The United Kingdom has an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants.

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK ) or Britain , is a sovereign country in western Europe . Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland , the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain , the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands . Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign statethe Republic of Ireland.Although Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state , two of its Overseas Territories also share land borders with other sovereign countries . Gibraltar shares a border with Spain , while the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia share borders with the Republic of Cyprus , the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the UN buffer zone separating the two Cypriot polities . Apart from this land border , the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to its east , the English Channel to its south and the Celtic Sea to its south-south-west , giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world . The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland . With an area of 242500 km2 , the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe . It is also the 21st-most populous country , with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants . Together , this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union ( EU ) .   The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance . The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II , who has reigned since 6 February 1952 . The capital of the United Kingdom and its largest city is London , a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million , the fourth-largest in Europe and second-largest in the European Union . Other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the conurbations centred on Birmingham , Leeds , Glasgow , Liverpool and Manchester . The United Kingdom consists of four countries -- England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland . The last three have devolved administrations , each with varying powers , based in their capitals , Edinburgh , Cardiff and Belfast , respectively . The nearby Isle of Man , Bailiwick of Guernsey and Bailiwick of Jersey are not part of the United Kingdom , being Crown dependencies with the British Government responsible for defence and international representation .   The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time . Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 . A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain , which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922 , leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6 December 1921 to resolve the Irish War of Independence . When it took effect one year later , it established the Irish Free State as a separate dominion within the Commonwealth . The UK 's current name was adopted to reflect the change . There are fourteen British Overseas Territories . These are the remnants of the British Empire which , at its height in the 1920s , encompassed almost a quarter of the world 's land mass and was the largest empire in history . British influence can be observed in the language , culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies .   The United Kingdom is a developed country and has the world 's fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest economy by purchasing power parity . The UK is considered to have a high-income economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index , ranking 16th in the world . It was the world 's first industrialised country and the world 's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries . The UK remains a great power with considerable economic , cultural , military , scientific and political influence internationally . It is a recognised nuclear weapons state and is seventh in military expenditure in the world . The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 . It has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor , the European Economic Community ( EEC ) , since 1973 . However , on 23 June 2016 , a national referendum on the UK 's membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave , and its exit from the EU is currently being negotiated . The UK is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations , the Council of Europe , the G7 finance ministers , the G7 forum , the G20 , NATO , the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) .


Nikolaj Coster-Waldau played Frank Pike in Virtuality.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Nikolaj Coster-Waldau ( -LSB- neɡ̊olaɪ̯ kʰʌsd̥ɐ ˈʋald̥ɑʊ̯ -RSB- ; born 27 July 1970 ) is a Danish actor , producer and screenwriter . He graduated from Danish National School of Theatre in Copenhagen in 1993 . Coster-Waldau 's breakthrough performance in Denmark was his role in the film Nightwatch ( 1994 ) . Since then he has appeared in numerous films in his native Scandinavia and Europe in general , including Headhunters ( 2011 ) and A Thousand Times Good Night ( 2013 ) .   In the United States , his debut film role was in the war film Black Hawk Down ( 2001 ) , playing Medal of Honor recipient Gary Gordon . He then played Detective John Amsterdam in the short-lived Fox television series New Amsterdam ( 2008 ) , as well as appearing as Frank Pike in the 2009 Fox television film Virtuality , originally intended as a pilot . He became widely known to a broad audience for his current role as Ser Jaime Lannister , in the HBO series Game of Thrones . In 2017 , he became one of the highest paid actors on television and earned # 2 million per episode of Game of Thrones .


Game of Thrones (season 3) was broadcast in the United States.

Game of Thrones (season 3) The third season of the fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones premiered in the United States on HBO on March 31 , 2013 , and concluded on June 9 , 2013 . It was broadcast on Sunday at 9:00 pm in the United States , consisting of 10 episodes , each running approximately 50 -- 60 minutes . The season is based roughly on the first half of A Storm of Swords ( the third of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R. R. Martin , of which the series is an adaptation ) . The series is adapted for television by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss . HBO renewed the series for a third season on April 10 , 2012 , nine days after the second season 's premiere . Production began in July 2012 . The show was filmed primarily in Ireland , Northern Ireland , Croatia , Iceland and Morocco .   The story takes place in a fictional world , primarily upon a continent called Westeros , with one storyline occurring on another continent to the east known as Essos . Like the novel , the season follows the climatic battle at Kings Landing . Season three like the previous season mainly centres around the war of the five kings ; after the death of Renly Baratheon ( Gethin Anthony ) , all four kings in Westeros believes to have a claim to the Iron Throne , besides Robb Stark ( Richard Madden ) , who seeks vengeance for the death of his father , Lord Eddard `` Ned '' Stark ( Sean Bean ) .   Game of Thrones features a large ensemble cast , including Peter Dinklage , Nikolaj Coster-Waldau , Lena Headey , Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington . The season introduced a number of new cast members , including Ciarán Hinds , Nathalie Emmanuel and Iwan Rheon .   Critics praised the show 's production values and cast . Viewership yet again rose compared to the previous season . It won 2 of the 16 Emmy Awards for which it was nominated , it received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series ( Dinklage ) , Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ( Clarke ) and Outstanding Drama Series . It also won the Critics ' Choice Television Award for Best Drama Series .


Richard Harris Richard St John Harris ( 1 October 1930 -- 25 October 2002 ) was an Irish actor and singer . He appeared on stage and in many films , appearing as Frank Machin in This Sporting Life , and King Arthur in the 1967 film Camelot and the subsequent 1981 revival of the show . He played an aristocrat and prisoner in A Man Called Horse ( 1970 ) , a gunfighter in Clint Eastwood 's Western film Unforgiven ( 1992 ) , Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator ( 2000 ) , and Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films : the Sorcerer 's Stone ( 2001 ) and the Chamber of Secrets ( 2002 ) . Harris had a top ten hit in the United Kingdom and United States with his 1968 recording of Jimmy Webb 's song `` MacArthur Park '' .


One More Light was released through Warner Bros.

One More Light One More Light is the seventh studio album by American rock band Linkin Park . It was released on May 19 , 2017 through Warner Bros. . Records and Machine Shop , following the 2014 album The Hunting Party . The album 's first single , `` Heavy '' was released on March 16 , 2017 . It is their first album with a title track . In deciding on the title track , they felt that the song `` One More Light '' was the heart of the album .   The album features guest vocal appearances from Pusha T , Stormzy , and Kiiara , and production and songwriting collaborations with Julia Michaels , Justin Tranter , Ross Golan , Andrew Goldstein , blackbear , and Eg White .   Acoustic performances of the lead single by Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda helped promote One More Light . A few of them included performances with Kiiara , Waxx , and Sofia Karlberg .


The Shining (film) The Shining is a 1980 British-American psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick , co-written with novelist Diane Johnson , and starring Jack Nicholson , Shelley Duvall , Danny Lloyd , and Scatman Crothers . The film is based on Stephen King 's 1977 novel The Shining .   Unlike Kubrick 's previous works , which developed audiences gradually through word-of-mouth , The Shining was released as a mass-market film , initially opening in two U.S. cities on Memorial Day , then nationwide within a month . The European release of The Shining a few months later was 25 minutes shorter due to Kubrick 's removal of most of the scenes taking place outside the environs of the hotel .   Although contemporary responses from critics were mixed , assessment became more favorable in following decades , and it is now widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever made . American director Martin Scorsese ranked it one of the 11 scariest horror movies of all time . Critics , scholars , and crew members ( such as Kubrick 's producer Jan Harlan ) have discussed the film 's enormous influence on popular culture .


Dangerous Beauty is movie from the United States.

Dangerous Beauty Dangerous Beauty is a 1998 American biographical drama film directed by Marshall Herskovitz and starring Catherine McCormack , Rufus Sewell , and Oliver Platt . Based on the non-fiction book The Honest Courtesan by Margaret Rosenthal , the film is about Veronica Franco , a courtesan in sixteenth-century Venice who becomes a hero to her city , but later becomes the target of an inquisition by the Church for witchcraft . The film features a supporting cast that includes Fred Ward , Naomi Watts , Moira Kelly and Jacqueline Bisset . The film was released as A Destiny of Her Own in some regions , and was retitled The Honest Courtesan ' for its UK video release .


Pablo Escobar Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria ( -LSB- ˈpaβ̞lo eˈmiljo eskoˈβ̞aɾ ɣ̞aˈβ̞iɾja -RSB- ; 1 December 19492 December 1993 ) was a Colombian drug lord and narco-terrorist . His cartel supplied an estimated 80 % of the cocaine smuggled into the United States at the height of his career , turning over US $ 21.9 billion a year in personal income . He was often called `` The King of Cocaine '' and was the wealthiest criminal in history , with an estimated known net worth of US $ 30 billion by the early 1990s ( equivalent to about $ billion as of ) , making him one of the richest men in the world at his prime .   Escobar was born in Rionegro , Colombia and grew up in nearby Medellín . He studied briefly at Universidad Autónoma Latinoamericana of Medellin but left without a degree ; he began to engage in criminal activity that involved selling contraband cigarettes and fake lottery tickets , and he participated in motor vehicle theft . In the 1970s , he began to work for various contraband smugglers , often kidnapping and holding people for ransom before beginning to distribute powder cocaine himself , as well as establishing the first smuggling routes into the United States in 1975 . His infiltration to the drug market of the U.S. expanded exponentially due to the rising demand for cocaine and , by the 1980s , it was estimated that 70 to 80 tons of cocaine were being shipped from Colombia to the U.S. on a monthly basis . His drug network was commonly known as the Medellín Cartel , which often competed with rival cartels domestically and abroad , resulting in massacres and the murders of police officers , judges , locals , and prominent politicians .   In 1982 , Escobar was elected as an alternate member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia as part of the Liberal Alternative movement . Through this , he was responsible for the construction of houses and football fields in western Colombia , which gained him notable popularity among the locals of the towns that he frequented . However , Colombia became the murder capital of the world , and Escobar was vilified by the Colombian and American governments . In 1993 , Escobar was shot and killed in his hometown by Colombian National Police , one day after his 44th birthday .


There was a musician in the Grand Ole Pry.

Patsy Cline Patsy Cline ( born Virginia Patterson Hensley ; September 8 , 1932 -- March 5 , 1963 ) was an American country music singer . Part of the late 1950s/early 1960s Nashville sound , Cline successfully `` crossed over '' to pop music and was one of the most influential , successful and acclaimed vocalists of the 20th century . She died at the age of 30 in a multiple-fatality crash of the private plane of her manager , Randy Hughes .   Cline was known for her rich tone , emotionally expressive and bold contralto voice , and her role as a country music industry pioneer . Along with Kitty Wells , she helped pave the way for women as headline performers in the genre . She overcame poverty , an unsuccessful marriage , a devastating automobile accident , and significant professional obstacles , and has been cited as an inspiration by Reba McEntire , LeAnn Rimes , and other singers in diverse styles . Books , movies , documentaries , articles and stage plays document her life and career .   Her hits began in 1957 with Donn Hecht 's and Alan Block 's `` Walkin ' After Midnight '' , Hank Cochran 's and Harlan Howard 's `` I Fall to Pieces '' , Hank Cochran 's `` She 's Got You '' , Willie Nelson 's `` Crazy '' and ended in 1963 with Don Gibson 's `` Sweet Dreams '' .   Millions of her records have sold since her death . She won awards and accolades , causing many to view her as an icon at the level of Jim Reeves , Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley . In 1973 ; ten years after her death , she became the first female solo artist inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame . In 1999 , she was voted number 11 on VH1 's special , The 100 Greatest Women in Rock and Roll , by members and artists of the rock industry . In 2002 , country music artists and industry members voted her Number One on CMT 's The 40 Greatest Women of Country Music and ranked 46th in the `` 100 Greatest Singers of All Time '' issue of Rolling Stone magazine . According to her 1973 Country Music Hall of Fame plaque , `` Her heritage of timeless recordings is testimony to her artistic capacity '' .


Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire ( born March 28 , 1955 ) is an American country singer , songwriter , actress , and record producer . She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings , and at rodeos . While a sophomore in college , she performed the National Anthem at the National Rodeo in Oklahoma City and caught the attention of country artist Red Steagall who brought her to Nashville , Tennessee . She signed a contract with Mercury Records a year later in 1975 . She released her first solo album in 1977 and released five additional studio albums under the label until 1983 .   Signing with MCA Nashville Records , McEntire took creative control over her second MCA album , My Kind of Country ( 1984 ) , which had a more traditional country sound and produced two number one singles : `` How Blue '' and `` Somebody Should Leave '' . The album brought her breakthrough success , bringing her a series of successful albums and number one singles in the 1980s and 1990s . McEntire has since released 29 studio albums , acquired 40 number one singles , 16 number one albums , and 28 albums have been certified gold , platinum or multi-platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America . She has sometimes been referred to as `` The Queen of Country '' . and she is one of the best-selling artists of all time , having sold more than 85 million records worldwide .   In the early 1990s , McEntire branched into film starting with 1990 's Tremors . She has since starred in the Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun and in her television sitcom , Reba ( 2001 -- 07 ) for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series -- Musical or Comedy .


Grand Ole Opry The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country-music stage concert in Nashville , Tennessee , which was founded on November 28 , 1925 , by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio `` barn dance '' on WSM . Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment ( a division of Ryman Hospitality Properties , Inc. ) , it is the longest-running radio broadcast in US history , albeit not the longest-running one on a radio network . Dedicated to honoring country music and its history , the Opry showcases a mix of famous singers and contemporary chart-toppers performing country , bluegrass , folk , gospel , and comedic performances and skits . It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world and millions of radio and Internet listeners .   The Opry 's current primary slogan is `` The Show that Made Country Music Famous '' . Other slogans include `` Home of American Music '' and `` Country 's Most Famous Stage '' .   In the 1930s the show began hiring professionals and expanded to four hours ; and WSM , broadcasting by then with 50,000 watts , made the program a Saturday night musical tradition in nearly 30 states . In 1939 , it debuted nationally on NBC Radio . The Opry moved to a permanent home , the Ryman Auditorium , in 1943 . As it developed in importance , so did the city of Nashville , which became America 's `` country music capital '' . The Grand Ole Opry holds such significance in Nashville that its name is included on the city/county line signs on all major roadways . The signs read `` Music City | Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County | Home of the Grand Ole Opry '' .   Membership in the Opry remains one of country music 's crowning achievements . Such country music legends as Hank Williams , Patsy Cline , Marty Robbins , Roy Acuff , the Carter family , Bill Monroe , Ernest Tubb , Kitty Wells and Minnie Pearl became regulars on the Opry 's stage . In recent decades , the Opry has hosted such contemporary country stars as Dolly Parton , Alan Jackson , Garth Brooks , Reba McEntire , Josh Turner , Carrie Underwood , Brad Paisley , Rascal Flatts , Dierks Bentley , Kacey Musgraves , Blake Shelton and the Dixie Chicks . Since 1974 , the show has been broadcast from the Grand Ole Opry House east of downtown Nashville , with an annual three-month winter foray back to the Ryman since 1999 . Performances have been sporadically televised in addition to the radio programs .


Roy Acuff Roy Claxton Acuff ( September 15 , 1903 -- November 23 , 1992 ) was an American country music singer , fiddler , and promoter . Known as the `` King of Country Music , '' Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and `` hoedown '' format to the star singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful . In 1952 Hank Williams told Ralph Gleason , `` He 's the biggest singer this music ever knew . You booked him and you did n't worry about crowds . For drawing power in the South , it was Roy Acuff , then God . ''   Acuff began his music career in the 1930s and gained regional fame as the singer and fiddler for his group , the Smoky Mountain Boys . He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1938 , and although his popularity as a musician waned in the late 1940s , he remained one of the Opry 's key figures and promoters for nearly four decades . In 1942 , Acuff co-founded the first major Nashville-based country music publishing company -- Acuff-Rose Music -- which signed such artists as Hank Williams , Roy Orbison , and the Everly Brothers . In 1962 , Acuff became the first living inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame .


Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson ( September 26 , 1925 -- December 8 , 1982 ) , known professionally as Marty Robbins , was an American singer , songwriter , actor , multi-instrumentalist , and racing driver . One of the most popular and successful country and western singers of all time for most of his near four-decade career , Robbins often topped the country music charts , and several of his songs also had crossover success as pop hits .


Dierks Bentley Frederick Dierks Bentley ( born November 20 , 1975 ) is an American singer and songwriter . In 2003 , he signed to Capitol Nashville and released his self-titled debut album . Both it and its follow-up , 2005 's Modern Day Drifter , are certified platinum in the United States . A third album , 2006 's Long Trip Alone , is certified gold . It was followed in mid-2008 by a greatest hits package . His fourth album , Feel That Fire was released in February 2009 . A bluegrass studio album , Up on the Ridge , was released on June 8 , 2010 , and then a sixth album , Home , followed in February 2012 , as did a seventh one , Riser , in 2014 . Bentley 's eighth and latest album , entitled Black was released in May 2016 .   Bentley 's studio albums have accounted for 25 singles on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts , of which 15 have reached number one : his debut single `` What Was I Thinkin ' '' , `` Come a Little Closer '' , `` Settle for a Slowdown '' , `` Every Mile a Memory '' , `` Free and Easy ( Down the Road I Go ) '' , `` Feel That Fire '' , `` Sideways '' , `` Am I the Only One '' , `` Home '' , `` 5-1-5-0 '' , `` I Hold On '' , `` Drunk on a Plane '' , `` Say You Do '' , `` Somewhere on a Beach '' and `` Different for Girls '' . Four more of his singles have reached the top 5 .


Carter Family The Carter Family is a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956 . Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass , country , Southern Gospel , pop and rock musicians as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s . They were the first vocal group to become country music stars . Their recordings of songs such as `` Wabash Cannonball '' , `` Can the Circle Be Unbroken '' , `` Wildwood Flower '' , `` Keep On the Sunny Side '' and `` I 'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes '' made these songs country standards . The latter 's tune was used for Roy Acuff 's `` The Great Speckled Bird '' , Hank Thompson 's `` The Wild Side of Life '' and Kitty Wells ' `` It Was n't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels '' , making the song a hit all over again in other incarnations .   The original group consisted of Alvin Pleasant `` A.P. '' Delaney Carter ( 1891 -- 1960 ) , his wife Sara Dougherty Carter ( 1898 -- 1979 ) , and his sister-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter ( 1909 -- 1978 ) . Maybelle was married to A.P. 's brother Ezra Carter ( Eck ) , and was also Sara 's first cousin . All three were born and raised in southwestern Virginia , where they were immersed in the tight harmonies of mountain gospel music and shape note singing .   Throughout the group 's career , Sara Carter sang lead vocals ; Maybelle sang harmony and accompanied the group instrumentally ; on some songs A.P. did not perform at all but at times sang harmony and background vocals and , once in a while , lead vocal . Maybelle 's distinctive guitar playing style became a hallmark of the group .


Josh Turner Joshua Otis `` Josh '' Turner ( born November 20 , 1977 ) is an American country singer and actor . In 2003 , he signed to MCA Nashville Records . That same year , his debut album 's title track , `` Long Black Train '' , was his breakthrough single release . His second album , Your Man ( 2006 ) accounted for his first two number-one hits : `` Your Man '' and `` Would You Go with Me '' , while 2007 's Everything Is Fine included a No. 2 in `` Firecracker '' . Haywire , released in 2010 , produced his biggest hit , the No. 1 on the country charts `` Why Do n't We Just Dance '' and another number one in `` All Over Me '' . It was followed by Punching Bag ( 2012 ) , whose lead-off single `` Time Is Love '' was the biggest country hit of 2012 according to Billboard Year-End .


Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean ( born January 19 , 1946 ) , professionally known as Dolly Parton , is an American singer , songwriter , multi-instrumentalist , record producer , actress , author , businesswoman , and philanthropist , known primarily for her work in country music . After achieving success as a songwriter for others , Dolly Parton made her album debut in 1967 , with her album Hello , I 'm Dolly . With steady success during the remainder of the 1960s ( both as a solo artist and with a series of duet albums with Porter Wagoner ) , her sales and chart peak came during the 1970s and continuing into the 1980s ; Parton 's subsequent albums in the later part of the 1990s were lower in sales . However , in the new millennium , Parton achieved commercial success again and has released albums on independent labels since 2000 , including albums on her own label , Dolly Records .   Parton is the most honored female country performer of all time . Achieving 25 Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) certified Gold , Platinum , and Multi-Platinum awards , she has had 25 songs reach No. 1 on the Billboard country music charts , a record for a female artist ( tied with Reba McEntire ) . She has 41 career top 10 country albums , a record for any artist , and she has 110 career charted singles over the past 40 years . All-inclusive sales of singles , albums , hits collections , and digital downloads during her career have topped 100 million worldwide . She has garnered nine Grammy Awards , two Academy Award nominations , ten Country Music Association Awards , seven Academy of Country Music Awards , three American Music Awards , and is one of only seven female artists to win the Country Music Association 's Entertainer of the Year Award . Parton has received 47 Grammy nominations .   In 1999 , Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame . She has composed over 3,000 songs , notably `` I Will Always Love You '' ( a two-time U.S. country chart-topper for Parton , as well as an international pop hit for Whitney Houston ) , `` Jolene '' , `` Coat of Many Colors '' , and `` 9 to 5 '' . She is also one of the few to have received at least one nomination from the Academy Awards , Grammy Awards , Tony Awards , and Emmy Awards . As an actress , she starred in films such as 9 to 5 , The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas , Rhinestone , and Steel Magnolias .


Kacey Musgraves Kacey Lee Musgraves ( born August 21 , 1988 ) is an American country music singer and songwriter . She self-released three albums before appearing on the fifth season of the USA Network 's singing competition Nashville Star in 2007 , where she placed seventh . She signed to Mercury Nashville in 2012 and has released two critically acclaimed albums on the label , Same Trailer Different Park ( 2013 ) and Pageant Material ( 2015 ) . Her first Christmas-themed album , A Very Kacey Christmas , was released on October 28 , 2016 .


Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks ( born February 7 , 1962 ) is an American country singer and songwriter . His integration of rock and roll elements into the country genre has earned him immense popularity in the United States . Brooks has had great success in the country single and album charts , with multi-platinum recordings and record-breaking live performances , while also crossing over into the mainstream pop arena .   According to the RIAA , he is the best-selling solo albums artist in the United States with 148 million domestic units sold , ahead of Elvis Presley , and is second only to The Beatles in total album sales overall . He is also one of the world 's best-selling artists of all time , having sold more than 160 million records .   ( As of September 23 , 2016 ) Brooks is now the only artist in music history to have released seven albums that achieved diamond status in the U.S. Those being ; Garth Brooks ( 10 × platinum ) , No Fences ( 17 × platinum ) , Ropin ' the Wind ( 14 × platinum ) , The Hits ( 10 × platinum ) , Sevens ( 10 × platinum ) , Double Live ( 21 × platinum ) , and The Ultimate Hits ( 10 × platinum ) . Since 1989 , Brooks has released 21 records in all , which include : 12 studio albums , 1 live album , 3 compilation albums , 3 Christmas albums and 4 box sets , along with 77 singles . He won several awards in his career , including 2 Grammy Awards , 17 American Music Awards ( including the `` Artist of the '90s '' ) and the RIAA Award for best-selling solo albums artist of the century in the U.S.   Troubled by conflicts between career and family , Brooks retired from recording and performing from 2001 until 2009 . During this time , he sold millions of albums through an exclusive distribution deal with Walmart and sporadically released new singles . In 2005 , Brooks started a partial comeback , giving select performances and releasing two compilation albums .   In 2009 , he began Garth at Wynn , a periodic weekend residency show at Las Vegas ' Encore Theatre from December 2009 to January 2014 . Following the conclusion of the residency , Brooks announced his signing with Sony Music Nashville in July 2014 . In September 2014 , he began his comeback tour , The Garth Brooks World Tour , with wife and musician Trisha Yearwood . His most recent album , Gunslinger , was released in November 2016 .   Brooks was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on October 21 , 2012 .


Bill Monroe William Smith `` Bill '' Monroe ( -LSB- mənˈroʊ -RSB- September 13 , 1911 -- September 9 , 1996 ) was an American mandolinist , singer , and songwriter who created the style of music known as bluegrass . Because of this he is commonly referred to as the `` Father of Bluegrass '' . The genre takes its name from his band , the Blue Grass Boys , named for Monroe 's home state of Kentucky . Monroe 's performing career spanned 69 years as a singer , instrumentalist , composer and bandleader .


Hank Williams Hiram King `` Hank '' Williams ( -LSB- ˈhæŋk_ˈwɪljəmz _ -RSB- September 17 , 1923 -- January 1 , 1953 ) was an American country music singer-songwriter and musician . Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century , Williams recorded 35 singles ( five released posthumously ) that reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart , including 11 that ranked number one ( three posthumously ) .   Born in Mount Olive , Butler County , Alabama , Williams moved to Georgiana , where he met Rufus Payne , who gave him guitar lessons in exchange for meals or money . Payne had a major influence on Williams ' later musical style , along with Roy Acuff and Ernest Tubb . During this time , Williams informally changed his name to Hank , believing it to be a better name for country music . He moved to Montgomery , where he began his music career in 1937 , when producers at radio station WSFA hired him to perform and host a 15-minute program . He formed as backup the Drifting Cowboys band , which was managed by his mother , and dropped out of school to devote his time to his career .   When several of his band members were conscripted into military service during World War II , Williams had trouble with their replacements , and WSFA terminated his contract because of his alcohol abuse . Williams eventually married Audrey Sheppard , who was his manager for nearly a decade . After recording `` Never Again '' and `` Honky Tonkin ' '' with Sterling Records , he signed a contract with MGM Records . In 1947 he released `` Move It on Over '' , which became a hit , and also joined the Louisiana Hayride radio program . One year later , he released a cover of `` Lovesick Blues '' , which carried him into the mainstream of music . After an initial rejection , Williams joined the Grand Ole Opry . He was unable to read or notate music to any significant degree . Among the hits he wrote were `` Your Cheatin ' Heart '' , `` Hey , Good Lookin ' '' , and `` I 'm So Lonesome I Could Cry '' .   Several years of back pain , alcoholism , and prescription drug abuse severely damaged Williams ' health . He divorced Sheppard and was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry because of his unreliability and alcohol abuse . Williams died on New Year 's Day of 1953 at the age of 29 , from heart failure exacerbated by pills and alcohol . Despite his short life , Williams had a major influence on 20th-century popular music , especially country music . The songs he wrote and recorded have been covered by numerous artists and have been hits in various genres . He has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame , such as the Country Music Hall of Fame ( 1961 ) , the Songwriters Hall of Fame ( 1970 ) , and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ( 1987 ) .


Rascal Flatts Rascal Flatts is an American country music trio formed in Columbus , Ohio in 1999 . It is composed of Gary LeVox , his second cousin Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney . DeMarcus is also a brother-in-law of country music singer James Otto , and formerly one-half of the Christian music duo East to West .   From 2000 to 2010 , they recorded for Disney Music Group 's Lyric Street Records . While on that label , they released seven albums , all of which have been certified platinum or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . In order of release , these albums are Rascal Flatts ( 2000 ) , Melt ( 2002 ) , Feels Like Today ( 2004 ) , Me and My Gang ( 2006 ) , Still Feels Good ( 2007 ) , Greatest Hits Volume 1 ( 2008 ) and Unstoppable ( 2009 ) . After Lyric Street closed in 2010 , they moved to Big Machine Records , for which they have released four albums and one Christmas album : Nothing Like This ( 2010 ) , Changed ( 2012 ) , Rewind ( 2014 ) , The Greatest Gift of All ( 2016 ) , and Back to Us ( 2017 ) .   Their studio albums have accounted for more than 25 singles , of which 13 have reached No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country Songs and/or Country Airplay . Their longest-lasting No. 1 single , a cover of Marcus Hummon 's `` Bless the Broken Road '' , spent five weeks in that position in 2005 . In 2005 -- 06 , `` What Hurts the Most '' was No. 1 on both the Hot Country Songs and Adult Contemporary charts , and peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 .


Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood ( born March 10 , 1983 ) is an American country singer , songwriter , and actress . She rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol in 2005 . Her debut album , Some Hearts , was released in 2005 . Bolstered by the huge crossover success of the singles `` Jesus , Take the Wheel '' and `` Before He Cheats '' , it became the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history , the fastest-selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history and the best-selling country album of the last 14 years . Underwood won three Grammy Awards for the album , including Best New Artist .   Released in 2007 , her second album , Carnival Ride , had one of the biggest ever opening weeks by a female artist and earned Underwood two Grammy Awards . Her next album , 2009 's Play On , was a commercial success led by the single `` Cowboy Casanova '' . Underwood 's fourth album , Blown Away ( 2012 ) , earned her a Grammy Award and was that year 's second best-selling release by a female artist . Her first compilation album ( 2014 ) was a chart and sales success and earned her a Grammy Award . Her fifth album , Storyteller ( 2015 ) , made her the only country artist to have all first five studio albums reach either numbers one or two on the Billboard 200 .   Considered one of the most successful artists in any musical genre , Underwood has sold more than 65 million records worldwide . Recognized by Billboard as Country Music 's reigning Queen and by Rolling Stone as `` the female vocalist of her generation of any genre '' , she was listed by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014 . Underwood is the top country artist of all-time on the RIAA 's Digital Singles ranking and the highest certified country album artist to debut in the 21st century . She is the only solo country artist in the 2000s to have a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 , the only country artist to debut at number one on the Hot 100 , and the woman with most number-one hits in the history of the Billboard Country Airplay chart ( 15 ) . Underwood is the most successful American Idol winner of all time , according to Forbes . Her album , Some Hearts was named the number-one country album of the 2000s by Billboard , and she was the top-ranked female artist on Billboard 's Best Country Artists of the 2000s list . Underwood has been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame . She has earned numerous accolades , including 7 Grammy Awards , 10 Billboard Music Awards , 11 American Music Awards and a Guinness World Records .


Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson ( born October 17 , 1958 ) is an American singer and songwriter . He is known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own songs . Jackson has recorded 16 studio albums , three greatest hits albums , two Christmas albums , two gospel albums and several compilations .   Jackson has sold over 80 million records worldwide , placing 66 titles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart . Of the 66 titles , and six featured singles , 38 have reached the top five and 35 have claimed the number one spot . Out of 15 titles to reach the Billboard Top Country Albums chart , nine have been certified multi-platinum . He is the recipient of two Grammy Awards , 16 CMA Awards , 17 ACM Awards and nominee of multiple other awards . He is a member of the Grand Ole Opry , and was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2001 . He will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2017 .


There was a musician in the Grand Ole Pry.

Ernest Tubb Ernest Dale Tubb ( February 9 , 1914 -- September 6 , 1984 ) , nicknamed the Texas Troubadour , was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music . His biggest career hit song , `` Walking the Floor Over You '' ( 1941 ) , marked the rise of the honky tonk style of music . In 1948 , he was the first singer to record a hit version of `` Blue Christmas '' , a song more commonly associated with Elvis Presley and his mid-1950s version . Another well-known Tubb hit was `` Waltz Across Texas '' ( 1965 ) ( written by his nephew Quanah Talmadge Tubb ( Billy Talmadge ) , which became one of his most requested songs and is often used in dance halls throughout Texas during waltz lessons . Tubb recorded duets with the then up-and-coming Loretta Lynn in the early 1960s , including their hit `` Sweet Thang '' . Tubb is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame .


Blake Shelton Blake Tollison Shelton ( born June 18 , 1976 ) is an American country music singer , songwriter , and television personality . In 2001 , he made his debut with the single `` Austin '' . The lead-off single from his self-titled debut album , `` Austin '' spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart . The now Platinum-certified debut album also produced two more top 20 entries ( `` All Over Me '' and `` Ol' Red '' ) . Although the album was released on Giant Records Nashville , he was transferred to Warner Bros. . Records Nashville after Giant closed in late 2001 .   His second and third albums , 2003 's The Dreamer and 2004 's Blake Shelton 's Barn & Grill , are gold and platinum , respectively . His fourth album , Pure BS ( 2007 ) , was re-issued in 2008 with a cover of Michael Bublé 's pop hit `` Home '' as one of the bonus tracks . His fifth album , Startin ' Fires was released in November 2008 . It was followed by the extended plays Hillbilly Bone and All About Tonight in 2010 , and the albums Red River Blue in 2011 , Based on a True Story ... in 2013 , Bringing Back the Sunshine in 2014 , and If I 'm Honest in 2016 . Overall , in the country charts Blake Shelton has charted 32 singles , including 23 number ones , 17 of which were consecutive . The 11th No. 1 ( `` Doin ' What She Likes '' ) broke `` the record for the most consecutive No. 1 singles in the Country Airplay chart 's 24-year history '' . He is an eight-time Grammy Award nominee .   Shelton is also known for his role as a judge on the televised singing competitions Nashville Star , Clash of the Choirs , and The Voice . He has been on The Voice since its inception , and in five of eleven seasons ( 2 -- 4 , 7 , 11 ) , a member of his team has won . From 2011 to 2015 , Shelton was married to fellow country singer Miranda Lambert .


Kitty Wells Ellen Muriel Deason ( August 30 , 1919 -- July 16 , 2012 ) , known professionally as Kitty Wells , was an American pioneering female country music singer . She broke down a female barrier in country music with her 1952 hit recording , `` It Was n't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels '' which also made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts , and turned her into the first female country star . Her Top 10 hits continued until the mid-1960s , inspiring a long list of female country singers who came to prominence in the 1960s .   Wells ranks as the sixth most successful female vocalist in the history of Billboard '' 's country charts , according to historian Joel Whitburn 's book The Top 40 Country Hits '' , behind Dolly Parton , Loretta Lynn , Reba McEntire , Tammy Wynette , and Tanya Tucker . In 1976 , she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame . In 1991 , she became the third country music artist , after Roy Acuff and Hank Williams , and the eighth woman to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . Her accomplishments earned her the nickname `` Queen of Country Music '' .


Brad Paisley Brad Douglas Paisley ( born October 28 , 1972 ) is an American country music singer and songwriter . Starting with his 1999 debut album , Who Needs Pictures , he has released ten studio albums and a Christmas compilation on the Arista Nashville label , with all of his albums certified Gold or higher by the RIAA . He has scored 32 top 10 singles on the US Billboard Country Airplay chart , 19 of which have reached number 1 . He set a new record in 2009 for most consecutive singles ( ten ) reaching the top spot on that chart .   Paisley has sold over 12 million albums and won three Grammy Awards , 14 Academy of Country Music Awards , 14 Country Music Association Awards , and two American Music Awards . He has earned country music 's crowning achievement , becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry . Paisley also wrote a few songs for Pixar 's Cars franchise ( `` Behind the Clouds '' , `` Find Yourself '' , `` Collision of Worlds '' ( along with Robbie Williams ) and `` Nobody 's Fool '' ) .


Dixie Chicks The Dixie Chicks are an American country music band which has also crossed over into other genres , including pop and alternative country . The band is composed of founding members ( and sisters ) Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison , and lead singer Natalie Maines . The band formed in 1989 in Dallas , Texas , and was originally composed of four women performing bluegrass and country music , busking and touring the bluegrass festival circuits and small venues for six years without attracting a major label . After the departure of one bandmate , the replacement of their lead singer , and a slight change in their repertoire , Dixie Chicks soon achieved commercial success , beginning in 1998 with hit songs `` There 's Your Trouble '' and `` Wide Open Spaces '' .   On March 10 , 2003 , during a London concert , nine days before the March 19 , 2003 invasion of Iraq , lead vocalist Maines told the audience : `` We do n't want this war , this violence , and we 're ashamed that the President of the United States ( George W. Bush ) is from Texas '' . The positive reaction to this statement from the British audience contrasted with the negative reaction including boycotts that ensued in the United States , where the band was denounced by talk-show conservatives and their albums were discarded in public protest .   As of 2015 , Dixie Chicks have won 13 Grammy Awards , including five in 2007 for Taking the Long Way -- which received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year -- and `` Not Ready to Make Nice '' , a single from that album . By December 2015 , with 30.5 million certified albums sold , and sales of 27.5 million albums in the U.S. alone , they had become the top selling all-female band and biggest-selling country group in the U.S. during the Nielsen SoundScan era ( 1991 -- present ) .


Ron Cobb Ron Cobb ( born 1937 ) is an American cartoonist , artist , writer , film designer , and film director .   By the age of 18 , with no formal training in graphic illustration , Cobb was working as an animation `` inbetweener '' artist for Disney Studios in Burbank , California . He progressed to becoming a breakdown artist on the animation feature Sleeping Beauty ( 1959 ) . ( This was the last Disney film to have cels inked by hand . )   After Sleeping Beauty was completed in 1957 , Disney laid off Cobb and he spent the next three years in various jobs -- mail carrier , assembler in a door factory , sign painter 's assistant -- until he was drafted in 1960 into the US Army . For the next two years he delivered classified documents around San Francisco , then , after signing up for an extra year to avoid assignment to the infantry , was sent to Vietnam in 1963 as a draughtsman for the Signal Corps . On his discharge , Cobb began freelancing as an artist . He began to contribute to the Los Angeles Free Press in 1965 .   Edited and published by Art Kunkin , the Los Angeles Free Press was one of the first of the underground newspapers of the 1960s , noted for its radical politics . Cobb 's editorial/political cartoons were a celebrated feature of the Freep , and appeared regularly throughout member newspapers of the Underground Press Syndicate . However , although he was regarded as one of the finest political cartoonists of the mid-1960s to early 1970s , Cobb made very little money from the cartoons and was always looking for work elsewhere.His cartoons were featured in the back to the land magazine `` The Mother Earth News . ''   Among other projects , Cobb designed the cover for Jefferson Airplane 's 1967 album , After Bathing at Baxter 's . He also contributed design work for the cult film , Dark Star ( 1973 ) ( he drew the original design for the exterior of the Dark Star spaceship on a Pancake House napkin ) .   His cartoons from the 1960s and 1970s are collected in RCD-25 ( 1967 ) and Mah Fellow Americans ( 1968 ) ( both Sawyer Press ) , and Raw Sewage ( 1971 ) and My Fellow Americans ( 1971 ) ( both Price Stern and Sloan ) . None of these volumes remains in print .   In 1969 Cobb designed the Ecology symbol , later incorporated into the Ecology Flag .   In 1972 , Cobb moved to Sydney , Australia , where his work appeared in alternative magazines such as The Digger . Independent publishers Wild & Woolley published a `` best of '' collection of the earlier cartoon books , The Cobb Book in 1975 . A follow-up volume , Cobb Again , appeared in 1978 .   In 1981 , Colorvision , a large-format , full-colour monograph appeared , including much of his design work for the films Star Wars ( 1977 ) , Alien ( 1979 ) , and Conan the Barbarian ( 1982 ) , the first feature for which he received the credit of Production Designer . Cobb has also contributed production design to the films The Last Starfighter ( 1984 ) , Leviathan ( 1989 ) , Total Recall ( 1990 ) , True Lies ( 1994 ) , The Sixth Day ( 2000 ) , Cats & Dogs ( 2001 ) , Southland Tales ( 2006 ) , and the Australian feature Garbo , which he directed . Cobb contributed the initial story for Night Skies , an earlier , darker version of E.T. . Steven Spielberg offered him the opportunity to direct this scarier sequel to Close Encounters of the Third Kind until problems arose over special effects that required a major rewrite . While Cobb was in Spain working on Conan the Barbarian , Spielberg supervised the rewrite into the more personal E.T. and ended up directing it himself . Cobb later received some net profit participation .   During the early 1990s , Cobb worked with Rocket Science Games . His designs can be seen most notably in Loadstar : The Legend of Tully Bodine ( 1994 ) and The Space Bar ( 1997 ) , in which he designed all the characters .   Cobb also co-wrote with his wife , Robin Love , one of the ( 1985 -- 1987 ) Twilight Zone episodes .   Among the most famous film props signed by Cobb are two of the swords he designed for the 1982 film Conan the Barbarian ( the `` Father 's Sword '' and the `` Atlantean Sword '' ) . Cobb 's original drawings of the swords are nowadays used , in cinema merchandising , to mass-produce and sell replicas .


Empathy is the capacity to be unable to understand from within the other person's frame of reference.

Empathy Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within the other person 's frame of reference , i.e. , the capacity to place oneself in another 's position . There are many definitions for empathy that encompass a broad range of emotional states . Types of empathy include cognitive empathy , emotional empathy , and somatic empathy .


Dirt (TV series) Dirt ( styled d!rt for logos ) is an American television serial broadcast on the FX network . It premiered on January 2 , 2007 and starred Courteney Cox as Lucy Spiller , the editor-in-chief of the first-of-its-kind `` glossy tabloid '' magazine DirtNow , which was previously two separate publications : dirt ( a tabloid ) and Now ( a glossy magazine with a more respectable reputation ) .   A 13-episode second and final season was announced on May 8 , 2007 . Only seven episodes were produced prior to the 2007 WGA strike shut down production . The shortened second season began airing on March 2 , 2008 .   The show was created by Matthew Carnahan and produced by Coquette Productions and ABC Studios .   On June 8 , 2008 , FX canceled the series after two seasons .


Patrick Wilson (American actor) Patrick Joseph Wilson ( born July 3 , 1973 ) is an American actor and singer . He spent his early career starring in Broadway musicals , beginning in 1995 . He is a two-time Tony Award nominee for his roles in The Full Monty ( 2000 -- 2001 ) and Oklahoma ! ( 2002 ) . In 2003 , he appeared in the HBO miniseries Angels in America for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie .   Wilson has also appeared in feature films such as The Phantom of the Opera ( 2004 ) , Little Children ( 2006 ) , Watchmen ( 2009 ) , Insidious ( 2010 ) , Insidious : Chapter 2 ( 2013 ) , and as demonologist Ed Warren in James Wan 's supernatural horror films The Conjuring ( 2013 ) and The Conjuring 2 ( 2016 ) , the latter four earning him a reputation as a `` scream king '' . On television , he starred in the CBS drama series A Gifted Man ( 2011 -- 2012 ) , and as Lou Solverson in the second season of FX 's anthology series Fargo ( 2015 ) , for which he received a second Golden Globe Award nomination . He has been cast as Orm Marius/Ocean Master in the DC Extended Universe superhero film Aquaman ( 2018 ) .


RB Leipzig is based in the German federal state bordering Brandenburg, Germany.

RB Leipzig RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V. , commonly known as RB Leipzig , is a German association football club based in Leipzig , Saxony . The club was founded in 2009 by initiative of energy drink-maker Red Bull GmbH who purchased a playing right of the fifth division side SSV Markranstädt with the intention of advancing the new club to the top-flight Bundesliga within eight years . Men 's professional football is run by the spin-off organization RasenballSport Leipzig GmbH . RB Leipzig plays its home matches at the Red Bull Arena .   In its inaugural season in 2009 -- 10 , RB Leipzig dominated the NOFV-Oberliga Süd ( V ) and was promoted as champions to the Regionalliga Nord ( IV ) . RB Leipzig won the 2012 -- 13 Regionalliga Nordost season without conceding a single defeat and was promoted to the 3 . Liga ( III ) , then finished the 2013 -- 14 3 . Liga season as runner-up and was promoted to the 2 . Bundesliga ( II ) as the first team since the introduction of the 3 . Liga to win promotion after only one season .   On 8 May 2016 , RB Leipzig ensured promotion to the Bundesliga for the 2016 -- 17 season with a 2 -- 0 defeat of Karlsruher SC . One year later , RB Leipzig captured a place in the 2017 -- 18 UEFA Champions League by finishing as runner-up of the Bundesliga .


Saxony The Free State of Saxony ( der Freistaat Sachsen -LSB- ˈfʁaɪ̯ʃtaːt ˈzaksn̩ -RSB- Swobodny stat Sakska ) is a landlocked federal state of Germany , bordering the federal states of Brandenburg , Saxony Anhalt , Thuringia , and Bavaria , as well as the countries of Poland ( Lower Silesian and Lubusz Voivodeships ) and the Czech Republic ( Karlovy Vary , Liberec and Ústí nad Labem Regions ) . Its capital is Dresden , and its largest city is Leipzig .   Saxony is the tenth largest of Germany 's sixteen states , with an area of 18,413 km2 , and the sixth most populous , with 4 million people .   Located in the middle of a large , formerly all German-speaking part of Europe , the history of the state of Saxony spans more than a millennium . It has been a medieval duchy , an electorate of the Holy Roman Empire , a kingdom , and twice a republic .   The area of the modern state of Saxony should not be confused with Old Saxony , the area inhabited by Saxons . Old Saxony corresponds approximately to the modern German states of Lower Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt and the Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia .


Aaron Carter's birthday is December 7, 1987.

Aaron Carter Aaron Charles Carter ( born December 7 , 1987 ) is an American singer . He came to fame as a pop and hip hop singer in the late 1990s , establishing himself as a star among pre-teen and teenage audiences during the early 2000s with his four studio albums .   Born in Tampa , Florida , Carter began performing at age seven and released his self-titled debut album in 1997 . His second album Aaron 's Party ( Come Get It ) ( 2000 ) sold three million copies in the United States , and Carter began making guest appearances on Nickelodeon and touring with the Backstreet Boys shortly after the record 's release . Carter 's next album , Oh Aaron , also went platinum , and the musician released his most recent studio album , Another Earthquake ! , in 2002 , followed by his 2003 Most Requested Hits collection . He has since appeared on Dancing With the Stars , the Broadway play The Fantasticks , and made several one-off performances . In 2014 , he announced that he would begin releasing new music and began by releasing a single featuring rapper Pat SoLo , `` Ooh Wee '' , which first became available as a free download with purchase on his web store . Carter released a single , Fool 's Gold , on April 1 , 2016 and an EP titled LøVë on February 10 , 2017 .


IBM is the originator of the magnetic stripe card.

IBM International Business Machines Corporation ( commonly referred to as IBM ) is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk , New York , United States , with operations in over 170 countries . The company originated in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company ( CTR ) and was renamed `` International Business Machines '' in 1924 .   IBM manufactures and markets computer hardware , middleware and software , and offers hosting and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology . IBM is also a major research organization , holding the record for most patents generated by a business ( as of 2017 ) for 24 consecutive years . Inventions by IBM include the automated teller machine ( ATM ) , the PC , the floppy disk , the hard disk drive , the magnetic stripe card , the relational database , the SQL programming language , the UPC barcode , and dynamic random-access memory ( DRAM ) . The IBM mainframe , exemplified by the System/360 , was the dominant computing platform during the 1960s and 1970s .   IBM has continually shifted its business mix by commoditizing markets focusing on higher-value , more profitable markets . This includes spinning off printer manufacturer Lexmark in 1991 and selling off its personal computer ( ThinkPad/ThinkCentre ) and x86-based server businesses to Lenovo ( 2005 and 2014 , respectively ) , and acquiring companies such as PwC Consulting ( 2002 ) , SPSS ( 2009 ) , and The Weather Company ( 2016 ) . Also in 2014 , IBM announced that it would go `` fabless '' , continuing to design semiconductors , but offloading manufacturing to GlobalFoundries .   Nicknamed Big Blue , IBM is one of 30 companies included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and one of the world 's largest employers , with ( as of 2016 ) nearly 380,000 employees . Known as `` IBMers '' , IBM employees have been awarded five Nobel Prizes , six Turing Awards , ten National Medals of Technology and five National Medals of Science .


Carrie Fisher authored Postcards from the Edge.

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 .


Kendrick Lamar started performing under the name K-Dot.

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth ( born June 17 , 1987 ) is an American rapper and songwriter . Born and raised in Compton , California , he embarked on his musical career as a teenager under the stage name K-Dot , releasing a mixtape that garnered local attention and led to his signing with indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment ( TDE ) . He began to gain recognition in 2010 , after his first retail release , Overly Dedicated . The following year , Lamar independently released his first studio album , Section .80 , which included his debut single , `` HiiiPoWeR '' . By that time , he had amassed a large Internet following and collaborated with several artists in the hip hop industry , including The Game , Snoop Dogg and Busta Rhymes .   His major label debut , good kid , m.A.A.d city , was released in 2012 by TDE , Aftermath and Interscope Records to critical success . It debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . The record contained the top 40 singles `` Swimming Pools ( Drank ) '' , `` Bitch , Do n't Kill My Vibe '' , and `` Poetic Justice '' . Lamar won his first Grammy Award for `` i '' , lead single from his critically acclaimed third album To Pimp a Butterfly ( 2015 ) . The album drew on free jazz , funk , soul , and spoken word , debuted atop the charts in the US and the UK , and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 58th ceremony . In 2016 , Lamar released untitled unmastered. , a collection of unreleased demos that originated during the recording sessions for Butterfly . He released his fourth album Damn in 2017 ; its lead single `` Humble '' topped the Billboard Hot 100 .   Lamar has received a number of accolades over the course of his career , including seven Grammy Awards . In early 2013 , MTV named Lamar the number one `` Hottest MC in the Game '' , on their annual list . Time named Lamar one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016 . Aside from his solo career , Lamar is also known as a member of the West Coast hip hop supergroup Black Hippy , alongside his TDE label-mates and fellow South Los Angeles-based rappers Ab-Soul , Jay Rock and Schoolboy Q.


The name Minneapolis came from its first schoolteacher.

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


Istanbul did not have a strategic position on the Silk Road.

Istanbul Istanbul ( -LSB- ˌɪstænˈbʊl -RSB- , -LSB- - ˈbuːl -RSB- or -LSB- - stɑːn - -RSB- İstanbul -LSB- isˈtɑnbuɫ -RSB- ) , historically known as Constantinople and Byzantium , is the most populous city in Turkey and the country 's economic , cultural , and historic center . Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia , straddling the Bosphorus strait ( which separates Europe and Asia ) between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea . Its commercial and historical center lies on the European side and about a third of its population lives on the Asian side .  The city is the administrative center of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality ( conterminous with Istanbul Province ) , both hosting a population of around 14.7 million residents . Istanbul is one of the world 's most populous cities and ranks as the world 's 7th-largest city proper and the largest European city .   Founded under the name of Byzantion on the Sarayburnu promontory around 660 BCE , the city developed to become one of the most significant in history . After its reestablishment as Constantinople in 330 CE , it served as an imperial capital for almost 16 centuries , during the Roman and Byzantine ( 330 -- 1204 and 1261 -- 1453 ) , the Latin ( 1204 -- 1261 ) , and the Ottoman ( 1453 -- 1922 ) empires . It was instrumental in the advancement of Christianity during Roman and Byzantine times , before the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453 and transformed it into an Islamic stronghold and the seat of the Ottoman Caliphate .   Istanbul 's strategic position on the historic Silk Road , rail networks to Europe and the Middle East , and the only sea route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean have produced a cosmopolitan populace , although less so since the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923 . Overlooked for the new capital Ankara during the interwar period , the city has since regained much of its prominence . The population of the city has increased tenfold since the 1950s , as migrants from across Anatolia have moved in and city limits have expanded to accommodate them . Arts , music , film , and cultural festivals were established at the end of the 20th century and continue to be hosted by the city today . Infrastructure improvements have produced a complex transportation network .   Approximately foreign visitors arrived in Istanbul in 2015 , five years after it was named a European Capital of Culture , making the city the world 's fifth most popular tourist destination . The city 's biggest attraction is its historic center , partially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site , and its cultural and entertainment hub can be found across the city 's natural harbor , the Golden Horn , in the Beyoğlu district . Considered a global city , Istanbul has one of the fastest-growing metropolitan economies in the world . It hosts the headquarters of many Turkish companies and media outlets and accounts for more than a quarter of the country 's gross domestic product . Hoping to capitalize on its revitalization and rapid expansion , Istanbul has bid for the Summer Olympics five times in twenty years .


The Nazi Party's leader was Adolf Hitler.

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler ( -LSB- ˈadɔlf ˈhɪtlɐ -RSB- ; 20 April 1889 -- 30 April 1945 ) was a German politician who was the leader of the Nazi Party ( Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei ; NSDAP ) , Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945 , and Führer ( `` Leader '' ) of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945 . As dictator of the German Reich , he initiated World War II in Europe with the invasion of Poland in September 1939 , and was central to the Holocaust .   Hitler was born in Austria , then part of Austria-Hungary , and raised near Linz . He moved to Germany in 1913 and was decorated during his service in the German Army in World War I . He joined the German Workers ' Party ( DAP ) , the precursor of the NSDAP , in 1919 and became leader of the NSDAP in 1921 . In 1923 he attempted a coup in Munich to seize power . The failed coup resulted in Hitler 's imprisonment , during which he dictated the first volume of his autobiography and political manifesto Mein Kampf ( `` My Struggle '' ) . After his release in 1924 , Hitler gained popular support by attacking the Treaty of Versailles and promoting Pan-Germanism , anti-semitism , and anti-communism with charismatic oratory and Nazi propaganda . Hitler frequently denounced international capitalism and communism as being part of a Jewish conspiracy .   By 1933 , the Nazi Party was the largest elected party in the German Reichstag , which led to Hitler 's appointment as Chancellor on 30 January 1933 . Following fresh elections won by his coalition , the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act , which began the process of transforming the Weimar Republic into Nazi Germany , a one-party dictatorship based on the totalitarian and autocratic ideology of National Socialism . Hitler aimed to eliminate Jews from Germany and establish a New Order to counter what he saw as the injustice of the post-World War I international order dominated by Britain and France . His first six years in power resulted in rapid economic recovery from the Great Depression , the effective abandonment of restrictions imposed on Germany after World War I , and the annexation of territories that were home to millions of ethnic Germans -- actions which gave him significant popular support .   Hitler sought Lebensraum ( `` living space '' ) for the German people in Eastern Europe . His aggressive foreign policy is considered to be the primary cause of the outbreak of World War II in Europe . He directed large-scale rearmament and on 1 September 1939 invaded Poland , resulting in British and French declarations of war on Germany . In June 1941 , Hitler ordered an invasion of the Soviet Union . By the end of 1941 German forces and the European Axis powers occupied most of Europe and North Africa . Failure to defeat the Soviets and the entry of the United States into the war forced Germany onto the defensive and it suffered a series of escalating defeats . In the final days of the war , during the Battle of Berlin in 1945 , Hitler married his long-time lover , Eva Braun . On 30 April 1945 , less than two days later , the two killed themselves to avoid capture by the Red Army , and their corpses were burned .   Under Hitler 's leadership and racially motivated ideology , the Nazi regime was responsible for the genocide of at least 5.5 million Jews and millions of other victims whom he and his followers deemed Untermenschen ( `` sub-humans '' ) and socially undesirable . Hitler and the Nazi regime were also responsible for the killing of an estimated 19.3 million civilians and prisoners of war . In addition , 29 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of military action in the European Theatre of World War II . The number of civilians killed during the Second World War was unprecedented in warfare , and constitutes the deadliest conflict in human history .


The Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense , located in Arlington County , Virginia , across the Potomac River from Washington , D.C. . As a symbol of the U.S. military , The Pentagon is often used metonymically to refer to the U.S. Department of Defense .   The Pentagon was designed by American architect George Bergstrom ( 1876 -- 1955 ) , and built by general contractor John McShain of Philadelphia . Ground was broken for construction on September 11 , 1941 , and the building was dedicated on January 15 , 1943 . General Brehon Somervell provided the major motive power behind the project ; Colonel Leslie Groves was responsible for overseeing the project for the U.S. Army .   The Pentagon is one of the world 's largest office buildings , with about 6500000 ft2 , of which 3700000 ft2 are used as offices . Approximately 23,000 military and civilian employees and about 3,000 non-defense support personnel work in the Pentagon . It has five sides , five floors above ground , two basement levels , and five ring corridors per floor with a total of 17.5 mi of corridors . The Pentagon includes a five-acre ( 20,000 m2 ) central plaza , which is shaped like a pentagon and informally known as `` ground zero , '' a nickname originating during the Cold War on the presumption that it would be targeted by the Soviet Union at the outbreak of nuclear war .   On September 11 , 2001 , exactly 60 years after the building 's construction began , American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and flown into the western side of the building , killing 189 people ( 59 victims and the five perpetrators on board the airliner , as well as 125 victims in the building ) , according to the official report . It was the first significant foreign attack on Washington 's governmental facilities since the city was burned by the British during the War of 1812 .


Guyana Guyana ( pronounced -LSB- ɡaɪˈɑːnə -RSB- or -LSB- ɡaɪˈænə -RSB- ) , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana , is a sovereign state on the northern mainland of South America . It is , however , included in the Caribbean Region due to its strong cultural , historical , and political ties with other Anglo Caribbean countries and the Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ) . Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north , Brazil to the south and southwest , Suriname to the east and Venezuela to the west . With 215000 sqkm , Guyana is the fourth-smallest country on mainland South America after Uruguay , Suriname and French Guiana ( an overseas region of France ) .   The region known as `` the Guianas '' consists of the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River known as the `` land of many waters '' . Originally inhabited by several indigenous groups , Guyana was settled by the Dutch before coming under British control in the late 18th century . It was governed as British Guiana , with mostly a plantation style economy until the 1950s . It gained independence in 1966 , and officially became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970 . The legacy of British rule is reflected in the country 's political administration and diverse population , which includes Indian , African , Amerindian , and multiracial groups .   Guyana is the only South American nation in which English is the official language . The majority of the population , however , speak Guyanese Creole , an English-based creole language , as a first language . In addition to being part of the Anglophone Caribbean , Guyana is one of the few Caribbean countries that is not an island in the West Indies . CARICOM , of which Guyana is a member , is headquartered in Guyana 's capital and largest city , Georgetown . In 2008 , the country joined the Union of South American Nations as a founding member .


Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau ( born December 25 , 1971 ) is a Canadian politician . He is the 23rd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Liberal Party . The second youngest prime minister after Joe Clark , he is also , as the eldest son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau , the first to be related to a previous holder of the post .   Born in Ottawa , Trudeau attended Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf and graduated from McGill University in 1994 and the University of British Columbia in 1998 . He gained a high public profile in October 2000 , when he delivered a eulogy at his father 's state funeral . After graduating , he worked as a teacher in Vancouver , British Columbia . He completed one year of an engineering program at Montreal 's École Polytechnique before quitting in 2003 . In 2005 he began a master 's degree in environmental geography at McGill University but quit after one year . He used his public profile to advocate for various causes and acted in the 2007 TV miniseries The Great War .   Eight years after his father 's death , Trudeau entered politics . In the 2008 federal election , he was elected to represent the riding of Papineau in the House of Commons . In 2009 , he was appointed the Liberal Party 's critic for youth and multiculturalism , and the following year , became critic for citizenship and immigration . In 2011 , he was appointed as critic for secondary education and youth and amateur sport . Trudeau won the leadership of the Liberal Party in April 2013 and went on to lead his party to victory in the 2015 federal election , moving the 3rd-placed Liberals from 36 seats to 184 seats , the largest-ever numerical increase by a party in a Canadian election .


Arrested Development (TV series) Arrested Development is an American television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz , which originally aired on Fox for three seasons from November 2 , 2003 to February 10 , 2006 . A fourth season of 15 episodes was released on Netflix on May 26 , 2013 . The show follows the fictitious Bluth family , a formerly wealthy and habitually dysfunctional family . It is presented in a continuous format , incorporating handheld camera work and voice-over narration , as well as the use of occasional archival photos and historical footage . The show also utilizes several long-running `` Easter egg '' jokes throughout each season . Ron Howard serves as both an executive producer and the series ' uncredited narrator . Set in Newport Beach , California , Arrested Development was filmed primarily in Culver City and Marina del Rey .   After its debut in 2003 , the series received widespread critical acclaim , six Primetime Emmy Awards , and one Golden Globe Award , and has attracted a cult following , including several fan-based websites . In 2007 , Time listed the show among its `` All-TIME 100 TV Shows '' ; in 2008 , it was ranked 16th on Entertainment Weekly `` New TV Classics '' list . In 2011 , IGN named Arrested Development the `` funniest show of all time '' . Its humor has been cited as a key influence on later single-camera sitcoms such as 30 Rock and Community .   Despite critical acclaim , Arrested Development received low ratings and viewership on Fox , which canceled the series in 2006 . Rumors of an additional season and a feature film persisted until 2011 , when Netflix agreed to license new episodes and distribute them exclusively on its video streaming service . These episodes were later released in 2013 . Netflix has also commissioned a fifth season of Arrested Development which will premiere in 2018 .


Demon Days Demon Days is the second studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz , released on 11 May 2005 in Japan and on 23 May internationally by Parlophone Records and in the United States by Virgin Records . The album features contributions from De La Soul , Neneh Cherry , Martina Topley-Bird , Roots Manuva , MF DOOM , Ike Turner , Bootie Brown of the Pharcyde , Shaun Ryder , Dennis Hopper , the London Community Gospel Choir , and a children 's choir . Albarn brought in Danger Mouse as producer .   Demon Days entered the UK charts at # 1 and the US charts at # 6 , outperforming the band 's eponymous 2001 debut album . The album has sold eight million copies worldwide . The album features the singles `` Feel Good Inc. '' , `` DARE '' , `` Dirty Harry '' , `` Kids with Guns '' , and `` El Mañana '' . As with their debut album , the release of Demon Days and its respective live performances were both accompanied by various multimedia . These included interactive features on the Gorillaz website , a total of four animated music videos , virtual interview sessions with the band and animatics for each song . Almost all of the visuals associated with the album were designed by Gorillaz co-creator Jamie Hewlett as his design company , Zombie Flesh Eaters . Spin ranked Demon Days as the fourth-best album of 2005 , while Mojo ranked it at number eighteen on their year-end list and hailed the album as a `` genre-busting , contemporary pop milestone . '' NME placed it 98th on their list of 100 greatest albums of the decade . Uncut ranked it at 75 on their list of top 150 albums of the decade . Complex included it on their list of 100 Best Albums of the Complex Decade , placing it at number 43 . Spin later included it in their list of The 300 Best Albums of 1985 -- 2014 .


Blackhat (film) Blackhat is a 2015 American action thriller mystery film co-written , co-produced and directed by Michael Mann . The film stars Chris Hemsworth , Tang Wei , Viola Davis , Holt McCallany , and Wang Leehom . The film premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on January 8 , 2015 , and was released in theaters on January 16 . Blackhat was a box office bomb , earning only $ 19.7 million at the box office against a budget of $ 70 million . While the movie received generally mixed-to-negative reviews , with criticisms focused on casting and pace , some critics found brilliance in the film , enough to place the film in some critics ' year-end lists .


Boston University Boston University ( commonly referred to as BU ) is a private research university located in Boston , Massachusetts . The university is nonsectarian , and is historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church .   The university has more than 3,900 faculty members and nearly 33,000 students , and is one of Boston 's largest employers . It offers bachelor 's degrees , master 's degrees , and doctorates , and medical , dental , business , and law degrees through 17 schools and colleges on two urban campuses . The main campus is situated along the Charles River in Boston 's Fenway-Kenmore and Allston neighborhoods , while the Boston University Medical Campus is in Boston 's South End neighborhood .   BU is categorized as an R1 : Doctoral University ( very high research activity ) in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education . BU is a member of the Boston Consortium for Higher Education and the Association of American Universities . The University was ranked 39th among undergraduate programs at national universities , and 32nd among global universities by U.S. News & World Report in its 2017 rankings .   Among its alumni and current or past faculty , the university counts eight Nobel Laureates , 23 Pulitzer Prize winners , 10 Rhodes Scholars , six Marshall Scholars , 48 Sloan Fellows , nine Academy Award winners , and several Emmy and Tony Award winners . BU also has MacArthur , Fulbright , Truman and Guggenheim Fellowship holders as well as American Academy of Arts and Sciences and National Academy of Sciences members among its past and present graduates and faculty . In 1876 , BU professor Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in a BU lab . American Civil Rights Movement leader and 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr. received his PhD in Theology from BU in 1955 .   The Boston University Terriers compete in the NCAA 's Division I. BU athletic teams compete in the Patriot League , and Hockey East conferences , and their mascot is Rhett the Boston Terrier . Boston University is well known for men 's hockey , in which it has won five national championships , most recently in 2009 .


Neil deGrasse Tyson wrote for the "Universe" column of Natural History.

Neil deGrasse Tyson Neil deGrasse Tyson ( -LSB- ˈniːl_dəˈɡræs_ˈtaɪsən -RSB- born October 5 , 1958 ) is an American astrophysicist , author , and science communicator . Since 1996 , he has been the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York City . The center is part of the American Museum of Natural History , where Tyson founded the Department of Astrophysics in 1997 and has been a research associate in the department since 2003 .   Born and raised in New York City , Tyson became interested in astronomy at the age of nine after a visit to the Hayden Planetarium . After graduating from the Bronx High School of Science , where he was editor-in-chief of the Physical Science Journal , he completed a bachelor 's degree in physics at Harvard University in 1980 . After receiving a master 's degree in astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin in 1983 , he earned his master 's ( 1989 ) and doctorate ( 1991 ) in astrophysics at Columbia University . For the next three years , he was a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University . In 1994 , he joined the Hayden Planetarium as a staff scientist and the Princeton faculty as a visiting research scientist and lecturer . In 1996 , he became director of the planetarium and oversaw its $ 210-million reconstruction project , which was completed in 2000 .   From 1995 to 2005 , Tyson wrote monthly essays in the `` Universe '' column for Natural History magazine , some of which were published in his books Death by Black Hole ( 2007 ) and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry ( 2017 ) . During the same period , he wrote a monthly column in Star Date magazine , answering questions about the universe under the pen name `` Merlin '' . Material from the column appeared in his books Merlin 's Tour of the Universe ( 1998 ) and Just Visiting This Planet ( 1998 ) . Tyson served on a 2001 government commission on the future of the U.S. aerospace industry , and on the 2004 Moon , Mars and Beyond commission . He was awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal in the same year . From 2006 to 2011 , he hosted the television show NOVA ScienceNow on PBS . Since 2009 , Tyson hosted the weekly podcast StarTalk . A spin-off , also called StarTalk , began airing on National Geographic in 2015 . In 2014 , he hosted the television series Cosmos : A Spacetime Odyssey , a successor to Carl Sagan 's 1980 series Cosmos : A Personal Voyage . The U.S. National Academy of Sciences awarded Tyson the Public Welfare Medal in 2015 for his `` extraordinary role in exciting the public about the wonders of science '' .


Katie Stevens refused to act on any MTV series.

Katie Stevens Katherine Mari `` Katie '' Stevens ( born December 8 , 1992 ) is an American actress and singer best known for finishing in eighth place on the ninth season of American Idol and starring as Karma Ashcroft in the MTV series Faking It .


Carol Leifer is solely a dramatic actress.

Carol Leifer Carol Leifer ( -LSB- ˈliːfər -RSB- ;  born July 27 , 1956 ) is a four-time Emmy Award-nominated American comedian , writer , producer and actress whose career as a stand-up comedian started in the 1970s when she was in college . David Letterman discovered her performing in a comedy club in the 1980s and she has since been a guest on Late Night with David Letterman over twenty-five times as well as numerous other shows and venues . She has written many television scripts including for The Larry Sanders Show , Saturday Night Live and most notably , Seinfeld .   Leifer 's inner-monologue driven , observational style is often autobiographical encompassing subjects about her Jewish ancestry and upbringing , coming out , same-sex marriage , relationships ( having been married previously to a man and now partnered with a woman ) and parenting .


Winnie Harlow was part of the twenty-first cycle of a U.S. TV series.

Winnie Harlow Winnie Harlow ( born Chantelle Brown-Young ; July 27 , 1994 ) is a Canadian fashion model , spokesperson , and activist . She gained prominence as a contestant on the twenty-first cycle of the U.S. television series America 's Next Top Model , and is known for having a prominent form of the skin condition vitiligo . She is the current brand ambassador for the Barcelona-based casual clothing brand Desigual alongside Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima .


Everybody Needs a Best Friend was composed by an American golfer.

Everybody Needs a Best Friend `` Everybody Needs a Best Friend '' is a song from the 2012 feature film Ted , with music composed by Walter Murphy and lyrics by Seth MacFarlane . Performed by Norah Jones during the film 's opening credits , the song was used as the film 's main theme song . It was released by Universal Republic Records on June 26 , 2012 .   In January 2013 , the song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 85th Academy Awards , but lost to `` Skyfall '' from the film of the same name . MacFarlane was also the host of the Oscars while also being nominated .


Walter Murphy Walter Anthony Murphy , Jr. ( born December 19 , 1952 ) is an American composer , arranger , pianist , musician , songwriter , and record producer . He is best known for the instrumental `` A Fifth of Beethoven '' , a disco adaptation of Beethoven 's Fifth Symphony which topped the charts in 1976 and was featured on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack . Further classical -- disco fusions followed , such as `` Flight ' 76 '' , `` Rhapsody in Blue '' , `` Toccata and Funk in 'D ' Minor '' , `` Bolero '' , and `` Mostly Mozart '' , but were not as successful .   In a career spanning nearly five decades , Murphy has written music for numerous films and TV shows , including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson , The Savage Bees , Stingray , Wiseguy , The Commish , Profit , Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Looney Tunes , and How Murray Saved Christmas . He has had a long-running partnership with Seth MacFarlane , composing music for his films and TV shows such as Family Guy , The Cleveland Show , American Dad ! , Ted , and Ted 2 .


Werner Herzog Werner Herzog ( -LSB- ˈvɛɐ̯nɐ ˈhɛɐ̯tsoːk -RSB- ; born 5 September 1942 ) is a German screenwriter , film director , author , actor , and opera director .   Herzog is considered one of the greatest figures of the New German Cinema , along with Rainer Werner Fassbinder , Margarethe von Trotta , Volker Schlöndorff , Werner Schröter , and Wim Wenders . Herzog 's films often feature heroes with impossible dreams , people with unique talents in obscure fields , or individuals who are in conflict with nature .   French filmmaker François Truffaut once called Herzog `` the most important film director alive . '' American film critic Roger Ebert said that Herzog `` has never created a single film that is compromised , shameful , made for pragmatic reasons , or uninteresting . Even his failures are spectacular . ''  He was named one of the 100 most influential people on the planet by Time magazine in 2009 .


Chris Terrio is a citizen of the United States.

Chris Terrio Chris Terrio ( born December 31 , 1976 ) is an American screenwriter and film director . He is best known for writing the screenplay for the 2012 film Argo , for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay . Terrio also won the Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay of 2012 and was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay , a BAFTA and the 2013 Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Adapted Screenplay .   Terrio wrote the screenplay for Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , the follow-up to Zack Snyder 's Man of Steel , based on an earlier draft by David S. Goyer . He has also recently completed a screenplay entitled A Foreigner , based on an article by the journalist David Grann , and Justice League for Warner Bros .


One of David Beckham's legal middle names is Robert.

David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham , ( -LSB- ˈbɛkəm -RSB- born 2 May 1975 ) is an English former professional footballer . He played for Manchester United , Preston North End , Real Madrid , Milan , LA Galaxy , Paris Saint-Germain , and the England national team for which he held the appearance record for an outfield player until 2016 when Wayne Rooney surpassed his total . He is the first English player to win league titles in four countries : England , Spain , the United States and France . He announced his retirement in May 2013 after a 20-year career , during which he won 19 major trophies .   Known for his range of passing , crossing ability and bending free-kicks as a right winger , Beckham was runner up in the Ballon d'Or , twice runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2004 he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world 's greatest living players . He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 . A global ambassador for the sport , Beckham is regarded as a British cultural icon .   Beckham 's professional club career began with Manchester United , where he made his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17 . With United , he won the Premier League title six times , the FA Cup twice , and the UEFA Champions League in 1999 . He then played four seasons with Real Madrid , winning the La Liga championship in his final season with the club . In July 2007 Beckham signed a five-year contract with Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy . While a Galaxy player , he spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010 . He was the first British footballer to play 100 UEFA Champions League games .   In international football , Beckham made his England debut on 1 September 1996 at the age of 21 . He was captain for six years , earning 58 caps during his tenure . He made 115 career appearances in total , appearing at three FIFA World Cup tournaments , in 1998 , 2002 and 2006 , and two UEFA European Championship tournaments , in 2000 and 2004 .   Beckham has consistently ranked among the highest earners in football , and in 2013 he was listed as the highest-paid player in the world , earning over $ 50 million in the previous 12 months . He has been married to Victoria Beckham since 1999 and they have four children . He has been a UNICEF UK ambassador since 2005 , and in 2015 he launched 7 : The David Beckham UNICEF Fund . In 2014 , MLS announced Beckham and a group of investors would own an expansion team in Miami , which would begin in 2016 or 2017 .


Red Velvet (band) was only an American boy band created by Columbia Records.

Red Velvet (band) Red Velvet ( Hangul : 레드벨벳 ) is a South Korean girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment . The group debuted on August 1 , 2014 , with their digital single `` Happiness '' and with four members : Irene , Seulgi , Wendy and Joy . In March 2015 , fifth member Yeri was added to the group .   Since their debut , Red Velvet has experienced notable success and recognition . Their first EP , Ice Cream Cake which was released in March 2015 , topped the Gaon Album Chart on the 12th week of 2015 and in September 2015 , the group 's first full-length album , The Red , also topped the Gaon Album Chart and the Billboard World Albums Chart . Red Velvet has received several music awards , including two awards for choreography ; Best Dance -- Female and Best Dance Performance -- Female Group , as well as three new artist awards and multiple popularity awards . Red Velvet members have also made television appearances ; Irene as a host of Music Bank , Yeri as a host of Show ! Music Core , and Joy on the fourth season of variety show We Got Married .


Oliver Reed Robert Oliver Reed ( 13 February 1938 -- 2 May 1999 ) was an English actor known for his upper-class , macho image , hellraiser lifestyle , and `` tough guy '' roles . Notable films include The Trap ( 1966 ) , Oliver ! ( 1968 ) , Women in Love ( 1969 ) , Hannibal Brooks ( 1969 ) , The Devils ( 1971 ) , The Three Musketeers ( 1973 ) , Tommy ( 1975 ) , Lion of the Desert ( 1981 ) , Castaway ( 1986 ) , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen ( 1988 ) and Funny Bones ( 1995 ) . For Gladiator ( 2000 ) , his final film , Reed was posthumously nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role .   At the peak of his career , in 1971 , British exhibitors voted Reed 5th most popular star at the box office .


Marie Curie went to university in Poland.

Marie Curie Marie Skłodowska Curie ( -LSB- ˈkjʊri , _ kjʊˈriː -RSB- -LSB- kyʁi -RSB- ; -LSB- kʲiˈri -RSB- ; 7 November 18674 July 1934 ) , born Maria Salomea Skłodowska ( -LSB- ˈmarja salɔˈmɛa skwɔˈdɔfska -RSB- ) , was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity . She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize , the first person and only woman to win twice , the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences , and was part of the Curie family legacy of five Nobel Prizes . She was also the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris , and in 1995 became the first woman to be entombed on her own merits in the Panthéon in Paris .   She was born in Warsaw , in what was then the Kingdom of Poland , part of the Russian Empire . She studied at Warsaw 's clandestine Floating University and began her practical scientific training in Warsaw . In 1891 , aged 24 , she followed her older sister Bronisława to study in Paris , where she earned her higher degrees and conducted her subsequent scientific work . She shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with her husband Pierre Curie and with physicist Henri Becquerel . She won the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry .   Her achievements included the development of the theory of radioactivity ( a term that she coined ) , techniques for isolating radioactive isotopes , and the discovery of two elements , polonium and radium . Under her direction , the world 's first studies were conducted into the treatment of neoplasms , using radioactive isotopes . She founded the Curie Institutes in Paris and in Warsaw , which remain major centres of medical research today . During World War I , she developed mobile radiography units to provide X-ray services to field hospitals .   While a French citizen , Marie Skłodowska Curie ( she used both surnames ) never lost her sense of Polish identity . She taught her daughters the Polish language and took them on visits to Poland . She named the first chemical element that she discoveredpolonium , which she isolated in 1898after her native country .   Curie died in 1934 , aged 66 , at a sanatorium in Sancellemoz ( Haute-Savoie ) , France , due to aplastic anemia brought on by exposure to radiation while carrying test tubes of radium in her pockets during research , and in the course of her work at field hospitals during World War I.


Flying University Flying University ( Uniwersytet Latający , less often translated as `` Floating University '' ) was an underground educational enterprise that operated from 1885 to 1905 in Warsaw , the historic Polish capital , then under the control of the Russian Empire , and that was revived between 1977 and 1981 in the People 's Republic of Poland . The purpose of this and similar institutions was to provide Polish youth with an opportunity for an education within the framework of traditional Polish scholarship , when that collided with the ideology of the governing authorities . In the 19th century , such underground institutions were important in the national effort to resist Germanization under Prussian and Russification under Russian occupation . In the communist People 's Republic of Poland , the Flying University provided educational opportunities outside government censorship and control of education .