Spider-Man had its general release in the United States on May 3, 2002.

Spider-Man (2002 film) Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi . Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name , the film stars Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker , a high school student living in New York City , who turns to crimefighting after developing spider-like super powers . Spider-Man also stars Kirsten Dunst as Peter 's love interest Mary Jane Watson , Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin , Rosemary Harris and Cliff Robertson as Aunt May and Uncle Ben , and James Franco as his best friend Harry Osborn .   After progress on the film stalled for nearly 25 years , it was licensed for a worldwide release by Sony Pictures Entertainment in 1999 after it acquired options from MGM on all previous scripts developed by Cannon Films , Carolco and New Cannon . Exercising its option on just two elements from the multi-script acquisition ( a different screenplay was written by James Cameron , Ted Newsom , John Brancato , Barney Cohen and `` Joseph Goldman '' ) , Sony hired David Koepp to create a working screenplay ( credited as Cameron 's ) , and Koepp received sole credit in final billing . Directors Roland Emmerich , Ang Lee , Chris Columbus , Jan de Bont , M. Night Shyamalan , Tony Scott and David Fincher were considered to direct the project before Raimi was hired as director in 2000 . The Koepp script was rewritten by Scott Rosenberg during preproduction and received a dialogue polish from Alvin Sargent during production .   Filming took place in Los Angeles , and New York City from January 8 to June 30 , 2001 . Spider-Man premiered in the Philippines on April 30 , 2002 , and had its general release in the United States on May 3 , 2002 . It became a critical and financial success . At the time , it was the only film to reach $ 100 million in its first weekend , had the largest opening weekend gross of all time , and was the most successful film based on a comic book . With $ 821.7 million worldwide , it was 2002 's third-highest-grossing film and is the 56th-highest-grossing film of all time ( seventh at the time of release ) . The film was nominated at the 75th Academy Awards ceremony for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Mixing . Due to the success of the film , Columbia Pictures and Marvel released two sequels , Spider-Man 2 in 2004 , and Spider-Man 3 in 2007 .


Snoop Dogg has worked with Dick Griffey zero times.

Death Row Records Death Row Records is an American record company founded in 1991 by Dr. Dre , The D.O.C. , Dick Griffey and Suge Knight . Many west coast artists were on the label such as Dr. Dre , Snoop Dogg , Tupac Shakur , The Outlawz , The Lady of Rage , MC Hammer , Young Soldierz , Sam Sneed , LBC Crew , RBX , Michel ` le , Jewell , Danny Boy , DJ Quik , O.F.T.B. , Nate Dogg , and the rap group Tha Dogg Pound consisting of rappers Kurupt , Daz Dillinger , Soopafly , and many others . Death Row Records was making $ 100 million a year and by 1996 most of the aforementioned artists departed from the label after the death of Shakur . The company filed for bankruptcy in 2006 and on January 15 , 2009 , was auctioned to entertainment development company WIDEawake Entertainment Group , Inc. for $ 18 million .


Snoop Dogg Cordozar Calvin Broadus , Jr. ( born October 20 , 1971 ) , known professionally as Snoop Dogg ( sometimes shortened to Snoop and formerly called Snoop Doggy Dogg and Snoop Lion ) , is an American rapper and actor from Long Beach , California . His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre of N.W.A , and as a result was prominently featured throughout Dr. Dre 's solo debut album , The Chronic ( 1992 ) . He has since sold over twenty-three million albums in the United States and thirty-five million albums worldwide .   Snoop 's debut album , Doggystyle , was released in 1993 under Death Row Records , debuting at number one on both the Billboard 200 and Billboard Top R&B / Hip-Hop Albums charts . Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release , Doggystyle became certified 4 × platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles , including `` What 's My Name ? '' and `` Gin & Juice '' . In 1994 Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was The Case , starring himself . His second album Tha Doggfather ( 1996 ) , also debuted at number one on both charts with `` Snoop 's Upside Ya Head '' , as the lead single . The album was certified double platinum in 1997 .   After leaving Death Row Records , Snoop signed with No Limit Records , where he recorded his next three albums . Da Game Is to Be Sold , Not to Be Told ( 1998 ) , No Limit Top Dogg ( 1999 ) , and Tha Last Meal ( 2000 ) . Snoop then signed with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in 2002 , where he released Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss . He then signed with Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums R&G ( Rhythm & Gangsta ) : The Masterpiece , Tha Blue Carpet Treatment , and Ego Trippin ' . Malice 'n Wonderland ( 2009 ) , and Doggumentary ( 2011 ) , were released on Priority . Snoop Dogg has starred in motion pictures and hosted several television shows , including Doggy Fizzle Televizzle , Snoop Dogg 's Father Hood , and Dogg After Dark . He also coaches a youth football league and high school football team . In September 2009 , Snoop was hired by EMI as the chairman of a reactivated Priority Records .   In 2012 , after a trip to Jamaica , Snoop announced a conversion to the Rastafari movement and a new alias , Snoop Lion . Under the new moniker , he released a reggae album , Reincarnated , and a documentary film of the same name , of his Jamaican experience , in early 2013 . His fourteenth solo studio album , Coolaid , was released in July 2016 .   Snoop Dogg holds the dubious distinction of having seventeen Grammy nominations without a win .   In March 2016 , the night before WrestleMania 32 in Arlington , Texas , Snoop was inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame having made several appearances for the company , including as Master of Ceremonies during a match at Wrestlemania XXIV .


Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra ( -LSB- sᵻˈnɑːtrə -RSB- -LSB- siˈnaːtra -RSB- ; December 12 , 1915 -- May 14 , 1998 ) was an American singer , actor , and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century . He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , having sold more than 150 million records worldwide . Born in Hoboken , New Jersey , to Italian immigrants , Sinatra began his musical career in the swing era with bandleaders Harry James and Tommy Dorsey . Sinatra found success as a solo artist after he signed with Columbia Records in 1943 , becoming the idol of the `` bobby soxers '' . He released his debut album , The Voice of Frank Sinatra , in 1946 . Sinatra 's professional career had stalled by the early 1950s , and he turned to Las Vegas , where he became one of its best known performers as part of the Rat Pack . His career was reborn in 1953 with the success of From Here to Eternity , with his performance subsequently winning an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor . Sinatra released several critically lauded albums , including In the Wee Small Hours ( 1955 ) , Songs for Swingin ' Lovers ! ( 1956 ) , Come Fly with Me ( 1958 ) , Only the Lonely ( 1958 ) and Nice 'n' Easy ( 1960 ) .   Sinatra left Capitol in 1960 to start his own record label , Reprise Records , and released a string of successful albums . In 1965 , he recorded the retrospective September of My Years , starred in the Emmy-winning television special Frank Sinatra : A Man and His Music , and released the tracks `` Strangers in the Night '' and `` My Way '' . After releasing Sinatra at the Sands , recorded at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Vegas with frequent collaborator Count Basie in early 1966 , the following year he recorded one of his most famous collaborations with Tom Jobim , the album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim . It was followed by 1968 's collaboration with Duke Ellington . Sinatra retired for the first time in 1971 , but came out of retirement two years later and recorded several albums and resumed performing at Caesars Palace , and reached success in 1980 with `` New York , New York '' . Using his Las Vegas shows as a home base , he toured both within the United States and internationally until a short time before his death in 1998 .   Sinatra forged a highly successful career as a film actor . After winning an Academy Award for From Here to Eternity , he starred in The Man with the Golden Arm ( 1955 ) , and received critical acclaim for his performance in The Manchurian Candidate ( 1962 ) . He appeared in various musicals such as On the Town ( 1949 ) , Guys and Dolls ( 1955 ) , High Society ( 1956 ) , and Pal Joey ( 1957 ) , winning another Golden Globe for the latter . Toward the end of his career , he became associated with playing detectives , including the title character in Tony Rome ( 1967 ) . Sinatra would later receive the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1971 . On television , The Frank Sinatra Show began on ABC in 1950 , and he continued to make appearances on television throughout the 1950s and 1960s . Sinatra was also heavily involved with politics from the mid-1940s , and actively campaigned for presidents such as Harry S. Truman , John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan , though before Kennedy 's death Sinatra 's alleged Mafia connections led to his being snubbed .   While Sinatra never formally learned how to read music , he had an impressive understanding of it , and he worked very hard from a young age to improve his abilities in all aspects of music . A perfectionist , renowned for his dress sense and performing presence , he always insisted on recording live with his band . His bright blue eyes earned him the popular nickname `` Ol' Blue Eyes '' . Sinatra led a colorful personal life , and was often involved in turbulent affairs with women , such as with his second wife Ava Gardner . He went on to marry Mia Farrow in 1966 and Barbara Marx in 1976 . Sinatra had several violent confrontations , usually with journalists he felt had crossed him , or work bosses with whom he had disagreements . He was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983 , was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1985 , and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997 . Sinatra was also the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards , including the Grammy Trustees Award , Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . After his death , American music critic Robert Christgau called him `` the greatest singer of the 20th century '' , and he continues to be seen as an iconic figure .


Jules Dumont d'Urville Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville ( 23 May 1790 -- 8 May 1842 ) was a French explorer , naval officer and rear admiral , who explored the south and western Pacific , Australia , New Zealand and Antarctica . As a botanist and cartographer he left his mark , giving his name to several seaweeds , plants and shrubs , and places such as D'Urville Island .


Same-sex marriage is legal in the American territory District of Columbia.

Same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage , also known as gay marriage , is marriage between people of the same sex , either as a secular civil ceremony or in a religious setting .   In the late 20th century , rites of marriage for same-sex couples without legal recognition became increasingly common . The first law providing for marriage of people of the same sex in modern times was enacted in 2001 in the Netherlands . , same-sex marriage is legally recognized ( nationwide or in some parts ) in the following countries : Argentina , Belgium , Brazil , Canada , Colombia , Denmark,Same-sex marriage is legal in Denmark proper and Greenland . Legislation allowing same-sex marriage in the Faroe Islands has received royal assent though is not yet in effect . Finland , France , Iceland , Ireland , Luxembourg , Mexico,Same-sex marriage is legal in the states of Campeche , Coahuila , Colima , Jalisco , Michoacán , Morelos , Nayarit , Quintana Roo and Mexico City as well as in some municipalities in Guerrero , Puebla , Querétaro and Tamaulipas . Same-sex marriages performed in these jurisdictions are recognized throughout Mexico . the Netherlands,Same-sex marriage is legal in The Netherlands proper . Same-sex marriages performed there are recognized in Aruba , Curaçao and Sint Maarten . New Zealand,Same-sex marriage is legal in New Zealand proper , though is not legal in Tokelau , the Cook Islands and Niue , which together make up the Realm of New Zealand . Norway , Portugal , South Africa , Spain , Sweden , the United Kingdom,Same-sex marriage is legal England and Wales and Scotland ; though is notably not legal in Northern Ireland . Same-sex marriage is legal in the overseas territories of Akrotiri and Dhekelia , Ascension Island , Bermuda , the British Antarctic Territory , the British Indian Ocean Territory , Gibraltar and the Pitcairn Islands ; and in the Crown dependencies of Guernsey and the Isle of Man . The law in the Falkland Islands is not yet in force . the United StatesSame-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states , the District of Columbia , Guam , the Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico , the United States Virgin Islands and some tribal jurisdictions . Some tribal jurisdictions do not recognize same-sex marriage . In the United States , Congress ( not the federal courts ) has legal authority over Indian country . Thus , unless Congress passes a law regarding same-sex marriage for Indian tribes , federally recognized American Indian tribes have the legal right to form their own marriage laws . American Samoa is the only unincorporated territory of the United States not to have legalized same-sex marriage . and Uruguay . Same-sex marriage is likely to soon become legal in Taiwan , after a constitutional court ruling in May 2017 . Polls show rising support for legally recognizing same-sex marriage in the Americas , Australia and most of Europe .  However , as of 2017 , South Africa is the only African country where same-sex marriage is recognized . No country in Asia legally recognises same-sex marriage ceremonies performed under its jurisdiction , although Israel recognises same-sex marriages performed overseas for some purposes .   Introduction of same-sex marriage laws has varied by jurisdiction , being variously accomplished through legislative change to marriage laws , a court ruling based on constitutional guarantees of equality , or by direct popular vote ( via ballot initiative or referendum ) . The recognition of same-sex marriage is a political and social issue , and also a religious issue in many countries , and debates continue to arise over whether people in same-sex relationships should be allowed marriage or some similar status ( a civil union ) . Same-sex marriage can provide those in same-sex relationships who pay their taxes with government services and make financial demands on them comparable to those afforded to and required of those in opposite-sex marriages . Same-sex marriage also gives them legal protections such as inheritance and hospital visitation rights . Various faith communities around the world support allowing those of the same sex to marry , while many major religions oppose same-sex marriage . Opponents of same-sex marriages have argued that recognition of same-sex marriages would erode religious freedoms , undermine a right of children to be raised by their biological mother and father or erode the institution of marriage itself .   Some analysts state that financial , psychological and physical well-being are enhanced by marriage , and that children of same-sex parents or carers benefit from being raised by two parents within a legally recognized union supported by society 's institutions . Court documents filed by American scientific associations also state that singling out gay men and women as ineligible for marriage both stigmatizes and invites public discrimination against them . The American Anthropological Association asserts that social science research does not support the view that either civilization or viable social orders depend upon marriage as an exclusively heterosexual institution .


Paul Wesley Pawel Tomasz Wasilewski ( born July 23 , 1982 ) , known professionally as Paul Wesley , is an American actor , director , and producer . He is known for playing Stefan Salvatore in The CW 's supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries ( 2009 -- 2017 ) and as Aaron Corbett in the ABC Family miniseries Fallen . He appeared on several TV shows such as Guiding Light , Wolf Lake , Smallville , and Everwood .


Ridley Scott is not the director of the film Thelma & Louise.

Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott ( born 30 November 1937 ) is an English film director and producer . Following his commercial breakthrough with the science-fiction horror film Alien ( 1979 ) , his best known works are the neo-noir dystopian science fiction film Blade Runner ( 1982 ) , crime drama Thelma & Louise ( 1991 ) , historical drama and Best Picture Oscar winner Gladiator ( 2000 ) , war film Black Hawk Down ( 2001 ) , crime thriller Hannibal ( 2001 ) , biographical film American Gangster ( 2007 ) , and science fiction films Prometheus ( 2012 ) and The Martian ( 2015 ) .   Scott is known for his atmospheric , highly concentrated visual style . Though his films range widely in setting and period , they frequently showcase memorable imagery of urban environments , whether 2nd century Rome ( Gladiator ) , 12th century Jerusalem ( Kingdom of Heaven ) , Medieval England ( Robin Hood ) , contemporary Mogadishu ( Black Hawk Down ) , or the future cityscapes of Blade Runner . His films are also known for their strong female characters . Scott has been nominated for three Academy Awards for Directing ( for Thelma & Louise , Gladiator and Black Hawk Down ) . In 1995 , both Ridley and his brother Tony received a BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema . In 2003 , Scott was knighted for his `` services to the British film industry '' . In a 2004 BBC poll Scott was named the tenth most influential person in British culture . In 2015 he received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art in London .


Counterculture is a subculture different than the mainstream.

Counterculture A counterculture ( also written counter-culture ) is a subculture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society , often in opposition to mainstream cultural mores .   A countercultural movement expresses the ethos and aspirations of a specific population during a well-defined era . When oppositional forces reach critical mass , countercultures can trigger dramatic cultural changes .   Prominent examples of countercultures in Europe and North America include Romanticism ( 1790 -- 1840 ) , Bohemianism ( 1850 -- 1910 ) , the more fragmentary counterculture of the Beat Generation ( 1944 -- 1964 ) , and perhaps most prominently , the counterculture of the 1960s ( 1964 -- 1974 ) , usually associated with the hippie subculture .


Audrey Horne was introduced in the pilot episode.

Audrey Horne Audrey Horne is a fictional character from the ABC television series Twin Peaks , played by Sherilyn Fenn . The character was created by David Lynch . She was introduced in the pilot . The daughter of Ben ( Richard Beymer ) and Sylvia Horne , sister of Johnny Horne ( Robert Bauer ) and half-sister of Donna Hayward ( Lara Flynn Boyle ) , her storylines focused on her infatuation with the series protagonist Dale Cooper ( Kyle MacLachlan ) , infiltrating the brothel/casino One Eyed Jacks and becoming an activist through civil disobedience .


Pilot (Twin Peaks) The pilot episode , also known as Northwest Passage , of the mystery television series Twin Peaks premiered on the ABC Network on Sunday , April 8 , 1990 . It was written by series creators Mark Frost and David Lynch , and directed by Lynch . The pilot follows the characters of Dale Cooper and Harry S. Truman as they investigate the death of popular high school student Laura Palmer ; Cooper believes the murder has connections to a murder case that occurred a year earlier . In addition to setting the tone for the show , the episode sets up several character and story arcs and marked the appearance of several recurring characters . The episode received a strong Nielsen household rating compared to other season one episodes and was well received by fans and critics alike . The original title for the series was Northwest Passage , but this was later changed .


Roy Whiting Roy William Whiting ( born 26 January 1959 ) is an English convicted child killer , from West Sussex . In December 2001 , he was convicted of the abduction and murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne , which occurred in West Sussex in July 2000 .


Outlander (TV series) Outlander is a British-American television drama series based on the historical time travel Outlander series of novels by Diana Gabaldon . Developed by Ronald D. Moore and produced by Sony Pictures Television and Left Bank Pictures for Starz , the show premiered on August 9 , 2014 . It stars Caitriona Balfe as Claire Randall , a married World War II nurse who in 1945 finds herself transported back to the Scotland of 1743 , where she encounters the dashing Highland warrior Jamie Fraser ( Sam Heughan ) and becomes embroiled in the Jacobite risings .   The second season of 13 episodes , based on Dragonfly in Amber , premiered on April 9 , 2016 . On June 1 , 2016 , Starz renewed the series for a third and fourth season , which will adapt the third and fourth Outlander novels , Voyager and Drums of Autumn . The 13-episode third season is scheduled to premiere in September 2017 .


Hannibal Hannibal Barca ( Punic language : ð $ ð $ ð $ ð $ ð $ ð $ ð $ `` ð $ ' , Q-R-B L-A - ' - A-B-N-Ḥ ; 247 -- between 183 and 181 BC ) , was a Carthaginian general , considered one of the greatest military commanders in history . His father Hamilcar Barca was the leading Carthaginian commander during the First Punic War . His younger brothers were Mago and Hasdrubal , and he was brother-in-la   Hannibal lived during a period of great tension in the Mediterranean Basin , when the Roman Republic established its supremacy over other great powers such as ancient Carthage and the Greek kingdoms of Macedonia , Syracuse , and the Seleucid Empire . One of his most famous achievements was at the outbreak of the Second Punic War , when he marched an army which included war elephants from Iberia over the Pyrenees and the Alps into Italy . In his first few years in Italy , he won three dramatic victories -- the Trebia , Lake Trasimene , and Cannae , in which he distinguished himself for his ability to determine his and his opponent 's strengths and weaknesses , and to play the battle to his strengths and the enemy 's weaknesses -- and won over many allies of Rome . Hannibal occupied much of Italy for 15 years but was unable to march on Rome . An enemy counter-invasion of North Africa forced him to return to Carthage , where he was decisively defeated by Scipio Africanus at the Battle of Zama . Scipio had studied Hannibal 's tactics and brilliantly devised some of his own , and finally defeated Rome 's nemesis at Zama , having previously driven Hannibal 's brother Hasdrubal out of the Iberian Peninsula .   After the war , Hannibal successfully ran for the office of sufet . He enacted political and financial reforms to enable the payment of the war indemnity imposed by Rome ; however , Hannibal 's reforms were unpopular with members of the Carthaginian aristocracy and in Rome , and he fled into voluntary exile . During this time , he lived at the Seleucid court , where he acted as military advisor to Antiochus III the Great in his war against Rome . Antiochus met defeat at the Battle of Magnesia and was forced to accept Rome 's terms , and Hannibal fled again , making a stop in the Kingdom of Armenia . His flight ended in the court of Bithynia , where he achieved an outstanding naval victory against a fleet from Pergamon . He was afterwards betrayed to the Romans and committed suicide by poisoning himself .   Hannibal is often regarded as one of the greatest military strategists in history and one of the greatest generals of Mediterranean antiquity , together with Philip of Macedon , Alexander the Great , Julius Caesar , and Scipio Africanus . Plutarch states that Hannibal was questioned by Scipio as to who was the greatest general , and Hannibal replied either Alexander or Pyrrhus , then himself , or , according to another version of the event , Pyrrhus , Scipio , then himself . Military historian Theodore Ayrault Dodge called Hannibal the `` father of strategy '' , because his greatest enemy , Rome , came to adopt elements of his military tactics in its own strategic arsenal . This praise has earned him a strong reputation in the modern world , and he was regarded as a great strategist by Napoleon and others .


Battle of Cannae The Battle of Cannae ( -LSB- ˈkæni -RSB- or -LSB- ˈkæneɪ -RSB- ) was a major battle of the Second Punic War that took place on 2 August 216 BC in Apulia , in southeast Italy . The army of Carthage , under Hannibal , surrounded and decisively defeated a larger army of the Roman Republic under the consuls Lucius Aemilius Paullus and Gaius Terentius Varro . It is regarded both as one of the greatest tactical feats in military history and as one of the worst defeats in Roman history .   Having recovered from their losses at Trebia ( 218 BC ) and Lake Trasimene ( 217 BC ) , the Romans decided to engage Hannibal at Cannae , with roughly 86,000 Roman and allied troops . They massed their heavy infantry in a deeper formation than usual , while Hannibal utilized the double-envelopment tactic . This was so successful that the Roman army was effectively destroyed as a fighting force . Following the defeat , Capua and several other Italian city-states defected from the Roman Republic to Carthage .


Battle of Zama The Battle of Zama , fought around 19 October 202 BC , marked the end of the Second Punic War . A Roman army led by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus ( Scipio ) , with crucial support from Numidian leader Masinissa , defeated the Carthaginian army led by the commander Hannibal . Hannibal 's force was greater in numbers than Scipio 's , and he had eighty war elephants . However , many in Hannibal 's army were recent conscripts , and the Romans had superior cavalry , as the most of the vaunted Numidian cavalry which Hannibal had employed with great success in Italy had by then switched sides to the Romans .   Scipio 's troops did not mass together to oppose the elephants , but instead blew their horns loudly , opened their ranks to let the elephants charge through , and pelted the elephants with missiles , confusing and defeating them . His main force then routed the Carthaginian infantry , assisted by the cavalry who had pursued the Carthaginian cavalry off the field and returned to attack the infantry force . Defeated on their home ground , the Carthaginian ruling elite sued for peace and accepted humiliating terms , ending the 17-year war .


Derrick Rose does not play for the New York Knicks.

Derrick Rose Derrick Martell Rose ( born October 4 , 1988 ) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . He played one year of college basketball for the Memphis Tigers before being drafted first overall by his hometown Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA draft . After being named the NBA Rookie of the Year , Rose , at age 22 , became the youngest player to win the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2011 .   Rose was born and raised in the Chicago area , and attended Simeon Career Academy . He was highly recruited by NCAA scouts and coaches , eventually choosing to join the University of Memphis under Coach John Calipari . Rose led the Memphis Tigers to the most wins in NCAA history ( a 38-2 record ) , their first number one ranking in 25 years , and an appearance in the NCAA Championship game . In 2009 , an NCAA investigation revealed that Rose 's SAT scores had been invalidated , and as a result , the NCAA vacated Memphis ' entire 2007 -- 08 season .   Rose has struggled with significant knee injuries since his 2010 -- 11 MVP campaign . In the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers , Rose tore his ACL in his left knee . Rose required surgery and was subsequently sidelined for the entire 2012 -- 13 season . Rose returned to play in 2013 -- 14 . However , on November 22 , 2013 , during a regular season game against the Portland Trail Blazers , Rose injured his right meniscus which caused him to miss the remainder of the season . Rose returned once again the following season , but knee injuries continued to riddle him , causing him to miss 30 games . In June 2016 , he was traded to the New York Knicks .


Socrates was a classical Athenian philosopher.

Socrates Socrates ( -LSB- ˈsɒkrətiːz -RSB- Σωκράτης -LSB- - grcsɔːkrátɛːs -RSB- , Sōkrátēs ; 470/469 -- 399 BC ) was a classical Greek ( Athenian ) philosopher credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy . He is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of classical writers , especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes . Plato 's dialogues are among the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity , though it is unclear the degree to which Socrates himself is `` hidden behind his ` best disciple ' , Plato '' .   Through his portrayal in Plato 's dialogues , Socrates has become renowned for his contribution to the field of ethics , and it is this Platonic Socrates who lends his name to the concepts of Socratic irony and the Socratic method , or elenchus . The latter remains a commonly used tool in a wide range of discussions , and is a type of pedagogy in which a series of questions is asked not only to draw individual answers , but also to encourage fundamental insight into the issue at hand . Plato 's Socrates also made important and lasting contributions to the field of epistemology , and his ideologies and approach have proven a strong foundation for much Western philosophy that has followed .


Randall Flagg has been portrayed by an actor.

Jamey Sheridan James Patrick `` Jamey '' Sheridan ( born July 12 , 1951 ) is an American actor .


Matthew McConaughey Matthew David McConaughey ( -LSB- məˈkɒnəheɪ -RSB- born November 4 , 1969 ) is an American actor . He first gained notice for his breakout role in the coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused ( 1993 ) . He appeared in such films as the slasher Texas Chainsaw Massacre : The Next Generation ( 1994 ) , the legal thriller A Time to Kill ( 1996 ) , Steven Spielberg 's historical drama Amistad ( 1997 ) , the science fiction drama Contact ( 1997 ) , the comedy EDtv ( 1999 ) , and the war film U-571 ( 2000 ) .   In the 2000s , Matthew McConaughey became best known for starring in romantic comedies , including The Wedding Planner ( 2001 ) , How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days ( 2003 ) , Failure to Launch ( 2006 ) , Fool 's Gold ( 2008 ) , and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ( 2009 ) . Since 2011 he has preferred dramatic roles , in such films as The Lincoln Lawyer ( 2011 ) , Bernie ( 2011 ) , Killer Joe ( 2011 ) , The Paperboy ( 2012 ) , Mud ( 2012 ) , Magic Mike ( 2012 ) , The Wolf of Wall Street ( 2013 ) , Dallas Buyers Club ( 2013 ) , Interstellar ( 2014 ) , The Sea of Trees , and Free State of Jones ( both 2016 ) .   McConaughey achieved much success in 2013 for portraying a cowboy diagnosed with AIDS in the biographical film Dallas Buyers Club , which earned him the Academy Award , Golden Globe Award , and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor , among other awards and nominations . In 2014 , he also starred as Rust Cohle in the first season of HBO 's crime anthology series True Detective , for which he won a Critics ' Choice Award and was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award .


Randall Flagg Randall Flagg is a fictional character created by Stephen King . He has a variety of names , usually with the initial letters `` R. F. '' but with occasional exceptions , such as Walter o'Dim ( originally envisioned by King as a separate character ) in The Dark Tower series .   Flagg is described as `` an accomplished sorcerer and a devoted servant of the Outer Dark '' , with supernatural abilities involving necromancy , prophecy , and influence over animal and human behavior . His goals typically center on bringing down civilizations through destruction and conflict .   Flagg has appeared in at least nine of King 's novels , either as a major or very minor character . Flagg first appeared in The Stand as a demonic figure who wreaks havoc after a plague kills most of the population . He makes his second appearance in The Eyes of the Dragon as an evil wizard trying to plunge the fictional medieval city of Delain into chaos . Flagg was a primary antagonist in King 's epic series , The Dark Tower , who tries to keep protagonist Roland Deschain from reaching the Tower ( the linchpin of existence ) so he can claim it for himself and become a god . The Dark Tower expanded on Flagg 's background and motivation , linking his previous appearances . Aside from King 's novels , Flagg was featured in a television miniseries adaptation of The Stand ( played by Jamey Sheridan ) and the upcoming Dark Tower film adaptation ( played by Matthew McConaughey ) . He has also appeared in Marvel Comics ' adaptations of The Dark Tower and The Stand .   King initially cited Donald DeFreeze , primary kidnapper of Patty Hearst , as his inspiration for Flagg . Later , he attributed Flagg to an image of a man walking the roads in cowboy boots , denim jeans , and a jacket , a notion which `` came out of nowhere '' when he was in college . Flagg 's character and the nature of his evil have been the subject of considerable critical attention .


Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. ( born December 28 , 1954 ) is an American actor , director , and producer . He has received three Golden Globe awards , a Tony Award , and two Academy Awards : Best Supporting Actor for the historical war drama film Glory ( 1989 ) and Best Actor for his role as a corrupt cop in the crime thriller Training Day ( 2001 ) .   Washington has received much critical acclaim for his film work since the 1980s , including his portrayals of real-life figures such as South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko in Cry Freedom ( 1987 ) , Muslim minister and human rights activist Malcolm X in Malcolm X ( 1992 ) , boxer Rubin `` Hurricane '' Carter in The Hurricane ( 1999 ) , football coach Herman Boone in Remember the Titans ( 2000 ) , poet and educator Melvin B. Tolson in The Great Debaters ( 2007 ) , and drug kingpin Frank Lucas in American Gangster ( 2007 ) . He has been a featured actor in the films produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and has been a frequent collaborator of directors Spike Lee , Antoine Fuqua and Tony Scott . In 2016 , Washington was selected as the recipient for the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award at the 73rd Golden Globe Awards .   In 2002 , Washington made his directorial debut with biographical film Antwone Fisher . His second directorial effort was The Great Debaters , released in 2007 . Washington 's third directorial effort , Fences , starring himself and Viola Davis , was released on December 16 , 2016 .


Leopold II of Belgium was the second king of Belgium.

Leopold II of Belgium Leopold II ( 9 April 1835 -- 17 December 1909 ) reigned as the second King of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909 . He became known for the founding and exploitation of the Congo Free State as a private venture . Born in Brussels as the second ( but eldest surviving ) son of Leopold I and Louise of Orléans ,  he succeeded his father to the Belgian throne in 1865 and reigned for 44 years until his death - the longest reign of any Belgian monarch . He died without surviving male issue ; the current Belgian king descends from his nephew and successor , Albert I.   Leopold became the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State , a private project undertaken on his own behalf . He used explorer Henry Morton Stanley to help him lay claim to the Congo , the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo . At the Berlin Conference of 1884 -- 1885 the colonial nations of Europe authorized his claim by committing the Congo Free State to improving the lives of the native inhabitants . From the beginning , however , Leopold essentially ignored these conditions . He ran the Congo using the mercenary Force Publique for his personal enrichment . He used great sums of the money from this exploitation for public and private construction projects in Belgium during this period . He donated the private buildings to the state before his death , to preserve them for Belgium .   Leopold extracted a fortune from the Congo , initially by the collection of ivory , and - after a rise in the price of rubber in the 1890s - by forced labour from the natives to harvest and process rubber . Under his régime millions of the Congolese people died ; modern estimates range from 1 to 15 million , with a consensus growing around 10 million . Human-rights abuses under his régime contributed significantly to these deaths . Reports of deaths and abuse led to a major international scandal in the early 20th century , and the Belgian government ultimately forced Leopold to relinquish control of the colony to Belgian civil administration in 1908 .


Steven Soderbergh oversaw the direction of Out of Sight.

Steven Soderbergh Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( -LSB- ˈsoʊdərbɜrɡ -RSB- born January 14 , 1963 ) is an American film producer , director , screenwriter , cinematographer and editor . His indie drama Sex , Lies , and Videotape ( 1989 ) won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival , and became a worldwide commercial success , making the then-26-year-old Soderbergh the youngest director to win the festival 's top award . Film critic Roger Ebert dubbed Soderbergh the `` poster boy of the Sundance generation '' .   He is best known for directing critically acclaimed commercial Hollywood films including the crime comedy Out of Sight ( 1998 ) , the biographical film Erin Brockovich ( 2000 ) , the crime drama film Traffic ( 2000 ) ( for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director ) , the 2001 remake of the comedy heist film Ocean 's 11 and its two sequels -- known collectively as the Ocean 's Trilogy , the medical thriller Contagion ( 2011 ) and the comedy-drama Magic Mike ( 2012 ) .   He has also directed smaller , less conventional works , such as the mystery thriller Kafka ( 1991 ) ; the experimental comedy film Schizopolis ( 1996 ) , which has a non-linear narrative ; Bubble ( 2005 ) , which uses no script and non-professional actors ; the experimental drama film The Girlfriend Experience ( 2009 ) , which starred the then-active pornographic actress Sasha Grey ; and the biopic about Marxist revolutionary Ernesto `` Che '' Guevara , Che ( 2008 ) .  Soderbergh also directed , photographed and edited all episodes of the television drama The Knick . In addition , he has produced numerous film and television programs , and provided cinematography and editing on various projects .


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


Alec Sokolow Alec Sokolow is an American film writer who has worked on such projects as the movies Cheaper by the Dozen , Toy Story , Money Talks , and Garfield : The Movie . He frequently works with Joel Cohen .   Along with Joss Whedon , Andrew Stanton , John Lasseter , Pete Docter , Joe Ranft , and Cohen , Sokolow was nominated in 1995 for the Academy Award for Best Writing ( Original Screenplay ) for his work on Toy Story .   Beyond writing , Sokolow and Cohen jointly directed Monster Mash : The Movie and executive produced Gnomes and Trolls : The Secret Chamber ( 2008 ) .


Apollo 11 was a manned mission of NASA's Apollo program.

Apollo 11 Apollo 11 was the spaceflight that landed the first two humans on the Moon . Mission commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Buzz Aldrin , both American , landed the lunar module Eagle on July 20 , 1969 , at 20:18 UTC . Armstrong became the first to step onto the lunar surface six hours later on July 21 at 02:56:15 UTC ; Aldrin joined him about 20 minutes later . They spent about two and a quarter hours together outside the spacecraft , and collected 47.5 lb of lunar material to bring back to Earth . Michael Collins piloted the command module Columbia alone in lunar orbit while they were on the Moon 's surface . Armstrong and Aldrin spent just under a day on the lunar surface before rendezvousing with Columbia in lunar orbit .   Apollo 11 was launched by a Saturn V rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island , Florida , on July 16 , and was the fifth manned mission of NASA 's Apollo program . The Apollo spacecraft had three parts : a command module ( CM ) with a cabin for the three astronauts , and the only part that landed back on Earth ; a service module ( SM ) , which supported the command module with propulsion , electrical power , oxygen , and water ; and a lunar module ( LM ) that had two stages -- a lower stage for landing on the Moon , and an upper stage to place the astronauts back into lunar orbit . After being sent toward the Moon by the Saturn V 's upper stage , the astronauts separated the spacecraft from it and traveled for three days until they entered into lunar orbit . Armstrong and Aldrin then moved into the lunar module Eagle and landed in the Sea of Tranquility . They stayed a total of about 21.5 hours on the lunar surface . The astronauts used Eagle '' 's upper stage to lift off from the lunar surface and rejoin Collins in the command module . They jettisoned Eagle '' before they performed the maneuvers that blasted them out of lunar orbit on a trajectory back to Earth . They returned to Earth and landed in the Pacific Ocean on July 24 .   Broadcast on live TV to a worldwide audience , Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface and described the event as `` one small step for -LSB- a -RSB- man , one giant leap for mankind . '' Apollo 11 effectively ended the Space Race and fulfilled a national goal proposed in 1961 by U.S. President John F. Kennedy : `` before this decade is out , of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth . ''


George Foreman is a two-time world heavyweight champion.

George Foreman George Edward Foreman ( born January 10 , 1949 ) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1969 to 1977 , and from 1987 to 1997 . Nicknamed `` Big George '' , he is a two-time world heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist . Outside the sport he went on to become an ordained minister , author and entrepreneur .   After a troubled childhood , Foreman took up amateur boxing and won a gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1968 Summer Olympics . Having turned professional the next year , he won the world heavyweight title with a second-round knockout of then-undefeated Joe Frazier in 1973 . Two successful title defenses were made before Foreman 's first professional loss to Muhammad Ali in `` The Rumble in the Jungle '' in 1974 . Unable to secure another title opportunity , Foreman retired after a loss to Jimmy Young in 1977 . Following what he referred to as a religious epiphany , Foreman became an ordained Christian minister . Ten years later , he announced a comeback and , in 1994 , at age 45 , he regained a portion of the heavyweight championship by knocking out 27-year-old Michael Moorer to win the unified WBA , IBF , and lineal titles . Foreman remains the oldest heavyweight champion in history , and the second oldest in any weight class after Bernard Hopkins ( at light heavyweight ) . He retired in 1997 at the age of 48 , with a final record of 76 wins 5 losses and 68 knockouts .   Foreman has been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame . The International Boxing Research Organization ( IBRO ) rates Foreman as the eighth greatest heavyweight of all time . In 2002 , he was named one of the 25 greatest fighters of the past 80 years by The Ring magazine . The Ring ranked him as the ninth greatest puncher of all time . He was a ringside analyst for HBO 's boxing coverage for twelve years , leaving in 2004 . Outside of boxing , he is a successful entrepreneur and is known for his promotion of the George Foreman Grill , which has sold over 100 million units worldwide . In 1999 he sold the naming rights to the grill for $ 138 million .


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


Music journalism is also called music criticism.

Music journalism Music journalism ( or `` music criticism '' ) is media criticism and reporting about popular music topics , including pop music , rock music , and related styles . Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century , providing commentary on what is now thought of as classical music . In the 2000s , a more prominent branch of music journalism is an aspect of entertainment journalism , covering popular music and including profiles of singers and bands , live concert , and album reviews .


Shahid Kapoor Shahid Kapoor ( -LSB- ʃaːɦɪd̪ kəˈpuːr -RSB- ; born 25 February 1981 ) , also known as Shahid Khattar , is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films . The son of actors Pankaj Kapur and Neelima Azeem , Kapoor was born in New Delhi . His parents separated when he was three , and he continued living with his mother . They moved to Mumbai when he was 10 , where he joined Shiamak Davar 's dance academy . Kapoor appeared as a background dancer in a few films of the 1990s , and was later featured in music videos and television commercials .   Kapoor made his film debut in 2003 with a leading role in the romantic comedy Ishq Vishk , a sleeper hit for which he won a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut . He followed it with roles in several commercial failures before starring in Sooraj Barjatya 's top-grossing family drama Vivah ( 2006 ) . Kapoor earned nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for portraying a troubled businessman in Imtiaz Ali 's romantic comedy Jab We Met ( 2007 ) and twin brothers in Vishal Bhardwaj 's caper thriller Kaminey ( 2009 ) . After appearing in another series of box office flops , he starred in the action film R. . . Rajkumar ( 2013 ) his highest-grossing release . In 2014 , Kapoor portrayed the Hamlet character in Bhardwaj 's acclaimed drama Haider , for which he won the Best Actor award at Filmfare . Two years later , he played a drug abusing singer in the crime drama Udta Punjab , which won him the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor .   Cited in the media as one of the most attractive Indian celebrities , Kapoor maintains his popularity despite a fluctuating career trajectory . Initially recognised for portraying romantic roles , Kapoor has since taken on parts in action films and thrillers . He is the recipient of several awards , including three Filmfare Awards . In addition to acting , Kapoor supports charities , hosts award ceremonies , and has featured as a talent judge on the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded ( 2015 ) . Following a romantic relationship with the actress Kareena Kapoor , he married Mira Rajput , a student from New Delhi , with whom he has a daughter .


Madonna passed on the opportunity to record the song Take a Bow.

Take a Bow (Madonna song) `` Take a Bow '' is a song by American singer Madonna from her sixth studio album Bedtime Stories ( 1994 ) . It was released as the album 's second single on November 29 , 1994 , by Maverick Records . It is a midtempo pop ballad written and produced by Madonna and Babyface . The song also appears on her compilation albums Something to Remember ( 1995 ) , GHV2 ( 2001 ) and Celebration ( 2009 ) . Following the sexually explicit persona portrayed by Madonna on her previous album , Erotica , the singer wanted to tone down her image for Bedtime Stories . She started collaborating with Babyface , whose work with other musicians had impressed her . `` Take a Bow '' was developed from this collaboration , after Madonna listened to the beat and the chords of the demo structure of the song .   Recorded at The Hit Factory Studios in New York , `` Take a Bow '' was backed by a full orchestra . It was also the first time that Babyface had worked with live strings , per Madonna 's suggestion . Containing oriental pentatonic strings , giving the impression of Chinese or Japanese opera , `` Take a Bow '' lyrically talks about unrequited love , and Madonna saying goodbye . It received favorable reviews from music critics , who praised the song 's soulful , poetic lyrics . It was a commercial success in the United States , becoming Madonna 's eleventh number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 , topping the chart for seven weeks . It also reached number one in Canada , and the top ten in Italy , Switzerland and New Zealand . The single had moderate success in the United Kingdom , reaching number 16 on the UK Singles Chart , ending Madonna 's record-holding string of 35 consecutive top-ten hits there .   The music video for `` Take a Bow '' was directed by Michael Haussman , and was filmed in Ronda , Spain . The video depicts Madonna as a bullfighter 's ( played by real-life Spanish bullfighter Emilio Muñoz ) neglected lover , yearning for his love . It won the Best Female Video award at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards . Journalistic and academic analysis of the video included its plotline , usage of religious iconography , themes and motifs of feminism and submission , as well as its impact on contemporary music videos . In order to promote Bedtime Stories , Madonna performed `` Take a Bow '' on a few occasions , including live with Babyface at the 1995 American Music Awards . In 2016 , she added the song to the setlist of the Asian and Oceanian legs of her Rebel Heart Tour and her one-off Sydney concert Madonna : Tears of a Clown .


James McAvoy James McAvoy ( -LSB- ˈmækəvɔɪ -RSB- born 21 April 1979 ) is a Scottish actor . He made his acting début as a teen in 1995 's The Near Room and continued to make mostly television appearances until 2003 , when his feature film career began and he continued to work in both areas from then on . His notable television work includes the drama show State of Play , the adult comedy-drama Shameless , and the science fiction show Frank Herbert 's Children of Dune .   Besides screen acting , McAvoy has performed in several West End productions , receiving three nominations for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor . He has also done voice work for animated films including Gnomeo & Juliet and Arthur Christmas ( both 2011 ) .   In 2003 , McAvoy appeared in a lead role in Bollywood Queen , a British Indian take on the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet , directed by Jeremy Wooding . This was followed by a supporting role , the faun Mr. Tumnus , in The Chronicles of Narnia : The Lion , the Witch and the Wardrobe ( 2005 ) . His performance in Kevin Macdonald 's drama The Last King of Scotland ( 2006 ) garnered him several award nominations . The critically acclaimed romantic drama war film Atonement ( 2007 ) earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination and his second BAFTA nomination . He appeared opposite Angelina Jolie as a newly trained assassin in the action thriller Wanted ( 2008 ) .   Since then , he is known for playing the young Professor Charles Xavier in the 2011 superhero film X-Men : First Class , a role he reprised in X-Men : Days of Future Past ( 2014 ) , and X-Men : Apocalypse ( 2016 ) . McAvoy starred in the 2013 crime comedy-drama film Filth for which he won Best Actor in the British Independent Film Awards . In 2016 , he portrayed Kevin , a man with 23 personalities in his body , in M. Night Shyamalan 's Split , for which he received critical acclaim .


Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis `` Bobby '' Kennedy ( November 20 , 1925 -- June 6 , 1968 ) , commonly known by his initials RFK , was an American politician from Massachusetts . He served as the United States junior senator from New York from January 1965 until his assassination in June 1968 . He was previously the 64th U.S. Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964 , serving under his older brother President John F. Kennedy and his successor , President Lyndon B. Johnson . Kennedy was a member of the Democratic Party , and is seen as an icon of modern American liberalism .   After serving in the United States Naval Reserve as a Seaman Apprentice from 1944 to 1946 , Kennedy graduated from Harvard University and the University of Virginia . He began his political career in Massachusetts as the manager for his brother John 's successful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1952 . Prior to entering public office himself , he worked as a correspondent for The Boston Post and as an assistant counsel to the Senate committee chaired by Joe McCarthy . He gained national attention as the chief counsel of the Senate Labor Rackets Committee from 1957 to 1959 , where he publicly challenged Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa over the corrupt practices of its union and authored The Enemy Within , a book about corruption in organized labor .   Kennedy resigned from the committee to conduct his brother John 's campaign in the 1960 presidential election . He was appointed Attorney General after the successful election and served as the closest adviser to the president from 1961 to 1963 . His tenure is best known for its advocacy for the Civil Rights Movement , the fight against organized crime and the Mafia , and involvement in U.S. foreign policy related to Cuba . After his brother 's assassination , he remained in office in the Johnson administration for several months . He left to run for the United States Senate from New York in 1964 and defeated Republican incumbent Kenneth Keating .   In 1968 , Kennedy was a leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency ; he appealed especially to poor , African-American , Hispanic , Catholic and young voters . Shortly after midnight on June 5 , 1968 , after defeating Senator Eugene McCarthy in the California and South Dakota presidential primaries , he was mortally wounded by Sirhan Sirhan , a 24-year-old enraged Palestinian , and died the following day .


Christopher Lloyd has done extensive voice over work.

Christopher Lloyd Christopher Allen Lloyd ( born October 22 , 1938 ) is an American actor , voice actor and comedian best known for his roles as Emmett `` Doc '' Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy , Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit ( 1988 ) , Merlock the Magician in DuckTales the Movie : Treasure of the Lost Lamp ( 1990 ) , Uncle Fester in The Addams Family ( 1991 ) and its sequel Addams Family Values ( 1993 ) , and Grigori Rasputin in Anastasia ( 1997 ) .   Lloyd has an equally prominent television profile , having won two Primetime Emmy Awards for playing Jim Ignatowski on the comedy series Taxi ( 1978 -- 1983 ) . He earned a third Emmy for his 1992 guest appearance on Road to Avonlea . He has also done extensive voiceover work for animated programs , most notably voicing The Hacker on the PBS Kids series Cyberchase ( 2002 -- 2015 ) . The role earned him two Daytime Emmy Award nominations .


Antarctica Antarctica ( UK English -LSB- ænˈtɑːktɪkə -RSB- or -LSB- ænˈtɑːtɪkə -RSB- , US English -LSB- æntˈɑːrktɪkə -RSB- ) is Earth 's southernmost continent . It contains the geographic South Pole and is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere , almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle , and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean . At 14000000 km2 , it is the fifth-largest continent . For comparison , Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia . About 98 % of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages 1.9 km in thickness , which extends to all but the northernmost reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula .   Antarctica , on average , is the coldest , driest , and windiest continent , and has the highest average elevation of all the continents . Antarctica is a desert , with annual precipitation of only 200 mm ( 8 in ) along the coast and far less inland . The temperature in Antarctica has reached − 89.2 ° C ( − 128.6 ° F ) , though the average for the third quarter ( the coldest part of the year ) is − 63 ° C ( − 81 ° F ) . Anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people reside throughout the year at the research stations scattered across the continent . Organisms native to Antarctica include many types of algae , bacteria , fungi , plants , protista , and certain animals , such as mites , nematodes , penguins , seals and tardigrades . Vegetation , where it occurs , is tundra .   Although myths and speculation about a Terra Australis ( `` Southern Land '' ) date back to antiquity , Antarctica is noted as the last region on Earth in recorded history to be discovered and colonised by humans , being only first sighted in 1820 by the Russian expedition of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev on Vostok and Mirny , who sighted the Fimbul ice shelf . The continent , however , remained largely neglected for the rest of the 19th century because of its hostile environment , lack of easily accessible resources , and isolation . In 1895 , the first confirmed landing was conducted by a team of Norwegians .   Antarctica is a de facto condominium , governed by parties to the Antarctic Treaty System that have consulting status . Twelve countries signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959 , and thirty-eight have signed it since then . The treaty prohibits military activities and mineral mining , prohibits nuclear explosions and nuclear waste disposal , supports scientific research , and protects the continent 's ecozone . Ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists from many nations .


Jennifer Hudson has won a Grammy for an album.

Jennifer Hudson Jennifer Kate Hudson ( born September 12 , 1981 ) is an American singer , actress and spokesperson . She rose to fame in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol , coming in seventh place .   As an actress , she made her film debut portraying Effie White in Dreamgirls , for which she gained worldwide acclaim and won an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , a BAFTA Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress . She has also appeared in such films as Sex and the City , The Secret Life of Bees and Black Nativity . She has made numerous television appearances , including guest roles on Smash , Empire and Inside Amy Schumer . In 2015 she made her Broadway debut in the role of Shug Avery in the 2015 revival of The Color Purple .   As a singer , Hudson has released three studio albums . Her debut album Jennifer Hudson , released in 2008 , debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA , with sales exceeding a million copies worldwide . The record was nominated for four Grammy Awards , winning the 2009 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album . Her second album I Remember Me , released in 2011 , also debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA . Her third and most recent album JHUD peaked in the top ten and featured the Grammy-nominated track `` It 's Your World '' . She also became the principal singer of The Color Purple musical album , which earned her the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program ( shared with the cast of The Color Purple ) .   In October 2008 , after Hudson 's mother , brother and nephew were killed in a shooting , Hudson stepped out of the public eye for three months . Hudson resumed her public appearances in 2009 , with high-profile performances at Super Bowl XLIII , the Grammy Awards , American Idol , and The Oprah Winfrey Show . Hudson has been described as a friend of former President Barack Obama , who invited her to appear with him at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills during his first term in May 2009 . She also performed at the White House at the `` Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement '' event . In 2013 , she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2016 , Hudson was announced as a coach on the 2017 Series of The Voice UK . The following year , Hudson was announced as a coach on the thirteenth season of The Voice .


Blue Velvet (film) Blue Velvet is a 1986 American neo-noir mystery film , written and directed by David Lynch . Blending psychological horror with film noir , the film stars Kyle MacLachlan , Isabella Rossellini , Dennis Hopper and Laura Dern . The title is taken from Bobby Vinton 's 1963 song of the same name .   The screenplay of Blue Velvet had been passed around multiple times in the late 1970s and early 1980s , with many major studios declining it because of its strong sexual and violent content . After the commercial and critical failure of Lynch 's Dune ( 1984 ) , the director made attempts at developing a more `` personal story '' , somewhat characteristic of the surrealist style displayed in his debut Eraserhead ( 1977 ) . The independent studio De Laurentiis Entertainment Group , owned at the time by Italian film producer Dino De Laurentiis , agreed to finance and produce the film .   Blue Velvet initially received a divided critical response , with many stating that its objectionable content served little artistic purpose . It nevertheless earned Lynch his second Academy Award nomination for Best Director and came to achieve cult status . As an example of a director casting against the norm , it was credited for re-launching Hopper 's career and for providing Rossellini with a dramatic outlet beyond her previous work as a fashion model and a cosmetics spokeswoman .   In the years since , the film has generated significant academic attention with regard to its thematic symbolism , and is now widely regarded as one of Lynch 's major works and one of the greatest films of the 1980s . Publications including Sight & Sound , Time , Entertainment Weekly and BBC Magazine have ranked it among the greatest American films of all time . In 2008 , Blue Velvet was chosen by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest American mystery films ever made .


There is a songwriters trade association called the Nashville Songwriters Association International.

Nashville Songwriters Association International The Nashville Songwriters Association International is a 501 ( c ) not-for-profit trade organization that works to help songwriters in three ways : through legislative advocacy , through education and advice about the actual craft of songwriting , and through teaching about the music industry , and how to best position a song for success within it . They own the Bluebird Cafe .   HISTORY OF NSAI   As songwriters know , sometimes the best ideas appear during lunch , and that was the case more than 40 years ago with songwriters Eddie Miller , Buddy Mize and Bill Brock . In 1967 , over lunch at Ireland 's Restaurant in Nashville , the three came up with an idea to build a community : a songwriters association .   That kernel of an idea , planted and nurtured four decades ago , took root and has since grown into the 4,500 + member Nashville Songwriters Association International ( NSAI ) , which today promotes awareness of songwriters ' cultural contributions ( through events such as Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival ) , champions the legal rights of professional songwriters and helps develop the abilities of aspiring songwriters .   But such growth and prosperity did n't occur overnight . Back in the late ` 60s , Nashville 's songwriting community consisted of only a few dozen writers who received little credit for their achievements and whose royalty compensation was small , largely because of an antiquated copyright law . Additionally , outside of the performing rights societies ASCAP , BMI and SESAC , songwriter recognition was virtually non-existent .   Then , one November day in 1967 , Miller ( a 1975 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and founding member of the Academy of Country Music in California ) encouraged fellow songwriters Mize and Brock to begin an association for writers in Nashville . Mize and Brock loved the idea , and all three set out to make it happen .   Within a month , Eddie , Buddy and Bill were conducting the group 's first organizational meeting at the Old Professional 's Club on Music Row . The meeting attracted some 40 songwriters , including Liz & Casey Anderson ( `` The Fugitive '' ) , Felice & Boudleaux Bryant ( `` Wake Up Little Susie '' ) , Kris Kristofferson ( `` Me And Bobby McGee '' ) and Marijohn Wilkin ( `` One Day At A Time '' ) . Those 40 -- more than half the songwriters in town at that time -- became the founding membership of NSAI and began spending countless hours around Marijohn 's kitchen table brainstorming , discussing and refining ideas .   Within a year , the Nashville Songwriters Association was chartered by the state of Tennessee as a not-for-profit trade association , and from that moment , NSAI would go on to make a difference for all songwriters by helping to revise antiquated copyright laws and to establish new intellectual property protection in the digital age , by establishing a network of over 90 songwriter workshops to provide local instruction at home and abroad , and by conducting more than a half dozen educational conferences and awards shows each year .   And though based in Nashville , NSAI represents all musical genres and includes songwriters from across the United States and overseas . NSAI provides a haven for both proven and undiscovered writers -- to get a cup of coffee , to make a phone call or just to receive a word of advice or consolation . To quote NSAI 's motto : `` IT ALL BEGINS WITH A SONG '' -- and , sometimes , it all begins over lunch .   About   The Nashville Songwriters Association International ( NSAI ) is the world 's largest not-for-profit songwriters trade association . Established in 1967 , the membership of more than 5,000 active and pro members spans the United States and six other countries . NSAI is dedicated to protecting the rights of and serving aspiring and professional songwriters in all genres of music .   Mission Statement   The Nashville Songwriters Association International ( NSAI ) consists of a body of creative minds , including songwriters from all genres of music , professional and amateur , who are committed to protecting the rights and future of the profession of songwriting , and to educate , elevate , and celebrate the songwriter and to act as a unifying force within the music community and the community at large .   The association was founded in the 1970s , with former singer-songwriter Lorene Mann as a co-founder .   Songwriters Caucus -- NSAI established Songwriters Caucuses in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate . In Congress , a `` caucus '' is a group of like-minded lawmakers who share a philosophical pre-disposition to support an issue .   When NSAI has an issue before Congress , we now have caucus members who will help us by co-sponsoring legislation , allowing songwriters to testify , and using the power of their offices and the media to represent the songwriter view .   FEDERAL COURT CASES   Eldred vs. Ashcroft -- NSAI filed an `` amicus brief '' with the United States Supreme Court in a case that determined how long you and your heirs will own your copyrights . NSAI was the only songwriter organization to meet with the Justice Department attorneys , arguing the case on behalf of copyright owners . NSAI songwriter and Constitutional scholar Peter McCann researched the diaries of founding father James Madison . Madison authored Section 1 , Article 8 of the United States Constitution that says : `` Congress may grant , for a ` limited time ' , to authors and composers ... '' At issue was the definition of `` limited time . '' McCann found that Madison intended for his own diaries to be published after his death by his family , FOR PROFIT ! This compelling argument influlenced the Supreme Court 's decision in favor of copyright owners and their heirs .


Marlon Brando portrayed Emiliano Zapata.

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


Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya Rai ( born 1 November 1973 ) , also known by her married name Aishwarya Rai Bachchan , is an Indian actress , model and the winner of the Miss World 1994 pageant . Through her successful acting career , she has established herself as one of the most popular and influential celebrities in India . Rai has received numerous awards and accolades , including two Filmfare Awards from eleven nominations , and she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2009 . She has often been called `` the most beautiful woman in the world '' .   While in college , Rai did a few modelling jobs . Following appearances in several television commercials , she entered the Miss India pageant , in which she placed second . She was then crowned Miss World 1994 , after which she began receiving offers to act in film . She made her acting debut in Mani Ratnam 's 1997 Tamil film Iruvar and had her first Hindi film release in Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya that same year . Her first commercial success was the Tamil romantic drama Jeans ( 1998 ) , following which she achieved wider success and won two Best Actress awards at Filmfare for her performances in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam ( 1999 ) and Devdas ( 2002 ) .   Rai garnered critical appreciation for portraying a passionate artist in the Tamil romance Kandukondain Kandukondain ( 2000 ) , Tagore 's heroine , Binodini , in the Bengali film Chokher Bali ( 2003 ) , a depressed woman in the drama Raincoat ( 2004 ) , Kiranjit Ahluwalia in the British drama film Provoked ( 2006 ) , as a nurse in the drama Guzaarish ( 2010 ) and as a justise-seeking sister in the biographical drama Sarbjit ( 2015 ) . Rai 's greatest commercial successes have been the romance Mohabbatein ( 2000 ) , the adventure film Dhoom 2 ( 2006 ) , the historical romance Jodhaa Akbar ( 2008 ) , the science fiction film Enthiran ( 2010 ) , and the romantic drama Ae Dil Hai Mushkil ( 2016 ) .   Rai married actor Abhishek Bachchan in 2007 with whom she has one daughter . Her off-screen roles include duties as a brand ambassador for several charity organisations and campaigns . She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS ( UNAIDS ) . In 2003 , she was the first Indian actress to be a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival .


Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher `` Ed '' Sheeran ( born 17 February 1991 ) is an English singer-songwriter , guitarist and record producer . He was born in Halifax , West Yorkshire , and raised in Framlingham , Suffolk . He attended the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford , Surrey , as an undergraduate from the age of 18 in autumn 2009 . In early 2011 , Sheeran independently released the extended play , No. 5 Collaborations Project . After signing with Asylum Records , his debut album , + ( read as `` plus '' ) , was released on 9 September 2011 and has since been certified seven-times platinum in the UK . The album contains the single `` The A Team '' , which earned him the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically . In 2012 , Sheeran won the Brit Awards for Best British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act .   Sheeran 's popularity abroad began in 2012 . In the US , he made a guest appearance on Taylor Swift 's fourth studio album , Red . `` The A Team '' was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2013 Grammy Awards , where he performed the song with Elton John . He spent much of 2013 opening for Swift 's The Red Tour in North America dates . His second studio album , x ( read as `` multiply '' ) , was released on 23 June 2014 . It peaked at number one in the UK and the US . In 2015 , x won the Brit Award for Album of the Year , and he received the Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year . His single from x , `` Thinking Out Loud '' , earned him two Grammy Awards at the 2016 ceremony : Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance .   Sheeran 's third album , ÷ ( `` divide '' ) , was released in March 2017 . The album debuted at number one in the UK , the US and other major markets . The first two singles from the album , `` Shape of You '' and `` Castle on the Hill '' , were released in January 2017 and broke records in a number of countries , including the UK , Australia and Germany , by debuting in the top two positions of the charts . He also became the first artist to have two songs debut in the US top 10 in the same week . Sheeran appeared on Debrett 's 2017 list of the most influential people in the UK .


Didier Drogba was not born on 11 March 1978.

Didier Drogba Didier Yves Drogba Tébily ( -LSB- didje dʁɔɡba -RSB- ; born 11 March 1978 ) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a striker for American club Phoenix Rising FC . He is the all-time top scorer and former captain of the Ivory Coast national team . He is best known for his career at Chelsea , for whom he has scored more goals than any other foreign player and is currently the club 's fourth highest goal scorer of all time . He has been named African Footballer of the Year twice , winning the accolade in 2006 and 2009 .   After playing in youth teams , Drogba made his professional debut aged 18 for Ligue 2 club Le Mans , and signed his first professional contract aged 21 . After finishing the 2002 -- 03 season with 17 goals in 34 appearances for Ligue 1 side Guingamp , he moved to Olympique de Marseille , where he finished as the third highest scorer in the 2003 -- 04 season with 19 goals and helped the club reach the 2004 UEFA Cup Final .   In the summer of 2004 , Drogba moved to Premier League club Chelsea for a club record # 24 million fee , making him the most expensive Ivorian player in history . In his debut season he helped the club win their first league title in 50 years , and a year later he won another Premier League title . In March 2012 , he became the first African player to score 100 Premier League goals , and also became the only player in history to score in four separate FA Cup finals the same year , when he scored in Chelsea 's win over Liverpool in the 2012 final . He also played in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final , in which he scored an 88th-minute equaliser and the winning penalty in the deciding shoot-out against Bayern Munich . After spending 6 months with Shanghai Shenhua in China , and one and a half seasons with Turkish club Galatasaray where he scored the winning goal in the final of the 2013 Turkish Super Cup , Drogba returned to Chelsea in July 2014 . With a career record of scoring 10 goals in 10 finals winning 10 trophies at club level , Drogba has been referred to as the `` ultimate big game player . ''   An Ivory Coast international between 2002 and 2014 , Drogba captained the national team from 2006 until his retirement from the Ivory Coast team and is the nation 's all-time top goalscorer with 65 goals from 104 appearances . He led the Ivory Coast to the 2006 FIFA World Cup , their first appearance in the tournament , and also scored their first goal . He later captained the Ivory Coast at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups . He was part of the Ivory Coast teams that reached the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2006 and 2012 , but were beaten on penalties on both occasions . On 8 August 2014 , he announced his retirement from international football .


Andrew Jackson was the Democratic Party founder.

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson ( March 15 , 1767 -- June 8 , 1845 ) was an American soldier and statesman who served as the seventh President of the United States from 1829 to 1837 and was the founder of the Democratic Party . Before being elected to the presidency , Jackson served in Congress and gained fame as a general in the United States Army . As president , Jackson sought to advance the rights of the `` common man '' against a `` corrupt aristocracy '' and to preserve the Union .   He became a practicing lawyer in Tennessee and in 1791 he married Rachel Donelson Robards . Jackson served briefly in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate . Upon returning to Tennessee , he was appointed a justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court , serving from 1798 until 1804 . In 1801 , Jackson was appointed colonel in the Tennessee militia , and was elected its commander the following year . He led Tennessee militia and U.S. Army regulars during the Creek War of 1813 -- 1814 , winning a major victory at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend . The subsequent Treaty of Fort Jackson required the Creek surrender of vast lands in present-day Alabama and Georgia . Jackson won a decisive victory in the War of 1812 over the British army at the Battle of New Orleans , making him a national hero . Following the conclusion of the War of 1812 , Jackson led U.S. forces in the First Seminole War , which helped produce the Adams -- Onís Treaty of 1819 and the transfer of Florida from Spain to the United States . Following the ratification of the treaty , Jackson briefly served as Florida 's first territorial governor before winning election as a U.S. Senator from Tennessee .   Jackson was a candidate for president in 1824 but , lacking a majority of electoral votes , lost the election in the House of Representatives to John Quincy Adams . In reaction to a `` corrupt bargain '' between opponents Adams and Henry Clay , Jackson 's supporters founded the Democratic Party . He ran again for president in 1828 against Adams and won in a landslide . As president , Jackson faced a threat of secession by South Carolina over the `` Tariff of Abominations '' enacted under Adams . The Nullification Crisis was defused when the tariff was amended and Jackson threatened the use of military force if South Carolina attempted to secede . Congress , led by Clay , attempted to reauthorize the Second Bank of the United States ; Jackson regarded the Bank as a corrupt institution and vetoed the renewal of its charter . After a lengthy struggle , Jackson and the congressional Democrats thoroughly dismantled the Bank . In 1835 , Jackson became the only president to completely pay off the national debt , fulfilling a longtime goal .   In foreign affairs , Jackson 's administration concluded a `` most favored nation '' treaty with Great Britain , settled U.S. claims of damages by France from the Napoleonic Wars , and recognized the Republic of Texas . His presidency marked the beginning of the ascendancy of the `` spoils system '' in American politics . In 1830 , Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act , which relocated most members of the Native American tribes in the South to Indian Territory ( now Oklahoma ) . The relocation process dispossessed the Indians and resulted in widespread death and sickness . In his retirement , Jackson remained active in Democratic Party politics , supporting the presidencies of Martin Van Buren and James K. Polk .   Jackson was widely revered in the United States , but his reputation has declined since the mid-20th century , largely due to his role in Indian removal and support for slavery . Surveys of historians and scholars have ranked Jackson between 6th and 18th most successful among United States presidents .


The Incredible Hulk (film) The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Universal Pictures . It is the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film was directed by Louis Leterrier , with a screenplay by Zak Penn. . It stars Edward Norton , Liv Tyler , Tim Roth , Tim Blake Nelson , Ty Burrell , and William Hurt . In The Incredible Hulk , a new backstory is established where Bruce Banner becomes the Hulk as an unwitting pawn in a military scheme to reinvigorate the supersoldier program through gamma radiation . On the run , he attempts to cure himself of the Hulk before he is captured by General Thaddeus Ross , but his worst fears are realized when power-hungry soldier Emil Blonsky becomes a similar , but more bestial creature .   After the mixed reception to the 2003 film Hulk , Marvel Studios reacquired the rights to the character . Leterrier , who had expressed interest in directing Iron Man , was brought onboard and Penn began work on a loose sequel that would be much closer to the comics and the 1978 television series of the same name . In April 2007 , Norton was hired to portray Banner and to rewrite Penn 's screenplay in order to distance itself from the 2003 film and establish its own identity , although he would go uncredited for his writing . Filming mostly took place in Toronto , Ontario , from July to November 2007 . Over 700 visual effects shots were created in post-production using a combination of motion capture and computer-generated imagery to complete the film .   The Incredible Hulk premiered on June 8 , 2008 at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City , California and was released in theaters on June 13 , 2008 , receiving generally favorable reviews by critics upon release . Critical praise went to the improved visuals , action sequences , and the portrayal of the title character . The film was number one at the box office , grossing over $ 263 million worldwide . Norton was set to reprise the role of Banner in The Avengers and any other MCU installment featuring the character , but he was ultimately replaced by Mark Ruffalo , who has signed on to portray the character in all potential sequels .