brian Eno Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , RDI ( -LSB- ˈiːnoʊ -RSB- born 15 May 1948 and originally christened Brian Peter George Eno ) is an English musician , composer , record producer , singer , writer , and visual artist . He is best known for his pioneering work in rock , ambient , pop , and electronic music . A self-described `` non-musician '' , Eno has helped to introduce a variety of unique conceptual approaches and recording techniques into contemporary music , advocating a methodology of `` theory over practice '' throughout his career . He has been described as one of popular music 's most influential and innovative figures .   Born in Suffolk , Eno studied painting and experimental music at art school in the late 1960s before joining glam rock group Roxy Music as synthesizer player in 1971 . After recording two albums with the band , he departed in 1973 to record a number of solo albums , contributing to and ultimately coining the concept of ambient music with works such as Another Green World ( 1975 ) , Discreet Music ( 1975 ) , and Music for Airports ( 1978 ) . He took part in frequent collaborations with artists such as Robert Fripp , Harold Budd , Cluster , David Bowie on his `` Berlin Trilogy '' , and David Byrne on 1981 's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts . During the 1970s , Eno would also begin a parallel career as a producer , which included work on albums by Talking Heads and Devo , the no wave compilation No New York ( 1978 ) , and recordings by avant-garde artists such as John Cale , Jon Hassell , Laraaji , and Harold Budd , among others .   In subsequent decades , Eno continued to record solo albums , collaborate , and produce for other artists , including U2 , Coldplay , Laurie Anderson , James , Grace Jones , and Slowdive . Dating back to his time as a student , he has also pursued a variety of multimedia projects in parallel with his music career , including sound installations and his mid-70s co-development of Oblique Strategies , a deck of cards featuring cryptic aphorisms  intended to spur creative thinking . He continues to release music , produce , and write , and maintains a regular column in Prospect Magazine .


Adam Sandler was born on September 9, 1966.

Adam Sandler Adam Richard Sandler ( born September 9 , 1966 ) is an American actor , comedian , screenwriter , film producer , and musician . After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member , Sandler went on to star in many Hollywood feature films that combined have grossed over $ 2 billion at the box office . He is best known for his comedic roles , such as in the films Billy Madison ( 1995 ) , the sports comedies Happy Gilmore ( 1996 ) and The Waterboy ( 1998 ) , the romantic comedy The Wedding Singer ( 1998 ) , Big Daddy ( 1999 ) , and Mr. Deeds ( 2002 ) , and voicing Dracula in Hotel Transylvania ( 2012 ) and Hotel Transylvania 2 ( 2015 ) . Several of his movies , most notably the widely panned Jack and Jill , have gained harsh criticism , culminating in a shared second place in the number of Raspberry Awards ( 3 ) and Raspberry Award Nominations ( 11 ) , in both cases second only to Sylvester Stallone . He has ventured into more dramatic territory with his roles in Punch-Drunk Love ( 2002 ) , Spanglish ( 2004 ) , Reign Over Me ( 2007 ) , Funny People ( 2009 ) and The Meyerowitz Stories ( 2017 ) .   Sandler has released five comedy albums in his career . They 're All Gon na Laugh at You ! ( 1993 ) and What the Hell Happened to Me ? ( 1996 ) are both certified double-platinum . In 1999 , Sandler founded Happy Madison Productions .


Blu-ray Blu-ray or Blu-ray Disc ( BD ) is a digital optical disc data storage format . It was designed to supersede the DVD format , in that it is capable of storing high-definition ( 720p and 1080p ) and ultra high-definition video resolution ( 2160p ) . The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick , the same size as DVDs and CDs . Conventional ( pre-BD-XL ) Blu-ray Disc discs contain 25 GB per layer , with dual layer discs ( 50 GB ) being the industry standard for feature-length video discs . Triple-layer discs ( 100 GB ) and quadruple layers ( 128 GB ) are available for BD-XL re-writer drives . The name `` Blu-ray '' refers to the blue laser ( specifically , a violet laser ) used to read the disc , which allows information to be stored at a greater density than is possible with the longer-wavelength red laser used for DVDs . The main application of Blu-ray is as a medium for video material such as feature films and physical distribution of video games for the PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , and Xbox One . Besides the hardware specifications , Blu-ray is associated with a set of multimedia formats .   High-definition video may be stored on Blu-ray discs with up to 2160p resolution ( 3840 × 2160 pixels ) , at up to 60 frames per second . DVD discs had been limited to a maximum resolution of 480p ( NTSC , 720 × 480 pixels ) or 576p ( PAL , 720 × 576 pixels ) . The BD format was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association , a group representing makers of consumer electronics , computer hardware , and motion pictures . Sony unveiled the first Blu-ray disc prototypes in October 2000 , and the first prototype player was released in April 2003 in Japan . Afterwards , it continued to be developed until its official release in June 2006 . During the high definition optical disc format war , Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format . Toshiba , the main company that supported HD DVD , conceded in February 2008 , releasing its own Blu-ray Disc player in late 2009 . According to Media Research , high-definition software sales in the US were slower in the first two years than DVD software sales . Blu-ray faces competition from video on demand and the continued sale of DVDs . As of January 2016 , 44 % of U.S. broadband households had a Blu-ray player .


DVD DVD ( an abbreviation of `` digital versatile disc '' or `` digital video disc '' ) is a digital optical disc storage format invented and developed by Panasonic , Philips , Sony and Toshiba in 1995 . The medium can store any kind of digital data and is widely used for software and other computer files as well as video programs watched using DVD players . DVDs offer higher storage capacity than compact discs while having the same dimensions .   Pre-recorded DVDs are mass-produced using molding machines that physically stamp data onto the DVD . Such discs are a form of DVD-ROM because data can only be read and not written or erased . Blank recordable DVD discs ( DVD-R and DVD+R ) can be recorded once using a DVD recorder and then function as a DVD-ROM . Rewritable DVDs ( DVD-RW , DVD+RW , and DVD-RAM ) can be recorded and erased many times .   DVDs are used in DVD-Video consumer digital video format and in DVD-Audio consumer digital audio format as well as for authoring DVD discs written in a special AVCHD format to hold high definition material ( often in conjunction with AVCHD format camcorders ) . DVDs containing other types of information may be referred to as DVD data discs .


Divergent (film) Divergent is a 2014 American science fiction action film directed by Neil Burger , based on the novel of the same name by Veronica Roth . The film is the first installment in The Divergent Series and was produced by Lucy Fisher , Pouya Shabazian , and Douglas Wick , with a screenplay by Evan Daugherty and Vanessa Taylor . It stars Shailene Woodley , Theo James , Ashley Judd , Jai Courtney , Ray Stevenson , Zoë Kravitz , Miles Teller , Tony Goldwyn , Ansel Elgort , Maggie Q and Kate Winslet . The story takes place in a dystopian and post-apocalyptic Chicago where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues . Beatrice Prior is warned that she is Divergent and thus will never fit into any one of the factions . She soon learns that a sinister plot is brewing in the seemingly perfect society .   Development of Divergent began in March 2011 when Summit Entertainment picked up the film rights to the novel with Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher 's production company Red Wagon Entertainment . Principal photography began April 16 , 2013 , and concluded on July 16 , 2013 , with reshoots taking place from January 24 -- 26 , 2014 . Production mostly took place in Chicago .   Divergent was released on March 21 , 2014 , in the United States . The film received mixed reviews from critics , with praise going towards its concepts and action , and criticism focused on its execution . Reviewers found the film to be generic and unoriginal , comparing it unfavorably to other young adult fiction adaptations . Despite this , the film was a financial success as it reached the # 1 spot at the box office during its opening weekend . After its release , the film earned over US$ 288 million worldwide against its budget of US$ 85 million . It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 5 , 2014 .   A sequel , Insurgent , was released on March 20 , 2015 in the United States .


Hopman Cup has been attended by his wife.

Hopman Cup The Hopman Cup is an annual international eight-team indoor hardcourt tennis tournament held in Perth , Western Australia in early January ( sometimes commencing in late December ) each year , which plays mixed-gender teams on a country-by-country basis .   The championship is named in honour of Harry Hopman ( 1906 -- 1985 ) , an Australian tennis player and coach who guided the country to 15 Davis Cup titles between 1938 and 1969 . Since the Hopman Cup was founded in 1989 , it has been attended each year by Harry Hopman 's widow , his second wife Lucy , who travels to the tournament annually from her home in the United States .   The tournament is a sanctioned event in the calendar of the International Tennis Federation ( ITF ) , but while individual player results are tallied , they are not included in the calculation of tennis world rankings . The competition receives extensive television coverage in Australia and is an important lead-up tournament to the Australian Open each January as part of the Australian Open Series . The winning team receives a silver cup perpetual trophy and up to 2014 the winning team members were presented with distinctive individual trophies in the shape of a tennis ball encrusted with diamonds from the Argyle diamond mine in the Kimberley region of Western Australia . In 2014 and 2015 , the individual trophies were created in the shape of an intricate diamond encrusted tennis racket and ball , using just under an ounce of 18-carat white , yellow and rose gold and approximately half an ounce of pink argyle diamonds . These trophies are valued at $ 26,000 .   Until 2012 , the Hopman Cup was played at the Burswood Dome . Since 2013 , the Hopman Cup has been played at the Perth Arena .


The Himalayas has some of its mountains a country bordering Nepal.

Himalayas The Himalayas , or Himalaya , ( -LSB- ˌhɪməˈleɪ.ə -RSB- or -LSB- hɪˈmɑːləjə -RSB- ) form a mountain range in Asia separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau .   The Himalayan range has many of the Earth 's highest peaks , including the highest , Mount Everest . The Himalayas include over fifty mountains exceeding 7200 m in elevation , including ten of the fourteen 8000m peaks . By contrast , the highest peak outside Asia -- Aconcagua , in the Andes -- is 6961 m tall .   The Himalayan range is bordered on the northwest by the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges , on the north by the Tibetan Plateau , and on the south by the Indo-Gangetic Plain . The Himalayas are distinct from the other great ranges of central Asia , although sometimes the term Himalaya is loosely used to include the Karakoram and some of the other ranges . The Himalayas are spread across five countries : Nepal , India , Bhutan , China and Pakistan , with the first three countries having sovereignty over most of the range . Some of the world 's major rivers , the Indus , the Ganges , and the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra , rise in the Himalayas , and their combined drainage basin is home to roughly 600 million people . The Himalayas have profoundly shaped the cultures of South Asia ; many Himalayan peaks are sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism .   Lifted by the subduction of the Indian tectonic plate under the Eurasian Plate , the Himalayan Mountain range runs , west-northwest to east-southeast , in an arc 2400 km long . Its western anchor , Nanga Parbat , lies just south of the northernmost bend of Indus river . Its eastern anchor , Namcha Barwa , is just west of the great bend of the Tsangpo river . The range varies in width from 400 km in the west to 150 km in the east .


Sunburn (film) Sunburn is a 1979 British-American comedy film directed by Richard C. Sarafian and written by James Booth , John Daly and Stephen Oliver . It is based on the novel The Bind by Stanley Ellin . The film stars Farrah Fawcett , Charles Grodin , Art Carney , Joan Collins , William Daniels and John Hillerman . The film was released on August 10 , 1979 , by Paramount Pictures .


Blocking is a technique that is involved in Volleyball.

Volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net . Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team 's court under organized rules . It has been a part of the official program of the Summer Olympic Games since 1964 .   The complete rules are extensive . But simply , play proceeds as follows : a player on one of the teams begins a ` rally ' by serving the ball ( tossing or releasing it and then hitting it with a hand or arm ) , from behind the back boundary line of the court , over the net , and into the receiving team 's court . The receiving team must not let the ball be grounded within their court . The team may touch the ball up to 3 times but individual players may not touch the ball twice consecutively . Typically , the first two touches are used to set up for an attack , an attempt to direct the ball back over the net in such a way that the serving team is unable to prevent it from being grounded in their court .   The rally continues , with each team allowed as many as three consecutive touches , until either ( 1 ) : a team makes a kill , grounding the ball on the opponent 's court and winning the rally ; or ( 2 ) : a team commits a fault and loses the rally . The team that wins the rally is awarded a point , and serves the ball to start the next rally . A few of the most common faults include :  causing the ball to touch the ground or floor outside the opponents ' court or without first passing over the net ;  catching and throwing the ball ;  double hit : two consecutive contacts with the ball made by the same player ;  four consecutive contacts with the ball made by the same team ;  net foul : touching the net during play ;  foot fault : the foot crosses over the boundary line when serving .  The ball is usually played with the hands or arms , but players can legally strike or push ( short contact ) the ball with any part of the body .   A number of consistent techniques have evolved in volleyball , including spiking and blocking ( because these plays are made above the top of the net , the vertical jump is an athletic skill emphasized in the sport ) as well as passing , setting , and specialized player positions and offensive and defensive structures .


Los Angeles Los Angeles ( -LSB- lɒs_ˈændʒəlᵻs -RSB- , Spanish for `` The Angels '' ; -LSB- los ˈaŋxeles -RSB- ) , officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L.A. , is the cultural , financial , and commercial center of Southern California . With a census-estimated 2017 population of 4,042,000 , it is the second-most populous city in the United States ( after New York City ) and the most populous city in the state of California . Located in a large coastal basin surrounded on three sides by mountains reaching up to and over 10000 ft , Los Angeles covers an area of about 469 sqmi . The city is also the seat of Los Angeles County , the most populated county in the country . Los Angeles is the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area , and is part of the larger designated Los Angeles-Long Beach combined statistical area ( CSA ) , the second most populous in the nation with a 2015 estimated population of 18.7 million .   Historically home to the Chumash and Tongva , Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542 along with the rest of what would become Alta California . The city was officially founded on September 4 , 1781 , by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve . It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence . In 1848 , at the end of the Mexican -- American War , Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , thereby becoming part of the United States . Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4 , 1850 , five months before California achieved statehood . The discovery of oil in the 1890s brought rapid growth to the city . The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913 , delivering water from Eastern California , later assured the city 's continued rapid growth .   Nicknamed the `` City of Angels '' , Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate , ethnic diversity , and sprawling metropolis . The city is also one of the most substantial economic engines within the nation , with a diverse economy in a broad range of professional and cultural fields . Los Angeles is also famous as the home of Hollywood , a major center of the world entertainment industry . A global city , it has been ranked 6th in the Global Cities Index and 9th in the Global Economic Power Index . The Los Angeles combined statistical area ( CSA ) also has a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of $ 831 billion , making it the third-largest in the world , after the Greater Tokyo and New York metropolitan areas .


Mirka Federer Miroslava `` Mirka '' Federer ( born Miroslava Vavrincová on 1 April 1978 , later Miroslava Vavrinec ) is a Slovak-born Swiss former professional tennis player . She reached her career-high WTA singles ranking of World No. 76 on 10 September 2001 and a doubles ranking of World No. 215 on 24 August 1998 . She is the wife of professional tennis player Roger Federer , having first met him at the 2000 Summer Olympics . She retired from the game in 2002 due to a persistent foot injury . She has since frequently been seen on the ATP circuit attending her husband 's matches .


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


As the World Turns debuted on April 2, 1956.

As the World Turns As the World Turns ( often referred to as ATWT ) is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2 , 1956 , to September 17 , 2010 . Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light . Running for 54 years , As the World Turns holds the second-longest continuous run of any daytime network soap opera on American television , surpassed only by Guiding Light . As the World Turns was produced for the first 43 years in Manhattan and in Brooklyn from 2000 until 2010 .   Set in the fictional town of Oakdale , Illinois , the show debuted on April 2 , 1956 , at 1:30 pm EST. . Prior to that date , all serials had been 15 minutes in length . As the World Turns and The Edge of Night , which premiered on the same day at 4:30 pm EST , were the first two to be 30 minutes in length from their premiere . At first , viewers did not respond to the new half-hour serial , but ratings picked up in its second year , eventually reaching the top spot in the daytime Nielsen ratings by fall 1958 . In 1959 , the show started a streak of weekly ratings wins that was not interrupted for over 12 years . The show switched to color on August 21 , 1967 , and expanded from a half-hour in length to one hour starting on December 1 , 1975 , when The Edge of Night moved to ABC . In the year-to-date ratings , As the World Turns was the most-watched daytime drama from 1958 until 1978 , with ten million viewers tuning in each day . At its height , core actors such as Helen Wagner , Don MacLaughlin , Don Hastings , and Eileen Fulton became nationally known . Three of these actors -- Wagner , Hastings , and Fulton -- are also the three longest serving actors in the history of American soap operas .   The show passed its 10,000 th episode on May 12 , 1995 , and celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 2 , 2006 . On September 18 , 2009 , As the World Turns became the last remaining Procter and Gamble-produced soap opera for CBS after Guiding Light aired its final episode on the network .   On December 8 , 2009 , CBS announced that it cancelled As the World Turns after almost 54 years due to low ratings . The show taped its final Procter and Gamble scenes for CBS on June 23 , 2010 , and with a dramatic storyline finale , its final episode on the network aired on September 17 , 2010 . On October 18 , 2010 , CBS replaced As the World Turns with a newly debuted talk show The Talk .


Hulk (film) Hulk is a 2003 American superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character of the same name . Ang Lee directed the film , which stars Eric Bana as Dr. Bruce Banner , as well as Jennifer Connelly , Sam Elliott , Josh Lucas , and Nick Nolte . The film explores the origins of Bruce Banner , who after a lab accident involving gamma radiation finds himself able to turn into a huge green-skinned monster whenever he gets angry , while he is pursued by the United States military and comes into a conflict with his father .   Development for the film started as far back as 1990 . The film was at one point to be directed by Joe Johnston and then Jonathan Hensleigh . More scripts had been written by Hensleigh , John Turman , Michael France , Zak Penn , J. J. Abrams , Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski , Michael Tolkin , and David Hayter before Ang Lee and James Schamus ' involvement . Hulk was shot mostly in California , primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area .   Hulk was a commercial success , grossing over $ 245 million worldwide , higher than its $ 137 million budget , and received mixed reactions from critics . Many praised the writing , acting , character development , the action sequences and the musical score by Danny Elfman , while some criticized its outdated CGI , editing and dark story elements . A reboot , titled The Incredible Hulk , was released on June 13 , 2008 as the second film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe .


In 1993, Michael Jackson faced an accusation of sexually abusing a child.

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


Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher ( October 21 , 1956 -- December 27 , 2016 ) was an American actress , writer and humorist who first became known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars film series . Her other film roles included Shampoo ( 1975 ) , The Blues Brothers ( 1980 ) , Hannah and Her Sisters ( 1986 ) , The ` Burbs ( 1989 ) , and When Harry Met Sally ... ( 1989 ) .   Fisher wrote several semi-autobiographical novels , including Postcards from the Edge and the screenplay for the film of the book , as well as an autobiographical one-woman play , and its non-fiction book , Wishful Drinking , based on the play . She worked on other writers ' screenplays as a script doctor . In later years , she earned praise for speaking publicly about her experiences with bipolar disorder and drug addiction .   The daughter of the singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds , Fisher and her mother appear in Bright Lights : Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds , a 2016 documentary about their relationship . It premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival . Fisher died of cardiac arrest on December 27 , 2016 , at age 60 , four days after experiencing a medical emergency during a transatlantic flight from London to Los Angeles . Her final film , Star Wars : The Last Jedi , is scheduled to be released on December 15 , 2017 .


Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances `` Debbie '' Reynolds ( April 1 , 1932 -- December 28 , 2016 ) was an American actress , singer , businesswoman , film historian , humanitarian , and mother of the actress and writer Carrie Fisher . She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portrayal of Helen Kane in the 1950 film Three Little Words , and her breakout role was her first leading role , as Kathy Selden in Singin ' in the Rain ( 1952 ) . Other successes include The Affairs of Dobie Gillis ( 1953 ) , Susan Slept Here ( 1954 ) , Bundle of Joy ( 1956 Golden Globe nomination ) , The Catered Affair ( 1956 National Board of Review Best Supporting Actress Winner ) , and Tammy and the Bachelor ( 1957 ) , in which her performance of the song `` Tammy '' reached number one on the Billboard music charts . In 1959 , she released her first pop music album , titled Debbie .   She starred in How the West Was Won ( 1963 ) , and The Unsinkable Molly Brown ( 1964 ) , a biographical film about the famously boisterous Molly Brown . Her performance as Brown earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress . Her other films include The Singing Nun ( 1966 ) , Divorce American Style ( 1967 ) , What 's the Matter with Helen ? ( 1971 ) , Charlotte 's Web ( 1973 ) , Mother ( 1996 ) ( Golden Globe nomination ) , and In & Out ( 1997 ) . Reynolds was also a cabaret performer . In 1979 , she founded the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in North Hollywood , which still operates today .   In 1969 , she starred on television in The Debbie Reynolds Show , for which she received a Golden Globe nomination . In 1973 , Reynolds starred in a Broadway revival of the musical Irene and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical . She was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her performance in A Gift of Love ( 1999 ) and an Emmy Award for playing Grace 's mother Bobbi on Will & Grace . At the turn of the millennium , Reynolds reached a new younger generation with her role as Aggie Cromwell in Disney 's Halloweentown series . In 1988 , she released her autobiography titled , Debbie : My Life . In 2013 , she released a second autobiography , Unsinkable : A Memoir .   Reynolds also had several business ventures , including ownership of a dance studio and a Las Vegas hotel and casino , and she was an avid collector of film memorabilia , beginning with items purchased at the landmark 1970 MGM auction . She served as president of The Thalians , an organization dedicated to mental health causes . Reynolds continued to perform successfully on stage , television , and film into her eighties . In January 2015 , Reynolds received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award . In 2016 , she received the Academy Awards Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award . In the same year , a documentary about her life was released titled Bright Lights : Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds , which turned out to be her final film appearance ; the film premiered on HBO on January 7 , 2017 .   On December 28 , 2016 , Reynolds was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center following a medical emergency , which her son Todd Fisher later described as a `` severe stroke '' . She died from the stroke that afternoon , one day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher .


The atmosphere of Venus consists of more than 96 percent carbon dioxide.

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


The Guest (film) The Guest is a 2014 American action horror-thriller film directed and edited by Adam Wingard and written by Simon Barrett , both of whom previously collaborated on a previous film , You 're Next ( 2011 ) . Starring Dan Stevens , Maika Monroe , Leland Orser , Sheila Kelley , Brendan Meyer , and Lance Reddick , the plot follows a soldier named `` David '' unexpectedly visiting the Peterson family , introducing himself as a friend of their son who had died during the Afghanistan war . After the man is welcomed into their home for a couple of days , a series of deaths begin to occur around his presence , and their daughter Anna begins to have suspicions of David being connected to the deaths .   The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 17 , 2014 , following a release in the United States on September 17 , 2014 and the United Kingdom on September 5 , 2014 . Critical reception was largely positive , with general praise towards Stevens ' role and Wingard 's direction .


Here Comes the Sun was recorded in London in 1969.

Here Comes the Sun `` Here Comes the Sun '' is a song written by George Harrison that was first released on the Beatles ' 1969 album Abbey Road . Along with `` Something '' and `` While My Guitar Gently Weeps '' , it is one of Harrison 's best-known compositions from the Beatles era . The song was written at the country house of his friend Eric Clapton , where Harrison had chosen to play truant for the day , to avoid attending a meeting at the Beatles ' Apple Corps organisation . The lyrics reflect the composer 's relief at both the arrival of spring and the temporary respite he was experiencing from the band 's business affairs .   The Beatles recorded `` Here Comes the Sun '' at London 's EMI Studios in the summer of 1969 . Led by Harrison 's acoustic guitar , the recording also features Moog synthesizer , which he had introduced to the Beatles ' sound after acquiring an early model of the instrument in California . Reflecting the continued influence of Indian classical music on Harrison 's writing , the composition includes a series of unusual time changes .   `` Here Comes the Sun '' has received acclaim from music critics . Combined with his other contribution to Abbey Road , `` Something '' , it gained for Harrison the level of recognition as a songwriter that had previously been reserved for his bandmates John Lennon and Paul McCartney . Harrison played the song during many of his relatively rare live performances as a solo artist , including at the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971 and , with Paul Simon , during his appearance on Saturday Night Live in 1976 . Richie Havens and Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel each had hit singles with `` Here Comes the Sun '' in the 1970s . Nina Simone , George Benson , Booker T. & the M.G. 's , Peter Tosh and Joe Brown are among the many other artists who have covered the song .


The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne , California , in 1961 . The group 's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian , Dennis , and Carl Wilson ; their cousin Mike Love ; and their friend Al Jardine . Distinguished by their vocal harmonies and early surf songs , they are one of the most influential acts of the rock era . The group , led by their principal songwriter and producer Brian , pioneered novel approaches to popular music form and production , combining their affinities for jazz-based vocal groups , 1950s rock and roll , and black R&B to create their unique sound . He later arranged his compositions for studio orchestras and explored a variety of other styles , often incorporating classical or jazz elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways .   The Beach Boys began as a garage band managed by the Wilsons ' father Murry , with Brian 's increasingly sophisticated songwriting and recording abilities dominating their creative direction . Emerging at the vanguard of the `` California Sound '' , they performed original material that reflected a southern California youth culture of surfing , cars , and romance . After 1964 , they abandoned the surfing aesthetic for more personal lyrics and multi-layered sounds . In 1966 , the Pet Sounds album and `` Good Vibrations '' single vaulted the group to the top level of rock innovators and established the band as symbols of the nascent counterculture era . Following the dissolution of the group 's Smile project in 1967 , Brian gradually ceded production and songwriting duties to the rest of the band , reducing his input because of mental health and substance abuse issues . The group 's public image subsequently faltered , and despite efforts to continue their psychedelic/avant-garde ventures and reclaim their hippie audiences , they were dismissed as an embodiment of the values and outlooks shared by early 1960s white , suburban teenagers .   The continued success of their greatest hits albums during the mid 1970s precipitated the band 's transition into an oldies act , a move that was denigrated by critics and many fans . Since the 1980s , much-publicized legal wrangling over royalties , songwriting credits and use of the band 's name transpired . Dennis drowned in 1983 and Carl died of lung cancer in 1998 . After Carl 's death , many live configurations of the band fronted by Mike Love and Bruce Johnston continued to tour into the 2000s while other members pursued solo projects . Even though Wilson and Jardine have not performed with Love and Johnston 's band since their one-off 2012 reunion tour , they remain a part of the Beach Boys ' corporation , Brother Records Inc. .   The Beach Boys are one of the most critically acclaimed , commercially successful , and widely influential bands of all time . The group had over eighty songs chart worldwide , thirty-six of them US Top 40 hits ( the most by an American rock band ) , four reaching number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . The Beach Boys have sold in excess of 100 million records worldwide , making them one of the world 's best-selling bands of all time and are listed at No. 12 on Rolling Stone magazine 's 2004 list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' . The core quintet of the three Wilsons , Love and Jardine were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 .